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Among all the tourist attractions in Sydney. the magnificent Opera House is the shining star. On the edge of Bennelong Point, a tongue of land sticking out into Sydney Harbor, this UNESCO World Heritage Site consists of a complex of roofs shaped like huge shells or billowing sails that mix beautifully with its waterfront location.
Today visitors can admire the great beauty of the building. Much more than an opera house, the structure encompasses(包含) theaters, studios, a concert hall, rehearsal, and reception rooms, restaurants, and a spectacular open-air forecourt overlooking the harbor and city. American architect Louis Kahn once said, "The sun did not know how beautiful its light was, until it was reflected off this building.”
Tips and Tactics
Book seats for productions well in advance. Performances commence promptly so visitors should allow enough time to access the building, collect tickets, and stow cloaks, large bags, and jackets.
Consider enjoying a meal in one of the restaurants to enjoy the stunning harbor views. One of the best sites to photograph the Opera House is Mrs. Macquarie's Chair in the Royal Botanic Gardens or from the water aboard a harbor cruise.
Getting to the Sydney Opera House
Visitors can catch a Sydney Bus, travel by City Rail, or hop aboard a Sydney Ferry to Circular Quay, which is a 5 to 7 minute walk from the Sydney Opera House.
A free shuttle bus for elderly and mobility-challenged patrons (顾客)runs between Circular Quay near Stand E (under the Cahill Expressway) and the Vehicle Concourse.
Bike parking is available under the Sydney Opera House Monumental Steps. Wilson's Sydney Opera House Car Park is located at 2 Macquarie St, with vehicle access next to the Sydney Opera House Forecourt.
Admission: Ticket prices vary from attraction to attraction.
Location: Bennelong Point, Sydney.
1.Which of the characteristics of Sydney Opera House might attract visitors most?
A. Its historical context. B. Its unique architecture
C. Its waterfront location D. Its superb harbor views
2.If you are a visitor to Sydney Opera House, you can ______.
A. take a ferry directly to Sydney Opera House,
B. ride a free shuttle bus without any restrictions,
C. take an equally good photo from any angle,
D. drive a car to 2 Macquarie St and park there.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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Men don't go through pregnancy or childbirth. Their hormone (荷尔蒙) levels don't nosedive. What exactly have they got to be depressed about? Quite a lot, according to research from Sweden showing that, over the past 10 years, a significant number of men have struggled with the transition(过渡) to fatherhood.
This latest research tries to quantify just how many men get postnatal(产后)depression. Previous studies have found between 4% and 10% of men. while, in this smallish sample of 447 Swedish fathers who volunteered (and may therefore not represent your average dad), a surprising 28% of men had symptoms that scored above mild levels of depression. Overall, 4% had moderate depression. Fewer than one in five fathers who were depressed sought help, even though a third of those had thought about harming themselves. While women in the UK are often asked a series of questions that screen for postnatal depression (which affects up to 13% of women), the mental health of fathers is rarely assessed.
The lead author of the Swedish paper, Elisa Psouni, from the department of psychology at Lund University, says the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale(EPDS) used for both women and men is not so accurate in picking up depression in fathers. Her research showed higher levels of depression in dads because it added in a score more reflective of "male" symptoms of depression such as agitation, anger, irritability(易怒), working longer hours and drinking too much.
Depression in fathers may be rising not just because researchers are looking for it, but because more new dads are struggling. Psouni believes fathers increasingly face the same dilemmas that mothers do-including trying to combine parenthood with working Fathers who got depressed often had external pressures, such as job issues, and if their partner was depressed, their own risk of depression doubled. Lack of sleep, having twins and conflict in the relationship can all contribute.
A depressed dad will play and smile less with his child. Children are deeply affected by paternal postnatal depression with studies showing poorer measures of wellbeing and more behavioral problems at the age of seven.
Fathers who sense they may be struggling and partners, relatives or friends who notice an increase in imitability and anxiety in a man in the first year of parenthood (paternal depression is more dispersed throughout the first 12 months) should consider the possibility of paternal postnatal depression.
Cognitive behavioral therapy(认知行为疗法) can help, as can antidepressants. If the depression is not recognised, says Psouni, "one of most terrible things is that you catch up with yourself a year later and realise you have been really down and struggling-and the first year of your child's life has gone.”
