Many people write to newspaper and magazines to express their opinions. Letters
题型：不详难度：来源：
Many people write to newspaper and magazines to express their opinions. Letters to the editor must carry the writer’s full name, address and telephone number, although the information is not necessary for publication. This requirement to provide personal particulars is a clear indication that writers are held responsible for what they say. When a writer wants his voice heard, he needs to claim ownership of his voice. Responsibility is the name of the game.
“People today prefer living together to putting their signatures on a marriage certificate because they refuse to accept responsibility for the relationship,” said social worker Ken Yip, “and this is what is causing a lot of family problems.” When we sign a paper, for example, a business contract or a bank document, the signature is a seal of consent, an agreement to take the matter seriously. Most governments and many organizations will not process written complaints if they do not bear the writer’s signature. The absence of a signature, they explain, tells us that the writer cannot be too serious and therefore does not deserve a reply.
There are people who wish to remain anonymous（匿名的）for various reasons. Multi-billionaire Mr. King donates generously to charity several times a year. He gives simply because he wants to help but not for the publicity his donations may bring, and he does not want his good deeds to make news. In other cases, people insist on anonymity because they are afraid of the consequences of revealing their identity. Crime witnesses may be willing to assist the police, but most are unwilling to give their names when reporting a crime.
Name or no name? The answer is very personal and lies in how much we want to get involved. We all have a name. It is a matter if responsibility to use it when we make a statement, a claim or an accusation. We all want to honour our own name, and it is only by stamping our expression of an opinion with our own name that we honour what we say.
小题1:What does the writer mean by saying “Responsibility is the name of the game”? | A．Writers need to provide their personal information in the game. | | B．Publication must bear the writer’s full name, address and phone number. | | C．Writers should be responsible for their names. | | D．Names are required to indicate writers’ responsibility for what they say. |
小题2:The second paragraph suggests that a paper without a signature may _______. | A．help to end a relationship | B．not get a reply | | C．be accepted all the same | D．become a family problem |
小题3:Some people don’t want their names known because they are ________. | A．hesitant to make a donation | B．unwilling to draw public attention | | C．afraid of an accusation | D．ready for involvement |
小题4:The passage is mainly about _______. | A．honour and writers | B．identity and signature | | C．signature and responsibility | D．anonymity and signature |
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答案
小题1:D
小题2:B
小题3:B
小题4:C |
解析
小题1:推理判断。根据第一段中的…is a clear indication that writers are held responsible for what they say可判断D正确的。
小题2:推理判断。第二段后半部分提到很多政府和组织不受理没有签名的投诉，并解释说上诉人不太严肃。
小题3:推理判断。根据第三段是提到慈善匿名捐款的事例可知他们不想暴露在广众之下。
小题4:主旨大意。根据第一段话中的内容可知签名意味着为自己的话负责，又根据第二段和第四段的内容可以判断本文的中心话题是：签名与责任。 |
举一反三
Happiness, rather than working hard, is the key to success, according to research published yesterday. Cheerfu1 peop1e are more 1ikely to try new things and challenge（wk战）themselves， which strengthens their good emotion and leads to success in work，good relationships and strong health，say psychologists（心理学家）.
The findings suggest that happiness is not a “ feel-good” luxury（奢侈品），but is necessary for people’s well-being. What is more, happiness can also reach an entire nation，with people in” happy” nations being more likely to help others.
The link between happiness and success was studied by a team from the University of California Riverside，led by Professor Sonja Lyubomirsky.
First, they examined questionnaires that ask peop1e about their 1ives. “ For example, they show that happy people are likely to earn higher incomes” said Lyubomirsky. Having established the link，they wanted to discover the cause.
“Almost always it has been taken for granted that things that connect closely to happiness are the causes of happiness，but it could be just the opposite that those things are likely to be caused by happiness，” said Professor Ed Diener from the University of Illinois，another author on the paper.
“ There was strong evidence that happiness leads people to be more sociable，more generous and more productive at work，to make more money，and to have stronger immune（免疫）systems，”said Lyubomirsky.
The research shows that while success can put a spring in someone’s step，peop1e need happiness in the first place to achieve success.
According to the study， around 4 out of 5 people in modern industrialized nations arc happy at any one time.
Success was not just about earning lots of money. “ We describe success as having the things that culture or society values，whether it be friends，close family, money and income，or long life，”said Diener.
However，sorrowful people arc not predetermined to lead a life of failure.
小题1:In this passage，which of the following viewpoints does Professor Lyubomirsky state？| A．People in less happy countries are more likely to help others. | | B．Things connected to happiness are brought about by happiness. | | C．Happiness results in richer and healthier people. | | D．Success means possessing things that a cu1ture or society thinks highly of. |
小题2:The underlined phrase “ put a spring in someone’s step” means .| A．put you in good spirits | B．put spring water on your feet | | C．have a pleasant walk in spring | D．step into a cheerful spring |
小题3:According to the passage，which of the following is true？| A．People arc happy because they earn more money. | | B．People earn more money because they are happy. | | C．Working hard is important for being successful. | | D．We can do whatever we like as 1ong as we feel happy. |
小题4: We can infer from the passage that .| A．fee1ing good is a cause and not an effect of achievement | | B．our life would be a failure if we were not happy | | C．happiness is just a personal problem | | D．being successful mainly means being wealthy |
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Compulsive(狂热的) shoppers may have a new psychological excuse to blame for their shopping. Psychologists at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand are studying the “shop-till-you-drop” habit as a behavioral disorder similar to compulsive eating. Compulsive shoppers frequently buy more than they can afford or more than they need, and it causes them anxiousness.
