1 . Procrastinators (拖延症患者)，take note: If you’ve tried building self-control and you’re still putting things off, maybe you need to try something different. One new approach: Check your mood.
Often, procrastinators attempt to avoid the anxiety or worry aroused by a tough task with activities aimed at repairing their mood, such as checking Facebook or taking a nap. But the pattern, which researchers call “giving in to feel good,” makes procrastinators feel worse later, when they face the consequences of missing a deadline or making a last-minute effort, says Timothy Pychyl, an associate professor of psychology at Carleton University.
Increasingly, psychologists and time-management consultants are focusing on a new strategy: helping procrastinators see how attempts at mood repair are destroying their efforts and learn to control their emotions in more productive ways.
The new approach is based on several studies in the past two years showing that negative emotions can damage attempts at self-control. It fills a gap among established time-management methods, which stress behavioral changes such as adopting a new organizing system or doing exercises to build willpower.
Researchers have come up with a playbook of strategies to help procrastinators turn mood repair to their advantage. Some are tried-and-true classics: Dr. Pychyl advises procrastinators to just get started, and make the doorstep for getting started quite low. “Procrastinators are more likely to put the technique to use when they understand how mood repair works,” says Dr. Pychyl, author of a 2013 book, “Solving the Procrastination Puzzle.” He adds,“A real motive power comes from doing what we intend to do—the things that are important to us.”
He also advises procrastinators to practice “time travel”—projecting themselves into the future to imagine the good feelings they will have after finishing a task, or the bad ones they will have if they don’t. This cures procrastinators’ tendency to get so stuck in present anxieties and worries that they fail to think about the future.
Another mood-repair strategy, self-forgiveness, is aimed at dismissing the self-blame. University freshmen who forgave themselves for procrastinating on studying for the first exam in a course procrastinated less on the next exam, according to a recent study led by Michael Wohl, an associate professor of psychology at Carleton.
Thomas Flint learned about the technique by reading research on self-control, including studies by Dr. Sirois and Dr. Pychyl. He put it to use after his family moved recently to a new house. Instead of beating himself up for failing to unpack all the boxes gathered in his garage right away, Mr. Flint decided to forgive himself and start with a single step. I’d say, "OK, I’m going to take an hour, with a goal of getting the TV set up, and that's it, he says; then he watched a TV show as a reward. Allowing himself to do the task in stages, he says, is “a victory.”
1. What does Timothy Pychyl mean by mentioning the “giving in to feel good” practice in Paragraph 2?| A．It probably does more harm than good. |
| B．It prevents procrastinators from giving up. |
| C．It helps procrastinators meet the deadline. |
| D．It effectively drives away anxiety and worry. |
| A．Sticking to one’s intention. |
| B．Doing things that really matter. |
| C．Getting started from a low doorstep. |
| D．Learning important techniques of mood repair. |
| A．To make their future plan more practical. |
| B．To accelerate the speed of finishing the task. |
| C．To stop people from worrying about their travel. |
| D．To free people from the present negative emotions. |
| A．Self-blame prevents students from putting things off. |
| B．Procrastinators are still able to get good scores in exams. |
| C．University freshmen can get rid of procrastination easily. |
| D．Self-forgiveness is an effective way to cure procrastination. |
2 . Yao Ming was born in Shanghai in 1980. At 229 centimeters, he was the third tallest player in NBA history. Yao made his first appearance in the NBA during the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He surprised many critics with his first games, and was fast becoming an international fan favorite, as he broke Michael Jordan’s record for votes (投票) received. In July 2011 Yao announced his retirement from the NBA due to frequent problems in his left foot.
He continuously works to raise awareness of endangered species and even went as far as to stop using shark fin soup at his wedding in 2007. Yao has been saying no to shark fin soup since 2006 when he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador (亲善大使) for wildlife protection. “Shark’s are friends of human beings. They are not our food.” Since his retirement he has become a surprise international force in the field of wildlife protection, and he is using his fame to tell us the difficulties faced by sharks.
