1 . As you move around your home, take a good look at the things you have. It is likely that your living room will have a television set and a video, and your kitchen a washing machine and a microwave oven. Your bedroom drawers will be filled with almost three times as many clothes as you need. You almost certainly own a car and possibly a home computer, holiday abroad at least once a year and eat out at least once a week.
Now, perhaps, more than ever before, people are wondering what life is all about, and what it is for. Seeking material success is beginning to trouble large numbers of people around the world. They feel that the long-hours work culture to make more money to buy more things is eating up their lives, leaving them very little time or energy for family or pastimes. Many are turning to other ways of living and downshifting is one of them.
Six percent of workers in Britain took the decision to downshift last year. One couple who downshifted is Daniel and Liz. They used to work in central London. He was a newspaper reporter and she used to work for an international bank. They would go to work by train every day from their large house in the suburbs, leaving their two children with a nanny (保姆) . Most evenings Daniel wouldn’t get home until eight or nine o'clock, and nearly twice a month he would have to fly to New York for meetings. They both earned a large amount of money but began to feel that life was passing them by.
Nowadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales, “I always wanted to have a farm here,” says Daniel, “and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshift. It’s taken some getting used to , but it’s been worth it . We have to think twice now about spending money on car repairs and we no longer have any holidays. However, I think it’s made us stronger as a family, and the children are a lot happier.”
Liz, however, is not quite sure. “I used to enjoy my job, even though it was hard work and long hours. I’m not really a country girl, but I suppose I’m gradually getting used to looking after the animals. One thing I do like, though, is being able to see more of my children. My advice for other people wanting to do the same is not to think about it too much or you might not do it at all.”
1. When Daniel was a reporter, he .| A．lived in central London | B．disliked his job |
| C．missed his children | D．was well paid |
| A．was easy to organize | B．has improved family life |
| C．was extremely expensive | D．have been a total success |
| A．Child-caring. | B．Liz’s advice. |
| C．Downshifting. | D．Liz’s job. |
| A．repairing your car by yourself |
| B．spending money carefully |
| C．moving out to the countryside to live a simpler and better life |
| D．living in a big house in the suburbs and dining out once a week |
2 . Nao, the first robot able to show feelings, has been created by a European research team. When Nao is sad, he lowers his head and looks down. When he’s happy, he raises his arms for a hug. Nothing is out of the ordinary, except that Nao is a robot.
“We’re modeling the first years of life,” says Lola Canamero, a computer scientist at the University of Hertforshire. “The feelings are shown through physical gestures and body movements rather than facial or verbal(言语的) expressions.”
In the future, says the scientist, robots are likely to act as companions, provide support for old people, and help people shop online. In such uses, the display of feeling will be important in making the interactions(交往) more natural and comfortable.
Nao has been programmed to copy the emotional skills of a one-year-old child. It can memorize faces, and knows the basic rules of good and bad. Based on these it can decide how to react to what is going on. The actions going with each feeling are pre-programmed, but Nao decides for itself when to display them.
Nao is also programmed to have different personalities. A more independent robot is less likely to call for help when exploring a room, while a more fearful robot will show distress if it finds something in the room that may be harmful.
Canamero’s team will take its emotional programming forward into medical applications. Part of the project will look at ways to use robots in hospitals to support the roles of doctors, nurses and parents. Children might find that a small, friendly-looking robot that can understand their emotional states makes them less anxious. “We want to explore different roles—the robots will help the children to understand their treatment and explain what they have to do. We want to help the children to control their anxiety.” she says.
