1 . The traditional handwritten “thank you” letter is no longer the most popular way to express gratitude, with digital methods such as instant messages and emails favored instead, according to a recent research.
A survey of 2,000 adults finds just 9 percent send a letter of thanks nowadays—a decline of 11 percent in the past ten years—while messages via WhatsApp, SMS text, email and Facebook, have become some of the most common ways to show appreciation.
Despite this, handwritten notes of gratitude are in fact considered to be among the top most meaningful ways to say thank you—close behind heartfelt phone calls and visiting someone to show appreciation in person. Further highlighting the influence of the personal touch, the M&S Club Rewards research finds hand-delivering flowers or treating someone to a coffee are also among the truest ways to show thanks.
The research also finds 58 percent think it is more essential than ever to say thank you to loved ones, with 28 percent admitting the last couple of years have helped them appreciate the little things. And 29 percent think it’s really necessary to show others just how much they mean to them so they realize how loved they are.
However, in our digital age—and with all these new and simple ways to communicate and show our gratitude—saying a quick thank-you via instant message has become the habit for many. But if you really want to share a meaningful thank-you, giving someone your time or adding an element of a personal or more human touch will go a long way and have a much bigger impact.
Paul Stokes, from M&S Club Rewards, says: “Our research shows that while the art of saying thank you may have changed over the years, the significance of showing our appreciation has never been higher.”
Over the last few years, we have had to come together and support each other perhaps more than ever, so it’s great to see so many of us are taking the time to share a thank-you.
1. What was the percentage of traditional letters of thanks a decade ago?A.20%. | B.11%. | C.9%. | D.2%. |
A.The change in contents. | B.The similarity in surveys. |
C.The advantage of thank-you letters. | D.The popularity of digital methods. |
A.By sending more instant messages. | B.By saying more thanks to the beloved. |
C.By bringing in more personal touches. | D.By delivering each other more gratitude. |
A.Their research is a great breakthrough. |
B.The influence of art is beyond expectation. |
C.There are many ways to express our appreciation. |
D.Showing our thanks is more important than ever before. |
2 . Whenever we see a button, we are eager to press it because we know something will happen. This is true in most cases, for example on a doorbell and on the “on / off” on the TV. But some buttons are actually fake, like the “close” button on a lift.
Many people are in the habit of pressing the “close” button because they don’t have the patience to wait for the lift doors to shut. But lifts’ “close” buttons are a complete scam, at least in the US — the doors will not close any faster no matter how hard you press.
It started in the 1990s when the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in the US, making sure that all lifts stayed open long enough so that people with disabilities could enter. Only US firefighters and repairmen can use the buttons to speed up the door-closing process if they have a code or special keys.
But to normal lift riders, the buttons aren’t completely useless. According to psychologists, fake buttons can actually make you feel better by offering you a sense of control.
“Perceived (能够感知的) control is very important. It reduces stress and increase well-being,” Ellen J. Langer, a psychology professor, said, “Having a lack of control is associated with depression.”
Experts have revealed that a lot of buttons that don’t do anything exist in our lives for this same purpose. For example, many offices in the US have fake thermostats (温度调节器) because people tend to feel better when they think they can control the temperature in their workspace.
But psychologists found it interesting that even when people are aware of these little “white lies”, they still continue to push fake buttons because as long as the doors eventually close, it is considered to be worth the effort.
“That habit is here to stay,” John Kounios, a psychology professor, said, “Even though I have real doubts about the traffic light buttons, I always press them. After all, I’ve got nothing else to do while waiting. So why not press the button in the hope that this one will work.”
1. What was the author’s main purpose in writing the article?A.To analyze the functions of fake buttons. |
B.To describe some different kinds of fake buttons. |
C.To explain the advantages and disadvantages of fake buttons. |
D.To explore people’s different habits when it comes to pushing buttons. |
A.Tool. | B.Trick. | C.Button. | D.Scan. |
A.are fake for the convenience of disabled people |
B.work only when people press them hard for a while |
C.were specially designed to give people a sense of control |
D.cannot speed up the process of closing the door in any case |
A.should give up this habit | B.probably do so to kill time |
C.don’t know that what they press is fake | D.consider what they do to be meaningless |
3 . Newly published Federal Trade Commission data shows that consumers reported losing more than $5.8 billion to scams (欺诈) in 2021, an increase of more than 70 percent over the previous year.
Of the losses reported by consumers, more than $2.3 billion of losses reported were due to imposter (假冒者) scams—up from $1.2 billion in 2020, while online shopping accounted for about $392 million in reported losses from consumers—up from $246 million in 2020. Prizes, internet services and job chances followed closely behind.
The FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network (Sentinel ) is a database that receives reports directly from consumers, as well as from federal, state, and local law enforcement(执行) agencies, industry members, and non-profit organizations. It received more than 5.7 million reports in 2021; these include the scam reports detailed above, as well as identity theft reports and complaints related to other consumer problems, such as problems with banks and lenders. These reports are a key resource for FTC studies that stop illegal activities and, when possible, provide aids to consumers.
The FTC uses the reports it receives through Sentinel as the starting point for many of its law enforcement studies, and the agency also shares these reports with approximately 2, 800 federal, state, local, and international law enforcement professionals.
The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers. The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Learn more about consumer topics at consumer.ftc.gov, or report scams, and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer warnings and the business blog, and sign up to get the latest FTC news and warnings.
1. How much was lost to scams in 2020?A.About $3.4 billion. | B.About $ 4.1 billion. |
C.About $5.8 billion. | D.About $9.8 billion. |
A.Prize scams. | B.Imposter scams. |
C.Online shopping scams. | D.Internet service scams. |
A.Relations between the FTC and Sentinel. | B.Introductions to Sentinel’s primary work. |
C.Problems to be worked out by Sentinel. | D.Expectations for setting up Sentinel. |
A.Make donations to the FTC. | B.Educate consumers with the FTC. |
C.Publicize the FTC on social media. | D.Value the FTC warning information. |
4 . As a general rule, all forms of activity lead to boredom when they are performed on a routine basis. As a matter of fact, we can see this principle at work in people of all
A.parties | B.races | C.countries | D.ages |
A.working | B.living | C.playing | D.going |
A.confidence | B.interest | C.anxiety | D.sorrow |
A.well-organized | B.colorfully-printed | C.newly-collected | D.half-filled |
A.broad | B.passing | C.different | D.main |
A.silently | B.impatiently | C.gladly | D.worriedly |
A.promise | B.burden | C.right | D.game |
A.graduation | B.independence | C.responsibility | D.success |
A.children | B.students | C.adults | D.retirees |
A.carefully | B.eagerly | C.nervously | D.bravely |
A.required | B.obtained | C.noticed | D.discovered |
A.need | B.learn | C.start | D.plan |
A.only | B.well | C.even | D.soon |
A.lost | B.chose | C.left | D.quit |
A.pets | B.toys | C.friends | D.colleagues |
5 . While an analysis of the Global Dietary Database for the years 1990, 2005, and 2018 found overall consumption of sweetened drinks increased—by nearly 16% worldwide over the 28-year period studied—regional intake widely varied, researchers say.
Sugary drinks have been widely associated with overweight and heart related diseases, which are among the leading causes of death and years lost to disability globally. Many national guidelines recommend limiting added sugars to less than 5% to 10% of daily calories, and because sodas (汽水) add no nutritional value, some countries tax their consumption to help their residents meet this goal.
The study, published in Nature Communications, is the latest presentation of how adults in 185 countries drink sugar-sweetened beverages (饮料). Intakes varied widely by world region. In 2018, the average person consumed 2.7 servings of sugary drinks per week, but this ranged from 0.7 servings per week in South Asia to 7.8 servings per week in Latin America. And some of the highest sugary drink intakes in the world were among urban, highly educated adults in Sub-Saharan Africa (12.4 servings per week) and in Latin America (8.5 servings per week). “We were struck by the wide variations by world regions in 2018; that Latin America had the largest intakes at all time points despite an overall decrease overtime; and that Sub-Saharan Africa had the greatest increases across all time points,” says Laura Lara-Castor, a PhD candidate at Tufts University.
“These results suggest that more work is needed such as marketing regulations, food labeling, and soda taxes.” Information from the Global Dietary Database, which gathers hundreds of survey results, also revealed a relationship between sugary beverages and socio-economic status. “Sugar-sweetened beverage intake has increased in the past few decades despite efforts to decrease their appeal,” says researchers. “Some populations are especially easily affected, and our findings provide evidence to inform the need and design of national and more targeted policies to reduce their intake worldwide.”
1. What is the main concern about sugary drinks?A.They are just a barrier to weight loss. | B.They are linked to health issues. |
C.They are far from nutrition standard. | D.They are a total waste of money. |
A.To increase income for the government. | B.To promote the sales of healthier drinks. |
C.To discourage people from drinking sodas. | D.To set a limit to the price of sugary drinks. |
A.Sugary drink consumption trends. | B.Impact of soda taxes on purchases. |
C.Regional variations in dietary habits. | D.Global dietary information analysis. |
A.Sugary drinks have nothing to do with economic status. |
B.The appeal of sugary drinks cannot be underestimated. |
C.Some people are very particular about the sugary drinks. |
D.National policies on sugary drinks are more than enough. |
6 . Each food product in the United States must show a “best before” date on its container. The goal is to tell the buyer when the food will be at its freshest. Most people believe it is unsafe to use the food product after that date. But some observers say “best before” labels have nothing to do with safety. They worry that the information will lead consumers to throw away food good to eat.
