1 . Team-building exercises have become popular for managers trying to increase organizational and team harmony and productivity. Unfortunately, many employees are angry about compulsory bonding and often regard these exercises as a nuisance (烦事).
A paper published this week by University of Sydney researchers in Social Networks has reported participants' feelings about team-building intervention (干预), revealing ethical implications in forcing employees to take part.
“Many people see team building activities as a waste of time, so we decided to look in more depth at what's behind this,” said the paper's lead researcher, Dr Peter Matous.
“Teams are formed, combined and restructured. Staff are relocated and office spaces redesigned. All this is done with the aim of improving workplace efficiency, collaboration and cohesion. But does any of this work?” said Dr Matous.
The study found that team-building exercises which focused on the sharing of and intervening into personal attitudes and relationships between team members were considered too rude and nosy (爱打听), although the researchers say some degree of openness and vulnerability (脆弱) is often necessary to make deep, effective connections with colleagues.
"Some participants were against team-building exercises because they were indirectly compulsory. They didn't welcome management's interest in their lives beyond their direct work performance," said Matous. "Many people don't want to be forced into having fun or making friends, especially not on top of their busy jobs. They feel management is being too nosy or trying to control their lives too much."
In this study the researchers recommended a self-disclosure (表露) approach where participants were guided through a series of questions that allowed them to increasingly disclose personal information and values. The method is well-tested and has been shown to increase interpersonal closeness. However, to be successful it must be voluntary.
The researchers said there are numerous schools of thought that propose differing psychological methods for strengthening relationships. “With caution, many relational methods to improve teams and organizations can be borrowed from other fields. The question is how to apply them effectively to strengthen an entire collective, which is more than just the sum of individual relationships,” said Dr Matous.
1. Why are many employees opposed to team-building exercises?| A．They consider such exercises annoying. |
| B．They deem these exercises counter-productive. |
| C．They see such exercises as harmful to harmony. |
| D．They find these exercises too demanding. |
| A．They relocated team leaders and their offices. |
| B．They rearranged the staff and office spaces. |
| C．They redesigned the staffs work schedules. |
| D．They reintroduced some cohesive activities. |
| A．They were intended to share personal attitudes and relationships. |
| B．They indirectly added to the vulnerability of team members. |
| C．They always strengthened connections among colleagues. |
| D．They were regarded as a violation of employees' privacy. |
| A．By allowing participants freedom to express themselves. |
| B．By applying it to employees who volunteer to participate. |
| C．By arranging in proper order the questions participants face. |
| D．By guiding employees through a series of steps in team building. |
| A．They must be used in combination for an entire collective. |
| B．They prioritize some psychological aspects over others. |
| C．They place too much stress on individual relationships. |
| D．They have to be applied cautiously to be effective. |
2 . Bill Johnson was walking along the banks of the Niagara River, trying to find a good place to take a photo. Finally, he found the
Tired and gasping for breath, he paddled his hands, trying to stay afloat. Finally, he found himself being
| A．poor | B．perfect | C．unique | D．wet |
| A．beyond | B．into | C．from | D．over |
| A．blew | B．landed | C．flew | D．stressed |
| A．site | B．distance | C．reach | D．measure |
| A．stretched | B．jumped | C．ran | D．went |
| A．strong | B．weak | C．light | D．heavy |
| A．Automatically | B．Casually | C．Properly | D．Desperately |
| A．put out | B．swept away | C．driven away | D．pulled over |
| A．drawing | B．dropping | C．leaving | D．climbing |
| A．fell | B．lasted | C．got | D．stood |
| A．pouring | B．crying | C．moving | D．turning |
| A．part | B．machine | C．way | D．hand |
| A．puzzled | B．embarrassed | C．realised | D．sacrificed |
| A．risked | B．struggled | C．relieved | D．frustrated |
| A．waste | B．hold | C．lose | D．shorten |
| A．bringing up | B．shooting up | C．cutting up | D．breaking up |
| A．lifted | B．followed | C．pushed | D．ranked |
| A．washed | B．wound | C．trapped | D．wrapped |
| A．humble | B．reliable | C．capable | D．panicked |
| A．column | B．advertisement | C．headline | D．journalist |
A Nation of Animal Lovers
The British are traditionally a nation of animal lovers. This is clear from the large number of animal programmes on TV. There are programmes about wildlife in Britain and other countries, and about pets at home. There are programmes like Animal Hospital about sick animals and the working lives of animal doctors. Some programmes try to find new homes for unwanted or homeless animals. All these programmes are very popular. There is a pet in more than half of the homes in the UK(52.3%). The most popular pets are cats.
Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London is a very famous home for unwanted dogs and cats. It was started in 1860 by Mrs. Mary Tealby, because she was worried about all the homeless animals on the streets of London. Since it opened, the home has taken in more than 3 million dogs and cats. In 2006, over 11,000 dogs and cats came to the home. By the end of the year, homes were found for 5,000 of them. The home even has its own magazine, Paws.
| It Can Only Happen in Britain! The Echo January 13 The rat at platform one has just made your train late! An officer was called to Stirling station today because passengers were worried about a large white rat on the line. Three trains passed over it, but the rat was unhurt. The Scottish railway company, Scotrail, closed the line. Then passengers watched as the officer carefully caught the rat. It bit him, but he took it away safely. An officer from Scotrail said, “We try to protect all wild animals and pets. At first the rat was very frightened, but now he’s fine.” “We’ve called him Ronnie. He needs a good home. People think rats are dirty. But they make great pets!” |
2. How many homes in the UK raise pets?(no more than 10 words)
3. Why did Mrs. Mary Tealby started Battersea Dogs and Cats Home?(no more than 15 words)
4. What was the result of the rat in the train station?(no more than 10 words)
5. How will you react if you see some wild animals in cities? Please further explain that.(no more than 20 words)
4 . You have to get to your job interview, but you don’t have access to an automobile. How would you solve this dilemma (困境)? Most people would probably call an Uber or perhaps ask a friend or family member for a ride. But not this Indiana woman. Kasia Shelton from Muncie has been arrested for stealing a vehicle from a local dealership (经销商). According to police reports, the 20-year-old used the 2013 Kia Optima to drive to a job interview in Indianapolis.
The auto theft happened on Monday, October 9. On the day, Shelton arrived at RDI Motors in Muncie and asked an employee to see a certain 2013 Kia Optima. He showed the car to Shelton and we can only assume he talked in length about its great condition for its age, the features, and the reliability. The employee later told the police that Shelton seemed interested in the car and asked to take it for a test drive. But while he was talking to her and preparing the car for a drive, the dealership’s telephone kept ringing and ringing. He said that he had to excuse himself constantly to go pick up the phone, yet there was never anybody on the other end of the line. The last time the phone rang was just as the employee had gotten the car ready for Shelton to take it for a test drive. When he got back from the phone, Shelton and the Kia were gone.
The RDI employee immediately called the Muncie Police Department. The police then began using the Flock camera surveillance system (监控系统) in an attempt to spot the car. A while later, they saw the car again, this time returning to Muncie. After that, the cameras lost the car, but we now know that Shelton drove it back to RDI Motors. Finding out wasn’t too difficult. The police said they were able to connect the car to Shelton because she had filled out an online form on RDI Motors’ website.
When the police later showed up at Shelton’s door, she seemed confused and thought the officers were pulling off some kind of a joke. She genuinely didn’t seem to understand what she was getting arrested for. After all, she returned the Kia to the dealership once she was done with her trip. She didn’t plan to keep it, so what’s the big deal?
Whether she understood the reason why or not, Shelton was arrested. She has been charged with auto theft, which could land her in prison for up to two and a half years.
1. Why was Shelton arrested?| A．Because she got a job interview. | B．Because she didn’t call an Uber. |
| C．Because she stole a car. | D．Because she drove a 2013 Kia Optima. |
| A．Uninterested. | B．Negative. | C．Responsible. | D．Intolerable. |
| A．Some other clients. | B．Mysterious phone calls. |
| C．Shelton’s attitude. | D．His colleagues’ calls. |
| A．By searching the Flock camera surveillance system. |
| B．Through the interview company. |
| C．By inquiring RDI motors’ employees. |
| D．Through the personal information she left on the site. |
| A．Don’t you think that’s the reason you arrest me? | B．Is this small thing worth an arrest? |
| C．Is this a deal? | D．Do you think I should buy the car? |
Advertising is all around us and it seems to have become an unavoidable part of our life. Digital marketing experts estimate that most Americans may be exposed to around 4, 000 to 10, 000 advertisements a day.
You may think you will never fall for an ad and be persuaded to buy something, but read the article first before you decide!
