1 . Years ago, I bought a blouse. That same day, I considered putting it on, but for no particular reason decided not to. That weekend, I again considered wearing the blouse, but the occasion didn’t seem special enough, so again, I passed. Fast forward to today. I have never worn that blouse.
What happened here? Why do people own so many unused possessions, treating them as though they are too special to use? To find out, I ran an experiment in which participants imagined buying a bottle of wine. We had half of the participants imagine considering opening it one night, but deciding not to. Then when we measured how special the wine seemed, and participants intentions to open it later we found that those who had imagined holding off on opening it were in fact less likely to intend to open it later. When asked the reason, most assumed they were waiting for a future occasion to open it a more special occasion.
Why do people fall into this mental trap? Prior research points to a recipe for what psychologists term “specialness spirals”. When you give up using something, if you believe that you are waiting to use it, the possession will start to feel more special. And as you search for the right occasion day after day it becomes more tempting (吸引人的) to hold out for a future occasion. The less you use it, though, the more special it feels, and the cycle continues. Ultimately, the likelihood (可能性) of using the possession becomes rarer and rarer. The more this happens, the more stuff you have lying around.
How can you fight specialness spirals? Try committing in advance to using an item on a specific occasion. When buying a dress, tell yourself you’ll wear it this weekend. Or when purchasing a candle, plan to light it that day. This strategy encourages you to actually enjoy your possessions.
1. Why has the author’s blouse sat unworn for many years?A.She forgot where it was put. | B.She soon grew to dislike it. |
C.She had no other clothes to match it. | D.She failed to find a right occasion to wear it. |
A.Discuss how to deal with the wine. | B.List reasons for drinking the wine. |
C.Decide whether to drink the wine. | D.Evaluate the quality of the wine. |
A.They result from an optimistic attitude to the future. |
B.They help explain the psychology of delayed rewards. |
C.They can attract people into shopping traps. |
D.They can lead to a collection of unused stuff. |
A.To describe a purchase experience. | B.To explain a psychological phenomenon. |
C.To criticize a wrong consumption concept. | D.To encourage people to prepare for a rainy day. |
1. What did the teacher do to his plants?
A.He gave them too much attention. |
B.He never watered them. |
C.He rarely took care of them. |
A.The teacher’s plants survived. |
B.The teacher’s plants were destroyed. |
C.The baker’s plants were not destroyed. |
A.Guiding is better than giving. |
B.No pain, no gain. |
C.Prevention is better than cure. |
1. Why did the woman come to China?
A.To take a vacation. | B.To earn school fees. | C.To learn Chinese. |
A.She speaks Chinese more fluently. |
B.She depends more on her friends. |
C.She’s more sure about her future plans. |
A.Return to her country. | B.Settle down in China. | C.Make some friends. |
1. What does the man say about Mrs. Taylor?
A.She isn’t very patient. | B.She’s a wise person. | C.She’s strict about exams. |
A.In America. | B.In France. | C.In Canada. |
A.For her study. | B.For her work. | C.For her friend. |
5 . World No Tobacco Day (世界无烟日) is observed around the world annually on May 31st. It is a global initiative led by the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise awareness about the health risks associated with tobacco use and to advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco (烟草) consumption.
Tobacco use is a leading cause of preventable deaths worldwide and is responsible for numerous health problems, including various types of cancer, heart disease, respiratory diseases, and other chronic conditions. Currently, more than 8 million deaths are caused annually worldwide, including 1.2 million deaths from second-hand smoke exposure in non-smokers.
The Member States of the WHO created World No Tobacco Day in 1987 to draw global attention to the tobacco and the preventable death and disease it causes. In 1987, the World Health Assembly passed Resolution WHA40.38, calling for 7th April 1988 to be a world no-smoking day. “In 1988, Resolution WHA42.19 was passed, calling for the celebration of World No Tobacco Day, every year on 31st May.
On World No Tobacco Day, numerous activities and initiatives take place globally to promote tobacco control. These can include public awareness campaigns, educational programs in schools and communities, smoking cessation support, advocacy for stronger tobacco control policies, and various events to encourage individuals to quit smoking.
Each year, the WHO chooses a specific theme for World No Tobacco Day to focus on a particular aspect of tobacco control. The theme may address issues such as the impact of tobacco on lung health, ‘the dangers of tobacco industry marketing strategies, or the importance of providing assistance to individuals who want to quit smoking. This theme then becomes the central component of the WHO’s tobacco-related agenda for the following year. The WHO oversees the creation and distribution of publicity materials related to the theme, including brochures, fliers, posters, websites, and press releases.
