Over the last 70 years, researchers have been studying happy and unhappy people and finally found out ten factors that make a difference.Our feelings of well-being at any moment are determined to a certain degree by genes.However, of all the factors, wealth and age are the top two.
Money can buy a degree of happiness.But once you can afford to feed, clothe and house yourself, each extra dollar makes less and less difference.
Researchers find that, on average, wealthier people are happier.But the link between money and happiness is complex.In the past half-century, average income has sharply increased in developed countries, yet happiness levels have remained almost the same.Once your basic needs are met, money only seems to increase happiness if you have more than your friends, neighbors and colleagues.
“Dollars buy status, and status makes people feel better,” conclude some experts, which helps explain why people who can seek status in other ways—scientists or actors, for example—may happily accept relatively poorly-paid jobs.
In a research, Professor Alex Michalos found that the people whose desires—not just for money, but for friends, family, job, health—rose furthest beyond what they already had, tended to be less happy than those who felt a smaller gap (差距).Indeed, the size of the gap predicted happiness about five times better than income alone.“The gap measures just blow away the only measures of income.” says Michalos.
Another factor that has to do with happiness is age.Old age may not be so bad.“Given all the problems of aging, how could the elderly be more satisfied? ” asks Protessor Laura Carstensen.
In one survey, Carstensen interviewed 184 people between the ages of 18 and 94, and asked them to fill out an emotions questionnaire.She found that old people reported positive emotions just as often as young people, but negative emotions much less often.
Why are old people happier? Some scientists suggest older people may expect life to be harder and learn to live with it, or they’re more realistic abour their goals, only setting ones that they know they can achieve.But Carstensen thinks that with time running out, older people have learned to focus on things that make them happy and let go of those that don’t.
“People realize not only what they have, but also that what they have cannot last forever,” she says.“A goodbye kiss to a husband or wife at the age of 85, for example, may bring far more complex emotional responses than a similar kiss to a boy or girl friend at the age of 20.”
1.According to the passage, the feeling of happiness ________.
A.is determined partly by genes B.increases gradually with age
C.has little to do with wealth D.is measured by desires
2.Some actors would like to accept poorly-paid jobs because the jobs ________.
A.make them feel much better B.provide chances to make friends
C.improve their social position D.satisfy their professional interests
3.Aged people are more likely to feel happy because they are more ________.
A.optimistic B.successful
C.practical D.emotional
4.Professor Alex Michalos found that people feel less happy if ________.
A.the gap between reality and desire is bigger
B.they have a stronger desire for friendship
C.their income is below their expectation
D.the hope for good health is greater
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
Over the last 70 years, researchers have been studying happy and unhappy people and finally found out ten factors that make a difference.Our feelings of well-being at any moment are determined to a certain degree by genes.However, of all the factors, wealth and age are the top two.
Money can buy a degree of happiness.But once you can afford to feed, clothe and house yourself, each extra dollar makes less and less difference.
Researchers find that, on average, wealthier people are happier.But the link between money and happiness is complex.In the past half-century, average income has sharply increased in developed countries, yet happiness levels have remained almost the same.Once your basic needs are met, money only seems to increase happiness if you have more than your friends, neighbors and colleagues.
“Dollars buy status, and status makes people feel better,” conclude some experts, which helps explain why people who can seek status in other ways—scientists or actors, for example—may happily accept relatively poorly-paid jobs.
In a research, Professor Alex Michalos found that the people whose desires—not just for money, but for friends, family, job, health—rose furthest beyond what they already had, tended to be less happy than those who felt a smaller gap (差距).Indeed, the size of the gap predicted happiness about five times better than income alone.“The gap measures just blow away the only measures of income.” says Michalos.
Another factor that has to do with happiness is age.Old age may not be so bad.“Given all the problems of aging, how could the elderly be more satisfied? ” asks Protessor Laura Carstensen.
In one survey, Carstensen interviewed 184 people between the ages of 18 and 94, and asked them to fill out an emotions questionnaire.She found that old people reported positive emotions just as often as young people, but negative emotions much less often.
Why are old people happier? Some scientists suggest older people may expect life to be harder and learn to live with it, or they’re more realistic abour their goals, only setting ones that they know they can achieve.But Carstensen thinks that with time running out, older people have learned to focus on things that make them happy and let go of those that don’t.
“People realize not only what they have, but also that what they have cannot last forever,” she says.“A goodbye kiss to a husband or wife at the age of 85, for example, may bring far more complex emotional responses than a similar kiss to a boy or girl friend at the age of 20.”
1.According to the passage, the feeling of happiness ________.
A.is determined partly by genes B.increases gradually with age
C.has little to do with wealth D.is measured by desires
2.Some actors would like to accept poorly-paid jobs because the jobs ________.
