1 . Why can’t we stop longing for the good old days
People in many countries are longing for the good old days. But when exactly were the good old days? Podcaster Jason Feifer devoted an episode of his program to this question. The most popular answer seemed to be the 1950s, so Mr. Feifer asked historians whether Americans in that decade thought it was particularly pleasant. Definitely not. In the 1950s, American sociologists worried that rampant individualism was tearing the family apart. There were serious racial and class tensions, and everyone lived under the nuclear threat.
In fact, many in the 1950s thought that the good old days were to be found a generation earlier, in the 1920s. But in the 1920s, child psychologist John Watson warned that because of increasing divorce races, the American family would soon cease to exist. Many people at the time idealized the Victor inn era, when families are strong and children respected their elders.
Why are human beings always so nostalgia for past eras that seemed difficult and dangerous to those who lived through them? One possibility is that we know we survived past dangers, so they seem smaller now. But we can never be certain we will solve the problems we are facing today. Radio didn't ruin the younger generation, but maybe the smart phone will.
Another reason is that historical nostalgia is often colored by personal nostalgia. When were the good old days? Was it, by chance, the incredibly short period when you happened to be young? A U.S. Poll found that people born in the 1930s and 1940s thought the 1950s was America’s best decade, while those born in the 1960s and 1970s preferred the 1980s.
This kind of nostalgia has neurological roots. Researchers have found that we encode more memories during adolescence and early adult hood than any other period of our lives, and when we think about the past, this is the period we most often return to. Moreover, as we grow more distant from past events, we tend to remember them more positively.
Obviously, some things readily were better in the past. But our instinctive nostalgia for the good old days can easily deceive us, with dangerous consequences. Longing for the past and fear of the future inhibit the experiments and innovations that drive progress.
Vaccination, steam engines, railroads and electricity all met with strong resistance when they were first introduced. The point isn’t to show how silly previous generations were. The same kinds of anxieties have been expressed in our own time about innovations like the internet, video games and stem-cell research.
And not all fears about the future are unbounded. New technologies do result in accidents, they disturb traditional cultures and habits, and they destroy old jobs while creating new ones. But the only way to learn how to make the best use of new technologies and reduce risks is by trial and error. The future won’t be perfect, but neither were the good old days.
1. The word “rampant” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ________| A．limited | B．reasonable | C．uncontrolled | D．traditional |
| A．when American families still remained strong and children respected their elders |
| B．that was believed by Americans born in the 1930s and the 1940s to be the best decade |
| C．that saw a sharp increase in individualism and divorce rate in American society |
| D．when radical and class tensions became more serious but people no longer lived under the nuclear threat |
① people have a better memory of adolescence and early adulthood.
② More dangerous things happen during their youth and they learned how to survive them.
③ The dangers in youth were smaller and easier for people to deal with.
④ people remember events in their youth more positively as time goes by.
| A．①② | B．①③ | C．①④ | D．②④ |
| A．The current generation is not as silly As the previous generations. |
| B．It is unwise to be simply opposed to any new inventions and technologies. |
| C．People are constantly deceived by their instinctive nostalgia for the good old days. |
| D．The internet, video games and stem-cell research pose great threats to humanity. |
2 . Yu Pengnian is an 88-year-old real estate Chinese businessman. He amassed a fortune of $1.3 billion dollars during his career but instead of keeping the money and living like an emperor, he decided to give it all away. All of his fortune will be spent on helping poor Chinese students get a better education.
And Yu isn’t the only super-rich person in China who has this spirit of giving. Chen Guangbiao, a Jiangsu recycling tycoon, has given millions of dollars to charity and promises to give all of his money to charity when he dies.
Yu and Chen are among the many businessmen who have become prosperous during China’s economic rise. An American business magazine, Forbes, estimates that there are 117 billionaires in China and hundreds of thousands of millionaires. What sets Yu and Chen apart from the rest, though, is their tremendous generosity when it comes to donating money to charity.
Last week Bill Gates and Warren Buffett came to Beijing. Gates and Buffett, two of the world’s richest men, are also the world’s biggest philanthropists. They invited fifty of China’s richest people to have dinner with them and talk about the spirit of giving. At first, only a few people accepted their invitation. It seemed some of the invited guests were afraid that Buffett and Gates were going to pressure them into giving their wealth to charity.
