1 . People often plan to receive medical exam but don’t, resulting in increasing health care cost. A surprising number of citizens mean to complete tax forms in time but forget to, forcing them to pay unnecessary fines. Many families miss the government deadline to complete financial aid forms, losing out on aid available for child care.
How can policymakers help people follow through on important tasks? They use carrots and sticks: bonuses, late fees, or regulations. These methods can be clumsy, and often aren’t effective for the situation at hand. Reminding people to form simple plans. however, provides a low-cost, simple, and powerful tool.
Evidence is growing that providing prompts, which push people at key times to think through how and when they will follow through, make people more likely to act on tasks of importance. In one early randomized study on tetanus vaccination rates, for example, a team of social psychologists showed that 28% of Oxford University seniors got the shot after being encouraged to review their weekly schedules and to select a possible time to stop by the health center. They were also given a list of times when shots were available and a map showing the health center’s location. Only 3% of the seniors got the shot when simply informed about how effective the shots were.
People who make a plan gain an advantage from their psychological forces. Specifically, they can overcome the tendency to put off as well as the tendency to be overly optimistic about the time it will take to accomplish a task. Imagine Sarah who wants to renew a car insurance, but it will require two hours of travel to and from a garage. Making a plan may lead her to lake two hours off and have her responsibilities covered by her colleagues while she is away. Moreover, she will be less likely to underestimate the time needed to accomplish the task—a particularly common problem for complex tasks.
People mistakenly believe that their strong intentions are enough to push them to perform desired behaviors. These psychological research results stress the need for policy decisions that encourage plan making and improve social welfare.
1. What phenomenon is described in paragraph 1?| A．Heavy burden of daily chores. | B．Lack of task management skills. |
| C．Disappointment of over-ambitions. | D．Failure to achieve original intentions. |
| A．People need to think deeply before they act. |
| B．Specific reminders help people accomplish plans. |
| C．Awareness of task significance matters in planning. |
| D．Seniors need encouragement to have vaccination shots. |
| A．They are realistic in the time required. | B．They are optimistic about the outcome. |
| C．They are confident to overcome hardship. | D．They are careful with task arrangements. |
| A．Medical staff. | B．Government officials. |
| C．Ordinary people. | D．Social psychologists. |
2 . The British government declared that a ''proper piece of work'' was being carried out to look into the possibility of linking Scotland to Northern Ireland via a bridge spanning the Irish Sea. At the moment, the leading candidates for the locations of the route are Portpatrick on the Scottish coast and Larne on the Northern Irish coast.
Length aside, there are a number of other significant challenges that such an enormous project would raise. For example, there’s the depth of the sea, which at times reaches 300 metres, and the large spans that would be required to let any ships pass under the bridge safely, explained Ian Firth, a structural engineer at the Institution of Civil Engineers.
''One solution might be to use floating foundations. '' he said. ''You have a floating pontoon(水上浮台) held below the surface of the water.You still have to get down there and drill holes in the rock down below, but you're now just tying it down with some cables. Then the floating platform is held below the waves----you don't want it at the surface because then you’re getting wave action and tidal action. You stand your bridge structures on those floating platforms. That’s the sort of thing that potentially could be doable. ''
Even so, such a structure would still leave those travelling across it at the mercy of high winds and heavy rain, even taking into account any weather shielding measures that could be fitted. However, there may be another solution.
''There's another type of floating structure, a submerged(水下的) floating tunnel. It’s not through the rock but under the water, '' said Firth. ''You attach it down, shall we say 20 metres below the water, so that ships can go happily across the top of it, but the thing is actually floating. If you're in your car, you’re driving, in effect, through a tunnel. That is a very interesting, and I think really quite potentially practical solution. ''
But it's early days and there are many factors to consider, such as the ability of the transport links either side of the crossing to cope with additional traffic, and the fact that it may be more efficient to upgrade the existing ferry infrastructure, before any kind of design work could begin.
