Do a country 's people get happier as it gets richer? Most governments seem to believe so, given their continuous focus on increasing GDP year by year. Reliable, long-term evidence linking wealth and happiness is, however, lacking. And measuring well-being is itself filled with problems, since it often relies on surveys that ask participants to assess their own levels of happiness subjectively.
Daniel Sgroi of the University of Warwick and Eugenio Proto of the University of Glasgow, both in Britain, think, nevertheless, that they have an answer.
By examining millions of books and newspaper articles published since 1820 in four countries (America, Britain, Germany and Italy), they have developed what they hope is an objective measure of each place’s historical happiness. And their answer is that wealth does bring happiness, but some other things bring more of it.
In Britain, for example, happiness fell sharply during the two world wars. It began to rise again after 1945, peaked in 1950, and then fell gradually, including through the so-called Swinging Sixties, until it reached a nadir around 1980.
America’s national happiness, too, fell during the world wars. It also fell in the 1860s, during and after the country 's civil war. The lowest point of all came in 1975, at the end of a long decline during the Vietnam war, with the fall of Saigon and America’s humiliating defeat.
Overall, then, Dr Sgroi and Dr Proto found that happiness does vary with GDP. But the effect of health and life expectancy is larger, even when the tendency of wealth to improve health is taken into account.
A one — year increase in longevity, for example, has the same effect on national happiness as a 4.3% increase in GDP. And, as the grand historical sweep suggests, it is warfare that causes the biggest drops in happiness.
On average it takes a 30% increase in GDP to raise happiness by the amount that a year of war causes it to fall. The upshot appears to be that, while increasing national income is important to happiness, it is not as important as ensuring the population is healthy and avoiding conflict.
1. According to the passage, why do most governments continuously focus on increasing GDP year by year?| A．To increase its people 's wealth. |
| B．To strengthen its people 's health. |
| C．To improve its people 's happiness. |
| D．TO improve its overall national strength. |
| A．Warfare has no effect on happiness. |
| B．Happiness has nothing to do with GDP. |
| C．GDP is the most important factor in improving people 's happiness. |
| D．Health and life expectancy bring more happiness than GDP does. |
| A．Happiness rose to the top in Britain around 1980. |
| B．America’s national happiness fell to the bottom in 1975. |
| C．A one — year increase in longevity has the same effect as GDP on happiness. |
| D．The fall of happiness caused by war takes a 30% increase in GDP to raise. |
| A．What on earth can bring people 's happiness? |
| B．Why wealth can 't bring people 's happiness? |
| C．What effect can war have on people 's happiness? |
| D．Why health can bring happiness to people? |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】A new study focused on birds examines how the movements of rivers in the Amazon have contributed to that area’s exceptional biological diversity.The research team, led by the American Museum of Natural History, found that as small river systems change over time, they spur the evolution of new species. The findings also reveal previously unknown bird species in the Amazon that are only found in small areas next to these dynamic river systems, putting them at high risk of extinction.
The lowland rainforests of the Amazon River basin harbor(藏匿) more diversity than any other ecosystem on the planet. It is also a globally important biome(生物群落) containing about 18 percent of all trees on Earth and carrying more fresh water than the next seven largest river basins combined. Researchers have long wondered and hotly debated how the Amazon’s rich biodiversity arose and accumulated.
“Early evolutionary biologists like Alfred Russel Wallace noticed that many species of primates and birds differ across opposite riverbanks in the Amazon,”said the study’s lead author Lukas Musher. “Moreover, accumulating geological evidence has suggested that these rivers are highly dynamic, moving around the South American landscape over relatively short time periods, on the order of thousands or tens of thousands of years.”
To investigate how the movement of rivers across the landscape has influenced the accumulation of bird species in the Amazon, the researchers sequenced the genomes(基因组) of six species of Amazonian birds.
Because these rivers move around the landscape at different time scales, their movements can have varying outcomes for bird species: when river rearrangements occur quickly, populations of birds on each side can combine before they’ve had time to differ; when river changes happen slowly, species have a longer time to diverge from one another.
