Crowd control could soon become an important skill for climbers on Mount Everest, as important as physical strength or watching the weather. In a single day last week, nearly 40 people reached the top of the world — a record. Reports from base camp spoke of queues at dangerous ridges and crowds as people passed each other in the final dash for the 8,848 meters top.
More traditional mountaineers have been concerned about the circus atmosphere surrounding Everest in recent years, and there are warnings that the crowds are making the mountain more dangerous. In 1996, 14 died on the mountain when the members of several groups were trapped at high altitudes by sudden snowstorms. Bad weather in early May led to this year’s jam on the summit ridge, but the loss, luckily, was light. Just four climbers died, including a Nepali Sherpa who had made 11 previous successful climbing.
Traditionalists are also worried about the growing tendency of climbers to set records and achieve “firsts”, rather than simply climb the mountain. This year’s crop of mountaineers included the oldest man, 64-year-old Sherman Bull from Connecticut, and the youngest, 16-year-old Temba Tsheri Sherpa of Nepal. An American with only one arm was on the mountain this year; an Indian with no legs also tried but failed. Erik Weihennieyer, an American, became the first blind person to reach the top of the world. His fellow climbers stayed in front of him on the way up, describing the type of land and ringing bells.
Nepal views Mount Everest as something of a cash cow. The government charges journeys a minimum of $70,000. That is probably why officials in Katmandu are ignoring concerns about overcrowding and talking about even more climbers coming next year. But a celebration of the 48th anniversary of the first conquest of Everest, by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, was cancelled after violent strikes. Tumultuous (动乱的) Nepali politics, it seems, could be just the crowd-control measure that Everest needs.
1. According to the author, what skills are important for climbers on Mount Everest?2. What are traditional mountaineers worried about?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
●The Nepal government cares little about the overcrowding problem because of its internal tumultuous politics.
4. Do you think it is a good idea to limit the number of visitors to a tourist attraction? Why?
Kieran Behan was just a boy, maybe 6 years old, when he fell in love with gymnastics, but that was before a series of injuries, two so severe that doctors told him he would never walk again.
Yet Behan, pushed on. “Doctors told me, ‘stop thinking about your crazy dreams and you must accept that it’s over for you,’” Behan said. “But I just kept saying: ‘No, no, no — this is not the rest of my life. This is not how it’s going to play out.’ And look at me now, an Olympian. They said it was impossible, but I did it.”
Kieran Behan started gymnastics when he was 8. But soon came the first of many blows: during a leg operation, a doctor’s mistake caused a severe nerve damage that left Behan with limited feeling in his left foot. Doctors told him to prepare himself for life in a wheelchair.
They were wrong.
Although it took 15 months, Behan went back to gymnastics. But eight months after he returned from his leg injury, disaster hit again. He hit the back of his head during training. The accident caused a brain injury which affected his balance so much that even the slightest movement could cause Behan to faint. Mearly two years after non-stop physical therapy, Kieran Behan did what he did best: he picked himself up again. He said he could not live without gymnastics and never doubted he would be back.
Finally, in 2012, his determination began to pay off. His excellent performance at the Olympic test event qualified him for the Games. “I felt like I was in a fairy tale,” he said of the London Games. “All I could think about was: ‘Is this a dream? Tell me this is really happening.’” Even though be did not enter any of the event finals, Behan never lost heart and persevered to make it for the 2016 Olympic Games at Rio de Janeiro.
Behan hopes his tale might inspire others to overcome hardship, whether it is in sports, at work or at home.
Still, he struggled to explain why he has been so unbeatable. “I think it’s probably just in my blood,” he said. “I was just born to do this.”
1. What happened during Behan’s leg operation?2. In what way did Behan’s brain injury influence him?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Because of Behan’s determination, he won at the finals in the London Games.
4. Do you think Behan is a great athlete? Why or why not? (In about 40 words)
Group-Chat Culture Is Out of Control
For better or worse, we might be in the Age of the Group Chat. In a recent survey, most people said they felt stressed out by group messages, which can feel like a part-time job.
Connection is wonderful. Grexts, short for group texts, have the feature of imitating the casual back-and-forth of a dialogue, and the result can be more dynamic and fun than a two-person thread. Having a chat going also means you have a space to share your updates throughout the day, a reminder that you’re part of something.
Some researchers call this “ambient(周围的) virtual presence”: Even when you’re alone, you’re not alone. One researcher compares this phenomenon to echolocation(回声定位), the process that some animals, such as bats and dolphins, use to locate objects: They produce a continuous sound and use the resulting echo to sense their surroundings. Humans might use technologies such as group chats in a similar way—as a call-and-response, taking in information about their social networks and locating themselves within those webs.