1. According to the text, Nao_______.| A．displays different feelings in different situations |
| B．is able to imitate adult emotional displays |
| C．can remember people’s feelings |
| D．learns emotions from facial expressions |
| A．Scientists worked on facial and spoken expressions to create Nao’s emotions. |
| B．The time when Nao displays feelings has been pre-programmed. |
| C．Emotional programming is used in medicine production. |
| D．Robots with emotional skills can help children feel more comfortable. |
| A．Courage. | B．Anxiety. |
| C．Anger. | D．Satisfaction. |
| A．The relationship between humans and robots. |
| B．The roles that robots play in different fields. |
| C．The first robot able to show feelings. |
| D．The long history of robots. |
3 . A new “paparazzi-proof” scarf has got heatedly welcomed since launched. A new “paparazzi-proof” scarf could be a game-changer for celebrities who prefer to shy away from the stage light. The ISHU scarf is the creation of Dutch-born fashion entrepreneur Saif Siddiqui and is designed to “give people their right to privacy back”. A host of celebrities including Cameron Diaz, singer Joe Jonas, Bayern Munich footballer Jerome Boateng and music producer Major Lazer have worn the ISHU after it was spotted at London Fashion Week last year.
It works by reflecting the light back into a camera, effectively becoming “invisibility clothes” for celebrities who don’t want their photos taken. Anyone wearing the scarf is protected from mobile flash photograph, with the fashion accessory’s fabric (附件结构) effectively blocking out any unwanted pictures, although it doesn’t stop no-flash photographs from being taken.
The 28-year-old Siddiqui was inspired while visiting family in Amsterdam in 2009 when his friends attempted to take a photo of him using an iPhone in front of some bikes. “He noticed that the bike’s reflector carried the flash of his mobile camera in a way that confused the faces of his friends in the picture.” the ISHU website explains. “He immediately realized that if developed into the right product, this feature would be an ideal solution for his friends and is now available to the public who want to keep their private moments in public private. “Saif put together a team of experts who dug into the science of light and reflection, and how to blend technology with fashion.”
He told Decoded Magazine: “The ISHU scarf effectively allows an individual to control what pictures and videos are taken of him. “There are no more unwanted pictures and videos on Snapchat, Instagram, or Facebook! Everyone carries a phone with them nowadays that has an amazing camera. So, it all made sense to me.” More ISHU products are set to launch in August, with mobile phone cases set to launch in the next few weeks. The ISHU is currently sold out but you can pre-order it online for ￡289.
1. The underlined phrase “shy away” in paragraph 1 means __________.| A．hide | B．shame |
| C．take | D．fly |
| A．To help protect people’s privacy. | B．To make a rich profit from the celebrities. |
| C．Because the scarf is to get a heated welcome. | D．To dig into the science of light and reflection. |
| A．He was inspired by the photographs of bike. |
| B．He was inspired when his friends attempted to take a photo of him. |
| C．He was inspired when finding his friends’ picture was not ideal. |
| D．He was inspired while cycling with his family members. |
| A．The paparazzi-proof scarf can prevent any unwanted pictures being taken. |
| B．There might be fewer unwanted pictures and videos on internet. |
| C．ISHU will be only used to effectively control pictures taken. |
| D．Customers will mainly buy ISHU products online. |
4 . A study of 27,000 men showed those skipping (不吃) breakfast were at a greater risk of heart problems. The British Heart Foundation said breakfast helped people resist (抵制) sugary snacks before lunch.
The men, aged 45-82, were studied for 16 years. During that time there were more than 1,500 heart attacks or cases of deadly heart failure. However, people who skipped breakfast were 27% more likely to have heart problems than those who started the day with a meal. The researchers took into consideration other lifestyle risk factors (因素) such as smoking and exercise.
Researcher Dr Leah Cahill told the BBC: “The take-home message is to eat in the morning when you wake up, preferably within an hour. The results show that something is better than nothing, but it’s always better to have something healthy and balanced.”
She said the timing of the meal seemed to be key and waiting until lunch rather than “having breakfast” may be straining (损伤) the body over time. This could be increasing the risk of high blood pressure and fatness which could in turn damage the heart. “Don’t skip breakfast,” Dr Cahill suggested.
Victoria Taylor, an expert with the British Heart Foundation, said: “These researchers only looked at men aged over 45, so we would need to see further research to prove that breakfast has the same effect on the heart health of other groups of people. What we do know is that a healthy breakfast can make that mid-morning biscuit less tempting, as well as giving you another opportunity to widen the variety of foods in your diet. Cereals (谷类食品) with low fat milk are a good way to start the day. Try a banana or dried fruit on top and you’ll be on your way to a fine day before you’ve even left the house.”
