1 . Jenifer Mauer has needed more willpower than the typical college student to pursue her goal of earning a nursing degree. That willpower bore fruit when Jennifer graduated from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and became the first in her large family to earn a bachelor's degree.
Mauer, of Edgar, Wisconsin, grew up on a farm in a family of 10 children. Her dad worked at a job away from the farm, and her mother ran the farm with the kids. After high school, Jennifer attended a local technical college, working to pay her tuition(学费), because there was no extra money set aside for a college education. After graduation, she worked to help her sisters and brothers pay for their schooling.
Jennifer now is married and has three children of her own. She decided to go back to college to advance her career and to be able to better support her family while doing something she loves: nursing. She chose the UW-Eau Claire program at Ministry Saint Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield because she was able to pursue her four-year degree close to home. She could drive to class and be home in the evening to help with her kids. Jenifer received great support from her family as she worked to earn her degree: Her husband worked two jobs to cover the bills, and her 68-year-old mother helped take care of the children at times.
Through it all, she remained in good academic standing and graduated with honors. Jennifer sacrificed(牺牲)to achieve her goal, giving up many nights with her kids and missing important events to study. ''Some nights my heart was breaking to have to pick between my kids and studying for exams or papers,'' she says. However, her children have learned an important lesson witnessing their mother earn her degree. Jennifer is a first-generation graduate and an inspiration to her family-and that's pretty powerful.
1. What did Jennifer do after high school?A.She helped her dad with his work. |
B.She ran the family farm on her own. |
C.She supported herself through college. |
D.She taught her sisters and brothers at home. |
A.To take care of her kids easily. | B.To learn from the best nurses. |
C.To save money for her parents. | D.To find a well-paid job there. |
A.Her health. | B.Her time with family. |
C.Her reputation. | D.Her chance of promotion. |
A.Time is money. | B.Love breaks down barriers. |
C.Hard work pays off. | D.Education is the key to success. |
2 . According to a recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research, both the size and consumption habits of our eating companions can influence our food intake. And contrary to existing research that says you should avoid eating with heavier people who order large portions(份), it's the beanpoles with big appetites you really need to avoid.
To test the effect of social influence on eating habits, the researchers conducted two experiments. In the first, 95 undergraduate women were individually invited into a lab to ostensibly(表面上)participate in a study about movie viewership. Before the film began, each woman was asked to help herself to a snack. An actor hired by the researchers grabbed her food first. In her natural state, the actor weighed 105 pounds. But in half the cases she wore a specially designed fat suit which increased her weight to 180 pounds.
Both the fat and thin versions of the actor took a large amount of food. The participants followed suit, taking more food than they normally would have. However, they took significantly more when the actor was thin.
For the second test, in one case the thin actor took two pieces of candy from the snack bowls. In the other case, she took 30 pieces. The results were similar to the first test: the participants followed suit but took significantly more candy when the thin actor took 30 pieces.
The tests show that the social environment is extremely influential when we're making decisions. If this fellow participant is going to eat more, so will I. Call it the “I’ll have what she's having” effect. However, we'll adjust the influence. If an overweight person is having a large portion, I'll hold back a bit because I see the results of his eating habits. But if a thin person eats a lot, I'll follow suit. If he can eat much and keep slim, why can't I?
1. What is the recent study mainly about?A.Food safety. | B.Movie viewership. |
C.Consumer demand. | D.Eating behavior. |
A.Big eaters. | B.Overweight persons. |
C.Picky eaters. | D.Tall thin persons. |
A.To see how she would affect the participants. |
B.To test if the participants could recognize her. |
C.To find out what she would do in the two tests. |
D.To study why she could keep her weight down. |
A.How hungry we are. | B.How slim we want to be. |
C.How we perceive others. | D.How we feel about the food. |
3 . We are the products of evolution, and not just evolution that occurred billions of years ago. As scientists look deeper into our genes (基因), they are finding examples of human evolution in just the past few thousand years. People in Ethiopian highlands have adapted to living at high altitudes. Cattle -raising people in East Africa and northern Europe have gained a mutation (突变) that helps them digest milk as adults.
On Thursday in an article published in Cell, a team of researchers reported a new kind of adaptation - not to air or to food, but to the ocean. A group of sea-dwelling people in Southeast Asia have evolved into better divers. The Bajau, as these people are known, number in the hundreds of thousands in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. They have traditionally lived on houseboats; in recent times, they’ve also built houses on stilts (支柱) in coastal waters. “They are simply a stranger to the land,” said Redney C. Jubilado, a University of Hawaii researcher who studies the Bajau.