But taking in too many signals can be overwhelming. Professor Bayer argued that group chats can create a “waterfall type of effect”, where messages keep flooding in and adding up. Eventually, you’re underwater. Another researcher suggested that different chat members all bring their own personalities, communication styles, and expectations for group norms. Without a standard etiquette (礼仪), people have varied opinions about what degree of responsiveness is required—which can cause real tension.
Grext anxiety is hard to resolve because it isn’t just about the group-chat or even mobile technology in general; it’s about the tension between being our own person and being responsible to others. Ultimately, most of us do want connection, even if it involves some duties.
1. What is the feature of Grexts?2. How might humans use group chats like echolocation?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
▶Without a standard etiquette, people have different ideas about what messages should be answered.
4. Please describe how another mobile technology affects your relationship with others. (In about 40 words)
People face all kinds of problems in life. There are personal crises, such as illness, loss of a loved one, abuse, bullying, job loss, and financial instability. People have to learn to cope with and work through very challenging life experiences. In those experiences, resilience is the key factor for people to overcome challenges.
Resilience is the ability of people to feel better quickly after something unpleasant. Resilient people do experience stress, setbacks, and difficult emotions, but they tap into their strengths and seek help from support systems to overcome challenges and work through problems. Resilience empowers people to accept and adapt to a situation and move forward. It is the core strength people use to lift the load of life.
Kids confront any number of challenges as they grow — from starting school and making new friends to adverse experiences, such as bullying and abuse. Building resilience can help children manage stress and feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. Young people need help learning to develop resilience in a stressful world. It isn’t as easy as telling them to try again. They need social support. Parents can help children develop resilience through positive behaviors and thoughts, such as setting realistic goals, maintaining a daily routine, encouraging self-discovery, accepting change as part of life and so on. Young people live up or down to the expectations that are set for them and need adults who love them unconditionally and hold them to high expectations. Most importantly, how parents model resilience for young people is far more important than what they say about it.
Building resilience is a process by which people use flexibility to reframe thought patterns and learn to tap into a strengths-based approach to working through challenges. With resilience, a person may feel equipped to manage stresses. Resilience is not a long-lasting state but resilience can be learned.
1. What is resilience?2. Why do people need resilience?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
What parents say plays a more important role in helping young people to develop resilience.
4. What can you do to build your resilience?
“What if…?” thinking is anytime you try to guess the future outcome of an action you take. For example, “I want to ask for a pay raise but what if…?” Your mind then fills in the blank with many alternate scenarios, almost all of them negative.
It’s a powerful combination of focusing on the negative and the unrealistic. It causes you to suffer through events that may not even happen as you try to predict the future and work out how you’ll cope with all these possible(yet unlikely)scenarios. But the absolute worst thing about “what if…” thinking though, is that it tries to convince you it’s helping. You tell yourself that you’re just preparing yourself, you’re protecting yourself. But “what if…” thinking rarely leads to taking practical, preventative actions. Instead, you torture yourself by imagining all sorts of terrible outcomes, all in the name of being “prepared”, the idea of which is captured beautifully by this quote: “Do not be fooled by ‘what if…’ thinking! You are not a fortune teller. Even if you were, mentally rehearsing how you’ll cope with a negative outcome has limited usefulness. You’re much better off just coping with the situation once when it happens.” By torturing yourself imagining all the possible bad things that could happen, you end up living through all these horrible possibilities that you don’t have to.
Even if you do get it right, and one of the negative scenarios is the outcome, you’re unlikely to remember your well-rehearsed comeback or safety strategy in the heat of the moment.
Another separate problem with “what if…?” thinking is that it makes you so fearful of all these potentially hideous outcomes that it stops you from actually living through the situation, if you can at all avoid it.
By stopping yourself from acting, not only do you cut off the potential benefits of actually asking, but you also cut off the opportunity to see that your predictions were wrong—because you don’t test them out by entering the situation regardless. Unchallenged like this, “What if…” thinking seems like it actually protects you and seems even more “helpful” next time around.
Once you’ve decided on a course of action, “what if…” has got much louder and soon will stop you from taking action. I like to not give them an opportunity. Once you’ve made a decision, force your own hand: make the phone call straight away, enroll and pay for the course, make an appointment in your calendar, etc. before your fears and negativity even get a chance to get up off the couch.
1. What is “what if…” thinking?2. What is the absolute worst thing about “what if…” thinking?
3. Decide which part of the following statement is wrong. Underline it and explain why.
“What if…” thinking actually protects one because it cuts off the opportunity to see that one’s predictions were wrong.
