1 . The joy of giving is real, according to a study. Research presented in the Journal of the Association for Psychological Science shows that those who give gifts are happier — and happier for longer — than those who receive gifts.
Researchers conducted two studies last year. In one，participants were given $5 every day for five days and were required to spend the money on the same thing each day. Some participants were required to spend the money on themselves, while others were required to give to make a donation to charity. In a second experiment that was done online, participants played 10 rounds of a word puzzle game and each won 5 cents per round, which they could keep or donate.
In both experiments, participants reported their overall happiness. Those who donated their money showed that their happiness declined at a much slower rate than those who kept the money or spent it on themselves.
The researchers note that when people focus on an outcome, they can easily compare outcomes, which may diminish their sensitivity to each experience. When people focus on an action, they may focus less on comparison and instead experience each act of giving as a unique happiness-inducing event. Further analyses ruled out some potential alternative explanations, such as the possibility that participants who gave to others had to think longer and harder about what to give, which could promote higher happiness.
The results are especially interesting because according to one of the researchers, Ed O’Brien of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, they conflict with past research. “If you want to sustain happiness over time, past research tells us that we need to take a break from what were currently consuming and experience something new. Our research reveals that the kind of thing may matter more than assumed: Repeated giving, even in identical ways to identical other，may continue to feel relatively fresh and relatively pleasurable the more we do it,” O’Brien said.
So for all the holiday gifts you give this season, expect to feel happy and know that feeling is going to stick around for a while.
1. What’s the function of the first paragraph?| A．To lead to the topic. |
| B．To highlight the importance of the study. |
| C．To recommend a journal. |
| D．To persuade people to give gifts regularly. |
| A．To challenge the past research. |
| B．To rule out different experimental data. |
| C．To show the benefits of donation. |
| D．To make the conclusion more convincing. |
| A．Develop. | B．Show. | C．Reduce. | D．Lack. |
| A．Gift giving will result in longer happiness than receiving. |
| B．Thinking longer and harder on giving will promote higher happiness. |
| C．The feeling of happiness will disappear soon if people just give holiday gifts. |
| D．Taking a break from what were currently consuming will sustain happiness. |
2 . Researchers found that sleep deprivation（剥夺）has something with overeating. They studied 17 healthy men and women for 11 days and nights in a lab, where researchers recorded their every movement and recorded everything they ate. That way, researchers could make calculations of how much energy the participants were taking in and how much they were burning off through activities.
After a three-day baseline period, one group was freely assigned to sleep and wake whenever they wanted for eight days, while another was woken up after only two-thirds of their usual sleep time—that amounted to about 80 minutes less sleep per night on average. The group that experienced such restricted sleep tended to eat more the following day, adding 549 extra calories to their usual diet, while those who slept as much as they wanted ate about the same on each of the eight experiment days as they did during the three-day baseline period.
The poorly sleeping group was likely to gain weight over the long term, if their sleep was continually restricted, since they didn't burn any more calories than their better sleeping counterparts. That may help explain why previous studies have found that shift workers who work at night and sleep during the day tend to gain more weight than day workers: their disturbed sleep pattern may enhance them to eat more while they don't expend any more energy to work off the added calories.
Therefore, it's important for people to remember that the relationship between sleep, eating and weight is a complex one. Getting a sufficient amount of sleep each night may play an important role in regulating how much we eat and how many calories we burn, and it may also help determine when we eat. Eating when we should be sleeping may increase the risk of weight gain, as the body is more likely to turn nighttime calories into fat rather than burning them off.
1. According to the researchers, there is a link between________.| A．sleep and health | B．sleep and activities |
| C．sleep and energy | D．sleep and overeating |
| A．eat less the following day | B．eat more the following day |
| C．wake earlier the following day | D．wake later the following day |
| A．burn more calories | B．work at night |
| C．gain more weight | D．eat more than others |
| A．the body can turn calories into fat at night |
| B．it is dangerous for people to gain weight |
| C．people should eat less to ensure a good sleep |
| D．people should pay attention to the relations between sleep, eating and weight |
3 . The biggest and the smallest of the world’s animals are most at risk of dying out, according to a new analysis, with vertebrates (脊椎动物) in the so-called “Goldilocks zone”—not too big and not too small—winning out. Action is needed to protect animals at both ends of the scale, they say. The research adds to evidence that animals are dying out on such a scale that a sixth extinction is considered under way.