A.make them feel much better B.provide chances to make friends
C.improve their social position D.satisfy their professional interests
3.Aged people are more likely to feel happy because they are more ________.
A.optimistic B.successful
C.practical D.emotional
4.Professor Alex Michalos found that people feel less happy if ________.
A.the gap between reality and desire is bigger
B.they have a stronger desire for friendship
C.their income is below their expectation
D.the hope for good health is greater
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Over the last 70 years, researchers have been studying happy and unhappy people and finally found out ten factors that make a difference. Our feelings of well-being at any moment are determined to a certain degree by genes. However, of all the factors, wealth and age are the top two.
Money can buy a degree of happiness. But once you can afford to feed, clothe and house yourself , each extra dollar makes less and less difference.
Researchers find that, on average, wealthier people are happier. But the link between money and happiness is complex. In the past half-century, average income has sharply increased in developed countries, yet happiness levels have remained almost the same. Once your basic needs are met, money only seems to increase happiness if you have more than your friends, neighbors and colleagues.
“Dollars buy status, and status makes people feel better,” conclude some experts, which helps explain why people who can seek status in other ways---scientists or actors, for example—may happily accept relatively poorly-paid jobs.
In a research, Professor Alex Michalos found that the people whose desires—not just for money, but for friends, family, job, health—rose furthest beyond what they already had, tended to be less happy than those who felt a smaller gap. Indeed, the size of the gap predicted happiness about five times better than income alone. “The gap measures just blow away the only measures of income.” Says Michalos.
Another factor that has to do with happiness is age. Old age may not be so bad. “Given all the problems of aging, how could the elderly be more satisfied?” asks Professor Laura Carstensen.
In one survey, Carstensen interviewed 184 people between the ages of 18 and 94, and asked them to fill out an emotions questionnaire. She found that old people reported positive emotions just as often as young people, but negative emotions much less often.
Why are old people happier? Some scientists suggest older people may expect life to be harder and learn to live with it, or they’re more realistic about their goals, only setting ones that they know they can achieve. But Carstensen thinks that with time running out, older people have learned to focus on things that make them happy and let go of those that don’t. “People realize not only what they have, but also that what they have cannot last forever,” she says. “A goodbye kiss to a husband or wife at the age of 85, for example, may bring far more complex emotional responses than a similar kiss to a boy or girl friend at the age of 20.
1.According to the passage, the feeling of happiness ________.
A.is determined partly by genes B.increases gradually with age
C.has little to do with wealth D.is measured by desires
2.Some actors would like to accept poorly-paid jobs because the jobs_____.
A.make them feel much better B.provide chances to make friends
C.improve their social position D.satisfy their professional interests
3.Aged people are more likely to feel happy because they are more______.
A.optimistic B.successful C.practical D.emotional
4.Professor Alex Michalos found that people feel less happy if _______.
A.the gap between reality and desire is bigger
B.they have a stronger desire for friendship
C.their income is below their expectation
D.the hope for good health is greater
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Over the last 70 years.researchers have been studying happy and Unhappy people and finally found out ten factors that make a difference.Our feelings of well-being at any moment are determined to a certain degree by genes.However of all the factors,wealth and age are the top two.
Money can buy a degree of happiness.But once you can afford to feed,clothe and house yourself, each extra dollar makes less and less difference.
Researchers find that,on average,wealthier people are happier.But the link between money and happiness is complex.In the past half-century, average income has sharply increased in developed countries,yet happiness levels have remained almost the same.Once your basic needs are met,money only seems to increase happiness if you have more than your friends,neighbors and colleagues.
“Dollars buy Status(社会地位),and status makes people feel better,” conclude some experts,which helps explain why people who can seek status in other ways-scientists or actors,for example-may happily accept relatively poorly-paid jobs.
In a research,Professor Alex Michalos found that the people whose desires-not just for money,but for friends,family, job,health-rose furthest beyond what they already had,tended to be less happy than those who felt a smaller gap(差距).Indeed,the size of the gap predicted happiness about five times better than income alone.“The gap measures just blow away the only measures of income,”says Michalos.
Another factor that has to do with happiness is age.Old age may not be so bad.“Given all the problems of aging,how could the elderly be more satisfied?” asks Professor Laura Carstensen.
Why are old people happier? Some scientists suggest older people may expect life to be harder and learn to live with it,or they're more realistic about their goals,only setting ones that they know they can achieve.But Carstensen thinks that with time running out,older people have learned to focus on things that make them happy and let go of those that don't.
“People realize not only what they have,but also that what they have cannot-last forever,” she says.“A goodbye kiss to a husband or wife at the age of 85,for example,may bring far more complex emotional responses than a similar kiss to a boy or girl friend at the age of 20.”
