Asking for help is a sign of strength rather than weakness. In American culture, the independent individual is seen as their ideal. As the University of Missouri at St. Louis states on its website under the heading Key American Values, “Americans have been trained since very early in their lives to consider themselves as separate individuals who are responsible for their own situations in life and their own destinies.” The value also makes them think they can do everything themselves, and makes them feel badly about asking for help when they need it.
And when it comes to work situations, when they think about asking for help there, sometimes they fear that a request for help would make them look inept. While this has always been true for men, many women in the workplace have felt the need to try twice as hard as their male colleagues and do twice as much to get just as far and to prove their worth. Sometimes when we think about asking for help, our inner voices tell us, “See, if you admit you can’t do this on your own, they’ll see you for the imposter(骗子) you really are.”
But the fact is, even though individualism is on the rise, we can’t do everything by ourselves and we shouldn’t try.
Apple founder Steve Jobs once told the Santa Clara Valley Historical Association about the power of asking for help, and how he “never found anybody who didn’t want to help me when I asked them for help”. He said, at the age of 12, he called Bill Hewlett, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard, on the phone after getting his number from the phone book and asking him for spare parts so he could build a frequency counter(计频器). And Hewlett agreed and offered young Jobs a summer job assembling frequency counters.
“If you’re afraid of failing, you won’t get very far,” Jobs said.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．What key American values are. |
| B．Asking for help is a sign of strength. |
| C．Why Americans refuse to ask for help. |
| D．Americans are responsible for their life. |
| A．impolite | B．Impatient |
| C．impossible | D．incompetent |
| A．Americans suffer a lot from mutual distrust. |
| B．Americans lay emphasis on individual values. |
| C．Americans should learn to build up confidence. |
| D．Americans see weakness as a sign of strength. |
| A．Don’t hesitate to ask for assistance. |
| B．Be brave to try whatever you want. |
| C．Failure is the mother of success. |
| D．Learn to cooperate with others. |
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【推荐1】You probably hear the word “love” many times each week. You may hear it from a parent, a friend, in your place of worship, on tv or in a book.
So what does love mean to you?
At it’s core, love is about being kind and doing good things for others. A famous verse from the bible describes how love is more than just a feeling, but the way you act and treat others. “
So what are some ways that you could show love? It could be as simple as volunteering at a local soup kitchen. Maybe telling those we love how important they are! Consistently showing love will build a habit and fulfill you as well.
| A．Love is patient, love is kind. |
| B．But it is also a lot more than that. |
| C．And what kind of love is most important? |
| D．You may even say the word love a lot yourself! |
| E．So what are some ways that you could show love? |
| F．Before we can show love though, we must first love ourselves. |
| G．Consistently showing love will build a habit and fulfill you as well. |
【推荐2】Rising Above Fear: Strategies For Conquering Anxiety and Achieving Your Goals
You have to know that managing your worst fear and anxiety isn’t easy but that’s okay, we are here to help you out.
You need to notice how you feel.
Own your fears. Have you ever cried so much that it became very difficult to stop the tears, we can totally understand that.
Create goals that are necessary. Most of the time, the process of overcoming your fears and anxiety is hindered by elusive goals that we set for ourselves. Ask yourself this: What does the life I deserve look like? How can I achieve that lifestyle? Once you know that your goals are essential, the fear of not making an effort will overcome the fear of failure.
| A．Find acceptance in failure. |
| B．Never back away from learning. |
| C．Hardship is another trouble you have to face in life. |
| D．It will motivate you and this is when you will be inspired to act. |
| E．When the fearful thoughts kick in, it becomes so hard to ignore them. |
| F．You need to be able to talk about your emotions, no matter how hard it is. |
| G．You can build skills to manage your emotional response when anxiety and fear kick in. |
【推荐3】
Smile often. Research has shown that the facial expression you wear influences your state of mind.
Stop complaining.
