1 . When we ignore small tasks deliberately, they balloon from tiny checklist items into big annoyances. It could be a quick email or some boring paperwork-something that will only take a few minutes and yet, somehow, for some reasons, you keep on putting it off.
This is procrastination (拖延症). People who procrastinate tend to delay tasks on purpose until the last minute, or past due date, although they’re fully aware of the negative results. Typically, procrastination is caused by the lack of the ability to organize and plan how to divide time between different activities, but emotions can also be a factor, says Fuschia Sirois, a professor at the University of Sheffield.
It’s easy to understand why we procrastinate on big tasks. They can be physically or mentally demanding and require lots of time and energy. However, small tasks can lead to a particularly annoying form of procrastination. This could be something as simple as making a phone call to a stranger. You are so unwilling and afraid that you might mess it up. This makes worry sit in your mind, reduces your ability to solve the problem and then leads to procrastination. “We don’t procrastinate on tiny tasks because they slip our mind; rather, we make a conscious choice to put off something that might arouse doubt, fear or feelings of incompetence, says Sirois.
Another reason is that small tasks often don’t have hard deadlines. So, it’s easier to have an avoidance reaction because, unlike the big tasks, there’s nothing to push us.
So, how to get small things done? Sirois suggests we should move our attention from emotions to actions. “Sometimes, things are coloured by our emotions,” he explains. Once you actually begin a task, you might find it less stressful than you thought when you were procrastinating. And since a tiny task won’t take long, rather than scheduling it, just get cracking. Don’t let tiny things become big monsters.
1. What can we know about people who procrastinate?| A．They manage to finish on time. |
| B．They underestimate the consequences. |
| C．They might put off work unintentionally. |
| D．They might have time management problems. |
| A．To make a comparison with big tasks. |
| B．To show small things can be physically demanding. |
| C．To provide an example of overcoming procrastination. |
| D．To prove procrastination can result from negative feelings. |
| A．Make a plan. | B．Set a deadline. |
| C．Take immediate action. | D．Adopt a positive attitude. |
| A．Why Do We Put off Small Things? |
| B．Why Do Small Things Make Us Worried? |
| C．How Does Procrastination Affect Your Life? |
| D．How Do Negative Feelings Become Procrastination? |
Are you familiar with pop star Jay Chou’s Blue &White Porcelain? Its original lines, just
Ranked best among famous kinds during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Ru porcelain is known for its unique pale blue glaze (釉). Oceans
Born in Ruzhou, Henan province, Li Chao has spent a decade
Techniques of making Ru porcelain will
3 . On June 6th Columbia University announced that it will no longer co-operate with US News & World Report’s undergraduate rankings. It is the first top-notch institution to do so. Might its departure be the start of a mass departure?
Columbia’s decision follows a rankings scandal last year. In February 2022 one of Columbia’s own maths professors accused the college of fudging its data in several areas. The university later admitted to having used “outdated and/or incorrect methodologies”.
In the 1980s prospective students started to expand their college search beyond their local area, and it was hard to learn about universities and compare them. Hence, US News began ranking America’s top universities in 1983, and has released its findings annually since 1988.
Colleges have gone to great lengths to move up in the ratings. Richard Freeland, Northeastern University’s former president, capped class sizes and hired faculty to improve its spot; it moved from 127th in 2003 to 44th this year. Others went too far. A dean at Temple University’s business school was sentenced to prison and was ordered to pay a $250,000 fine after being found guilty of fraud in relation to artificially inflating his programme’s rankings.
The ranking system used to seem unstoppable. Universities have tried to ditch it before, only to find that doing so can backfire badly. US News still ranks non-participating universities, using publicly available information, and the data often do not go in their favour. Reed College, a liberal-arts college, stopped taking part in 1995. It tumbled from the top quartile to the bottom. Columbia did not submit data for this year’s analysis, citing concerns about Dr Thaddeus’s claims, and its ranking fell from second in 2021-22 (tied with Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology) to 18th in 2022-23 (tied with the University of Notre Dame).
Recently the mood has begun to change, however, especially among graduate schools. In 2022, of the 15 highest-ranked law schools, only the University of Chicago submitted data. Some undergraduate schools have already opted out this year (Rhode Island School of Design, Colorado College, Stillman College), but none are as prestigious as Columbia.
In May US News announced changes to its ranking methodology. It is moving away from metrics that rely on reputation and towards student outcomes. One way or another, the rankings—and universities more broadly—are in a state of constant change.
1. What is true about the US News undergraduate rankings?| A．It faked the information for the ratings. | B．It filled an information gap at one time. |
| C．It promoted the quality of higher education. | D．It has been released every year for 40 years. |
| A．it will be ordered to pay a fine | B．it will be excluded from the list |
| C．its ranking will suffer consequently | D．its spot in the ranking won’t be affected |
| A．limited | B．increased | C．inflated | D．maintained |
| A．scores given by former students | B．donations from all walks of life |
| C．evaluations from other colleges | D．earnings for college graduates |
Loulan,
Shiji,or Records of the Grand Historian, the foundational text of Chinese history
Over the years, five stations have been built in Lop Nur, and altogether 20 people
In the spring sun, my aunt and I headed for her flower shop. Normally I would be delighted to help in her shop, but not recently because of Rosa. Rosa was my sister, just one month old, who was settled in my old bedroom. For ten years, the small room was full of my toys and books. But now it was transformed into her baby room, decorated like a garden with pinks and yellows. My space, my old life, was gone.
