Today's world is not an easy adjustment for young adults. Key skill set for success is persistence (毅力), a characteristic that researchers say is heavily influenced by fathers. Researchers from Brigham Young University discovered that fathers are in a unique position to help their adolescent children learn persistence.
BYU professors Laura Padilla-Walker and Randal Day arrived at these findings after following 325 American families over several years. And over time，the persistence gained through fathers led to higher achievement in school.
"There are relatively few studies that stress the unique role of fathers，"Padilla-Walker said. "This research also helps to prove that characteristics such as persistence-which can be taught-are key to a child's life success.”
Researchers determined that dads need to practice an "authoritative" parenting style. Authoritative parenting is not authoritarian:rigid，demanding or controlling. Rather，an authoritative parenting style includes some of the following characteristics:children feel warmth and love from their father；responsibility and the reasons behind rules are stressed children are given an appropriate level of autonomy(自主权).
In the study，about 52 percent of the dads exhibited above-average levels of authoritative parenting. A key finding is that over time，children raised by an authoritative father were significantly more likely to develop persistence，which leads to better outcomes in school.
This particular study examined 11 to 14-year-olds living in two-parent homes. Yet the researchers suggest that single parents still may play a role in teaching the benefits of persistence，which is an avenue of future research.
1. What is special about the BYU professors' study?| A．It centered on fathers' role in parenting. |
| B．It was based on a number of large families. |
| C．It analyzed different kinds of parenting styles. |
| D．It aimed to improve kids' achievement in school. |
| A．Ignore their demands. | B．Make decisions for them. |
| C．Control their behaviors. | D．Explain the rules to them. |
| A．Single parents. |
| B．Children aged from 11 to 14. |
| C．Authoritarian fathers. |
| D．Mothers in two-parent homes. |
| A．Three Characteristics of Authoritative Fathers. |
| B．Key Skills for Young Adults to Succeed in Future. |
| C．Children Tend to Learn Determination from Father. |
| D．Family Relationship Influences School Performance. |
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Mitchell lost his battle with Marfan syndrome at 26. The rare genetic disorder affects the body’s connective tissue, which is used to hold together organs, cells and tissue.
Ashley Whisenhunt, 22, cared for her husband until his death but said she was astonished when she discovered the 30 letters he left for her, their 18-month-old daughter Brynleigh and the community.
The little girl will grow up with a letter every year from her second to 18th birthday from a man she didn’t get to spend much time with but who left no doubt that he loved her unconditionally. “Through his testimony,there is so much she is going to learn,” Ashley told ABC News.
One letter was also addressed to their Longview, Texas, community, thanking them for their support.
“It just blows my mind,” Ashley said of her husband’s secret gesture. “He thought about everybody else instead of himself.”
Ashley said she would respect her husband’s wishes and open each letter as he planned, however there was one special surprise left for her that she said hit her the hardest.
In a spiral notebook that Ashley used before she dropped out of college to care for her husband, he wrote a letter to her asking that she publish a book of poetry he had written.
Mitchell Whisenhunt even planned his own funeral, and the funeral director said he couldn’t tell Ashley because it was Mitchell’s plan and secret. Ashley said she couldn’t help but wonder what other surprises her husband had in store. “There are ones we still don’t know about it,” she said.
1. How many letters will Ashley Whisenhunt receive from her husband?
| A．30. | B．22. | C．12. | D．13. |
| A．books | B．poems | C．notebooks | D．surprises |
| A．Love from Heaven | B．Fight against Diseases |
| C．Respect for Father | D．Secrets in Store |
【推荐2】I was born in Detroit. My father, Robert, made his first fortune selling paint to the car industry. My mother, Hazel, was a telephone operator.
Our house in Detroit was beautiful, right off the Detroit Golf Club. We spent much of the time fishing and riding horses. It was one of the few times in my life that I had my father’s undivided attention.
When I was 7, my parents decided to move to Los Angeles. But my parents didn’t move out to L. A. immediately. Instead, they remained in Detroit for a year. I was sent on ahead, probably so my parents could enjoy their social life without disruption. My father put me on a train in Detroit, tipped a porter to keep an eye on me and when I arrived I was taken to the Hollywood Military Academy, where I had been registered.