Some food sellers in Britain recently removed “best before” labels from prepackaged fruit and vegetables. The European Union may soon announce changes to its labeling laws. It may even end the requirement to include a date.In the US, there is no similar effort. Some big food store owners and food companies are pushing for the US Congress to pass new laws on the subject.
Studies have found as much as 35% of available food goes uneaten in the United States.That adds up to a lot of wasted energy. It also means more greenhouse gases coming from landfills. 7% of US food waste comes from people’s misunderstanding of “best before” labels. That percentage is equal to about 3. 6 million tons each year.
Richard Lipsit owns a store called Grocery Outlet in Pleasanton, California. He said we can safely eat canned goods and many other packaged foods for years after their “best before”date. People should look for changes in color, thickness, or feel to learn if foods are all right to eat. “Our bodies are very well equipped to recognize the signs of decay,” Lipsit said. “We’ve lost trust in those senses and we’ve replaced it with trust in these dates.”
If new laws are approved in Congress, food could be donated to food rescue organizations even after its quality date has passed. Food rescue is making efforts to find uses for outdated food. Currently, at least 20 states ban the sale or donation of food after its quality date has passed.
1. What do most people think of the food out of “best before” date?A.It is a threat to their health. | B.It is still fresh enough. |
C.It should be donated to food rescue organizations. | D.It should be sold at a lower price. |
A.To point out the mistake they have made. | B.To show the necessity for US to take similar measures. |
C.To stop US Congress from passing new laws. | D.To praise their efforts on the subject. |
A.There is an energy crisis in US nowadays. |
B.Food industry is polluting the country. |
C.The misunderstanding of “best before” labels is one cause of waste. |
D.People know nothing about “best before” labels. |
A.Food that has gone bad. | B.Food that is out of date. |
C.Food that is not expensive. | D.Food that has a rare color. |
7 . Improved mental health is on the agenda for many people in 2024 and being organized is the preferred method of realizing it.
Disorganization is often considered to have a negative impact on the way we see ourselves and the lives we lead. The studied downsides of living in a disorganized environment include memory problems, poor eating habits, and decreased self-control. “There’s an obvious link between increased stress and anxiety disorders and living in a messy space,” says Daniel Levitin, a behavioral neuroscientist (行为神经科学家) at McGill University.
“Disorganization brings a loss of productivity that is difficult to quantify,” says Levitin. He points to the amount of time people lose looking for lost items, missing appointments, or falling behind at work or school because of disordered living. “The average person likely loses 5 percent of their time due to disorganization,” he says. “Take your annual salary, multiply that by 5 percent, and you can measure what disorganization may be costing you.”
Joseph Ferrari, one of the most recognized scholars on disorganization research, says that nearly every mental health downside that comes from disorganization can be improved by getting organized. “You’ll feel more energetic, enhance your productivity in the office, and greatly improve the quality of your life,” he says.
Tidy homes have been found to be a predictor of physical health. “Those whose houses are cleaner are more active and physically healthy,” says Libby Sander, an assistant professor of organizational behavior. Part of this is due to organized people being better at managing their time, but it's also because research demonstrates that less clutter (杂乱) can help improve one's diet. “Studies show an association between clutter and overweight,” says Libby.
Getting organized has also been shown to decrease one's stress levels, increase personal efficiency, and even improve sleep. Another studied advantage of getting organized may be improving the quality of one's relationships. Libby explains that relationships can be negatively impacted when too much clutter affects communication or distracts one's brain from noticing important message from their partner. Research shows this can cause others to feel ignored, misunderstood, or unimportant.
1. What does Levitin say concerning living a disorganized life?A.It has been well realized. by people. |
B.It's many people’s New Year resolution. |
C.It has an obvious impact on mental state. |
D.It's closely related to the living environment. |
A.By giving examples. | B.By making comparisons. |
C.By citing other experts' words. | D.By referring to previous studies. |
A.High productivity. | B.Good management of time. |
C.Ignorance about others' feeling. | D.An organized home. |
A.The Neuroscience Behind Healthy Minds |
B.The Cost of Chaos—How Disorganization Affects Your Life |
C.Mental Health in 2024—Self-control as a Priority |
D.Organize for Success—Boosting Health and Productivity |
8 . Each year, more than 27 million U.S. and Canadian kids get to school by bus. Most of those buses run on diesel (柴油) fuel, which give out pollution that riders can take in. Pollution levels can be several times higher inside a diesel school bus than outside it. Why? Pollution can leak in from the floor or blow in through windows.
