1 . GuiltyPleasures? No Such Thing
We know them when we see them: The TV shows and movies we love, even though we just know they’re bad. The trashy books we simply can’t
Yes, these are our guilty pleasures — what some people consider the
Taking a mental break and enjoying something that doesn’t require intense intellectual
If that’s true, then why do guilty pleasures get such a bad
One important value of a guilty pleasure is the
Still, it’s best to follow the age-old advice our parents taught us: Everything in moderation. Though guilt can enhance pleasure in some cases, it can also push us to indulge in
A.turn down | B.take in | C.tear apart | D.put down |
A.junk | B.sugary | C.spiritual | D.transformative |
A.relaxed | B.guilty | C.helpless | D.alert |
A.mass | B.moderation | C.minimum | D.depression |
A.focus | B.superiority | C.quality | D.development |
A.struggle | B.charge | C.engage | D.persevere |
A.breakup | B.principle | C.condition | D.reputation |
A.consciousness | B.obligation | C.attitudes | D.requirements |
A.switch | B.receive | C.claim | D.decrease |
A.remove | B.discourage | C.distinguish | D.prevent |
A.conflict | B.difference | C.exchange | D.bond |
A.established | B.underestimated | C.found | D.strengthened |
A.In addition | B.On the contrary | C.All in all | D.Therefore |
A.enthusiastically | B.casually | C.openly | D.politely |
A.theories | B.behaviors | C.problems | D.relationships |
2 . Charity in Action
In a busy city like Shanghai, the hustle and bustle often overshadow the needs of those less fortunate. However, amidst this chaos, there are still stories of
One such story unfolded one sunny afternoon in the heart of the city. Li Hua, a high school student, was walking home from school,
Curious, she approached and saw an elderly woman sitting on the ground,
Without
Inspired by this encounter, Li Hua decided to take action. She organized a charity event at her school,
To her surprise, the response was
The charity event was a huge success. Not only did it raise a significant amount of money and goods, but it also
Li Hua’s actions not only
In the busy and often impersonal world of Shanghai, Li Hua’s story is a beacon of hope, a reminder that amidst the noise and crowds, there is still room for
A.charity | B.success | C.adventure | D.courage |
A.advocated | B.annoyed | C.amused | D.amazed |
A.happy | B.lost | C.helpless | D.hopeless |
A.sorrow | B.happiness | C.confusion | D.surprise |
A.hesitation | B.permission | C.doubt | D.invitation |
A.sad | B.nervous | C.warm | D.proud |
A.reducing | B.gaining | C.losing | D.raising |
A.carried out | B.gave away | C.put up | D.took down |
A.negative | B.indifferent | C.overwhelming | D.disappointing |
A.offering | B.demanding | C.expecting | D.refusing |
A.created | B.destroyed | C.ignored | D.avoided |
A.ignored | B.highlighted | C.linked | D.analyzed |
A.helped | B.hurt | C.ignored | D.frightened |
A.shaking | B.showing | C.lending | D.pointing |
A.kindness | B.wealth | C.fame | D.power |
3 . The disposable culture
The disposable (一次性的) culture started small. In1892 William Painter, founder of the Baltimore Bottle Seal Company, patented the bottle cap. The bottles were returned and refilled, but the bottle caps were
Most people feel
With persistence, one may still
This dilemma (困境) occasionally
While some repairs are certainly beyond the ability of the ordinary consumer, many are unbelievably simple. Finding willing
A.turned out | B.thrown away | C.held out | D.kept away |
A.invention | B.concept | C.version | D.equipment |
A.historic | B.political | C.cultural | D.economic |
A.replace | B.produce | C.maintain | D.launch |
A.motivated by | B.accustomed to | C.uncomfortable about | D.independent of |
A.wise | B.relieved | C.bored | D.guilty |
A.removes | B.discovers | C.fixes | D.adjusts |
A.tell | B.miss | C.find | D.affect |
A.service | B.machine | C.information | D.part |
A.doubt | B.insist | C.know | D.recall |
A.takes up | B.puts up | C.makes up | D.opens up |
A.worthless | B.familiar | C.priceless | D.unavailable |
A.fault | B.stage | C.mistake | D.ease |
A.popular | B.disappointing | C.accidental | D.satisfying |
A.managers | B.salesmen | C.repairmen | D.deliverers |
4 . In Favour of Simple Writing
Do you edit text messages carefully before sending them? If so, you may be the kind of person who takes pride in
People are constantly receiving messages, from the mailbox to the inbox to the text-message alert. What to read, what to skim (略读) and what to ignore are decisions that nearly everyone has to make dozens of times a day. A new book titled All Readers are Busy Nowadays makes the argument for being the careful kind of