1.What is revealed about men according to a Sweden research?
A. They experience a sharp decline in hormone.
B. Many of them suffer from postnatal depression.
C. They seldom go through pregnancy or childbirth
D. Many of them qualify for the transition to fatherhood.
2.What do the statistics in Paragraph 2 indicate?
A. The researchers should invite more Swedish fathers.
B. Over half of Swedish fathers tend to harm themselves.
C. The mental health of fathers deserves more attention.
D. Postnatal depression affects British women more easily.
3.Why did Psouni's research show higher levels of depression in dads?
A. Researchers use a new measure for male symptom of depression.
B. Researchers adopt EPDS to accurately pick up depression in dads.
C. Fathers have trouble in coping with internal and external pressures.
D. Fathers are often faced with the doubled risk of partner depression.
4.What may happen to a father with paternal depression?
A. He may develop terrible behavioral habits.
B. He may avoid being recognized with depression.
C. He may decline cognitive behavioral therapy.
D. He may miss the chance of giving proper childcare.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
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Cane toads, also known as bufo toads, are yet another invasive (入侵) species that has found a hospitable home in warm southern Florida. Deliberately introduced from South and Central America in the 1930s, they were supposed to control beetles damaging the sugarcane crop— that’s how they got the name “cane toads.”
Cane toads can pose a particular danger because the adult ones shoot toxin ( 毒 素 ) from their back when attacked. The tiny toads don’t carry enough toxin to be deadly yet, but big adult ones can easily send a dog into a seizure ( 疾病发作) or even kill it. The toxin is “very viscous and would stick inside the dog’s mouth,” says Steve Johnson, a wildlife ecologist at the University of Florida. Owners should try to wipe out an affected dog’s mouth and immediately take it to the vet.
Tilford started Toad Busters in 2017. The woman who lived there had nine cats, which she fed by dumping almost a bag of cat food every night. Cane toads normally eat bugs, but they are happy to eat pet food, too.
Cane toads have adapted beautifully to the Florida suburbs, so a lot of Tilford’s work also involves getting people to rethink their suburban backyard. No more cat food, for example. Pet poop (粪便) can also attract insects, which can in turn attract toads. As do lights. And toads love to breed (繁殖) in attractive pools of water, such as the lake in the affected Palm Beach Garden neighborhood. For “these larger communities that want to build these beautiful ponds and want to have houses on ponds,” Tilford said, “this is almost a pest-control service.” The cane toads aren’t going away, but they can be managed like mosquitoes or rats.
Dealing with toads amounts to an annoying thing in Florida, but they can also create more dramatic problems. In Australia—where they were also deliberately introduced in the 1930s to protect sugarcane—they are a genuine scourge (灾祸).
The issue is that Australia has no native toad species, so none of the predators (食肉动物) knew how to avoid the toxic toads. As the cane toads advanced east to west across the continent, “they left a wake of dead animals in their paths,” says Sean Doody, an ecologist at the University of South Florida at St. Petersburg who has studied cane toads in Australia. Turtles, lizards, and crocodiles just started dying out, which was good news for their prey (受害者). “If you were a small species that was previously being eaten, suddenly you’re on a honeymoon,” says Rick Shine, a biologist at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, who has also studied the impact of cane toads on Australian wildlife.
1.What can cane toads be described as?
A. Invasive species introduced to South America.
B. Natural enemies of beetles damaging sugarcane.
C. Dangerous species making active attacks on dogs.
D. A great threat presented to some wildlife ecologists.
2.Which might be the proper way of avoiding cane toads according to Tilford?
A. Abandon the suburban backyard.
B. Light up the backyard at night.
C. Control the number of large houses.
D. Keep pet food away from backyard.
3.What happened in Australia after cane toads being introduced?
A. Cane toads destroyed some food chains.
B. Most of the predators died of toad toxin.
C. Cane toads bred at a much slower pace.
D. Big species learned to avoid cane toads.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
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Some of the greatest moments in human history were fueled by emotional intelligence. When Martin Luther King. Jr. presented his dream, he chose language that would stir the hearts of his audience. Delivering this electrifying(震撼性的) message required emotional intelligence—the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions.
