I didn’t understand the irony (讽刺) immediately. Only on the way home. The book I had just returned to our local library was called “Unquiet Landscape” by Christopher Neve. He widened my view.
But the ironic word for me in his books title. Irealized, was “unquiet”. It applied not to the landscape but to our local library. I have thus visited it again since then, and my conclusion is much the same: This is no longer a quiet place.
On both of my visits the library was packed with small children, and they were doing rather a lot of small-children things, such as dancing in circles, singing, jumping up and down, and so on. Various adults sitting around were clearly not discouraging them, rather the opposite.
I wasn’t exactly shocked. But I have to say that my understanding of library behavior and purpose changed somewhat. All my upbringing (教养) about libraries was what they were sanctums(圣地), places of escape in a noisy world. If one clearedone’s throat in a library, one was likely to be stared at by the librarians not to mention tolerating the disapproval of fellow library users enjoying their post-lunch nap. The first school I attended had a library that was entirely conventional infunction. In it, we boys did (or were expected to do) one thing only: read. The second school i attended allowed one to write as well as read in the library.
Since those days, my attitude, I hope, has changed a little. I’ve come across some very pleasant librarians eager to help with my projects. Some of them are surprisingly generous with providing access to their books, which are as dear to them as their own children. And the silence rule has, over the years, become much less strict. Even quite loud laughter, I find, is not always opposed to.
1. What did the author do after finishing the book?A.He visited the lands mentioned in the book. |
B.He expressed his admiration to the book winter. |
C.He kept his habit of staying quiet in the library. |
D.He made a close observation of the local library. |
A.They made lots of noise. |
B.They were soft with the kids. |
C.They didn’t listen to the librarians. |
D.They couldn’t stop their kids bad behavior. |
A.Positive. | B.Disappointed. |
C.Unconcerned. | D.Worried. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】How to Find the Theme of a Book or Short Story
If you’ve ever been assigned a book report, you may have been asked to address the theme of the book.
Themes can be broad or they can focus on a specific notion. For example, a romance novel may have the obvious, but very general, theme of love, but the storyline may also address issues of society or family.
A book’s theme is not the same as its plot or its moral lesson, but these elements are related and necessary in building the larger story.
If you find yourself struggling to identify the theme of a book you’re reading, there’s a simple trick you can use.
A.A story’s theme isn’t typically stated outright. |
B.In order to do that, you really have to understand what a theme is. |
C.The theme of a novel or short story may not necessarily be clear. |
D.When you finish reading, ask yourself to sum up the book in a single word. |
E.The plot of a novel is the action that takes place within the course of the narrative. |
F.Many stories have a major theme and several minor themes that help develop the major theme. |
G.There are several themes that are reoccurring in literature, many of which we can identify quickly. |
【推荐2】Franz Kafka wrote that “a book must be the ax for the frozen sea inside us.” I once shared this sentence with a class of seventh graders, and it didn’t seem to require any explanation.
We’d just finished John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men. When we read the end together out loud in class, my toughest boy, a star basketball player, wept a little, and so did I. “Are you crying?” one girl asked, as she got out of her chair to take a closer look. “I am,” I told her, “and the funny thing is I’ve read it many times.”
But they understood. When George shoots Lennie, the tragedy is that we realize it was always going to happen. In my 14 years of teaching in a New York City public middle school, I’ve taught kids with imprisoned parents, abusive parents, irresponsible parents; kids who are parents themselves; kids who are homeless; kids who grew up in violent neighborhoods. They understand, more than I ever will, the novel’s terrible logic—the giving way of dreams to fate.
For the last seven years, I have worked as a reading enrichment teacher, reading classic works of literature with small groups of students from grades six to eight. I originally proposed this idea to my headmaster after learning that a former excellent student of mine had transferred out of a selective high school—one that often attracts the literary-minded children of Manhattan’s upper classes—into a less competitive setting. The daughter of immigrants, with a father in prison, she perhaps felt uncomfortable with her new classmates. I thought additional “cultural capital” could help students like her develop better in high school, where they would unavoidably meet, perhaps for the first time, students who came from homes lined with bookshelves, whose parents had earned Ph. D.’s.