1. What does the underlined word “spur” in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．Stimulate. | B．Renew. | C．Pursue. | D．Interrupt. |
| A．What the Amazon’s biodiversity indicates. | B．How the Amazon’s biodiversity was formed. |
| C．Whether the Amazon has the richest biodiversity. | D．Why Amazon bird species are at risk of distinction. |
| A．There are six species of American birds. |
| B．Rivers move very slowly in South America. |
| C．Most species differ across opposite Amazon riverbanks. |
| D．River movement may lead to the Amazon’s biodiversity. |
| A．The location of river movement. | B．The populations of birds. |
| C．The speed of river movement. | D．The amount of the genomes. |
【推荐2】If you are over 20, look away now. Your cognitive （认知的）performance is probably already on the wane. The speed with which people can process information decreases at a steady rate from as early as their 20s.
A common test of processing speed is the “digit symbol substitution test”, in which a range of symbols are paired with a set of numbers in a code. Participants are shown the code, given a row of symbols and then asked to write down the corresponding number in the box below within a set period. There is nothing cognitively challenging about the task: levels of education make no difference to performance. But age does. Speed declines as people get older.
Why this should be is still uncertain, but a range of tentative（尝试性的）explanations has been put forward. One points the finger at myelin, a white, fatty substance that coats axons, which carry signals from one neuron to another. Steady reductions in myelin as people age may be slowing down these connections. Another possibility, says Timothy Salthouse, director of the Cognitive Ageing Laboratory at the University of Virginia, is exhaustion of a chemical called dopamine（多巴胺）.
Fortunately, there is some good news to go with the bad. Psychologists distinguish between “fluid intelligence”, which is the ability to solve new problems, and “crystallised intelligence”, which roughly equates to an individual’s stock of accumulated knowledge. These reserves of knowledge continue to increase with age: people’s performance on vocabulary and cognitive decline. In an old but instructive study of typists ranging in age from 19 to 72, older workers typed just as fast as younger ones, even though their tapping speed was slower. They achieved this by looking further ahead in the text, which allowed them to keep going more smoothly.
What does all this mean for a lifetime of continuous learning? It is encouraging so long as people are learning new tricks in familiar fields. “If learning can be absorbed into an existing knowledge base, advantage favours the old,” says Mr Salthouse.
1. The phrase “on the wane” (in paragraph 1) is closest in meaning to _______.| A．declining | B．improving |
| C．varying | D．maintaining |
| A．the level of a participant’s education is related to how old he is |
| B．the older a participant is, the more slowly he writes down the number |
| C．a participant’s age affects his ability to figure out what the symbol means |
| D．how much time a participant is given to finish the task depends on his age |
| A．Dopamine has been proved to be a chemical that affects people’s cognitive ability. |
| B．One way to avoid cognitive decline is to have as much experience as possible in life. |
| C．Moving older workers into an entirely new area of knowledge is less likely to go well. |
| D．Crystallised intelligence plays an important role in keeping people alert in new situations. |
| A．Why the brain fails with the age needs to be explored. |
| B．“Digit symbol substitution test” proves to be groundless. |
| C．One’s knowledge base matters more than his cognitive ability. |
| D．The brain changes in both good and bad ways as one ages. |
【推荐3】Every year migratory（迁徙的） bats travel from Mexico to Bracken Cave, where they spend the summer consuming insects that would otherwise hungrily eat common food crops. But the bats have been showing up far earlier than they did two decades ago.
In a study, scientists at Rothamsted Research, used radar data from 160 U.S. weather stations to analyze activity in the Texas bat colony from 1995 through 2017. They discovered the creatures were leaving their winter quarters in Mexico earlier and reproducing sooner. They were also astonished to find increasing numbers of bats overwintering（过冬）at Bracken Cave instead of heading back to their cold weather quarters in Mexico. Overwintering is a sign that warmer temperatures change the bats' annual rhythms, Rothamsted biologist Phillip Stepanian says.
A separate study of migratory bats in Indiana, published last year, found that temperature variations affected arrival and departure times-likewise hinting at the potential influence of climate change. Joy O'Keefe, a biology professor and co-author of that study, says early arrival at their summer habitats could expose these bats to cold snaps（寒流）, and they could freeze to death.