Practice thankfulness. Thankfulness has been shown to be the last ticket to a happy life. The more you practice thankfulness, the more you will find things to be grateful for in your life.
| A．Everyone hopes to lead a happy life. |
| B．Try your best to keep a balanced diet. |
| C．If you try to smile, you are more likely to be happy. |
| D．The more you complain, the more annoyed you will become. |
| E．Here are three ways to ensure you to become happier every day. |
| F．You will slowly stop paying much attention to what worries you. |
| G．This then will lead you to realize how much goodness is in your life. |
【推荐1】Student loan (贷款) debt has become a worldwide problem. In America, the country’s overall student debt reached a record of $1.6 trillion in 2019. The average person with student loan debt owed between $20, 000 and $25, 000, A recent Japanese government report says it has been lending over $9 billion yearly to students since 2010. Similar conditions exist in Africa and South America.
Several factors account for high student loan debt. One is that employers everywhere have increased their demands for skilled workers, making higher education a requirement for many jobs. The students, however, after graduation, often find that their country’s economy is not strong enough to support their financial needs, so their ability to pay back the loan becomes a problem.
To solve the problem, many countries are seeking their ways. Australia has developed a system where students do not have to pay anything back until they are earning at least $40, 000 a year. In America, several candidates (候选人) running for president in the 2020 election have offered more extreme solutions that all or at least some of these loans will be forgiven (免除).
Some professors in several universities recently studied what the effects of debt forgiveness might be. They found that, on the whole, sudden debt relief greatly improved the borrowers’ lives. Not only did they have more money, but they were more likely to move to a new area and seek better paying work.
Yet the professors’ research doesn’t include what might happen to financial institutions or the overall economy if debt were totally forgiven. It only looks at how debt forgiveness would help the borrowers. They warn of some other possible negative effects. If a borrower knew that if he ran into any trouble he would be saved because he could get the debt relief, then he might actually become more reckless (轻率的) with his borrowing in the future.
No matter what, the professors agree that if countries do decide to approve some student debt relief the neediest students should be helped first.
1. How does the author introduce the problem of student loan?| A．By making a comparison. | B．By making classifications. |
| C．By setting down general rules. | D．By presenting some data. |
| A．It will surely provide some benefits to borrowers. |
| B．It aims to encourage more students to borrow money. |
| C．It has already been carried out in South America. |
| D．It will prevent a person from landing a well-paving job. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Positive. | C．Cautious. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．Student loan debt is the most serious problem worldwide. |
| B．Growing global student debt encourages search for solutions. |
| C．Student loan debt tends to pull the needy out of trouble. |
| D．People hold different opinions on debt forgiveness. |
【推荐2】Living car-free in the US
Culdesac admitted its first thirty-six residents in Tempe, Arizona, US, earlier this year.
In a country as car-dependent as the US, Culdesac is nothing short of visionary (有远见的).
| A．Still, there is hope |
| B．Cars are allowed, but parking is limited |
| C．This can effectively avoid traffic accidents on a road |
| D．This reliance on cars doesn’t come cheap, unfortunately |
| E．For some, cars equal freedom, but for me, it’s a restriction |
| F．It describes itself as the first car-free neighbourhood built in the US |
| G．The vast majority of Americans are entirely dependant on cars to get around |
【推荐3】There are many programs for high school students today that help lonely teenagers deal with loneliness. However, loneliness is not only a problem for teens but also an important and rarely acknowledged one in the elderly.
In Britain, Tracey Crouch was appointed to be the first Minister of Loneliness in order to address the problems caused by loneliness. This is the first time such a position has been created.
In Britain, there are around 9 million people who say they are lonely frequently. In Germany, a study conducted by Ruhr University Bochum found that 20 percent of people over the age of 85 felt lonely, and 14 percent of those between age 45 and 65 felt socially lonely. In the United States, more than 25 percent of the population live alone, more than 50 percent are unmarried.
Loneliness is generally associated with heart disease, overweight, and anxiety. Additionally, the stress from loneliness can cause your cells to change on a molecular (分子) level that reduces its abilities to defend your body against diseases. In fact, doctors believe having feelings of loneliness is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes per day in regard to its effect on health!
In Britain, the new Minister of Loneliness will help introduce government policies on the problem and fund a charity—an organization for helping people in need, to devote their efforts towards aiding loneliness. There are charities that link lonely seniors to high school students in order to give them a line of communication whenever they feel lonely!