Emotional intelligence has been highly recommended by leaders, policymakers, and educators as the solution to a wide range of social problems. If we can teach our children to manage emotions, the argument goes, we'll have less bullying and more cooperation. If we can cultivate emotional intelligence among leaders and doctors, we'll have more caring workplaces and more compassionate healthcare.
Emotional intelligence is important, but the uncontrolled enthusiasm has obscured (掩盖)a dark side. New evidence shows that when people sharpen their emotional skills, they become better at manipulating (把持) others. When you're good at controlling your own emotions, you can hide your true feelings. When you know what others are feeling, you can motivate them to act against their own best interests.
Social scientists have begun to document this dark side of emotional intelligence. In a research led by University of professor Jochen Menges, when a leader gave an inspiring speech filled with emotion. the audience was less likely to scrutinize (细察) the message and remembered of the content. Ironically(讽刺的是) audience members were so moved by the speech that they claimed to recall more of it.
The authors call this the awestruck effect, but it might just as easily be described as the dumbstruck effect. One observer reflected that Hitler's persuasive impact came from his ability to strategically express emotions—he would "ear open his heart—and these emotions affected his followers to the point that they would"stop thinking critically and just emote.”
Leaders who master emotions can rob us of our capacities to reason. If their values are out of step with our own. the results can be destructive. New evidence suggests that when people have self-serving motives (动机), emotional intelligence becomes a weapon for manipulating others. In a study led by the University of Toronto psychologist Stephane Cote, university employees filled out a survey about their Machiavellian(不择手段的) tendencies, and took a test measuring their knowledge about effective strategies for managing emotions. Then, Cote's team assessed how often the employees deliberately undermined (逐渐削弱) their colleagues. The employees involved in the most harmful behaviors were Machiavellians with high emotional intelligence. They used their emotional skills to lower the dignity of their peers for personal gain.
Shining a light on this dark side of emotional intelligence is one mission of a research team led University College London professor Martin Kilduff. According to these experts, emotional intelligence helps people disguise (伪装) one set of emotions while expressing another for personal Professor Kiiduit's team writes,""The strategic disguise of one's own emotions and the manipulation of others' emotions for strategic ends are behaviors evident not only on Shakespeare's stage but also in the offices and corridors where power and influence are traded.”
Of course, people aren't always using emotional intelligence for nefarious ends. More often than not, emotional skills are simply instrumental tools for goal accomplishment. A research team discovered that founder Anita Roddick used emotional intelligence to inspire her employees fundraise for charity. As Roddick explained, "Whenever particular project we always tried to break their hearts we wanted to persuade our staff to support a particular project we always tried to break their hearts.”
There is growing recognition that emotional intelligence--like any skill--can be used for good or evil. So if we're going to teach emotional intelligence in schools and develop it at work, we need to consider the values that go along with it and where it's actually useful.
1.Why does the author mention Martin Luther King, Jr?
A. To honor the great leader for his courage.
B. To recommend his speech to other leaders.
C. To impress the readers with a major topic.
D. To advocate a society with fewer problems.
2.Which of the following belongs to a dark side of emotional intelligence?
A. Developing the capability to control one's own emotion.
B. Inducing people to do what brings disadvantages to them.
C. Appealing to the audience to concentrate and remember more.
D. Encouraging the moved audience to a more of the speech.
3.What is the dumbstruck effect of Hitler's emotional intelligence?
A. His followers would tear open their hearts to him.
B. His followers would express emotions strategically.
C. His followers would lose the ability to reason properly.
D. His followers would develop the self-serving motives.
4.How do people use their emotional intelligence for personal gain?
A. They disguise their emotions to earn others' trust.
B. They help their colleagues to build up confidence.
C. They present their strategic behaviors on the stage.
D. They lower their own dignity to gain popularity.
5.Which may mean the same as the underlined word in Paragraph 8?
A. Immoral. B. Unimportant.
C. Illegal. D. Uncontrollable.
6.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. The benefits of emotional intelligence
B. The ways of disguising one's emotions
C. The reasons for using emotional skills
D. The dark side of emotional intelligence
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