''At the moment it is an idea and not much more than that. To begin with, we'd need a pre-feasibility study which looks at what the options are so that we can actually frame the range of a feasibility(可行性) study, '' said Firth, ''After that people like me could go away and turn over what the options are. I believe it's possible. But 'possible' and 'affordable' are two different things. I’m not trying to put numbers to it, but it is eye-wateringly expensive, and nothing like it has been attempted before. But we're in the business of finding solutions to challenges. We civil structural engineers are good at that kind of thing. ''
1. From Paragraphs 1 and 2, engineers may focus efforts on the ______ of the bridge-to-be.| A．cost | B．location |
| C．structure | D．reliability |
| A．It is impossible to build a bridge on floating platforms. |
| B．It takes much labor to tie floating platforms with cables. |
| C．Wave and tidal action can easily destroy floating platforms. |
| D．Traffic flow will be subject to severe weather conditions. |
| A．Bridge construction is more of an assumption than a detailed plan. |
| B．Engineers have reached a consensus on the feasibility of the project. |
| C．They are trying to update the structural design to control costs. |
| D．Previous similar attempts do help them draw up a feasible plan. |
| A．Why not float? |
| B．A bridge too far? |
| C．Overlooking the Irish Sea |
| D．Meeting new Scottish friends |
3 . Eat healthier. Exercise twice a week. Read more books. Lose weight. We make the same resolutions (决心) every year, but most of us fail, dying out after only a few days or, at best, weeks. Even the most successful among us crash and burn when it comes to personal change. President Barack Obama struggles to get out of his cigarette habit.
Professionals who help people make changes in their lives suggest the change is decided not by one’s surroundings, but one’s mind. Beginning with small goals or steps usually leads to a better result later, they say. But they notice that the experience is different for everyone.
“People are more likely to make positive changes in their lives not only when their friends do, but when their friends of friends do, and when their friends of friends of friends do,” said Nicholas Christakis, a professor of medical sociology at Harvard University. “People are better able to make changes in their lives—lose weight, quit smoking, become happy—when they do this with a large number of other people, and so taking advantage of your social network ties can contribute to your own efforts.”
Johnny Augustin understands that well. His resolution for 2008 was to reduce 30 pounds from his 237-pound frame. But the change didn’t come easily. He said, “I’m a huge procrastinator, I kept putting it off until tomorrow. I didn’t get to do it until the summer.” However, Augustin got encouraged when he saw his older brother working out. Today, Augustin weighs 190 pounds.
“Of course, change can happen only if people don’t set their expectations too high or try to deal with too many changes at once; one of the biggest mistakes we make is setting unrealistic goals,” said Dalia Liera, a psychologist at Lesley University. “You can’t accomplish in a few weeks what you haven’t accomplished in a few years,” said Liera.
1. From the first paragraph we can infer that _________.| A．change for a person is challenging |
| B．famous people have great resolutions |
| C．most people don’t want to change themselves |
| D．personal change is beyond belief |
| A．have great determination to make a change |
| B．put off work especially because of laziness |
| C．have habitual carelessness and laziness |
| D．have no desire to do something great |
| A．people should understand their goals well |
| B．people should try their best to change themselves |
| C．people should have confidence and positive habits |
| D．people should start with setting small goals to meet |
4 . I used to be the most determined resolution-maker. Even as a child, I was always goal-centered and loved the feeling of accomplishing things, and every January 1st, I would sit down and write out my resolutions (目标) for the upcoming year. And what resolutions they were! I always picked big goals, like: In the New Year, I will lose 50 pounds! And run a marathon! And study scripture (圣经) every day!
The problem? I’d start out strong, but by February or March, I’d be out of willpower and I’d slide quietly back into my old habits. Every winter, I’d feel guilty and ashamed, looking back at all of the amazing things... I think one of my biggest problems with New Years resolutions was wanting to “dream big” but not having the skills and ability to do those things.