Take “less is more”. Most books on writing well advocate the advice to
Keeping messages to a
Syntax (句法) and
If everyone is a busy reader, everyone is a busy writer, too. That may make it tempting to sent as many messages as
A.conveying | B.understanding | C.crafting | D.sending |
A.care | B.quantity | C.simplicity | D.technology |
A.reader | B.poster | C.learner | D.writer |
A.structures | B.principles | C.aims | D.alternatives |
A.remove | B.ignore | C.reconsider | D.interpret |
A.conveyed | B.translated | C.tested | D.shaped |
A.lowered | B.affected | C.doubled | D.maintained |
A.basic | B.positive | C.definite | D.single |
A.Recording | B.Reducing | C.Counting | D.Estimating |
A.in comparison | B.after all | C.for instance | D.in particular |
A.word-choice | B.pattern-design | C.target-setting | D.platform-selection |
A.difficult | B.suitable | C.challenging | D.common |
A.carefully | B.often | C.politely | D.quickly |
A.outcomes | B.points | C.figures | D.benefits |
A.received | B.written | C.read | D.answered |
5 . The stress of daily life has given rise to a new phenomenon—sleep texting. People with this condition send text messages while asleep to their friends and family—completely
Sleep specialist Dr. Cunnington, of Melbourne Sleep Disorder Centre in Australia, said patients had reported
He said, “We have had patients who have reported sending text messages to their friends and family while asleep. It is one of those things that happens, but it is very
Unsurprisingly, there are no
Researchers at the University of Toledo reported the case of a woman, 44, who would
He said, “Emails can be sent to work colleagues and have much more serious
Dr. Cunnington described sleep texting as the
“
Dr. Cunnington said people
A.curious | B.unaware | C.sure | D.grateful |
A.missions | B.intention | C.courses | D.incidents |
A.mobile phones | B.personal computers | C.unfinished work | D.sleeping pills |
A.true | B.attractive | C.obvious | D.rare |
A.clues | B.details | C.studies | D.insights |
A.similar | B.strange | C.present | D.unique |
A.recall | B.collect | C.compose | D.polish |
A.generous | B.internal | C.harmful | D.positive |
A.consequences | B.preparations | C.injuries | D.discussions |
A.accidentally | B.purposefully | C.unreasonably | D.unwillingly |
A.theory | B.result | C.excuse | D.loss |
A.Because | B.Although | C.Whether | D.So |
A.combine | B.satisfy | C.describe | D.separate |
A.devoting | B.struggling | C.objecting | D.affording |
A.turn on | B.stick to | C.think about | D.switch off |
6 . A pencil drawing of a broken old man, head in hands, looking extremely exhausted, has been identified as a newly-discovered work by Vincent Van Gogh.
The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam said yesterday that it had
The drawing has been titled Study for
He called these models his “orphan men” and “orphan women”. A favourite was the man in the newly discovered drawing, Adrianus Jacobus Zuyderland, the only one of these models whose name is known.
Van Gogh used a thick carpenter’s pencil on rough watercolour paper. The sheet
Experts have
Van Gogh talked about the two drawings in a letter to his brother, Theo. “Today and yesterday I drew two
At the time Van Gogh was
The drawing, which has been in a
Meedendorp recalled his
“Whenever you have a
A.denied | B.doubted | C.recognized | D.concealed |
A.expensive | B.extraordinary | C.impossible | D.useless |
A.Worn Out | B.Reach Out | C.Hands Up | D.On the Way |
A.animals | B.people | C.buildings | D.nature |
A.lent | B.protected | C.showed | D.paid |
A.costs | B.values | C.measures | D.weighs |
A.traced | B.favoured | C.displayed | D.withdrew |
A.squares | B.figures | C.triangles | D.servants |
A.design | B.scenery | C.sight | D.drawing |
A.talented | B.ambitious | C.modest | D.pessimistic |
A.fine | B.new | C.private | D.public |
A.annoyance | B.disappointment | C.excitement | D.indifference |
A.absolutely | B.barely | C.hardly | D.instantly |
A.ruins | B.classifies | C.handles | D.accompanies |
A.purchase | B.laugh | C.scream | D.peer |
7 . We all wish we had our very own libraries at home. They’re a great way to keep what you love reading best organized in one place. Technology has taken over our lives and everything seems to be accessible
Unlike the Internet, printed books are much more
Unlike electronic devices that can have problems such as the loss of
