1 . Consider the following statement: “My husband bought me a pink Lamborghini...” The correct way to finish the sentence, according to some, is not showing appreciation or acting excited, but to complain about the pricy gift. If you say, “The color is so ugly, men have such bad taste!” Congratulations, you have mastered the “Versailles (凡尔赛) literature.”
The term has nothing to do with the French palace nor with literature. It came from the Japanese manga series “The Rose of Versailles” and was coined by a Chinese influencer earlier this year. This new kind of bragging (吹嘘) is called humblebragging, the psychology behind which is to be recognized for one's successes and be liked by others at the same time. “The humblebragger recognizes that it's hard to be liked and be a showoff at the same time,” said psychologist Dr. Susan KraussWhitbourne at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
In an article titled “Why people hate humblebragging” published in Psychology Today, Whitbourne noted that the humblebrag is a “strategy in pursuit of respect” because it draws attention to one's accomplishments, but in a roundabout (迂回的) fashion.
However, studies on social media users show that humblebragging, as a self-promotion strategy does not work. In the essay, “Humblebragging: A distinct-and ineffective-self-presentation strategy,” researcher Ovul Sezer concluded from his research that humblebraggers are perceived more negatively than straight braggers due to the former's insincerity. “The critical factor telling these strategies was sincerity. People don't like braggers, but they at least see them as more sincere than humblebraggers.”
“So, next time if you hear ‘My husband bought me a pink Lamborghini. The color is so ugly, men have such bad taste!’. Just pretend you don’t get whatever it is they try to show off.” a Zhihu user advised others on how to respond to a “pretentious narcissist”, “Respond with genuine sympathy for their complaint.”
1. Which of the following can replace the example in Paragraph 1?A.“I didn’t even have one look at my paper. I’m so over.” |
B.“I have eaten nothing today, but I'm heavier than yesterday.” |
C.“My husband bought me another Chanel purse. I love it so much.” |
D.“I don’t even remember buying a house. My memory is really failing with age.” |
A.Because they're really successful. |
B.Because they want to show their complaint. |
C.Because they want to be liked while bragging. |
D.Because they always want to be the center of the topic. |
A.Humblebraggers are dishonest |
B.Straight braggers are popular with us. |
C.Straight braggers are cleverer than humblebraggers. |
D.Humblebraggers' insincerity accounts for their unpopularity. |
A.How to avoid humblebragging. | B.Who might be a humblebragger. |
C.How to fight a humblebragger back. | D.What might hurt a humblebragger. |
2 . A new study, conducted by British company Mindlab International, has revealed that listening to music at work promotes accuracy and speed, The Telegraph reported. Perhaps, some parents disagree with this idea, insisting, “Switch off the music and concentrate!” Well, if that’s the case with your parents, you might now be able to convince them that you have science on your side.
The company gave 26 participants a series of different tasks for five days in a row, including spell checking, mathematical word problems, data entry, and abstract reasoning. The participants completed these tasks while listening to music or no music at all.
The results showed that while music was playing, 88% of participants produced their most accurate test results and 81% completed their fastest work. David Lewis, chairman of Mindlab International, told The Telegraph, “Music is a very powerful management tool if you want to increase not only the efficiency of your workforce but also their emotional state…they are going to become more positive about the work.”
However, you may have a list of your favorite songs, but not all kinds of music match all homework. For maths or other subjects involving numbers or attention to detail, you should listen to classical music, the study found. In the study, pop music enabled participants to complete their tasks 58% faster than when listening to no music at all. If you are reviewing your English writing, pop music is the best choice, as it is the best kind for spell checking. It cuts mistakes by 14%, compared to listening to no music. After finishing your homework, do you often take time to check your answers? Maybe, some dance music is suitable for you.
1. What is Para 1 mainly about?A.Parents’ negative opinions about the role of music. |
B.A new study about music practiced by the Telegraph. |
C.Scientific proof of the benefits of listening to music. |
D.Attempt to talk the parents into listening to music. |
A.Persuade their parents to listen to music. |
B.Increase their learning efficiency. |
C.Try their best to choose the most suitable music. |
D.Finish tasks with music or without music at all. |
A.Classical music. | B.Dance music. |
C.Pop music. | D.Rock music. |
A.Music helps us to learn. | B.We cannot live without music. |
C.Different music, different lives. | D.Music in the classroom. |
3 . Research found that when people saw others in their herd (群体) hesitating before making a choice, they were about twice as likely to break from the group and make a different choice.