Most recently he went to Houston Zoo, as part of his continuing effort to educate young people about the importance of wildlife protection. He is part of a large campaign (运动) by the wildlife protection charity WildAid, and has traveled through Africa to see and document the difficulties facing elephants and rhinos in the wild. With elephant and rhinoceros poaching (偷猎) on the rise, Yao also said, “When the buying stops, the killing can too. Get rid of the demand for rhino horn and ivory right at the source. That’s what I want to do.”
Although Yao is not the first Chinese player in the NBA, it could be argued that he is the most important one, not just for his taking part in charity and wildlife protection work. He built a bridge between two completely different worlds and introduced millions to the Chinese way of life, and the American lifestyle separately.
1. The first paragraph mainly tells us ____________.| A．the history of MBA | B．how high Yao Ming is |
| C．the life of Michael Jordan | D．Yao Ming’s basketball life |
| A．Because shark fin soup is not food. |
| B．Because he wants to set a good example. |
| C．Because sharks are not endangered species |
| D．Because shark fin soup is too expensive for him. |
| A．The demand for wildlife leads to killing. |
| B．He wants to appeal to others to stop illegal selling. |
| C．WildAid plays an important role in wildlife protection. |
| D．Young people make a difference in wildlife protection. |
| A．The first Chinese player in the NBA |
| B．A super basketball star -- Yao Ming |
| C．Yao Ming and his wildlife protection |
| D．When the buying stops, the killing can too |
3 . At the 4th Street Photo Gallery on the comer of the Bowery, many photos are strung together like clothes on a laundry line. There are portraits of Muhammad Ali and Jean-Michel Basquiat, plus a series of cityscapes detailedly captured over 60 years by Alex Harsley, a neglected but talented New York photographer.
The city has been Mr Harsley’s home since 1948, when, aged ten, he moved there from South Carolina. He took his first photograph ten years later, and became the first black photographer to work for the city’s district attorney’s office. His vivid pictures freeze moments in New York’s evolution from the 1950s to the present. “It could start with the smell of something burning.” he says of his method. “And then you see a family sitting on the steps of a funeral home sadly looking at the firemen going through their routine.”
Some of the scenes in the collection were captured from the window of his old apartment in Harlem; they include images of black activists, streets submerged in snow and shots of the Crown Heights riots of 1991. A.D. Coleman, a photography critic, says Mr. Harsley has been able to capture the lives of minority groups by making himself “invisible”. His aim has been to assemble these fragments (片段) into an extended history of the city.
Mr. Harsley’s gallery is a time capsule. For decades, it is also a hub for the city’s artistic underworld. In the 1970s New York’s photography scene was flourishing, but exclusive. As Mr. Harsley puts it, “a number of great artists were swept aside” because they lacked connections. Helping talent became part of his mission. In 1971 he established The Minority Photographers, an organization that helps up-and-coming artists exhibit their work. He opened his gallery two years later; many photographers have had their first shows there.
1. How does the author describe Alex Harsley in the first paragraph?| A．Undervalued but expert. | B．Gifted but exclusive. |
| C．Unknown but devoted. | D．Gifted but awkward. |
| A．His pictures show freezing weather in New York from the 1950s to the present. |
| B．His pictures capture the cheerful moments in New York since the 1950s. |
| C．His pictures record some historic occasions of New York over the past decades. |
| D．His pictures illustrate the vivid lives of minority groups in New York over the past decades. |
| A．To assemble the minority groups of the city. |
| B．To highlight the lives of minority groups. |
| C．To help promising artists attract more public attention. |
| D．To build connections between the minority groups and himself. |
| A．He excluded those who looked down upon the unknown artists. |
| B．He set an organization displaying their works. |
| C．He established the connections between up-and-coming artists and famous ones. |
| D．He reduced the rents of the gallery where their photography works were shown. |
4 . I looked at my beautiful Christmas tree and sighed.It was time.The New Year was a week old and my tree still stood in the corner of our room with its collection of memories proudly displayed in a shower of colorful lights.I’d procrastinated long enough.
