When you start working on something but don't finish it, thoughts of the unfinished work continue to jump into your mind even when you've moved on to other things. Psychologists refer the phenomenon as the Zeigamik effect. The effect was first observed by a Russian psychologist named Bluma Zeigamik. While sitting in a busy restaurant in Vienna, she noted the waiters had better memories of unpaid orders. Once the bill was paid, however, the waiters had difficulty remembering the exact details of the orders.
In one of her studies, participants were asked to complete simple tasks such as putting together puzzles, or solving math problems. Half of the participants were interrupted halfway through these tasks. After an hour-long delay, Zeigamik asked the participants to give an account of what they'd been working on. She discovered that those who had their work interrupted were twice as likely to remember what they had been doing as those who had actually completed the tasks.
We can use this effect to our advantage. For example, if you're struggling to memorize something important, momentary interruptions might actually work to your advantage. Rather than simply remember the information over and over again, review it several times and then take a break. While you're focusing on other things, you'll find yourself mentally returning to the information you were studying.
We often put off tasks until the last moment, only completing them in a rush at the last possible moment. Unfortunately, this tendency can lead to heavy stress and even poor performance. One way to overcome this is to put the Zeigamik effect to work. Start by taking the first step, no matter how small. Once you have begun — but not finished — your work, you'll find yourself thinking of the task until, at last, you finish it. You might not finish it all at once, but each small step you take puts you closer to your final goal.
1.What does the Zeigamik effect refer to?
A.Waiters tend to have good memories.
B.Once interrupted, one will forget things easily.
C.Most people can't focus on one thing for a long time.
D.People remember unfinished tasks better than completed ones.
2.How should we study according to the Zeigamik effect?
A.Repeat over and over again.
B.Divide our study session.
C.Focus on several tasks at a time.
D.Have enough rest before studying.
3.What’s the main idea of the last paragraph?
A.How to get rid of heavy stress.
B.Why we should set a final goal.
C.How to break the habit of delaying work.
D.Why we always complete tasks in a rush.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Downey's mother spent one year studying abroad through an international exchange program with a French school. She often talked about how exciting and interesting the experience was. So, even before finishing high school, Downey had decided to follow suit one day.
Downey began studying architecture at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 2004. Near the end of her second year, she started to feel unhappy with her school and decided it was time to study abroad.
U. S. colleges and universities commonly have joint programs with foreign schools that permit student exchanges. These programs usually last half a school year or sometimes a whole school year. The classes students take abroad usually give them credits toward their degree. In a fouryear degree program, the third year is the most common time for American college students to study abroad. Many students think they need a change before what is usually their final and most difficult year of study.
Downey said her school did not want her to go at first. The architecture program at Lehigh was very intense, and her professors were worried she might miss learning important material. However, she was eventually able to get special permission to study internationally for a whole year. During the fall term in 2006, she attended a Danish international school in Copenhagen, Denmark, explaining she did so because Danish architects are well known for their housing design.
Young adult as she was, she had to deal with travel documents and many other issues (问题) on her own. Overcoming the language barrier is the biggest challenge of studying abroad. However, she had a lot of emotional (情感的) and financial support from her family. She learned life lessons and made friendships and memories that have lasted to this day. She said, “The more you're out of your comfort zone, the more rewarding the experience is in the end.”
1.What does Downey's mother mean to Downey?
A.A friend. B.A dreamer.
C.An example. D.An expert.
2.What made Downey choose the Danish international school?
A.The famous learned professors.
B.The casual learning environment.
C.The impressive academic reputation.
D.The favorable geographical location.
3.What can we infer according to the last paragraph?
A.It was not easy for Downey to study abroad.
B.The comfortable life is likely to ruin the future life.
C.Downey was too young to take care of herself.
D.Downey's parents could hardly afford her education.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The Kirtland’s warbler（莺）has required protections since the foundation of Endangered Species Act (ESA), but that’s about to change. The Fish and Wildlife Service（FWS）today announced it is removing the songbird from the endangered species list
“The effort to recover the Kirtland's warbler is a successful example of how to save endangered species,” said Margaret Everson, director of FWS. “The Kirtland's warbler has responded well to active management over the half century.” In 1971, the Kirtland’s warbler population declined to approximately 201 singing males and was restricted to six counties. By 2015, the population reached 2,383 singing males and had spread geographically. FWS noted the frequent and persistent singing of male warblers during the breeding season made counting possible.
