Whenever something looks interesting or beautiful, there is a natural desire of us to capture (捕捉) and preserve it — which means, in this day and age, that we are likely to reach for our phones to take a picture.
Though this would seem to be an ideal solution, there are two big problems associated with taking pictures. Firstly, we are likely to be so busy taking pictures that we forget to look at the world whose beauty and interest encourage us to take a photograph in the first place. And secondly, because we feel the pictures are safely stored on our phones, we never get around to looking at them, so sure are we that we’ll get around to them one day.
The first person to notice the problems was the English art critic (评论家), John Ruskin. He was a keen traveler who realized that most tourists make a poor job of noticing or remembering the beautiful things they see. He argued that humans have a natural tendency to respond to beauty and desire to have it, but there are better and worse expressions of this desire. At worse, we get into buying souvenirs or taking photographs. But, in Ruskin’s eyes, there’s just one thing we should do — attempting to draw the interesting things we see, regardless of whether we happen to have any talent for doing so.
Ruskin said, “Drawing can teach us to see: to notice properly rather than gaze absent-mindedly. In the process of recreating with our own hand what lies before our eyes, we naturally move from a position of observing beauty in a loose way to one where we acquire a deep understanding of its parts.”
Ruskin deplored the blindness and hurry of modern tourists, especially those who prided themselves on travelling around the whole Europe in a week by train, “No changing of places at a hundred miles an hour will make us stronger, happier, or wiser. There was always more in the world than men could see, if they ever walked slowly; they will see it no better for going fast. The really precious things are thoughts and sights, not pace.”
1. According to Paragraph 2, when taking pictures, people tend to ___________.| A．forget to appreciate something attractive on the spot |
| B．find it hard to learn skills of taking good pictures |
| C．find a good way to keep things in their minds |
| D．have a chance to meet the challenge of new technology |
| A．To speak it out openly. | B．To photograph it instantly. |
| C．To purchase it directly. | D．To paint it immediately. |
| A．considerate and determined | B．active and adventurous |
| C．creative and thoughtful | D．sensitive and ambitious |
| A．appreciated | B．criticized |
| C．favored | D．ignored |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】In 2015,the Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates warned the world in a TED speech that highly infectious viruses would kill millions of people in the future. It remained unnoticed until recently. The video has been watched over 43 million times online so far.
Based on his beliefs,Gates writes a new book,How to Prevent the Next Pandemic.
Moreover,research and development should be further strengthened. They are to secure that lifesaving tools, effective vaccines of long-term protection,effective treatments and highly sensitive diagnostic techniques can benefit all people at a faster speed. It requires not only investment but also bigger production capacity.
Lastly,people need to improve health immunization system and early warning systems, especially in low-and-middle-income countries.
| A．To start with,plans should be made. |
| B．Routine immunization should be improved. |
| C．It is about the causes and spread of COVID-19. |
| D．Firstly,more people are encouraged to watch the speech video. |
| E．As a consequence, when the next crisis arrives, people can be ready. |
| F．He believes that people can learn a lot from the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| G．95 percent viewings happened after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
【推荐2】Social media provides materialists with ideal opportunities to compare themselves with others, which makes them subject to passive and addictive user behavior. This stresses them out and, ultimately, leads to low life satisfaction, according to a new study.
The researchers headed by Dr. Phillip Ozimek from Germany employed 1, 230 people for their online survey. In order to participate, respondents had to visit at least one social media channel at least once a week. On average, the participants stated they spent just over two hours a day on social media.
The team used six different questionnaires to determine the extent to which the participants had a materialistic attitude and tended to compare themselves with others, whether they used social media more actively or passively, whether they were addicted to social media, how stressed and how satisfied they were with their lives.
“The data showed a stronger materialistic approach goes hand in hand with a tendency to compare oneself with others,” points out Ozimek. This comparison is easy to make on social media, primarily through passive use—by looking at the content posted by other users. Materialism and passive use were also linked to addictive use of social media.
“Users are constantly thinking about the respective channels and fear they’re missing out on something if they aren’t online,” explains Ozimek. “This in turn leads to poorer mental health like stress. The final link in the chain is reduced life satisfaction.”
