How many times do you check your Facebook page in a day to see whether your latest post has got another “like” or “thumbs up”?
Although you might be embarrassed to admit how many times you do this, don’t worry —-- psychological findings have shown it’s completely normal. In fact, the pleasure we derive from receiving a “like” is equal to that of eating chocolate or winning money, and we can’t help wanting more. According to the findings, which observed 32 teens aged between 13 and 18, the feedback circuit in the teens’ brains is particularly sensitive, and the “social” and “visual” parts of their brains were active when they received “likes” on the social network. The research also showed that though the thumbs up might come from complete strangers, the good they derive from them worked all the same.
So, does it mean we should try our best to win as many thumbs up as possible? Not necessarily so if we know the reasons behind our desire for attention. In “why do people long for attention” by M. Farouk Radwan, he explained several cases in which people naturally longed for attention. Radwan said people who were an only child, who were used to being the center of attention in their house, may try to copy these conditions. Feeling “overlooked and unappreciated” might also lead you to long for attention. Other times, the state of being jealous or wanting to cover your mistakes may also contribute to such longings.
In fact, too much desire for attention can create anxiety, and in turn ruin your happiness even when you get it. So what can we do about it? The answer is quite simple. “If people could adopt goals not focused on their own self-esteem but on something larger than their self, such as what they can create or contribute to others, they would be less sensitive to some of the negative effects of pursuing self-esteem,” wrote psychology professor Jennifer Crocker.
So perhaps the answer to our addiction to “likes” is simply to focus on something larger than ourselves —-- a hard, but a worthy one.
1.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “derive” in Paragraph 2?
A. deliver B. give
C. prevent D. get
2.What’s the reaction of receiving “likes” on the social network to the brain?
A. The brain becomes more nervous.
B. Some parts of the brain are active.
C. The brain becomes less sensitive.
D. The brain becomes cleverer.
3.Who wants to get more attention according to the passage?
A. the only child.
B. The old who lives happily with children.
C. The young who feels anxious.
D. Teens who want to discover their mistakes.
4.What’s Crocker’s suggestion about the negative effects of getting self-esteem?
A. Doing an interesting matter.
B. Working harder than ever before.
C. Having a bigger goal than their self.
D. Not checking your Facebook page in a day.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
New Way to Experience Dentistry
Have you ever had your hand held during a dental procedure you feel uneasy about? What about a dental office that mimics（模仿） the spirit of Disneyland? If you're looking for a dental office that provides the best care and the best environment, you're looking for Dr. Licking's office in Sunnyvale.
Office manager Judy, who has worked with Dr. Licking for 38 years, speaks highly of his kindness. She believes that the office is “the Disneyland of dentistry”. Everyone from children to their grandparents loves the environment and care they receive from this welcoming office.
Dr. Licking is known as the best dental care provider for anyone who fears facing appointments with the dental office. The staff goes out of their way to make patients feel comfortable and at ease. Dr. Licking and Judy set the standard with their saying, “when someone comes to your home, you stand up and welcome them, like an old family friend.”
Dr. Licking's office has all. They recently relocated to put the new equipment into their practice. The office is equipped with an intra-oral video camera, and as a patient you can get pictures of your teeth as you're walking out the door.
Setting himself apart from other dentists, Dr. Licking continues his education beyond what is required. For this reason, he is one of few dentists in the country who offers ozone treatment. Ozone can naturally stop decay (蛀蚀) in its tracks. For more information on this new technology, visit their website at www.drjohnlicking.com.
Dr. Licking's office is Diamond Certified, an honor given only to companies with the higher quality after extensive and continual research. Dr. Licking's office extends an invitation to you to meet their gentle staff and offers you a free office visit, including x-rays and an exam.
The office holds extended hours ranging from 7 a. m. to 8 p, m., Monday through Thursday. Don't worry if you have an emergency. Dr. Licking’s office responds to all emergencies and urgent calls.
JOHN LICKING, D.D.S.
Cosmetic & Family Dentistry since 1970
408—736—6235
drjohnlicking.com
877 W. Fremont Ave. Suite C3, Sunnyvale
1.What is special about the dental office?
A. It uses the most advanced equipment.
B. It is decorated like Disneyland.
C. It has a caring environment.
D. It provides service for both kids and old people.
2.What do we know about Dr. Licking?