Dr. Jubilado first met the Bajau while growing up on Samal Island in the Philippines. They made a living as divers, spearfishing or harvesting shellfish. “We were so amazed that they could stay underwater much longer than us local islanders,” Dr. Jubilado said. “I could see them actually walking under the sea.”
In2015, Melissa Ilardo, then a graduate student in genetics at the University of Copenhagen, heard about the Bajau. She wondered if centuries of diving could have led to the evolution of physical characteristics that made the task easier for them. “it seemed like the perfect chance for natural selection to act on a population,” said Dr. Ilardo. She also said there were likely a number of other genes that help the Bajau dive.
1. What does the author want to tell us by the examples in paragraph 1?A.Environmental adaptation of cattle raisers. | B.New knowledge of human evolution. |
C.Recent findings of human origin. | D.Significance of food selection. |
A.In valleys. | B.Near rivers. | C.On the beach. | D.Off the coast. |
A.They could walk on stilts all day. | B.They had a superb way of fishing. |
C.They could stay long underwater. | D.They lived on both land and water. |
A.Bodies Remodeled for a Life at Sea | B.Highlanders’ Survival Skills |
C.Basic Methods of Genetic Research | D.The World’s Best Divers |
4 . The Lake District Attractions Guide
Dalemain Mansion & Historic Gardens
History, Culture & Landscape(景观). Discover and enjoy 4 centuries of history, 5 acres of celebrated and award-winning gardens with parkland walk. Owned by the Hasell family since 1679, home to the International Marmalade Festival. Gifts and antiques, plant sales, museums & Mediaeval Hall Tearoom.
Open:29 Mar-29 Oct,Sun to Thurs.Tearoom,Gardens & Gift Shop:10:30-17:00(16:00 in Oct).
House:11:15-16:00(15:00 in Oct)
Town: Pooley Bridge & PenrithAbbot Hall art Gallery & Museum
Those viewing the quality of Abbot Hall’s temporary exhibitions may be forgiven for thinking they are in a city gallery. The impressive permanent collection includes Turners and Romneys and the temporary exhibition programme has Canaletto and the artists from St Ives.
Open: Mon to Sat and Summer Sundays. 10:30 -17:00 Summer.10:30 -16:00 Winter.Town: Kendal
Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery
Discover, explore and enjoy award-winning Tullie House, where historic collections, contemporary art and family fun are brought together in one impressive museum and art gallery. There are four fantastic galleries to visit from fine art to interactive fun, so there’s something for everyone!
Open: High Season 1 Apr – 31 Oct: Mon to Sat 10:00 – 17:00, Sun 11:00 – 17:00.Low Season 1 Nov – 31 Mar: Mon to Sat 10:00 – 16:30, Sun 12:00 – 16:30.
Town: CarlisleDove Cottage & The wordsworth Museum
Discover William Wordsworth’s inspirational home. Take a tour of his Lakeland cottage, walk through his hillside garden and explore the riches of the collection in the Museum. Visit the shop and relax in the café. Exhibitions, events and family activities throughout the year.
Open: Daily, 09:30 – 17:30 (last admission 17:00).
Town: Grasmere
1. When is the House at Dalemain Mansion & Historic Gardens open on Sundays in July?A.09:30-17:30. | B.10:30-16:00. | C.11:15-16:00. | D.12:00-16:30 |
A.Enjoy Romney’s works. |
B.Have some interactive fun. |
C.Attend a famous festival. |
D.Learn the history of a family |
A.Penrith. | B.Kendal. | C.Carlisle. | D.Grasmere. |
5 . It was just after sunrise on a June morning. “Nicolo,” whose real name cannot be
When Nicolo retired and went to live in Sicily, he
“That’s the garden in our picture,”Nicolo’s son told his father. They
A.attached | B.allocated | C.exposed | D.submitted |
A.finished | B.delayed | C.considered | D.tried |
A.attended | B.reserved | C.cancelled | D.run |
A.shown | B.found | C.kept | D.hidden |
A.nice | B.familiar | C.useful | D.real |
A.battled | B.debated | C.discussed | D.bargain |
A.held | B.left | C.registered | D.brought |
A.chosen | B.received | C.ordered | D.moved |
A.missed | B.failed | C.taken | D.led |
A.concrete | B.unusual | C.unappealing | D.natural |
A.appreciated | B.touched | C.researched | D.witnessed |
A.painter | B.designer | C.author | D.actor |
A.expected | B.surprised | C.anxious | D.ready |
A.room | B.kitchen | C.hall | D.garden |
A.apparently | B.confidently | C.eventually | D.temporarily |
A.owned | B.borrowed | C.sold | D.stole |
A.collected | B.cleaned | C.framed | D.studied |
A.suitably | B.actually | C.rightly | D.specifically |
A.girl | B.artist | C.family | D.police |
A.copies | B.originals | C.models | D.presents |
6 . Some parents will buy any high-tech toy if they think it will help their child, but researchers said puzzles help children with math-related skills.
