Should you choose time over money, or money o...

Should you choose time over money, or money over time? This is one of those so-called dilemmas of happiness that isn’t really a dilemma at all, because the answer is so painfully obvious. Money, after all, is just an instrument for obtaining other things, including time-while time is all we’ve got. And to make matters worse, you can’t save it up.

And yet we do choose money over time, again and again, even when basic material well-being doesn’t demand it. Partly, no doubt, that’s because even well-off people fear future poverty. But it’s also because the time/money trade-off rarely presents itself in simple ways. Suppose you’re offered a better-paid job that requires a longer commute (more money in return for less time); but then again, that extra cash could lead to more or better time in future, in the form of nicer holidays, or a more secure retirement. Which choice prioritizes time, and which money? It’s hard to say.

Thankfully, a new study throws a little light on the matter. The researchers surveyed more than 4,000 Americans to determine whether they valued time or money more, and how happy they were. A clear majority preferred money-but those who valued time were happier. Older people, married people and parents were more likely to value time, which makes sense: older people have less time left, while those with spouses and kids probably either value time with them, or feel they steal all their time. Or both.

The crucial finding here is that it’s not having more time that makes you happier, but valuing it more. Economists continue to argue about whether money buys happiness-but few doubt that being comfortably off is more pleasant than struggling to make ends meet. This study makes a different point: it implies that even if you’re scraping by (勉强维持), and thus forced to focus on money, you’ll be happier if deep down you know it’s time that’s most important.

It also contains ironic (讽刺的) good news for those of us who feel basically secure, financially, but horribly pushed for time. If you strongly wish you had more time, as I do, who could accuse you of not valuing it? At least my eagerness for more time shows that my priorities are in order, and maybe that means I’ll enjoy any spare time I do get. We talk about scarce time like it’s a bad thing. But scarcity is what makes us treat things as precious, too.

1.The example in Paragraph 2 suggests that ______.

A.money can be made at the expense of time

B.the time/money trade-off is a complicated issue

C.money is a tool for obtaining material well-being

D.circumstances force one to choose money over time

2.We can know from the findings of the study that ______.

A.valuing time more makes people happier

B.parents regret the time spent on their kids

C.people won’t value time until they’re rich

D.a comfortable life is superior to more time

3.Which of the following best serves as the title of the passage?

A.What you should spend time on

B.What you should trade money for

C.Why you need to value money, not time

D.Why you need to count time, not money

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

Only in this way will you get your valuable ideas __________ ; or your time will be wasted.

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Have you ever tasted or perhaps heard of sugar painting? As fewer people choose to make this kind of painting, the traditional Chinese folk craft might have become a 1.(distance)memory in some ways.2., a 38-year old craftsman, Li Jianzhong, is committed to3.(keep)the art of sugar painting alive.

Li worked as a miner for more than ten years. After 4.mine closed down, Li turned to housing decoration, until he 5.(force) to give that up due to a finger injury. Earlier this year, he discovered sugar painting, something he really had an interest in and a strong desire to learn.

Since there was no sugar painting craftsman in his village, he studied by 6.(he) through large quantities of videos and information on the internet. Li loved painting when he was young, and he found it easy7.(learn) the skill in sugar painting. He soon mastered the skill and could make a 8.(vary) of sugar paintings. A sugar painting is made with melted brown or white sugar. Craftsmen 9.(normal) paint animals and flowers on a stone board with the syrup(糖浆). When the sugar cools down, 10.appears is a piece of sugar art.

高三英语短文填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

If you boss asks you to work in Moscow this year, he’d better offer you more money to do so — or even double that depending on where you live now. That’s because Moscow has just been found to be the world’s most expensive city for the second year in a row by Mercer Human Resources Consulting.

Using the cost of living in New York as a base, Mercer determined Moscow is 34.4 percent more expensive including the cost of housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment(娱乐).

A two-bedroom flat in Moscow now costs $4,000 a month; a CD $24.83, and an international newspaper $6.30, according to Mercer. By comparison, a fast food meal with a hamburger(汉堡包) is a steal at $4.80.

London takes the No.2 place, up from No.5 a year ago, thanks to higher cost of housing and a stronger British pound relative to the dollar. Mercer estimates(估算) London is 26 percent more expensive than New York these days. Following London closely are Seoul and Tokyo, both of which are 22 percent more expensive than New York, while No.5 Hong Kong is 19 percent more costly.

Among North American cities, New York and Los Angeles are the most expensive and are the only two listed in the top 50 of the world’s most expensive cities. But both have fallen since last year’s study — New York came in 15^th, down from 10^th place, while Los Angeles fell to 42^nd from 29^th place a year ago. San Francisco came in a distant third at No. 54, down 20 places from a year earlier.

Toronto, meanwhile, is Canada’s most expensive city but fell 35 places to take 82^nd place worldwide. In Australia, Sydney is the priciest place to live in and No. 21 worldwide.

