Why Don’t We Use the Math We Learn in School?
How much of the math you’ve learned in school is used in everyday life? For the majority of people, the answer is surprisingly little. Clearly, some people learn math very well and apply it in everyday problem-solving settings. The question is why most people don’t, in spite of spending many years practicing it.
The first explanation blames the failure of education. One of the major barriers to using a skill in real life is automaticity. We tend to find the least-effort solution to our problem. If struggling through a math problem is hard for you, you’ll find a different way to solve it that doesn’t rely on math. The familiar model for teaching mathematics revolves around teachers telling students certain rules, applying those rules to examples and students then practicing problems similar to the examples seen in class. By teaching in this way, a lot of the work and deep thought that went into the creation of these mathematical rules is lost. In that sense, people were never taught math thoroughly enough to use it automatically in real life.
The second explanation is a little different. It argues that people may develop competence in math classes, but they struggle to translate real-life problems into a format where they can use their mathematics knowledge. This seems most apparent in the case of applying algebra (代数). Students struggle with algebra, but they particularly struggle with word problems. Yet, the equivalent real-life problems are typically much harder than word problems. From this perspective, what people struggle with is not doing math, but recognizing where and how to apply math to real problems.
Educational researchers now emphasize the importance of transfer and deep understanding. They believe we need to give students more training in noticing and converting everyday situations into the math problems they know how to solve. By using real-life math applications, students can make connections between math and everyday life.
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5 . Quiet Quitting
While not a new concept, the term “quiet quitting” has recently gained popularity on social media.
What is quiet quitting?
Quiet quitting doesn’t mean an employee has left their job, but rather has limited their tasks to avoid working longer hours.
Why are employees quiet quitting?
Quiet quitting may be a popular term, but this practice isn’t new. Workers have quietly quit their jobs for years to look for something new, whether it was because of poor pay, unmanageable workload, burnout or lack of growth opportunities.
Working from home has also changed the dynamics of the workplace because employees and managers are communicating in different ways through online meetings. These interactions may feel more formal than the chat sessions that happen in an office. Limited meetings can cause a disconnect between employees and management.
How can businesses help employees?
The biggest way to prevent disengagement is to improve the employee experience. Talk to employees, gather their feedback and discuss what can be done to make them feel appreciated. Make sure workloads are realistic and that there are appropriate boundaries to maintain a work-life balance. It’s important to check in with employees to make sure these boundaries are clear and help establish an open and honest relationship.
Further, managers should clearly outline paths of career progression to each employee.
| A．Supporters argue that quiet quitting is a way to safeguard your mental health. |
| B．They set clear boundaries to improve work-life balance. |
| C．Regular support and praise that make employees feel valued and connected can get lost. |
| D．Managers must learn how to have conversations to help employees reduce disengagement and burnout. |
| E．However, quiet quitting could be a sign that an employee is not happy in their position. |
| F．Employees are more likely to be engaged when they have specific targets. |
6 . A rich burial was unearthed by archaeologists at La Almoloya, southeastern Spain that is the cradle of the El Argar civilization, which lived in the region during the Bronze Age.
La Almoloya was a primary center of politics and wealth in the El Argar territory, and although the discovery was made in 2014, experts are now taking a closer look at the sociological and political context of the unearthed treasure.
The remains of a woman, along with a man who may have been her husband, were discovered in the forested hills of the area. Radiocarbon dating suggests the burial happened around 1700 BC. The pair were found with 30 objects containing precious metals and semi-precious stones, including the silver diadem (王冠), which encircled the skull (颅骨) of the woman.
Experts believe that the man in the grave was probably a warrior; wear and tear on his bones indicate he spent a lot of time on horseback, and his skull had deep scars from a facial injury, while gold plugs through his earlobes indicated he was someone of distinction.
The woman, named the “Princess of La Almoloya”, was buried a short time after the man, with vast quantities of jewellery: bracelets, earlobe plugs and rings, to name a few. The grave goods of the woman were worth tens of thousands of dollars in today’s money.
“We have two ways of interpreting this,” says archaeologist Roberto Risch of the Autonomous University of Barcelona. “Either you say, it’s just the wife of the king; or you say, no, she’s a political personality by herself.”
Risch is a co-author of a study that was recently published about the important findings, that noted the building under which the grave was found was of equal importance—a building specifically dedicated to governing purposes in Western Europe. A wide hall was excavated (挖掘), with high ceilings, a raised platform, and a capacity for more than 50 people to sit on benches that lined the walls. “It’s a building where people could be sitting listening to each other, or to someone explaining something,” says Risch, “There is no evidence of food and no clear-cut religious artefacts, so it doesn’t look like a home or a temple.”