Psychologist Susan Levine, an expert on mathematics development in young children at the University of Chicago, found children who play with puzzles between ages 2 and 4 later develop better spatial skills. Puzzle play was found to be a significant predictor of cognition(认知) after controlling for differences in parents’ income, education and the amount of parent talk, Levine said.
The researchers analyzed video recordings of 53 child-parent pairs during everyday activities at home and found children who play with puzzles between 26 and 46 months of age have better spatial skills when assessed at 54 months of age.
“The children who played with puzzles performed better than those who did not, on tasks that assessed their ability to rotate(旋转)and translate shapes,” Levine said in a statement.
The parents were asked to interact with their children as they normally would, and about half of children in the study played with puzzles at one time. Higher-income parents tended to have children play with puzzles more frequently, and both boys and girls who played with puzzles had better spatial skills. However, boys tended to play with more complex puzzles than girls, and the parents of boys provided more spatial language and were more active during puzzle play than parents of girls.
The findings were published in the journal Developmental Science.
1. In which aspect do children benefit from puzzle play?A.Building confidence. | B.Developing spatial skills. |
C.Learning self-control. | D.Gaining high-tech knowledge. |
A.Parents’ age. | B.Children’s imagination. |
C.Parents’ education. | D.Child-parent relationship. |
A.They play with puzzles more often. |
B.They tend to talk less during the game. |
C.They prefer to use more spatial language. |
D.They are likely to play with tougher puzzles. |
A.A mathematical method. | B.A scientific study. |
C.A woman psychologist | D.A teaching program. |
7 . For lots of kids, toddlerhood (幼儿期) is an important time for friendship. Studies show that the earlier kids learn to form positive relationships, the better they are at relating to others as teenagers and adults. Playing together also helps these kids practice social behaviors, such as kindness, sharing, and cooperation.
Even so, how quickly your child develops into a social creature may also depend on his temperament(性格). Some toddler s are very social, but others are shy. In addition, the way that toddlers demonstrate that they like other children is markedly different from what adults think of as expressions of friendship. Research at Ohio State University in Columbus found that a toddler’s way of saying “I like you” during play is likely to come in the form of copying a friend’s behavior.
This seemingly unusual way of demonstrating fondness can result in unpleasant behavior. Regardless of how much they like a playmate, they may still grab his toys, refuse to share, and get bossy. But experts say that this is a normal and necessary part of friendship for kids this age. Through play experiences, toddlers learn social rules. That’s why it’s so important to take an active role in your toddler’s social encounters by setting limits and offering frequent reminders of what they are. When you establish these guidelines, explain the reasons behind them.
Begin by helping your child learn sympathy (“Ben is crying. What’s making him so sad?”), then suggest how he could resolve the problem (“Maybe he would feel better if you let him play the ball.”). When your child shares or shows empathy(同理心) toward a friend, praise him (“Ben stopped crying! You made him feel better.”).
Another way to encourage healthy social interaction is by encouraging kids to use words- not fists-to express how they feel. It’s also important to be mindful of how your child’s personality affects playtime. Kids are easy to get angry when they’re sleepy or hungry, so schedule playtime when they’re refreshed.
1. What does it indicate when toddlers copy their playmates’ behavior?A.They are interested in acting. | B.They are shy with the strangers. |
C.They are fond of their playmates. | D.They are tired of playing games. |
A.Design games for them. | B.Find them suitable playmates. |
C.Play together with them. | D.Help them understand social rules. |
A.Giving examples. | B.Explaining concepts. |
C.Providing evidence. | D.Making comparisons. |
A.How Children Adapt to Changes | B.How to Be a Role Model for Children |
C.How Your Baby Learns to Love | D.How to Communicate with Your Kid |
8 . In his 1936 work How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie wrote: “I have come to the conclusion that there is only one way to get the best of an argument — and that is to avoid it.” This distaste for arguments is common, but it depends on a mistaken view of arguments that causes problems for our personal and social lives — and in many ways misses the point of arguing in the first place.
Carnegie would be right if arguments were fights, which is how we often think of them. Like physical fights, verbal (言语的) fights can leave both sides bloodied. Even when you win, you end up no better off. You would be feeling almost as bad if arguments were even just competitions — like, say, tennis tournaments. Pairs of opponents hit the ball back and forth until one winner comes out from all who entered. Everybody else loses. This kind of thinking explains why so many people try to avoid arguments.
