1 . History is important to study because it is essential for all of us in understanding ourselves and the world around us. And in my opinion, studying history benefits beyond history itself, because it helps develop and refine our skills through studying history.
You can refine our reading skills by reading texts from a wide array of time periods. Language has changed and evolved over time and so has the way people write and express themselves. We can also refine our writing skills through learning to not just repeat what someone else said, but to analyze information from multiple sources and come up with our own conclusions. It’s two birds with one stone — better writing and critical thinking!
There are so many sources of information out in the world. Finding a decisive truth for many topics just doesn’t exist. What was a victory for one group was a great loss for another — we get to create our own opinions of these events.
History gives us the opportunity to learn from others’ past mistakes. It helps us understand the many reasons why people may behave the way they do. As a result, it helps us become smarter as decision-makers.
In the study of history we will need to conduct research. This gives us the opportunity to look at two kinds of sources — primary (written at the time) and secondary sources (written about a time period, after the fact). This practice can teach us how to decipher between reliable and unreliable sources.
There are numbers and data to be learned from history. In terms of patterns: patterns in population, disappearances during times of war, and even in environmental factors. These patterns that are found help clarify why things happened as they did.
It’s incredibly important to learn to question the quality of the information and “history” we are learning. Keep these two questions in mind as we read through information: How do I know what I’m reading are facts and accurate information? Could they be the writer’s opinions?
1. The author thinks history helps make good decisions in that ________.| A．we can learn from others’ past mistakes | B．we can meet many sources of information |
| C．we can look at primary and secondary sources | D．we can create our own opinions of the past events |
| A．Work out. | B．Make out. | C．Pick out. | D．Try out. |
| A．To remind readers to read historical novels carefully. |
| B．To warn readers not to read too many history books |
| C．To emphasize the quality of the information on history. |
| D．To make readers doubt about the reality of history. |
| A．How to study history? | B．Why is history important? |
| C．Reliable data of history | D．Value of studying history |
2 . If you ask most people whether they like having more choices, the answer will be yes. But when it comes to sales, a large selection can actually hurt the sellers’ income.
Although people like choice, they become overwhelmed (不知所措) by it. Hick’s Law perfectly proves this. It states that there is a measurable increase in how long it takes somebody to make a decision as the number of options that are available goes up.
That delay in decision-making can prove damaging on an online shopping site because it tends to result in users giving up. They are paralyzed by the decision, and so, they decide to go away and think about it. That will significantly reduce the number of people who eventually make a purchase.
I know it can be hard to convince sellers to limit the variety of products or complex options they offer on their sites, but there is some strong evidence to support your cause. Researchers in California ran an experiment in a local grocery store. They set up a stall (货摊) in the store selling jam. Some days the stall would sell six flavors of jams, while on other days it offered 24 varieties. The results were significant. On days when they sold 24 varieties, they saw a mere four percent sales rate. However, when they offered only six choices, that figure rose to a surprising 31 percent. Limiting choice works.
That experiment perfectly shows both the problem and the solution. Despite the evidence, you will not always be able to persuade sellers to reduce choice. The next best option is to hide some of those choices.
Unlike a stall in a grocery store, we have more flexibility online regarding how products are displayed. We can highlight some options and hide others. For example, you could display the best-selling categories of products, while hiding other groupings under something like a “more” option. If you are unable to remove options, you can at least focus clients on the most popular choices.
1. What does Hick’s Law mainly tell us about more choices?| A．They increase product sales. | B．They lead to better decisions. |
| C．They can better satisfy customers. | D．They make decision-making harder. |
| A．Attracted. | B．Prevented. | C．Controlled. | D．Encourage |
| A．More varieties produce more profits. | B．Fewer varieties attract more customers. |
| C．More varieties reduce running costs. | D．Fewer varieties create higher sales rate. |
| A．Improving product quality. | B．Increasing product varieties. |
| C．Avoiding displaying all options. | D．Hiding the best-selling products. |
3 . In today’s short attention span information-overloaded age, there are new challenges for creative workers.
For creators, the news and information cycle is so fast that to earn attention for your work suggests you have to keep up with it all. But the other side of that technological coin is that it’s easier than ever to make things and distribute them online.
Of course the entire planet does not care when yet more media is added to the world. But even 50 years ago, before the Internet, there were more films made each year than anyone could possibly see and more books published annually than anyone could read.
Before the web there was often no way to get your work distributed unless you had permission. Given the choice of a) depending on the approval of others to finish projects and share them with the world, but having fewer competitors vs.b) being able to put anything into the world, but I have to compete with everyone else for attention, I definitely choose b. At least I have a chance. At least I can compete, and use my skills at creation as an advantage.
Attention from fans matters more than the rest of the world. The most famous people in any media get most of the attention. But the fallacy is that you need to be in that top 1% or 5% to make a living. As a matter of fact, you simply need enough fans and attention to earn you enough money to make a living.
A creative life is not the safe and secure path. The more creative the life you choose, the more risk that will come with it. It can be wonderfully rewarding, but you are choosing to compete to earn a living, and even if you do everything right, the chances are that you can still fail. I recommend doing it anyway, since you will learn more about life and yourself by taking the challenging path, but you should do it with your eyes open.
