1 . You definitely don’t want to have your head in the clouds when making an important business decision. But who could have thought our decisions are really influenced by height?
As in, what floor you happen to be on when thinking something over. If it’s a high elevation (海拔), like the top floor of an office tower, chances are you’ll take more risks than you would on the ground floor, according to researchers from Miami University.
The study suggests you may want a business advisor to work from a ground-floor office rather than the office on the top of a building. And it gives new emphasis to the idea that you should stay calm when making big decisions. “When you increase the elevation, there is a subconscious (潜意识的) effect on the sense of power,” lead author Sina Esteky, PhD said. “This heighted feeling of power results in more risk-seeking behavior.”
For the study, Esteky’s team interviewed people as they were moving up and going down in the glass elevator of a tall building. They found the direction of the elevator strongly influenced the level of risk among participants. They were more likely, for instance, to take more risks on the way to the 74th floor —— but their decisions became far more grounded as they neared the ground.
Another experiment focused on people who were either on the ground floor or the third floor of a university building. Each group was asked to make 10 decisions of different risk levels. Guess which group made the most risky decisions?
What was it about higher elevations that gave the participants more courage? Researchers thought it could have something to do with the idea that the elevation gives people a sense of power. When participants were told their decisions were being influenced by the elevation, they didn’t make risky decisions anymore. Likewise, “elevation effect” wasn’t a factor for people caught in small space who couldn’t see how high up they were.
“The important lesson is that when people become aware of the possible influence of the elevation, it doesn’t happen anymore,” Esteky says. “The brain is very easily affected by small situational factors, but also really good at correcting such effects, so awareness can help us be more rational in our decisions.”
1. What is the best title for the passage?| A．How to make up one’s mind in the elevator. |
| B．You’d better make decisions on the high floors. |
| C．Don’t make big decisions at high elevations. |
| D．How to use elevation effect when making decisions. |
| A．may give more helpful suggestions |
| B．are more likely to give some risky advice |
| C．think that height can help them think effectively |
| D．may have a sense that shows they are better than others |
| A．Their decisions were more meaningless. |
| B．Their decisions were more reasonable and practical. |
| C．Their decisions were more stupid with less judgement. |
| D．Their decisions were based on their personal experience. |
| A．they won’t make decisions in the elevator |
| B．they will continue making risky decisions |
| C．the elevation effect can be overcome as the elevator goes up |
| D．the effect of the elevation on decisions will disappear |
| A．The awareness of life. | B．Our surrounding situation. |
| C．Our brain’s consciousness. | D．Our effort to correct mistakes. |
2 . A famous philosopher said, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” Traveling can provide different experiences and
Last year, I enrolled in a summer vocal (唱歌)institute at Westminster Choir College of Rider University in New Jersey, US. There, I truly experienced the kindness and warmth of people all over the world
As a
Later, they even held a party for me, which also showed their
Maybe it was the inspiring atmosphere or the fact that I wanted them to know more about China that
Apart from their warmth, their
Time flew.
| A．provide | B．get | C．broaden | D．enhance |
| A．in need of | B．by means of | C．in terms of | D．regardless of |
| A．reader | B．newcomer | C．loser | D．traveler |
| A．However | B．Besides | C．Therefore | D．Otherwise |
| A．left | B．saw | C．entered | D．found |
| A．laugh | B．relax | C．cry | D．complain |
| A．tiredness | B．happiness | C．loneliness | D．kindness |
| A．related to | B．addicted to | C．opposed to | D．given to |
| A．curiosity | B．bravery | C．indifference | D．anxiety |
| A．learned | B．talked | C．collected | D．answered |
| A．serious | B．famous | C．significant | D．familiar |
| A．asked | B．forced | C．encouraged | D．extended |
| A．forgetful | B．wonderful | C．powerful | D．useful |
| A．performance of | B．contribution to | C．talent in | D．passion for |
| A．permanent | B．ordinary | C．original | D．experimental |
| A．sent | B．treasured | C．praised | D．threw |
| A．environment | B．holiday | C．game | D．journey |
| A．faster | B．cleverer | C．stronger | D．louder |
| A．Unless | B．If | C．Before | D．Since |
| A．particular | B．careful | C．anxious | D．confident |
3 . Stackworth Museum
Stackworth Museum tells the history of the famous Stackworth family, and gives information about other well-known local people. These include poets, artists and writers. There is an excellent café.