My father had been so successful that he was able to retire. I admired his success, but he was strict and didn’t hesitate to punish or hit me for the slightest offence. I came to hate him, and I became rebellious(叛逆的). The four boarding schools I attended were like an extended Hollywood family. Many stars sent their kids there so they could work on movies without distraction. I became connected to the film industry through my friendships. I already was determined to become an actor. My father hoped I’d join his company, but I wanted nothing to do with it or him. Instead, I decided to try my luck in the picture business.
In 1950, when I was 20, I had a screen test. When the head of the studio, Darryl Zanuck, saw the test, he signed me. The day I found out, I felt absolutely great. Suddenly I was recognized. Through the years, my father voiced doubt about whether I’d make it. My mother’s support was our secret and canceled out his discouragement. At the end of his life in 1964, my father finally told me, “Nice job” about my film work. That’s the praise I got.
1. What does the underlined word “disruption” mean in the third paragraph?| A．Interruption. | B．Destruction. |
| C．Separation. | D．Consideration. |
| A．She openly encouraged his career choice. |
| B．She had no involvement in the author’s film work. |
| C．She convinced the father to be more supportive of the author. |
| D．She secretly supported him despite the father’s discouragement. |
| A．Distant but respectful. | B．Close but insecure. |
| C．Trusting and encouraging. | D．Supportive and caring. |
| A．A Life-changing Screen Test Success |
| B．The Experience of Growing Up in Detroit |
| C．A Father’s Approval: Struggles and Recognition |
| D．The Influence of Boarding Schools on My Career |
We have not seen you for a while now, so I thought we might check in. Did you fall off the edge of the Earth? Your mother worries, you know, and I am just curious. Well, I am more than curious. I feel abandoned.
Apparently you’ve dumped us for your career. I can understand that, because you’ve always had a wonderful work ethic (道德).
Look, obviously your long absence has confused us. As we go about our daily routines, your mother and I are distracted – both by your absence and our pride in your career. The other day, I entered my work password into the microwave, then stood there cursing it for not working. And I was so off my game (状态差) that I actually used that cholesterol-free mayo (不含胆固醇的蛋黄酱) your mother insisted on buying in an effort to drive me from the house.
Listen, a lot has happened since you’ve been away. Abraham Lincoln was shot. We had two more children – a princess, now 23; a boy, now 12.
Yesterday I bought a very clean 2001 Camaro car from an older woman. Your mother is not happy about this. She says it is the kind of muscle car driven by ex-convicts (有犯罪前科的人) when they examine your house at 2 am.
In response, I tell her it was the car of my dreams (when I was 18). So that’s where your long absence has left us. Your long absence is not so bad, though we miss your roaring laughter ... the way your cheeks flush (晕红) when you eat Thai food. How you always march too hard into the house, like a Scotsman stepping on snakes.
Each evening, your mother now waits by the window the way she did when you used to step off the bus in first grade, your hair full of rubber bands.
Bet that drove you crazy even then, her running out on the porch (门廊) like you’d just returned from a month-long journey to the moon.
Look, parents are not easy people.
But should the urge ever hit you, feel free to stop by some time. Our house is your house. Our hearts are yours too.
And your mother is still waiting by the window.
Love, Dad
1. The author entered his work password into the microwave because __________.
| A．all kinds of passwords made him confused |
| B．he was thinking too much about his work |
| C．he was affected by his daughter’s long absence |
| D．he was getting old and he had forgotten how to use the microwave |
| A．comparing the past and present |
| B．talking about history and his dream |
| C．listing changes they have made to their routines |
| D．detailing strange things they have started doing |
| A．describe what kind of person his daughter is |
| B．show how much he and his wife care about their daughter |
| C．show how annoyed his daughter must feel about her mother |
| D．remind his daughter of the problems they had |
| A．humorous | B．inspiring | C．serious | D．patient |
【推荐1】As humanity sets their sights on deep space exploration, the moon becomes a stepping stone, with countries hoping to build lunar bases to support such missions. To solve the “lunch” problem, scientists have been exploring the possibility of growing plants on the moon. A new study by Chinese scientists has found that bacteria in soil from Earth could offer a solution.