Along with Of Mice and Men, my groups read: Sounder, The Red Pony, Lord of the Flies, Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth. The students didn’t always read from the expected point of view. About The Red Pony, one student said, “it’s about being a man, it’s about manliness.” I had never before seen the parallels between Scarface and Macbeth, nor had I heard Lady Macbeth’s soliloquies (独白) read as raps, but both made sense; the interpretations were playful, but serious. Once introduced to Steinbeck’s writing, one boy went on to read The Grapes of Wrath and told me repeatedly how amazing it was that “all these people hate each other, and they’re all white.” His historical view was broadening, his sense of his own country deepening. Year after year, former students visited and told me how prepared they had felt in their first year in college as a result of the classes.
Year after year, however, we are increasing the number of practice tests. We are trying to teach students to read increasingly complex texts, not for emotional punch (碰撞) but for text complexity. Yet, we cannot enrich the minds of our students by testing them on texts that ignore their hearts. We are teaching them that words do not amaze but confuse. We may succeed in raising test scores, but we will fail to teach them that reading can be transformative and that it belongs to them.
1. The underlined words in Paragraph 1 probably mean that a book helps to __________.A.realize our dreams | B.give support to our life |
C.awake our emotions | D.smooth away difficulties |
A.Because they spent much time reading it. |
B.Because they had similar life experiences. |
C.Because they came from a public school. |
D.Because they had read the novel before. |
A.she was a literary-minded girl | B.her parents were immigrants |
C.her father was then in prison | D.she couldn’t fit in with her class |
A.advocate teaching literature to touch the heart |
B.introduce classic works of literature |
C.argue for equality among high school students |
D.defend the current testing system |
【推荐3】Technology seems to discourage slow reading. Reading on screens tires eyes easily. So online writing is more skimmable than print. The neuroscientist Mary Walt argued this “new norm” of skim reading is producing “an invisible, dramatic transformation” in how readers process words. And brains now favor rapid absorption of information, rather than skills developed by deeper reading, like critical analysis.
We shouldn’t overplay this danger. All readers skim. Skimming is the skill we acquire as we learn to read more skillfully. And fears about declining attention spans have proved to be false alarms. “Some critics worry about attention span and see very short stories as signs of cultural decline, ” The American author Selvin wrote. “But nobody ever said poems were evidence of short attention spans. ”
Yet the Internet has certainly changed the way we read. First, it means there’s more to read, because more people than ever are writing. And digital writing means rapid release and response. Once published, online articles start forming a comment string underneath. Such mode of writing and reading can be interactive and fun, but is probably lacking in profound reflection.
Perhaps we should slow down. Reading is constantly promoted as a source of personal achievement. But this advocacy emphasizes “enthusiastic” or “eager” reading — neither suggest slow absorption. To a slow reader, a piece of writing can only be fully understood by immersing oneself in their slow comprehension of words. The slow reader is like a swimmer who stops counting the number of pool laps he’s done and just enjoys how his body feels and moves in water.
The human need for this kind of deep reading is too determined for any new technology to destroy. We often assume technological change can’t be stopped, so older media are kicked out by newer, more virtual forms. In practice, older technologies can coexist with new ones. The Kindle hasn’t killed off printed books any more than cars killed off bicycles. We still want to enjoy slowly-formed ideas and carefully-chosen words. Even in a fast-moving age, there is time for slow reading.
1. What is the author’s attitude towards Selvin’s opinion?A.Favorable. | B.Critical. | C.Doubtful. | D.Objective. |
A.Advocacy of passionate reading helps promote slow reading. |
B.Digital writing and reading tends to ignore careful reflection. |
C.We should be aware of the impact skimming has on the brain. |
D.The number of Internet readers declines due to technology. |
A.To demonstrate how to immerse oneself in thought. |
B.To stress swimming differs from reading. |
C.To show slow reading is better than fast reading. |
D.To illustrate what slow reading is like. |
A.Slow Reading is Here to Stay |
B.Technology Prevents Slow Reading |
C.Reflections on Deep Reading |
D.The Wonder of Deep Reading |
Everyone has a runway by which events enter into his life. The events here could be favors, miracle, connections, job opportunities, etc. The size of your runway determines the level of results that will be attracted into your life.
I have a story of two good friends. They finished high school together. One wanted to further his studies while the other decided to look for a job. As time went on, the one that wanted to work was always there to support the other one especially in the area of fees in school for a long time. As destiny would have it, they both lost contact and after a very long time, they met again but on a very different level. The one that added values to himself by going back to school had stepped up greatly to become the general manager of a big company and the other was just a little lifted. So, it was time to pay back. The one of general manager could only support him financially and make him the chief driving officer in the company. Even though he would have loved to give him a higher post he was not qualified especially in terms of skills, orientation, experience and so on. In other words, his runway was too short for such an opportunity.