“Here we are!” We arrived at the shop, a wave of colour and sweet smell washing over me. My aunt said I could pick some flowers for Mum and Dad. I used to love this, but today I was so overcome with tiredness and envy. Why bother to bring them flowers when they were enjoying Rosa at home without me?
Silently I helped my aunt arrange flowers. “Your mum told me there hasn’t been much shut eye recently for any of you.” “Not much, since Rosa the alarm clock was installed (安装).” I complained with a huge yawn (哈欠).
“I remember having to creep (蹑手蹑脚地走) around like a worn-out mouse when your mum was a baby. I spent the first months hating her so much.” “But you and Mum seem so close,” I said, guiltily hiding away my envy of Rosa.
“Now we are. But it took me years to grow into the role of big sister. Few flowers blossom (绽放) overnight, you know.” She pulled me in for aside hug, glancing up at the clock, and suggested I take a walk outside.
Behind her shop was a field dotted with spring flowers. Stepping into the field, I began to pick little flowers. It was like gathering my childhood memories. I remembered how I’d sit with Dad, making flower chains, crowning (授予) each other with the silliest titles: Queen of Junk Food and King of Mess. My smile grew wider. The shining yellow flowers reminded me of the color in Rosa’s baby room. Was she awake? I wondered.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卷的相应位置作答。
Suddenly I saw two familiar figures walking towards me.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Rosa was wide awake in her baby basket beside the picnic blanket.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6 . Which is healthier: a bag of crisps or a vegetable salad? That is easy. Now which is healthier: a pizza made from scratch or one made from the same basic ingredients, with the same number of calories, pulled out of a box in the freezer? Many people would instinctively(本能地) say the former, perhaps showing a vague concern with processed food. Such food can often be delicious. And there is much to cheer about calories being cheap and abundant.
What’s the distinction between “ultra-processed food(upf)” and “processed food”? Almost everything people consume is processed in some form. Rice is harvested; animals are butchered. Upf is usually described as “formulations of ingredients, made by a series of industrial processes, many requiring advanced equipment and technology”.
Upf harms people in ways both known and unknown. It seems to affect the trillions of bacteria that contribute to health in a range of ways. Calorie-rich but usually nutrient-poor, upf contributes to obesity(肥胖症).
Upf displaces healthier alternatives, particularly for poor people.
| A．Environment matters, too. |
| B．It’s cheap to produce and buy. |
| C．But that cheapness and abundance come at a cost. |
| D．Even foods labeled “natural” or “organic” can be processed. |
| E．A pizza made from scratch contains minimally processed food. |
| F．Some people have a particular weakness for salty potato crisps. |
| G．The reasons why upf can be harmful are not always clear, even to scientists. |
When I was in middle school, my social studies teacher asked me to enter a writing contest. I said no without thinking. I did not love writing. My family came from Brazil, so English was only my second language. Writing was so difficult and painful for me that my teacher had allowed me to present my paper on the sinking of the Titanic by acting out a play, where I played all the parts. No one laughed harder than he did.
So, why did he suddenly force me to do something at which I was sure to fail? His reply: “Because I love your stories. If you’re willing to apply yourself, I think you have a good shot at this.” Encouraged by his words, I agreed to give it a try.
I chose Paul Revere’s horse as my subject. Paul Revere was a silversmith (银匠) in Boston who rode a horse at night on April 18, 1775 to Lexington to warn people that British soldiers were coming. My story would come straight from the horse’s mouth. Not a brilliant idea, but funny; and unlikely to be anyone else’s choice.
What did the horse think, as he sped through the night? Did he get tired? Have doubts? Did he want to quit? I sympathized immediately. I got tired. I had doubts. I wanted to quit. But, like Revere’s horse, I kept going. I worked hard. I checked my spelling. I asked my older sister to correct my grammar. I checked out a half dozen books on Paul Revere from the library. I even read a few of them.
When I handed in the essay to my teacher, he read it, laughed out loud, and said, “Great. Now, write it again.” I wrote it again, and again and again. When I finally finished it, the thought of winning had given way to the enjoyment of writing. If I didn’t win, I wouldn’t care.
