1 . Success Requires “Ample Doses of Pain”
Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, has a simple message for young people who want to achieve greatness: No pain, no gain. That was essentially his message for students at his alma mater, Stanford University, where he made a speech at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
“Greatness is not intelligence.
“One of my great advantages is that I have very low expectations,” Huang said, noting that most Stanford graduates have very high expectations as a result of having an elite education. Often people with very high expectations have very low resilience because they are not accustomed to, or prepared for, failure. “
“To this day I use the phrase ‘pain and suffering’ inside our company with great joy,” Huang told the Stanford students. “
A.Greatness comes from character. |
B.Unfortunately, resilience matters in success. |
C.Building character is a key factor in determining success. |
D.When it comes to achieving success, Huang knows more than most. |
E.That’s why I still worry Nvidia could ultimately fail, despite its massive success. |
F.I mean that in a happy way, because you want to refine the character of your company. |
2 . Monarch Butterflies Listed as Endangered
The monarch butterfly, known for its legendary migration from Mexico to Canada, is now at great risk of extinction. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the population of this orange-and-black insect has shrunk between 23% and 72% over the past 10 years. IUCN has labeled it as being endangered after having added it to its Red List of Threatened Species.
Another factor at play is the use of herbicides (除草剂) in agricultural fields.
Climate change has also taken a heavy toll on the species.
Monarch experts are calling for the public’s help in the fight to save the species. “Few species inspire the awe and wonder that the migratory monarch butterfly commands,” said Dr. Sean T. O’Brien, President and CEO of Nature Serve. “While efforts to protect this species are encouraging, much is still needed to ensure its long-term survival.”
What can be done to case the problem? A middle-of-the-road solution is gaining ground. Scientists recommend promoting the growth of native milkweed and nectar flowers. Monarch butterflies are a common backyard insect in America, so everyone can contribute their share. —
A.People can plant milkweed to support their egg-laying and caterpillars. |
B.When they are caterpillars (幼虫), monarchs entirely depend on milkweed. |
C.Hence, local people should maintain thick forests and reduce the use of pesticides within the monarch’s range. |
D.The reasons for the threat to monarchs are varied, but the leading one is the decades-long destruction of its habitats. |
E.In a one-two punch, droughts have limited the growth of milkweed, thus threatening the butterflies’ overwintering habitats. |
F.To help ensure the survival of monarchs, the habitats of the Monarch butterfly need to be protected and conserved. |
3 . The Maya loved cacao so much that they used the beans as currency. They also believed it is good for you — which many people still say today about cacao’s most famous byproduct, chocolate.
Flavanols may also boost insulin sensitivity, according to some studies, which might be helpful in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes (糖尿病).
What these findings mean for chocolate is limited, however. Participants would have had to eat multiple fat and sugar filled chocolate bars a day to source 500mg of flavanols.
A.Cacao contains hundreds of bioactive plant compounds, including flavanols, which have been associated with numerous possible health benefits. |
B.In 2022, Sesso and colleagues found compelling evidence for the benefits of flavanols. |
C.But the results aren’t conclusive. |
D.Spurred by chocolate’s popularity, numerous studies have explored bow the natural chemical compounds found in cocoa might be good for human health. |
E.All chocolates are definitely not created equal. |
F.But there’s still more research to be done to understand these effects. |
4 . The worst time to look for a job is when you feel desperate and must have a new one immediately.
Identify at least two different roles. You do not have to be qualified for these positions today, nor do they have to exist in your company. However, these roles should be related to your current skill set. They are career options that look interesting.
Do exceptional work. In any role, there is a way to perform at your best. Look for ways to deliver a top performance. Show up early, be flexible to new assignments, have a positive attitude, cooperate with other departments, pay attention to the little details.
Be professionally curious. Talk to people about their careers. Learn more about how success measured in other roles, departments and companies, Ask people their thoughts on different industries.