Everyone must increase in knowledge and training . You must step up in your education level, human, business and communication skills. Your relationship with people must improve by being a good person. Your runway is enlarged anytime you add values to your life.
There are some jobs, opportunities, favor that cannot protect base in your life. They will have to be coming from other people into your life because you have failed to work on your own runway by improving on your abilities. It is not too late or too early to start in life because every stage in life is a good place to begin.
1. In the first paragraph, the president had to change his plan because _________________.
A.the weather condition was bad for their journey |
B.they couldn’t go into that country by their plane |
C.they wanted to visit the neighboring country temporarily |
D.the president had to deal with something back in his country |
A.they had different life goals |
B.one always wanted to beat the other |
C.they had different education levels |
D.they wanted to show their different success |
A.The key to success. |
B.The need of others’ help |
C.The trouble from failure |
D.The real meaning of life |
A.Kindness Makes a Big Different |
B.Depend on Yourself |
C.Competition Exists Everywhere |
D.Always Improve on Yourself |
【推荐2】I’m an American-born Chinese. I wouldn’t say I’m more American than Chinese or vice versa. My character was equally molded by both cultures. For a long time, I was comfortable with being from two cultures. I was fluent in “Chinglish”.
However, as I grew up, something unexpected rose, causing a parallel tension between the two corresponding cultures. During Chinese events when I was in China, the host would sometimes make fun of America. My relatives would look at me and laugh, asking me how I felt. But how could I respond to a question like that? If I said I was uncomfortable, it would just make me seem even more American in their eyes. But I couldn’t pretend to laugh either. So, I often just stayed quiet and smiled.
Sometimes, I’d leave China feeling less Chinese than when I went in.
This past summer, on my way back to Rochester, a man at the airport kept asking my father and I where we were from. When I told him I was from the United States, he didn’t seem to believe me.
He then went on to ask the terrible question, “But like where are you really from, like, where were you born?” And no matter how specific our answers were, the man still seemed a little doubtful. He then went on to ask us if we knew where Tampa, Florida was and if we knew anything about it. It’s moments like these when I realize that sometimes my appearance makes it hard for me to seem fully American.
These experiences made me question if I was more Chinese or American.
I felt like I was neither. So, if I wasn’t completely one culture or the other, what was I? In China, I would feel more American, while in America, I would feel more Chinese. There was no balance between my two cultures.
But this doesn’t mean that I don’t embrace (拥抱) both my identities. I love both my Chinese cultural identity and my American one. I just need to learn to love them together.
1. How did the author feel about his identity at the very beginning?A.Special. | B.Confident. | C.Confused. | D.Ridiculous. |
A.Because he found it hard to remain quiet and have a big smile. |
B.Because he was unable to speak fluent Chinese at his hometown. |
C.Because he had lost face in front of his relatives and friends. |
D.Because he was treated as an American by his Chinese relatives. |
A.His cultures. | B.His experience. | C.His look. | D.His air tickets. |
A.Being Culturally Homeless | B.A Boy with Two Identities |
C.A Chinese Boy Born in American | D.Better Chinese than American |
【推荐3】What was the best gift I ever received? Well, I’m a music lover, so I’d have to say it was either a Spotify subscription or my top-of-the-range Sony MDR-7506 headphones. Together they’ve provided me with countless hours of high-quality audio accompaniment. Growing up in a loving, well-off family in one of the richest countries in the world, what more could I want?
Giving gifts to loved ones is great: it’s a rewarding way to spread joy and strengthen friendships and family ties. But at this time of year I’m always reminded of how many people not only get no presents but also lack the basics to allow them to live healthy lives. For me, luxury headphones were the perfect gift; for the world’s poorest, it would be nutritious food, clean water and health care.
The poorest 10% of the world’s population, some 700 million people, live on less than $1.90 per day. And that’s adjusting for local purchasing power: they live on what $1.90 would buy in the
U.S. Faced with this kind of budget, and often geographically isolated, they are forced to eat whatever they can find and drink and wash in unsafe water. They can only pray that they don’t succumb to malnutrition, malaria or any number of other diseases that, while perfectly curable in rich countries, frequently ruin or end lives in the developing world.