注意:1. 续写词数应为150个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
A few weeks later, when I almost forgot the contest, there came the news.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I went to my teacher’s office after the award presentation.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8 . In the early 1990s, Eric Domb, a highly successful lawyer, came up with the idea of building a bird park. His father-in-law
After the park opened in 1994, his inexperience led to many
Since his childhood he has been fascinated by Chinese
Domb felt
Now, Domb is eager to tell how he
| A．rejected | B．supported | C．doubted | D．raised |
| A．project | B．rule | C．law | D．document |
| A．steal | B．win | C．earn | D．borrow |
| A．rewards | B．wonders | C．mistakes | D．regrets |
| A．missing | B．spreading | C．shaking | D．growing |
| A．extreme | B．unusual | C．irregular | D．essential |
| A．culture | B．food | C．poetry | D．dream |
| A．containing | B．changing | C．adding | D．removing |
| A．embarrassed | B．surprised | C．confused | D．inspired |
| A．willingly | B．enthusiastically | C．automatically | D．confidently |
| A．take charge of | B．pay attention to | C．get hold of | D．gain knowledge of |
| A．grass | B．tea | C．coffee | D．bamboo |
| A．bought | B．protected | C．received | D．tracked |
| A．pride | B．humor | C．security | D．duty |
| A．hide | B．house | C．train | D．save |
Her pale face stood out against the blackness of her hair. She looked much younger than her fifteen years, a worn coat hanging loose above her. We weren’t supposed to take a child, but an emergency call came through that morning. A home was needed for a young girl immediately.
I, together with four children, hurried to get her room ready. The kids were great. Joanne, our second-eldest daughter, did the cleaning and Margaret, Rob and Jeff helped make the bed. I felt my heart pounding in my chest. I was excited, but scared at the same time because I was told an adopted child might give us a lot of trouble.
That afternoon, Trudy arrived with the social worker Mrs. Kline. She stepped into the front hall and stood against the wall. I will never forget the look in her eyes. The first thing that came to my mind was that she looked like a hunted animal. The children moved towards her, and Jeff grabbed her hand and said proudly, “Come and see your room. I helped make your bed.” Trudy pulled back, speechless.
At this point, I stepped towards her and said, "Welcome to our home, Trudy. “She looked at me with such blank eyes. But with her head bowed, she simply said, eyes moving back and forth like a creature looking for a way out, “No, thank you.”
For the first two weeks, Trudy was very quiet. She would come into the kitchen while I was working, and we would discuss school and what she would like to do in the future. Mrs. Kline had given us all the information about her history, but I never mentioned the terrible things that had happened to her.
As the days went by, Trudy became a delight to have around. Very quickly, it seemed like she had always been with us. The girls would sit in each other’s rooms and giggle(咯咯笑) like typical teenagers. It was a sound that warmed my soul. However, when they talked about new clothes, Trudy fell silent again.
注意:1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
I took Joanne shopping for a winter coat, and Trudy came too.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Back home, I presented the jacket Trudy had tried on.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10 . A space instrument, designed to map the existence of dust in the atmosphere and help scientists know whether the dust in different parts of the world is likely to trap the heat from the sun or make it change direction, has also shown another vital function: detecting worldwide emission of methane(甲烷排放), which is a powerful greenhouse gas.
The instrument is called the imaging spectrometer(成像光谱仪). It has identified more than 50 methane “super-emitters” in areas including the Middle East and the southwestern United States. The newly measured methane hot spots include large oil and gas centers and places where rubbish is buried.
The observations came as scientists tested the ability of the instrument. Over its task, measurements of surface minerals in dry regions of Africa, Asia, North and South America, and Australia will be collected. The data will be useful for scientists to know if the dust has a warming or cooling effect on the planet. “We have been eager to see how our mineral data will improve climate modeling,” said Kate Calvin, a scientist and senior climate advisor. “This additional methane-detecting ability offers an opportunity to measure and monitor greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.”
From the space station, the instrument can study large areas many kilometers wide while also centering on small areas the size of a football field. “Some of the plumes(烟雾) the instrument detected are the largest among what we have ever seen—unlike anything that has ever been observed from space,” said Andrew Thorpe, a research technologist.
New images of methane super-emitters include a group of 12 plumes from oil and gas structures in Turkmenistan. Some plumes are more than 32 kilometers wide. Scientists calculate the plume areas all together give off methane nearly at a rate of 50,400 kilograms per hour. This is close to the top emission rate of the gas leak in Aliso Canyon near Los Angeles. That event was the largest accidental methane leak in American history.
1. What was the initial purpose of the imaging spectrometer?| A．To identify methane super-emitters. | B．To measure the level of methane in the air. |
| C．To monitor the emission of greenhouse gases. | D．To help study the effects of dust in the atmosphere. |
| A．They’re useful for climate change study. | B．They will assist in building climate models. |
| C．They confirm the scientists’ prediction. | D．They set the direction for dust research. |
| A．By describing facts and conducting tests. | B．By giving examples and explaining reasons. |
| C．By listing figures and making comparisons. | D．By referring to other studies and analyzing data. |
| A．Instrument Mapping the Dust in the Atmosphere |
| B．Big Methane Emitters Spotted by a Dust Detector |
| C．Turkmenistan Being a Main Emitter of Methane |
| D．Major Sources of Methane Emissions Identified |
