1 . Children who spent more than two hours per day in front of a television or computer screen were more likely to report behavioral and social problems than kids who watched less, according to a University of Bristol study that will be published in Pediatrics.
Researchers recorded the playing, screen viewing and activity habits of 1,000 children aged 10 to 11. They also had the kids fill out questionnaires designed to estimate the kids’ emotional well-being and behavior.
The questionnaires contained 20 questions covering five sections—emotional difficulties, conduct problems, hyperactivity (活动过度), inattention, friendship and peer groups and problems relating to friends and peer groups.
The study found that those children who spent more than two hours per day watching TV or using a computer were at an increased risk of psychological difficulties. This risk increased if they also failed to meet the guidelines on physical activity.
While the risks for kids who spent a lot of time in front of a screen appeared to be increased by lack of physical activity, the opposite was not true: Increase in physical activity did not seem to decrease kids’ high scores in psychological difficulties if they spent a lot of time sedentary (久坐 的) in front of a screen. By contrast, sedentary time spent reading a book or working on a project corresponded to the highest scores of psychological well-being.
“While low levels of screen viewing may not be problematic, we cannot rely on physical activity to compensate for long hours of screen viewing,” lead author Dr. Angie Page said in a statement. “Watching TV or playing computer games for more than two hours a day is related to greater psychological difficulties regardless of how active children are.”
Although Page’s study doesn’t clarify the links between inactivity, screen time and psychological well-being, it’s true that kids in the United States are getting less exercise and more screen time than they should. In 2009, Page’s team found a connection between a child’s physical activity and independent mobility, the amount of space in which a child can play without the supervision of an adult. They concluded that, as play spaces have decreased in recent decades, childhood inactivity-and perhaps screen time—has increased.
1. What information can we get about the University of Bristol study?A.It was done by an elementary school. |
B.The results of it have been published. |
C.All the kids studied had to fill out questionnaires. |
D.The questionnaires of it contained five questions. |
A.make a judgment about the kids’ behavior and how healthy they were emotionally |
B.estimate the average time kids spent in front of a screen |
C.infer whether the kids have psychological problems or not |
D.get information about the psychological activity kids like |
A.More electronic products have poured into their world. |
B.They have too much homework to do. |
C.They have fewer spaces to play in. |
D.They lack the supervision of their parents. |
A.A study shows more screen time and inactivity increase kids’ risks of psychological difficulties. |
B.A study clarifies the links between inactivity, screen time and psychological well-being. |
C.A study illustrates why childhood inactivity and screen time have increased. |
D.A study demonstrates how to limit children’s TV and screen time at home. |
A. addressed B. boast C. approach D. sense E. wealthy F. glimpse G. revealed H. pushy I. statistics J. peers K. motivation |
College Rankings Are Something, but Not Everything
I am always confused when reading statements like “Princeton University is the number one college in the United States.” Are those who attend Princeton inherently brighter than their
High-ranking colleges in global education leagues attract greater talent in staff and students, and
I didn’t care about college rankings for years until I recently saw something different. This past October, Shanghai Ranking Consultancy
In my opinion, college rankings can serve as a reference, offering a
I once taught a three-month program to prepare university students for overseas exchange programs in England. But some of them displayed low
3 . 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 |
4 . They say the average person makes 35,000 decisions a day. Yet in her new book, How Woman Decide, Therese Huston explores a widespread phenomenon that many women fail to notice. “There’s a huge double standard when it comes to how men and women are viewed as decision-makers,” explains Therese, a psychologist from Seattle University. Therese decided to write the book after looking at her bookshelf: At one end, there were bestselling books about how to be a clever decision-maker — all written by men and featuring interviews with men like athletes. At the other end were books aimed at women on gaining leadership skills and confidence.
“Once those women are at the table, will their decisions be taken as seriously as men’s?” Therese wondered. “Men are respected as decision-makers more than women, especially in the workplace, largely because there’s this cultural belief that women are unable to make smart choices at work.”
So, Therese set out to pick apart the stereotypes to see what scientific research had found. “Scientific research shows that men and women struggle with decision-making equally. The only disadvantage I found was that during the teenage years — teenage girls are more indecisive than teenage boys. Otherwise, there’s little difference between the genders.”