4. Briefly introduce one of your experiences of fighting “what if…” thinking.(In about 40 words)
The Best Response to Criticism
When someone criticizes you, your natural reaction is mostly to feel bad about it or defend yourself. If you lack confidence or if you have no clear opinion about yourself, you may also feel pain and even accept the criticism as true. Living in this world, we have to deal with the opinions of others and keep ourselves safe from their negativity.
Sometimes, you will face genuine criticism from others. If you are too caught up in defensive attitude and not being open minded, you may not receive the criticism well and may not perceive the truth in it. When you are criticized, remember that your opinion of yourself is probably more genuine than the opinion of another who does not know you as much as you know about you.
Yet, we give so much importance to what others say and what they think about us. It is natural because we prefer to be approved and accepted by others, or at least respected and acknowledged for who we are. The truth is, in many respects, criticism is a reflection of the person who indulges in it rather than you. A critic’s criticism reveals more about him and his judgment rather than the object of his criticism.
Criticism is a personal opinion of the critic. It very much depends upon the person, his or her thinking, beliefs, knowledge, attitude and values. It is a product of his worldview, upbringing, values, beliefs, likes and dislikes, knowledge and ignorance. It also depends upon his relationship and attitude towards the person for whom the criticism is intended.
A criticism which is not based upon true discernment（识别能力）and purity of perception and judgment should not be considered true criticism. You can ignore it or use it to know the people who criticize.
Every criticism helps you know about you or those who engage in it. Use it to improve yourself or your relationships. If you understand this truth, you will accept criticism as a blessing and an opportunity to become a better person with better awareness.
1. According to this passage, what is the natural reaction when one gets criticized?2. Why do we give so much importance to what others say and what they think about us?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Since every criticism is a personal opinion of the critic, it is not helpful for us.
4. How do you usually respond to criticism?（In about 40 words）
Panda Pride
Pandas are not only a national treasure, but are loved around the world.
Recently, a giant panda cub (幼崽) born in August at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, US, was given the name Xiao Qi Ji, which is translated into English as “little miracle”. The choice was the result of a five-day online vote that drew nearly 135,000 voters in the US.
This cub’s birth proved to be quite inspiring—and at a time when inspiration was truly needed. “Xiao Qi Ji’s birth is a true miracle that has been so uplifting to all of us during the pandemic,” Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai said in a video congratulatory message. “We are connected again in the growth of our little ambassador, and in our shared joy and friendship.”
The furry black-and-white animals have played an important role in China’s diplomacy, known as “panda diplomacy”.
In the 1950s, China sent pandas as gifts to friendly countries with no strings attached. The most successful donation being that of two pandas to the US in 1972, a move announced during President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China which marked the beginning of normalized Sino-US relations.
By 1982, China had given 23 pandas to nine different countries. However, most of them have died mainly because they don’t have enough to eat. Adult giant pandas consume about 40 kilograms of fresh bamboo daily. It takes 10 years for a new crop of bamboo to mature, and many countries do not have an environment suitable for bamboo growth.
In acknowledgement of the decline in panda numbers, the Chinese government stopped giving them as gifts. Instead the animals were “loaned”, usually via renewable 10-year rental terms. If a foreign zoo wants to rent a panda, it must first draw up a feasible research program that will help panda conservation. China also banned any form of overseas panda tours for private profit.
The nature of panda exchanges since then has changed into an exercise focused on protecting the species through collaborative research. The government is hoping that cooperation between Chinese and foreign scientists can develop new ways of saving the panda and the entire $1 million annual rental fee goes toward protection and research.
Countries are trying their best to facilitate this special type of diplomacy. “We don’t own the pandas, but the whole world wants to help save the panda, and we do that through our knowledge exchange. The concern for the vulnerable animal unites all citizens regardless of nationality, class or political persuasion.” Steven Monfort, director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, told China Daily.
1. Why is Xiao Qi Ji, the giant panda cub’s birth so inspiring?2. What may cause the death of pandas in other countries?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Pandas were loaned to other countries to make profit and boost domestic economy.
4. Apart from pandas, what else can be a cultural ambassador representing China? Name one and explain how it may help China improve international relations. (about 40 words)
In a growing number of school districts across America, students must wear a uniform. According to the US Department of Education, wearing a uniform can maintain discipline and help schools recognize those who come to the school illegally. Schools claim that when students come in uniform, it improves discipline and leads to academic gains. However, students protested the decision.
A more important question is whether there is any evidence to show that mandatory (强制的) uniform policies can lead to improved student outcomes. A 2003 study that used a large national data set concluded that elementary and middle schools with school uniforms had fewer student behavior problems. But it found that high schools had a greater frequency of misbehavior.