Scotwood Manor
The rooms in Scotwood Manor are furnished as they were 100 years ago. The staff spend the day as people did then and are happy to explain what it was like. There are activity sheets for children and shop with books, gifts and cards, as well as a good café and car park.
Woodlands Museum
Set in beautiful countryside, the Woodlands Museum is arranged like a village of 100 years ago. To learn more about this period, visitors are encouraged to spend time doing practical things such as making pots and cooking. There is playground with picnic area.
Charberth Museum
Charberth Museum is near the main bus station and has rich collection of objects, 19th-century paintings and photographs showing life in the town over the centuries. There is no café.
Westerleigh Museum
Westerleigh Museum is near the bus station and contains exhibitions showing the town's development. In a separate room there are works by some well-known artists. The museum has café and is near the bus and railway station.
Freshwater Museum
Freshwater was once an important fishing port. Freshwater Museum, inside the old harbour office, shows how the town developed and later became a tourist centre. There is an activity room for young children with DVDs, a large picnic area, and good bus service.
1. If you are interested in famous people in history, you can visit________.| A．Scotwood Manor | B．Stackworth Museum |
| C．Westerleigh Museum | D．Woodlands Museum |
| A．Scotwood Manor. | B．Stackworth Museum. |
| C．Charberth Museum. | D．Westerleigh Museum. |
| A．Read books at a shop. |
| B．Appreciate paintings by famous artists. |
| C．Do some hands-on activities. |
| D．Learn about the Stackworth family s history. |
| A．Stackworth Museum | B．Scotwood Manor |
| C．Westerleigh Museum | D．Charberth Museum |
| A．Both are art-centred. |
| B．Both offer attractive gifts. |
| C．Both tell the local history. |
| D．Both are near a railway station. |
4 . One day a man was traveling on a train. All of a sudden he felt very
He waited and waited for another one to come. It was getting
That day the owner
At 7 p.m. that night the man heard a knock on the door. When the owner
When the owner found the envelope, he was
| A．tired | B．hungry | C．thirsty | D．sick |
| A．played | B．reached | C．examined | D．climbed |
| A．missed | B．passed | C．saw | D．stopped |
| A．crowded | B．close | C．scary | D．dark |
| A．ride | B．train | C．station | D．timetable |
| A．hour | B．day | C．week | D．month |
| A．enjoy | B．wait | C．prepare | D．stay |
| A．hotel | B．household | C．village | D．apartment |
| A．After all | B．At last | C．Once again | D．Even so |
| A．carelessly | B．comfortably | C．purposefully | D．immediately |
| A．sent | B．shared | C．served | D．ordered |
| A．in fact | B．in addition | C．in secret | D．in return |
| A．locked | B．answered | C．pointed to | D．returned to |
| A．commented | B．presented | C．predicted | D．demanded |
| A．realized | B．argued | C．noticed | D．reminded |
| A．envelope | B．check | C．bill | D．note |
| A．afraid | B．moved | C．curious | D．annoyed |
| A．helped | B．saved | C．impressed | D．guided |
| A．kind | B．rich | C．thankful | D．worried |
| A．puzzlement | B．surprise | C．anger | D．disappointment |
5 . These days, it's not unusual to see middle-aged men collecting Star Wars action figures, office workers wearing Hello Kitty accessories, or celebrities like David Beckham playing with Lego bricks. It's becoming more and more common to see adults taking an interest in toys, comic books and the activities that are traditionally associated with children. This phenomenon has given rise to a new word: kidult.
What lies behind the phenomenon? One is about adults' nostalgia （怀旧之情）for the carefree days of childhood, and this is especially true with today's fast-paced, stressful lifestyles. Another is about a societal change in recent decades where people are starting families later. As a result, they have more time and money to spend on themselves. Some adults could only window-shop for their dream toys when they were kids, but now they can afford that radio controlled car or high-priced doll they have always wanted.
Businesses have been quick to exploit the kidult trend, and the number of toy stores that target adults has risen. Companies are repackaging products from past decades and also bringing out new ones for adults. Lego, for example, has brought out an architectural series featuring landmarks from around the world.