“Overall, the study provides further evidence that the use of social media is associated with risks, especially for people with a highly materialistic mindset,” says the psychologist. “This is particularly worrying, because social media can stimulate and increase materialistic values through influence r marketing. Meanwhile, the platforms attract materialists anyway, as they’re a perfect way to satisfy materialistic needs.”
“It’s definitely a good idea to be aware of the amount of time you spend on social media and to reduce it,” recommends Ozimek, who advises against giving up social media completely. “If you did, you’re likely to over-correct.” He also suggests recording materialism and social media use in patients undergoing treatment for mental health disorders. “While these factors are often irrelevant, they can be a starting point for additional interventions patients can try out at home.”
1. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?| A．The Virtual World, the Real Danger |
| B．Showing Superiority Causes Heavy Media Use |
| C．More Social Media Materialism, Less Happiness |
| D．Materialistic Values: A Stepping Stone to Discontent |
| A．be a big spender | B．specialize in data analysis |
| C．be a regular social media user | D．upload web surfing history |
| A．Pessimism. | B．Sympathy. | C．Shock. | D．Concern. |
| A．Restricting the duration. | B．Logging onto well-rated websites. |
| C．Abandoning it for good. | D．Prohibiting patients from using it. |
【推荐3】1 It is commonly believed that teens’ preference for waking up and staying up later was driven by social forces—the pressures of school, the pleasures of partying. Mary Carskadon at Brown University, Rhode Island, however, assumed that biological factors might be responsible.
2 To test that theory, she surveyed 2000 schoolchildren across the US on their preferred and actual bedtimes and wake times; the times of day when they felt most or least attentive and energetic; and their physical development. The results pointed to biology. Sixth-graders ( aged 11or 12) scored higher on “eveningness” and lower on “morningness” than younger children, even though they occupied the same social background—a tendency that connected with their stage of puberty (青春期). In earlier studies, Carskadon had shown adolescents need more sleep than younger kids to avoid daytime sleepiness. Therefore, she and her team concluded, the practice of ringing the morning bell earlier at middle schools (for 1 1 to 13-year-olds) and high schools (for ages 14 to 18) than at elementary schools “may run exactly oppose to children’s biological needs”.
3 Carskadon went on to confirm her findings using more direct methods, such as measuring levels of melatonin (褪黑激素) in teens’ saliva (唾液) round the clock. In response, a growing number of local governments in US began pushing back start times in middle and high schools. Further research linked such moves to higher test scores, as well as lower rates of depression, substance use, illness and vehicular accidents.
4 In 2014, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that middle and high schools start the day no earlier than 8: 30 am. The American Psychological Association and the American Medical Association later followed suit. In 2019, California became the first US state to pass laws based on those guidelines. This May, Florida became the second. Meanwhile, school districts from Australia to South Korea have launched similar reforms.
1. What did Carskadon believe caused teenagers waking up and staying up later?| A．Social factors. | B．Academic burden. |
| C．Biological elements. | D．The pleasure of having parties. |
| A．Her assumption was totally baseless. | B．Younger children tended to stay up later. |
| C．Younger children and teens had a lot in common. | D．Physiological stage affected teen’s sleep behaviors. |
| A．Pushing back middle school start times is beneficial. | B．Direct methods are adopted in Carskadon’s research. |
| C．Carskadon’s research needed further improvements. | D．Some middle schools started their school later now. |
| A．Broke down barriers. | B．Acted in the same way. |
| C．Convinced the authority. | D．Raised people’s awareness. |
【推荐1】A new study, conducted by British company Mindlab International, has revealed that listening to music at work promotes accuracy and speed, The Telegraph reported. Perhaps, some parents disagree with this idea, insisting, “Switch off the music and concentrate!” Well, if that’s the case with your parents, you might now be able to convince them that you have science on your side.
The company gave 26 participants a series of different tasks for five days in a row, including spell checking, mathematical word problems, data entry, and abstract reasoning. The participants completed these tasks while listening to music or no music at all.
The results showed that while music was playing, 88% of participants produced their most accurate test results and 81% completed their fastest work. David Lewis, chairman of Mindlab International, told The Telegraph, “Music is a very powerful management tool if you want to increase not only the efficiency of your workforce but also their emotional state…they are going to become more positive about the work.”