One clue is body size. Research on birds and mammals has shown that those with larger bodies are more likely to go extinct. Yet, when the researchers made a database of thousands of birds, mammals, fish, amphibians (两栖动物) and reptiles (爬行动物) at risk of extinction, they found disproportionate (不成比例的) losses at the large and small ends of the scale.
“Surprisingly, we found that not only the largest of all vertebrate animal species are most threatened, but the very tiniest ones are also highly threatened with extinction,” Prof. Ripple told BBC News.
Large animals, such as elephants, rhinos (犀牛) and lions have long been the target of protection efforts. However, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians that are the giants of their kind, such as the whale shark, Somali ostrich (鸵鸟) and the Chinese giant salamander (蝾螈), tend to be overlooked. Meanwhile, small species at risk--such as frogs and shrews (鼩鼱)--receive very little attention.
“I think, for the smallest species, first of all we need to bring higher awareness to them, because the larger ones get a lot of attention, but the smaller ones get very little,” said Prof. Ripple.
In the study, vertebrates with the smallest and the largest bodies were found to be most at risk of disappearing, whether they were on land or living in oceans, streams or rivers.
Heavyweights are threatened mainly by hunting, while featherweights are losing out to pollution and cutting down forests. “Ultimately, reducing global consumption of wild meat is a key step to reduce negative impacts of hunting, fishing, and trapping on the world’s vertebrates,” they write in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
1. What made the researchers feel surprised?| A．A sixth of animals are dying out. |
| B．Small animals are in great danger. |
| C．Great losses of birds and mammals. |
| D．Big animals are at risk of disappearing. |
| A．Transform our habits. | B．Change our concepts. |
| C．Find ways to save small animals. | D．Take measures to stop pollution. |
| A．Loss of forests. | B．Climate change. |
| C．Human activities. | D．Environmental pollution. |
| A．Size Matters When It Comes to Extinction Risk |
| B．Large Animals Are Badly in Need of Protection |
| C．Why a Great Number of Animals Are Dying out |
| D．What We Should Do to Protect Endangered Species |
4 . “Italy without Sicily does not leave an impression on your soul: here lies the key to everything.” This is what Goethe wrote during his voyage through Italy in 1787. In fact, Sicily is Italy’s largest island and at the same time a small world of its own. Typically Italian and yet completely different: contrasts (差别）characterize Sicily in many aspects --- scenic as well as cultural.
The sunny island has always been considered a blooming place. It is in spring that Italy’s southernmost point shows its best, when countless almond trees turn the island into a sea of flowers. Beautiful lemon trees are to be found all over the island, but most of all on the soil beneath Mount Etna, the landmark of Sicily and the largest volcano of Europe.
Windswept bushes and splendid sand dunes in the southeast attract you. Here you will find Sicily’s most beautiful sandy beaches --- extending for kilometers on end, wide and gentle.
In the thinly populated inland, the mountain area with its valleys, streams and plateaus creates an almost mysterious atmosphere; in the mountain villages time seems to have stood still.
The islands around Sicily are worth a visit, too: from Sicily you can easily reach the Lipari Islands, for example.
As various as the island’s landscape and sights are its people --- the Sicilians. The poet Angelo Fiore held that, there were “five million Sicilies”, just as many as there are people. In the Sicilian melting pot of cultures you will find elements contributed by the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Normans, the Hohenstaufen dynasty, the Spanish and the French. Southern Italian hospitality, celebrating colorful, lively festivals and keeping up religious customs are surely among the islanders’ characteristics.
1. Why are Goethe’s words mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To attract us to Sicily. |
| B．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| C．To give us a taste of Goethe’s talent. |
| D．To describe Sicily’s unique natural sights. |
| A．Sicily is separated from the Italian mainland. |
| B．Sicily has unique scenes and cultures. |
| C．Sicily represents Italian cultures. |
| D．Sicily is Italy’s largest island. |
| A．Sicily is filled with flowers all year round |
| B．the mountain villagers lead a fast-paced life |
| C．Mount Etna is at a short distance from Sicily |
| D．you can enjoy sandy beaches in the southeast |
| A．The friendliness of the Sicilians. |
| B．The festive atmosphere of Sicily. |
| C．The melting pot of cultures of Sicily. |
| D．The different customs of the Sicilians. |
5 . LAS VEGAS — It was different in the light of day.
There was no “pop, pop, pop” of gunfire, no screams. Just a quiet lot of cars abandoned by those, like Kassidy Owen, who escaped with their lives.