Researchers from China Agricultural University tested five species of bacteria on a material that simulated (模拟) lunar soil. Within a period of 10 to 21 days, three of the bacteria species had doubled their amount of phosphorus (磷) content, a key element for plant growth.
They then grew model plants in the lunar soil containing these three bacteria species. They observed that the plants had longer stems and roots after six days of growth compared with those grown without the bacteria. The plants also had heavier and wider leaves after 24 days of growth. Besides, levels of chlorophyll (叶绿素) — responsible for harvesting energy from light — in the model plants were about double that of those grown without bacteria.
“The study results have important implications for future long-term stays on the moon,” the study’s lead researcher, Sun Zhencai, told Xinhua. Earth bacteria may help astronauts make better use of lunar resources, such as creating lunar greenhouses. In their follow-up research, they hope to experiment with real lunar soil samples and grow crops like rice, com and potatoes.
Since the duration of space missions is increasing, carrying all food supplies to space becomes unsustainable. Hence, “space farmers” becomes critical.
During the Shenzhou XI mission, astronauts managed to grow lettuce, from sowing to harvest. In the later missions, the “space farmers” have successfully grown wheat, rice and thale cress (拟南芥), according to CCTV News.
The most recent visitors to China’s space station, the Shenzhou XVII astronauts, are now growing lettuce, scallion and cherry tomato. These “space farmers” not only provide astronauts with food but also more oxygen and water.
1. What do scientists hope the bacteria in soil from Earth can do?| A．Change lunar soil. into Earth soil. | B．Remove pollutants in lunar soil. |
| C．Help cultivate crops on the moon. | D．Get nutrients from the lunar soil. |
| A．plant species | B．bacteria species |
| C．the growth rate of the plants | D．the presence of the bacteria |
| A．Future missions. | B．Recent achievements. |
| C．Planting methods. | D．Production processes. |
| A．Bacteria from: Earth May Help Grow Crops on the Moon |
| B．Bacteria Play a Key Role in Growing Crops Nowadays |
| C．China Has Made Many Achievements Regarding Crop Harvest |
| D．The Origin and Development of Space Exploration Worldwide |
【推荐2】Have you ever seen one of the many videos of an elephant catching a paintbrush, putting it in paint, and producing a painting similar to something a 5-year-old could create? While watching an elephant paint is an amazing sight, we can’t help but wonder whether the training methods and results reflect animal cruelty.
A 2014 study on four captive (圈养的) Asian elephants at the Melbourne Zoo in Australia was carried out to identify stress-related behaviors around the activity of painting. While the researchers found that the elephants had a neutral (中立的) response to painting — not stressful, nor enriching- it seemed that when an elephant was not selected to paint, it displayed non-interactive behavior. This is seen as a possible signal of stress in the animals.
In addition, PETA, a famous animal rights group, has mentioned several American zoos that use harmful training methods to get elephants to paint, perform tricks, play instruments, and more. That is to say, some zoos that organize elephant painting use assaults to encourage the elephants. However, PETA argues that animal shelters should not force animals to do tricks at all.
Activist organizations warn that elephants can undergo extreme discomfort in the training process. Furthermore, many of the painting elephants are very young, at an age where they should still be with their mothers. It raises questions about whether there’s a chance they were caught for the express purpose of performing, or whether they could somehow be restored to a return to the wild.
It is difficult to support any kind of trained behavior that differs greatly from a wild animal’s natural tendencies. The role of a shelter is to allow an animal to live as close to its normal life as possible, perhaps with an eye to returning the animal to the wild; teaching them to paint does not seem to go with that target, particularly if it’s not a learned behavior that the animal would be willing to do independently.