While direct hard-sell ads might be easy to detect — such as those for products endorsed (宣传) by celebrities — soft-sell ads may be more difficult to spot. One such method advertisers use is to make customers believe there is an immediate need to buy the product using words or phrases such as hurry, act now, last chance, now or never.
These are not the only methods, of course. Other methods include giving away samples and sponsorship of events, In fact, there are many methods which work for different products in different places. Gillian Greene, Creative Director of Cheesy Bee, an advertising agency in London, confirms this, stating their adverts are tailor-made (特制的) according to the situation.
Not all ads are directed towards the end customer. Advertising agencies will make adverts with the investors (投资人) and shop owners in mind. An impressive and expensive ad may signal to the investors that the ad agency is successful and they may then be encouraged to invest in it. Similarly, shop owners are more likely to stock (囤积) well-advertised products because they know customers are more likely to buy them. In this way, ads can help sell products even when they are not directed at the customer. Ads work in all stages of a business and, perhaps, that is the success of advertising.
1. What is the author’s purpose in using two sets of numbers in Para. 1? (No more than 15words)2. What is the meaning of the underlined words in Para. 2? (no more than 3 words)
3. How does a soft-sell advertising work according to Para. 3? (No more than 15 words)
4. What is the article mainly about? (No more than 10 words)
5. Do you think advertising is necessary? And why? (No more than 20 words)
One of New York’s most beautiful and valuable buildings is in danger. The New York Public Library, in the heart of the city at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue, may have to close its door.
The library is a very special place. Even though it is in the busiest part of the city, it has grass and trees around it, and benches for people to sit on, Even more unusual in crowded New York, its rooms are very large. The roof of the Main Reading Room is fifty—one feet high. Here, a reader can sit and think and work in comfort.
And what books there are to work with! The library has over thirty million books and paintings. It owns one of the first copies of a Shakespeare play, a Bible printed by Gutenberg in the 15th century, and a letter written by Columbus in which he told of finding the new world.
Every New Yorker can see and use the library’s riches—free. But the cost of running the library has risen rapidly in recent years, and the library does not have enough money to continue its work. In the past, it was open every evening, and also on Saturdays and Sundays. Now it is closed at those times to save money.
The library is trying in every possible way to raise money to meet its increasing costs. Well—known New York writers and artists are trying to help. So are universities, whose students use the library, and governments of New York City and New York State. But the problem remains serious.
Yet a way must be found to save the library because, as one writer said, “The Public Library is the most important building in New York City—it contains all our knowledge.”
1. What’s the best title of the passage? (No more than 8 words)2. What can people find in the library? (No more than 15 words)
3. What does the underlined word “riches” refer to? (No more than 1 word)
4. Why is the library closed on Saturdays and Sundays now? (No more than 3 words)
5. Please make one practical suggestion to help and give your reason. (No more than 25 words)
7 . One of the most exciting aspects of exploring the wild places is observing wild animals in their natural habitat. The thrill of an unexpected animal encounter is hard to match. No matter what kind of wildlife you are going to encounter, there are a few general safety rules. These will go a long way in keeping you safe when encountering wild animals.
Be aware of your surroundings
Between the scenery and conversation with your travel partners, it’s easy to get distracted (注意力分散) and stop paying attention to where your feet are taking you. Watch where you are walking. This is your number one tip for avoiding dangerous contact with snakes, insects, and other small creatures. If you are in a place where such animals are known to be present, don’t put your hands or feet into any location you can’t clearly see. Keeping the animals in mind will help you both avoid a potentially dangerous encounter.
Don’t feed the wildlife
Feeding wild animals ranks high on the list of mistakes that get people in trouble. Animals are highly motivated by food. It will make them get much closer to you, and that puts you and them in greater danger. If they become scared at close range, that can lead to an attack. Food can lead the animal to become aggressive (有攻击性的) in trying to get more food. Even if you don’t get hurt, it encourages the wildlife to approach other people which could place them in danger. Accidental feeding can be just as bad as doing it on purpose. Leaving food unprotected and unattended at a campsite is a bad idea.
Keep your distance
As a general rule, the bigger and faster an animal is, the more distance you want to keep between you and them. Every wild animal is potentially dangerous. It isn’t just big predators (食肉动物) that can kill you. Wild pig, deer, and other herbivores can be just as dangerous as a lion or bear. Don’t try to find out how close you can get to the animals. Don’t ever try to touch a wild animal.
