1 . Will your happiness differ if you are doing a kind action without any expectation of rewards or with an expectation of rewards? A study by University of Sussex, headed by Dr. Daniel CampbellMeikeljohn, tried to answer that question. He and his partners analyzed over 1, 000 brain scans from other studies related to reactions to making a decision based on kindness. They split the studies based on who was making a decision for altruistic (无私的) reasons and who was making a decision due to the expectation of an obvious reward. The results were interesting.
In both instances, the reward center of the brain lit up on the MRI scans (磁共振成像扫描). Yet, for those who made their decision without any rewards, other areas of the brain lit up as well. Specifically, it lit up the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (前扣带皮层区域), which scientists believe plays a role in emotional regulation. Also, it might aid in maintaining excitement related to an event that creates a positive emotional state.
In one study about the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, it is believed that this brain region could be related to depression if it isn’t developed properly or is dysfunctional. The fact that this part of the brain lights up during acts of generosity and caring without expectation of rewards shows that the altruistic individuals are getting more sustainable pleasure than those motivated by rewards. It also could aid in explaining how it helps depressive individuals feel happier after doing a kind deed.
We live in a society, and no man is a lonely island. We all need each other. For those who genuinely desire to help others regardless of repayment, maintaining a balance of helping others and yourself is very important. It is healthy and necessary to be kind to yourself, as well as to others.
1. Why did the author think the results interesting?| A．There are no differences as to the litup area of the brain. |
| B．The reward center of the brain lit up in one case alone. |
| C．The subgenual anterior cingulate cortex makes no difference. |
| D．The reward center of the brain lit up in both cases. |
| A．It might help keep calm. | B．It may make a difference to controlling emotion. |
| C．It can create positive emotion. | D．It has nothing to do with depression. |
| A．Help others regardless of yourself. | B．Treat others and yourself with kindness. |
| C．For the sake of yourself, lend a hand. | D．Practise kindness at all costs. |
2 . It’s never easy to say no, especially when we’re invited somewhere by someone close to us.
Put off your response. Avoid immediately responding to a request that you believe you will turn down. A quick “No” will deprive (剥夺)you of time to come up with a kind refusal. Instead, a simple “Let me check my calendar and get back to you” will often work.
Check your calendar for conflicts. If you are lucky, you may discover a scheduling conflict that enables you to honestly decline due to the previous promise.
Remember to respond.
| A．Avoid admitting your schedule is open. |
| B．Identify the exact reason why you want to decline. |
| C．However, the person may ask you for another time. |
| D．This gives you time to create a response in your head. |
| E．But often, we find ourselves saying yes and later regretting it. |
| F．Keep these in mind if the other party asks why you are declining. |
| G．Forgetting a request may hurt people or make you an impolite person. |
3 . Being a people-pleaser(讨好型人格)is second nature to many people. We tend to calm those around us, often regardless of our own needs. Actually, it is unhealthy to do so.
Be sure of your own value.
You were created differently from every other human. Overcoming people-pleasing starts with clearly knowing the value of your thoughts and actions, and that your presence matters. By pleasing people at the cost of your own desires, you’re forgetting that you are here for a reason.
When something goes wrong, it’s quite natural for me to say sorry. It is pretty true of you if you’re a people-pleaser too. However, before words of apology trip from your lips, stop and look at the situation. Apologize sincerely and timely on condition that it’s really your fault. Otherwise just let it go.
Keep saying no.
Speak up.
People-pleasers like to agree with the masses. We are quiet, listening, waiting to agree on whatever decision is reached. Many times, I simply stayed quiet and agreed, even when I really didn’t like the plans at all. And bitterness surged when I was asked to deal with what I didn’t want.
Without any doubt, it’s difficult to go against the nature that you tend to please everyone around you.
| A．Say sorry actively. |
| B．Apologize properly. |
| C．It seems common to agree to everything. |
| D．Chances are that you’ll fail into old patterns midway. |
| E．What counts much is to change some of your daily habits. |
| F．Saying no is always the first choice for many people to make. |
| G．Learn to use your voice bravely if you’d like to overcome people-pleasing. |
| A．18936400376. | B．18963400376. | C．13896400376. |
5 . When is a kid not a kid anymore? If you asked my 12-year-old daughter, the magical age would be 13, when you can no longer be considered a “child”. If you asked my 15-year-old niece, the age would be 16, when she will be able to drive a car and get an after-school job. According to the U. S. government, a child officially becomes an adult when they turn 18. That’s when they can vote. But even though an 18-year-old starts paying taxes, the government does not consider that person mature enough to buy a beer. Still, even a kid who can buy a beer is not old enough to rent a car.
