1 . Will your happiness differ if you are doing a kind action without any expectation of rewards or with an expectation of rewards? A study by University of Sussex, headed by Dr. Daniel CampbellMeikeljohn, tried to answer that question. He and his partners analyzed over 1, 000 brain scans from other studies related to reactions to making a decision based on kindness. They split the studies based on who was making a decision for altruistic (无私的) reasons and who was making a decision due to the expectation of an obvious reward. The results were interesting.
In both instances, the reward center of the brain lit up on the MRI scans (磁共振成像扫描). Yet, for those who made their decision without any rewards, other areas of the brain lit up as well. Specifically, it lit up the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (前扣带皮层区域), which scientists believe plays a role in emotional regulation. Also, it might aid in maintaining excitement related to an event that creates a positive emotional state.
In one study about the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, it is believed that this brain region could be related to depression if it isn’t developed properly or is dysfunctional. The fact that this part of the brain lights up during acts of generosity and caring without expectation of rewards shows that the altruistic individuals are getting more sustainable pleasure than those motivated by rewards. It also could aid in explaining how it helps depressive individuals feel happier after doing a kind deed.
We live in a society, and no man is a lonely island. We all need each other. For those who genuinely desire to help others regardless of repayment, maintaining a balance of helping others and yourself is very important. It is healthy and necessary to be kind to yourself, as well as to others.
1. Why did the author think the results interesting?| A．There are no differences as to the litup area of the brain. |
| B．The reward center of the brain lit up in one case alone. |
| C．The subgenual anterior cingulate cortex makes no difference. |
| D．The reward center of the brain lit up in both cases. |
| A．It might help keep calm. | B．It may make a difference to controlling emotion. |
| C．It can create positive emotion. | D．It has nothing to do with depression. |
| A．Help others regardless of yourself. | B．Treat others and yourself with kindness. |
| C．For the sake of yourself, lend a hand. | D．Practise kindness at all costs. |
Gordon had a remarkable talent for basketball but he wasn't good at
①在过去的十年里，表情符号在我们的日常交流中越来越不可缺少。
②当我们在微信上与他人聊天时，我们通常使用表情符号。
③它们具有情感功能，并且易于被人们理解。
④当人们看到它们的时候，他们似乎看到了别人的面部表情。(It seems that...)
⑤我们应该记住，如果我们想让别人理解我们的意图，我们主要依靠文字，表情符号是次要的。
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Growing up with my cousin since we were
During that time, I was eager for
My experience taught me a valuable lesson about how to fix friendships: Don’t be afraid to reach out first.
1. What can we know from the conversation?
| A．The woman thinks men should open doors for women. |
| B．The woman thinks it is unnecessary for men to carry heavy bags or luggage for women. |
| C．The man likes to help women in many ways. |
| A．Ladies going first. | B．Film tickets. | C．Foreign customs. |
1. What are you supposed to do when you meet someone in Brazil?
| A．Kiss the face. | B．Shake hands. | C．Give a hug. |
| A．Use plates. | B．Use the fork. | C．Make noise. |
Taimur and Daniyal were twins and had been my next door neighbors since I was five years old. Not only did we go to the same school, but our evenings and weekends were spent together too. It was like we were inseparable. I never felt that I needed any friends other than them. Unexpectedly, one evening their parents shared the news of them moving to another country-Australia.
I was shocked to realize that we would never be together, started recalling all the good times we had spent together, such as playing in the school breaks, the play dates, and all the fun things we did. Was it all going to end?
When we had been through so many highs and lows together, shared secrets and supported each other through thick and thin, their moving away felt like my heart was being taken away. The news of their departure left me feeling empty and lost.
I was thinking about the biggest change that I was going to face in a few days, it was a difficult pill to swallow, but I knew I must move on. Though it wasn’t easy at first, I was trying my level best to beat the mental pain I was in.
After hearing the news, every day felt like a struggle. The school didn’t feel the same; the lunchbreaks had no purpose. Soon there would be no one to compare the test marks with, homework remarks would not excite me like before, and so on. I couldn’t help but feel lost and alone already.