“The primary threats identified at listing and during development of the recovery plan have been managed,” said FWS. Modern wildfire suppression（扑灭）practices greatly altered the natural disturbance system, which enabled the growth of the jack pine forests favored by the species, FWS noted. Michigan state has replanted approximately 90,000 acres of Kirtland's warbler habitat over the past 30 years. Timber （木材）incomes offset the cost of replanting jack pine needed to support a survivable bird population.
But while the bird is falling off the ESA list, officials note that it remains a “conservation-dependent species." Conservation of the Kirtland's warbler will continue to require a harmonious approach for carrying out future conservation work, like partnerships and sufficient funding, FWS stated. Under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, the Kirtland's warbler was federally listed as an endangered species in 1967.
“This remarkable bird has a most impressive, exemplary success story that illustrates effective conservation and cooperation at work,” added Heather Good, executive director of Michigan Audubon. Shawn Graff, vice president of American Bird Conservancy's Great Lakes program, pointed out the delisting （除名）is “cause for celebration and proof that the Endangered Species Act works.”
1.The passage is probably taken from_____.
A.a science fiction B.a news report
C.a biography D.a novel
2.What does the underlined word “offset” in paragraph 3 mean?
A.Make up for. B.Add to.
C.Fix. D.Estimate.
3.Which of the following is NOT the reason for the recovery of Kirtland’s warbler?
A.Ample funding. B.Cooperative work.
C.The foundation of FWS. D.The control of wildfire.
4.What can be concluded from the passage?
A.The male Kirtland's warblers seldom sing in the breeding season.
B.Heather Good was not very satisfied with the conservation work.
C.The Kirtland's warbler was listed as an endangered species only in one state.
D.Margaret Everson thought highly of the conservation of the Kirtland's warbler.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Interpersonal communication skills are those which you need every day in your life – be it in your personal or professional life. They are some of the most important skills as large percentage of your personal life involves interacting with people. 1.Here are some tips to help you be an excellent interpersonal communicator:
2.As the saying goes, ‘the first impression is the last impression’, hence you should be careful when it comes to body language. It is said that a typical communication consists of more than 50% non-verbal communication, which includes body language. So if your body language is sending negative signals to the other person, the communication will probably break down in the process.
Think before you speak. 3.That means you should try to connect with the feelings of the other person in order to show that you care about the conversation between the two of you.
Listen well. The ability to listen to what a person is saying is a skill and you should focus on that while communicating with others. If you have good listening skills you will be able to understand that person’s words more clearly and react in a positive manner.4.
Be open to receiving feedback (反馈). Sometimes it is good to step back to receive feedback.5.You should be able to open up to feedback from the other person and give honest feedback whenever you feel it is needed.
A.Show positive body language.
B.Communicate with others kindly.
C.You should always be confident of what you are speaking.
D.Communication is a two-way process and should remain like that.
E.Interpersonal skills also play an important part in your career development.
F.You should consider how your words affect the person before making any comments.
G.It will also send a signal to the other person that you care about what he or she has to say.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
I was out for my usual morning run and found myself in the late-summer heat, thirsty. If only I had taken a_______bottle. After I stopped under a bridge to shelter myself from the sun for a moment of_______, I saw two young,_______men standing next to their sleeping bags. One smiled and gently_______his hand as if he were about to say hello, but he didn’t say a word. He wasn’t asking for_______. I smiled and raised my hand, too.
As I started back on my_______, I thought about how much we all_______to connect with other people. At that moment, this homeless man seemed to want to connect with someone else_______he wanted food or money.
We have all had_______of feeling separate and lonely. I once felt lonely being in a relationship that________an emotional connection. Feeling separated doesn’t have anything to do with being alone,________is about the human desire to feel________by being seen and valued by another person.