A. He has developed ozone treatment.
B. He is the best dentist all over the country.
C. He has been studying dentistry continuously.
D. He has worked as a dentist for nearly 38 years.
3.The passage is written to ______.
A. introduce a famous dentist
B. show a new treatment for tooth decay
C. advise people to have their teeth examined
D. invite people to visit Dr. Licking's office
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Oxford and Cambridge have now decided to remove the words CAN'T and IMPOSSIBLE from their dictionary. Jessica Cox, born in 1983, in Arizona, is the world’s first licensed armless pilot.
The girl from Tucson, Arizona got the Sport Pilot certificate lately and became the first pilot licensed to fly using only her feet. Jessica Cox was born without arms, but that has only stopped her from doing one thing: using the word "can't."
Cox graduated from the University of Arizona in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in communications. Cox has not used prosthetic arms since she turned 14. Using her feet as most people use their hands, she is able, among other things, to drive an unmodified car with an unrestricted license, to type on a keyboard at 25 words per minute, and to put in and remove her contact lenses.
Jessica Cox flew in a single engine airplane for the first time via Wright Flight in 2005. Cox earned her pilot’s certificate on October 10, 2008 after three years of training and is qualified to fly a light-sport aircraft to altitude of 10,000 feet.
“She's a good pilot. She's rock solid,” said Parrish Traweek, 42, the flying instructor at San Manuel's Ray Blair Airport. Parrish Traweek runs PC Aircraft Maintenance and Flight Services and has trained many pilots, some of whom didn't come close to Cox's abilities.
Doctors never learned why she was born without arms, but she figured out early that she didn't want to use prosthetic devices. So, the next time you are ready to tell yourself, "I can't possibly..." remember this amazing young woman and change your vocabulary.
1.What can we learn from the first paragraphs?
A. Oxford and Cambridge felt a little disappointed.
B. No armless people had got a pilot certificate before.
C. Jessica Cox wasn’t allowed to use the word “can’t”.
D. The word “can’t” would disappear from the English dictionary.
2.What do you think of Jessica Cox ?
A. She is a clever and brave girl. B. She is positive and determined.
C. She is indeed a poorly educated girl. D. She only takes interest in aircraft.
3.What does the underlined word “prosthetic mean in Paragraph 3?
A. artificial B. damaged
C. unusual D. abnormal
4.After graduating from university, Jessica Cox _____.
A. suffered failure when searching for jobs.
B. made a start to take training to become a pilot
C. decided to use her feet as most people use hands.
D. tried her best to take care of herself in her daily life.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Researchers continue to show the power behind our sense of smell. Recent studies have found, among other things, that the smell of foods like pizza can cause uncontrollable anger in drivers on roads.
The review explains that smell is unique in its effects on the brain. According to Conrad King, the researcher who carried out the review, “more than any other senses, the sense of smell goes through the logical part of the brain and acts on the systems concerned with feelings. This is why the smell of baking bread can destroy the best intentions of a dieter.”
Smell, which dictates(决定) the unbelievable complexity of food tastes, has always been the least understood of our senses. Our noses are able to detect up to 10,000 distinct smells. Our ability to smell and taste this extremely large range of smells is controlled by something like 1,000 genes (基因), which make up an amazing 3% of the human genome. Researchers Richard Axel and Linda Buck were together awarded a Nobel Prize in 2004 for their ground-breaking research on the nature of this extraordinary sense. These two scientists were the first to describe the family of 1,000 olfactory (嗅觉) genes and to explain how our olfactory system works.
According to one study in the research review, smelling fresh pizza or even the packaging of fast foods can be enough to make drivers feel impatient with other road users. They are then more likely to speed and experience uncontrollable anger on roads. The most reasonable explanation is that these can all make drivers feel hungry, and therefore desperate to satisfy their appetites.
In contrast, the smells of peppermint and cinnamon were shown to improve concentration levels as well as reduce drivers’ impatience. Similarly, the smells of lemon and coffee appeared to promote clear thinking and mental focus.
However, the way genes regulate smell differs from person to person. A study by researchers in Israel has identified at least 50 olfactory genes which are switched on in some people and not in others. They believe this may explain why some of us love some smells and tastes while others hate them. The Israel researchers say their study shows that nearly every human being shows a different pattern of active and inactive smell-detecting receptors.