Society traditionally disapproves of adults who refuse to put aside childhood interests, viewing the refusal as a sign of social immaturity and irresponsibility. Those who agree with this view sometimes claim that kidults are suffering from the pop-psychology concept known as Peter Pan Syndrome, an anomaly （异常）that people remain emotionally at the level of teenagers. On a grander scale, these kidult opponents （对手）argue that such delayed adulthood causes couples to marry later and have fewer children. This in turn can lead to shrinking national economies, for there needs to be a generational replenishment （补充）
of the workforce.
From the standpoint of kidults, though, this phenomenon is seen as nothing but harmless fun. Kidults insist that having youthful interests keeps them young, happy and creative, and their refusal to conform to society's acceptable tastes shows independent thinking. Besides, they argue that being part of the social trend of delayed adulthood is not purely a personal choice. The real causes include expensive housing, increased educational requirements for employment and poor work opportunities.
Whether the kidult phenomenon will continue to grow or prove to be a passing trend is anyone's guess. As the debate about it continues, remember that there is nothing wrong with being young at heart.
1. What does the kidult phenomenon refer to?| A．Adults act like children. |
| B．Adults have child-like tastes. |
| C．Adults go in for collecting toys. |
| D．Adults like playing with children. |
| A．Different living conditions. |
| B．More choices about toys. |
| C．High pressure of modern life. |
| D．Good memories of childhood. |
| A．Get used to. |
| B．Look forward to. |
| C．Take advantage of. |
| D．Make way for. |
| A．By strongly opposing kidult opponents. |
| B．By convincing readers to accept kidults. |
| C．By refusing to take a stand on the issue. |
| D．By presenting both sides of the argument. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Positive. |
| C．Disapproving. | D．Uncaring. |
6 . A cancer survivor has become the first woman to complete an exhausting “Sea to Summit” triathlon（三项全能运动） which saw her swim, cycle, and run over 330 miles in just five days. Andrea Mason was overjoyed when she crossed the finish line early Wednesday morning.
The race was set in the French Alps. Setting off at 6:15am on Friday, 39-year-old Mason battled through severe pain, and hallucinations(幻觉)，but she pushed on --managing to complete the race in an impressive four days, 23 hours, and 41 minutes. Andrea had been diagnosed with cancer and needed life-saving surgery. Following a successful operation, she is now hoping to raise awareness of women’s health. In the past year，Andrea set up her own charity, Lady Talk Matters, in order to improve surrounding female’s health.
Andrea, from Blackpool in Lancashire, England, said，“I am so happy all went according to plan as there were so many things that could have gone wrong. I wanted to do it in five days， and I did，but it was very tough. I had some low moments, particularly when I couldn’t sleep in my limited rest periods, and when I couldn’t keep any food down as I was running. For sure I had some doubts along the way as I was exploring the unknown with such a huge run, particularly as large parts of it were in the dark. It was bigger than I imagined, the impact on my body was huge. But every time I felt like giving up，I thought about all the women out there in pain or who still hadn’t been diagnosed. That is why I put myself through this.”
Andrea had to swim 23 miles around Lake Annecy, cycle 205 miles with 30,000 feet of vertical climbing around Mont Blanc, and run 105 miles with 4,000 feet of vertical climbing around The Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc. You could say Andrea’s actually spent a lifetime training for an event like this. She completed her first three-mile race “powered by chocolate bars＂ when she was just four.
1. What brought Andrea Mason so much joy？| A．She joined a race | B．She defeated cancer. |
| C．She finished a marathon in five days. | D．She finished a triathlon lately. |
| A．To help the poor women. | B．To promote women’s health. |
| C．To focus on women’s life. | D．To raise the status of women. |
| A．When she couldn’t eat. | B．When she couldn’t sleep. |
| C．When she was running at night. | D．When she met too many difficulties. |
| A．Her strong willpower. | B．Her family’s support. |
| C．Thinking of other women who might have cancer. | D．Thinking of other women who had more pain. |
| A．Andrea liked sports very much. | B．Andrea faced huge challenges. |
| C．As a little girl, Andrea won many races. | D．Andrea’s success lied in long-term effort. |
7 . Along the coast of Cornwall, the UK, by the white beaches near St Austell, a superhero stands tall. What is this superheroes weapon of choice? She has two, actually: in one hand, a large recycling bag, and in the other, a heavy-duty litter picker.
Meet Pat Smith, the 71-year-old eco-warrior (环境卫士) also known as “Action Granny”. Pat set herself a task to clear the plastic from 52 beaches in Cornwall and Devon. The former teacher jumped into action after watching a film called A Plastic Ocean, which described the range of plastic pollution damaging the world's oceans and killing sea life.
