1 . Do you have a suit or dress in the closet that you haven’t worn for years but are reluctant to get rid of? Maybe you say, “I can’t throw that away because I paid good money for it?”. If you recognize this in yourself, then you are suffering from commitment to the sunk cost fallacy (谬论). It occurs when we feel that we have invested too much to quit. This psychological trap causes us to stick with a plan even if it no longer serves us and the costs clearly outweigh the benefits.
Arkes and Blumer conducted a survey showing that people are influenced by sunk cost fallacy in their decisions. Participants imagined spending $100 on a ski trip to Michigan and $50 on Wisconsin, realizing later they were for the same weekend. They were told Wisconsin would be more enjoyable. When asked which trip to take, 54% chose Michigan despite the reasonable choice being Wisconsin, because they had made a greater initial investment.
Sunk cost fallacy takes place when we let emotions cloud our decisions. Once we’ve invested in a choice, we feel guilt or regret if we don’t follow through. We fail to realize that past costs won’t be recovered. Instead, we base decisions on past costs, ignoring present and future costs and benefits. This may be due to loss aversion (厌恶), where losses feel worse than gains. We avoid losses, making choices based on avoiding the “loss” of our past investment instead of considering the benefits gained if we don’t continue our commitment.
No one can deny the fact that we benefit a lot from perseverance. So our society loves to emphasize perseverance. Never give up! Don’t waste. But only you know the right path for you. Sometimes walking away is the hardest choice of all. You might realize a path you’re on is no longer the right one or never was. That’s a painful realization.
1. What phenomenon does the author describe at the beginning of the text?A.People benefit from sticking with a plan. | B.People’s consumption view has changed. |
C.People refuse to give up the past commitment. | D.People’s clothes are becoming more expensive. |
A.To save more of the loss. | B.To appear more reasonable. |
C.To make a greater investment. | D.To enjoy more of themselves. |
A.When we don’t follow through our choices. |
B.When we don’t continue our commitment. |
C.When we stop feeling guilty and regretful. |
D.When we make decisions based on past costs emotionally. |
A.Favorable. | B.Objective. | C.Doubtful. | D.Unclear. |
2 . 听下面一段较长对话,回答以下小题。
1. What do we know about the old woman?A.Her hands were bleeding (流血). |
B.Her right leg was hurt. |
C.She got hurt on a bus. |
A.happy. | B.Excited. | C.Calm (镇定的). |
A.He trained some first aid (急救) volunteers. |
B.He received some training at the Red Cross. |
C.He signed up (报名) as a Red Cross first aid volunteer. |
3 . People living alone are more likely to report feeling depressed compared to those living with others, according to a new study by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.
The new study comes at a time when the number of single person households in the U. S. has skyrocketed. In the decade from 2012 to 2022, the number of Americans living alone jumped by nearly 5 million to 37.9 million. The study relies on 2021 data from the National Health Interview Survey, which interviews people in a nationally representative sample of households. It found that a little over 6% of those living alone reported feelings of depression, compared to 4% of people living with others.
The survey also asked respondents about the levels of social and emotional support in their lives. Those who live alone and receive little or no social and emotional support were far more likely to report feelings of depression compared to people who live with others who also had little or no support. On the other hand, there were no differences in reports of depression between people living alone and those living with others if they had social and emotional support.
“That finding is very compelling,” says social scientist Kasley Killam, who wasn’t involved in the new study. “And this is consistent with other evidence showing that social support and emotional support really play a crucial role in people’s overall health and well-being.”
“Social isolation and loneliness are increasingly being recognized as a public health problem. They’re associated with a whole host of negative outcomes, including diabetes, dementia and even mortality. As health care providers, we need to help address their patients ‘social isolation.” says psychiatrist Dr. Tom Insel, “You know, we can help people to find community,” he says. “We can make sure we can promote social interaction. We can provide ways for people to actually become more engaged and to get the kind of social-emotional support they need.”