Now I take the opposite approach I’m all about the little goals. First, little goals are easy to set. Instead of saying I’m going to run a marathon, I’ve decided I’m going to run 20 minutes three days a week. Second, little goals are easier to accomplish. Every time I check one of my mini goals off my list, I feel a burst of pride and accomplishment. It’s a great feeling, and I don’t have to wait until the end of the year to enjoy it!
The other great thing about making small goals instead of resolutions is that you can build small goals on top of each other, adding the achievements together. For instance, recently I decided to make sure I ate five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. After a few months, this became a solid habit.
1. Why did the author feel guilty and ashamed?| A．Because she picked big goals as her resolutions. |
| B．Because she failed to accomplish her resolutions. |
| C．Because she was looking back at the amazing things. |
| D．Because she loved the feeling of accomplishing things. |
| A．She put all of her goals together. |
| B．She checked mini goals off her list. |
| C．She set small goals instead of big ones. |
| D．She didn’t make resolutions any more. |
| A．Small goals are easy to set. |
| B．Making resolutions is not reasonable. |
| C．Eating fruits and vegetable is a good habit. |
| D．Small goal can contribute to big achievements. |
| A．Setting Small Goals Not Big Ones | B．Combining Big and Small Goals |
| C．Making New Year’s Resolutions | D．Setting and Achieving My Goals |
5 . New Year’s resolutions you should be making about time management
You likely already have too many goals and too many disappointments from this past year. So as you look ahead to 2020, the idea of adding more seems kind of exciting but also a bit forbidding. That’s why as a time management coach, I recommend that you do the opposite:
Know less
It’s okay not to be up-to-date on everything. To cut down on these distractions, you might turn off social media notifications on your phone.
Resolution: I resolve to be less aware of “interesting” things so I can be interested in and present for the people around me.
Care less
This one may sound a bit unfeeling.You may want to be a kind and thoughtful person for your friends and family and to serve your clients well.
Here is a way:
I am at the service of my customers Monday through Friday, during the day.
Resolution:
Is it easy to do less? No. But will it lead you to the best outcomes in the end? Yes. You’ll thank yourself for it at the end of 2020.
| A．Resolve to do less. |
| B．Contact people face to face. |
| C．I have to manage my time strategically. |
| D．But I don’t feel the need to be available 24/7. |
| E．Alternatively, you could offload the apps altogether. |
| F．I resolve to care less about what others want me to do. |
| G．But you can’t care about everyone who wants your attention professionally. |
6 . One summer my friend and I decided to go to Italy for a holiday and we decided to travel there without going through a travel agency. You know, you would be submerged (淹没) in crowds of tourists and lose lots of opportunities to get familiar with the country more closely. We started to think over our trip and managed to come up with a free tour of Italy.
The trip was not very long but it was still very impressive. We look forward to going there again! Of course, we spent lots of time arranging the trip, but it was well worth it! Of course I was afraid that something would go wrong and I was especially anxious about my visa, but everything went quite smoothly in the end.
The most difficult part was getting a visa without an invitation. In the Italian consulate(领事馆), one must hand in some official papers proving that one has a hotel booked for oneself in order to get the visa. Then we had to solve the ticket problem. Airlines often sell cheap tickets and we bought ours far in advance. The next step was to book a hotel. We finally booked a hotel about thirty km away from the heart of Rome and it was the perfect choice for our trip.
Every day we took a train that carried us to the heart of Rome. Our big house, which was surrounded by the forest, was a rare place for the fresh air and absolute silence, beautiful views, hospitable (好客的) hosts, comfortable living conditions delighted us to no end. Besides this, we were very lucky that our mistress was Russian. She gave us a lot of advice that was of great use. She told us what transport to choose and where the best places to go.
Don’t be afraid to arrange your trip by yourself. It’s not difficult! The only thing I’ll say right now is that we really enjoyed traveling by ourselves. We walked with a map and a guide-book to wherever we wanted and we even met some of our fellow countrymen on the way just two or three times. So, if you’re also planning a “single” trip, don’t forget to take a Russian-Italian phrasebook as people in Italy prefer to speak in their native tongue.