I don’t seek to make anyone feel guilty for exchanging luxury goods with the people they love. But it seems to me that there’s another type of giving that is, if anything, even more profound: giving the basics of life to those most in need. Sure, you might not get a thank-you letter(who does these days?), but you’ll have done something extraordinary.
However, I’m not just interested in people giving more to charity(although that is important). I’m also passionate about people giving smarter, because where you give can make a huge difference on the impact you’ll have.
What do I mean by that? Well, to start with, there’s a reason I’ve been talking about the developing world. Even average earners in the West are incredibly rich compared with the global poor, so a sum of money considered moderate for some could make a huge difference in the poorest countries.
That’s not to say that all developing world poverty-relief charities ate good at making a difference—that’s certainly not the case. Plenty of money donated in good faith is lost to local corruption, poor administration or programs of intervention that sound great in theory but don’t achieve much in practice. As a result, it’s crucial to look at the effectiveness of the work a charity does before committing your money. How much good does it achieve for each dollar donated? Is there robust evidence for the impact of its programs?
It’s not always easy for people to find the answers, but they are vital questions to ask. That’s why there are now organizations devoted to finding and promoting the best charities. As part of the effective-altruism(利他主义) movements, they are dedicated to helping people make the biggest possible difference with their donations.
I love my music, and I love my headphones. But this year, the best gift I could get is to see as many people as possible giving generously to the most effective charities in the world.
1. What does the phrase “succumb to”(paragraph 3, line 5)mean?A.be unaffected by | B.cease opposition to |
C.be unconnected with | D.help to cause |
A.The author thinks that people giving luxury gifts to the ones they love should feel guilty. |
B.The author believes that there is nothing more he wants because he grows up in very rich family. |
C.The author argues that compared with those poor, an ordinary worker in the West doesn’t earn much. |
D.The author says that some diseases which might be deadly in poor countries can be cured in developed countries. |
A.People used to receive a letter of compliment from the receiver after they donated money to charities. |
B.Giving smarter means that those who donate should know clearly how the charity works with the government. |
C.Some charity programs fail to achieve much and seem to be less effective because they are not very practical. |
D.The organizations devoted to finding the best charities aim to appeal to people to donate more money. |
A.Giving the basics of life to those in need |
B.Giving best gifts to your beloved ones |
C.Making the best gift count |
D.The effective-altruism movement |
【推荐1】Green is an important color in nature. It is the color of grass and the leaves on trees. It is also the color of most growing plants.
Sometimes, the word “green” means young, fresh and growing. For example, a greenhorn is someone who has no experience. In the 15th century, a greenhorn was a young cow or an ox whose horns(角) had not yet developed. A century later, a greenhorn was a soldier who had no experience in war. By the 18th century, a greenhorn had the meaning it has today—a person who is new in a job.
Someone who is good at growing plants is said to have a green thumb(大拇指). The expression comes from the early 20th century. A person with a green thumb can make plants grow quickly and well.
Green is also the color used to describe the powerful feeling, jealousy(嫉妒). The green-eyed monster(怪物) is not a dangerous animal from outer space. It is an expression used about 400 years ago by the British writer William Shakespeare in his play “Othello”. It describes the unpleasant feeling when someone has something he wants. For example, a young man may suffer from the green-eyed monster if you get a pay rise and he does not.
In most places in the world, a green light means to move ahead. In everyday speech, a green light means agree to continue with a project.
1. A greenhorn now refers to ________.A.a person who is new in a job |
B.a new soldier |
C.a young horse |
D.a cow without horns |
A.who is good at growing plants |
B.whose thumbs are of green color |
C.whose garden is greener than others’ |
D.who is younger than his neighbors |
A.he sees a dangerous animal |
B.he reads a sad play |
C.his friend gets a prize that he wants |
D.he can’t get something |
A.a greenhorn |
B.a green thumb |
C.the Green Revolution |
D.the word “green” and its story |
【推荐2】Dolphins are much more intelligent than humans previously thought. Scientists have recently discovered that bottle-nosed dolphins can recognise themselves in the mirror—much like you and I can!
When you see a zit (青春痘) on your face, what do you do? Go to the mirror time and again, and wonder what it is still doing there. Well, this is exactly what two male bottle-nosed dolphins, Presley and Tab, do as well. So, these lovable animals are not just sailors, friends, but they are also aware of their bodies-almost like humans!