A lot of people are angry at the billionaires who are not willing to give away their fortunes. They criticize them for being miserly and not caring about the poor and the less fortunate. But I think this criticism is wrong. A gift, any gift, should come from the heart. Instead of criticism, these reluctant billionaires should be encouraged to follow the examples of Yu Pengnian and Chen Guangbiao. Encouragement is always a better strategy than criticism. As we say in English, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”
1. He amassed a fortune of $1.3 billion dollars during his career… The word “amassed” means________.| A．stimulated | B．contemplated | C．immigrated | D．accumulated |
| A．helping poor Chinese students get a better education |
| B．helping the students in earthquake-stricken area |
| C．helping his off-springs lead a rich life in the future |
| D．achieve his aim of living like an emperor |
| A．Yu Pengnian is the only super-rich person in China who has the spirit of giving. |
| B．Chen Guangbiao is a real estate Chinese businessman. |
| C．Yu and Chen become wealthy during the rise of China’s economy. |
| D．When Bill Gates and Warren Buffett invited fifty of China’s richest people to have dinner with them, they all felt honored and accepted their invitation at once. |
| A．When it comes to charity work, they are very generous. |
| B．They had dinner with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, talking about the spirit of giving. |
| C．They are pressured into giving their fortune to charity. |
| D．They are both businessmen. |
| A．The author wants to tell us that flies prefer honey to vinegar. |
| B．The author wants to prove that encouragement is always a better strategy than criticism when it comes to charity. |
| C．The English saying expresses the main theme of the passage. |
| D．The author wants to criticize those billionaires who are not willing to give away their fortunes for being miserly and not caring about the poor and the less fortunate. |
| A. handle B. destination C. annoyed D. cost E. impolitely F. quickly G. support H. lose I. advance J. attract K. earn |
Without proper planning, tourism can cause problems. For example, too many tourists can crowd public places that are also enjoyed by the inhabitants of a country. If tourists create too much traffic, the inhabitants become
Too much tourism can be a problem. If tourism grows too
On the other hand, if there is not enough tourism, people can lose jobs. Businesses can also
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is “UNICEF”?
UNICEF is the United Nations Children’s Fund
When created in 1946 to help children in war-torn Europe, China and the Middle East, UNICEF stood for “United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund”. In 1947, UNICEF USA was founded, one year after UNICEF, to support UNICEF’s lifesaving work for children.
By 1953, UNICEF's task was extended to address the needs of children in the developing world. At that time, the words “international” and “emergency” were dropped from the organization’s name, making it simply the United Nations Children’s Fund. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization.
What is UNICEF USA’s mission?
We work for the survival, protection and development of children worldwide through fund raising, advocacy and education.
How can I volunteer for UNICEF in the field?
UNICEF secures volunteers, who must have at least a Bachelor’s Degree and two-to-five years’ experience in their field of expert knowledge and skills, through the United Nations Volunteers program.
If you are a citizen of the United States and meet the above standards, send your resume to the United Nations Volunteers program at the following address for more information: United Nations Volunteers, c/o Peace Corps, 1111 20th St.N.W, Washington, DC 20526.
If you are interested in volunteering within the United States, click here to learn how.
May I donate non-cash goods for emergency relief?
Some have asked us about donating goods here in the U.S. for emergency relief efforts abroad. While we are grateful for the desire to help, UNICEF does not accept non-cash goods. Why?
Financial donations are the fastest and most efficient way to provide assistance. Donated goods must be screened, sorted, stored and transported. UNICEF pre-positions supplies to speed up delivery and sources them locally whenever possible. A blanket donated today can take weeks, or even months, to arrive abroad. A dollar donated today, however, will be arranged tomorrow to buy lifesaving supplies.
We also purchase supplies in large quantities to save money. That means your financial donation will get more supplies to more kids in need than your donation of non-cash goods.
1. Which of the following statements is true of UNICEF USA?| A．It no longer provides emergency fund. |
| B．It is localized to focus on national affairs. |
| C．It was originally created for kids’ education. |
| D．It supports children growth at home and abroad. |
| A．required education background | B．related working experience |
| C．American nationality | D．educational program participation |
| A．the good will | B．operational efficiency |
| C．local assistance | D．the reliable supply |