“It’s strange to hear the silence,” Owen said, “because all I remember was the noise.”
The 22-year-old was one of dozens of concertgoers who returned to the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Wednesday morning to fetch the vehicles they left behind as they fled from a gunman raining down bullets from high above in the tower of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino across the street.
Survivors of the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday needed their cars to move on with their lives -- to get back to work, to school, home. It was the first time they were returning to a scene that would forever change them, when joy and celebration and music turned into killing and horror.
Before they could move forward, they had to go back to the place where they thought they were going to die.
Owen had run to her car to hide and had tried to drive away, but she couldn’t. People were running, bodies dropped to the ground, and cars bottlenecked in the parking lot. During a brief pause after more than 10 minutes of gunfire, she worried the lights of her SUV made everyone inside a shining target.
“They’re shooting again!” her best friend’s brother screamed. “Turn off the car!”
That’s when she got out and fled.
“I just remember shutting the door and running,” Owen said.
Now, nearly three days later, she was back, sitting in the driver’s seat of her SUV. Her eyes were swollen and red. This was a long way from over.
“You just keep hearing the gunshots in your head,” Owen said.
1. Why did Kassidy Owen return to the scene of terror?| A．To get back her car for daily life. | B．To show sympathy to the victims. |
| C．To search for her missing friends. | D．To look into the cause of the shooting. |
| A．abandoned | B．jammed |
| C．stopped | D．left |
| A．Because she had escaped being caught. |
| B．Because she wanted to find the gunman. |
| C．Because she couldn’t rid herself of those terrible scenes. |
| D．Because she had saved others’ lives by turning off the car. |
| A．Going back to where they would die | B．Owen’s experience in Las Vegas |
| C．How to survive in a mass shooting | D．Return to the unforgettable scene |
6 . The gender gap in maths-related subjects is obvious. In almost all countries, far fewer women than men choose STEM（理工科）careers.
It's not that girls and women are bad at maths. In the UK in 2019, for example, 39% of 18-year-old girls who studied maths at A-level achieved an A or A*, compared to 42% of boys. For A-level physics, 29% of girls achieved the top two grades, compared to 28% of boys. But in both subjects, boys heavily outnumbered girls-by more than 3:1 in the case of physics. So why are so many girls turning their backs on these subjects?
A study published recently in the journal PNAS suggests that the answer may in fact lie in male-female differences in academic ability, but the ability in question is reading, not maths. Thomas Breda, at Paris School of Economics, and Clotilde Napp, at Paris Dauphine University, wondered whether this male-female difference in reading could help explain the gender gap in STEM careers. Every three years, hundreds of thousands of 15-year-olds in more than 60 countries take part in the PISA study. Students complete tests in maths, reading and science, and answer questions about their future career intentions. When Breda and Napp looked at the data from PISA 2012, they realized they were on to something.
"There were small gender gaps in maths performance at 15 years old, but these gaps were too small to explain the huge gender segregation（隔离）in STEM," says Breda. But for reading, the tables were turned; the girls were much better than the boys. As a result, when a boy and a girl had similar scores in maths, the girl usually had an even better score in reading.
When Breda and Napp compared each student's scores in reading and maths, they found the greater a student's advantage in reading, the less likely they were to plan a career in maths, even when their maths score was also high. Notably, this was true for both boys and girls.
"It makes a lot of sense," says Sarah Cattan, of the Institute for Fiscal Studies. "It shows that what matters most when boys and girls choose their field of study is not how good they are in maths or in reading, but how good they are in maths relative to reading."
1. What do the data in Paragraph 2 show?| A．The average gender difference in maths performance is small. |
| B．Those who are good at maths are also good at physics. |
| C．Physics tends to be easier for girls than maths. |
| D．Girls are not better than boys at maths. |
| A．Tom whose maths is worse than reading. |
| B．Lisa whose maths is better than reading. |
| C．Lily whose reading is better than maths. |
| D．Jack whose reading is as good as maths. |
| A．Their comparative strength instead of absolute ability. |
| B．Their gender advantages in a specific academic field. |
| C．Their future job landing possibility in an industry. |
| D．Their particular interest in a certain subject. |
| A．Why are we drawn to STEM careers? |
| B．Are boys worse at reading and writing? |
| C．Why are girls bad at maths-related subjects? |
| D．Are good readers more likely to give up maths? |
7 . Although we live in an era where everything seems to be available immediately, our study suggests that today’s kids can delay gratification(满足感) longer than children in the 1960s and 1980s,“ said University of Minnesota psychologist Stephanie M. Carlson.” This finding stands in great contrast with the assumption by adults that today’s children have less self-control than previous generations.