Joy O’Keefe and her colleagues also found that changing bat migration times can also clash with rainfall patterns. Many insects that bats eat breed in seasonal lakes and puddles. If the bats arrive too early to benefit from summer rainfall and the resulting abundance of insects, they may struggle to feed their pups（幼崽） or skip reproduction altogether, O’Keefe says. She fears this shift could cause Midwestern bats to decrease toward extinction, which would be bad news for humans. “Declines in bat populations could have severe effects for crop success,” she says, adding that bats also “control significant disease vectors, such as mosquitoes.”
However, scientists are not certain that climate change alone is causing the Bracken Cave bat colony to migrate earlier. They have found a direct link between seasonal temperatures and bird migration, but bats are also influenced by factors such as changes in wind speed and direction. And there are other complications. “Bats are mysterious little animals that move mostly at night and are difficult to observe and track ,” Stepanian says. “We have this conceptual picture of what might be happening, but really tying it to the cause is the next step.”
1. What is the best title for the passage?| A．Bats’ habitants | B．Endangered bats |
| C．Bats’ migration | D．Bats, our good friends |
| A．bats prefer heading back to Mexico | B．bats delay their reproduction |
| C．warming affects bat migration | D．radar can be used to observe bats |
| A．bats are used to living in rainfall seasons |
| B．bats’ earlier migration might harm farming |
| C．insects' reproduction helps to spread disease |
| D．insects shortage makes bats reproduce earlier |
| A．Insects. | B．migration times. |
| C．Bats. | D．lakes and puddles. |
| A．Wind speed and direction affect bats. |
| B．It is difficult to observe and track bats. |
| C．Climate change makes bats migrate earlier. |
| D．Further research on the cause is necessary. |
【推荐1】Welcome to Sight Word Tales-the fun, motivating way to learn sight words! These delightful stories teach the top 100 Dolch words-long recognized as the most important words to learn in order to form a basis for reading success-all in an appealing, engaging context. ① What are sight words? Reading research shows that 50 to 75 percent of text is made up of common, repeated words. Knowing these words by sight-that is, being able to recognize them immediately and without thought-greatly increases reading fluency and comprehension. The Sight Word Tales program includes the 100 most frequently repeated words children are likely to meet in their reading material.
Take a look at these sentences: We like to read. Some books are very good. It's likely that you were able to take in the meaning of each sentence as a whole, simply because words such as we, like, to, some, are, very, and good are so familiar that they hardly require a glance to tell meaning. As adult readers, we may take this lightning-fast process for granted. But to a child who is just beginning to read, these sentences look quite different. Children who need to analyze each letter in order to sound out the words we, like, and to may have already forgotten their meaning by the time they get to the word read. In order to comprehend the sentence, they would then need to go back to the beginning and read it a second time. Now imagine going on to the next sentence and going through the same process all over again. How likely is it that you would remember the first sentence once you'd figured out the second? ②
It's clear that learning sight words-also called high-frequency words-is important to reading success. The ability to recognize a word immediately is called automaticity, and it is particularly important in English because many of the most commonly repeated words do not follow regular phonetic (语音) rules. ③ Of course, phonics is a basic part of any balanced learning program, but words such as come, would, and what cannot be truly made out and therefore require memorization.
Research has shown that only depending on context and exposure to language, hoping children will simply “pick up” sight words at their own pace, is a losing strategy. Sight words must be taught directly. On the other hand, studying and memorizing lists of words is unlikely to engage children.
④ With this program, you get the best of both words-an opportunity to provide direct, targeted instruction while addressing meaning, context, and children's need for fun, all at the same time. So open up a Sight Word Tale and open the door to reading success!
1. “Dolch words” in Paragraph 1 probably refers to ______.| A．familiar words | B．high-frequency words | C．reading words | D．long words |
| A．To explain why teach sight words. | B．To prove that sight words are familiar. |
| C．To compare the meaning of each sentence. | D．To explain why children must read books. |
| A．① | B．② | C．③ | D．④ |
| A．To teach children reading. | B．To tell children fun stories. |
| C．To instruct us to repeat words. | D．To introduce Sight Word Tales. |
【推荐2】Ivy League schools are considered to be the most prestigious of all colleges in the United States. These schools are primarily located in the Northeastern part of the country. There are eight total colleges that are considered to be Ivy League. These schools are Brown, Harvard, Cornell, Princeton, Dartmouth, Yale, and Columbia universities and the University of Pennsylvania. Of all institutions of higher learning, these elite schools are considered to be the most outstanding and the most sought-after in terms of acceptance and graduation.