Libraries are a great place that dates back to a time when
A.finally | B.digitally | C.carefully | D.equally |
A.harmful | B.unnecessary | C.impossible | D.convenient |
A.reliable | B.expensive | C.natural | D.important |
A.printed | B.checked | C.kept | D.decorated |
A.data | B.story | C.picture | D.cover |
A.spread | B.published | C.read | D.stored |
A.colorful | B.physical | C.unreal | D.imaginary |
A.applies | B.reminds | C.lacks | D.ensures |
A.Above all | B.In addition | C.In a word | D.On the contrary |
A.helpful | B.recommended | C.attractive | D.printed |
A.electronic | B.expensive | C.harmful | D.valuable |
A.sell | B.read | C.design | D.recall |
A.knowledge | B.technology | C.information | D.printing |
A.function | B.appearance | C.location | D.building |
A.getting rid of | B.turning down | C.accounting for | D.getting involved in |
8 . Contact between adolescents (between the ages of 15 and 19) and their peers (同龄人) is a universal characteristic of all cultures. However, the nature and the degree of such contact
This pattern of age segregation (隔离) in American society did not become usual until the beginning of the industrialized society. Changes in the
Research
A.reveal | B.vary | C.imply | D.prove |
A.younger children | B.professional teachers | C.close relatives | D.responsible researchers |
A.interest | B.attitude | C.workplace | D.age |
A.slightly | B.seldom | C.regularly | D.further |
A.resulted in | B.objected to | C.held back | D.checked out |
A.solution | B.factor | C.concern | D.argument |
A.spending | B.volunteers | C.partners | D.population |
A.increase | B.share | C.disappearance | D.selection |
A.opposes | B.doubts | C.supports | D.changes |
A.diets | B.activities | C.expenses | D.necessities |
A.in addition | B.as a result | C.in particular | D.for example |
A.late | B.typical | C.early | D.common |
A.pressure | B.networks | C.skills | D.background |
A.culture | B.pressure | C.respect | D.education |
A.develop | B.control | C.escape | D.apply |
9 . Did you ever have to say “no” to somebody? Such as a classmate asking to have breakfast with you? New research suggests that, at least socially, a rejection shouldn’t include an —
Gili Freedman is doing some related research at Dartmouth College. For her research, she asked over 1,000 people to respond to different
Gili Freedman said the reason is that apologies make people feel like that the rejection was
However, her research deals only with
A.excuse | B.apology | C.analysis | D.explanation |
A.In fact | B.In particular | C.Above all | D.As a result |
A.challenging | B.alarming | C.disappointing | D.surprising |
A.cope with | B.hand over | C.turn down | D.send back |
A.ideas | B.examples | C.functions | D.rules |
A.comment | B.advice | C.reaction | D.choice |
A.accepted | B.deserved | C.expected | D.offered |
A.helpless | B.sorry | C.upset | D.anxious |
A.feel | B.interact | C.behave | D.strive |
A.inspired | B.pleased | C.embarrassed | D.hurt |
A.flexible | B.beneficial | C.acceptable | D.sufficient |
A.displeasure | B.resistance | C.envy | D.boredness |
A.being turned down | B.being talked with | C.doing the rejection | D.expressing the anger |
A.written | B.social | C.global | D.mass |
A.different | B.effective | C.direct | D.official |
10 . Procrastination (拖延) is one of the world’s worst time: You have so much that you need to do, but when it comes to actually sitting down and getting it done, it seems basically
If you’re wondering how the contrary of procrastination could be a
The discovery of pre-crastination leads to all kinds of questions about
The researchers mentioned this in their article, published in Scientific American, in which they advise
A.meaningful | B.impossible | C.practical | D.terrible |
A.function | B.account | C.effect | D.opposite |
A.negative | B.dangerous | C.creative | D.beneficial |
A.ignore | B.complete | C.face | D.develop |
A.successfully | B.immediately | C.creatively | D.positively |
A.However | B.For instance | C.In addition | D.In short |
A.memory | B.duty | C.hurry | D.exchange |
A.come across | B.look through | C.get over | D.get through |
A.prioritizing | B.choosing | C.saving | D.quoting |
A.labor-saving | B.helpful | C.complex | D.rewarding |
A.suggestion | B.behavior | C.to-do list | D.task |
A.reflecting on | B.setting up | C.responding to | D.putting off |
A.avoiding | B.updating | C.observing | D.encouraging |
A.entirely | B.carelessly | C.first | D.last |
A.summarize | B.master | C.organize | D.recall |