Presley and Tab stay in a pool with reflective glass walls in the New York Aquarium. Researchers noticed that when Presley and Tab saw their own reflections, unlike most other animals, they did not seem to think that they were looking at another dolphin. Dolphins are very social creatures, and are friendly with humans as well as their own kind. This got the researchers thinking. Perhaps the dolphins recognised their own images? So they decided to find it out.
Using special ink, they made marks on different parts of the dolphins’ bodies, changing the place every week. Every time their bodies were marked, the dolphins made more trips to the mirror than usual. If the ink mark was on their belly (腹部), they would expose their belly to the mirror and look at it for a long time. Imagine the dolphins wondering—“Now where did that mark come from? Is it dangerous? I wonder how long it’s going to stay.”
Till now, only the great apes have displayed this quality of recognising their images in the mirror. All other animals have failed this test. The researchers feel that these findings may increase human sensitivity towards dolphins, which are being hunted and killed in great numbers. Dolphin fins (鳍) are considered as deliciousness in several South-East Asian countries.
1. What is the scientists’ recent finding about dolphins?A.Dolphins are social creatures friendly with humans. |
B.Dolphins are not so intelligent as humans. |
C.Dolphins can make correct use of mirror. |
D.Dolphins have zits just like humans. |
A.The competitors of them. | B.Their own reflections. |
C.Their natural enemies. | D.Others of their kind. |
A.To look for their partners. |
B.To show their belly. |
C.To watch their own beauty. |
D.To concern for their safety. |
A.Dolphins—sailors’ friends. |
B.Dolphins, reaction to the mirror. |
C.Dolphins are smarter than before. |
D.Dolphins are cleverer than humans. |
【推荐3】Light and bright, cheap and cheerful: IKEA's 400-plus outlets (专营店)in 49 countries all run on the same central principle. Customers do as much of the work as possible, in the belief they are having fun and saving money. You drive to a distant warehouse built on cheap out-of-town land. Inside, you enter a maze (迷宫)---no shortcuts allowed—where every twist reveals new furniture.
Compared with the prices of other outlets, IKEA's are much lower. You load up your trolley (手 推车)with impulse buys—a clock, storage boxes, tools and more chairs than you will ever use. You drag cardboard boxes, cupboards and tables into your car and reward yourself for your economy and good taste. Then you drive home and put your prizes together. You are satisfied with the bargains. IKEA is satisfied with your money.
The company's name was a do-it-yourself job, too. IKEA stands for Ingvar Kamprad, from Elmtaryd―his family's farm—in Agunnaryd. That village is in the Smaland region of southern Sweden. Mr Kamprad founded IKEA aged 17. Well before that, he spotted a principle which would make him one of the richest men in the world that customers like buying goods at wholesale prices (批发价).First he bought matches in large quantities and sold them by the box. Aged ten, he sold pens in the similar way.
Setbacks inspired him. Facing a price war against his low-cost mail-order furniture business, he defeated competitors by opening a showroom. Dealers tried to crush Mr Kamprad and banned him from their trade fairs. He slipped in, hiding in a friend's car. When they tried to threaten his suppliers, he relied on his own workers, and secretly sold his production to communist Poland. Decades later, east Europeans freed from the planned economy drove hundreds of miles to newly opened outlets in Moscow and Warsaw.
His self-discipline was world-famous. As a child, he removed the "off' button from his alarm clock to stop himself oversleeping. He rarely took a first-class seat. The wine didn't get you there any earlier, he sniffed; having lots of money was no reason to waste it. He bought his clothes in second-hand markets, and for years drove an elderly Volvo until he had to sell it on safety grounds. He had his hair cut in poor countries to save money. Visitors admired the views, but were surprised that his house was so shabby. He worked well into his eighties.
His diligence and simple way of life set a good example to his 194,000 "co-workers". But he was not mean. The point of cutting costs was to make goods affordable, not to compromise quality. He urged his staff to reflect constantly on ways of saving money, time and space. An improved design that allows easier piling means shipping less air—and more profit.
Culture was more important than strategy. He disliked ''exaggerated (夸张的)planning", along with financial markets and banks. Better to make mistakes and learn from them. And use time wisely: "You can do so much in ten minutes. But ten minutes once gone are gone for good." This did not apply to customers. The longer they stayed, the better.