Interestingly, even when evidence is available, educators could take the opposite view. For example, a study of educators in 38 North Carolina high schools found that 61% of the school masters believed that there was a reduction in cases of misbehavior on campus when school uniforms were introduced. In reality, the data showed no change in incidents of suspensions (停学) and other problems.
Similarly, research on the effectiveness of school uniforms on increasing student attendance and achievement is confusing. For example, one study concluded that school uniforms resulted in increased student achievement and increased attendance. However, another study found little impact on academics at all levels and little evidence of improvement in attendance for girls and drop in attendance for boys. So, what does lack of consistent research mean for policy?
In my view, it does not mean that schools should not carry out such policies. It does mean, however, that educators must be clear about the goals that they hope to achieve. Decreased discipline problems, increased attendance and academic achievement may not be achieved just by wearing uniforms. But there may be other benefits, for instance, it could help a school promote its brand through a uniform look. School uniforms may also serve as a symbol of commitment to academic achievement.
1. Why are students required to wear school uniforms in America?2. What are the findings of the 2003 study?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Some studies showed wearing school uniforms helped improve students' performance, but other studies found no consistent results, so schools should stop the school uniform policy.
4. What do you think of wearing school uniforms? Explain your reasons. (In about 40 words)
Teenagers are learning new communication skills every day. It is important for them to have opportunities to network, or to meet and get to know new people. Online networking, which is very popular with teens today, makes short, superficial connections. But offline networking better encourages meaningful connections that will increase hope, develop skills, and open avenues to career opportunity. Teens need to practice more offline networking. It will prepare them to be confident face-to-face communicators in the real world.
A survey of almost 7,000 teens was conducted in 2019 by three Swiss researchers, and they found that teens were spending too much time on social networking sites. So, they suggested that teens should spend more time with others in real life. It not only contributes to a stronger sense of identity and a happier mood, but also gives us the chance to share happiness with other people. In other words, offline networking seems to actually benefit a teen’s emotional health.
Face-to-face communication also gives teens an opportunity to learn to read people. Everyone communicates in person differently than communicating over the phone, through texting, or in online posts. Being face-to-face requires a person to think and respond more quickly—without the safety net of a delete key.
And much of our communication is nonverbal anyway. Facial expressions, gestures, and vocal tones are just a few examples. Teens need to have face-to-face interactions so they can learn to read these nonverbal cues(暗示), which are sometimes even more important than the words a person is saying. A time will come when the teen will need to enter the job market, and this usually means a face-to-face interaction, including interacting naturally with customers, hearing and understanding their words as well as their nonverbal cues in many different kinds of businesses.
Offline networking is important because it can improve a teenager’s well-being and help prepare him for the future. That’s why every teen should spend time practicing real-world interactions.
1. What is the disadvantage of online networking?2. What was the researchers’ suggestion to teens?
3. Read the following statement, underline the false part of it and explain the reason.
Hearing and understanding what a person is saying is necessarily involved in communication, so people get less from nonverbal expressions.
4. Please present what you can do to make effective face-to-face communication in your daily life. (about 40 words)
Why do you pull yourself out of bed every morning to go to work or school? What does it take to make you feel like your contribution in those places is truly worthwhile? Knowing what motivates you can help you find meaning in your work and make efforts to reach your goals.
Psychologists have a wide variety of ways of describing and differentiating motivations because people care about so many different things. Psychologist David McClelland identified three main motivations for people: achievement (the feeling of success), affiliation (close relationships) and power (the ability to influence the world). Authors Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton identified 23 motivations, including creativity, challenge and learning.
Some motivations, such as money, social position and praise, are external; these are the tools bosses typically use to encourage their employees to do better. Other motivations, including fun, personal growth and feeling like one’s work is significant, come from within the person doing the action. These ideals, called internal motivations, tend to be more reliable than external ones because they represent things that can never be taken away.
Since a wide variety of motivations exist, it’s important to understand which ones are persuasive to you. Trying to motivate yourself in a way that doesn’t appeal to you will make it difficult to convince yourself to work. When choosing a career, think about what motivates you and make decisions accordingly. If you are motivated by overcoming challenges, look for a career where you can continually try hard to reach a higher level.
People motivated by external rewards sometimes struggle to meet goals they set for themselves that no one else knows about. They can solve this problem by creating external rewards for their personal goals such as finding a friend to hold them accountable.
When you know what motivates you, you will be able to motivate yourself to do the things necessary to succeed. And if you are a leader, knowing what motivates your team will enable you to help them do the same.
1. Why is it important for people to be clear of their motivations?2. How can the motivations be classified according to McClelland?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Since the external motivations involve money, social position and praise, which are often used as tools by bosses, they are more dependable than the internal ones.
4. Please briefly present what motivates you in your life and how it works. (about 40 words)
