Complaining: The Happiness Killer
In 15th-century Germany, there was an expression: Greiner, Zanner, which can be translated as “a chronic (长期的) complainer.” Are you a bit of a Greiner, Zanner? If so, you’re not alone. Survey data show that customers today are more than twice as likely to complain about a product or service as they were in 1976. A U. K.-based survey also observed a rise in job dissatisfaction over a two-year period before autumn 2022.
Complaints can be grouped into different categories. As is reported, 45 percent of complaints concern the behavior of others. For instance, parents repeatedly criticize their children for small issues like messy bedrooms or dirty clothes. Another 29 percent focus on personal discomfort. A common complaint in this category might be about feeling too hot in a room without air conditioner. The remaining 26 percent involve unpleasant obligations like unnecessary work meetings people are forced to attend.
The problem with all of these complaints is that it can feel helpful — but it typically isn’t . Although complaining might offer temporary relief, it’s bad for your happiness in the long run. Researchers who measured people’s mood before and after they complained found that those complainers’ mood was significantly worsening. Besides, complaining can also lower the happiness of the people around you. In some relationships, the negative effect can pass like a virus to those exposed. In other words, when people see others’ complaints expressing anger, disgust and sadness, they can, in turn, feel similar emotions.
As the 20th-century Bulgarian philosopher Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev observed, “Complaining is like the winter frost which, when it falls, destroys all the labors of the gardeners.”
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________随着中国传统文化的复兴,汉服(Hanfu)作为一种独特的服饰文化,逐渐受到人们的关注和喜爱。假如你是明启中学的学生李华,你校正在向学生们征集新社团的创建意向。作为汉服爱好者,你准备成立汉服社,请给校委会写一封邮件表达你的想法。你的邮件需包含:
1. 成立该社团的目的;
2. 社团拟开展的活动及原因。
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7 . Rain Collection
What do you like to do on a rainy day —sit inside and listen to the pitter-patter on the roof or splash outside and feel the cold drops on your face? Whatever you choose, rain is vitally essential in the nature.
As climate change heats up the planet and causes extreme weather, more places face water shortages.
Humans have collected rain since ancient times.
Even in dry climates, there is a lot of potential rainwater that can be effectively harvested and utilized. This rich yet often overlooked resource has the potential to significantly contribute to water conservation efforts, especially in regions facing water shortages. Just one inch of rain falling on a medium-sized house produces over 600 gallons of water.
Nowadays, rainwater is still used as a primary supply in many places in the world, like Vietnam and Hawaii. In places with piped-in water, rainwater is not commonly used, but this is changing. Rainwater harvesting is getting more popular since it’s easy to do and helps create water security.
A.Large roofs can, hence, collect greater amount of water. |
B.Rainwater can also be used for fountains and ponds. |
C.We all deeply depend on the nourishment of rain. |
D.To secure future water supply, we need new sources. |
E.Now, many people are returning to this practice. |
F.Rainwater is clean but it gets dirty from the roof. |
8 .
With its bright colors, easy-to-learn rules and familiar music, the video game Tetris has endured as a pop culture symbol over the past 40 years. Many people, like me, have been playing the game for decades, and it has been updated to adapt to new technologies like game systems, phones and tablets.
However, Tetris is much more than winning. The game, in which players must control blocks of different shapes as they slide down a screen, is based on a fundamental element of geometry, called dynamic spatial reasoning (动态空间推理). It is taught by mathematics educators and used by architects, engineers, animators, and many others. Players employ these geometric skills to progress in Tetris, so playing it both tests and improves a player’s dynamic spatial reasoning.
Spatial reasoning is the ability to visualize geometric figures and how they will move in space. So, dynamic spatial reasoning is the ability to visualize actively moving figures. The Tetris player must quickly decide where the falling game piece will best fit and then move it there. This movement involves both translation — moving a shape right and left, and rotation — turning its shape by 90 degrees at a time.
