请阅读下面短文,并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。
注意:请将答案写在答题卡上相应题号的横线上。每个空格只填一个单词。
Every January for the past 20 years, I have taken a few moments to consider the answer to the big question, “What is the meaning of life?”. The reason I ask this question year after year is that my answer changes over time, which I find interesting and insightful. There is no objectively correct answer, I believe—only answers that are right for you at any given time. This question is so important—philosophically and practically in terms of how we live our lives— yet we are unable to really think about the answer.
Doing this simple exercise might even help you live longer. According to two separate studies —one with 9,000 participants around age 65 and another with 6,000 people between 20 and 75—those who could explain the meaning and purpose of their lives died later than those who saw their lives as aimless. It didn’t seem to matter what meaning participants ascribed to their lives, whether it was personal (such as happiness), or creative (such as making art). It was having an answer to the question that mattered. The connection to longevity(长寿)could be causal—having purpose may help one manage daily stress, as other research has shown. But it could also be that those who think about life’s meaning are more likely to do other activities that promote good health.
Great thinkers have given the question thought. Leo Tolstoy wrote, “The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity.” Albert Einstein said: “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” My favorite answer, though, is “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.”
Some have concluded that life’s meaning is subjective. “There is not one standard meaning for all,” author Anaïs Nin once said. “There is only the meaning we each give to our life, an individual meaning, an individual plot, like an individual novel, a book for each person.” I agree, which is why I recommend formulating(构想)your own answer. Taking a few moments to record your response to the question “What is the meaning of life?” is the kind of simple exercise that effectively adds meaning to your life.
And then I suggest answering it every year. Looking back at how your thinking has evolved and been influenced by experience tells you something more about yourself. Then, it gets you closer to a deeper self-understanding.
If you do the annual “meaning” exercise, I suggest not looking at past answers before answering anew. I write them down on the same now-yellowing piece of paper and keep it someplace safe.
The last suggestion is to turn your answer into action. If you conclude, as Tolstoy and Einstein did, that the meaning of life is helping others, that should help motivate you to do more of it.
This is not a theoretical exercise. Whatever small step you take toward finding the meaning of life is a step toward a more meaningful, and longer life. Why not do this simple annual “meaning” exercise from now on?
Knowing Your 1.in Life Can Help You Live Longer | |
Introduction | Many of us 2.to consider the answer to the question “What is the meaning of life?”, though it is important. |
3.of studies | Those who know the meaning and purpose of life enjoy longevity. With purpose, they may 4.with stress and get involved in activities 5. good health. |
Answers to the question | Some famous people think the meaning of life is 6.others. I think a meaningful life is a life with purpose. |
Suggestions | ★Add meaning to your life by recording the answers, which7. depending on individuals. ★Answer the question yearly, which helps you 8.yourself better. ★Don’t 9.to the previous ones while forming a new answer. ★Turn your answer into action, doing what you think right and meaningful. |
Conclusion | Your ever-changing answers may help you live longer and better. Every small step you take toward finding the answers 10.. |
高二英语任务型阅读中等难度题查看答案及解析
Some people believe that greed and selfishness has become the basis of modern society, and we should return to the old traditions of family and community then we will have a better life. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above opinion?
In this fast-paced world, many values are undergoing major changes. While people traditionally prioritize caring, sharing and generosity in life and work, modern people seem to be more self-absorbed and self-concerned.
Modern people act selfishly to survive the harsh competition of life. They say that it is a jungle out there. To survive, you have to fight with whatever means that come handy. Obviously greedy and selfishness go perfectly well with such ideas. In a company, employees do everything they can to get better pay and higher position, even at the cost of colleagues. We are in any way advocating any selfish conduct. It is just that people are pressured to act in a certain way due to outside influences.
In spite of common practice, it is hard to conclude that modern society is built on greed and selfishness, both of which are not newly invented vocabulary. In ancient times people also did greedy and selfish things though such behaviors were more condemned then. But we can not ignore the fact that people in the past lived a relatively more isolated life and faced less pressure compared with their modern counterparts.
Are we happier to share with others and be generous to them? There is no fixed answer either. Some people take great pleasure helping and giving to others while others feel happy doing the opposite. But I personally think that people should not be too selfish. Caring for others can actually encourage the development of a mutually beneficial relationship.
In conclusion, modern people appear to be more self-centered than those in the past due to strong outside pressure. However, we should encourage people to know the importance of being caring and generous and to build a mutually beneficial relationship with others.
Are Modern People Becoming More Selfish?