Scientists have learned from a new study that when kids are around 18, their prefrontal cortex, which helps control impulses, solve problems, and organize behavior, is only halfway developed. That’s not to say that kids in their late teens and early 20s can’t take on these tasks, but it means that it’s harder for them to do so - at least until around age 25 or so when this area of the brain fully develops.
“What we’re really saying is that to have a definition of when you move from childhood to adulthood looks absurd,” Peter Jones from the University of Cambridge said. “It’s a much more nuanced (微妙的) change that takes place over thirty years.”
This isn’t a news flash for parents who have watched their teens take crazy risks while seeming unable to get their lives together until they’re older. But this information throws new light on the way kids without as much support are treated. In the foster (寄养的) care system, once a child turns 18, he can no longer receive state-backed support. And many people think this is too early for a teen to be on his own, especially a teen who has experienced a painful childhood. Because of this, some foster care advocates think it makes more sense for 25 to be the new legal age of adulthood.
1. What does the author want to show us in Paragraph 1?| A．Different age groups have different needs. |
| B．Becoming an adult means you can do a lot of things. |
| C．People have different opinions on becoming an adult. |
| D．Children need to learn basic life skills to become an adult. |
| A．To explain why teenagers are at risk. |
| B．To suggest a way of helping teenagers develop. |
| C．To explore the characteristics of different age groups. |
| D．To discover when the human brain is fully developed. |
| A．Impossible. | B．Invaluable. |
| C．Unreasonable. | D．Uninteresting. |
| A．It may inspire teens to be independent. |
| B．It may allow a 20-year-old to get government support. |
| C．It may drive the government to protect the foster care system. |
| D．It may encourage parents to stop supporting their children at college. |
6 . Traditionally, the number of meaningful social relationships one can maintain is around 150. This concept finds its roots in the natural development of the human brain. However, in the digital age, where our social connections extend far beyond the geographical boundaries (界限), we easily create more connections with the help of the rising online platforms. Then, a question arises: Does the digital age rewrite the rules of social connection?
A study published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking explored the effect of social media usage on the size of social circles and the closeness of relationships. The researchers found that more time spent on social media made for a larger number of online “friends,” but not a larger number of offline friends. Further, the findings were not linked to feelings of closeness towards online or offline friends.
Another study from the European Journal of Information Systems studied the link between social media usage and “social overload” — the feeling that too much of the energy for socializing is being used up by online relationships. The authors found that social media usage directly contributed to the experience of social overload, related to digital tiredness and dissatisfaction with social media.
With social media platforms rising, one’s ability to connect with people challenges the traditional concept. The brain, used to manage a limited number of relationships, now fights against the difficulties of dealing with a large number of digital connections, leading to a less attention and feeling investment (投入) in a relationship. And the online shallow connections can not develop meaningful, lasting relationships that stand the test of digital distance.
Therefore, in the digital age’s social whirlwind, instead of drowning (淹没) in a sea of weak interaction (互动), choose to engage in meaningful conversations and focus on the handful of relationships that truly fit your heart. Hug the beauty of face-to-face connections, allowing the richness of human interaction to flower beyond the digital world. By doing so, we create digital and physical spaces that truly improve our well-being.
1. Why did the author mention the traditional concept in the first paragraph?| A．To tell a story. | B．To develop the topic. |
| C．To show his sincerity. | D．To give an example. |
| A．Online relationships were closer. |
| B．Spending more time online improved one’s health. |
| C．Social media usage had no effect on one’s social circles. |
| D．The large online social circles didn’t mean the large number of offline friends. |
| A．It resulted in one’s less attention to a relationship. |
| B．It caused the brain to break down and damaged the health. |
| C．It led to expression errors when one socialized with friends. |
| D．It developed shallow connections that stand the test of distance. |
| A．It is a good choice to give up online connections completely. |
| B．Face-to-face connections are time-consuming and meaningless in digital age. |
| C．It is a must to merely concentrate on the few relationships truly fitting your heart. |
| D．It poses a challenge for the brain to deal with large numbers of digital connections. |
7 . Signs that You Are Growing
Growing is a lifelong process. Here are the signs that show you are actually growing and not getting stuck in the process.