1.What did Richard Axel and Linda Buck find out?
A. The type of food smells.
B. The logical part of human brain.
C. The nature of human olfactory system.
D. The relationship between food and feelings.
2.Which of the following can help people concentrate?
A. Bread. B. Pizza.
C. Coffee. D. Fast food.
3.What do we know from the last paragraph?
A. Some people can recognize up to 50 smells.
B. Every person has a different pattern of genes.
C. Different people are sensitive to different smells.
D. There are still some olfactory genes to be found out.
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. Logic and behavior. B. Smell and its influence.
C. Sense ability and food tastes. D. Olfactory genes and its system.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The worst time to look for a job is when you must have a new one immediately. 1. If you are not in need of an immediate career change，here are ways you can improve your long-term career prospects (前景) today：
2. You do not have to be qualified for these positions today, nor do they have to exist in your company. However, these roles should be related to your current skill set．They are career options that look interesting．Once you have a couple of targets，think about why and what interests you．Pay close attention to what appeals to you，and write it down．
Subscribe to a career specific magazine. All businesses must stay relevant to their customers in order to win the competitions and increase revenue (收益). 3. This information allows you to see which companies and professionals are leading the pack(领先).
Be professionally curious. Talk to people about their careers．Learn more about how success is measured in other roles，departments and companies. 4. You never know what connections may be relevant when you start your next job search, so develop a habit of making good connections no matter where you go．
As in all things in life, getting ready in face of a difficult task early is always less stressful than reacting to a career surprise. 5. No matter how secure you feel today, the time will come when either you or your employer decide it is time to change.
A. Changing jobs is to be expected．
B. Identify at least two different roles．
C. Follow examples in your own workplace．
D. Choose jobs according to your strong points．
E. Challenge yourself to expand your business knowledge through interactions with people at regular time．
F. Reading about industry trends, advancements and success stories keeps you in touch with market conditions．
G. Job Searching under pressure often results in nervous interviewing and decision-making from a few options．
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Bob Weiser had been driving for Uber for more than six months ________ a conversation with an old friend sparked the idea. Everyone that rode in his car had a story to tell, a ________ life experience or some wisdom they’d picked up along the way. What if he could collect “a slice of life” from each of the hundreds of people ________ in his car , whose only known ________was that they ordered an Uber in Chicago and had Bob Weiser ________them up in his car?
Bob Weiser, aged 66, is a ________ pilot who started driving for Uber last year as a way to keep________. “ You never really retire, and you always have to do something,” he said. He________a black notebook. On the inside cover, he wrote “ It belongs to all that read it with a(n) ________heart and mind.”
Now, when passengers get in his car, he’ll pass them the ________ and ask if they’d take a moment to write something in it. He has________ more than 800 entries(条目) from passengers from all over the world.
Weiser ________ one woman who wrote Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s “ Be the change you want to see in the world.” Then she flipped back and ________ someone else had used the same quote. She told him she was ________ and he said to her, “ No, that’s okay. That’s the type of energy that has been in this ________, nothing but good energy.” After his passengers write something ,they’ll flip through the pages, ________all the advice and opinions shared by the passengers who came before them.
He flips through it himself sometimes; it always________him that people have so much warmth and positivity to ________. No one has written anything ________, and only a handful have turned him down, ________because they have carsickness.
1.A. after B. unless C. when D. although
2.A. unique B. stressful C. heroic D. meaningless
3.A. performing B. riding C. sleeping D. quarreling
4.A. devotion B. requirement C. assessment D. connection
5.A. cover B. tie C. lift D. pick
6.A. former B. young C. dying D. proud
7.A. alive B. enthusiastic C. occupied D. awake
8.A. invented B. purchased C. stole D. donated
9.A. broken B. normal C. open D. loyal
10.A. album B. notebook C. magazine D. novel
11.A. borrowed B. collected C. accepted D. discovered
12.A. recalled B. appreciated C. married D. struck
13.A. saw B. witnessed C. heard D. insisted
14.A. confused B. amused C. disappointed D. embarrassed
15.A. station B. country C. vehicle D. house
16.A. wiping off B. picking out C. taking in D. putting down
17.A. frustrates B. astonishes C. depresses D. terrifies
18.A. store B. save C. seek D. share
19.A. valuable B. sensitive C. appropriate D. negative
20.A. mostly B. frequently C. deliberately D. constantly
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定英语课上老师要求同桌修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（^），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从11处起）不计分。
In my childhood, my parent sent me to learn Chinese calligraphy, believed that it could benefit me a lot. Therefore, things were quite contrary to their expectations. Not only do I get bored with hours of practice but also I doubted the value of it. Nevertheless, when I entered into high school, it became a fantasy way for me to relax.