I got up, went to the garage and dragged all the boxes into the room.The garland (花环) was the first to come down.The tree looked naked (光秃秃的) already.I took the large ornaments off next.They made a large pile on our bed.An hour later, our bed was covered with Christmas memories.Each pile contained an ornament along with its matching brothers and sisters from sets purchased many years ago.
I prepared the boxes and carefully placed ornaments in their protective packaging, pausing every few minutes to admire a favorite.“Hey, little Santa!” I held the Santa from my childhood.“Thanks for being my friend for almost 50 years.” He was a little ragged (衣着破烂的) but still gives me a flood of wonderful memories.“Until next year, my dear friend.”
There was a collection of handmade ones.My children made in their first years of school, more than 20 years ago.Made by tiny hands, they are far from perfect in design, but every year they go on my memory tree – memories of young giggles on Christmas morning and a smiling face when they handed them to me when I came home from work.“Look what we made, Daddy!”
“Oh! It is beautiful.Let’s find a special spot on the tree for it.” Every year since, they are displayed.
A few hours after I started, the filled boxes were back in the garage, the room was vacuumed (用吸尘器清扫) and I sat staring at a barren (空荡荡的) corner.The room seemed so empty.It took me two days of work to assemble (收集) and decorate my tree, but only a few hours to take it apart.
My tree is a good marriage or a great friendship.Like the tree, they take a long time to assemble and decorate with memories, but can be torn down quickly.
Every year I have to put my tree away, but not my marriage or friendships.I take great care of those.They get to glow in the corner of my life for as long as I live.I get to analyze my tree and find memories for a few weeks every year.I can do the same with the loves in my life every day.Take great care of your friendships and your marriage.Once they come down, they aren’t as easy to put back together as a Christmas tree.Stand them in that special spot in the corner of your heart and admire their glow.
1. In the author’s eyes, the Christmas tree _____.| A．is a collection of childhood memories | B．is a symbol of long-lasting relations |
| C．takes too much time to decorate | D．is full of out-of-date ornaments |
| A．reflected | B．celebrated |
| C．decorated | D．delayed |
| A．both take time to build but fall apart easily |
| B．both remind him of bittersweet memories |
| C．both need to be admired for some time |
| D．both get less attractive over the years |
| A．We’d better put away Christmas decorations and recycle them each year. |
| B．Friendships and marriages should be valued and managed carefully. |
| C．Memories with friends and family should be cherished and relived. |
| D．We should decorate Christmas trees with personal stuff and recycle. |
5 . We’ve all seen them. They were the unfamiliar and often socially awkward kids. “Who are they?” we all whispered. When we asked our parents about these kids, they replied in that slightly high-nosed tone, “Oh, they’re homeschooled.”
Despite the disgrace which still surrounds homeschooling, parents who choose this form of education are finally getting their benefits. Since 1999, the number of parents who choose to homeschool their children has grown by 75%. And although the number of children in a homeschooling environment still only account for only 4% of the total number of school-going youth, the number of parents choosing to give up “traditional” public education is growing seven times faster than the rate of children being enrolled in public schools each year.
For those who argue that these numbers do not justify the effectiveness of a homeschooled education, we might instead look to the statistics. The typical homeschooled child scores in the 65th to 89th percentile on standardized testing, while the average child in a public school environment scores somewhere around the 50th percentile. Further, homeschooled children have been shown to score consistently higher on the ACT and go on to earn higher GPAs as college students. Homeschooled children have even been shown to achieve four year degrees at much higher rates than students from public school and private schools.
The benefits don’t stop there. Whereas the average total expenditures for a child in public school is near $10,000 a year, those for the homeschooled child average is somewhere between $500 and $600 a year. So not only does homeschooling provide educational benefits, but it provides financial payoffs as well.
But what about socialization? Homeschooled children are considered by many to lack basic social skills, supporters of homeschooling claim this is not true. The National Home Education Research Institute claims that homeschooled children have actually shown to become more socially engaged individuals than their peers, showing “healthy social, psychological, and emotional development, and success into adulthood.”