1. Why does the author want to go to Italy again?| A．He had a great time there. | B．Italy has a lot of attractions. |
| C．His friend invited him there. | D．He didn’t stay in Italy long enough. |
| A．Buying cheap airline tickets to Italy before the traveling. |
| B．Getting a visa without an invitation from the Italian consulate. |
| C．Booking a comfortable hotel on his own in Rome. |
| D．Solving the ticket problem far in advance. |
| A．the reason why he chose to live in the center of Rome |
| B．the reason why the hotel he booked was the right choice |
| C．what transport they chose to travel in their Italian trip |
| D．the reason why the mistress gave them some advice |
| A．enjoys traveling everywhere in the world |
| B．likes being accompanied by tour guides |
| C．advises us to arrange trips by ourselves |
| D．met with a lot of his countrymen in Italy |
| Memo To: Andy White From: Rita Brown Date: 3rd June Subject: Winter Carnival 10th January to 12th February at the Universal Park. We also propose an entrance fee of $10. The site will be divided into six areas. In the centre, there will be a flower show. We will invite both growers from home and abroad to participate. To the side of the flower show, next to Kent Road and Bedford P.F. Productions Road, there will be two areas for amusement rides. We will set up thirty rides in these areas. This year, we propose holding two new events-a fancy dress contest and an ice sculpture exhibition. We suggest that we should set aside an area for the fancy dress contest, which is close to the entrance and next to Bedford Road. We are also considering building an exhibition hall for the ice sculpture exhibition. Finally, next to the entrance, there will be a food fair, where visitors can enjoy food from around the world. Please give me your feedback on our arrangements. Thank you for your help. Rita |
Andy’s Map of the Winter Carnival
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8 . It's amazing how we grow from careless kids to responsible teens. What happens in the course that makes us responsible now? It’s the seed that we sow in the beginning which grows and becomes a huge tree.
As a kid, I used to read a lot of story books. In one particular book, I read a story of a bird. It described a male bird which takes a lot of pain to build a nest and the female bird takes shelter in it and nourishes the baby. When the bird learns to fly, the whole family flies off to a different place leaving behind the beautiful nest for other birds to grow their family in it. It made me wonder. How could they so easily sacrifice their house built with so much effort?
One night, when I was deep in sleep, I got this particular dream. I was walking miles on the endless road, totally isolated but lined with beautiful trees on either side. I happened to stop upon seeing something. It was a wonderful house with every corner touched artistically and lovingly. I don’t know why I felt that it was done lovingly. Maybe because, things turn out to be beautiful only when we put our love into it - just like the food prepared by mom which tastes more delicious with her love.
I explored the house only to fall more in love with it. There was a sloping roof which matched with the greenery around; the large central open courtyard reminded me of the activities that might have taken place there which felt lively even now when it is completely deserted. The small water body that kept the house cool added to the beauty of the house - of course, it was all dried up now. It's really wonderful how such things add life to the spaces which otherwise just become structures. Such liveliness and happening turns the house into a home.
When I woke up from the dream, I was clear about everything. I realized where that mile of walk was intending me to lead. I realized what message my dream wanted to convey me. And years later, when finally my turn of choosing my destination came, I simply closed my eyes. When I opened my eyes, I was sure what to do. I decided to choose the road - less traveled. Yes, I took up architecture as my profession because this is what I am destined to do. I wanted to do the same thing that the male bird in the story did, to take pain in building a beautiful house and let others stay in it.