The discovery at La Almoloya shed new light on the politics and gender relations in one of the first urban societies of the West. Previous findings have revealed that women were considered adults at a much younger age than boys were. Excavated grave goods have highlighted that girls as young as six were buried with knives and tools, but boys would be in their teens by the time they would be buried alongside such objects.
Additionally, the graves of some women from EI Argar were reopened generations later to bury other men and women, an unusual practice that experts believe would have been a very high honor. “What exactly their political power was, we don’t know,” Risch adds. “But this burial at La Almoloya questions the role of women in [Bronze Age] politics... it questions a lot of conventional wisdom.”
1. The woman discovered at La Almoloya ________.| A．proved to be a princess during the Bronze Age |
| B．was buried long after her husband’s death |
| C．lived in an ancient society called El Argar |
| D．was holding a silver diadem when unearthed |
| A．he had gold plugs through his earlobes | B．he was buried next to the woman |
| C．he was buried with knives and tools | D．he had injuries and scars on his bones |
| A．have been used for political meetings | B．have served some religious purposes |
| C．be the first temple built in Western Europe | D．be specially dedicated to food trading |
| A．Women were buried with more riches than men in the Bronze Age. |
| B．The role of women in Bronze Age politics had been overestimated. |
| C．Women may have been powerful rulers in the El Argar civilization. |
| D．Women were considered adults at a much younger age than boys. |
Vanuatu is an island nation in the South Pacific. It is also one of the smallest countries in the world. But for those interested in adventure and sport, there is a lot to do. Some of the best snorkeling (浮潜) can be found here. Vanuatu’s islands also offer visitors two of the most exciting and dangerous activities in the world: volcano surfing and land diving. Volcano Surfing On Tanna Island, Mount Yasur rises 300 meters (1,000 feet) into the sky. It is known as the Lighthouse of the Pacific because of its regular eruptions for hundreds of years. For centuries, both island locals and visitors have climbed this mountain to visit the top. Some visitors find Yasur terrifying; others captivating. Photographers are beside themselves at the opportunity to make stunning artwork from such a special point. Recently, people have also started climbing Yasur to surf the volcano. In some ways, volcano surfing, also commonly known as ash boarding, is like surfing in the sea, but in other ways it’s very different. It was invented by an adventurer journalist named Zoltan Istvan, while on a trip to Vanuatu Islands in 2002. Volcano surfing is considered as an extreme sport and there are not many practicing it. A volcano surfer’s goal is to escape the erupting volcano — without getting hit by flying rocks! Riders hike up the volcano and slide down, sitting or standing, on a thin plywood or metal board. It’s fast, fun, and dangerous — the perfect extreme sport. Land Diving Most people are familiar with bungee jumping, but did you know bungee jumping started on Pentecost Island in Vanuatu and is almost fifteen centuries old? The original activity, called land diving, is part of a religious ceremony. A man ties tree vines (藤) to his legs. He then jumps head-first from a high tower. It originated as a rite (仪式) of passage for young men trying to prove their manhood. The idea is to jump from as high as possible, and to land as close to the ground as possible. It is also a harvest ritual. The islanders believe the higher the jumpers dive, the higher the crops will grow. Every spring, island natives (men only) still perform this amazing test of strength. |
| A．Mount Yasur is a light tower on the Pacific Ocean. |
| B．The history of volcano surfing dates back centuries. |
| C．Bungee jumping grew out of land diving. |
| D．Land diving came to Vanuatu from another country. |
| A．distressing | B．charming | C．disappointing | D．relieving |
| A．Untouched Beauty: VANUATU | B．Volcano Adventure: VANUATU |
| C．Extreme Destination: VANUATU | D．Preserved Culture: VANUATU |
8 . Jacob hated finishing things almost as much as he loved starting them. As a result, he had gotten into a million hobbies and activities, but he never stuck with any of them long enough to get any good.
He begged his mother for months for a guitar so that he could play Black Eyed Peas songs to Angie, a girl he liked, but after he finally got one for Christmas, he found out that guitars don’t play themselves. He took a few lessons, but the strings hurt his fingers and he didn’t like holding the pick, so now the five-hundred dollar guitar lives under his bed.