However, you may have a list of your favorite songs, but not all kinds of music match all homework. For maths or other subjects involving numbers or attention to detail, you should listen to classical music, the study found. In the study, pop music enabled participants to complete their tasks 58% faster than when listening to no music at all. If you are reviewing your English writing, pop music is the best choice, as it is the best kind for spell checking. It cuts mistakes by 14%, compared to listening to no music. After finishing your homework, do you often take time to check your answers? Maybe, some dance music is suitable for you.
1. What is Para 1 mainly about?| A．Parents’ negative opinions about the role of music. |
| B．A new study about music practiced by the Telegraph. |
| C．Scientific proof of the benefits of listening to music. |
| D．Attempt to talk the parents into listening to music. |
| A．Persuade their parents to listen to music. |
| B．Increase their learning efficiency. |
| C．Try their best to choose the most suitable music. |
| D．Finish tasks with music or without music at all. |
| A．Classical music. | B．Dance music. |
| C．Pop music. | D．Rock music. |
| A．Music helps us to learn. | B．We cannot live without music. |
| C．Different music, different lives. | D．Music in the classroom. |
【推荐2】When a 14-year-old boy from Atlanta, Georg1a disappeared earlier this year, his mother turned to her smartphone for clues using an app called Family Tracker that helped track his location. It is one of several apps that allow parents to track where their children are.
“You can see where your loved ones are without having to call or bother them,” said Roberto Franceschetti of LogSat, the creators of Family Tracker, which has more than 100,000 users worldwide.
Parents can track the location of their child on a map and send messages. Parents don’t need to own a smartphone to track their children. The service can also be accessible on the web, as long as the phone that is being tracked is running the app.
Family Tracker has an additional service that keeps all data made by the app for a two-week period, which the company calls BDS breadcrumbs(面包屑). The service was used to find the missing boy in Atlanta.
“With a subscription(订阅), we keep all the locations where people have been on our servers. You can see where your kid has been for the past two weeks. You can find out where someone was at a certain time, or when that person was at a specific place,” Franceschetti explained.
“When somebody gets kidnapped(绑架), usually whoever does this throws the phone away or takes the battery out. We were hoping that our app would at least provide information on where the person was kidnapped or where had been in the past. That way the police would have a history or some clues as to who they may have been seeing.”
1. What does the text mainly about?| A．The invention of an app called Family Tracker. |
| B．An app designed to help parents find missing children. |
| C．A smartphone which can activate an alarm in remote areas. |
| D．An app which can be used both on the phone and on the Net. |
| A．The parent must have a smartphone. |
| B．The parent has to buy a map. |
| C．The child must have a phone running the app. |
| D．The child must not be in faraway areas. |
| A．To let parents send messages. | B．To locate where children are. |
| C．To warn children of time. | D．To store data produced by the app. |
| A．parents | B．teachers | C．robbers | D．policemen |
【推荐3】The Nobel economics prize was awarded on Monday to Harvard University professor Claudia Goldin for research that has advanced the understanding of the gender (性别) gap in the labor market.
The announcement went a tiny step to closing the Nobel committee’s own gender gap: Goldin is just the third woman to win the prize out of 93 economics laureates (获奖者). She has studied 200 years of women’s participation in the workplace, showing that despite continued economic growth, women’s pay did not continuously catch up to men’s and a divide still exists despite women gaining higher levels of education than men. “I’ve always been an optimist. But when I looked at the numbers, I found in the 1990s, our labor force participation rate for women was the highest in the world, and now it isn’t the highest in the world,” Goldin told The Associated Press.
“Although Goldin’s research does not offer solutions, it allows policymakers to deal with the problem,” said Randi Hjalmarsson, a member of the Nobel committee. “She explains the source of the gap, and how it’s changed over time and how it changes with the stage of development. By finally understanding the problem and calling it by the right name, we will find a solution.”
Goldin, 77, told AP that what happens in people’s homes reflects what happens in the workplace. Women often have to take jobs that allow them to be on call at home—work that often pays less.
“Goldin tried to fill in missing data for her research,” Hjalmarsson said. For parts of history, systematic labor market records did not exist, and, if they did, information about women was missing. “So Goldin had to be a detective to find novel data sources and creative ways to use them to measure these unknowns.”