The possibilities for the new Minister of Loneliness are endless. For example, she can provide education services to household businesses so that they can identify lonely customers if they see one. Loneliness fits into the category of being a social problem that must be monitored by the entire community in order to help those in need. Therefore, government involvement in medical services and care for seniors and others is vital for happy seniors.
1. How does the author develop Paragraph 3?| A．By listing some statistics. |
| B．By giving examples of lonely people． |
| C．By pointing out similarities and differences. |
| D．By comparing different cultures in different countries． |
| A．Relevant． | B．Opposite． |
| C．Similar． | D．Superior． |
| A．Do housework for lonely people． |
| B．Help fund charities to aid lonely people． |
| C．Communicate with anxious school students． |
| D．Develop friendships with the elderly． |
| A．UK becomes the capital of loneliness． |
| B．Loneliness affects old people’s life worldwide. |
| C．Many teenagers suffer from loneliness． |
| D．UK’s Minister of Loneliness settles loneliness. |
【推荐1】Chat GPT is a new AI system that sounds so human in conversations that it could host its own radio programs. Reading between its instantly generated, perfectly grammatical lines, people see different visions of the future. Without doubt, Chat GPT is impressive.
Some compare the emergence of Chat GPT with the impact of the iPhone, but that doesn’t do it justice. Chat GPT, as well as the generative AI that will follow and outsmart it, is more disruptive. And yet, that doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the world is upon us. On the contrary, Chat GPT, I would argue, might serve to make us more aware of our irreplaceable human qualities.
Take the creative act, writing in particular, as an example,the AI-powered chatbot always produces something because it has the whole world of online data to draw from. But unlike us, it lacks the consciousness. Thinking is hard, critical thinking even harder, and Chat GPT isn’t good at either. It just restates what has already been said; it is one big recycling machine.
There is another obvious limitation of Chat GPT. Philosopher Harry Frankfurt once claimed: the difference between a bullshitter and a liar is that the liar knows what the truth is,but decides to take the opposite direction; a bullshitter, however, has no regard for the truth at all. The AI scholar Gary Marcus applies this distinction to Chat GPT. He believes that we have reached a critical point where “the price of bullshit reaches zero and people who want to spread misinformation, either politically or just to make a profit, start doing that plentifully”. Unfortunately, Chat GPT will reproduce misinformation from any of its input sources — it is not an intelligent system that tries to balance or weigh different perspectives. In this sense, everything that Chat GPT writes is bullshit.
This is why the so-called AIQ is critical. It is actually an extension and a measurement of our human IQ: our overall knowledge of AI tools, our mastery of clues, and our ethical awareness. Chat GPT is going to change everything and nothing.
Creativity, imagination and ethics — these will all remain unique human domains. It is the AI’s very limitations that will make us appreciate our own.
1. What can we learn about Chat GPT?| A．It helps generate an artificial voice. | B．It provides instructions on writing skills. |
| C．It generates natural language responses. | D．It offers a service for language learning. |
| A．Evil. | B．Reliable. | C．Profitable. | D．Revolutionary. |
| A．To show the differences between humans and AI. |
| B．To describe the limitations of human consciousness. |
| C．To explain why Chat GPT isn’t a big recycling machine. |
| D．To prove Chat GPT make humans aware of their irreplaceable human qualities. |
| A．It makes up lies constantly. | B．It can’t tell right from wrong. |
| C．It often makes unfair judgement. | D．It always takes a neutral standpoint. |
【推荐2】Friendships can be difficult—because often people aren’t as honest and open as they should be. Sometimes, people end up getting hurt.
Most problems with friendships come up because people are just too selfish to care about the things that their friends need. They care about their own needs much more, which makes it hard for friendships to work. However, being selfish is part of human nature. A person is put together in order to take care of himself and his own needs, not necessarily those needs of other people. Even though being selfish is something that all humans are born with, it is something that everyone should guard against.