As in all things in life, getting in front of a difficult task early is always less stressful than reacting to a career surprise. Changing jobs is to be expected. No matter how secure you feel today, the time will come when either you or your employer decide it is time to change.
A.lf you associate with distinguished people, you are likely to find yourself with better opportunities. |
B.Challenge yourself to expand your business knowledge through interactions with people at regular time. |
C.In addition, the chances, if any, are low that you can find a satisfactory job in an economic situation like this. |
D.Once you have a couple of targets, think about why and what interests you. |
E.That is to say, the people you keep company with determine your character development. |
F.Job searching under pressure often results in nervous interviewing and decision-making from relatively few options. |
5 . A Victory for Women in Economics
Economic history has long been documented through a male perspective, putting emphasis on the contributions of men and their viewpoints. For proof, just look to the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.
Not only are women insufficiently represented as economists, economics as a field has historically ignored the role women play in the economy.
Goldin has challenged the traditional male-centered world and turned the attention to women’s economic roles and challenges. Her Nobel recognition isn’t merely an honor for her individual achievements. It shows the world how inclusive, diverse and interconnected the field truly is.
A.Economics isn’t just the boring science — it’s a human science. |
B.Goldin’s research advocates the establishment of support systems for families to address the gender pay gap. |
C.Part of the problem is that economics is often identified with finance, banking and the stock market. |
D.It wasn’t a victory just for her but for women in the field. |
E.It’s been awarded to 90 men since 1969 — and just three women. |
F.Traditional models often oversimplified households’ decision-making processes and did not account for women’s contributions. |
6 . Today, in most of the theatres in Britain, the stages are situated behind a sort of arch (拱门), called the proscenium (幕布前的舞台部分) arch. The arch runs across the building with the stage on one side of it and the auditorium, housing the audience, on the other. The audience is kept to the area from which it can get a clear view of the stage.
The modern idea of having the stage in front of the proscenium arch is not really modern, of course. It makes our stages much like Shakespeare’s.
Moreover, nowadays, people are finding that modern theatres are built to sit in comfortably for two or three hours at a stretch.
A.Over the last few decades, since the Second World War, theatrical customs have altered. |
B.It makes people feel, as they watch a play or a show, that they are seeing a living and moving picture. |
C.All these innovations have quickened up the pace of the drama. |
D.This is an advantage both for actors and audience. |
E.Today the theatres are much more comfortable because of the many improvements. |
F.Often they can meet and eat in the restaurants attached to the theatres. |
7 . The Psychology of Giving: Why do People Give to Charity?
Every day, leaders in the nonprofit sector invest valuable time, energy, and money into educating and spreading awareness of their mission in the hopes that this will increase support for their nonprofit. They assume that if only more people knew about a school’s budget cuts, for example, then they would surely donate! So, they bombard (连续轰炸) potential supporters with depressing statistics or complex arguments.
Why do people donate to charity? While it’s true that donors and volunteers are motivated to make the world a better place because it’s the right thing to do, that’s not the entire—or even the primary—reason for their generosity.
Since we give in part because it solidifies our connections to others, make sure that your communication with your donors is personal and specific (i.e. begin correspondence with “Dear Anna,” not “Dear Donor”). Prioritize community by finding ways to connect with your supporters on a personal level and give them the opportunity to interact with each other, whether it’s through a monthly video call or a donor appreciation night.
Remember that, at base, all philanthropic work is fundamentally a social act, so aim to make your donors feel like they’re a part of a broader community in which they are included, valued, and seen.
A.Research shows that the number one motivator for charitable giving is the all-too-human quest for reward and social attachment. |
B.But this begs the question: how do statistics influence people’s decision to donate? |
C.The more human ties your donors have with your organization and with each other, the more committed they’ll be to your mission. |
D.While statistics and figures are important, make sure that your messages to your donors are upbeat and optimistic. |
E.In this way, you are more likely to build long-lasting connection with both contributors and receivers. |
F.However, that’s not how the human mind works. |
8 . A flexible patch could help people with voice disorders talk
The human voice, with its unique ability to attract audiences, express love and sometimes annoy neighbors, is a delibate thing. Doppler’s vocal cords can easily get damaged by stress, infections, or overuse.
Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, have developed a soft patch that attaches to the neck, detecting muscle movements and translating them into clear speech using machine-learning algorithms. Even though the device is still in the early stages, it could be a significant improvement over existing communication aids for those who have lost their voice.
The patch works based on the magneto-elastic (磁弹性的) effect When magnetic nanoparticles are mixed into flexible materials like elastic or silicone, stretching the material can change its magnetic properties. Every time the material changes shape, the particles either rotate or move against each other, altering the material’s magnetic strength. The patch, with its copper coil border that creates a stable magnetic field, can precisely track these changes.
The patch is also designed to be user-friendly. It stays on even when the skin is sweaty and can be worn for 40 minutes without getting too warm.
However, there is more work to be done. For now the device can only recognize five pre-trained phrases.
A.But the magnetization of the material holds great promise in the future. |
B.Plus, individual differences in vocal-cords means the algorithm has to be personalized to each user. |
C.When the throat muscles move under the patch, the changes in the magnetic field can also be turned into electrical signals. |
D.Currently, people might resort to typing, texting, or writing, which can be slow or hard to read in poor light. |
E.It is not just enthusiastic performers who risk damaging their voices. |
F.In tests, the patch accurately recognized sentences spoken. |
9 . Nature’s Gigantic Snow Plough
On January 10, 1962, an enormous piece of glacier broke away and collapsed down the side of a mountain in Peru. A mere seven minutes later, when cascading ice finally came to a stop ten miles down the mountain, it had taken the lives of 4,000 people. This disaster is one of the most “destructive” examples of a very common event: an avalanche (雪崩) of snow or ice. Because it is extremely cold at very high altitudes, snow rarely melts.
Even an avalanche of light power can be dangerous, but the Peruvian disaster was particularly terrible because it was caused by a heavy layer of ice.
At present there is no way to predict or avoid such enormous avalanches, but luckily, they are very rare.
A.It is estimated that the ice that broke off weighed three million tons. |
B.It just keeps piling up higher and higher. |
C.Scientists are constantly studying the smaller, more common avalanches, to try to understand what causes them. |
D.An extremely rare snow and ice disaster hit the south area of China in January, 2008, seriously influencing people’s production and life. |
E.But most avalanches occur long before this happens. |
F.This year’s snow and ice disaster has caused great harm to power network. |
10 . Health in space
Astronaut Frank Rubiales has returned to Earth after 371 days in space.
Being in space can affect physical wellbeing.
It’s not just physical health that is affected by being in space. Our mental health can be damaged if we don’t get enough sleep. On earth, our bodies respond through circadian rhythms (昼夜节奏) to the Sun rising and setting to help us sleep, but astronauts on board the International Space Station see 16 sunsets and sunrises every day. This means that avoiding sleep deprivation is a challenge. Isolation, and spending all your time with a small group of people can also affect mental health. Along with isolation, is the pressure that comes from being constantly monitored by experts back on Earth. With possible future missions to Mars predicted to last three years, tensions within the crew could become heightened.
Developing new techniques and technology to support astronauts’ health will enable more ambitious future missions.
A.Astronaut Harry Hartfield reports an example of this where a colleague threatened to open the airlock and drain the oxygen from the spacecraft. |
B.The sacrifices of astronauts contributed to a giant leap in space exploration. |
C.It can also help those of us who are staying on Earth. |
D.Weightlessness caused by a lack of gravity can lead to a loss of bone and muscle mass. |
E.The missions do great harm to both physical and mental health of astronauts. |
F.It was only supposed to be 180, but a technical fault stopped him from returning as planned. |