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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。
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You can relax if remembering everything is not your strong suit. Recent research makes the case that being forgetful can be a strength—in fact, selective memory can even be a sign of stronger intelligence.
Traditional research on memory has focused on the advantages of remembering everything. But looking through years of recent memory data, researchers Paul Frankland and Blake Richards of the University of Toronto found that the neurobiology（神经生物学） of forgetting can be just as important to our decisionmaking as what our minds choose to remember.
“The goal of memory is not the transmission of information through time. Rather, the goal of memory is to help improve decisionmaking. As such, transience(转瞬即逝) is as important as persistence in memory systems，” their study in Neuron states.
Making intelligent decisions does not mean you need to have all the information at hand, it just means you need to hold onto the most valuable information. And that means clearing up space in your memory palace for the most uptodate information on situations. Our brains do this by generating new neurons(神经元) in our hippocampus(海马体), which have the power to overwrite existing memories that are influencing our decisionmaking.
“If you're trying to deal with the situation and your brain is constantly bringing up multiple conflicting memories, that makes it harder for you to make a wise decision，” Richards told Science Daily.
If you want to increase the number of new neurons in your brain's learning region, try exercising. Moderate aerobic exercise like jogging, power walking, and swimming have been found to increase the number of neurons making important connections in our brains.
When we forget the names of certain clients and details about old jobs, our brain is making a choice that these details do not matter. Although too much forgetfulness can be a cause for concern, the occasional lost detail can be a sign of a perfectly healthy memory system. The researchers found that our brains facilitate decisionmaking by stopping us from focusing too much on minor past details. Instead, the brain promotes generalization, helping us remember the most important gist of a conversation.
“One of the things that distinguishes an environment where you're going to want to remember stuff versus an environment where you want to forget stuff is this question of how consistent the environment is and how likely things are to come back into your life，” Richards said.
If you're an analyst who meets with a client weekly, your brain will recognize that this is a client whose name and story you need to remember. If this is someone you may never meet again, your brain will weigh that information accordingly.
These findings show us that total recall can be overrated. Our brains are working smarter when they aim to remember the right stories, not every story.
Title：Being Forgetful Might Actually Mean You're 1.
Introduction
Recent research proves that being forgetful can be a strength, for forgetting and selective memory are of 2.importance in our decisionmaking.
The goal of memory
People take advantage of memory to make good decisions rather than
3. information.
4. of being forgetful
It helps us forget outdated information.
●Making wise decisions involves the existing memories making 5.for the latest information.
●Meanwhile, too much contradictory information in memory can do harm to our decisionmaking.
●Exercising helps increase neurons, contributing to our 6. decisionmaking.
It helps us see the big 7.．
●After 8.the information it gets, the brain chooses to focus on the key points, occasionally forgetting unimportant past details.
●Whether to remember or forget particular stuff is 9.by the degree of the consistency of the environment and the 10. of things reappearing later in life.
Conclusion
Our brains are working smarter when aiming to remember the right stories, not every story.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
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Dental Insurance Quotes
You can buy your own dental insurance whenever you want to. Everything you need to get started is to get a dental insurance quote.
This site lets you search for plans that are available where you live. Then, you can compare the plans to find the right one for you. You can even apply for and purchase your new dental insurance here.
Compare Dental Insurance and Discount Plans Online
Enter your Zip Code to compare free rate quotes for the best dental insurance and dental discount plans and apply online today.
Descriptions of Dental Plan Types
● DHMO Dental Plans：A DHMO is a type of “managed care”. In this plan, a network of highly qualified dentists provides affordable care for individuals. Consumers choose a dentist from the network, and they pay a low monthly premium to receive services at no cost or a reduced price. The participating dentists receive fixed monthly fees.
● PPO Dental Insurance Plans: Another type of managed care plan is called a preferred provider organization (PPO). Consumers with PPOs select a dentist from a network of preferred dental providers who provide dental care to members at reduced rates.
● Indemnity Dental Insurance Plans: A dental indemnity plan, also known as “traditional” insurance, allows consumers to choose from the largest pool of dentists. Individuals are free to visit any dentist, unlike those with managed care plans. Subscribers pay their dentist's bill in full and then submit a claim for payment.
● Discount Dental Plans: Discount dental plans (DDPs) are not insurance. However, they help consumers save on dental care costs. Members make monthly or annual payments and may receive unlimited dental care services at discount prices based on a fee schedule. Services are provided by dentists who participate in the plan's dental network.
1.What can you do on this website?
A. Find information on oral treatment. B. Get the Zip Code of where you live.
C. Make an appointment with a dentist. D. Choose a proper dental insurance plan.
2.If you value the freedom to choose doctors most, which plan is your best choice?