1. What can we infer from the second paragraph?| A．Men gained higher levels of education than women. |
| B．The women’s pay caught up to men’s 200 hundreds years ago. |
| C．Many women scientists have won the Nobel economics prize these years. |
| D．At the late 20th century, American women labor force participation rate was the top. |
| A．Randi Hjalmarsson didn’t agree with Goldin. |
| B．Most of the women usually prefer to be housewives. |
| C．What happens in family life often mirrors that in the workplace. |
| D．Goldin’s research offered the policymakers solutions to the problem. |
| A．Lack of experience. | B．Lack of support. |
| C．Lack of money. | D．Lack of data. |
| A．A Solution to the Gender Gap in the Labor Market |
| B．Claudia Goldin—a Great Economics Data Detective |
| C．The Third Woman Who Wins the Nobel Prize in the World |
| D．Nobel Economics Prize Goes to Harvard University Woman Professor |
【推荐1】Human Environments Photo Contest
Time: It will run from September 1st through December 31st,2020.
Theme: Human Environments—How to protect our living environments
Introduction: Throughout history, humans have learned how to build custom environments to meet both their private and public lives, and have progressively perfected such spaces to adjust to their increasing needs. In 2020, how do our man-made environments look and what do they say about the contemporary societies we live in?
Categories: “Single Image” for single photographs; “Series” for full projects
Who can enter: Open to all students in the world.
Entry fee: $10 for a single entry
Prizes: The 1st prize winner will receive $100 in CASH and a gold medal.
The 2nd and 3rd prize winners will each receive $50 in CASH and a silver medal.
Contest Rules:
(1) Submitted photo (s) must be your original creation！
(2)Your photo (s) should not be larger than 8.5x 11 in size.
Image requirements: jpg format; at least 1440px wide; 300dpi is preferable, but 72dpi will work as well.
Online submission of digital photographs is via the website. If you’d like to participate in the “Single Image” category, you can send a maximum of 3 images. If you’d like to enter the “Series’ category, you should send a selection of 10-15 images from the same project.
Copyright: Full ownership of the copyright for every submitted image remains with its author. You can grant(授予) FotoRoom the possibility to use the submitted images on its website.
Digital Submissions: If your photo is digitally created, then you should follow these two steps:
(1)Fill out this entry form and click to submit.
(2)Then you MUST email your file to art@ photocontest. com.
Mail Submissions: If your photo is on paper or any other non-digital format, then mail your entry form and artwork to: SAVE THE FROGS!
P.O. Box 78758 Los Angeles, CA90016 the USA
1. What can we know about the contest？
| A．All people can take part in it. | B．It lasts for a few months in 2020. |
| C．Its theme is about environment pollution. | D．There is only one category for the contest. |
| A．must pay the entry fee | B．must be good at photographing |
| C．must be active in protecting the environment | D．should hand in their photos before September 1st |
| A．He will receive $100 and two medals. |
| B．He will receive$100 and a gold medal. |
| C．He will lose his ownership of his prize-winning work. |
| D．He will see his prize-winning work at art＠photocontest.com. |
| A．can’t be over 3 images | B．must be 8.5 x 11 in size |
| C．should be their original work | D．have no limit in the number |
| A．must be 1440px wide | B．has a high chance to win |
| C．is not allowed to be competed | D．has a different submitting way from photos on paper |
【推荐2】Runners need to move 15 per cent faster on a treadmill(跑步机) to burn the same number of calories as jogging outdoors, research reveals.
Researchers from Milan University analyzed the difference between running outdoors and on a treadmill in 15 physically fit males with an average age of 21. The participants completed a sprint(短距离快速跑) for 30 seconds followed by 30 seconds of recovery for a total of 15 minutes both outdoors and on a treadmill. Oxygen use and exercise intensity were measured after both types of running.
The findings were published in the journal of Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism. Results revealed that when on a treadmill, runners use significantly lower amounts of oxygen, suggesting less effort is required. Therefore runners must move 15 percent faster on a treadmill to burn the same amount of calories as exercising outdoors, the study stated. The study authors wrote, "A 15 per cent increase in running speed during a period of stopping and starting often in high intensity treadmill training session is the best possible solution to reaching the same physiological responses as an outdoor training session.