So what might the future bring? Will more parents opt for homeschooling than public schooling? And what can be done to stop the apparent downfalls in public schooling?
1. The underlined words “Oh, they’re homeschooled” in Para. 1 suggests that parents__________.| A．are proud of their own children | B．respect homeschooled kids |
| C．don’t accept socially awkward kids | D．have a low opinion on homeschooling |
| A．is worrying | B．is on the rise |
| C．remains consistent | D．is going downward |
| A．homeschooled kids do better |
| B．public school education is more effective |
| C．homeschooled children earn higher GPS at college |
| D．public school children score in the 50th percentile |
| A．critical | B．negative | C．supportive | D．neutral |
6 . Shortly after World War Il, a Dutch art dealer was arrested for secretly selling paintings by Vermeer（1632-1675） to the Nazis who invaded Holland during the war. Because Vermeer is considered to be one of Holland’s best painters, the dealer was charged with selling national treasures to the enemy. To avoid the punishment for this serious crime, he admitted that the paintings were forgeries（伪造品）， or fakes he had painted them himself and fooled the art world and the Nazis. Today, experts agree that the forgeries do not look like Vermeer's other works, Why then, did the art world accept the fakes as real？
One reason why they were accepted was that the forgeries actually looked different than Vermeer's other works. The dealer had claimed that the forgeries were from an unknown period early in Vermeer's career. Because painters' styles often change throughout their careers, art historians at the time did not expect "the new discovery" to look exactly like the known works of Vermeer. In fact, because they did not look similar to the known works, experts did not bother to look at them carefully. This is because experts expect a forger to copy famous paintings as closely as possible. Once the art dealer's first forgeries were accepted as real, he was free to make more The others closely matched the first paintings in style, so they were also accepted as real Vermeer tings from the same early period.
Another reason experts were fooled is what some historians call The Emperor’s New Clothes Effects. In Hans Christian Andersen’s story, The Emperor’s New Clothes, two criminals convince an emperor that he is wearing beautiful clothes, when he is actually naked. No one in the empire wants to admit that they can’t see the clothes because they believe the clothes are magic and that only good people can see them. Similarly, the art world was influenced by the famous art historian Wilhelm von Bode, who said the forgeries were some of Vermeer's best works. Because von Bod was highly respected, other experts began praising the "new discoveries.” At the time, this made it difficult to criticize the paintings or suggest that they were fakes
1. Why did the art dealer admit that he had faked paintings？| A．He wanted to anger the Nazis |
| B．He wanted to prove he was a good painter |
| C．He felt bad about what he had done |
| D．He wanted to escape heavy punishment |
| A．The experts didn't carefully examine the paintings |
| B．Painters' styles vary during their careers |
| C．Painters often create forgeries to fool experts. |
| D．The paintings looked similar to Vermeer s earlier works |
| A．To compare the works of Vermeer with those of Andersen |
| B．To suggest that Vermeer was the emperor of the art world |
| C．To explain how experts were fooled by the forgeries |
| D．To give an example of a forgery in the literary world |
| A．The Nazi invasion of Holland in World War II. |
| B．How von Bode influenced the art world |
| C．How some forgeries fooled the art world |
| D．The paintings of Vermeer's early period |
7 . There’s more fresh water hidden below Earth’s surface in underground aquifers (含水层) than any other source besides the ice sheets. That groundwater earns an unshakably important place for rivers worldwide, keeping them running even when droughts bring their waters low.
But in recent decades humans have pumped trillions of gallons out of those underground reservoirs. In a new research, water experts and scientists are taking a global look at where groundwater is already being extracted at such a rate that it has caused water levels to drop so much in rivers and streams that they will slip into the ecological danger zone.