After reading an ad in the back of one of his comic books, Jacob decided that he wanted a Wonder-Sweeper 5000 metal detector, so that he could find buried treasure. So he mowed lawns all summer and shoveled driveways all winter. He didn’t spend his money on ice-cream like his younger brother, Alex. By the time spring came he had saved $200, and he purchased the Wonder-Sweeper 5000 metal detector. He beeped it around the park for a while, be he soon found out that no one had ever left any treasure in his neighborhood. He buried the metal detector in his closest.
Given Jacob’s history with hobbies, it was no surprise that Jacob’s father was reluctant to buy him a magician’s kit for his birthday. Jacob was insistent. “Dad, this time I’ll stick with it for real. I promise!” Jacob begged. Jacob’s father sighed. But he was reminded of his own youth long ago, when he quit football and started boxing practice before hardly getting his equipment dirty. So when Jacob’s birthday came around, Jacob was both surprised and pleased to find the magician’s kit that he had desired so badly. Jacob opened up the box and unwrapped the many parts in the kit. He took the many fake coins, trick cards, and rope pieces of varying length on the kitchen table and imagined pulling rabbits out of his hat and turning them into pigeons with a mysterious puff of smoke.
As Jacob continued pulling plastic thumbs, foam balls, and giant playing cards out of the magic kit, a commercial on the TV caught his attention.
“Hey kids! Have you ever wanted to go to space? Experience what it’s like to be an astronaut? Do you want to explore the universe? Well, now you can.” As the commercial continued playing, Jacob walked away from the magic kit on the kitchen table and stared at the TV screen longingly. “For only $195 you can go to space camp and live life like an astronaut for a whole weekend. Enroll now for a once in a life time experience.” Jacob’s cry rang throughout the house as he yelled, “MOM!” He now knew what his true purpose in life was.
1. Why did Jacob stop playing the guitar?| A．It hurt his fingers. | B．He’d rather play drums. |
| C．It was too expensive. | D．He became interested in comic books. |
| A．Jacob was insistent on having it | B．Jacob’s birthday was coming |
| C．Jacob quit many expensive activities | D．Jacob reminded his father of himself |
| A．Become a great magician. | B．Learn to play guitar well. |
| C．Detect an incredible hidden treasure. | D．Raise money to go to space camp. |
| A．He was persistent in pursuing his dreams. | B．He never stuck with anything for long. |
| C．He has always wanted to be a magician. | D．He finally found his true purpose in life. |
9 . Are you a digital hoarder?
Most people are familiar with hoarding (囤积) and the psychological issues associated with it. Hoarding leads to messy homes and difficulty
Digital hoarding, also known as e-hoarding, is too much acquisition and
Digital hoarding also occurs when someone is too
Researchers have
The problem has only gotten worse since we have more
However, studies found that digital hoarders experience increased levels of stress and now researchers are observing that the negative consequences of digital hoarding may be similar to those of
| A．stocking | B．binding | C．living | D．parting |
| A．reluctance | B．eagerness | C．perspective | D．fantasy |
| A．obstacle | B．boost | C．urge | D．stream |
| A．substantially | B．frequently | C．autonomously | D．rarely |
| A．transmitted | B．closed | C．attached | D．assigned |
| A．flowers | B．texts | C．gifts | D．letters |
| A．regulated | B．categorized | C．integrated | D．stimulated |
| A．rigid | B．generous | C．patriotic | D．systematic |
| A．disengaged | B．enthusiastic | C．reliable | D．discriminated |
| A．appeals | B．conflicts | C．issues | D．ties |
| A．access | B．concern | C．desire | D．excuse |
| A．multiple | B．secure | C．limitless | D．meaningless |
| A．massive | B．regular | C．casual | D．physical |
| A．Instead | B．However | C．Otherwise | D．Therefore |
| A．making use of | B．taking care of | C．getting rid of | D．getting used to |
| A. approaches B. demonstrates C. memorial D. analytics E. assumption H. complicate I clarity J. promotional F. remove G. insights K. tendency |
The magic numbers
This is the age of the data scientist.
Employers of all kinds prize people with the skills to obtain and analyze enormous amounts of information, to spot patterns in the data and to turn them into useful
Zero: Doing nothing can be the most valuable thing a manager can do, as the story of Atwood’s duck
One: This is the number of bosses people should have. In reality, matrix (矩阵) structures and team-based
Three: Good marketing follows certain universal truths. In a paper published in 2013, two academics tested whether there was a perfect number of claims that marketers should make for their products and services in
