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Quiet Virtue: The Conscientious
The everyday signs of conscientiousness (认真尽责)—being punctual, careful in doing work, self-disciplined, and scrupulous (一丝不苟的) in attending to responsibilities—are typical characteristics of the model organizational citizen, the people who keep things running as they should. They follow the rules, help out, and are concerned about the people they work with. It’s the conscientious worker who helps newcomers or updates people who return after an absence, who gets to work on time and never abuses sick leaves, who always gets things done on deadline.
Conscientiousness is a key to success in any field. In studies of job performance, outstanding effectiveness for almost all jobs, from semi-skilled labor to sales and management, depends on conscientiousness. It is particularly important for outstanding performance in jobs at the lower levels of an organization: the secretary whose message taking is perfect, the delivery truck driver who is always on time.
Among sales representatives for a large American car manufacturer, those who were most conscientious had the largest volume of sales. Conscientiousness also offers a buffer (缓冲) against the threat of job loss in today’s constantly changing market, because employees with this quality are among the most valued. For the sales representatives, their level of conscientiousness mattered almost as much as their sales in determining who stayed on.
There is an air around highly conscientious people that makes them seem even better than they actually are. Their reputation for dependability influences managers’ evaluations of their work, giving them higher evaluations than objective measures of their performance would predict.
But conscientiousness in the absence of social skills can lead to problems. Since conscientious people demand so much of themselves, they can hold other people to their own standards, and so be overly judgmental when others don’t show the same high levels of model behavior. Factory workers in Great Britain and the United States who were extremely conscientious, for example, tended to criticize co-workers even about failures that seemed unimportant to those they criticized, which damaged their relationships.
When conscientiousness takes the form of living up to expectations, it can discourage creativity. In creative professions like art or advertising, openness to wild ideas and spontaneity (自发性) are scarce and in demand. Success in such occupations calls for a balance, however; without enough conscientiousness to follow through, people become mere dreamers, with nothing to show for their imaginativeness.
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I believe it is in my nature to dance by virtue of the beat of my heart, the pulse of my blood and the music in my mind. So I dance____.
My dining room is now a ___ballroom. Each morning when I____the house on the way to make coffee, I turn on the ___,and it's dance time! I dance alone to whatever is playing.
Tango(探戈)is a recent enthusiasm. It's a complex and___ dance. The first time I went tango dancing I was too ___to get out on the floor. ___, I stayed on edge of the dance floor when the dancing began. The fancy footwork____me. “Don't make a fool of yourself. Just____it. ” I thought.____my mind, an older woman dropped out of the____,sat down beside me, and said she had a secret for me. She____,“If you do not join the dancing, we will know you are a fool. But if you dance, we will think well of you for____” Inspired by her____words, I took up the____of tango.
A friend asked me if I was a little too____. “Tango? At your age? You must be out of your mind!" On the contrary, it’s a deeply considered____I seek the sharp, scary____that comes from beginning something new, which____all my resources and challenges my body and mind. So, when people say, “Tango? At your age?” I____answer, “Yes!”
1.A. crazily B. skillfully C. daily D. casually
2.A. private B. formal C. temporary D. grand
3.A. pass by B. walk through C. clean D. leave
4.A. light B. tap C. heat D. music
5.A. dangerous B. terrible C. difficult D. dull
6.A. scared B. excited C. foolish D. proud
7.A. Otherwise B. Still C. Instead D. Anyhow
8.A. amazed B. disappointed C. comforted D. confused
9.A. watch B. finish C. join D. stop
10.A. Occupying B. Reading C. Overlooking D. Entering
11.A. class B. show C. dance D. conversation
12.A. argued B. admitted C. declared D. whispered
13.A. trying B. waiting C. coming D. sharing
14.A. bitter B. brave C. wise D. familiar
15.A. talk B. challenge C. task D. duty
16.A. careful B. humorous C. practical D. ambitious
17.A. decision B. suggestion C. belief D. answer
18.A. security B. pleasure C. freedom D. relief
19.A. changes B. wastes C. saves D. requires
20.A. roughly B. simply C. politely D. possibly
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Lily believes she can control the outcomes of her life _______ her hard work.
A.by virtue of B.for the sake of C.in the event of D.on top of
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Being honest is usually thought of as a virtue and undoubtedly this is the ________.
A．issue B．case C．event D．factor
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Much of life today _____ the manners of everyday getting along: queuing, answering the phone, keeping promises, remembering birthdays.
A. is B. are C. was D. were
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These stories are about the everyday life of ordinary people who the great dangers in China over the past few years.