“It was really life-changing for me,” says Pat. “Until that point, I hadn’t realized there was a problem with plastic in the ocean. I went home from the theater and was really bothered. We have been consuming so much plastic that we are causing an ocean crisis. I said to myself ‘I’ve got to do something about it.’”
From January 1 until December 31, 2018, Pat cleaned one beach every week. Yet even with the year over and her task completed, she hasn’t stopped. Pat is also picking up litter — and so are her children in the playground, “My daughter-in-law said last week that she had organize a lifter-picking activity in the playground with other children. That just shows you that when people are exposed to what you do, they are very likely to follow in your footsteps.”
Joining Pat today is Marta, a research fellow at the Basque Center for climate Change, who has travelled from Spain to Cornwall to show support for Pat's action. She also explained her intention of cooperation to Pat. As an environmentalist herself Marta knows how important it is to work hand in hand, and she would like to show her sincerity.
1. How does the author start the text?| A．By raising a question. | B．By giving a definition. |
| C．By describing a situation. | D．By introducing a familiar film. |
| A．Her title as a superhero. | B．Her using too much plastic. |
| C．Her previous job as a teacher. | D．Her watching A Plastic Ocean. |
| A．It need urgent support. | B．It has its own limitations. |
| C．It’s a time-consuming thing. | D．It is influential among her kids. |
| A．To ask for support from Pat. |
| B．To advocate Pat and work together with her. |
| C．To raise people’s awareness of climate change. |
| D．To show the importance of protecting the environment. |
| A．A retired teacher’s war on plastic waste. |
| B．The cooperation between Pat and Marta. |
| C．A considerate granny and national superhero. |
| D．AN elderly granny’s study on climate change. |
8 . As the coronavirus pandemic has interrupted holiday events, some parks have not been allowed to open. A surprising number of parks, however, will be open to celebrate the holidays with twinkling-lights-filled special events.
Be aware that because of limited capacity to accommodate social distancing, most parks require visitors to make reservations. It goes without saying that in these uncertain times events may change with evolving conditions, so check with the parks for the latest details.
Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood in Tennessee
•When：Select days through Jan.3
•Details：dollywood.com/themepark/festivals
More than 5 million lights illuminate（照亮）nearly every building and tree through-out Dolly Parton’s park in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. And as you might expect, Dollywood features lots of holiday-themed shows and performances. The highlight is“Christmas in the Smokies”, an impressive production that is a tradition at the park. It is being presented indoors at Dolly Parton’s Celebrity Theater, although groups are being seated separately, and the audience capacity is reduced by about 50%. “Everybody needs a little light this Christmas,” says Pete Owens, VP of marketing and public relations.
Christmas Town at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Florida and Christmas Celebration at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Virginia
·Florida：Friday to Jan.3
·Details：buschgardens.com/tampa/events
·Virginia：Select dates through Jan.3
·Details：buschgardens.com/williamsburg/events
The two Busch Gardens parks will be covered by lights and trimmed trees, and traditional Christmas songs will fill the air. Items served at the Williamsburg park will include a turkey dinner with all the fixings along with ginger cake for a treat. At the Tampa park, fireworks will light the sky, and the annual ice skating production,“Christmas on Ice,”will move to an outdoor theater.
“There’s nothing like a train ride for Christmas,”says Neal Thurman, president of the Florida park.“Guests will enjoy the Holly Jolly Express as well as our returning shows,’Three Kings Journey’ and ‘ Elmo’s Christmas Wish.’”
Holidays at Legoland Florida and Legoland California
·Florida：Select dates Nov.27-Dec.31
·Details：legoland.com/florida
·California：Select dates Friday to Jan.10
·Details：legoland.com/california
A sleigh（雪橇）with reindeer and a 30-foot-tall Christmas tree made of Lego blocks will be on display at the Florida park，along with special shows, meet-ups（from a distance）with holiday characters and fireworks. Lego-land California won’t be offering its rides and attractions but will feature holiday-themed outdoor dining and shopping as well as live music.