Mr Kamprad's impact on modern life can be compared with that of Henry Ford and the mass-produced motor car. Furniture used to be expensive, dark and heavy. For many people, decorating a home could cost many months' salary. IKEA made furniture not just affordable and functional, but fun. The mission was civilizational, he felt, changing how people lived and thought.
His approach drew some fire. The company values struck some as unpleasant. At IKEA's Corporate Culture Centre, lots of pictures of Mr Kamprad with his mottos can be seen everywhere. What's worse, some parts of the supply chain seemed to have serious problems to overcome.
1. What can we learn about IKEA in Paragraph 1?A.IKEA prefers rural areas for its location. |
B.IKEA has 400 outlets throughout the world. |
C.IKEA likes to store new furniture in a maze. |
D.IKEA provides a lot of work for its customers. |
A.IKEA tricks you into spending more money |
B.you may buy bargains with impulse in IKEA |
C.both you and IKEA are pleased with the deal |
D.both you and IKEA are happy with the bargain |
A.He never overslept due to his alarm clock being set. |
B.He was against drinking but for sniffing at the wine. |
C.He sold the old Volvo with the purpose of saving money. |
D.He didn't give up the quality of furniture for more profit. |
A.The pictures and mottos of Mr. Kamprad. |
B.The setbacks Mr. Kamprad experienced. |
C.Mr. Kamprad's principles of management. |
D.Mr. Kamprad's self-discipline and diligence. |
【推荐1】Fatima Bushin was losing her sight and was scared. She said what worried her most wasn’t the fear of a long, painful journey to blindness. She feared being unable to feed her family because blindness would keep her from working, as mothers do. The tragedy is that Bushin’s condition was preventable and, if caught in time, stoppable. She was among thousands of women in Tanzania who suffered from trachoma (沙眼), an infectious disease affecting largely poor communities in developing countries. Trachoma is one of neglected tropical diseases, or NTDs, so named because they receive less attention than other tropical diseases.
All NTDs can be controlled or cured entirely with known public health approaches and interventions. Improved sanitation (环境卫生), medicines and medical procedures have produced truly remarkable results in preventing and controlling NTDs, including trachoma, in some of the world’s poorest communities. Preventing, controlling and curing these diseases puts out poverty’s fire at its base.
We know it can be done. Through long-term efforts, several of these NTDs have been stamped out in some countries such as Laos. To wipe out extreme poverty around the world. many countries continue to invest in what is one of the most successful foreign assistance programs. For example, U.S. Agency for International Development programs to combat NTDs have reached nearly 300 million people affected by diseases that can spoil the patients’ appearance or weaken the patients physically.
For Bushin, the story ends well. Through foreign assistance program, she was able to lave the surgery needed to treat trachoma and save her eyesight. The surgery is relatively simple, performed in an hour at an outpatient clinic, and costs less than $300. In return, Bushin avoided a lifelong disability that would have recondemned her family to poverty with little hope for escape.
Jan. 30 marks the World NTD Day, a day that global public health experts say is needed to focus attention on the fight against tropical diseases. The success of the global fight against NTDs is good news for millions of people. It has been life-changing for a mother in Tanzania who continues to be able to provide for her family thanks to the constant efforts being made that kept her family out of poverty by saving her eyesight.
1. What was the greatest concern of Bushin?A.The possible loss of her eyesight. |
B.The slim chance of getting rid of poverty. |
C.The potential inability to support her family. |
D.The deliberate neglect of her by her parents. |
A.Caught. | B.Removed. | C.Tracked. | D.Analyzed. |
A.Critical. | B.Regretful. | C.Humorous. | D.Positive. |
A.NTDs could be cured earlier than expected. |
B.Poverty and disease tend to be largely connected. |
C.Infectious diseases will be the biggest global issue. |
D.International cooperation is a must for treating a disease. |
【推荐2】The driver who cuts you off in traffic.The neighbors who don't pick up after their dog.Situations such as these get our hearts racing and send our stress levels skyrocketing.Anger isn't a pleasant feeling.Some of us bottle up the emotion, while others explode in a wild rage (狂怒).Both habits do considerable harm to our bodies, our minds, and our relationships.
“Anger may fee1 uncomfortable and a lot of people think they have to get rid of their anger," says Patrick Keelan, a registered psychologist in Calgary, Alberta.“But anger is an emotion built into us to signal that something needs to be addressed.When we take notice of that signal and actually wrestle with the problem instead of turning a blind eye to it, we' re usually much better for it.”