1. What do we know about people living alone?A.They have a desire to live with others. | B.They lack emotional support from others. |
C.They exhibit depression at higher rates. | D.They avoid social interaction in a community. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Innovative. | C.Groundbreaking. | D.Convincing. |
A.Many feelings contribute to health issues. |
B.Reading clubs benefit people living alone. |
C.People avoid living alone for fear of loneliness. |
D.Community reduces the number of people living alone. |
A.Living Alone Or Living With Others | B.Living With Others And Living Healthily |
C.More Healthcare And Less Depression | D.More Support And Less Isolation |
4 . Recent research has revealed that people with hearing loss are more likely to develop dementia (痴呆), yet only 15% to 25% of adults benefit from hearing aids. Hearing loss often comes on so gradually that many ignore it.
In July, at the annual meeting of the Alzheimer’s Association, Frank Lin from Johns Hopkins University presented results from a random clinical trial of 977 adults between 70 and 84 with untreated hearing loss. One group received good hearing care, including hearing aids, and another group took part in a program about successful aging. Three years later hearing aids didn’t make much difference to the healthiest participants. But those at the higher risk of dementia because of age and health conditions saw a 48% reduction in cognitive (认知的) worsening when they got hearing aids.
When hearing loss is untreated, the brain’s organization changes. Adults with hearing loss need to make extra efforts just to listen, which may overly consume cognitive reserves, says Anu Sharma of the University of Colorado. Hearing loss is also associated with more falls, higher healthcare costs, and increased loneliness. “Hearing is fundamental to healthy aging.” says Nicholas Reed, who worked with Lin on the cognitive-decline study.
These consequences of hearing loss contributed to the government’s decision last year to create a category of over-the-counter (非处方的) hearing aids. Traditional aids averaging $4,700 a pair aren’t covered by Medicare or private insurance. It’s too soon to assess whether the new devices will close the yawning gap between the large need for hearing aids and the smaller demand for them. In one survey, only about half of non-users said they would use hearing aids even if they were free. The key to getting around that dilemma will be “the common desire of wanting to hear well” and the sense that “everyone is doing it”, Lin says. If “wireless earbuds also become hearing aids, that changes the whole perspective of what it means to use hearing technology.”
1. What does the recent research find about people with hearing loss?A.They can recover with the help of technology. | B.They can ignore the problem as they get older. |
C.They have more chances of getting dementia. | D.They’re increasingly helped by the government. |
A.Their aging process slowed owing to a program. | B.Hearing aids proved a help to cure their illness. |
C.They saw a slight boost in their overall health. | D.Decline of their cognitive abilities was relieved. |
A.Its cognitive reserves will be overused. | B.Its aging process will be slightly delayed. |
C.Some of its functions will be in disorder. | D.Its fundamental abilities will be harmed. |
A.Complicated. | B.Large. | C.Irreplaceable. | D.Appealing. |
1. What was Prof. Stone’s grandfather afraid of?
A.Leaving his home. |
B.Parting from his son. |
C.Taking early retirement. |
A.Lack of moral support. |
B.Loss of self-worth. |
C.Change of living habits. |
A.Public services they ask for. |
B.Health care available to them. |
C.Contributions they can make. |
6 . A woman’s husband divorced her because she spent too much time on the Internet. But she continued to surf the World Wide Web. She did this so often that she forgot to take her children to the doctor or get the kids enough food. Her husband asked the court for the children.
But he needed someone to support her illness. “I had to write a letter to the judge,” said Dr. Jonathan Kandell. “The judge did not believe there was such a thing as Internet addiction.”
Is there? Some psychologists say that Internet addiction is real, just like gambling or drug abuse.
At the University of Maryland, a doctor started an Internet addiction support group after he watched a few addicted students nearly failed school.
How can you tell if you have an abnormal pattern of Internet use? Do you need to spend increased amounts of time on the Internet to achieve satisfaction? And when you’re not online, do you have fantasies or dreams about the Internet?
Tyler Johnson, 17, a high school senior in Abbotsford, British Columbia, spends more than six hours a day online and more than an hour reading his email.
Tyler dropped out of school sports, and now, every day after school until 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning, he plays games on the Internet.
Dr. Kandell guesses that many addicts don’t get help because they don’t know they have a problem. “I think we’re about a year away from having people recognize it’s really a problem,” he said. “It’s out there. There’s no question.”
