1 . The Stanford marshmallow (棉花糖) test was originally conducted by psychologist Walter Mischel in the late 1960s. Children aged four to six at a nursery school were placed in a room. A single sugary treat, selected by the child, was placed on a table. Each child was told if they waited for 15 minutes before eating the treat, they would be given a second treat. Then they were left alone in the room. Follow-up studies with the children later in life showed a connection between an ability to wait long enough to obtain a second treat and various forms of success.
As adults we face a version of the marshmallow test every day. We’re not tempted by sugary treats, but by our computers, phones, and tablets — all the devices that connect us to the global delivery system for various types of information that do to us what marshmallows do to preschoolers.
We are tempted by sugary treats because our ancestors lived in a calorie-poor world, and our brains developed a response mechanism to these treats that reflected their value — a feeling of reward and satisfaction. But as we’ve reshaped the world around us, dramatically reducing the cost and effort involved in obtaining calories, we still have the same brains we had thousands of years ago, and this mismatch is at the heart of why so many of us struggle to resist tempting foods that we know we shouldn’t eat.
A similar process is at work in our response to information. Our formative environment as a species was information-poor, so our brains developed a mechanism that prized new information. But global connectivity has greatly changed our information environment. We are now ceaselessly bombarded (轰炸) with new information. Therefore, just as we need to be more thoughtful about our caloric consumption, we also need to be more thoughtful about our information consumption, resisting the temptation of the mental “junk food” in order to manage our time most effectively.
1. What did the children need to do to get a second treat in Mischel’s test?| A．Take an examination alone. | B．Share their treats with others. |
| C．Delay eating for fifteen minutes. | D．Show respect for the researchers. |
| A．the calorie-poor world and our good appetites | B．the shortage of sugar and our nutritional needs |
| C．the tempting foods and our efforts to keep fit | D．the rich food supply and our unchanged brains |
| A．Be selective information consumers. | B．Absorb new information readily. |
| C．Use diverse information sources. | D．Protect the information environment. |
| A．Eat Less, Read More | B．The Later, the Better |
| C．The Marshmallow Test for Grownups | D．The Bitter Truth about Early Humans |
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My 19-year-old cousin set off from Brisbane to the Whitsundays last Friday evening, face a long 12 hours drive. He was moving back home before two years of living away. He had a friend for company, two cats and a car full of all of his belonging. At midnight, the car broke down and they found themselves was trapped in Gympie. Fortunately, a kindly man came to their rescue. The man took them to his house, when they had a shower and a rest. I also drove them to get spare parts for the car. In end, my cousin and his friend make it home early Sunday morning
3 . Saying no can be unsettling or unnatural since society often teaches us that a “no” can be considered as rude or insensitive. Many of us have been conditioned to say yes just to avoid confrontation and conflict.
But learning how to say no more frequently can yield many benefits including improving your general mental health, establishing clear boundaries, encouraging self-care and enhancing your self-worth and confidence.
According to Psychology Today, successfully using more healthy answers of “no” will mean finding a way that feels authentic for you. They suggest adopting the “sandwich method”, which means sandwiching something that may be considered negative between two positives. This could be as simple as saying something like “Thank you for inviting me, but I won’t be able to join you. I’d love to meet some other time and I’ll check my schedule and see what works.”
Honesty is key to making this work. You have to really check in with yourself and understand why you are saying no. The most important thing is to be aware of your personal needs and make decisions that reflect your self-respect and value your time and resources.
“Not being able to say no can be hard, and may even push you into a space where you’ re exhausted in every possible way. It’s difficult to be in this position, because you always end up prioritizing others’ needs and wants above yours, which in the long run isn’t healthy for you. It is arduous emotionally, mentally and physically,” psychotherapist Shaina Vasundhara Bhatia told Healthshots.
It might take a long time until this new thought model begins to take root, until then Synergy Health Programs recommends rehearsing(排练) in advance what your “no” will sound like, being honest about why what has been requested does not work for you, taking your time to think through the consequences of your decision and then offering your response.
With time, you will begin to gain the benefits of being true to yourself and you might find that by saying no when something doesn’t feel right, you are actually opening the door to a healthier you.
1. How does the text explain the “sandwich method”?| A．By using an example. | B．By referring to quotes. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By mentioning a magazine. |
| A．Beneficial. | B．Struggling. |
| C．Natural. | D．Unimportant. |
| A．It doesn’t come easy. | B．It doesn’t require tips. |
| C．It proves very harmful. | D．It is an immediate response. |
| A．To show the harm of “yes”. | B．To encourage us to be honest. |
| C．To tell the benefits of self-care. | D．To guide us to learn to say no. |
4 . It is an ancient Chinese tradition to cherish grain. In ancient China, farming promoted the development of civilization so people regarded grain as a God. The ancient people firmly believed that “food is the most important thing for the people”. The earth God “She” and the grain God “Ji” were the earliest gods worshipped by our ancestors and the country was called “Sheji”.