注意:1.续写词数应为150左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Seeing my condition, my family advised me to make the most of the time that was left before they moved.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Saying goodbye wasn’t easy, but it set my heart at ease to realize that we could still be the closest friends.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8 . So many things can keep you from seeing your loved ones in person, from busy schedules to long distances. Fortunately, thanks to modem technology, the people you miss are often only a phone call or a text message away. According to science, if you want to feel more connected to the people you’re talking to, you should call them instead of texting.
In a study, researchers did various experiments. In one, they asked 200 people to imagine what it would be like to reconnect with an old friend by email or by phone, and they asked people to do one or the other at random. Although people thought that a phone call would be more mortifying, it actually made the experience better. “People reported they did form a stronger bond with their old friends on the phone versus email, and they did not feel uncomfortable,” co-author Amit Kumar said.
In another experiment, researchers had strangers connect by texting, talking over video chat, or talking using only audio (音频). They found that both forms of voice communication — whether video or audio only — made the strangers feel more connected than when they communicated via text.
Sabrina Romanoff, a psychologist, says people tend to text instead of calling because of convenience, as they can organize information exactly in the way they intend without unexpected additions by the other person.
Romanoff says that in reality, texting can make it hard to determine the true meaning behind a conversation. “A phone call is actually more convenient considering the effects of the message,” she explains. “Each part is more present, and therefore, it is able to figure out the meaning behind the conversation quickly without thinking on the endless possible meanings behind words.”
1. What does the underlined word “mortifying” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Puzzling. | B．Exciting. | C．Embarrassing. | D．Satisfying. |
| A．It takes more patience. | B．It brings people closer. |
| C．It proves more relaxing. | D．It makes people more friendly. |
| A．They can make themselves clear without being disturbed. |
| B．They would easily keep the messages for future use. |
| C．They can freely express their good or bad feelings. |
| D．They would avoid some unpleasant topics. |
| A．It is easy to express one’s meaning through texting. |
| B．It is necessary to guess the meaning behind words. |
| C．People can understand each other more easily by phone calls. |
| D．People should use simple words to express themselves in emails. |
9 . Around the globe, about 1 in 4 adults says they’re lonely. And the consequences of long-term social disconnection can be everything from an increased risk of heart attacks to dementia (痴呆). The following offers a road map to make connections.
Be curious. It’s easier to connect with people if you have shared interests or experiences, so start paying attention to what’s in your mind. What motivates you? What excites you?
Make something. When experts advise making something, people will say, “Well, I’m not Picasso. I don’t know how to do a fancy painting. ” Of course, you’re not!
Find a group that matches your interests. Whether it’s volunteering fora cause or playing frisbee (飞盘), try to find others who share your interests. There’s even an online group that has a quirky shared interest: a fascination with brown bears in Alaska, which led to Fat Bear Week. In interactions with others, you can begin to reveal yourself and share the unique things that matter to you.
Other people’s loneliness matters too.
| A．Pour out your hard feelings. |
| B．Loneliness can be infectious. |
| C．Take a risk by having conversations. |
| D．You should tolerate the risk of being lonely. |
| E．But the opportunities for creative expression are endless. |
| F．Knowing yourself can be a first step to bonding with others. |
| G．Then, other people recognize that and share their story in return. |
10 . Picking up after your dog is interesting, but it must be done. Most dog owners understand the importance of picking up their dogs’ waste, so it can be especially frustrating to see dog owners that obviously refuse to perform this duty.
Ask them directly. Talking to another dog owner about picking up their dogs’ waste can be uncomfortable. However, asking the owner directly to pick up after their dog will often work to fix the problem.
Use a friendly tone. Although you are probably fed up and mad at a dog owner that isn’t cleaning up after their dog, approach them in a friendly manner. Yelling at them may make them defensive and angry.
Give them a reason. It’s possible this person doesn’t realize how their neglect in picking up after their dog is negatively affecting those around them.
| A．Be honest |
| B．Raise some dogs |
| C．If you want to help them to sweep their waste |
| D．And they will likely do more harm than good, too |
| E．When you ask them to pick up their dogs’ waste |
| F．There are many reasons people don’t pick up after their dogs |
| G．Figuring out how to convince these owners to change their ways can be difficult |