The best thing to remember when you are a friend to anyone is that you need to treat your friend the same way as you’d like to be treated. This is wonderful advice for a friendship, because it is really the only way to make sure that you are giving your friend everything you would want to be given in a friendship. Whenever you have a question about how you should treat a friend, it is easy to find an answer simply by asking yourself what you would like your friend to do for you, if he or she is in your shoes.
Even if you’re always thinking about how you’d like to be treated, and your friends are too, there are issues that come up from time to time in each friendship, and it is important to understand how to deal with these issues so that you can build stronger and healthier friendships. Issues like friends getting boyfriends or girlfriends and not spending enough time with their friends, or even friends finding new friends and leaving old friends behind are issues that will probably come up with one or more of your friendships. It is important to know how to deal with these issues so that you can keep your friends and make new ones. No one wants to have a broken friendship.
1. This passage mainly deals with ________.| A．the importance of friendships | B．the advantages of friendships |
| C．the problems with friendships | D．the meaning of friendships |
| A．to treat your friends as fairly as possible |
| B．to give your friends whatever you have |
| C．not to hurt your friends’ feelings |
| D．not to think of your own needs any more |
| A．if he or she likes your shoes | B．if he or she is in your house |
| C．if he or she is in your situation | D．if he or she cares for you |
| A．make friends | B．treat friends correctly |
| C．keep friends | D．deal with friendship issues |
【推荐3】It’s not easy being a teenager— nor is it easy being the parent of a teenager. You can make your child feel angry, hurt, or misunderstood by what you say without realizing it yourself. It is important to give your child the space he needs to grow while gently letting him know that you’ll still be there for him when he needs you.
Expect a lot from your child, just not everything. Except for health and safety problems, such as drug use or careless driving; consider everything else open to discussion. If your child is unwilling to discuss something, don’t insist he tell you what’s on his mind. The more you insist, the more likely that he’ll clam up. Instead, let him attempt to solve things by himself. At the same time, remind him that you’re always there for him if he seeks advice or help. Show respect for your teenager’s privacy (隐私). Never read his mail or listen in on personal conversations.
Teach your teenager that the family phone is for the whole family. If your child talks on the family’s telephone for too long, tell him he can talk for 15 minutes, but then he must stay off the phone for at least an equal period of time. This not only frees up the line so that other family members can make and receive calls, but teaches your teenager moderation (节制). Or if you are open to the idea, allow your teenager his own phone that he pays for with his own pocket money or a part-time job.
1. The main purpose of the text is to tell parents ________.| A．how to help a teenager grow up | B．how to respect a teenager |
| C．how to understand a teenager | D．how to get along with a teenager |
| A．become excited | B．show respect |
| C．refuse to talk | D．seek help |
| A．to answer the phone quickly | B．to pay for his own telephone |
| C．to share the phone quickly | D．to use the phone in a sensible way |
| A．Not allow him to learn driving or take drugs. | B．Let him have his own telephone. |
| C．Give him advice only when necessary. | D．Not talk about personal things with him. |
【推荐1】There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy and the other becomes unhappy. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, events and the resulting effects upon their minds.
People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things: the pleasant parts of conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wine and the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things. Therefore, they are continually dissatisfied. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, offend (hurt) many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The intention of criticizing(批评) and being disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation(模仿). It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it realize its bad effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.
Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious results in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people offend many others; nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draws them into arguments. If they aim at getting some advantages in social position or fortune, nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone start a step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they bring on themselves public objections, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their wrongdoings. These should change this bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact(接触) with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their quarrels.
1. People who are unhappy _______.| A．always consider things differently from others |
| B．usually are affected by the results of certain things |
| C．usually misunderstand what others think or say |
| D．always discover the unpleasant side of certain things |
| A．have a good taste with social life | B．make others unhappy |
| C．tend to please others openly | D．enjoy the pleasure of life |
| A．we should pity all such unhappy people |
| B．such unhappy people are dangerous to social life |
| C．people can get rid of the habit of unhappiness |
| D．unhappy people can not understand happy persons |
| A．prevent any communication with them |
| B．show no respect and politeness to them |
| C．persuade them to recognize the bad effects |
| D．quarrel with them until they realize the mistakes |
【推荐2】Howard Carter is one of the most famous explorers the world has ever known. He didn’t go to school, but he was bright and curious about the world outside his home town. In 1891, at the age of 17, he set sail for Alexandria, Egypt. By the 1920s, he had become an explorer, searching for the tombs of the Egyptian kings. Inside the tombs, he discovered a great fortune in jewels and gold, along with the preserved bodies of dead kings. In 1922, Howard Carter made his most amazing discovery of all, in the Valley of the Kings, in Egypt. There they came across the tomb of King Tutankhamun. It was the most important tomb that had ever been found. “The tomb contained more treasure than any of us had ever seen before, as well as the mummy of the king,” said Carter.