The term “Ivy League” came about in 1954 when the NCAA athletic conference for Division I was formed. At the time, the elitism of these schools was really due to their prestige in the realm of sports like basketball. Although the term “Ivy League” was not created until the 1950s, many of these schools were in existence as far back as 1636, when John Harvard became the first benefactor of Harvard University.
Although this group of elite schools is considered to be part of one big league of the elite, there have been plenty of internal rivalries over the years. The sports that these colleges play were so popular that some teams began playing games in New York City so spectators could come from far away and watch the games. The popularity of both the athletes who played and the college team rivalries brought in a good deal of attention to the schools as well as revenue from ticket sales. There have also been academic rivalries between schools. Mostly, these rivalries are a matter of opinion in terms of which school has the most honor graduates, which schools offer the most prestigious scholarships, and what famous graduates have come from each school.
Each Ivy League college has its own unique accomplishments that make it important. All carry a certain reputation with them, and each school has programs that excel primarily in the medical and law fields, making them some of the most sought-after schools in the world. Their admission process is very selective, which helps the schools ensure that they only accept the best and brightest. Many famous people have graduated from Ivy League schools, including recent presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. This prestige leads many to believe that these colleges are only for the wealthy and elite. Often, companies look for Ivy League graduates as potential employees, usually preferred by law firms, medical facilities, and large corporations. It has long been coveted to have earned a degree from an Ivy League school. Today, the Ivy League schools are still excellent in both academia and in sports, and they have left a legacy of higher education with an exceptional track record and reputation to go along with them.
1. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?| A．Ivy League schools were initially famous for their reputation in sports. |
| B．Ivy League schools didn’t come into existence until the 1950s. |
| C．Ivy League schools do not compete with each other within the league. |
| D．Ivy League schools are most popular for their excellence in the medical and law fields. |
| A．The history of the Ivy League |
| B．The rivalry of the Ivy League |
| C．The accomplishments and cultural impacts of the Ivy League |
| D．The future development of the Ivy League |
| A．Because they are the most sought-after schools in the world. |
| B．Because they have selective admission process to help ensure the quality of their students. |
| C．Because many famous people have graduated from Ivy League schools. |
| D．Because many companies look for Ivy League graduates as potential employees. |
| A．advocated | B．desired | C．restricted | D．sponsored |
Coworkers who make comments about the fact that you are always fifteen minutes late for work can be taken care of very simply. All you have to do is get up extra one day. Before the sun comes up, drive to each coworker’s house. Reach under the cover of your coworker’s car and disconnect the center wire that leads to the distributor（配电盘）cap, the car will be unharmed, but it will not start, and your friends at work will all be late for work on the same day. If you’re lucky, your boss might notice that you are the only one there and will give you a raise.
Gossiping friends at school are also perfect targets for a simple act of revenge. A way to trap either male or female friends is to leave false messages on their lockers(柜子). If the friend that you want to get is male, leave a message that a certain girl would like him to stop by her house later that day. With any luck，her boyfriend will be there. The girl won’t know what’s going on, and the victim will be so embarrassed that he probably won’t leave his home for a month.
When Mom and Dad and your sisters and brothers really begin to annoy you, harmless revenge may be just the way it makes them quiet down for a while. The dinner table is a likely place. Just before the meal begins, throw a handful of raisins (葡萄干) into the food. Wait about five minutes and, after everyone has begun to eat, cover your mouth with your hand and begin to make strange noises. When they ask you what the matter is, point to a raisin and yell. “Bugs!” They’ll throw their food in the dustbin, jump into the car, and head for McDonald’s. That night you’ll have your first quiet, peaceful meal in a long time.
A well-planned revenge does not have it hurt anyone. The object is simply to let other people know that they are beginning to bother you.