Chinese believe in food conservation. Scholars have strongly advocated that “every single grain is fruit of hard work” and nothing should be wasted. Strong daily practices are associated with “respecting” the grain. Families that run out of rice never leave their container completely empty. There is always a little rice left in it. Parts of the poultry (家禽) and livestock that are unsuitable to be the main dishes are always deliciously cooked.
Food also helps bring people together. In Chinese culture, “Ju” (get together) is a very particular word. There are many ways to get together, but the word “Can” is usually added to it in case of festivals, birthday celebrations, moving to new houses, weddings and funeral. “Ju Can” (get together and have dinner) is an important way for Chinese families to bond.
But these ordinarily frugal (节俭的) people often end up wasting food during “Ju Can”. Some reports show that the annual waste of grain in China is close to 6% of the total grain output, of which, the waste rate of a large party is as high as 38%. The food waste is driven by people’s flamboyant nature—they think the plates must be full and taking away packed food from a party is “disgraceful”. The dishes at a dinner party have become a symbol of a person’s wealth and having too many dishes at the menu has become fashionable, thus promoting waste.
Small to a person, a family, big to a country, the whole human race, to survive, to develop, we have to be frugal. Being frugal does not mean being mean, it simply means one is wise enough not to waste food. If the culture of diligence and frugality is more widespread in all countries, it would provide for a stronger foundation for national security and family happiness.
1. Why does the author mention “Sheji” in Paragraph 1?| A．To prove China enjoys a long history. |
| B．To explain Chinese tradition of cherishing food. |
| C．To show farming promoted Chinese civilization. |
| D．To clarify who is the earliest god in China. |
| A．Chinese cuisine is diverse. |
| B．Chinese don’t waste food. |
| C．The ancient Chinese lived a difficult life. |
| D．Chinese are skillful at cooking delicious food. |
| A．The disgraceful behaviour in “Ju Can”. |
| B．The human nature revealed in food waste. |
| C．How much food Chinese people waste in “Ju Can”. |
| D．The food waste in “Ju Can” and the reason behind it. |
| A．Farming is crucial to China’s development. |
| B．Food plays a vital role in bringing people together. |
| C．We should cherish food and form the habit of frugality. |
| D．We mustn’t leave the container completely empty in case of running out of food. |
5 . For many people, going a few hours without your smartphone can feel like a lifetime. Now, one expert claims that humans are becoming so dependent on technology, that we’re actually merging (融合) into it.
Speaking at the Fast Company European Innovation Festival, Professor Yuval Noah Harari, a historian at the Hebrew University claimed that it’s becoming more and more difficult to tell where humans end and machines begin. He said: “It’s increasingly hard to tell where I end and where the computer begins. In the future, it is likely that the smartphone will not be separated from you at all. It may be embedded in your body or brain, constantly scanning your biometric data and your emotions.”
During his speech, Professor Harari highlighted how humans have affected our environment over time, and suggested that now may be the time to affect ourselves. He said: “Humanity has always remained constant. If we told our ancestors in the Stone Age about our lives today, they would think we are already Gods. But the truth is that even though we have developed more wonderful tools, we are the same animals. We have the same emotions, the same minds. The coming revolution will change that. It will change not just our tools, it will change the human being itself.”
If we do manage to merge with machines, Professor Harari suggests it could open the door to setting up civilizations beyond Earth. He added: “Life will be able to break out of planet Earth and no longer be confined to this flying rock.”
While Professor Harari’s claims may sound farfetched (牵强的), he isn’t alone in his vision of a machine-human world. Back in 2017, Elon Musk claimed that humans should merge with machines, or risk becoming irrelevant. He said: “Over time I think we will probably see a closer merger of biological intelligence and digital intelligence.”
1. Why does the author mention smartphone in Paragraph 1?| A．To collect data for his speech. | B．To catch up with the development of science. |
| C．To say it is harmful to the environment. | D．To have a good lead-in of the topic. |
| A．His opinions gained much support. |
| B．He is the first expert to put forward the idea. |
| C．He thinks technology will change ourselves as well. |
| D．His suggestion of us staying on planet Earth is considerate. |
| A．Neutral. | B．Favourable. |
| C．Indifferent. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．Humans are Near to Combining with Machines |
| B．Call on People to Develop Advanced Machines |
| C．A Speech Caused People’s Concerns on Machines |
| D．Finding New Ways to Break away From Apps is Vital |
6 . It’s normal to long for the taste of potato chips or a cheese-covered pizza. Even though they’re full of calories, eating them occasionally won’t do much harm. However, according to the new numbers, young people are becoming more gluttonous. The BBC’s Good Food Nation Survey showed that on average, 16 to 20-year-olds ate fast food at least twice a day in the UK. So what’s behind this fast food binge (狂热)?