1. What should visitors do in advance to enter most parks?| A．They must make a reservation first. |
| B．They should restrict their visiting hours. |
| C．They must make sure they keep social distancing. |
| D．They should check with the parks for the latest details. |
| A．It is thought essential to give people hope during this tough time. |
| B．“Christmas in the Smokies” is not always shown in Dolly Parton’s park. |
| C．People prefer performances related to holiday themes. |
| D．The number of visitors to the park is reduced by half. |
| A．legoland.com/california or dollywood.com/themepark/festivals |
| B．legoland.com/florida or buschgardens.com/tampa/events |
| C．dollywood.com/themepark/festivals or legoland.com/California |
| D．buschgardens.com/williamsburg/events or dollywood.com/themepark/festivals |
| A．They can shake hands with holiday characters. |
| B．They can ride a sleigh with reindeers. |
| C．They can play with Lego blocks. |
| D．They can enjoy live music. |
| A．What to know about coronavirus. |
| B．When to celebrate Christmas. |
| C．Where to relax yourselves. |
| D．How to make your kids happy. |
9 . For many men, the idea that they have a better sense of direction than women has been improved by a scientific study．
Researchers from Norway scanned the brains of volunteers as they completed navigation tasks to discover men are more skillful at finding their way because they use a separate part of their brain．According to lead researcher Dr．Carl Pintzka from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology（NTNU）, men and women have different navigational strategies．
Men use basic directions-the use of north, south, east and west-during navigation to a greater degree．Men's sense of direction was more effective.They quite simply got to their destination faster．"If they're going to the Student Society building in Trondheim, for example, men usually go in the general direction where it's located．" Dr．Pintzka explained．
Women usually orient（标定方向） themselves along a route to get there, for example, go past the hairdresser and then up the street and turn right after the store．
The study shows that using basic directions is more efficient because it is a more flexible strategy．The destination can be reached faster because the strategy depends less on where you start．
Meanwhile, the study also shows both men and women use large areas of the brain when they navigate, but some areas are different．The men use the hippocampus more, whereas women use their frontal areas to a greater extent．That agrees with the fact that the hippocampus is necessary to make use of basic directions．Losing one's sense of direction is one of the first symptoms in Alzheimer's disease．
Understanding how men and women use different brain areas and strategies to navigate, researchers will be able to enhance the understanding of the disease's development, and develop coping strategies for those already affected．
1. Which of the following is true according to the passage?| A．It makes no sense to use basic directions according to the research． |
| B．Men use basic directions more skillfully than women． |
| C．Men prefers to form different images of road conditions． |
| D．Women tend to use a separate part of the brain while navigating． |
| A．Finding out all possible routes． | B．Remembering all the landmarks． |
| C．Making out the general direction． | D．Drawing a general map of the place． |
| A．it is much easier to be carried out． | B．it is more helpful to identify roads． |
| C．it is simpler for telling directions． | D．it is less limited by the starting place． |
| A．appears to be more powerful in men | B．is adopted more often used by women |
| C．is important in using basic directions | D．is the production of Alzheimer's disease |
| A．Getting to the destination is no more a difficult thing． |
| B．Men have a better sense of direction than women． |
| C．Alzheimer's disease can be prevented effectively． |
| D．Hippocampus is playing a key role in navigation． |
10 . There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health, wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy and the other becomes unhappy. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, events and the resulting effects upon their minds.
People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things: the pleasant parts of conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wine and the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things. Therefore, they are continually dissatisfied. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, offend many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The intention of criticizing and being disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation. It grows into n habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it realize it had effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.
Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious results in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people offend many others; nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draws them into arguments. If they aim at getting some advantages in social position, or fortune, nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone start, step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they bring on themselves public objections, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their wrong doings. These should change this bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their quarrels.
1. People who are unhappy .| A．always consider things differently from others |
| B．usually are affected by the results of certain things |
| C．usually misunderstand what others think or say |
| D．always discover the unpleasant side of certain things |
| A．have a good taste with social life |
| B．make others unhappy |
| C．tend to scold others openly |
| D．enjoy the pleasure of life |
| A．we should pity all such unhappy people |
| B．such unhappy people are dangerous to social life |
| C．people can get rid of the habit of unhappiness |
| D．unhappy people cannot understand happy persons |
| A．prevent any communication with them |
| B．show no respect and politeness to them |
| C．persuade them to recognize the bad effects |
| D．quarrel with them until they realize the mistakes |
| A．describes two types of people in our 1ife who have negative effect on others |
| B．give some examples to laugh at the unhappy people in our society |
| C．suggests the unhappy people should get rid of the habits of unhappiness |
| D．tells people get away from unhappy people and how to be happy in life |