The original marshmallow(棉花糖) test conducted by researchers at Stanford University involved a series of experiments in which children aged between 3 and 5 years were offered one treat that they could eat immediately or a larger treat if they waited. Researchers then left the room to see how long the children would wait and watched from behind a one-way mirror.
Interestingly, today's adults thought that children nowadays would be more impulsive and less able to wait, Carlson found. "Our findings serve as an example of how our beliefs can be wrong and how it's important to do research,” said co-author Yuichi Shoda, PhD at the University of Washington.
The researchers offered several possible explanations for why children in the 2000s waited longer than those in prior decades. They noted a statistically significant increase in IQ scores in the last several decades. Another explanation may be society's increased focus on the importance of early education, according to Carlson. The primary objective of preschool changed from largely custodial care (监护) to school readiness in the 1980s. Parenting also has changed in ways that help promote the development of executive function, such as being more supportive of children's self-control, the researchers noted.
Walter Mischel of Columbia University, who co-authored this paper, noted that “while the results indicate that the children’s ability to delay is not weakened on the marshmallow test, the findings do not speak to their willingness to delay gratification when faced with the many temptations now available in everyday life.”
1. According to the passage, what is the adults' assumption about today's children?| A．They are not easy to please. |
| B．They are less able to control themselves. |
| C．They don't like things that are easy to get. |
| D．They have different personalities from previous generations. |
| A．productive | B．considerate |
| C．clear-minded | D．hot-headed |
| A．They are more prepared to go to school. |
| B．They are not as clever as previous generations. |
| C．They are taught self-control only by their teachers. |
| D．They don’t need any custodial care in their early childhood. |
| A．Most children nowadays can't resist the temptations of everyday life. |
| B．Children chose to delay gratification willingly in the marshmallow test. |
| C．The test can’t accurately measure children's willingness to delay gratification. |
| D．Children’s ability to delay gratification is weakened because there are many temptations. |
8 . Our mother didn’t trust us, my sister and me, to manage our own appearance when we were young. As a result, there were rules, and trends were largely ignored.
A few years ago, I was home for a visit when my mom, now in her early70s, called me into her bedroom. We were about ready to leave for dinner. “I don’t know what to wear,” she complained from her seat. “You girls always look so good.”
I paused in the doorway and looked at her, wondering if I’d misheard. “What do you mean?” I asked her. “You know what to wear.”
“No,” she answered. “I don’t. Can you pick something?”
I was so surprised.
This was the same woman who, in 1989, told my younger sister she wasn’t allowed to leave the house wearing a pair of ripped (有破洞的) jeans; the same woman who, in high school, called me while I was out at a party to ask if my hair was up. “You look better with it down.” she told me before I could answer.
I realized, suddenly, that my mother—always so strong—not only wanted my opinion, but needed my care.
I pulled a pair of blue jeans from the closet and a light blue sweater from her drawer. “Wear this with your black shoes.” I told her. She did.
My mother certainly doesn’t need anyone to take care of her. In fact, she still cares for my grandmother who lives with her. But with that one question, my mother and I started the role reversal (改变) that happens with all parents and all children, from caregiver to receiver.
Now, if I’m visiting or we’re together, it’s rare for her to wear anything without checking with me first.
I’m still always a bit surprised by her admission of the uncertainty.
But every so often, it seems like she asks me just to be able to disagree with my answer and pick out something on her own. And when she does, I just tell her what I think of the way she looks. Sometimes it’s “great” and sometimes it’s “awful”.
1. When the author was young, she ________.| A．could never know what to wear |
| B．always wore trendy clothes and hairstyles |
| C．was not allowed to go to parties at night |
| D．had to pick her clothes according to her mother’s rules |
| A．came to realize that her mother needed her care |
| B．was happy to do something for her mother |
| C．was worried that her mother was too old to live alone |
| D．had no idea what was suitable for her mother |
| A．always accepts her suggestions happily |
| B．sometimes chooses to follow her own ideas |
| C．is often surprised by what the author says |
| D．still shows uncertainty about what to wear |
| A．show what it is like to have a strict mother |
| B．remind readers to visit their parents often |
| C．show how the role of parents and their children can change |
| D．stress her mother’s great influence on her clothes and hairstyles. |
Hours: Part time
Salary : ￡11.12p/h
A teaching assistant is needed to start on 3rd August 2013. He or she will provide the students and teachers with appropriate support in the classroom. Secondary school experience preferred.