The findings have meanings for group behaviour in finance, fashion—any situation where there might be herd behaviour, Krajbich said. “Even if it appears at first that everyone is following the same trend, hesitation may show that they are not all on the same page,” he said.
The research studied 72 college students. They participated in groups of eight. When their predecessor (前任) responded slowly, participants chose against the herd about 66% of the time, compared to only 33% of the time when their predecessor chose quickly. In cases where the group was making the wrong decision, this often led people to break from the herd and make the correct choice, he said.
“A couple of bad decisions at the beginning can lead everyone to the wrong road. That’s the herd behaviour,” Krajbich said. “But what we found is that if people can see the hesitation in others’ choices, that can help them break the chain and change the course of the herd.”
Fast decisions by others can consolidate one’s own belief. For example, if a person sees their friends quickly choose to get a vaccine for COVID-19, that may make them more comfortable making the same choice, Krajbich said. If friends hesitate before getting a vaccine—even if they eventually get one—that may make a person less sure about whether to get the shot, he said.
Krajbich said the findings in the research aren’t necessary a universal rule. There may be some decisions for which taking longer to choose could indicate a more thoughtful choice. “It will be important to figure out when fast decisions signal confidence or when instead they signal thoughtlessness,” he said.
1. What will people probably do when seeing others in their herd hesitate?A.Stop and see. | B.Criticise the trend. | C.Adopt other options. | D.Follow the majority. |
A.A wrong beginning leads to a wrong road. |
B.Predecessors help speed up decision making. |
C.People tend to choose against the herd without hesitation. |
D.Hesitation in others’ choices helps when the majority is wrong. |
A.Strengthen. | B.Challenge. | C.Weaken. | D.Change. |
A.They may lack confidence. | B.They are persuaded by friends. |
C.They are affected by COVID-19. | D.They may act without due consideration. |
4 . In astronomy, star classification is governed by the Morgan-Keenen system, which categorizes stars based on their composition and surface temperature. The origins of this system can be traced back to the work of Annie Jump Cannon, a late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century astronomer who spent over forty years classifying stars based on their unique spectra (光谱) of transmitted light.
Beginning early in her life, Cannon demonstrated an exceptional talent for the physical sciences. As a child, she developed an interest in astronomy and transformed her study into a temporary observatory. Later, as a student at Wellesley College, Cannon earned a degree in physics and became an expert in spectroscopy, the process by which light is separated into its component wavelengths. During this period, she also took up photography and traveled extensively in order to experiment with the newly invented black-box camera.
Cannon’s background in physics, astronomy, and photography provided her with a unique skillset that would serve her well for the rest of her career. After working as a research assistant for a number of astronomers at Wellesley and Radcliffe Colleges, Cannon was hired by Professor Edward Charles Pickering, the director of the Harvard College Observatory. Under Pickering, she classified over 300,000 stars — more than any other human in history — using only a telescope, a spectrometer, and a camera. Using this knowledge, she developed her own classification system that relied on the surface temperature of the stars, which could be accurately estimated using the spectra of light transmitted from stars. It was said that Cannon could classify three stars a minute and, using a magnifying glass, could classify stars down to the 9th magnitude — sixteen times fainter than what can be seen by human eyes.
Today, Cannon’s unique classification system is used by countless astronomy enthusiasts around the world. Harlow Shapley, the astronomer who succeeded Pickering, once referred to Cannon’s contribution to astronomy as “a structure that probably will never be duplicated (复制) in kind or extent by a single individual.”