Unfortunately, many of us have been conditioned to keep our emotions hidden.Increasingly,research is suggesting that this can have long-term effects on our health.Investigators at the University of Rochester noticed that people who contain their emotions tend to live shorter lives.When we're angry, stress hormones are released, which can make us more likely to develop a wide range of diseases, including diabetes, depression, immune related conditions.
Is it better, then, to scream and howl whenever something makes you mad? That's probably the reason why“rage rooms" have popped up in many American cities, where folks are invited to let steam off by violently smashing (打碎) stuff in a“safe" environment.However, the research indicates that when people display anger aggressively, it can actually increase the intensity of the anger -- and increase the likelihood of aggressive actions in the future.It doesn't take much imagination to predict how such behavior can affect your relationship with your spouse, your kids, or your colleagues.It also hurts your health.A large 2016 study at McMaster University found that people are more than twice as likely to have a heart attack after an angry explosion.
If we shouldn't bottle up our angry feelings but aggressive behavior isn't healthy either, how should we handle things that tick us of? It's the extreme highs and lows that cause the damage.If you're able to apply techniques that smooth out some of those peaks and valleys, you can have a gentler ride.
1. What does the underlined phrase“bottle up" in paragraph 1 mean?A.Build up. |
B.Hold back. |
C.Let off. |
D.Bring out. |
A.Uncomfortable and avoidable. |
B.Terrible and threatening. |
C.Confusing and complex. |
D.Normal and natural. |
A.It leads to people's depression. |
B.It warns people against violence. |
C.It adds to people's anger. |
D.It helps people to calm down. |
A.Possible causes of anger. |
B.Tips on handling anger. |
C.Possible harm of anger. |
D.Tips on avoiding anger. |
【推荐3】The COVID-19 pandemic has spread far and wide. Because of this, countries around the world have carried out measures to help stop the virus in its tracks. As more people stay inside to stay safe, the outside world seems to have become much quieter. In fact, scientists have seen this change in their research.
Seismologists - scientists who study earthquakes - have heard a lot less seismic(地震的) noise recently.
Seismic noise is made from vibrations (continuous shaking movements) in the ground that are caused by things like ocean waves and human activity, such as construction work and traffic. This noise makes it difficult for scientists to pick up seismic activity that is made at the same frequency.
Thomas Lecocq, a scientist at the Royal Observatory of Belgium, located in Brussels, was the first to notice this phenomenon. According to Lecocq, the amount of seismic noise in Brussels has been reduced by about 30 to 50 percent since mid-March. Interestingly enough, this is around the same time Belgium started its measures. Because of this reduction in background noise, scientists like Lecocq have been able to pick up on smaller earthquakes that some seismic stations - like the one in Brussels - wouldn’t have been able to before.
This phenomenon isn’t unique to Brussels, though. Once Lecocq shared his findings online, seismologists from all over the world echoed similar findings. Celeste Labedz, a graduate student at the California Institute of Technology, mentioned in a tweet that Los Angeles also experienced less background noise. “The drop is seriously wild,” she wrote.
Researchers from the UK, France and New Zealand also noted a decrease in background noise since measures were put in place.
These global efforts to contain the COVID-19 virus have helped to shed light on seismic activity that may have gone unnoticed. It also shows that people are listening to health officials and following lockdown rules. “From the seismological point of view, we can motivate people to say, ‘You feel like you’re alone at home, but we can tell you that everyone is home. Everyone is respecting the rules,’” Lecocq told CNN.
1. What did seismologists find out recently?A.Reduced seismic vibration makes the Earth quieter. |
B.More smaller earthquakes are more likely to happen. |
C.Many seismic activities have been detected recently. |
D.Seismic noise is caused by vibrations underground. |
A.More seismic noise is being picked up. |
B.More data on smaller earthquakes is being collected. |
C.Scientists will shift their focus to smaller earthquakes. |
D.Future big earthquakes must be more accurately predicted. |
A.repeated | B.demanded | C.explored | D.questioned |
A.The drop in seismic noise is unique to Europe. |
B.Seismic noise is mainly caused by human activity. |
C.Many seismologists wanted tighter restrictions for their research. |
D.The phenomenon proved that people are practicing social lockdown rules. |