Do you find when lining up (排队) at the supermarket, other lines always seem to be moving faster than yours? Now a report by The New York Times looks into the math and psychology (心理学) of lining up. It also gives ways on picking the fastest line, either in a supermarket, a bank or anywhere else.
Pick someone with a full basket
US mathematician (数学家) Dan Meyer believes that a basket full of items (物品) doesn’t tell the whole story. “Every person needs 41 seconds to say hello, pay, say goodbye and leave,” he said. Each item in the basket only takes 3 seconds.
This means if there are ten people in front of you, each with 1 item in their baskets, the waiting time will be 440 seconds. But if there is only one person in front of you, with 50 items in the basket, the waiting time will be 191 seconds. You do the math.
Study the customers
It’s important to know who the customers are. For example, if they are elder people, they might move slower. At the same time, the items in their baskets are also important. For example, four bottles of the same milk will go faster than four different items.
Go left
According to US science writer Robert Samuel, about 90 percent of people are right-handed. That means they will naturally choose lines on the right. So standing on the left will give you a better chance of finding a faster line.
1. If there are 5 people in front of you, each with 10 items in their baskets, it will take you __________.| A．355 seconds | B．205 seconds | C．150 seconds | D．410 seconds |
a. a line with three elder people. b. a line with three young people.
c. a basket with the same items. d. a basket with different items.
| A．ac | B．bc | C．ad | D．bd |
| A．picking someone with a full basket | B．studying the customers |
| C．picking lines on the left | D．studying the items customers bought |
| A．Math in everyday life | B．Advice on picking the fastest line |
| C．Customers lining up | D．The importance of picking the fastest line |
相似题推荐
Because you don’t know where you will be when an earthquake happens, prepare some supplies for your home, workplace, and car.
1. Water.
A person needs at least 1 or 2 gallon of water daily just for drinking. Store at least 1 gallon of water per person per day and be prepared for a 72-hour period. It is suggested that you buy bottled water. Keep bottled water and do not open it until you need to use it. Also, do check the “use by” date.
2. Food.
It’s always a practical idea to keep food that can be stored easily. Have an enough supply of canned food, powdered milk, dried fruits, non-salted nuts and canned juices for at least 72 hours.
3. Flashlights(手电筒) and spare batteries.
Keep a flashlight beside your bed, at your place of work, and in your car. Do not use matches or candles after an earthquake. Maybe it’s dangerous. Prepare a battery-powered radio and spare batteries. Most telephones will be out of service, so radios will be your best thing of information.
4. Clothes.
If you live in a cold place, you must think about warmth. You might not have heat after an earthquake. Think about your clothing and bedding supplies.
1. Why should people prepare themselves for an earthquake?
| A．Because earthquakes can be known before they happen. |
| B．Because earthquakes take place without warning. |
| C．Because earthquakes take place at times |
| D．Because it’s people’s daily work to prepare the earthquakes. |
| A．A person should prepare 0.5 gallon of water for one day. |
| B．You’d better use your own bottle to keep water. |
| C．We should drink water after the “use by” date. |
| D．You shouldn’t open the bottled water until you need it. |
| A．we can keep some fresh fruits for at least 72 hours. |
| B．a telephone is the most important prepared thing. |
| C．flashlights but not matches are first used after earthquakes. |
| D．clothes are used to protect your head. |
【推荐2】
“Text Neck is not just a texting problem,” said Dr. Dean Fishman. “Text Neck is a gaming problem. Text Neck is an e-mailing problem.”
Fishman made up the term “Text Neck” in 2008 while examining a 17-year-old patient. The teen came in complaining of neck pain. Fishman noticed that the teen was sitting in a chair, bending (弯曲) over her smartphone, texting away. “I knew I had something,” Fishman said.
A recent study published in Surgical Technology International’s 25th edition says texting may be hurting your back. The study found that bending your head to look at your mobile phone held in your hands can put up to 60 pounds of pressure (压力) on your neck. The average human head weighs 10 pounds in a right position – when your ears are over your shoulders. For every inch you bend your head forward, the pressure on your back doubles.