“ It becomes a problem when you are out of control,” psychology lecturer Neville Blampied said. “ When you are feeling bad and blue, what do you do? Some people eat chocolate cake and ice cream. Some people take the credit card and go out to the shop.” Bank managers understand the problem because they have to deal with people who have to be persuaded to stop using their cards drawing money.
An advertisement in a Christchurch paper, calling for people to take part in an experimental treatment program designed by Mr. Wilson, attracted 10 replies. But the problem, said Mr. Wilson, is “clearly not rare.” He thinks that compulsive shopping should be treated with drugs. “As psychologists We are interested in non-drug treatments for behavioral difficulties,” Mr. Wilson said.
Compulsive eaters or shoppers get a kick from their habit. “ Both activities provide an immediate kind of kick and you feel a bit better,” he said. “ You have long-term problems, but human beings are extremely good at not seeing long-term problem and are very sensitive to short-term benefits,” he said.
The aim of the treatments was to help people find better ways of managing their emotions. The program, consisting of 10 one-hour weekly lessons and two follow-up treatments, is loosely based on teaching stress management.
“ You often have to start to get people to correctly recognize their emotions. Not being able to know what you really feel weakens your ability to solve the problems.” Mr. Wilson said.
小题1:What is this article mostly about?| A．Signs of compulsive shopping. | | B．Studies of compulsive shopping. | | C．A comparison of shopping and eating. | | D．An experimental treatment program. |
小题2:The compulsive shoppers will go shopping when they _.| A．have lots of money | B．are taking drugs | | C．are feeling sad | D．win a prize |
小题3: Which of the following is considered important in treating compulsive shoppers?| A．Teach them to understand their emotions. | | B．Teach them to manage their money better. | | C．Persuade them not to draw money from the bank. | | D．Treat them with some right drugs. |
小题4:When the writer says that compulsive shoppers get a kick from their habit, he means that they _.| A．feel anxious after their wild shopping | | B．feel better after treatment from psychologists | | C．are better able to deal with stress problems | | D．have a feeling of excitement after shopping |
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Seeing may be believing，but hearing a sound first may help your sense of sight，according to results of a new study.
Researchers at the University of California of San Diego report that people were more accurate at noticing a flash of light when a sound was produced at the same place immediately before the light flashed.
“We used a loud sound to catch our participants’（受试者）attention” one of the study’s authors, Dr McDonald， said in an article. During some experiments， the sound occurred at the same location as the flash of light，while at other times it was produced on the opposite side of participants’ field of sight. The 33 participants in the study were more accurate at noticing the flash of light when the sound occurred on the same side，suggesting that sound can help direct visual（视觉的）attention.
According to McDonald， his research team plans to continue studying the relationship between sight and sound. It will be interesting to see， he said，what happens to the ability to pay attention when one of the sense does not work as well as it should，as in a person who is blind of has hearing problems.
McDonald also noted that research into the relationship between sight and sound could affect the way we 1ook at peop1e with attention disorder. Traditionally，these people together are considered to have attention prob1em，but in some people the problem may be caused by hearing or sight deficits（缺陷）.
“ It could be possible that they cou1d have a deficit in one sense or another，or in relating sight and sound together，” McDonald said. Research into this area may lead to better treatment for people who have a hard time paying attention. It may be a good idea to take into consideration the relationship between sound and sight when designing warning signals，such as for an airplane pilot.
小题1: By saying “ Seeing may be believing” ，the writer is suggesting that .| A．there is a relationship between hearing and seeing | | B．the saying has some influence on their research | | C．you should read the research findings in this article | | D．you should visit the laboratory in person |
小题2: One question the research team wants to study is how .| A．to deal with people’s hearing problems | | B．to improve pilots’ attention during flight | | C．people with hearing or sight deficits can improve their attention | | D．hearing or sight deficits affect people’s ability to pay attention |
小题3:McDonald believes that the study of the relationship between sight and sound will .| A．have practical values for medical doctors and pilots | | B．help change the well-being of medical doctors | | C．prevent people from having hearing or sight problem | | D．help to improve people’s eyesight |
小题4: Which is the best title for the passage？
A. A cure for people with hearing problems. B. The study of people’s attention.
C Sound helps to improves people’s attention. D. Sound helps to notice the flash of light. |
Tens of thousands of theatre tickets will be given away to young people next year as part of a government campaign to inspire a lifelong love for theatre.
The plan to offer free seats to people aged between 18 to 26—funded with £2.5 million of taxpayers’ money—was announced yesterday by Andy Burnham, the Culture Secretary. It received a cautious welcome from some in the arts world, who expressed concern that the tickets may not reach the most underprivileged.