Spatial visualization is a key element of a mathematics discipline called transformation al geometry, which is usually first taught in middle school. In a typical transformational geometry exercise, students might be asked to represent a figure by its x and y coordinates (坐标) on a coordinate graph and then identify the transformations, such as translation and rotations, necessary to move it from one position to another while keeping the piece the same shape and size.
While it may seem simple, transformation al geometry is the foundation for several advanced topics in mathematics. Architects and engineers both use transformations to draw up blueprints, which represent the real world in scale drawings. Animators use concepts of transformations as well. While animators today use computer programs that automatically move figures around, they are all based on this kind of transformation.
1. Which is NOT a key reason for Tetris’s lasting popularity?A.Its pleasure of winning the game. | B.Its bright colors and catchy music. |
C.Its link to complex math and geometry. | D.Its simple rules and tech adaptability. |
A.Logical reasoning. | B.Mathematical calculation. |
C.Memory maintaining. | D.Spatial visualization. |
A.(a) | B.(b) | C.(c) | D.(d) |
A.Tetris is a particularly useful tool for animation and architecture designs. |
B.Spatial visualization is based on the constant change of a figure’s position. |
C.Transformation algeometry behind Tetris can be applied to various fields. |
D.Spatial reasoning is too difficult for middle school students to master. |
9 . Among my oldest friends, I’m known as the mysterious one, the guy who rarely shows up, is always there not here. I had high school buddies, and I loved them all dearly though we boys didn’t say such things back then. Then life happened. Most of us left our hometown. Meet-ups become rare occasions.
One of those old friends, whom I had not seen since our high school graduation, reached out recently to say he’d be near where I am, and hoped we could meet up. He’d done the same thing about 10 years ago, and I’d begged off for some stupid reason related to my shyness, or rather, my introverted nature. I’m older and a bit wiser now, and I’ve been packing around some guilt over that missed opportunity for 10 years, so I agreed readily.
We met for dinner, perhaps two hours, and rarely had I felt at ease with other humans as I did with him. We talked and talked. About who we were then. Who we are now. And what made us the jerks (混蛋) we were then. We acknowledged that if not for each other, and the circles of good people we ran with back then, the good friends who kept us reasonably on track and in check, life could have easily gone south for either of us. Each of us recalled things the other had no memory of. Fragments of memories, scattered yet precious. We know we were tight then, and we value that friendship and shared experience still today.
People are fundamentally social beings and enjoy connecting with others. Maintaining social connections is good for our mental and physical health. However, despite the importance and enjoyment of social connection, people significantly underestimate how much others will appreciate being reached out to.
There’s something about the friends you make in youth that’s near impossible to recreate with friends you make later in life. I’m telling you this to remind you that your old friends would love to hear from you, maybe a simple text, a little hello, maybe even a phone call or a meetup.
1. The author refused the meet-up about 10 years ago probably because ______.A.he was not a sociable man. | B.he was not clever enough. |
C.he lived far away from his friends. | D.he felt guilty about his friends. |
A.Anxious and nervous. | B.Excited and energetic. |
C.Comfortable and relaxed. | D.Sad and regretful. |
A.They could have easily been off the track in life. |
B.They might have settled down in the southern region. |
C.Their friendship could have easily turned sour. |
D.They could have faced financial difficulties. |
A.To describe the author’s re union with an old friend. |
B.To reflect on the value of friendships formed in youth. |
C.To encourage readers to reach out to their old friends. |
D.To discuss the importance of social connections. |
A. flooded B. leaps C. increasingly D. combines E. reflects F. emphasizing G. pioneering H. crafted I. technical J. unexpectedly K. classic |
Chinese animations (动画) are booming
The “Black Cat Delective”, released 40 years ago, was a childhood favorite for many Chinese. Since then, Chinese cartoons have come a long way. While “Black Cat Detective” was simply drawn, current cartoons feature
These recent
In the 1960s, China’s animation industry saw a big downturn as American and Japanese films
Light Chaser Animation, a Beijing-based studio, has contributed to the popularity of cartoons in China. Its production “30,000 Miles from Chang’ an”