1. When the writer read the story of the bird, he probably felt _______.| A．upset | B．confused |
| C．amazed | D．amused |
| A．the story of the bird | B．his mother's food |
| C．the house in his dream | D．his story books |
| A．mom cooks with her love | B．we are so familiar with mom's food |
| C．moms are better cooks than fathers | D．mom is experienced in cooking |
| A．The greenery surrounding the house. |
| B．The body of water that keeps the house cool. |
| C．The liveliness he sensed around the house. |
| D．The fact that the house was very large. |
| A．how the writer finally becomes an honest citizen |
| B．where the true meaning of responsibility lies |
| C．what we need to do when we are seeking fortune |
| D．why the writer takes up architecture as his career |
9 . A bunch of strangers showed up at the gym in the early morning of the last Sunday of April. A few athletes were already stretching their arms, but most of us could barely focus. As I was burning off last night's wrong decision—a big meal, I spotted a poster about a gym's 21-day workout challenge, and I immediately signed up. I always wanted to train for a marathon, so I considered this as my warm-up. Besides, I needed to stop being lazy and this was my chance to make a change.
It was easy to promise on paper, but three weeks of recommended exercise routines and diet restrictions wouldn't be easy. I stuck to working out 30 minutes a day, and I didn't disturb my normal routine. Instead, I had to be faced with the tough work of being more creative in my spare time, thus breaking some bad habits.
Overcoming weaknesses with willpower was my goal for the next part of the journey. But the difficult part about making a challenge is realizing that “wanting" and “doing" are two very different things. Just like a career, you have to physically work for it rather than just wait for it to happen. But that's hard. Throughout the 21 days, I often told myself that the challenge was meaningless and tried to sabotage myself from exercising. However, finally I overcame that negative thought and kept working out.
At the end of the challenge, I learned something even more important: Feeling the results is better than seeing them. I had fewer headaches and more energy, and was simply happier. I even felt a little smarter as I researched which foods were better for my body, and learned how to make healthier meals. I felt a sense of accomplishment, too, because even though I wanted to give up dozens of times, I didn't. I felt my waist got smaller and my arms got stronger, and I no longer felt guilty after having a piece of cake or a drink.
1. What was the author's wrong decision?| A．Going to the gym early. |
| B．Training for a marathon. |
| C．Eating a lot the previous night. |
| D．Stopping being lazy for a change. |
| A．Some of the author's bad habits. |
| B．Some ways of the author's killing his spare time. |
| C．The importance of sticking to the normal daily routine. |
| D．The difficulty of the author's keeping on with the workout plan. |
| A．Prevent. | B．Hear. |
| C．Improve. | D．Distinguish. |
| A．Eating healthy food is more important than exercising. |
| B．Overcoming a challenge could bring good feelings to him. |
| C．It's more important to see what he likes than just feel it. |
| D．There was no need to feel guilty about things he disliked to do. |
10 . According to the notice from the government, our school will close and your child can stay at home if it snows in order to avoid the traffic inconvenience and possible danger. But Snow Day is not a homework-free holiday. We will call it Snow Learning Day.
Snow Learning Day is a time for students to continue learning at home when they miss a day of regular school study. Students will have the opportunity for skill improvement through computer or paper worksheets.
We will send home a packet with each student that contains work for Snow Learning. Please sign your name in the following activity boxes when you make sure your child completes for each Snow Learning Day we have. Your child needs to return this sheet and all completed work to Mr. Turner within 5 days after they return to school.
ACTIVITY BOX ON SNOW LEARNING DAY
| ● Create a 15-song play list from the 1970s, 1980s or 1990s that you think your parents would have listened to growing up. Include the song title and the artist. | ● Write a biography of your favorite writer. Explore important details about their life, their works and writing style. |
| ● Think of a fictional book you have read recently. Write a new ending to that book. Minimum one page. | ● Write a step-by-step guide that explains in detail how to prepare and cook a meal that you made on your snow day. |
1. What is Snow Learning Day according to paragraph I?
| A．It is a school festival. |
| B．It is a computer program. |
| C．It is a school-free day with homework。. |
| D．It is a wintertime safety training activity. |
| A．Learning 15 old songs. | B．Writing a cooking guide. |
| C．Exploring a fictional book. | D．Interviewing a writer. |
| A．Government. | B．Teachers. |
| C．Parents. | D．Students. |