The plan comes as West End theatres are enjoying record audiences, thanks largely to musicals teaming up with television talent shows. Attendances reached. 13.6 million in 2007, up 10 percent on 2006, itself a record year. Total sales were up 18 percent on 2006 to almost £470 million.
One theatre source criticised the Government’s priorities(优先考虑的事) in funding free tickets when pensioners were struggling to buy food and fuel, saying: “I don’t know why the Government’s wasting money on this. The Yong Vic, as The Times reported today, offers excellent performances at cheap prices.”
There was praise for the Government’s plan from Dominic Cooke of the Royal Court Theatre, who said: “I support any move to get young people into theatre, and especially one that aims to do it all over England, not just in London.”
Ninety-five publicly funded theatres could apply for funding under the two-year plan. In return, they will offer free tickets on at least one day each week to 18 to 26-year-olds, first-come, first-served. It is likely to be on Mondays, traditionally a quiet night for the theatre.
Mr. Burnham said: “A young person attending the theatre can find it an exciting experience, and be inspired to explore a new world. But sometimes people miss out on it because they fear it’s ‘not for them’. It’s time to change this perception.”
Jeremy Hunt, the Shadow Culture Secretary, said: “The real issue is not getting enthusiastic children into the theatre, but improving arts education so that more young people want to go in the first place. For too many children theatres are a no-go area.”
小题1:Critics of the plan argued that ______.| A．the theatres would be overcrowded | | B．it would be a waste of money | | C．pensioners wouldn’t get free tickets | | D．the government wouldn’t be able to afford it |
小题2:According to the supporters, the plan should ______.| A．benefit the television industry | | B．focus on producing better plays | | C．help increase the sales of tickets | | D．involve all the young people in England |
小题3:Which of the following is TRUE about the plan?| A．Ninety-five theatres have received funding. | | B．Everyone will get at least one free ticket. | | C．It may not benefit all the young people. | | D．Free tickets are offered once every day. |
小题4:We can infer from the passage that in England ______.| A．many plays are not for young people | | B．many young people don’t like theatre | | C．people know little about the plan | | D．children used to receive good arts education |
小题5:According to the passage, the issue to offer free tickets to young people seems ______.| A．controversial | B．inspiring | C．exciting | D．unreasonable |
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D
Next time a customer comes to your office, offer him a cup of coffee. And when you’re doing your holiday shopping online, make sure you’re holding a large glass of iced tea. The physical sensation(感觉) of warmth encourages emotional warmth, while a cold drink in hand prevents you from making unwise decisions—those are the practical lesson being drawn from recent research by psychologist John A. Bargh.
Psychologists have known that one person’s perception(感知) of another’s “warmth” is a powerful determiner in social relationships. Judging someone to be either “warm” or “cold” is a primary consideration, even trumping evidence that a “cold” person may be more capable. Much of this is rooted in very early childhood experiences, Bargh argues, when babies’ conceptual sense of the world around them is shaped by physical sensations, particularly warmth and coldness. Classic studies by Harry Harlow, published in 1958, showed monkeys preferred to stay close to a cloth “mother” rather than one made of wire, even when the wire “mother” carried a food bottle. Harlow’s work and later studies have led psychologists to stress the need for warm physical contact from caregivers to help young children grow into healthy adults with normal social skills.
Feelings of “warmth” and “coldness” in social judgments appear to be universal. Although no worldwide study has been done, Bargh says that describing people as “warm” or “cold” is common to many cultures, and studies have found those perceptions influence judgment in dozens of countries.
To test the relationship between physical and psychological warmth, Bargh conducted an experiment which involved 41 college students. A research assistant who was unaware of the study’s hypotheses(假设), handed the students either a hot cup of coffee, or a cold drink, to hold while the researcher filled out a short information form: The drink was then handed back. After that, the students were asked to rate the personality of “Person A” based on a particular description. Those who had briefly held the warm drink regarded Person A as warmer than those who had held the iced drink.
“We are grounded in our physical experiences even when we think abstractly,” says Bargh.
小题1:According to Paragraph 1, a person’s emotion may be affected by ______.| A．the visitors to his office | B．the psychology lessons he has | | C．his physical feeling of coldness | D．the things he has bought online |
小题2:The author mentions Harlow’s experiment to show that ______.| A．adults should develop social skills | B．babies need warm physical contact | | C．caregivers should be healthy adults | D．monkeys have social relationships |
小题3:In Bargh’s experiment, the students were asked to ______.| A．evaluate someone’s personality | B．write down their hypotheses | | C．fill out a personal information form | | D．hold coffee and cold drink alternatively |
小题4:We can infer from the passage that ______.| A．abstract thinking does not come from physical experiences | | B．feelings of warmth and coldness are studied worldwide | | C．physical temperature affects how we see others | | D．capable persons are often cold to others |
小题5:What would be the best title for the passage?| A．Drinking for Better Social Relationships. | | B．Experiments of Personality Evaluation. | | C．Developing Better Drinking Habits. | | D．Physical Sensations and Emotions. |
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