1. According to the passage, a harmless revenge is ________.
| A．to amuse the victim |
| B．to hurt nobody emotionally |
| C．to react to those who bother you |
| D．to prevent one from disturbing others |
| A．pleasing your boss |
| B．destroying your colleagues’ cars |
| C．making your colleagues come late |
| D．getting up earlier than your colleagues |
| A．they wanted to eat out |
| B．they didn’t like the food with raisins |
| C．they wanted to have a peaceful meal |
| D．they thought their food had been ruined |
| A．make a harmless revenge |
| B．silence gossiping friends |
| C．avoid talkative family members |
| D．deal with annoying coworkers |
Talking during a performance irritates (激怒) people. If you are expecting an emergency call, sit near the exit doors and set your phone to vibrate (振动). When your mobile phone vibrates, you can leave quietly and let the others enjoy the performance.
Think twice before using mobile phones in elevators, museums, churches or other indoor public places—especially enclosed spaces. Would you want to listen to someone’s conversation in these places? Worse yet, how would you feel if a mobile phone rang suddenly during a funeral! It happens more often than you think. Avoid these embarrassing situations by making sure your mobile phone is switched off.
When eating at a restaurant with friends, don’t place your mobile phone on the table. This conveys the message that your phone calls are more important than those around you.
Mobile phones have sensitive microphones that allow you to speak at the volume you would on a regular phone. This enables you to speak quietly so that others won’t hear the details of your conversations. If you are calling from a noisy area, use your hand to direct your voice into the microphone.
Many people believe that they can’t live without their mobile phone. Owning a mobile phone definitely makes life more convenient, but limit your conversations to urgent ones and save the personal calls until you are at home.
1. What should you do when you need to answer a phone call during a performance?
| A．Call back after the performance. |
| B．Answer it near the exit door. |
| C．Talk outside the exit door. |
| D．Speak in a low voice. |
| A．you prefer to talk to your friends at the table |
| B．you value your calls more than your friends |
| C．you are enjoying the company of your friends |
| D．you are polite and considerate of your friends |
| A．use a more sensitive microphone |
| B．shout loudly into your microphone |
| C．go away quietly to continue the phone call |
| D．use your hand to help speak into the phone |
| A．limited | B．expected |
| C．encouraged | D．recommended |
【推荐2】You may think the best way to solve a tough problem is to keep working on it, even overnight. But the truth is just the opposite: Your best chance to get to the bottom of a problem is actually to sleep on it.
A team of researchers at Northwestern University, US, found that sleeping is useful in both strengthening and re-organizing memory. This can help you solve problems.
The researchers did an experiment with 57 students. They asked them to solve 42 difficult puzzles on the first day. The students worked on each puzzle while listening to different music. The research encouraged students to remember the music they heard while solving the puzzles. By the end, there were six puzzles that the students still hadn’t solved.
The students then went back home to sleep. They were given special sleep-monitoring(睡眠监测)and music devices (设备). The devices played music linked with the unsolved puzzles while the students were in the slow-wave sleep stage. This stage is when people are likely to dream and re-organize their memories.
The next morning, the students tried the unsolved puzzles again. Researchers found they were 55 percent more likely to solve them. The music activated(激活)the memories they had of the puzzles while they were sleeping. It allowed them to “work” on the puzzles in their sleep.
Earlier studies of both people and animals have shown that sleep cannot only strengthen memory, but also help us organize information in our brains. This study seems to support that understanding. So the next time you face a difficult problem, sleep on it. Then play some music to remind yourself of the problem.
1. What did the research at Northwestern University find?| A．Sleeping can help people solve problems. |
| B．Listening to music can improve memory. |
| C．Music can help people solve puzzles faster. |
| D．People can solve difficult puzzles in their dreams. |
| A．Some students didn’t listen to music while solving puzzles. |
| B．Some kept working on the puzzles when others were sleeping. |
| C．The students “worked” on the unsolved puzzles while sleeping. |
| D．Many students found it difficult to remember the music they heard. |
| A．This study supports earlier findings. |
| B．The finding is of little practical value. |
| C．This study should have had animals included. |
| D．No research has been done in this field before. |
【推荐3】Since the novel corona-virus (新冠病毒) outbreak, many people have been forced to stay at home for long periods of time to protect themselves from the virus. This has given people more free time to learn new skills and find different ways to entertain themselves.
Some of these activities include things like singing, learning to cook and ordering fresh food online. All of these things can be done in the palm of your hand with mobile apps.
Before, young people would go outside and meet friends at karaoke bars (卡拉OK酒吧). Now, friends can meet and sing on the mobile karaoke app Changba. “The Changba app not only gives me the chance to share my songs with friends, but also lets me sing whatever I like at home.” said an app user.