Although the study did not speculate why treadmill running appears to be needing less effort and energy, previous research suggests the moving belt of a treadmill moves joggers forward, causing them to move faster. Exercising indoors also means gym-goers do not have to fight with steep hills or wind resistance.
Michael Silverman, director of rehabilitation and wellness(康复科) at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York, said, “Outdoors, you are changing surfaces constantly, fighting the wind, and making quick and sudden starts and stops, which will lead to increased caloric burn.” Shake magazine reported. "And while we don't recommend running in extreme temperatures, it is worth noting that your body burns extra calories to regulate your body temperature," he says.
1. Where can you find the specific findings of the study?| A．In Paragraph 2 | B．In Paragraph 3 | C．In Paragraph 4 | D．In Paragraph 5 |
| A．Its participants were all 21 years old . |
| B．Michael is one of the researchers. |
| C．It revealed why treadmill running consumes less calories . |
| D．It took oxygen use and exercise intensity into consideration . |
| A．The runners need less energy. |
| B．The runners can usually get enough oxygen . |
| C．The moving belt pushes joggers forward . |
| D．The intensity of running on the treadmill is more stable . |
| A．conclude | B．research | C．oppose | D．doubt |
【推荐3】Once a teacher was giving her young students a lesson on how the government works. She was trying to explain the principle of income tax(所得税).
“You see,” she began speaking slowly and carefully, “each person who works must pay part of his or her salary to the government. If you make a high salary, your taxes are high. If you don’t make much money, your taxes are low.”
“Does it make sense?” she asked. “Does everyone understand the meaning of income tax?” The students nodded.
“Are there any questions?” she asked. The students shook their heads.
“Very good!” she said. “Now, I would like you to take a piece of paper and write a short composition on the subject of income tax.”
Little Joe was a slow learner. He had lots of problems with spelling and grammar, but at least this time he seemed to understand the task. He took his pen and after a few minutes, he handed the teacher the following composition: Once I had a dog. His name was Tax. I opened the door and in come Tax.
1. The teacher was trying to explain ____________ one day.| A．how the government works | B．the principle of income tax |
| C．everyone should pay income tax | D．how much tax one should pay for his income |
| A．all the students shook their heads |
| B．many of the students were still puzzled |
| C．a few students disagreed with their teacher |
| D．not all the students understood the meaning of income tax |
| A．to say something about income tax | B．to answer some questions on income tax |
| C．to write a composition on income tax | D．to explain the principle of income tax |
| A．His poor understanding of the teaching. | B．The teacher. |
| C．His classmates’ nodding heads. | D．His spelling and grammar ability. |
【推荐1】When we do not understand each others language,we can talk with the help of signs.
A Frenchman was once travelling in England. He could not speak English at all. One day he went into a restaurant and sat down at a table. When the waiter came, he opened his mouth, put his fingers in it and took them out again. He wanted to say,"Bring me something to eat. "The waiter soon brought him a cup of tea. The man moved his head from side to side. The waiter understood him and took the tea away. In a moment he came with a cup of coffee. But the man again refused it. He shook his head whenever the waiter brought him something to drink, for drinks are not food. When the man was going away ,another man came in. This man saw the waiter, and he put his hands on his stomach（胃）. That was enough. In a few minutes there was a large plate of meat and vegetables on the table in front of him,
So you see. we cannot understand the language of signs as well as we can understand the language of words.
1. A Frenchman signed to the waiter .| A．to ask him for a cup oft ea | B．to bring him a cup of coffee |
| C．to ask him for food | D．to tell him what he said |
| A．different kinds of drinks | B．a large plate of meat and vegetables |
| C．a lot of drinks and a large plate of meat | D．a lot of food and drinks |
| A．he had a stomachache | B．he was hungry |
| C．he was very thirsty | D．he was full |
| A．people can only understand the language of words |
| B．proper gestures can help to understand each other |
| C．waiters should understand body language |
| D．it is important to learn foreign languages |
【推荐2】Hi, I’m Neil Harbisso. I come from a place where the sky is always grey, where flowers are always grey, and where television is still in black and white.