WebMD, an online publisher of news and information of human health and well-being, surveyed nearly 600 teenagers and adults in the United States. They found that the most common reason was our busy lifestyle. More than 92.3 percent of respondents said they were too busy to cook. Many find it challenging to balance work and life, and the convenience of fast food meets their needs. Fast food is readily available in corner stores and vending machines (自动售货机). Remember those instant noodle cups from the supermarket? They’re ready in minutes, and you can store them at home for a long time.
But many people think this trend does no good. Sarah Toule, head of health information at World Cancer Research Fund, told the BBC: “It’s frightening that people, especially younger generations, are eating so much fast food loaded with fat, sugar and salt, but offers little nutritional value.”
She added, “Especially high in calories, fast food leads to unhealthy weight gain-which in turn increases the risk of 11 cancers later in life.”
So what is the right thing to do? Toule suggested that young people should prepare meals in advance and learn to include the different food groups in their diets.
1. What does the underlined phrase “more gluttonous” in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．Smarter. | B．Healthier. | C．Greedier. | D．Lazier. |
| A．People should make a change to their busy lifestyle. |
| B．Fast food helps people balance their work and life. |
| C．Fast food is becoming popular with teenagers and adults. |
| D．Nowadays people have more challenges both in work and life. |
| A．can’t provide enough nutrition for eaters | B．will lead to 11 cancers |
| C．can help lose weight | D．is easy to prepare ahead of time |
| A．Culture. | B．Education. | C．History. | D．Health. |
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The New Zealand economy is struggling with many challenges, primarily high inflation (通货膨胀) and rising interest rates, according to a report by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research.
These challenges add
Despite these challenges, there remain factors supporting the
9 . Some 20 percent of adults are procrastinators (拖延症患者). Everyone might put off a task or two, but long-term procrastinators do it at home, at school, at work and in their relationships.
For years, researchers have focused on the personalities of people who procrastinate. The results suggest procrastinators may be impulsive (冲动), worriers and have trouble regulating their emotions. But procrastinators are not lazy. They’re actually very busy doing other things than what they’re supposed to be doing. Though procrastinators may think they perform better under pressure, studies have reported the opposite. And when deadlines are uncertain, procrastinators tend to delay their work.
When people put off a tough task, they feel good-in the moment. Procrastinating is a way to avoid the negative emotions linked to the task. But the relief it provides is only temporary, and many seek out ways to stop procrastinating.
In fact, most research today suggests procrastination is a behavioral pattern, which means it’s something you can change, regardless of whether you’re impulsive. What works best is still under research. Some scientists have reported success with time management. But the evidence for that is all over the map. That’s because poor time management is a symptom not a cause of procrastination.
For some procrastinators, seemingly obvious tips can work. Researchers advise students to simply put down their smartphones. Silencing notifications or studying in the library rather than at home can regulate distractions and keep people on task. But that won’t be enough for many people. Stubborn procrastinators may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy (认知行为疗法). This type of therapy, which involves managing thoughts and emotions and trying to change behavior, seemed to be the most helpful. Still, not many studies have examined treatments, and there’s room for improvement.
1. What does procrastination mean to longtime procrastinators?| A．A personal advantage. | B．A habitual behavior. |
| C．A working motivation. | D．An excuse for laziness. |
| A．They are inactive. | B．They are efficient. |
| C．They are anxious. | D．They are careful. |
| A．Their temporary relief from the stress. |
| B．Their imperfection in personalities. |
| C．Their poor time management at work. |
| D．Their high ability to deal with hard work. |
| A．Avoiding smartphones. | B．Proper studying places. |
| C．Good time management. | D．Cognitive behavioral therapy. |
10 . Sometimes you just want to get away. Your older brother and his friends are constantly amped in front of the TV, your baby sister won’t stay out of your room, and you want some time for yourself.
But when you get it-maybe at a friend’s house for an all-weekend DVD marathon or on spring break at Disney World-you’re surprised to find yourself missing the chaos at home a bit.
What’s that all about?
When you’re homesick, you might feel nostalgic (怀念的) for familiar things like your family, friends, pets, house, or neighborhood. Homesickness isn’t only for kids.
Familiar surroundings, people, and routines provide people with a sense of security and comfort.
Almost everyone has felt homesick at some time.
| A．Practically everyone feels homesick from time to time, even adults. |
| B．In a new place, you may find yourself missing the comforts of home and loved ones. |
| C．Believe it or not, you’re feeling homesick. |
| D．Remember that there’s a good side to homesickness, too. |
| E．Luckily, homesickness is usually mild and doesn’t last long. |
| F．Some people may only feel a little loneliness, sadness, or anxiety. |
| G．And you can do some things to make sure it doesn’t spoil your fun. |