However, there are some differences. “Women are more collaborative,” says Therese. “A female boss is more likely to ask the opinions of those around her when making a choice. Women ask for input, which helps make better decisions. However, this is often seen as a weakness rather than a strength.”
Therese also found that during times of stress, men and women make different choices, and the outcomes are often better when women are involved.
Study after study backs this view up. Neuroscientists Mara Mather and Nicole Lighthall from the University of Southern California studied the way men and women make decisions and found that in times of stress, they react very differently.
During their study, which involved playing a virtual gambling game, they found that when the females became stressed, they made smart decisions — quitting while they were ahead or taking safe bets. But when the men became stressed, they did the opposite, risking everything for a slim chance of a big win.
1. Therese Huston wrote the book How women Decide because she finds that ____________.A.Women are less respected as decision makers. |
B.Women are not equally treated in workplaces. |
C.Women are unable to make smart choices. |
D.Women are poor at making big decisions. |
A.Men can make quicker decisions than women. |
B.Women easily get stressed when making decisions. |
C.Women are likely to ask for input when making decisions. |
D.Teenage girls are less able to make decisions than teenage boys. |
A.Women show less confidence in times of stress. |
B.Men tend to make risky decisions in times of stress. |
C.Men demonstrate great bravery in times of stress. |
D.Women quit making decisions when ahead in games. |
A.Women are brilliant as decision makers. |
B.Men are weaker in making smart decisions. |
C.We should give up all cultural beliefs about gender. |
D.Great difference exists between the two genders in decision-making. |
The TERM “killjoy parents” has been trending on Chinese social media platforms as many young pcople complain that their parents would rather criticize than praise them for their accomplishments. One poster, for example, remarked that his parents said his high score in math wasn't good enough
It’s a terrible feeling to have someone “burst your bubble” when you think they should be sharing your joy. And your parents, after all, are probably the people with
I think a lot of it has to do with Chinese society. Parents know that life
When I asked a Chinese friend why Chinese parents don’t praise their children, he said it’s because they don't want to bring their children bad luck. He told me the story of two women sitting in a park and watching their children play. One of the mothers said to the other, “Your boy is so handsome and healthy.” That other mother replied, “No, he’s very ugly and he’s a very sickly child.” The mother, my friend explained, didn't want her son praised in case the “gods” heard and punished him. It's an old superstition (迷信), but it does have some basis in fact.
American parents, at the other extreme, are taught to ever criticize their children because it may hurt their feelings—their self-esteem. Instead, they
Stacey and Toby aren’t the only people to be welcoming Mariella’s app. It’s now got thousands of users, and she’s working long days to balance it with her A-level studies. The time difference from New York to her school in Rugby, Warwickshire, means she sets her alarm for 5am.
6 . In spite of “endless talk of difference”, American society is an amazing machine for homogenizing people. This includes the uniformity in clothing and communication, as well as the casualness and lack of respect seen in popular culture. People are absorbed into “a culture of consumption” launched by the 19th-century department stores that offered a wide range of goods in an elegant atmosphere. Instead of fancy shops catering to the upper-class, these were stores “anyone could enter, regardless of class or background.” This turned shopping into a public and democratic (民主的) act. The mass media, advertising and sports are other forces for homogenization.
Immigrants are quickly adapting to this common culture, which may not be altogether elevating but is hardly poisonous. Writing for the National Immigration Forum, Gregory Rodriguez reports that today’s immigration is neither at remarkable levels nor resistant to assimilation (融合). In 1998 immigrants were 9.8 percent of population; in 1900, 13.6 percent. In the 10 years prior to 1990, 3.1 immigrants arrived for every 1,000 residents; in the 10 years prior to 1890, 9.2 for every 1,000. Now, consider three indicators of assimilation — language, home ownership and intermarriage.
The 1990 Census revealed that “a majority of immigrants from each of the fifteen most common countries of origin spoke English ‘well’ or ‘very well’ after ten years of residence.” The children of immigrants tend to be bilingual (双语的) and good at English. “By the third generation, the original language is lost in the majority of immigrant families.” Hence, America is described as a “graveyard” for languages. By 1996 foreign-born immigrants who had arrived before 1970 had a home ownership rate of 75.6 percent, higher than the 69.8 percent rate among native-born Americans. Foreign-born Asians and Hispanics “have higher rates of intermarriage than do U.S.-born whites and blacks.” By the third generation, one third of Hispanic women are married to non-Hispanics, and 41 percent of Asian-American women are married to non-Asians.