However, not long after the discovery, people in Carter’s team fell ill and died. Upon their entering the tomb, Carter’s lucky pet bird was swallowed by a snake. Lord Carnarvon, who was also present when the tomb was opened, fell ill with a fever and died in Egypt. George Gould, a friend of Carnarvon’s, went to Egypt after hearing of his strange death. He too visited the tomb, only to catch a high fever the next day. Twelve hours later, he was dead.
Within 7 years, 21 people who had something to do with the opening the tomb died. Howard Carter, however, lived on until the age of 65. There are different explanations for the deaths. A scientific explanation is that inside the tombs there are many viruses, which can result in illness or even death. Today when scientists examine mummies, they wear special clothing for protection.
1. What is Howard Carter?| A．A famous scientist | B．A king buried in the tomb in Egypt |
| C．A brave explorer | D．A rich man who was interested in Egypt |
| A．The jewels in the tombs. | B．The tomb of King Tutankhamun. |
| C．The mummies in the tombs. | D．Several tombs in Egypt. |
| A．Lord Carnarvon | B．Howard Carter |
| C．the pet bird | D．George Gould |
| A．Howard Carter knew how to protect himself in the tomb. |
| B．the people who entered the tomb were punished by the mummy. |
| C．the deaths of those related to the opening of the tomb were just coincidence. |
| D．scientists are still trying to work out the mystery of the tomb. |
【推荐3】On a Wednesday afternoon in the Eager Road of Oceola Township, Michigan, when a car showed no sign of movement at a stop sign, majority of the motorists honked wildly. Annoyed by the inconvenience the car was causing, the motorists simply drove around the car and left.
Fortunately, a 16-year-old motorist, Max Greenwood of Howell High had the heart to hop off his truck and find out what’s really going on. Because of his action, Max was able to inspire two other women to rush over the stopped car and help out the driver.
As it turned out, the driver of the stopped car was distressed. Initially, the three did not have a clue about the driver’s alarming situation. When the driver gathered enough strength to share what happened, Max and the two women quickly assisted him.
“He told the women he thought his blood sugar was low. He got progressively worse. One of the women gave him a Coke to help his sugar levels, but I could tell it wasn’t helping, so I called 911.” Max said.
Thanks to the quick thinking and actions of Max and the two women, help arrived within a few minutes and the driver was transported to a hospital. According to the first medical responders, the man was suffering from a type of medical episode that must be aided immediately.
It is horrible to think what could have happened if Max did not concern himself with the reason why the car was not moving and simply minded his own business. Max may just be a 16-year-old student in the eyes of some people. But for the man he has saved, he surely is a modern hero with a golden heart. May his story inspire us to share a bit of our time to help the people we cross paths with! In this day and age, when a lot of kids don’t think about anyone but themselves, he stepped up and it made a difference.
1. How did most motorists react to the stopped car?| A．They got off to find out what was up. | B．They waited impatiently for the driver. |
| C．They felt annoyed and bypassed the car. | D．They blamed the driver for the inconvenience. |
| A．He didn’t notice the traffic signals. | B．His car broke down at the crossing. |
| C．He was exhausted and fell asleep. | D．He was attacked by a sudden illness. |
| A．He is a hero worth admiring. | B．He is just a small child of honesty. |
| C．He is familiar with the driver. | D．He knows much about the first aid. |
| A．Love and devotion. | B．Selflessness and responsibility. |
| C．Bravery and generosity. | D．Warm-heart and profession. |