1. Why did the author mention this divorce case in the first paragraph?A.To stress the value of the professor’s letter. |
B.To prove that Internet addiction does exist. |
C.To show the husband’s struggle in marriage. |
D.To explain the increasing high divorce rate. |
A.A mother forgetting to cook meals for kids after school. |
B.An engineer adding time to search for information online. |
C.A worker making a dream to change the Internet world. |
D.A freshman having crazy ideas of Internet when not online. |
A.He has an Internet addiction without realizing it. |
B.His Internet addiction has an effect on his health. |
C.He has already taken up all his study time online. |
D.Schools should strictly manage his Internet access. |
A.They could ignore the effect of Internet addiction. |
B.They should be forced to quit their bad habit. |
C.It is a must for them to be aware of the harm. |
D.Medication is necessary to take control of it. |
7 . Just as British people are always proud to say that they have “green fingers”, people in the US use about 34 billion liters of water on their gardens almost each day. At the same time, however, much of this country is experiencing a ten years’ drought (干旱). People in Florida, California and much of the western United States can’t water their lawns — or can’t water them as often as they’re used to. These lawns may not die, but neither will they look as green as grass lands in other places.
Both homeowners and researchers have been looking for solutions. Brooke Moffis, a graduate student at the University of Florida, works with Basil Iannone in the school’s lab on the ecology of living area, aiming to save water. Iannone says one way to do that is to fill a lawn with a variety of native plants. He recommends focusing on ones that can adapt to dry conditions, rather than keeping those thirsty English grasses.
People often regard lawns as grass and nothing else. When a lawn is planted with just one kind, it’s called a monoculture (单一栽培). “But we don’t need it to be a monoculture to serve the function of a lawn,” Iannone says. Adding native plants, including those that are considered as weeds, can make for a healthier outdoor space, Iannone added.
Imagine you’re a hungry insect. If you eat nectar (花蜜) — as many bees, butterflies, beetles, moths, ants and other insects do—a grassy lawn isn’t going to feed you. It would be like going to the grocery store and finding only one kind of food for a long time. But it’s a food you either can’t eat or don’t like.
A garden growing a variety of flowering plants would instead seem like a welcome buffet with a variety of food. The different nectar in these many flowers would make sure you and other nearby insects had plenty to choose and eat. That’s the idea behind adding flowering plants to existing lawns, such as clover, purslane or pennywort.
1. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?A.Lawns in western California die easily. | B.Americans take good care of their lawns. |
C.Some areas in the US lack water for lawns. | D.The British suffer from natural disasters. |
A.They can’t make lawns green. | B.They aren’t suitable for research. |
C.They can’t survive in the United States. | D.They can’t grow well without enough water. |
A.Lawns are just made of grass. | B.Lawns show American garden culture. |
C.Lawns should include functional plants. | D.Lawns with weeds make healthier space. |
A.To indicate nectar is good for insects. |
B.To introduce different ways to feed insects. |
C.To show the benefits of growing various plants. |
D.To suggest bringing nearby insects into the lawns. |
8 . My phone was an extension of myself. I couldn’t go anywhere
When I was watching TV shows or movies and there was a boring part, I
I have welcomed silence into my life with open arms and am enjoying the increased
As much as having a smartphone was
A.through | B.without | C.despite | D.upon |
A.updates | B.instructions | C.assessments | D.decisions |
A.symbol | B.responsibility | C.reality | D.addiction |
A.conscious | B.shameful | C.foolish | D.random |
A.sell | B.pull | C.throw | D.mind |
A.avoided | B.denied | C.missed | D.allowed |
A.assist | B.improve | C.associate | D.occupy |
A.requests | B.thoughts | C.directions | D.comments |
A.instead of | B.regardless of | C.but for | D.apart from |
A.creativity | B.productivity | C.knowledge | D.independence |
A.routine | B.necessity | C.loneliness | D.temptation |
A.genuine | B.grateful | C.direct | D.desperate |
A.naturally | B.certainly | C.seemingly | D.gradually |
A.wonder | B.imagination | C.interest | D.authenticity |
A.depressive | B.comfortable | C.stressful | D.boring |
9 . In October, Mediterranean fruit flies were discovered in an area of Los Angeles. California is a big farming state, and this was serious news for farmers. The key to the problem may seem a little unusual: releasing millions more of the flies.