Rodriguez notes that children in remote villages around the world are fans of superstars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Garth Brooks, yet “some Americans fear that immigrants living within the United States are not influenced by the nation’s assimilative power.”
Are there divisive issues and anger in America? Indeed. It is big enough to have a bit of everything. But particularly when viewed against America’s troubled past, today’s social Indicators hardly suggest a dark and worsening social environment.
1. The underlined phrase in paragraph 1 probably means ________.A.making people adapt to American consumption culture |
B.encouraging people to embrace a democratic lifestyle |
C.encouraging people to stick to their own ideas and principles |
D.making people behave more similarly in many aspects |
A.Their adaptation to the common culture is quick but harmful to the society. |
B.The scale of immigration is not big and the immigrants welcome American culture. |
C.Their children are good at both English and their original language. |
D.Hispanic and Asian-American women both prefer to marry native-born Americans. |
A.provide examples of successful immigrants |
B.suggest the weakness of America’s assimilative power |
C.show the powerful influence of American culture |
D.prove their popularity at home and abroad |
A.Optimistic. | B.Concerned. | C.Neutral. | D.Negative. |
7 . Club Activities in Japanese Schools
In the after-class activities of Japanese high schools, there are various clubs. Participation depends on students; however, most students choose a certain club.
A recent survey showed activity participation rate (比率). In junior high schools, participation rate was around 70% in sports clubs and around 20% in culture clubs. In senior high schools, participation rate in sports clubs dropped to about 50%, and in culture clubs, rose to around 25%. One reason is that there are more kinds of culture clubs in senior high schools than in junior high schools, so there is a wider range of choices.
The rate of junior high school students not choosing any club was less than 10%. However, that number more than doubled in senior high school. In recent years, the number of students not joining in any clubs is increasing. Stronger individualism, which causes unwillingness to participate in group activities, is one factor behind this change.
A.Clubs are generally divided into two types — sports clubs and culture clubs. |
B.Each sports club has a teacher, but the key is placed on student independence. |
C.They are places where like-minded students can improve their creativity together. |
D.Culture clubs in senior high schools tend to include traditional culture activities, such as tea ceremony. |
E.It is also pointed out that culture clubs offer a more casual environment than sports clubs that require long and hard practice. |
F.Actually, there are many advantages of participating in club activities in Japan. |
Venice, one of Europe’s most historical, romantic, and unique cities, is in danger of drowning — not in one of its famed canals but under the weight of people. Since 1980, there have been more tourists than residents in Venice and right at present the number
Venice is not alone. Croatian favourite Dubrovnik, with history and cultural excellence, is suffering the same fate. There were 5,000 residents in 1991, but in 2017 only 1,157 people were living in the Old Town
Many popular locations have started to apply strategies
A. increases B. investigated C. comparison D. sustainable E. advertised F. accessible G. process H. footprint I. discourage J. causes K. promote |
Clothing rental is a hot new industry and retailers are demanding to get on board in hopes of attracting green shopper.
But is renting fashion actually more environmentally-friendly than buying it, and if so, how much more? Journalist and author Elizabeth Cline
Take shipping, for example, which has to go two ways if an item is rented-receiving and returning. Cline writes that consumer transportation has the second largest carbon
She writes, “An item ordered online and then returned can send out 20 kilograms of carbon each way, and
Then there’s the burden of washing, which has to happen for every item when it’s returned, regardless of whether or not it was worn. For most rental services, this usually means dry cleaning, a high impact and polluting
Lastly, Cline fears that rental services will increase our appetite for fast fashion, simply because it’s so easily
Renting clothes is still preferable to buying them cheap and throwing them in the dustbin after a few wears, but we shouldn’t let the availability of these services make us too satisfied. There’s an even better step-that’s wearing what is already in the closet.
A. amused B. common C. complete D. disconnecting E. means F. mission G. perform H. positive I. prepared J. spreading K. struggle |
The world of live action role-playing
For many people, the days of playing make-believe (假扮) ended in childhood. But for some, the game of make-believe lives on in Live Action Role-Playing, or LARP. This is a game where people act out characters in a(n)
Although pretty much anything goes in LARP, nearly every event involves players completing a(n)
The genius of LARP is that each event can be any kind of story. The most
One