Much of that water is being removed much faster than it can be refilled. That has enormous potential consequences for people and crops in areas that don’t get enough rain. But far before those impacts emerge, the effects will fiercely hit rivers, streams, and the habitats around them. Hundreds of rivers and streams around the world would become so water-stressed that the entire ecological system would hit a danger point, says Inge de Graaf, the lead author of the research. “We can really consider this ecological effect like a ticking time bomb,” she says. “If we pump the groundwater now, we don’t see the impacts until like 10 years further or even longer.”
But the severity of the impacts might still be underestimated. As a baseline, they used the global water demand in 2010 and spun their climate model forward to predict how stresses on groundwater systems might develop. But as populations swell and the demand for food rises, those stresses could skyrocket for reasons other than climate change, speeding along the extraction from underground water sources.
The effects of over-pumping groundwater take years, if not decades, to become visible. Changes in rain have immediate, obvious effects on river flow. When it pours, rivers often rage. But groundwater is hidden and changes don’t always manifest in the place where the pumping occurs and are programmed to “wait for the perfect moment”. That makes aquifer management issues extra challenging. In the meantime, rivers and streams are the signal that says we’re using water in an unsustainable fashion, we need to take a hard look at what we’re doing.”.
1. The underground water is of critical importance to rivers due to the fact that ________.| A．it helps to maintain the same water level of rivers |
| B．it stops the running of rivers during dry spells |
| C．it leaves rivers drying out due to droughts |
| D．it ensures the flow of rivers throughout the year |
| A．it is thrilling to explore the ecological danger zone |
| B．pumping underground water is convenient though dangerous |
| C．the underground water level has dropped to an alarming level |
| D．the constant drop of water level prevents people feeling secure |
| A．Because the water demand data in 2010 was not accurate. |
| B．Because the water demand has soared ever since 2010. |
| C．Because the water demand was not stressful in 2010. |
| D．Because the water demand prediction didn’t consider climate change. |
| A．the changes are waiting for a heavy rain |
| B．underground water is used sustainably |
| C．the changes take longer to come to light |
| D．underground water is inexhaustible |
8 . Hanukkah (光明节) is a Jewish festival. It is celebrated on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev (犹太教历), which is usually sometime in December. It is often called the festival of lights. The festival celebrates the time, over 2，000 years ago, when the Jewish people fought against an emperor who would not let them follow their own traditions and religion. When the Jewish people won back their temple in Jerusalem, they found there was only little holy oil to keep the sacred light burning for one day. However, to their surprise, this small amount of oil kept the light burning for eight days and nights until the people had time to make more oil.
At the center of the Hanukkah celebrations is a candlestick (called a Menorah) that holds nine candles. On the first night of Hanukkah the first candle is lit, and each day this candle is used to light another candle, until on the eighth day, the last day, all the candles are lit. During Hanukkah, people go to the synagogue (犹太教堂) to pray and to remember the miracle (奇迹) of the holy oil. Hanukkah is a time for family and friends to come together. People exchange gifts and greeting cards, and children go to parties. Parents often give their children money at Hanukkah. Potato cakes, called latkes, are a traditional Hanukkah food.
1. From the first paragraph we know that Hanukkah is a festival about ________.| A．Jewish month of Kislev | B．Jewish traditions and religion |
| C．how to make more holy oil | D．traditional Hanukkah food |
| A．Oil. | B．Money. | C．Cards. | D．Candles. |
| A．The war that they fought 2，000 years ago. |
| B．The God that they honored best. |
| C．The miracle of the holy oil that happened 2，000 years ago. |
| D．The church they built 2，000 years ago. |
| A．the history of Hanukkah and how it is celebrated |
| B．why Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah |
| C．why Jewish people protect their traditions |
| D．the miracle of the holy oil in the Jewish temple |
9 . My husband came across the program from my father-in-law’s high school graduation, 90 years ago. It was the class of 1928 and their class motto (格言) was “Build for character, not for fame.”
I’m pretty sure society has done a full reverse on that one.
These days, we have people who are famous for simply being famous. They haven’t done anything particularly impressive, but they do take great selfies.
We are all obsessed with fame these days, mainly thanks to social media. All we want is for people to follow us, friend us, like us, or share our posts. We are nearly desperate for fame.