Staying in the “forward head posture” can lead to many problems. Over time, it can even change the natural curve (曲线) of your neck.
Dr. Michelle Collie, director of Performance Physical Therapy in Rhode Island, recently says Text Neck has increased very quickly, especially among her younger patients. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 8- to 18-year-olds spend almost seven and a half hours using mobile device or desktop computer for fun every day.
So what’s a smartphone-texting, laptop-loving guy to do?
First, Collie said, is to pay attention to your body. Keep your feet flat on the floor, roll your shoulders back and keep your ears directly over them so your head isn’t bent forward. And use something to support the weight of a mobile device.
Fishman’s Text Neck Institute created a mobile app to help you remember to avoid forward head posture. When your phone is held at a safe point, a green light shines. When you’re at risk for Text Neck, a red light appears.
Most important is taking breaks from time to time while using any mobile device or desktop computer. About every 20 minutes, stand up, roll your shoulders and neck or go for a short walk to have a break.
1. What might Fishman mean by saying “I knew I had something”?| A．He had the same smartphone as the patient. |
| B．He got a new name for the patient’s pain. |
| C．He wanted to play a joke on the patient. |
| D．He had the same idea with the patient. |
| A．you bend over your neck often |
| B．your ears are over your shoulders |
| C．you turn your neck to the other side |
| D．you put up more pressure on your neck |
| A．how to make Text Neck apps |
| B．what causes Text Neck |
| C．how to avoid Text Neck |
| D．the results of Text Neck |
I know that sometimes, you get the sense that you can be rich and successful without any hard work—that your ticket to success is through pop music or basketball or being a TV star, when chances are, you’re not going to be any of those things.
But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject you study. Not all the homework will seem rather important to your life right this minute. And you may not succeed at everything the first time you try.
That’s OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures (the opposite of success). JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was turned down 12 times before it finally came out. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots (投篮) during his career. But he once said, “I have failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
These people succeeded because they understand that you can’t let your failures beat(打败) you—you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time.
No one’s born being good at things. You become good at things through hard work.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to tell when you don’t know something, and to learn something new.
And even when you’re struggling(奋斗), even when you’re discouraged (泄气), and you feel other people have given up on you—don’t ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.
1. Why does Barack Obama mention (提到) JK Rowling and Michael Jordan in the third paragraph?
| A．To compare these two famous persons. |
| B．To explain that the more failures he has, the more successful he is. |
| C．If you want to be successful, you should fail first. |
| D．To show that failure is the mother of success. |
| A．No one can be successful without working hard. |
| B．Failure can be good if you treat it in a right way. |
| C．Those who believe in themselves shouldn’t ask others for help. |
| D．One should try his best to make his dream come true. |
| A．One shouldn’t ask questions because it is a sign of strength. |
| B．One should believe in himself though he will face much difficulty. |
| C．One doesn’t have to work hard when he has failed several times. |
| D．One doesn’t have to ask for help because it is a sign of weakness. |
American cars are always big, but RVs are the biggest. These are houses on wheels. RVs have kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms. All across the country you can find RV parks – places to park your RV and spend the night. And, if you can’t find one, you can always make your home in a grocery store parking lot.
As big as RVs are, they still seem very small to a family who has to spend every hour of every day together. With your little brother kicking you in the face all night in your tiny bed under the table, the dog barking and Mom playing her country music on the radio, your family is not at its best.
What’s worse, RVs are always breaking down. So it’s possible to spend a lot of time watching dad under the RV on the side of a dusty road.
But RV travel can be a great time with the family, too. You can see the country in the comfort of your own “home”. You can spend every night in a different, natural and beautiful place, or just stay where you are. You don’t have to pay for hotels or restaurants, only gas. But, best of all, you are free to go wherever you want at any time in your home-away-from-home.