Often, we see how badly people look when they get overly upset due to unimportant things. So the first sign of maturity (成熟) is letting the small things go and not getting angry over a tiny detail that didn’t go as you planned.
You start forgiving and understanding other people.
When we are young, we are often unforgiving. As we mature, we are better able to understand the world beyond black and white. Becoming more understanding is a sign of strength, not weakness.
You always complete things that matter.
Immature people don’t know when to commit (承诺) themselves and their energy or resources are always not well employed.
You accept the possibility of being wrong.
Being mature is knowing that you are always growing up. You are never done learning and developing.
| A．You follow the crowd. |
| B．You let the small things go. |
| C．Instead, mature people focus on completing things that matter. |
| D．Immature and mature people can both have plans for their lives. |
| E．This means that you don’t set yourself up as the highest authority. |
| F．It enables us to look beyond the obvious and let go of simple judgments. |
| G．Mature people appear more confident, however, they are not overconfident. |
1. What is a good topic to start a conversation at a party?
| A．Something about the host or hostess. |
| B．Good friends who are present. |
| C．A recent movie. |
| A．By looking other people in the eyes. |
| B．By using their first names. |
| C．By giving short answers. |
| A．To show their interest. |
| B．To hear the words clearly. |
| C．To create a relaxing atmosphere. |
| A．They make people feel bored. |
| B．They are difficult to understand. |
| C．They may cause disagreements. |
9 . All of us have taken an instant dislike to someone, and then felt guilty about being too judgmental. But now it seems we should place more trust in our first impressions. Most people can correctly judge a total stranger following a short meeting, according to scientists.
And in general, the more confident the people are, the more likely they are to be correct in their assumptions. Jeremy Biesanz, who led a team of researchers from the University of British Columbia, said: “Many important decisions are made after very brief encounters — which employee to hire, which person to date, which student to accept”. Although our first impressions are generally accurate, it is necessary for us to recognize where they may be not good enough.
The researchers arranged for two groups of more than 100 people to meet in a meeting. Much like speed-dating, the volunteers spoke to everyone in their group for three minutes each. At the end of each three-minute chat, they were asked to rate each other’s personalities, and how well they thought their impressions “would coincide with someone who knows this person very well”.
To find out what the person was “really” like, the scientists had his friends and family fill out his personality reports. Generally speaking, the more confident the volunteers felt in accurately rating another’s personality, the closer their ratings were to those of the other person’s friends and family, the researchers said.
However, the participants with the highest accuracy were those who rated themselves moderately(适度)accurate — those highly confident of their judgment were less successful. The scientists concluded that, although we know people are different from each other, a good judge of character knows that in many ways people are mostly alike. For example, almost everyone would prefer being kind to being unfriendly.
Therefore, while first impressions can be generally accurate, they are not conclusive in working out whether somebody really is “better” than someone else.
1. The volunteers joined a meeting which was ______.| A．interesting | B．complex | C．serious | D．brief |
| A．agree with | B．appeal to | C．get along with | D．set an example to |
①Being talkative ②Good social relationships
③A proper degree of confidence ④Knowing that people are mostly alike
| A．①② | B．②③ | C．③④ | D．④① |
| A．many important decisions are made with the help of strangers |
| B．people tend to have better impressions on friends than on strangers |
| C．we shouldn’t depend on first impressions completely to judge others |
| D．accurate judgments on others can help us make as many friends as possible |
| A．We should not doubt our ability to judge others. |
| B．Our first impressions on a stranger are usually accurate. |
| C．Confidence determines whether people can succeed or not. |
| D．It’s an important task to make a good judgment about strangers. |
10 . What are the speakers mainly talking about?
| A．How to treat others. | B．How to support a family. | C．How to find a great job. |