A U.S. government program started in 2012 offered schools’ money spent on cleaner school buses but not all schools could get it. Five years later, emissions from buses in the winning districts fell. And a year after getting new buses, student attendance had improved in those districts. For an average district of 10, 000 students, about six more students attended ‘school each day’ in the winning districts, compared to the losing districts. Winning schools with higher rates of bus-riding kids had an average of 14 more students in class each day. And winning districts that replaced the oldest school buses? They had an average of 45 more students in school each day.
Those numbers may sound small, but they add up. And school attendance matters for student achievement. Almost 3 million U. S. kids ride school buses more than 20 years old. If U. S. school districts had replaced all of those older buses, there would have been 1. 3 million fewer student absences each year.
There might be other reasons for better attendance. For example, maybe kids preferred new buses. However, the most-likely reason for fewer student absences was better health. A study done on adults showed that a brief exposure to diesel emissions reduced “network connectivity” in the brain. In other studies, such network-connectivity changes have been linked to worsened memory and mental tasks. A Washington State program upgraded pollution controls in old diesel buses. Afterward, fewer kids were hospitalized in those districts than in schools without bus upgrades.
Almost all U. S. school districts can apply for the program. But schools in low-income areas, in tribal areas and, in rural areas will get priority. Kids in these areas tend to face the most health risks from older buses.
1. What can we infer about diesel school buses from the first paragraph?A.They have a short service life. |
B.They operate cost-effectively. |
C.They accommodate few passengers. |
D.They do much harm to school children. |
A.It is a long accumulation. | B.It is a winning condition. |
C.It is a measuring standard. | D.It is a student achievement. |
A.By reducing the network connectivity. |
B.By bettering the health state of students. |
C.By improving student satisfaction with schools. |
D.By meeting students’ demand for school bus drivers. |
A.The “network connectivity” in the brain. |
B.The great work on cleaner school buses. |
C.A U. S. government program for education. |
D.Better attendance due to new school buses. |
9 . Lifestyle Creep (LC) is when living expenses and unnecessary cost grow with income. In bad cases of LC, this unnecessary spending can cut into savings.
LC is common among high earners, but anyone can fall into this trap. Who hasn’t a reason to eat out more often every week after receiving a 1 or 2 percent raise? The temptation (诱惑) of a more costly lifestyle is difficult to resist. If you’re making enough money to afford a larger apartment, shouldn’t you move to a larger one?
Objectively, improving your standard of living as your income increases isn’t a bad thing, but when that habit cuts into your savings efforts, it can be a major financial risk. As Katie Waters, a financial planner at Stable Waters Financial, says ,”Something’s got to give.”
If you can, head off LC from the beginning by giving your raise or bonus money a purpose immediately. This can be to pay down debt, save for a house, or add to retirement accounts. This way, you won’t be tempted to spend it on unnecessary things. If you fear you’ve already fallen victim to LC at any level, you can still turn your spending around. If you are putting all your expenses on your credit card, Waters recommends rearranging, so only routine, fixed monthly expenses are on the card. “The monthly changeable costs — food, clothing, personal care, purchases for the home, the list goes on — are where your money slips away easily.” Waters says, “Calculate your possible savings each pay period and put that money into a separate checking account.”
“As with all things, the secret to managing your finances is a constant effort for balance,” Waters says. “Have fun along the way, but don’t put the cart before the horse.”
1. What do we know about LC?A.It may affect everyone. | B.It may increase savings. |
C.It benefits high earners. | D.It means reasonable consumption. |
A.Expect. | B.Avoid. | C.Believe. | D.Explain. |
A.Suitable. | B.Controllable. | C.Promising. | D.Surprising. |
A.A working guide. | B.A social magazine. | C.An account book. | D.A research report. |
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Nowadays, some famous tourist attractions are crowded of tourists during the holidays, which makes it possible for tourists to enjoy themselves. It reflects the fact what it is difficult to travel to crowded tourist attractions. Therefore, to travel in the holidays made no sense. That is why many people prefer to stay at home rather than to go out. In my opinion, the government should devote its energies to relieve the stress of tourist attractions. Some effective measure can be taken. For example, the number of tourists to famous tourist attractions should limited and citizens should not travel at a same time. Only in this way can tourists enjoy our holidays.