1. RVs have the following EXCEPT____.
| A．Bathrooms | B．Bedrooms | C．Kitchens | D．Gardens |
| A．Because RVs can go faster than other cars. |
| B．Because they can listen to music on the radio. |
| C．Because RVs never break down on the road. |
| D．Because it’s like traveling in their own home. |
| A．Hotels. | B．Gas. | C．Food. | D．Drinks. |
| A．Traveling in RVs is more expensive than living in hotels. |
| B．RVs are big enough for families traveling together. |
| C．It is not difficult to find parking places for RVs and spend the night. |
| D．It is less fun to travel in RVs than to stay in hotels. |
Tributes(赞美之辞) have been made by technology company bosses and world leaders, with US President Barack Obama saying the world had "lost a visionary（有远见卓识的人）". "Steve was among the greatest of American innovators —— brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it," said Mr Obama.
A statement from Mr Jobs's family said they were with him when he died peacefully on Wednesday. "In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he loved his family deeply," they said, requesting privacy and thanking those who had "shared their wishes and prayers" during his final year.
Apple said the company had "lost a visionary and creative genius(天才) and the world have lost an amazing human being". Tim Cook, who was made Apple's CEO after Mr Jobs stood down in August, said his predecessor had left behind "a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple". Flags are being flown at half mast outside the Apple headquarters（总部） in Cupertino, California, while fans of the company have left tributes outside Apple shops around the world.
The heads of other leading technology companies have also paid tribute, including Microsoft boss Bill Gates, who said "For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been a great honour. I will miss Steve very much."
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg thanks Mr Jobs for "showing that what you build can change the world" while Sony Corp president and CEO Howard Stringer said: "The digital age has lost its leading light." South Korea's Samsung, which is involved in a case with Apple over patents(专利), admired Mr Jobs for his "Completely new and different changes to the IT industry".
1. Hearing of Steve Jobs’ death, the heads of other leading technology companies have paid tribute and __________.
| A．shared the treasure with his family | B．suffered from the sad news |
| C．been involved in a case with Apple | D．spoken highly of him |
| A．they had been friends for years |
| B．they had set up an excellent company C Jobs had played an important role in the development of the IT industry |
| C．Jobs had changed Obama’s political(政治的) life |
| A．Tim Cook | B．Howard Stringer | C．Mark Zuckerberg | D．Barack Obama |
【推荐3】 ① . The beginnings of life provide scientists with some of the most difficult questions of modern science. Our knowledge of the development of cells, from which all forms of life are made, is not complete because we do not understand very well the conditions on our planet four billion years ago. Why and how did cells first appear? Was this very probable to happen under the conditions then? Might this happen in other places in the universe(宇宙)?
② . A group of scientists at University College London are trying to answer these questions. They started by studying the ways in which the first cells on the Earth might have been formed. Next they will use a powerful new telescope(望远镜) to look at places far away in the universe. The scientists hope that the results will improve our understanding of the development of life on the Earth and help us to find similar conditions for life development on other planets.
③ . Dr Nick Lane, who is in charge of(负责) the University College London team, has suggested that 4 billion years ago warm water springs(泉) on the floor of the Earth’s ocean might have helped to create life. Each spring consists of tiny connected holes that water passes through. The team has created models of these springs with these holes in their lab. They have found that they encourage chemical reactions(反应) between hydrogen(氢) in the liquids(液体) that come out of them and the carbon dioxide(二氧化碳) in the sea water.
④ . These building blocks are not living themselves, but when there are enough of them joined together in the right way, they can make living things. Water in the system of springs moves the building blocks around until there are a lot of them in a small area. Things that look very much like real living cells can be made in this way.
1. About ________ years ago, different forms of life first appeared on the Earth according to the passage.| A．forty million | B．four billion | C．five million | D．ten billion |
| A．the same cells found on the Earth | B．suitable places for human to live |
| C．new forms of life unknown on the Earth | D．similar conditions for life development |
| A．is made up of | B．is proud of | C．is satisfied with | D．is famous for |
| A．① | B．② | C．③ | D．④ |
| A．Enough building blocks joined together in the right way make living things. |
| B．Water in the system of springs moves the building blocks around till they are in a small area. |
| C．The building blocks are living themselves and the scientists change them into living cells. |
| D．Chemical reactions take place between hydrogen and carbon dioxide. |