We all________from connection. That homeless man affected my day. After meeting him, I felt more grateful and it made me________all that I have. He made me feel concerned for him. I had the choice to move toward________or connection. Separation is looking at the homeless person and focusing on how________he looks. Connection is understanding that he influenced my day by________to me. I can________times in my life when, like him, I was in a situation I had never expected. There have been times when I felt down, and times when I needed someone to________what he was doing and say hello to me.
Pay attention today and notice whether you tend to move toward separation or toward connection. If your tendency is to spend time alone,________saying “yes” to invitations. Practice moving toward rather than away from people.
1.A.wine B.water C.glass D.metal
2.A.peace B.joy C.shade D.breath
3.A.handsome B.homeless C.disabled D.tall
4.A.took B.dropped C.crossed D.raised
5.A.anything B.nothing C.everything D.all
6.A.wandering B.walking C.running D.hiking
7.A.need B.have C.try D.seek
8.A.other than B.less than C.rather than D.better than
9.A.expectations B.purposes C.experiences D.worries
10.A.lacked B.contained C.enjoyed D.valued
11.A.or B.and C.so D.but
12.A.amazed B.connected C.amused D.entertained
13.A.benefit B.recover C.suffer D.come
14.A.lose B.question C.recognize D.appreciate
15.A.ignorance B.separation C.depression D.desperation
16.A.kind B.neat C.unhappy D.unclean
17.A.reaching out B.giving in C.turning D.replying
18.A.forget about B.keep up with C.reflect on D.return to
19.A.continue B.accomplish C.handle D.stop
20.A.keep B.practice C.deny D.imagine
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
The Palace Museum, long 1. (associate) with images of century-old buildings and relics, is now taking a 2.(surprise) step into fashion: not high-end fashion, but the everyday kind. On Dec 9, the online store of the Palace Museum Cultural and Creative Store released a new product — a lipstick collection in six colors, 3. attracted millions of page views a day. “I find myself browsing this online store twice a day and I 4.(definite) have a good time doing so, as it’s quite relaxing.” a college girl said.
The colors showcase classic Chinese beauty: Lang Yao glaze red, Bean paste red, Tourmaline purple, Rose-purple, Mermaid pink and Maple red. They5. (draw) from items in different shades of red worn by 6. emperors’ concubines (妾) during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). The 7. (inspire) for the lipstick packaging comes from the patterns of traditional Chinese porcelains and embroideries. It features red-crowned cranes, lingzhi mushrooms and butterflies, all8. (do) in an elegant style, reported People’s Daily.
“Rich9.traditional Chinese cultural meanings, these lipsticks have attracted much attention ever since they hit store 10.(shelf).” a WeChat user surnamed Liu told Global Times. “I think the lipsticks have a high collection value as well.”
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，你的英国朋友Peter来信告知他上周通过了孔子学院(the Confucius Institute)的笔试，而且下周三要参加其面试，现征询你的意见。请你写封回信，内容包括：
1. 写信目的；
2. 提出建议（至少2条）；
3. 表示祝愿。
注意：1. 词数80左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文,根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。
Scientists in London say they have found the best diet for both humans and the planet. If the world followed the so-called "planetary health" diet, the scientists told Reuters that each year more than 11 million early deaths could be prevented. Scientists say that the way we produce and eat food is very bad for the planet. For the health of the planet, they claim the same diet would reduce greenhouse gases and save more land, water and animals.
Tim Lang, a professor at Britain's University of London, co-led the research. He told Reuters, "The food we eat and how we produce it determines change what we eat and the way we eat by "improving food production and reducing food waste."
Well, what do you eat on the planetary health diet? The scientists who created this diet say it is largely plant-based but still has small amounts of dairy, fish and meat. The diet calls for cutting red meat and sugar by 50 percent and doubling the amount of nuts, fruits, vegetables and legumes.
Food situations around the world are not equal. In certain areas, this would mean great changes. People in North America, for example, eat 6.5 times the recommended amount of red meat. On the other hand, people in South Asia eat only half the amount suggested by the new planetary health diet. Meeting the targets for vegetables would need big changes in other areas. In sub-Saharan Africa, people on average eat 7.5 times the suggested amount of vegetables like potatoes and cassava.
The scientists admit their goal will be difficult to achieve. But for them doing nothing is also not an option. Willet said, "If we can't quite make it, it's better to try and get as close as we can."
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析