Also, don’t assume an injured animal is not dangerous. They could well be more dangerous. If you find an injured animal, the only way you can possibly help them is to contact a park authority and report it to them. Do not attempt to help the animal. You are not likely to do it any good and are far more likely to do yourself harm.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?| A．Having a match with a wild animal is thrilling. |
| B．Exploring the wild places requires safety tools and skills. |
| C．It’s always exciting to meet an unexpected animal while exploring the wild. |
| D．You need to walk a long way to observe wild animals in their natural habitat. |
| A．Bring a watch when exploring the wild. |
| B．Do not talk to each other and mind your steps. |
| C．Remember what wild animals look like before setting out. |
| D．Find a place free of snakes, insects and other small creatures. |
| A．Feeding wild animals might poison them. |
| B．Leaving food outside the camp can also be harmful. |
| C．Feeding wildlife is a task of high rank. |
| D．Feeding wild animals may encourage them to attack each other. |
| A．If it is injured, rescue it by yourself immediately. |
| B．Contact a park authority as soon as possible. |
| C．You can touch it if it’s a harmless animal. |
| D．It can be observed from a distance. |
| A．To draw people’s attention to wildlife. |
| B．To help people organize outdoor activities. |
| C．To offer some safety tips on wildlife encounters. |
| D．To share his encounters with wild animals. |
 | Social Media Detox Today marks the last day of the Social Media Detox, Brenton High’s fundraising campaign for new sports equipment. At the start of the detox, over one hundred students had been persuaded to stop using social media, in ANY form, for seven days. This meant no messaging friends, no posting photos, no blogging — nothing. They had been promised money by family and friends for each day spent without using social media. They were excited. They were nervous. But could they do it? With the detox now finished, they’ve switched on their devices and they’re back online. I bet you’re as eager as I am to find out just how many have been motivated enough to last the full seven days! And what, if anything, has been learnt from the experience? | ||
 | I lasted two days. The detox was more difficult to tolerate than I had expected. I felt like I had lost an arm! Not eating for two days would have been easier! But on reflection, I can see how much of my time had been occupied with checking my phone. I’m now trying to spend less time online and more time picking up my hobbies. | ||
 | I lasted four days. On Monday, my classmate and I spoke about what we did at the weekend - it felt really strange not to already know what he had done. We would usually have posted pictures and updated our profiles. Doing the detox meant we had to talk and explain what we were doing and thinking! It made me realise the value of real contact that I had forgotten. | ||
 | I managed the whole week! At first, I really felt I was missing out. Then, instead of messaging my friend. I went round t her house. Without our phones, we had a proper conversation for over two hours, without being distracted by messages from other people. It felt so good! Then I decided to visit a different friend every day. By the fifth day, I wondered - was I really missing out by not constantly checking my phone to see what everyone else was up to? | ||
 | I did all seven days, too! To be honest, I didn’t find the detox too difficult, but I did give my phone to my dad to avoid giving in! My brother thought I should make full use of the time without my phone; so he took me to check out our local sports centre. An hour’s sport each day left me tired out and wanting to go to bed early. The detox made me healthier! | ||
 | I’m embarrassed to say that I threw in the towel on the first day! I knew there was a party happening that evening, but without access to social media I couldn’t remember where it was! In the end, I turned on my phone to check, but couldn’t resist having a quick look at my social media accounts. What’s worse, I then spent so much time catching up on news, I almost missed the party! | ||
 | The detox raised a total of $1,632.82 for new school sports equipment! Well done, everyone who took part! After reading the posts on this forum, it seems that something other than money has also been raised through the detox. Awareness of just how much we rely on social media can help us step away from it and communicate with each other better. | ||
| Reaction | Results | ||
| Anna 2 days | It was more difficult than she had expected. She felt like she had | She can now see how much time had been taken up with checking her phone. She is now trying to spend more time | |
| Devon 4 days | When he saw a classmate on Monday, he felt really strange | They had to talk and explain what they were doing and thinking! Devon eventually realised that | |
| Cindy | At first, she really felt she was missing out. | Without their phones, she and her friend bad a proper conversation for over two hours. By the fifth day, she realised that she hadn’t been | |
| George 7 days | He didn’t find the detox too difficult, but he did give his phone to his dad to prevent himself from | An hour’s sport each day left him tired out and ready for bed early. The detox made him | |
| Max 1 day | He stopped | He spent so much time using his phone to catch up on news on | |
9 . One of the aspects that requires more research when planning your journey to learn English in the United States is your accommodation choice. After all, this will be the place where you will rest after school hours and after having fun in your host city, as well as where you will relax, study, eat, shower... And be sure of something choosing the right accommodation can even help you improve your English language skills!
