1 . The most obvious dog fetish (迷恋) today is the longing for cuteness. Almost every day you can see adorable pictures of dogs and other animals that will make you smile and say, "How cute!"
It is a cultural phenomenon that the media scholar James Meese calls the "cute economy" which exists primarily on social media, is user-generated, and is heavily dominated by pictures of animals, especially pets. The goal is to generate a positive response, probably followed by a tap on the screen to "like" and "share". We can click through image after image of cute animals doing cute things, feeling a little boost of good cheer.
The marketing researchers have identified some of the most common categories of cuteness in online pet content: animals doing silly things; animals of extreme size; animals with unusual looks; and animals behaving in ways that seem human-like. Dogs and other animals in the "cute economy" are often further humanized by being dressed in clothing and accessorized (装饰) with hats, jewellery, nail polish and fur dyed a rainbow of colors. Users who post successfully and with some strategies can make money by doing so. Thus, certain dogs have become cuteness celebrities, with millions of devoted followers and paid content from advertisers.
Unfortunately, the price of the "cute economy" comes at a serious cost. The cutest and most popular breeds tend to be those with the most significant risk of health and behavioral problems. Cuteness is often coupled with their discomfort. People are drawn to the cuteness of dogs with extremely foreshortened skulls and extremely short legs and awkwardly long bodies, such as the French bulldog and the corgi
Actually, there are well-established health issues. We should treat the "cute economy" with caution, like resisting the commodification (商品化) of appearance by opting out of social media channels promoting the "cute economy". We can also choose not to "like" or "share" images of dogs whose cuteness is linked with discomfort. Although we are biologically attracted to dogs that are super cute, we should be mindful in our "impulses".
1. What is the key to the "cute economy" according to the text?| A．Taking photos of different animals. |
| B．Cute animals' attractive appearance. |
| C．Pets' owners' liking adorable pictures. |
| D．Posting cute animals' pictures on social media. |
| A．A normal-sized dog is eating bones. |
| B．A white cat is quietly lying next to its owner. |
| C．A parrot dressed in a suit is singing and dancing. |
| D．A monkey is attentively taking care of its baby. |
| A．It will change the animals' nature. |
| B．It may make the animals not so cute. |
| C．It will result in a decline in animal population. |
| D．It may cause health problems to the animals. |
| A．Attractive Pictures of Animals | B．Happiness From Pets |
| C．The "Cute Economy" and Its Price | D．Marketing Strategy — Cuteness |
2 . While it`s simple to name many famous male inventors, people might be hard-pressed to name some female inventors.
What’s more, the dishwasher dates back even earlier to the 19th century and to the dinner parties held by a lady called Josephine Cochrane. As a frequent hostess, she wanted a machine that could wash dishes faster than humans.
Lastly, one of the most important inventions of the 20th century must surely be the computer program. In today’s world of programming, men vastly outnumber women.
| A．And that’s exactly what she did. |
| B．That was how the invention came into being. |
| C．As a response, she conducted many experiments. |
| D．Firstly, what led to the invention of the windscreen cleaner? |
| E．But back in the 1940s and 50s, women led the way in this new field. |
| F．For example, where would we be without the windscreen cleaner? |
| G．Yet women are behind some widely used technologies in the modern world. |
3 . I love making art and looking at artworks. I’ve found myself wondering how we gain pleasure from art. And now neuroaesthetics, a combination of neuroscience (神经科学) and aesthetics (美学), may provide an answer.
Neuroaesthetics is a relatively young field of research on what happens in the brain when we make aesthetic assessments. Researchers use brain imaging technique to see which brain areas light up when we view paintings that we consider beautiful. Similar research has been done to understand the “neuronal fireworks” that occur when we look at inspiring sculptures, attractive faces, impressive dance, etc.
But why do we find some art beautiful and other art ugly? According to research, it all comes down to the “aesthetic triad (三元组合)”.
The first part of the triad is sensory-motor. This involves perceiving things like colours, shapes and movements. Movement in art has an interesting role. If you see a painting of a movement, like of a man pulling his arm away after being bitten by a dog, you feel like going through a similar experience. The part of your brain that controls your own movements lights up in response.
Second is emotion-valuation. This is how a piece of art makes you feel, and whether or not you appreciate or enjoy that feeling. The part of the brain related to pleasure is activated in response to something we find beautiful. This system can be affected in fascinating ways, as found by research using transcranial magnetic stimulation(TMS) (经颅磁刺激). If TMS is applied to a specific part of your brain behind your forehead that is particularly important for decision-making, you suddenly like different kinds of art. Such stimulation produces significant changes in aesthetic appreciation of faces, bodies and artworks.
The third part is meaning-knowledge. This is to do with how we can connect with a piece of art and what meaning we can create in it. Art is deeply personal, because when two people see the same artwork, our perception can create vastly different experiences of meaning. If we find meaning, then we often find pleasure. We also get enjoyment from the knowledge of how something was made. For the images that an artist creates, viewers will probably get far more enjoyment once they know the process used to create them.
Informed by neuroaesthetics, the next time I create my art I will value the process even more, enjoying the activation of the aesthetic triad in my brain as I admire the vivid images that I have created.
1. What does “neuronal fireworks” in Paragraph 2 refer to?| A．A beautiful painting or sculpture. | B．The lighting-up of specific brain areas. |
| C．An advanced brain imaging technology. | D．The aesthetic assessment of modern art. |
| A．Certain part of their brain is activated. | B．Their experience of pain is reduced. |
| C．Their aesthetic sense is sharpened. | D．Their body reactions are delayed. |
| A．raised memory capacity | B．enhanced painting skills |
| C．changed artistic taste | D．improved decision-making ability |
| A．To propose an abstract theory of art making. |
| B．To reveal the beauty of science in an artistic way. |
| C．To share some personal understanding of artworks. |
| D．To introduce a new research field for art appreciation. |
1.活动概况：时间﹑地点﹑参与人员；
2.开展情况：开幕式﹑比赛项目；
3.活动反响。
参考词汇：开幕式—the opening ceremony
注意：1.词数120左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
3.不准出现真实的姓名。
An Amazing Athletic Meeting
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