The ultimate purpose of World No Tobacco Day is to raise awareness, encourage individuals to quit tobacco use, and prevent young people from starting smoking. Since 1988, the WHO has presented one or more awards to organizations or individuals who have made exceptional contributions to reducing tobacco consumption.
1. What’s the main idea of paragraph 2?A.Worldwide tobacco use. |
B.Great harm caused by tobacco use. |
C.Preventable deaths caused by tobacco use. |
D.Death caused by second-hand smoke exposure. |
A.World No Tobacco Day was passed on 7th April 1988. |
B.Celebration date of World No Tobacco Day is not fixed. |
C.World No Tobacco Day is celebrated with many activities and initiatives. |
D.Currently, over 8 million deaths are caused by second-hand smoke exposure. |
A.It is always about the dangers of second-hand smoke. |
B.It highlights the positive effects of tobacco on health. |
C.It advocates for effective policies to increase production. |
D.It changes annually to focus on different aspects of tobacco control. |
A.To prevent young people from quitting smoking. |
B.To encourage individuals to give up tobacco use. |
C.To raise awareness about health risks related to tobacco use. |
D.To advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. |
1. What is the speaker mainly talking about?
A.A disease. | B.A band. | C.A program. |
A.It published an album. | B.It went on a radio show. | C.It had a performance. |
A.Inspire people. | B.Raise money. | C.Promote music. |
1. Why does the woman go to New York?
A.To write a book. | B.To have a meeting. | C.To see her friend. |
A.Local snacks. | B.A Chinese painting. | C.A book about China. |
A.The man himself. | B.The man’s wife. | C.The man’s driver. |
1. Which car has got its back damaged?
A.The white car. | B.The black car. | C.The red car. |
A.Take the injured to hospital. | B.Call the ambulance. | C.Ask the police for help. |
When I was a kid, my parents and I lived near the forest. They often told me that our family was a team that needed to work together for the household to function smoothly. There was always an abundance of work to do — cooking, cleaning, and walking dogs. I volunteered to walk our dog, Max, who had been adopted one month before. I never dared let this giant dog off the lead (牵狗绳), just in case he took off.
One morning, we were walking along in the forest when Max started pulling on the lead. At first, I was able to hold on despite the wet ground from a recent shower. But the more I tried to stop him pulling, the more it turned into a tug of war. And thanks to the slippery ground, I lost.
Pulling his lead, Max shot off like a bullet, leaving me screaming behind. I chased him but lost my footing and fell face-first into some mud. I stumbled (踉跄) to my feet, but looking ahead, I found him running back towards me. I thought he was going to stop and give me his “Sorry” look. But instead, the dog shot past me and returned after a while.
As soon as we got home, my mother immediately attended to Max with a warm towel and a doggy treat. I thought seeing me stumbling and covered in mud, I would also get a warm cup of tea and a motherly kiss. Instead, I got a very loud lecture about letting the dog loose in the forest.
I felt frustrated. It wasn’t fair that she didn’t understand how difficult it was to control Max. I fought back, “Stop lecturing me! Why is everything my fault?” With these words, I stormed into my bedroom and slammed the door shut.
In the evening, I heard my mother call Max and take him out. It wasn’t long before I heard my mother screaming and the door opening again.
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。
I walked out of my room.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Dad stepped in, suggesting that we work together to train Max.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10 . Having Spider-Man close gives you the courage to face the coming days. It certainly
Children really need
Farther south, another team of window washers also made their
We can all be somebody’s superhero for a day, an hour or just a moment. Distracting someone from the
A.extends | B.treasures | C.brightens | D.misses |
A.ticket | B.visit | C.fine | D.meal |
A.hung | B.shouted | C.fell | D.escaped |
A.careful | B.thoughtful | C.frightened | D.excited |
A.decisive | B.magical | C.awkward | D.difficult |
A.choices | B.innovation | C.demand | D.emotions |
A.courage | B.time | C.pressure | D.patience |
A.teachers | B.heroes | C.families | D.friends |
A.losing | B.feeling | C.requiring | D.providing |
A.definitely | B.eventually | C.only | D.rarely |
A.presentation | B.experience | C.appearance | D.impression |
A.limited | B.beneficial | C.unnecessary | D.impossible |
A.respond | B.grow | C.recover | D.learn |
A.pain | B.kindness | C.relief | D.regret |
A.fill | B.ruin | C.end | D.make |