1. In what way was the situation 50 years ago similar to the mentioned one?| A．People needed to compete for attention. |
| B．Few people cared about creative works. |
| C．Many people engaged in creative work. |
| D．People had difficulty in spreading their works. |
| A．He is afraid of fierce competition. |
| B．He wants to have more competitors. |
| C．He is badly in need of more attention. |
| D．He values the opportunity to compete. |
| A．A new opinion. | B．A wrong belief. |
| C．A valuable idea. | D．A strange concept. |
| A．Critical. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Supportive. | D．Ambiguous. |
4 . You won’t need a passport for this trip around the globe, but you will need your favorite bookstore or library card. Reading stories from or set in other parts of the world is fun and helps kids appreciate other cultures. Go on a virtual vacation with these global reads. If you don’t know where to start, I’ve made a list of some of my favorites.
Sand Swimmers
by Narelle Oliver
Young wildlife enthusiasts know that Australia is full of fascinating creatures, especially in the strange and harsh desert region called the Dead Heart. In Sand Swimmers, Narelle Oliver combines science, natural history, and firsthand observations to uncover the unbelievably hardy species that live and thrive in this mysterious piece of Australian wilderness.
The Secret Kingdom
by Barb Rosenstock
The Secret Kingdom is a visually impressive biography of Nek Chand Saini, a village farmer who relocated to the city of Chandigarh after the 1947 partition of India. There, he gathered castoffs and small treasures to create a secret rock garden in the jungle — now a 40-acre sculpture garden open to the public. Rich watercolor illustrations capture the region’s natural beauty.
When Life Gives You Mangos
by Kereen Getten
A moving new middle grade novel, When Life Gives You Mangos centers the perspective of a young girl named Clara who lives on an island in Jamaica, a favorite place for tourists who throw around words like “exotic” about Clara’s home. Since last summer’s hurricane, though, the tourists are thinning out, and the biggest talk is about a new girl who’s moving to the island, whom Clara can’t wait to meet. A moving story about family, friendship, and resilience, it will also spark important conversations about traveling to others’ homes.
The Island of Horses
by Eilís Dillon
This classic adventure story, reissued in 2018, takes place off the western coast of Ireland on an island called Inishrone. Life on the remote island is anything but easy, but it’s all that friends Pat Conroy and Danny MacDonagh have ever known. Lured by the call of ghost stories, Pat and Danny set sail for the Island of Horses, a decision that launches them into a dangerous mystery. Come for the suspense, stay for the atmosphere: you’ll be able to taste the saltwater whipping through the air.
1. Which book has the related pictures inside?| A．Sand Swimmers. | B．The Secret Kingdom. |
| C．When Life Gives You Mangos. | D．The Island of Horses. |
| A．Clara’s home was destroyed. | B．new girl will move to the island. |
| C．The number of visitors is shrinking. | D．onversations about traveling will be sparked. |
| A．The book was first published in 2018. | B．The story is set on the coast of Ireland. |
| C．Life is hard on the remote island. | D．Pat and Danny went to the Island of Horses to look for treasures. |
5 . People today are not unfamiliar with term such as "going eco-friendly" and "sustainable lifestyle". However, there exists a group of sceptics（怀疑论者）who believe that going eco-friendly is merely a fad（一时的风尚）. I disagree with this viewpoint, Going eco-friendly is not merely a fad and it does, in fact, change the beliefs and attitudes of people.
The long-term presence of environmental organisations shows the efforts that people have made towards going eco-friendly. Organisations such as World Wildlife Fund advocate people to go eco-friendly. The high involvement of the organisations and the participants is thus a strong indicator that going eco-friendly is not merely a fad but a trend that can last decades.
Another strong indicator is the emergence of sustainable products in many industries, such as organic produce and electric vehicles. The consumer demand, coupled with eco-conscious（环保意识的）businesses, is behind the sharp increase in such products. This shows a shift in the beliefs and attitudes of people towards adopting a sustainable lifestyle. Thus, it seems quite certain that going eco-friendly is not merely a fad.
While some people who broadcast their eco-friendly practices are criticised for just hoping to project an eco-conscious image, there are a number of celebrities who have been practising the zero-waste lifestyle for years. For those who do so for years, and not mere days or months, it is indeed a commitment that can only come with a true change in beliefs and attitudes towards caring for the earth.
The call to save the earth looks set to stay. With the development of technology and the appearance of many platforms advocating going green, people are more willing to change their beliefs and attitudes when they can learn about and appreciate the positive impact of the work of different environmental organisations and individuals. It is hoped that these effects will go a long way in ensuring that our planet will remain a suitable place to live in.
1. Why does the author mention World Wildlife Fund?| A．To appreciate its environmental efforts. |
| B．To encourage people to go eco-friendly. |
| C．To evidence the universal recognition of going green. |
| D．To highlight the difficulty in changing people's attitudes. |
| A．Sudden disappearance. | B．Sharp increase. |
| C．Gradual development. | D．Limited application. |
| A．It may discourage people from sustainable lifestyle. |
| B．It may boost the business of organic produce. |
| C．It will be used to project an eco-conscious image. |
| D．It will promote environmental awareness. |
| A．To prove going eco-friendly a lasting trend. |
| B．To popularize the eco-friendly products. |
| C．To offer strategies to go eco-friendly. |
| D．To advertise for eco-friendly platforms. |