A. have experienced B. are experiencing
C. have been experiencing D. experienced
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These stories are about the everyday life of ordinary people who the great dangers in China over the past few years.
A. have experienced B. are experiencing
C. have been experiencing D. experienced
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Discovering the beauty of the science and maths that shape our everyday lives, an experience in Wonderlab will fuel your imagination and inspire you to see the world around you in new and exciting ways. Come and enjoy yourself!
What to see
Spread across seven different zones, there' re loads of opportunities to get hands on with real scientific phenomena. Observe live experiments at our Chemistry Bar, see lightning strike before your eyes, play with forces on giant slides or travel through space under a canopy (苍穹)of stars. You can also take part in explosive science demonstrations led by our talented team of explainers. With 50 mind-blowing wonders of science to enjoy, Wonderlab is an experience unlike any other. Besides, a selection of shows will be performed daily in Wonderlab’s beautiful new show space. They are free of charge and last 20 minutes.
Tickets
♦ Day pass: ￡6 per person.
This ticket gives you day-long access to Wonderlab, perfect whether you' re planning a special trip to the Museum or simply passing through London and want to feed your curiosity.
♦ Annual pass: ￡10 per person.
For less than the price of two visits, give yourself a year packed full of wonder, curiosity and breathtaking experiences.
Opening times
Open seven days a week, 10:00 — 18:00 (last entry 17:15). Wonderlab will be closed on December 24，25 and 26 and will be open as usual from December 27.
During school holidays our opening hours are 10:00 — 19:00 (last entry 18:15). Please note that in peak periods ( from midday onwards) we are experiencing long queues due to the gallery' s popularity.
1.What can you do in Wonderlab?
A. Explore stars. B. Produce lighting.
C. Join in explosion shows. D. Do chemistry experiments.
2.How much should two visitors pay if they visit Wonderlab and enjoy the shows for one day?
A. ￡ 12. B. ￡ 20. C. ￡32. D. ￡40.
3.When can you enter Wonderlab?
A. 9:30 on December 23. B. 18:30 on school holidays.
C. 11:00 on Christmas. D. 10:30 on December 28.
4.What is the purpose of the text?
A. To introduce Wonderlab.
B. To attract people to Wonderlab.
C. To explain how Wonderlab works.
D. To analyze why Wonderlab is attractive.
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Everyday Food
by Martha Stewart
No matter how busy you are, at the end of the day you want meals that are easy to prepare. And you want lots of choices and variations. You'll find all of that in this book:
250 simple recipes for delicious meals that bring freshness and nutrition.
Paperback, published by Random House,$16.79
Zeroes
by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, Deborah Biancotti
New York Times bestselling author Scott Westerfeld teams up with Margo Lanagan and
Deborah Biancotti in the book about six teenagers with amazing abilities. These teenagers have powers that set them apart. They can do things ordinary people can't.
Paperback, published by Simon&Schuster,$12.99
Mrghty Jack
by Ben Hatke
Jaek dislikes summer. But he's got a good reason: summer is when his single mom takes a second job and leaves him at home to watch his sister, Maddy. It's lots of responsibility, and it’s boring, too, because Maddy doesn’t talk. Ever. But one day, at the market, Maddy does talk to tell Jack to trade their mom's car for a box of mysterious seeds. It's the best mistake Jack has ever made.
Hardcover, published by First Second,$14.15
Only Daughter
by Anna Snoekstra
She's caught stealing. She’s homeless and on the run. But she happens to look the same as a girl who went missing a decade ago, Rebecca Winter. She assumes Rebecca’s identity, using it as a way out. Little does she know her new life as Rebecca is itself a prison and it looks like a killer might be after her.
Kindle edition, published by Harlequin Enterprises,$8.88
1.Who wrote a book to help you cook a meal?
A. Martha Stewart.
B. Anna Snoekstra.
C. Ben Hatke.
D. Scott Westerfeld.
2.How much should readers pay for a story about a boy's amazing experience?
A.$8.88 B$12. 99 C.$14. 15 D.$16. 79
3.How is Zeroes different from the rest books?
A. It tells a story.
B. It's in paperback.
C. It's quite popular.
D. It's a co-written book.
4.What do we know about Only Daughter?
A. Its heroine enjoys her life on the run.
B. Its heroine lives with a false identity.
C. It provides different kinds of editions.
D. It is written by Harlequin Enterprises.
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What does the man think of the jacket?
A. It has too many pockets.
B. It's great for everyday use.
C. It is suitable for outdoor activities.