Some people have also taken up cooking as a new hobby to pass the time. You don’t need to attend culinary (烹饪的) school, thanks to apps like Xiachufang and Ecook, which make it easier for those who want to learn how to cook. These apps provide a platform for users to look up different recipes (菜谱) and to share their own recipes with others. “Using this app, I have learned many new and healthy dishes which help me eat better.” an app user commented on the app’s website.
To help people avoid crowded places like grocery stores, apps that deliver (递送) goods right to your door have also become very popular. “It is obvious that the epidemic (疫情) has attracted new groups of consumers (消费者), such as elderly people, who originally didn’t belong to our target user group.” Zhang Yi, an analyst from the market research company, said.
Indeed, during this special time, these apps have opened up a whole new world of opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds.
1. According to the passage, what can people do during the period of novel corona-virus outbreak?| A．Singing at karaoke bars. | B．Learning to cook at home by apps. |
| C．Buying food in crowded markets. | D．Meeting friends at restaurants. |
| A．It is more user-friendly than karaoke bars. |
| B．It helps users to discover their singing talent. |
| C．It provides chances for users to share songs with friends. |
| D．It allows users to improve their singing skills fast. |
| A．They have lost many young customers. |
| B．They have opened culinary classes for their users. |
| C．They have more elderly users than before. |
| D．They have caused many grocery stores to close. |
| A．①--②--③④⑤--⑥ | B．①--②③④⑤⑥ | C．①--②③④⑤--⑥ | D．①②③④⑤--⑥ |
【推荐1】According to statistics published by the BPI (Buying Power Index) a couple of months ago, digital streaming (流媒体) now accounts for 80 percent of the music consumption in the UK. Despite the incredible growth of online streaming platforms like iTunes, Apple Music and Tidal over the past 15 years, a more traditional medium has also seen a return of interest and sales in the music industry. In 2020, almost one in five of all albums purchased in the UK is vinyl (黑胶唱片), and it has once again become the most popular physical musical medium.
With digital streaming so easy and convenient, why are so many people drawn to traditional records? Some experts claim that vinyl is a physical medium for experiencing music, something tangible (有形的) to hold and own. For most people, having something tangible and interacting with it gives depth to the experience of music. Listening to an album and touching it the way the artist intended can make them feel more connected to the music and the artist. Records are physical products that can be not only displayed but also gifted, shared, traded and passed down through generations.
Sound quality is another hot topic. A lot of music lovers feel that the analogue sound (模拟声音) vinyl offers is superior to modern digital audio, particularly with regards to the compressed formats streaming platforms use. There’s a common belief that old-school analogue audio has a warmer, fuller sound than digitised music. For vinyl followers, the very defect traditional recorders often have, such as the familiar crackle (劈啪作响) when the record starts, bring the music to life in a different way.
There’s a ritualistic aspect to vinyl that a lot of people are drawn to, too. The act of putting a record on—carefully removing the record from the sleeve, placing it on the record player and gently dropping the needle on the right groove (凹槽)—is a more assiduous (一丝不苟的), mindful way of engaging with music. When you’re listening to vinyl, you can’t tap a button and go about your day while the streaming service provides hours of music. You need to stay close to the record player to move the needle and flip the record over.
It’s clear that the vinyl interest is well underway, and vinyl records are truly making a comeback. In an increasingly digital society, there’s something to be said for analogue experiences. Perhaps one of the great things about being alive in the 21st century is our ability to have the best of both worlds—the timeless appeal of physical records alongside the easy access to vast music libraries that streaming offers.
1. What are the statistics published by the BPI used to show?| A．An increase in music consumption. |
| B．The recovery of music industry. |
| C．A comeback of a physical medium. |
| D．The acceptance of online streaming. |
| A．It attracts people by its realistic feel. |
| B．It offers simple access to different music. |
| C．It shares a new way to enjoy music. |
| D．It provides people with perfect sound effect. |
| A．Overlooked by society. |
| B．Updated very frequently. |
| C．Performed as part of a ceremony. |
| D．Kept for a long time without changing. |
| A．Traditional records will get underway. |
| B．The analogue experiences may matter more. |
| C．Vinyl sales will boom with technological advance. |
| D．There should be a good mix of old and new. |
【推荐2】I grew up in a house where the TV was seldom turned on and with one wall in my bedroom entirely lined with bookshelves, most of my childhood was spent on books I could get hold of. In fact, I grew up thinking of reading as natural as breathing and books unbelievably powerful in shaping perspectives (观点) by creating worlds we could step into, take part in and live in.