1. What do we know about Cannon according to the passage?A.She invented black-box camera. | B.She built a star-watching spot at home. |
C.She majored in photography in college. | D.She spent forty years in studying light transmission. |
A.The camera could receive the spectra of light. |
B.A star’s light could tell its external temperature. |
C.The light of stars could be classified into nine types. |
D.Approximately 300,000 stars possessed the same spectra. |
A.Ambitious and generous. | B.Persistent and brave. |
C.Work-addicted and honest. | D.All-around and creative. |
A.A Woman Classifying the Stars | B.A Pupil Outdoing Her Master |
C.Science Knows No Gender | D.Astronomy Taps Potential |
1. What did Tim’s father fail to do last year?
A.Join a family trip. | B.Finish his project. | C.See Tim in Paris. |
A.Germany. | B.Egypt. | C.Spain. |
A.Trying Spanish food. | B.Buying local clothing. | C.Riding a camel. |
A.Go to a market. | B.Buy some souvenirs. | C.Take a lot of pictures. |
1.活动特色;
2.参与体验;
3.改进意见。
注意:
1.词数80左右;
2.可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
Impressions from the 3D Printing Exhibition
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________As a distinctive visual art symbol of China, Chinese paper cutting, has been around for centuries. With
Due to their
The oldest
8 . Ariel decided to
She was certain that the bird needed medical attention. Ariel put her jacket over the bird’s head to keep it calm, carefully picked it up, and held it in her arms. And then a thought
Her best bet was the rehab center, but that was across the East River and clear on the other side of town. How was she going to
On the subway, no one seemed particularly annoyed by the
Ariel called the rehab center on the way, and Tristan Higgin, a(n)
While recovering, she made a boyfriend at the center — another injured swan. Sadly, even with all that TLC, the swan
A.immerse | B.expose | C.wrap | D.breathe |
A.teased | B.spotted | C.caught | D.hit |
A.wholly | B.literally | C.previously | D.stably |
A.aggressive | B.cautious | C.ambitious | D.abnormal |
A.disgusted | B.informed | C.reminded | D.struck |
A.transport | B.conduct | C.preserve | D.put |
A.Suddenly | B.Immediately | C.Fortunately | D.Normally |
A.lift | B.chance | C.treat | D.habitat |
A.scared | B.hungry | C.fierce | D.feathered |
A.doubted | B.minded | C.noticed | D.preferred |
A.fire-controlling | B.animal-caring | C.forest-protecting | D.nature-loving |
A.director | B.survivor | C.partner | D.rescuer |
A.worms | B.weights | C.plastics | D.facilities |
A.contracted | B.spread | C.controlled | D.resisted |
A.stood up | B.pulled through | C.flew away | D.passed away |
9 . Auri Katariina used to be a service manager at a cleaning company in Finland. To her family and friends’
Auri has always
Since then, Auri has gone as far as France and the UK to help people. She gets
Now, Auri goes to clean homes of
A.embarrassment | B.amusement | C.surprise | D.regret |
A.avoided | B.considered | C.delayed | D.enjoyed |
A.struggling | B.earning | C.wondering | D.paying |
A.ashamed | B.excited | C.hesitant | D.grateful |
A.painted | B.decorated | C.searched | D.cleaned |
A.reward | B.evidence | C.permission | D.assistance |
A.experience | B.furniture | C.change | D.space |
A.arrangements | B.requests | C.comments | D.instructions |
A.oldest | B.biggest | C.closest | D.dirtiest |
A.covered | B.approved | C.planned | D.decreased |
A.In spite of | B.Thanks to | C.Ahead of | D.In addition to |
A.loses | B.keeps | C.wastes | D.charges |
A.guests | B.employers | C.strangers | D.sponsors |
A.content | B.wealth | C.advantage | D.opportunity |
A.supports | B.loves | C.recommends | D.manages |
10 . The history of the school bus can date back to 1886 when the Wayne Works company made horse-drawn carriages (四轮马车) known as “ school wagons” or “kid hacks” in Indiana.
In the early 1900s, the car industry was beginning to develop fast.
In 1927, a man built the first bus that primarily used steel. Before long, Wayne Works introduced the first all-steel school bus body with safety glass windows.
Many new national standards were created, determining everything from seating designs to the famous yellow color that school buses still sport today. The reason why the color was chosen was simple.
A.Horses were easy to control. |
B.Not all chose to paint their buses yellow. |
C.Yellow is quite eye-catching to human beings. |
D.Before then, many children simply walked to school. |
E.Now, school buses have had many more improvements. |
F.Still, parents were increasingly concerned for children’s safety. |
G.This gave Wayne Works a great opportunity to improve its carriages. |