1. What does the text mainly deal with?| A．The effects of snacks on the health of the heart. |
| B．An interview by the BBC on people’s lifestyles. |
| C．What a healthy and balanced diet should contain. |
| D．The relationship between breakfast and a healthy heart. |
| A．fix the time for each meal we eat in a day |
| B．make sure our breakfast is always balanced |
| C．eat our breakfast immediately after getting up |
| D．have breakfast within an hour after waking up |
| A．attractive | B．valuable |
| C．obvious | D．familiar |
| A．men over 45 are more likely to get heart diseases |
| B．fresh fruits like bananas are necessary for a healthy breakfast |
| C．it’s healthy to eat some biscuit between breakfast and lunch |
| D．the researchers should have covered other age groups in their study |
5 . Once an old man rose early to read each morning. His grandson wanted to be just like his grandfather, so tried to emulate him every way he could.
One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa, I try to read just like you do, but I don’t understand most of it, and I forget whatever I do understand immediately I close the book. So what good is it for me to read?”
The grandfather, who was putting coal on the fire, said, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.”
The boy did as told to, but the water leaked out before he could get the basket home.
The grandfather laughed, saying, “You’ll have to move a little faster.” This time he ran faster, but again the basket emptied. Out of breath, he decided it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket (桶). But the grandfather said, “I want a basket of water instead of a bucket of water. You’re just not trying hard enough.”
The boy knew what he was trying to accomplish was impossible. However, he decided to show his grandfather a third time.
The boy dipped the basket into the river and ran as hard as he could. With the empty basket, he gasped (喘气说), “See Grandpa? It’s useless!”
“So you think it useless?” the old man asked. ‘‘Then look at the basket.” To his surprise, the boy found it washed clean of the dirty coal stains and now clean inside and out.
“My child, that’s what happens when you read the book. You might not understand or remember everything, but the words will change you inside and out. That is the work of reading in our lives.”
1. Why did the man tell the boy to fetch a basket of water?| A．The work was too much for himself. |
| B．The work could test how fast the boy ran. |
| C．He intended to train the boy to run faster. |
| D．He meant to inspire the boy through an example. |
| A．Admire. | B．Encourage. |
| C．Challenge. | D．Copy. |
| A．Wise and diligent. | B．Healthy and smart. |
| C．Thoughtful and loving. | D．Serious and knowledgeable. |
| A．The Power of Reading | B．A Basket of Water |
| C．Old Man and His Grandson | D．On Reading Book |
6 . Nowadays, especially in China, everything seems to favor social intercourse(社交) , such as gatherings of friends, KTV, group travel, dining tighter, playing cards and Mahjong, plus the Chinese-style " street-crossing group. " Back home, discussions can still be boisterously carried on within the " circle of friends" of WeChat.
However, these scenes cannot always ease a sense of loneliness. Zhu Ziqing, a well-known professor of Tsinghua University, signed with emotion: "My loneliness increases as scene becomes much busier. " One popular song today is also called " A lonely man in crowds. " Actually, engaging in social intercourse requires ability, while being alone involves the whole character.
These days, it is not easy to calm down totally and return to one' s true self. Willpower, intellect and discipline are required. Einstein said: "It is not your working time but your spare time that determines the possibility of whether you will be successful or not. " The "spare time" he referred to could be taken as " spending time by yourself. "
Lonely life could be either dull, boring and tasteless or abundant, interesting and colorful, depending on one' s quality, ambition and inspiration.
Just as the body constantly requires energy, the mind and soul also demand never stopping inputs. However,information, processed and integrated (融入) into knowledge, thoughts and feelings, instead of bustle (忙碌) seems to be the right condition. Successful careers m all walks of life worldwide have proved that "the soul grows in peace and talent is nurtured in loneliness". In a sense, it may be reasonable to say that " Happiness tends to be shallow while loneliness involves depth".
Man, in fact, needs loneliness more than happy time, and only abundant loneliness can produce quality happiness.