TALK English Schools offers different accommodation options so you can choose the best alternative according to your personality and preferences, the time you plan to spend studying in the United States and, most importantly, the one that best fits your budget.
Homestay
Homestay is one of the most popular and economic options for international students. You will occupy a bedroom in an American family home, having a real cultural experience and practicing English outside the classroom. Families participating in the TALK Homestay Program are selected, for their convenience of access from home to school via public transportation. In exchange for your accommodation in a safe and comfortable environment, you will participate in family activities, contribute to house chores (家务活) and get involved with the local community.
Different meal plan options are available. It is such a rich experience that it's very common for students to keep a good relationship with their host families even after returning to their home country.
Student Residence
Gaining or securing your independence and sharing your experiences with other students of different nationalities are some of the advantages of student residences. These accommodations are usually closer to schools, eventually within walking distance, and you can share your room with one or two people-sharing expenses will help you save for more fun times during your stay!
Other great advantages of residences are comfort and practicality. Some offer furnished(带家具的) studio apartments with kitchen, TV and the possibility of enjoying the amenities (便利设施) of common spaces such as laundry, pools, bike racks.
1. Who is the passage mainly intended for?| A．International students in the USA. |
| B．TALK English Schools' staff. |
| C．English learners in the USA. |
| D．Foreign students who want to study at TALK English Schools. |
| A．Their personality and preferences. |
| B．Their ability to pay. |
| C．The length of time in the USA. |
| D．Conditions of residence. |
| A．Homestay students will share bedrooms with host families. |
| B．Homestay families will provide pick-up service. |
| C．Homestay students must take part in daily activities of the host family. |
| D．Homestay is cheaper than Student Residence. |
| A．A kitchen and a laptop. |
| B．A swimming pool and a washing machine. |
| C．A bicycle and a TV set. |
| D．A cupboard and a suitcase. |
| A．A technical instruction book. |
| B．A university newspaper. |
| C．A residency contract. |
| D．A language school website. |
10 . I'm Victor Bobra from Belarus. When I was three years old, a nuclear explosion (核爆炸) blew up in Chernobyl, Ukraine. At the time, I was living on the border with Ukraine.When the explosion happened, my dad, was looking after the trucks at the station. When he heard about the disaster, he took us to Brest on the truck. After that, my family moved to Minsk.
Many years have passed since the explosion. Different places were affected differently. If you live in an area like Minsk, it's not as polluted as other areas. Kids there were born normally. Maybe they were underweight or something, but this was because of the problems of the economic situation. If kids were born around the Brest area, they were, born almost perfectly, because it's the cleanest area in Belarus. But if kids were born around the area to the east of Belarus,most of the kids were born deformed (畸形的).
I don't know much about how it has affected my health. But what happened was that everybody had a medical check-up after the disaster. The doctors found that I had got some protein inside me: So they thought there was something wrong with me, and suggested I should be treated.
My mum set up 'a charity, Chernobyl Children Lifeline, which raised some money for me. I've stayed here for treatment since then. The reason I can't go to Belarus is because of the radiation (辐射). If I go back, I might get radiation and get ill. Certainly there isn't any medical care, because the country is very poor. At the moment I can't even see my parents for a holiday. My parents probably miss me. I think the fault (过失) that Chernobyl blew up is the government's.
1. What can we learn from the second paragraph?| A．People in Minsk were rich before the disaster. |
| B．Victor Bobra lived in the cleanest area in Belarus. |
| C．The east of Belarus was seriously affected by the disaster. |
| D．Kids born in Minsk were underweight because of the disaster. |
| A．provide home for the homeless |
| B．collect money for his treatment |
| C．raise money for deformed kids |
| D．help those suffering from radiation |
| A．The author's father didn't survive the disaster. |
| B．The author lived in Minsk when the disaster happened. |
| C．The author was given good treatment with the help of the government. |
| D．The author thought the government should take responsibility for the disaster. |
| A．everybody had a medical examination after the nuclear explosion |
| B．the doctors did not think it necessary to have the author treated |
| C．the author's country can afford to provide medical care |
| D．the author is living with his parents now |
| A．To prove the great force of the nuclear explosion. |
| B．To tell readers the nuclear explosion in Chernobyl. |
| C．To show the bad effects of the nuclear explosion. |
| D．To find out the truth of the nuclear explosion. |