1.What do the underlined words “a steal” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A. an act of stealing                B. something delicious

C. something very cheap          D. an act of buying

2.London has become the second most expensive city because of ______.

A. the high cost of clothing     B. the stronger pound against the dollar

C. its expensive transportation      D. the high prices of fast food meals

3.Which city is the third most expensive on the list?

A. Tokyo.        B. Hong Kong.       C. Moscow.          D. Sydney.

4.Which city has dropped most on the list in North America?

A. New York. B. Los Angeles.     C. San Francisco.   D. Toronto.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

If you boss asks you to work in Moscow this year, he’d better offer you more money to do so — or even double that depending on where you live now. That’s because Moscow has just been found to be the world’s most expensive city for the second year in a row by Mercer Human Resources Consulting.

Using the cost of living in New York as a base, Mercer determined Moscow is 34.4 percent more expensive including the cost of housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment(娱乐).

A two-bedroom flat in Moscow now costs $4,000 a month; a CD $24.83, and an international newspaper $6.30, according to Mercer. By comparison, a fast food meal with a hamburger(汉堡包) is a steal at $4.80.

London takes the No.2 place, up from No.5 a year ago, thanks to higher cost of housing and a stronger British pound relative to the dollar. Mercer estimates(估算) London is 26 percent more expensive than New York these days. Following London closely are Seoul and Tokyo, both of which are 22 percent more expensive than New York, while No.5 Hong Kong is 19 percent more costly.

Among North American cities, New York and Los Angeles are the most expensive and are the only two listed in the top 50 of the world’s most expensive cities. But both have fallen since last year’s study — New York came in 15^th, down from 10^th place, while Los Angeles fell to 42^nd from 29^th place a year ago. San Francisco came in a distant third at No. 54, down 20 places from a year earlier.

Toronto, meanwhile, is Canada’s most expensive city but fell 35 places to take 82^nd place worldwide. In Australia, Sydney is the priciest place to live in and No. 21 worldwide.

1.What do the underlined words “a steal” in Paragraph 3 mean?

2.London has become the second most expensive city because of ______.

3.Which city is the third most expensive on the list?

4.Which city has dropped most on the list in North America?

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

If your boss asks you to work in Moscow this year, he’d better offer you more money to do so — or even double that depending on where you live now．That’s because Moscow has just been found to be the world’s most expensive city for the second year in a row by Mercer Human Resources Consulting．

Using the cost of living in New York as a base, Mercer determined Moscow is 34．4 percent more expensive including the cost of housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment．

A two-bedroom flat in Moscow now costs $4,000 a month; a CD $24．83, and an international newspaper $6．30, according to Mercer．By comparison, a fast food meal with a hamburger （汉堡包） is a steal at $4．80．

London takes the No．2 place, up from No．5 a year ago, thanks to higher cost of housing and a stronger British pound relative to the dollar．Mercer estimates （估算） London is 26 percent more expensive than New York these days．Following London closely are Seoul and Tokyo, both of which are 22 percent more expensive than New York, while No．5 Hong Kong is 19 percent more costly．

Among North American cities, New York and Los Angeles are the most expensive and are the only two listed in the top 50 of the world’s most expensive cities．But both have fallen since last year’s study — New York came in 15th, down from 10th place, while Los Angeles fell to 42nd from 29th place a year ago．San Francisco came in a distant third at No．54, down 20 places from a year earlier．

Toronto, meanwhile, is Canada’s most expensive city but fell 35 places to take 82nd place worldwide．In Australia, Sydney is the priciest place to live in and No．21 worldwide．

1.What do the underlined words “a steal” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．an act of stealing   B．something delicious

C．something very cheap                     D．an act of buying

2.London has become the second most expensive city because of ______．

A．the high cost of clothing

B．the stronger pound against the dollar

C．its expensive transportation

D．the high prices of fast food meals

3.Which city is the third most expensive on the list?

A．Tokyo．              B．Hong Kong．      C．Moscow．         D．Sydney．

4.Which city has dropped most on the list in North America?

A．New York．           B．Los Angeles．    C．San Francisco．  D．Toronto．

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

Why _______ you be so stubborn? You should think over my advice on this matter.

A. may                B. shall                C. dare                D. must　　　　　　

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

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1.Who is the course mainly intended for?

A.Experienced editors. B.Full-time novelists.

C.Freshmen in writing. D.Professional writers.

2.Which of the following does the course provide?

A.Book sales. B.Learning for free.

C.Extra spending money. D.Convenient ways of studies.

3.What can we lean from the text?

A.The full course will last fifteen days.

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C.Fees will be returned when you finish your course.

D.Previous writing experience is required when you enroll.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Read this story, ___ you will realize that not everything can be bought with money.

A. or     B. and        C. but         D. so

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Read this story,　 ________　 you will realize that not everything can be bought with money.

A. or　　　　 　　　　　　　 B. and

C. but　　 　　　　　　　　 D. so

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析