A. DHMO Dental Plans. B. PPO Dental Insurance Plans.
C. Indemnity Dental Insurance Plans. D. Discount Dental Plans.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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Thousands of free, popular children's apps available on the Google Play Store could be violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), according to a new, largescale study, highlighting growing criticism of Silicon Valley's datacollection efforts. “This is a market failure，” said Serge Egelman, a coauthor of the study. “What we have uncovered points out basic enforcement(执行) work that needs to be done.”
The potential violations were abundant and came in several forms, according to the study. More than 1，000 children's apps collected identifying information from kids using tracking software whose terms explicitly forbid their use for children's apps. The researchers also said nearly half the apps fail to always use standard security measures to transmit sensitive data over the Web, suggesting a violation of reasonable datasecurity measures laid out by COPPA.
Some of the apps in question included Disney's “Where's My Water？”， Gameloft's “Minion Rush” and Duolingo, a language learning app. The findings also suggested that app creators that had been officially recognized as COPPAcompliant(遵守) were no better than any of the other app developers at protecting children's privacy.
Disney argued that the study doesn't claim to identify any actual violations. “Protecting children's online privacy is very important to us and we are confident that our practices comply with the law，” the company said. “We have a sound COPPA compliance program, and we maintain strict data collection and use policies for Disney apps created for children and families.”
Gameloft announced that children's privacy is of “utmost importance” and is investigating the issue. “We have a very strict datacollection policy at Gameloft and always make sure that we are compliant with protection laws，” the company said.
Duolingo did not respond to requests for comment.
Although Google stated that “We are taking the researcher's report very seriously and looking into their findings”， critics of Google's app platform say the company has profited greatly from advances in datatracking technology. “Google has basically looked the other way while it was able to generate revenues off of children's apps，” said Jeffrey Chester, the executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy. “The new, alarming report is further evidence that Google is thumbing_its_nose_at the only federal online privacy law that we have.”
1.How did companies respond to the accusation of violating COPPA?
A. Disney claimed to strictly obey privacy laws.
B. Gameloft questioned the validity of the study.
C. Duolingo planned to adopt strict datacollection policies.
D. Google admitted to the charge and promised to do more.
2.What does the underlined phrase “thumbing its nose at” probably mean?
A. Observing. B. Disrespecting.
C. Prohibiting. D. Introducing.
3.The purpose of the passage is to ________．
A. charge app companies with the violation of COPPA
B. inform readers of different ways to violate child privacy laws
C. illustrate the growing criticism of app's datacollection function
D. highlight the urgency of strengthening enforcement of COPPA
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
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To err is human. Society is suffering from an inability to acknowledge as much.
For individuals, errors are painful. The trick, then, is to err well: to recognize mistakes and learn from them. Worryingly, humanity may be getting worse at admitting its mistakes.
Few enjoy the feeling of being caught out in an error. But real trouble starts when the desire to avoid a punishment leads to a refusal to deal with contrary evidence. Economists often assume that people are sensible. When faced with a new fact, these people should update their view of the world to take better decisions in future. Yet years of economic research confirms that people frequently disregard information that conflicts with their view of the world.
Why should that be? Last year Roland Benabou, of Princeton, presented a framework for thinking about the problem. In many ways, beliefs are like other economic goods. People spend time and resources building them, and get value from them: some beliefs make owners feel good and show their public identity; other beliefs provide value by shaping behavior—for example, religious asceticism(禁欲主义) can help one avoid unhealthy habits.
Because beliefs, however, are not simply tools for making good decisions, but are treasured in their own right, new information that challenges them is unwelcome. People often engage in “motivated reasoning” to manage such challenges. Mr Benabou classifies this into three categories. “Strategic ignorance” is when a believer avoids information offering conflicting evidence. In “reality denial”， troubling evidence is rationalized(合理化)：real estate investors might make up fanciful theories for why prices should behave unusually, and supporters of a disgraced politician might claim the negative news to be fake. And lastly, in “selfsignalling”， the believer creates his own tools to interpret the facts in the way he wants: an unhealthy person, for example, might decide that going for a daily run proves he is well.
“Motivated reasoning” is a cognitive bias(偏见). Not all the errors it leads to are costly: praising the performance of one's supported football team despite contradictory evidence does little harm. But when biases are broadly shared—within financial world or political parties—danger arises. Motivated reasoning helps explain why viewpoints polarize (两极分化) even as information is more easily available than ever before.
Work by Mr Benabou suggests that groupthink is highest when people within groups face a shared fate: when choosing to break from a group is unlikely to spare an individual the costs of the group's errors or bring much individual benefit. The incentive(动力) to engage in motivated reasoning is high as a result. Even as the fact on a particular issue is obvious, parties can still become increasingly polarized. That, in turn, can make it harder still for a member of one party to get any benefit from breaking from a group. Indeed, the group has an incentive to silence independent voices.
Public statements of regret are risky in a rigidly polarized world. Admissions of error can not only annoy partners but also provide opportunities for opponents. But it is rarely in the interest of those in the right to pretend that they are never wrong.