For further details please telephone Mrs. Caryl Lewis, Headteacher on 736524 or email her at cl@ recruitment.com.
Lunchtime assistant
Hours: Part time
Salary: ￡9.28p/h
We’re looking for someone to assist with the lunchtime routine, take care of pre-school children at mealtimes, and get the room ready for afternoon activities.
Anybody interested in this position please call Joanne Walton on 734229 or email her at stmarks@lapetiteecole.com.
Days per week: 5(Monday-Friday)
Working hours: 10:30am-2pm
Food section manager
Hours: Full time
Salary: Negotiable
Marks and Spencer needs a food section manager to start immediately. The ideal candidate must have experience within the food business, excellent communication and organisational skills coupled with the ability to manage the staff. Duties will include responsibilities for opening and closing the store, and providing the customers with up-to-date knowledge of products and services, Benefits include staff discount card.
You can contact Linda Hodgson by sending an email to lindahodgson@sandpiperci.com.
Shop assistant
Hours: Part time
Salary: Negotiable
The ideal candidate must have excellent customer service skills, be friendly and outgoing and have an eye for details.
Previous experience is an advantage, however, full training will be provided. Able to work as a member of a team. Must be able to speak and understand English.
You can apply for this position by emailing Sue Milroy at paris@jacksclothing.com.
Days per week: 5(Monday to Saturday with one day off during the week)
1. If you want to work in a nursery school, you should contact ______.| A．Linda Hodgson | B．Caryl Lewis |
| C．Joanne Walton | D．Sue Milroy |
| A．can take great care of kids | B．has an eye for details |
| C．has secondary school experience | D．can manage the staff members |
| A．One can get in contact by e-mail. | B．One has to work five days a week. |
| C．They require fluent English. | D．They are paid by the hour. |
10 . St Andrews & the Fishing Villages of Fife
An ancient university, breathtaking medieval ruins, and old-fashioned coastal villages: explore all this and more on our adventure through Fife.
Places you’ll explore
Forth Bridge – An incredible engineering achievement, and a UNESCO World Heritage sight. Anstruther – Be charmed by the cobbled lanes and quaint（古色古香的）buildings of this traditional fishing village.
St Andrews Cathedral – This ruined cathedral was once one of Scotland’s most splendid buildings.
St Andrews Old Town – Enjoy the 1,000 years of history as you explore the old streets and ancient castle.
The Old Course – Golf was so popular in Scotland, but it was banned in the 15th century. And nowhere was it more popular than in St Andrews, the Home of Golf.
Historic Village of Falkland – This quaint town in the Kingdom of Fife boasts a beautiful palace and a peaceful setting.
Tour detail
Departs 09:30 – Rabbie’s Cafe Bar, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3EG Returns 18:00 approx
Prices
• Adult price: £45 per person
• Discount price: £40 per person (Seniors over 60 and children between 5 and 15; unfortunately, we don’t allow children under 5 years old on the tour)
Important information
• Pack your waterproof clothing and walking shoes
• Falkland Palace is closed from November to Easter
Tour inclusions
• Transport in a 16 seat Mercedes mini-coach
• Air conditioning as standard
• The stories and services of a Rabbie’s driver-guide
Tour exclusions
• Entry fees to visitor attractions
Customer reviews
A great day
Howard Carroll, posted on 18/05/2017
A great day out. Fully recommend the tour. Gillian and Eric were not only friendly but very knowledgeable.
Excellent tour guide M W Grzelak, posted on 15/02/2017
First time but not my last. Grant was an excellent and intelligent guide who cherishes his Scottish heritage. The tour offered the best venues (场地) and just enough time to experience them.
1. What do we know about the places included in the tour?| A．Anstruther has a modern look. |
| B．St. Andrews Cathedral is in good condition. |
| C．There is an ancient castle in Falkland Village. |
| D．Golf was once a very popular sport in St Andrews. |
| A．£120 | B．£125 |
| C．£130 | D．£135 |
| A．Tour guide services are provided. |
| B．Falkland Palace is open in December. |
| C．The tour lasts for two days. |
| D．Entry fees to all attractions are included. |