With this unshakable belief, I, am fourteen, decided to become a writer. Here too, reading became useful. Every writer starts off knowing that he has something to say, but being unable to find the right ways to say it. He has to find his own voice by reading widely and discovering which parts of the writers he agrees or disagrees with, or agrees with so strongly that it reshapes his own world. He cannot write without loving to read, because only through reading other people’s writing can one discover what works, what doesn't and, in the end, together with lots of practice, what voice he has.
Now I am in college, and have come to realize how important it is to read fiction (文学作品). As a law student, my reading is in fact limited to subject matter — the volume (量) of what I have to read for classes every week means there is little time to read anything else. Such reading made it all the clearer to me that I live in a very small part in this great place called life. Reading fiction reminds me that there is life beyond my own. It allows me to travel across the high seas and along the Silk Road, all from the comfort of my own armchair, to experience, though secondhand, exciting experiences that I wouldn’t necessary be able to have in my lifetime.
1. What can be inferred about the author as a child?| A．He never watched TV. |
| B．He was made to read. |
| C．He found reading unbelievable. |
| D．He considered reading part of his life. |
| A．Because he believed in the power of books. |
| B．Because he grew up with his bed room full of books. |
| C．Because he wanted to reshape his own world. |
| D．Because he majored in writing in college. |
| A．the writing skill of an outstanding writer |
| B．a sound produced through mouth when one speaks |
| C．a particular attitude, opinion or feeling |
| D．an ideal world described in a book |
| A．It helps him to realize his dream. |
| B．It opens up a wider world for him. |
| C．It makes his college life more interesting. |
| D．It increases his interest in worldwide travel. |
| A．Why do I read? | B．How do I read? |
| C．What do I read? | D．When do I read? |
【推荐3】If you visit Uluwatu temple in Bali, be cautious. The long-tailed temple monkeys there are well-known thieves. Since a long time ago, they have made a living by robbing visitors of their possessions and then holding those objects until a ransom in the form of food is paid. But Jean-Baptiste Leca of the University of Lethbridge, in Canada, wondered whether these monkeys are cleverer still. Sometimes, they do not accept the first offer and hold out for more. He therefore asked himself whether they are able to assess how valuable an object is to its owner, and factor that into their negotiations.
Dr. Leca and his colleagues conducted their experiment by wandering around the temple with video cameras, recording the activities of the monkeys. Every time they saw a monkey show interest in a particular tourist? they recorded the interaction. To work out what was going on, they had first to establish the relative values of food rewards to monkeys, and of stealable objects to people.
To confirm which stealable objects are most valued by people, they divided them into six classes: empty containers, such as phone cases and plastic bottles; accessories (搭配物) such as hairpins and key rings; hats and shoes; spectacles and sunglasses; and electronics and wallets. They then observed how often victims bothered to bargain with the thief for the return of property belonging to different classes, and thus classified objects into low value, medium value and high value.
They found that monkeys do, indeed, have a complicated sense of what they are doing — at least, adults and sub-adults do. These animals have a preference for stealing high-value items, and will often hold out either for more rewards, or for better ones, if they are in possession of such items. But this is something that they have to learn how to do as they grow up. Young monkeys make no such distinctions, and sub-adults are less good at doing so than adults.
1. What is the purpose of Leca's research?| A．To prove monkeys are cleverer than men. |
| B．To find out what is valuable for monkeys. |
| C．To record the negotiations between monkeys. |
| D．To make sure monkeys can judge item values. |
| A．Bilk. | B．Reward. | C．Tax. | D．Rent. |
| A．By the material of objects. | B．By the preference of victims. |
| C．By the buying price of objects, | D．By the frequency of bargaining. |
| A．Young monkeys can evaluate items. | B．All monkeys prefer high-value items, |
| C．Monkeys have a simple sense of acts. | D．Monkeys' stealing is an acquired skill. |