I actually come from a world where color doesn’t exist. I was born with achromatopsia. I was born completely color-blind. So I’ve never seen color, and don’t know what it looks like. But since the age of 21, I can hear color thanks to a magic electronic eye called “eyeborg”: a color sensor between my eyes connected to a chip(芯片) installed at the back of my head that transforms color frequencies into sound frequencies that I hear through my bone.
I’ve had the electronic eye permanently attached to my head and I’ve been listening to colors nonstop since 2004. So I find it completely normal now to hear colors all the time.
Since I started to hear color, my life has changed significantly. Art galleries have become concert halls. I can hear a Picasso. And supermarkets have become like night clubs. I love how they sound.
My sense of beauty has changed. Someone might look very beautiful but sound terrible, and someone might sound very harmonious but look awful. So I find it really exciting to create sound portraits(画像) of people. Instead of drawing the shape of someone’s face I write down the different notes I hear when I look at them, and then I send them an mp3 of their face. Each face sounds different. I can even give face concerts now, concerts where I play the audience’s faces. The good thing about doing this is that if the concert doesn’t sound good, it’s their fault.
I also found out that things I thought were colorless are not colorless at all. Cities are not grey. Lisbon is yellow turquoise(宝石绿); London is very golden red…and humans are not black and white. Human skins range from light shades of orange to very dark shades of orange. We are all orange.
If we extend our senses, we will consequently extend our knowledge.
1. We can infer from the article that people with achromatopsia ____________.| A．suffer from blindness |
| B．have a good sense of colors |
| C．are not able to see colors |
| D．like to go to concert halls and supermarkets |
| A．Art galleries have been changed into various sounds. |
| B．Works at the art galleries are created by great musicians. |
| C．Art galleries are filled with noisy people. |
| D．The author now likes art galleries as much as concert halls. |
| A．Neil developed a rare disease in his childhood. |
| B．The eyeborg produces sounds based on shades of colors. |
| C．Neil will use the eyeborg for the rest of his life. |
| D．In Neil’s mind, all people are orange. |
| A．Eyeborg – a real life saver. | B．I listen to color. |
| C．Sense the world. | D．Art galleries turned into concert halls. |
Herschel’s first major discoveries were to show that Mars and Jupiter exhibit axial rotation(绕轴自转). Herschel struck fame in 1781,when on March 13th he discovered the planet Uranus(天王星) while engaged in work aimed at determining stellar parallax(恒星视差).This being the first new planet discovered since ancient times, Herschel, until then a mere amateur astronomer relatively unknown even in England, became world-famous. Adopting a historically proven strategy, Herschel named the new planet Georgium Sidum,in honor of the then ruling English king GeorgeⅢ. The trick worked once again, as King GeorgeⅢ gave William and Caroline the titles of“The King’s Astronomer”and“Assistant to the King’s Astronomer”, an honor which came with a life’s pension for both. In 1782 they moved to Bath, and shortly thereafter to Slough, and from this point on William and Caroline could devote themselves entirely to astronomy. The Herschels went on to discover two moons of Uranus in 1787.
While Caroline became increasingly occupied with the search for comets at which she was quite successful, William became for a time interested in the Sun. Inspired by Wilson’s 1774 work, he put forth the theory of sunspots(太阳黑子),an opinion that continued to exist well into the nineteenth century. In 1800,he became interested in the solar spectrum(太阳光谱),and uncovered the first evidence for solar energy output outside of the visible spectrum, in what is now known as the infrared(红外线).In 1801, he published two papers that effectively started the field of solar influences on Earth’s weather.
1. Herschel made himself known to the world mainly by .
| A．discovering the planet Uranus |
| B．determining stellar parallax |
| C．discovering two moons of Uranus |
| D．uncovering the evidence for the infrared |
| A．liked science and technology |
| B．liked Herschel’s naming of the new planet |
| C．was interested in astronomy |
| D．gave Herschel a lot of useful suggestions |
| A．She was successful in music. |
| B．She was given the title of“The King’s Astronomer”. |
| C．She died later than her brother. |
| D．She published two papers. |
| A．some information about Herschel and his sister |
| B．how Herschel and his sister discovered the planet Uranus |
| C．Herschel and Caroline got along well with each other |
| D．Herschel and Caroline’s major scientific publications |