1. Which of the following can replace the underlined the word "boisterously" in paragraph l?| A．surprisingly | B．sadly |
| C．busily | D．peacefully |
| A．Being alone marks people depressed. |
| B．Social intercourse improves our happiness. |
| C．One may feel lonely even when surrounded by people. |
| D．We should attend social intercourse to decrease our loneliness. |
| A．You should be successful if you spend all your time by yourself. |
| B．You should exercise more if you want to keep your minds healthy. |
| C．You will not become successful if you join in more social intercourse. |
| D．You will be more successful if you can make your lonely time meaningful. |
| A．Live on Your Own | B．Happiness and Loneliness |
| C．The Secret of Success | D．Practice Your Social Ability |
At the root of volunteering is the idea that one person may have the ability to offer services that can help other people. Tracy, a good friend of mine, however, recently came back from India with a
“I first heard about Mother Teresa in my high school, we watched a video(录像) about her work in India and all over the world. I was so moved by her spirit to help others and her endless love for every human being that after I graduated from high school, I too wanted to try her kind of work. So with two friends I flew to Calcutta for a few weeks.”
“I was asked to work in a home for sick people. I helped wash clothes and sheets, and pass out lunch. I also fed the people who were too weak to feed themselves and tried to cheer the up. I felt it was better to share with them than to think that I have helped them. To be honest, I don’t think I was helping very much. It was then that I realized that I had not really come to help, but to learn about and experience another culture(文化) that helped improve my own understanding of life and the world.”
1. According to the text, a volunteer refers to a person who ______.
| A．is willing to help those in need without pay | B．can afford to travel to different places |
| C．has a strong wish to be successful | D．has made a big fortune in life |
| A．after she met Mother Teresa |
| B．after she finished high school |
| C．when she was touring Calcutta |
| D．when she was working in a hospital |
| A．She liked to work with Mother Teresa. |
| B．She had already had some experience. |
| C．She was asked by Mother Teresa’s example. |
| D．She wanted to follow Mother Teresa’s example. |
| A．Going abroad to help the sick. |
| B．Working in Mother Teresa’s home. |
| C．Doing simple things to help the poor. |
| D．Improving oneself through helping others. |
Their cheery song brightens many a winter's day. But robins are in danger of wearing themselves out by singing too much. Robins are singing all night一as well as during the day, British-based researchers say.
David Dominoni, of Glasgow University, said that light from street lamps, take away signs and homes is affecting the birds' biological clocks, leading to them being wide awake when they should be asleep.
Dr Dominoni, who is putting cameras inside nesting boxes to track sleeping patterns, said lack of sleep could put the birds’ health at risk. His study shows that when robins are exposed to light at night in the lab, it leads to some genes being active at the wrong time of day. And the more birds are exposed to light, the more active they are at night.
He told people at a conference, "There have been a couple of studies suggesting they are increasing their song output at night and during the day they are still singing. Singing is a costly behaviour and it takes energy. So by increasing their song output, there might be some costs of energy."
And it is not just robins that are being kept awake by artificial light. Blackbirds and seagulls are also being more nocturnal. Dr Dominoni said, "In Glasgow where I live, gulls are a serious problem. I have people coming to me saying `You are the bird expert. Can you help us kill these gulls?'.During the breeding(繁殖)season, between April and June, they are very active at night and very noisy and people can't sleep."
Although Dr Dominoni has only studied light pollution, other research concluded that robins living in noisy cities have started to sing at night to make themselves heard over loud noise.
However, some birds thrive(兴旺)in noisy environments. A study from California Polytechnic University found more hummingbirds in areas with heavy industrial machinery. It is thought that they are capitalising on their predators(天敌)fleeing to quieter areas.