“Build for character, not for fame,” is based on the assumption that one is looking up and ahead. That’s an encouraging idea, especially today, when most of us have our heads down, looking at the screens of our smartphones. Looking ahead and building for character takes thought and intentionality (意向性).
One can be intentional in building for fame as well, but fame often relies heavily on the right timing and connections, as well as the creation of a base of fans and supporters.
Character isn’t subject to the ideas of others. Character is built with self-discipline (自律), and a willingness to learn from difficulties. Character grows internally (内在地) and needs no applause.
Fame depends on people looking at you, while character is who you are when no one is looking.
Fame often comes with jealousy (嫉妒); a feeling that time is running out or that someone better than you is coming to steal your fans.
Character is marked by feeling content and being generous. There is satisfaction that comes with the reward of achievements, but at the same time, good character willingly holds the door open for others who are also hoping to achieve.
This commencement (毕业典礼) season, speakers will tell new graduates to get out there and build a better world.
The best way to build a better world is to build character, the kind that runs deep and can carry you through life’s storms.
Build character with courage, justice (公正) and strength. Build character by respecting yourself and respecting others. Build character with kindness, hope and love. Build for character and you will build a better world.
1. The underlined phrase “has done a full reverse on” in Paragraph 2 probably means ______.| A．has taken full advantage of |
| B．has done the complete opposite to |
| C．has made a good practice of |
| D．has paid a lot of attention to |
| A．the rise of social media |
| B．the impact of well-known stars |
| C．their intention to make a difference |
| D．their satisfaction with their achievements |
| A．mind their behavior when being looked at |
| B．connect with others at the right time |
| C．look ahead and gladly accept other people’s advice |
| D．behave themselves and readily learn from hardships |
| A．It inspires people to achieve more. |
| B．It honors her family’s memory. |
| C．It enables us to build a better world. |
| D．It helps us gain respect from other people. |
10 . The number one thing you'll probably do is book your flight if you want to travel to another country. But in some countries, you won't be able to fly directly.
Vatican City, the smallest country in the world, as a 109-acre area in the middle of Rome, doesn't have its own airport, but visitors can easily get there via Italy's capital.
Similarly, San Marino, the fifth smallest country in the world, is also surrounded by Italian land. It has a population of a little more than 33,000 and sits just nine miles from Federico Fellini International Airport in Rimini, Italy.
The second-smallest country in the world is Monaco, with a population of more than 38, 500. To get there, you'll have to go through France's Nice Cote d' Azur Airport, which is just a 25-minute car ride away from Monaco. Perhaps that's why developers didn't bother creating anything like a short flight.
Interestingly enough, the third and fourth smallest countries, Nauru and Tuvalu have their own airports, but the fifth and sixth smallest don't We already mentioned San Marino, and to get to Liechtenstein, you'll have to go through Switzerland's St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport, 24 miles away from the capital.
No such luck trying to fly into Andorra, which only requires a 25-mile drive to get from one end of the country to the other. Situated in a mountain range valley, Andorra has too much difficulty in building an airport runway. But for visitors there is no difficulty in going Andorra. Both Spain and France have access to Andorra. The closest way to Andorra's capital is Girona-Costa Brava Airport in Spain.
1. How many countries or regions introduced in the passage don't have their own airport?| A．Five. | B．Sⅸ. | C．Seven. | D．Eight. |
| A．Monaco. | B．Marino. | C．Liechtenstein. | D．Andorra. |
| A．Visitors can easily get to Vatican City via Switzerland's capital. |
| B．The fifth smallest country in the world has a little less than 33, 000 residents. |
| C．To get to Liechtenstein, you'll have to go through Italy's airport. |
| D．Visitors can arrive at Andorra through Spain or France. |
| A．It is difficult to build an airport in a mountain range valley. |
| B．It only requires a 25-mile drive to get from one end of the country to the other. |
| C．The closest option to Andorra’s capital is Girona-Costa Brava Airport in Spain. |
| D．Developers didn't bother creating anything like that. |