Judging from my own experience, I want to say a little words to those who have the same trouble like I did. Do not refuse learn a skill when they are young, as in the long run you will find it helpful.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
How will the speakers get to London?
A. By bus. B. By car. C. By train.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Where might the man be?
A. In a hospital. B. In a classroom. C. In a hotel.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
What happened to the woman last weekend?
A. She got lost. B. She missed a festival. C. She visited her brother.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Why is the woman having trouble hearing her music?
A. Her iPod isn’t working. B. Her earphones are broken. C. She has a hearing problem.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Why does the woman think she’s losing customers?
A. She doesn’t have a website.
B. Her jewelry is out of fashion.
C. Her website needs to be updated.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What does the woman hope to buy?
A. A small blue bag. B. A medium blue bag. C. A medium blue shirt.
2.What can we learn from the conversation?
A. The man is a shop assistant.
B. The woman will come back herself next week.
C. The man has ordered more products than the woman wants.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Where are the speakers now?
A. In the United States. B. In Russia. C. In Canada.
2.What happens in the man’s country?
A. People talk quickly.
B. The government solves problems well.
C. Going to the bank often takes a short time.
3.What is true about the woman?
A. She wants to go to Russia.
B. She has never been abroad before.
C. She thinks Americans are more relaxed.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Why did the man fall asleep?
A. He is sick. B. He works at night. C. His class was boring.
2.Why does the man have to work?
A. To pay for school. B. To pay his debts. C. To pay his hospital bill.
3.Where will the man probably go next?
A. To a class. B. To the financial aid office. C. To the student employment office.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What is the woman doing?
A. Complaining about her school life.
B. Showing the man around campus.
C. Telling the man about her experience in college.
2.What classes did the woman choose in the beginning?
A. Classes that fit her major.
B. Classes that seemed interesting.
C. Classes she thought would be important for her career.
3.What does the woman say about college classes?
A. They get harder as you get older.
B. They are challenging in different ways.
C. They always involve the same kinds of preparation.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.Why is the plane delayed?
A. The weather is bad. B. The plane needs to be fixed. C. Some passengers haven’t arrived.
2.How long will the flight last?
A. About six hours. B. About four hours. C. About three hours.
3.What information can be found in the brochure?
A. Safety instructions.
B. Meals being served for lunch.
C. Details about the entertainment.
4.What will passengers do next?
A. Get aboard. B. Watch a video. C. Get some sleep.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
While thousands of college students headed for warm climate to enjoy sun and fun during their week off from classes, seven local students had other plans.
The Northern Essex Community College (NECC) students and one of their teachers spent part of their spring break in New York City, helping repair an area 1. (destroy) by the hurricane.
“I wanted to see for myself what happened,” said Terry. “I couldn’t imagine2.it is like to lose your home and everything that you know and the3.(power) effect the hurricane had on those people. I wanted to do something, to understand their feeling of helplessness.”
The group headed into Brooklyn’s Red Hook district, which was hit hard by the hurricane. There they met people from other parts of the country, 4.had also volunteered to help. Together, those volunteers and the NECC students5.(work) to clear rubbish out of a three-story building. They put on protective suits and gloves6.they entered the building.
Inside the building, the students saw nothing but broken walls and doors and pieces of the building 7.(lie) all over the place.
The students returned to school with8.sense of achievement, a feeling that9.helped people in need. I was remarkable how a community lost so much and was still able to recover, and this left the deepest impression10.the students.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
成语是中国文化的重要组成部分，它能用简单的词语表达出丰富且深刻的寓意。假定你是李华，你的外国笔友 Peter对中国成语很感兴趣，向你咨询有关中国成语的信息。请你写封邮件，介绍成语相关内容：
1、成语的特点；
2、学习成语的益处；
3、自己学习成语的感受和体会。
Dear Peter,
I am glad that you are interested in Chinese idioms.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely
Lihua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析