1. What is the purpose of the 2014 study?| A．To identify stress-related behaviors when elephants paint. |
| B．To identify a neutral response to painting. |
| C．To recognize stress-free behaviors when elephants paint. |
| D．To recognize elephants’ non-interactive painting. |
| A．Persuasions. | B．Benefits. | C．Rewards. | D．Attacks. |
| A．Elephants should stay with their mother. |
| B．Elephants may feel uncomfortable in the training. |
| C．Elephants are caught for the purpose of performing. |
| D．Elephants ought to be returned to the wild. |
| A．Teaching animals to paint. | B．Permitting animals to perform. |
| C．Allowing animals to live freely. | D．Training animals to finish the target. |
【推荐3】Shakespeare once wrote: “Neither a borrower nor A lender be;For loan (借款) often loses both itself and friend”. It’s often explained and used as a warning about the dangers of lending, and how you could risk a friendship through it. But why can lending money be so detrimental to our friendships?
If our friend or family member comes to us for hard cash, it can be very difficult to turn them away. You feel under pressure to help. And if that money doesn’t come back, it can lead to fights or even legal battles. So how can we, as the lender, avoid these problems? According to Bradley T. Klontz, an expert in financial psychology (心理学), there are some steps you can take.
Understanding why there is an unavoidable risk to lending anything to a friend is the first thing. And it’s not just the risk of losing the money, but the friendship could also be in danger. This is because, psychologically speaking, the action of lending has changed the balance of power. The lender becomes superior (高一级的), while the borrower may feel awkward with the new arrangement. Likewise, if you try to advise them on what to do with the money, it might make things difficult between you two. In other words, let go - and see it as their money.
And if you can’t afford to lend something, don’t. Saying “no” is hard when a friend comes asking, but if you need that money, refusing them is probably the safest course of action. If you still feel the need to lend, making a legally binding (有法律约束的) agreement and putting things down in writing could guarantee instalments (分期付款) or deadlines. But, some friends may not take too kindly to being asked to make it official - seeing it as a lack of trust.
Finally, for some, it’s best to just see the money as a gift and be pleasantly surprised if something comes back. And if you do want to keep your friendship, when you need to borrow some money, perhaps a bank is a better option.
1. What does the underlined word “detrimental” in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．beneficial |
| B．important |
| C．necessary |
| D．harmful |
| A．You’d rather be a lender than a borrower. |
| B．Whether you lend it or not, your friendship will be unbalanced. |
| C．Sometimes refusing is not a bad option. |
| D．If you are true friends, you will lend your money to your friends. |
| A．By listing examples. |
| B．By making comparison. |
| C．By analyzing data. |
| D．By explaining cause and effect. |
| A．Borrow from your family members rather than your friend. |
| B．Borrow the money from the bank. |
| C．Borrow the money from your friend and see him (her) as superior. |
| D．Borrow the money and see it as yours. |
【推荐1】On June 17, 1774, the officials from Maryland and Virginia held a talk with the Indians of the Six Nations. The Indians were invited to send boys to William and Mary College. In a letter the next day they refused the offer as follows:
We know that you have a high opinion of the kind of learning taught in your colleges, and that the costs of living of our young men, while with you, would be very expensive to you. We are convinced that you mean to do us good by your proposal; and we thank you heartily. But you must know that different nations have different ways of looking at things, and you will therefore not be offended if our ideas of this kind of education happen not to be the same as yours. We have had some experience of it. Several of our young people were formerly brought up at the college of the northern provinces: they were taught all your sciences; but when they came back to us, they were bad manners, ignorant of every means of living in the woods — they were totally good for nothing.
We are, however, not the less obliged by your kind offer, though we refuse to accept it; and, to show our grateful sense of it, if the gentlemen of Virginia will send us a dozen of their sons, we will take care of their education, teach them all we know, and make men of them.