The Mediterranean fruit fly, often known as the “Medfly”, is one of the most serious threats faced by farmers worldwide. Once the pest makes its way into an area, it can be very hard to remove. The flies lay their eggs in over 300 kinds of fruits and vegetables. When the eggs hatch, they turn into worm-like larvae (幼虫) that can destroy these products.
Three Mediterranean fruit flies were discovered in a Los Angeles neighborhood called Leimert Park in October. To stop the problem from spreading, the government set up a large quarantine (隔离) area, which means that no produce (fruits, nuts, or vegetables)can be moved out of that area. The quarantine area is 90 square miles.
That may seem extreme, since only three Medflies were found, but experts believe there are probably more out there. “It’s really important to get on top of this fast,” said Jason Leathers. Luckily, California has developed a program to control Medflies, and it’s been working well for 30 years. The plan involves using planes to drop millions of Medflies over the area. That may sound like a bad idea, but it’s actually a good way to make sure that Medfly numbers go down.
The airplanes only drop male flies, and all of them have been treated so that they can’t help produce new fruit flies. The males are sterile (不育的). This means that even though they can mate with female fruit flies, the eggs produced will never grow or hatch. The plan has worked well in the past. The government says that the number of flies has been cut by over 90%. To deal with the problem near Leimert Park, the government will be dropping two airplane loads of sterile Medflies every week.
1. Why is the figure mentioned in Paragraph 2?A.To show farmers require more help. | B.To stress the great harm done by the Medfly. |
C.To remind people to be particular about health. | D.To appeal for urgent concerns about the Medfly. |
A.To destroy the native produce. | B.To limit the spread of the Medfly. |
C.To kill the Medfly completely. | D.To reduce the losses of local farmers. |
A.California values the control of Medflies. | B.Using planes to drop Medflies saves money. |
C.Jason Leathers is in charge of Medflies’ study. | D.The public care little about killing Medflies. |
A.A research article. | B.A short story. | C.A news report. | D.An agricultural research. |
10 . Recently, a new kind of tourism has sprung up in China. Called “special forces style tourism”, this new kind of tourism features visiting as many scenic interests as possible in a short time and most of these visitors are college students.
A common student from Shanghai, Yu Yinghua, is one of them. The 22-year-old started the “special forces style tourism” in March after she was attracted by such experiences of Xiaohongshu travel bloggers. “Stuck in the school for almost three years due to the COVID-19, I’m hungry to take trips in my spare time,” said Yu.
“Making a plan carefully before hand is important,” Yu said. She added that as she selected every destination in the city, she was able to find a lot of information and learn more about these sites. That would help her save time when traveling on-site and enjoy the sites better. Her most recent trip was to Shanghai. Starting at 7 am, the 22-year-old visited nine local attractions. “That day, I walked almost 30,000 steps,” Yu said, “Though tired, I enjoyed the trip as much as days-long trips. It still lets me have a better understanding of the cities I go to.”
Unlike Yu who traveled in nearby cities, Chen Junjun, a doctoral student at Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, CAS, likes to travel far to free herself of academic stress. In April, the 24-year-old took a two-day trip to Xi’an, Shaanxi. During her trip, she visited all the scenic sites in the city. “With many academic responsibilities, such a trip can bring a splash of color to my stressful life!” said Chen.
Even so, the 24-year-old added that such tourism is not suitable for everyone. Chen said that it’s labor-consuming as visitors have to see so many sites in a short period. Such trips are not flexible as days-long trips in which you can change your plan as you like. “Thus, abundant energy and a calm mind are necessary for ‘special forces style tourism’,” said Chen.
1. Which statement about Yu’s trips is TRUE?A.She likes to travel to faraway cities. |
B.Her trips were limited due to the pandemic. |
C.Having a careful plan in advance is not necessary. |
D.Walking 30,000 steps a day is too much for her to finish. |
A.It is more flexible than days-long trip. |
B.It needs better physical and mental conditions. |
C.It allows people to be under pressure of academy. |
D.She encourages everyone to follow “special forces style tourism”. |
A.Inspiring | B.Creative. | C.Pleasant | D.Tiring. |
A.Sports. | B.Food. | C.Society. | D.Science. |