Main comparisons | Contexts |
1. are changing | In the past people put caring, sharing and generosity in the first 2..[ |
Nowadays, people seem to be more 3.about themselves. | |
4. are changing too. | People in the past appeared to be modest and self-effacing(谦让的). |
People may strive to achieve their own 5. at the price of their coworkers. | |
The author’s understanding | |
6. for the changes in author’s eyes | Fierce 7. and great 8.on modern people may be responsible for the changes. |
The author’s 9.towards topic | A relationship which can 10. two sides should be established. |
高二英语任务型阅读中等难度题查看答案及解析
假如你是李华,请根据下图中围绕“拒为低头族”(stop phubbing)这个话题写一篇150词左右的英语短文。
词汇:phubbing(低头族) = phone(手机) + snubbing(snub冷落的进行时态)
内容包括:
1.你身边有“低头族”吗?他们的表现;
2.“低头族”给学习和生活带来的影响;
3.就如何“拒为低头族”提1-2点建议。
要求:
1.文章开头已给出,不计入总词数;
2.可以使用亲身经历或虚构的故事;
3.文中不得出现真实姓名和学校名称。
Nowadays, many people are addicted to their phones. __________________________
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高二英语任务型阅读中等难度题查看答案及解析
请认真阅读下列短文,并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。
注意:每个空格只填 1 个单词。请将答案写在答题纸上相应题号的横线上。
We all need to feel understood, recognized and affirmed by our friends, family and romantic partners. We all need to find our tribe.
Research has shown that among the benefits that come with being in a relationship or group, feeling accepted is regarded as the most important driver of meaning. When other people think you matter and treat you as if you matter, you believe you matter, too.
Though we all share a need to belong, in the first decades of the 20th century, many influential psychologists and physicians did not acknowledge this fundamental aspect of human nature. The idea that children needed parental love and care to live a full and meaningful life was not only considered medically dangerous, but also dismissed as immoral and disgusting.
As behavioral psychology came into fashion and academic psychologists turned their attention to child- raising, this view shifted and they began to examine and affirm the vital importance of attachment in early life. They discovered that people, whatever their age, needed more than food and shelter to live full and healthy lives.
But, sadly, many of us lack close ties. At a time when we are more connected digitally than ever before, rates of social isolation are rising. The results of an Age UK poll published recently suggest that half a million people over the age of 60 usually spend each day alone, and it's not unusual for another half a million people to go without someone to speak to for five or six days. All these figures reveal more than a rise in loneliness — they reveal a lack of meaning in people's lives. In surveys, we list our close relationships as our most important sources of meaning. Research shows that people who are lonely and isolated feel their lives are less meaningful.
While close relationships are critical for living a meaningful life, they are not the only important social bonds we need to cultivate. Psychologists have also discovered the value of small moments of intimacy. “High-quality connections”, as one researcher calls them, are positive, short-term interactions between two people when a couple holds hands on a walk or when two strangers have an empathetic(移情作用的) conversation on a plane. High-quality connections have the potential to unlock meaning in our interactions with acquaintances, colleagues and strangers. We can't control whether someone will make a high-quality connection with us, but we can all choose to start one. We can say hello to a stranger on the street rather than look away. We can choose to value people rather than devalue them. We can invite people to belong.
Passage outline | Supporting details | |
The need to belong | *Everyone hopes to develop a 1. of belonging in a group. *People’s self-respect is 2. by other people's opinion. | |
The changing 3. to belonging | *Many famous experts in the first decades of the 20th century 4. that people had the need to belong. *Experts later came to realize that people, 5. of their age, needed attachment to enjoy full and healthy lives. | |
Consequences of 6. close ties | *Many people are cut off from the world and feel 7.. *People who do not have enough close relationships find their lives are less 8.. | |
Another way to meet the need | *High-quality connections make a 9. in helping satisfy our need to belong. *We should 10. to make a high-quality connection. |
高二英语任务型阅读中等难度题查看答案及解析
Our series The Genius Behind will take you inside the minds of people who are making the impossible possible. Whether it is designing the fastest ever land vehicle, helping the blind to see or creating space history, success relies levels of knowledge to new heights . What can we learn about genius from minds? Based on the people and the projects outlined in the series, we’ve come up with five lessons.
Lesson one: New challenges require new ways of thinking
Bloodhound SSC aims to be the first vehicle to break the 1,000 mph barrier. One of the key challenge has been to design the wheels. Thinking twice, Mark Chapman, chief engineer decided to change the way they were trying to solve problems and came up with a wheel design, part car, part jet fighter and part spaceship, which would hold together and was strong enough.
Lesson two: Let evidence share your opinion
Geophysicists widely believed that water on Earth originated from comets. But by studying rocks, Steven Jacobsen discovered water hidden inside, suggesting that the oceans gradually made its way out of the planet’s interior many centuries ago. “Unfortunately, I had a pretty hard time convincing others,” he admits. Only time can tell whether the new theories are true.
Lesson three: It really is 99% efforts
Sheila Nirenberg at Cornell University is trying to develop a new prosthetic device(假肢器官)for treating blindness. “Sometimes I’m exhausted and I get burnt out,” she adds. “But then I get an email from somebody saying that they can’t see their own children’s faces, and it is like, ‘How can I possibly complain? Once I thought of this, I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep—all I wanted to do was work’. It gives me the energy to just go back and keep doing it.”