1.According to the passage, beliefs are similar to economic goods in that ________．
A. both are entertaining and valuable B. both can be shaped by religious faith
C. both can reflect who the owners are D. both promote religious development
2.Which of the following is an example of “selfsignalling”？
A. A fan speaks highly of his team although it has just lost the game.
B. A man covers his ears when stealing a bell, believing the bell won't ring.
C. Supporters of Trump believe the news about his affairs with a lady is fake.
D. Suspected AIDS carriers refuse to be tested though it can be done for free.
3.What can be inferred from Paragraphs 6 and 7?
A. Polarization causes individuals to break from the group.
B. Richer sources of information decrease motivated reasoning.
C. Individuals with independent voices are dismissed from the group.
D. Individuals in a group engage in motivated reasoning for their own interests.
4.Which of the following opinions might the author agree with?
A. Denying errors is unavoidable.
B. Failure to admit errors is harmful.
C. Humans are getting better at erring well.
D. Wise people ignore contrary worldviews.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
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No one has a temper naturally so good, that it does not need attention and cultivation, and no one has a temper so bad, but that, by proper culture, it may become pleasant. One of the best disciplined tempers ever seen, was that of a gentleman who was naturally quick, irritable, rash, and violent; but, by taking care of the sick, and especially of mentally deranged(疯狂的) people, he so completely mastered himself that he was never known to be thrown off his guard.
There is no misery so constant, so upsetting, and so intolerable to others, as that of having a character which is your master. There are corners at every turn in life, against which we may run, and at which we may break out in impatience, if we choose.
Look at Roger Sherman, who rose from a humble occupation to a seat in the first Congress of the United States, and whose judgment was received with great respect by that body of distinguished men. He made himself master of his temper and cultivated it as a great business in life. There are one or two instances which show this part of his character in a light that is beautiful.
One day, after having received his highest honors, he was sitting and reading in his sitting room. A student, in a room close by, held a lookingglass in such a position as to pour the reflected rays of the sun directly in Mr Sherman's face. He moved his chair, and the thing was repeated. A third time the chair was moved, but the lookingglass still reflected the sun in his eyes. He laid aside his book, went to the window, and many witnesses of the rude behavior expected to see the ungentlemanly student severely punished. He raised the window gently, and then—shut the window blind!
I can not help providing another instance of the power he had acquired over himself. He was naturally possessed of strong passions, but over these he at length obtained an extraordinary control. He became habitually calm and selfpossessed. Mr Sherman was one of those men who are not ashamed to maintain the forms of religion in their families. One morning he called them all together as usual to lead them in prayer to God. The “old family Bible” was brought out and laid on the table.
Mr Sherman took his seat and placed beside him one of his children, a child of his old age. The rest of the family were seated around the room, several of whom were now grownups. Besides these, some of the tutors of the college were boarders in the family and were present at the time. His aged mother occupied a corner of the room, opposite the place where the distinguished Judge sat.
At length, he opened the Bible and began to read. The child who was seated beside him made some little disturbance, upon which Mr Sherman paused and told it to be still. Again he continued but again he had to pause to scold the little offender, whose playful character would scarcely permit it to be still. At this time he gently tapped its ear. The blow, if blow it might be called, caught the attention of his aged mother, who now with some effort rose from the seat and tottered across the room. At length, she reached the chair of Mr Sherman, and in a moment, most unexpectedly to him, she gave him a blow on the ear with all the force she could gather. “There，” said she, “you strike your child, and I will strike mine.”
For_a_moment,_the_blood_was_seen_mounting_to_the_face_of_Mr_Sherman. But it was only for a moment and all was calm and mild as usual. He paused; he raised his glasses; he cast his eye upon his mother; again it fell upon the book from which he had been reading. Not a word escaped him; but again he calmly pursued the service, and soon sought in prayer an ability to set an example before his household which should be worthy of their imitation. Such a victory was worth more than the proudest one ever achieved on the field of battle.
1.The following sentence should be put at the beginning of Paragraph ________．
The difference in the happiness which is received by the man who governs his temper and that by the man who does not is dramatic.
A. Two B. Three
C. Four D. Five
2.How is the passage mainly developed?
A. By analyzing reasons. B. By giving examples.
C. By listing arguments. D. By comparing facts.
3.What was Roger Sherman's attitude towards his aged mother?
A. Grateful. B. Skeptical.
C. Tolerant. D. Sympathetic.
4.What can we learn about Roger Sherman?
A. He came from a distinguished family background.
B. He was not good at displaying his true inner feelings.
C. He severely punished a student who didn't behave himself.
D. He was a man conscious of the consequences of his behavior.
5.What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean?
A. Mr Sherman's face was covered with blood.
B. Mr Sherman was seeking strength in prayer.
C. Mr Sherman was then on the point of exploding.
D. Mr Sherman was ashamed of his mother's rude behavior.
6.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. Control your temper B. Save your selfesteem
C. Mind your manners D. Treasure your Bible
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