1. The passage is about ____.| A．the talk between the Indians and the officials |
| B．the colleges of the northern provinces |
| C．the educational values of the Indians |
| D．the problems of the Americans in the mid-eighteen century |
| A．express their opinions on equal treatment |
| B．politely refuse a friendly offer |
| C．show their pride |
| D．describe Indian customs |
| A．it would be better for their boys to receive some schooling |
| B．they were being insulted by the offer |
| C．they knew more about science than the officials |
| D．they had better way of educating young men |
| A．young women should also be educated |
| B．they had different goals of education |
| C．they taught different branches of science |
| D．they should teach the sons of the officials first |
【推荐2】Today, we are told , children don’t spend enough time in the fresh air. Many of them are addicted to a screen either on a computer or a TV—they seem to be living in a virtual world. They have lost touch with nature.
But now 400 organizations in the UK, from playgroups to the National Health Service, are encouraging children to have some “wild time”. They want kids to swap at least 30 minutes of watching TV or playing computer games for time playing outside. Activities such as building dens, climbing trees, rummaging for conkers and playing hide and seek are just some of the things kids can do. Even if they live in a city, they can go on adventures in the garden or the park.
Children often need a helping hand from mom and dad. They need to be shown what to do and where to go. Andy Simpson from National Health Service says, “We want parents to see what this magical wonder product does for their kids’ development, independence and creativity., by giving wild time a go”.
So despite the complicated world that young people grow up in now, it seems that going back to basics and experiencing “nature’s playground” is what modern children need. David Bond from Project Wild Thing says, “We need to make more space for wild time in children’s daily routine, freeing this generation of kids to have the sort of experiences that many of us took for granted”.
This might sound a bit old fashioned to you or maybe, like me, it’s made you think about sticking on your boots, getting outdoors and relieving your childhood. There’s no age limit on enjoying yourself!
1. What’s the best title of the text?| A．Wild time for children |
| B．Benefits of wild time |
| C．More space for children |
| D．Adventures of children |
| A．building dens | B．climbing trees |
| C．playing hide and seek | D．watching TV |
| A．wild time is hard to design |
| B．wild time is beneficial for children |
| C．parents know the importance of wild time |
| D．parents like keeping their children indoors |
| A．Modern children need wild time. |
| B．Adults value outdoor activities. |
| C．The present world is complicated. |
| D．This generation of kids have no freedom. |
【推荐3】When Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was asked to give an address at a graduation ceremony at Harvard, he asked for advice from Bill Gates. Zuckerberg said. “They know we didn’t actually graduate, right?” Gates replied, “Oh, that is the best part! They actually give you a degree!”
This exchange between the two famous Harvard dropouts (中途退学者) might lead you to think that college doesn’t matter. While it’s true there are successful college dropouts, they are not the norm (准则).
Recently, we did research on how many of the wealthiest and most influential people graduated from college. We studied 11, 745 U.S. successful people, including CEOS, politicians, business leaders and the most globally powerful men and women.
We also examined how many people graduated from an “elite school (精英学校)” We found about 94% of these U.S. successful people attended college, and that about 50% attended an elite school. The research suggests there is no difference in adult earnings between students who attended highly selective schools and students with similar SAT scores who attended less selective schools. At least for long-term earnings, where you go may not be the key, as long as you attend and graduate. Yet, our research findings show that for students with talent and determination (决心) to make it to the top of U.S. society, an elite college might just help you got there.
The educational path may not be suitable for every person. However, if you’re a student thinking about not going to college or considering dropping out, remember that even Gates and Zuckerberg got into college. Even if you’re not planning to achieve great success, doing the work to get into and graduate from college today may open important doors.
1. What do we know about Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates?| A．They were invited to the same graduation ceremony. |
| B．They thought highly of college degrees. |
| C．They often had an exchange of views. |
| D．They didn’t finish college. |
| A．What U.S. successful people think of college education. |
| B．What kind of colleges U.S. successful people attended. |
| C．Whether college education influences one’s success. |
| D．Whether successful people have a great influence. |
| A．It may help them gain a high social position. |
| B．It can help them have determination. |
| C．It enables them to graduate easily. |
| D．it means nigh earnings. |
| A．Follow Gates’ and Zuckerberg’s examples. |
| B．Choose and complete college studies. |
| C．Try to make great achievements. |
| D．Attend the best college. |