1. According to Dr Dominoni's study, what cause robins to sing so much?
| A．The breeding season. |
| B．The light in modern life |
| C．The dangerous environment. |
| D．The noise from heavy machinery. |
| A．The environment might be polluted. |
| B．The birds' health might be damaged. |
| C．The industry cost might be increased. |
| D．The people's hearing might be affected. |
| A．Active at night. | B．Inactive at night. |
| C．Active during the day. | D．Inactive during the day. |
| A．Because there are fewer dangers. |
| B．Because there is more food to eat. |
| C．Because there is less light pollution |
| D．Because there are more places to take shelter. |
But have you ever notice the smell? Unless it is bad, the answer is likely to be no. But while a shop’s scent may not be outstanding compared with sights and sounds, it is certainly there. And it is providing to be an increasing powerful tool in encouraging people to purchase.
A brand store has become famous for its distinctive scent which floats through the fairly dark hall and out to the entrance, via scent machines. A smell may be attractive but it may not just be used for freshening air. One sports goods company once reported that when it first introduced scent into its stores, customers’ intension to purchase increased by 80 percent.
When it comes to the best shopping streets in Pairs, scent is just as important to a brand’s success as the quality of its window displays and goods on sales. That is mainly because shopping is a very different experience to what it used to be.
Some years ago, the focus for brand name shopping was on a few people with sales assistants’ disproving attitude and don’t-touch-what-you-can’t-afford displays. Now the rise of electronic commerce (e-commerce) has opened up famous brands to a wider audience. But while e-shops can use sights and sounds, only bricks-and-mortar stores (实体店) can offer a full experience from the minute customers step through the door to the moment they leave. Another brand store seeks to be much more than a shop, but rather a destination. And scent is just one way to achieve this.
Now a famous store uses complex man-made smell to make sure that the soft scent of baby powder floats through the kid department, and coconut (椰子) scent in the swimsuit section. A department store has even opened a new lab, inviting customers on a journey into the store’s windows to smell books, pots and drawers, in search of their perfect scent.
1. According to the passage, what is an increasingly powerful tool in the success of some brand store?
| A．Friendly assistant. | B．Unique scents. |
| C．Soft background music. | D．Attractive window display. |
| A．show the advantages of brick-and-mortar stores |
| B．urge shop assistants to change their attitude |
| C．push stores to use sights and sounds |
| D．introduce the rise of e-commerce |
| A．a platform that exhibits goods |
| B．a spot where travelers like to stay |
| C．a place where customers love to go |
| D．a target that a store expects to meet |
| A．compare and evaluate | B．examine and assess |
| C．argue and discuss | D．inform and explain |
A study suggests that, by giving you access to emails at all times, the all-singing, all-dancing mobile phone adds as much as two hours to your working day. Researchers found that Britons work an additional 460 hours a year on average as they are able to respond to emails on their mobiles.
The study by technology retailer Pixmania reveals the average UK working day is between 9 and 10 hours, but a further two hours is spent responding to or sending work emails, or making work calls. More than 90 percent of office workers have email-enabled phones, with a third accessing them more than 20 times a day. Almost one in ten admits spending up to three hours outside their normal working day checking work emails. Some workers confess(承认) they are on call almost 24 hours a day, with nine out of ten saying they make work emails and calls outside their normal working hours. The average time for first checking emails is between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m., with more than a third checking their first emails in this period, and a quarter checking them between 11 p.m. and midnight.
Ghadi Hobeika, marketing director of Pixmania, said, “The ability to access literally millions of apps, keep in contact via social networks and take photos and video as well as text and call has made smartphones invaluable for many people. However, there are drawbacks. Many companies expect their employees to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and smartphones mean that people literally cannot get away from work. The more constantly in contact we become , the more is expected of us in a work capacity(容量).”
1. What can we conclude from the text?
| A．All that glitters is not gold. |
| B．It never rains but pours. |
| C．Every coins has two sides. |
| D．It’s no good crying over spilt milk. |
| A．calling | B．reaching | C．getting | D．using |
| A．The average UK working time is between nine and twelve hours. |
| B．Nine- tenths spent over three hours checking work emails. |
| C．One-fourth check their first mail between 11 p.m. and midnight. |
| D．The average time for first checking emails is between 6 a.m. and 8 .am .. |
| A．Workaholics like smartphones. |
| B．Smartphones bring about extra work. |
| C．Smartphones make our life easier. |
| D．Employers don’t like smartphones. |