However, there are ways to win an argument every time. When you state your position, formulate (阐述) an argument for what you claim and honestly ask yourself whether your argument is any good. When you talk with someone who takes a stand, ask them to give you a reason for their view and spell out their argument fully. Assess its strength and weakness. Raise objections (异议) and listen carefully to their replies. This method will require effort, but practice will make you better at it.
These tools can help you win every argument — not in the unhelpful sense of beating your opponents but in the better sense of learning about what divides people, learning why they disagree with us and learning to talk and work together with them. If we readjust our view of arguments — from a verbal fight or tennis game to a reasoned exchange through which we all gain respect and understanding from each other — then we change the very nature of what it means to “win” an argument.
1. What is the author’s attitude toward Carnegie’s understanding of argument?A.Critical. | B.Supportive. | C.Tolerant. | D.Uncertain. |
A.They lack debating skills. | B.They may feel bad even if they win. |
C.They fear being ignored. | D.They are not confident in themselves. |
A.Defend. | B.Explain. | C.Conclude. | D.Repeat. |
A.Sense of logic. | B.Solid supporting evidence. |
C.Proper manners. | D.Understanding from both sides. |
9 . I was halfway across Indiana headed home to Kentucky when my car broke down. My phone was
I sat alongside my car for several hours trying to
Right then and there, this total
A.busy | B.loud | C.dead | D.secure |
A.mechanic | B.policeman | C.manager | D.guide |
A.washing | B.parking | C.purchasing | D.maintaining |
A.feel | B.beat | C.absorb | D.produce |
A.promised | B.refused | C.stopped | D.volunteered |
A.solved | B.noticed | C.escaped | D.explained |
A.surprise | B.regret | C.amusement | D.disappointment |
A.called up | B.pulled out | C.put down | D.threw away |
A.liar | B.beginner | C.stranger | D.loser |
A.free | B.ready | C.uncertain | D.unable |
A.pronounced | B.agreed | C.discovered | D.doubted |
A.Tiredness | B.Kindness | C.Loneliness | D.Carefulness |
A.Folding | B.Drying | C.Soiling | D.Mending |
A.saved | B.called | C.judged | D.banned |
A.friend | B.daughter | C.coworker | D.customer |
10 . When you were trying to figure out what to buy for the environmentalist on your holiday list, fur probably didn’t cross your mind. But some ecologists and fashion (时装)enthusiasts are trying to bring back the market for fur made from nutria(海狸鼠).
Unusual fashion shows in New Orleans and Brooklyn have showcased nutria fur made into clothes in different styles. “It sounds crazy to talk about guilt-free fur-unless you understand that the nutria are destroying vast wetlands every year”, says Cree McCree, project director of Righteous Fur.
Scientists in Louisiana were so concerned that they decided to pay hunters $5 a tail. Some of the fur ends up in the fashion shows like the one in Brooklyn last month.
Nutria were brought there from Argentina by fur farmers and let go into the wild. “The ecosystem down there can’t handle this non-native species(物种).It’s destroying the environment. It’s them or us.” says Michael Massimi, an expert in this field.
The fur trade kept nutria in check for decades,but when the market for nutria collapsed in the late 1980s,the cat-sized animals multiplied like crazy.
Biologist Edmond Mouton runs the nutria control program for Louisiana. He says it’s not easy to convince people that nutria fur is green, but he has no doubt about it. Hunters bring in more than 300,000 nutria tails a year, so part of Mouton’s job these days is trying to promote fur.
Then there’s Righteous Fur and its unusual fashion. Model Paige Morgan says,”To give people a guilt-free option that they can wear without someone throwing paint on them-I think that’s going to be a massive thing, at least here in New York.” Designer Jennifer Anderson admits it took her a while to come around to the opinion that using nutria fur for her creations is morally acceptable. She is trying to come up with a label to attach to nutria fashions to show it is eco-friendly.
1. What is the purpose of the fashion shows in New Orleans and Brooklyn?A.To promote guilt-free fur. |
B.To expand the fashion market. |
C.To introduce a new brand. |
D.To celebrate a winter holiday. |
A.Nutria damage the ecosystem seriously. |
B.Nutria are an endangered species. |
C.Nutria hurt local cat-sized animals. |
D.Nutria are illegally hunted. |
A.Boomed. | B.Became mature. | C.Remained stable. | D.Crashed. |
A.It’s formal. | B.It’s risky. | C.It’s harmful. | D.It’s traditional. |