Lesson four: The answer isn’t always what you expect
Sylvia Earle has spent decades trying to see the ocean with new eyes. Her “dream machine” is a submarine that could take scientists all the way to the bottom of the deepest ocean floor what sort of material could best withstand the types of pressure y would encounter thousands of miles below the ocean surface?” It could be steel, it could be titanium, it could be some sort of ceramic, or some kind of aluminium system,” says Earle. “But glass is the best choice.”
Lesson five: A little luck goes a long way
It was considered as one of the biggest success stories in the history of space exploration—20 years of planning ended earlier this year with the Philae lander landing safely Comet 67P over 300 million miles(480 million kilometers)away from Earth, though Philae’s anchoring harpoons(锚定鱼叉)didn’t fire as planned.
As a matter of fact, genius is difficult to define. “Genius is a funny word,” says Nirenberg. “I just sort of ignore it and just go on with life. You just do what you do regardless of whatever label’s attached to you. I don’t know really how else to explain it.
Title: Give lessons to be a Genius | |
Passage outlines | Supporting details |
Introduction | Our series The Genius Behind will bring you to get close to the real genius and learn lessons from their 1. |
Five lessons 2.genius | ●New ways of thinking for new challenges To be the first vehicle to break the 1,000 mph barrier, Bloodhound SSC adopted the technologies3.to car, jet fighter and spaceship. ●Evidence of shaping your opinion It was a common 4.that water on Earth originated from comets, so it was hard for Steven Jacobsen to5.other geophysicists of his new discovery. ●6.of hard work Although exhausted, I would feel 7. to work on the new prosthetic device on hearing from the blind saying that they can’t see their own children’s face. ●The unexpected answer 8.in the ocean, glass is the only best choice to make a submarine that could take scientists all the way to the bottom. ●A little luck for a long way Philae lander was based on 20 years of planning, with Comet 67P safely 9.with a small accident. |
Conclusion | In fact, there’s no10.definition of Genius. Views on genius differ from one another, so you just do what you do regardless of whatever label’s attached to you. |
高二英语任务型阅读中等难度题查看答案及解析
Music is a Universal Language
“Music is the universal language of mankind.” – Henry Longfellow
Everyone has the inborn ability to understand and enjoy music. There are many theories as to why this is, but it has become a part of human beings. Since the beginning, humans have expressed themselves through music. Simple tribal rhythms evolved into many types of more complex music, including classical, rock, jazz, and R&B. While the styles between these many types of music may vary, everyone is able to understand and relate to them.
What are the essential parts of a language? Every language uses vocabulary, or a set of words, to create sentences that convey messages. The tone and style of the sentences convey different feelings or emotions. Music is exactly the same way. Twelve tones, or notes, are combined to create phrases that also convey emotion. Music can even be written, like most other languages. Conversations even take place in music. Two saxophonists can play melodies back and forth, expressing different styles and feelings, building off of each other, responding to each other. Music changes over the years like other languages. Most people who speak fluent English cannot read one of Shakespeare’s plays because the language has changed so much. Music is also affected by time, and over a long period, many new types of music and instruments have emerged to create different sounds and convey different messages. There are so many similarities between vocal language and music that they must be same.
I recently had a chance to experience conversation through music. In 2008, I traveled to Manila, Philippines to participate in a high school jazz exchange where many students from all over Asia came together to share their talents. Everyone was mixed into different small groups to prepare for a concert at the end of week. Few people spoke fluent English so vocal communication was very tough. However, it wasn’t needed. Everyone seemed to understand each other simply through the music and there were few times where direct translation was needed. At the performance, every group played for a live audience. They all sounded phenomenal and it felt like they were in perfect time and harmony. During my group’s performance, I was able to improvise with a Korean boy who spoke very little English. But we managed to have a conversation through our instruments, building off each other’s riffs until we were creating our own melody on the fly. It was a great experience.
Because of the many similarities that music shares with other languages, it is a very effective way to communicate with others. Music brings us together, connects us with other people, and allows us to express ourselves in ways that are different from speech and writing. It has the ability to convey emotions and messages to the core of people, which is why Henry Longfellow is absolutely correct when he states that “music is the universal language of mankind.”
Music is a Universal Language
Introduction | ● Human beings have the ability to appreciate music since they were 1.. ● Despite the different types2. from simple tribal rhythms, everyone is able to understand music. |
3. between language and music | ● The tone and style of the sentences convey different feelings or emotions, 4. does music. ● Like most other languages, music even has its 5. forms. ● Both language and music have gone 6. many changes over the years. ● Conversations even take place in music. ● Time also has a great 7. on music. New forms of music and instruments come up to convey different messages. |
My chance of 8. conversation through music | I participated in a high school jazz exchange in Philippines in 2008, where students came from all over Asia. While there were language 9. between us, we still managed to communicate well by music. |
Conclusion | Music is a very effective way to communicate with others. Just as Henry Longfellow 10. it, “music is the universal language of mankind.” |
高二英语任务型阅读中等难度题查看答案及解析