1.According to the passage,the feeling of happiness _________.
A.has little to do with wealth B.increases gradually with age
C.is measured by desires D.is determined partly by genes
2.Some actors would like to accept poorly-paid jobs because the jobs _________.
A.make them feel much better B.provide chances to make friends
C.improve their social position D.satisfy their professional interests
3.Aged people are more likely to feel happy because they are more _________.
A.optimistic B.practical C.successful D.emotional
4.Professor Alex Michalos found that people feel less happy if __________.
A.the gap between reality and desire is bigger
B.they have a stronger desire for friendship
C.their income is below their expectation
D.the hope for good health is greater
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
There have been big changes in the attitudes of most parents over the last few years. Physical punishment is banned in schools in most countries ,and in many countries, there are moves to ban all physical punishment of children even at home. However, many parents still believe that they have the right to use some physical punishments to deal with certain misbehavior at certain ages.
It ‘s easy to find reasons to allow some physical punishments. One issue is that many parents find it very difficult to abandon physical punishment completely. Parents argue that this was the way they were brought up and that it didn’t do any harm to them. They believe that for the child’s sake they have the right to discipline the child in any way they consider fit ,including using some physical punishments. The other one is that physical punishment can be quick and effective. There is not much point reasoning with a screaming child in the supermarket.
However, there are several reasons why we should stop using physical punishment. One point is that most parents are not trained to deal with misbehaving children. They don’t have enough resources or choices to handle the situation. As a result, they immediately react by hitting the child even if there are other solutions to the problem. Another point is that unless people are challenged or forced to change their belief, they may keep following negative habits. An example is seat belt use ——now most people wear seat belts without thinking, while years ago the idea of using seat belts was strange to most people. In the same way, banning physical punishment will force people to change their habits.
In conclusion, parents have to change some of their belief and ideas about how children should be raised. It is possible to avoid the use of physical force,and doing so will help us move closer to the dream of removing violence from our society.
1.According to the first paragraph, many parents think that _____
A. they are free to use physical punishment on their children
B. most of the children behave badly in their daily life
C. they have changed their attitudes towards their children
D. physical punishment is effective to educate their children
2. Many parents won’t give up physical punishment because _____.
A. they are disappointed with their children
B. they were brought up just in the same way
C. they don’t want to hurt their children badly
D. they don’t know what to do with their children
3.The author gives the example of using seat belts in order to show _____.
A. most people are used to wearing seat belts
B. it’s not difficult to change some negative habits
C. seat belts are really very necessary and useful
D. people won’t change their old habits unless forced
4.The main purpose of the author in writing this passage is to _____.
A. talk about a ban on using physical punishment
B. tell us we should educate our children in other ways
C. advise parents to give up using physical punishment
D. suggest physical punishment should be used at home
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Researchers at San Diego Zoo have been studying what has been described as the “secret language” of elephants. They have been monitoring(监测) communications between animals that cannot be heard by human ears.
The elephant’s call will be familiar to most people, but the animals also give out growls (低吼). Their growls, however, are only partly audible (听得见的); two-thirds of the call is at frequencies that are too low to be picked up by our hearing. To learn more about the inaudible part of the growl, the team attached (附在……上面) a microphone sensitive to these low frequencies and a GPS tracking system to eight of the zoo’s female elephants. The researchers could then relate the noises the animals were making to what they were doing. Matt Anderson, who led the project, told BBC News, “We’re excited to learn how they interact and contact with one another.”
The team has already learned that pregnant females use this low frequency communication to announce to the rest of their long gestation (妊娠期) of over two years, in the last 12 days we see the low part of the growl, which we can’t hear. This we believe is to announce to the rest of the herd that the baby is upcoming,” said Dr Anderson.
The researchers believe that this also warns the elephants to look out for coming danger. “You may think that a baby calf of about 300 pounds would not be as open to predation (捕食) as other species,” he says. “But packs of hyenas (袋狼) are a big threat in the wild.”
Female elephants are only in season for around four days every four years and these calls can be heard by males more than two miles away.
1.Why some elephants’ call is called “secret language”?
A.Because it can’t be heard by human ears.
B.Because it can only be heard by female elephants.
C.Because people don’t know its meanings.
D.Because people haven’t studied it completely.
2.By using a sensitive microphone and a GPS tracking system, the researchers wanted to find out.
A.where the elephants usually go
B.what the elephants’ growls really mean
C.how mother elephants raise baby calves
D.how elephants protect their babies.
3.A pregnant elephant uses inaudible growls to________.
A.show the location where she is staying
B.ask for help when she losses her way
C.scare away the enemy
D.let others know she will have a baby
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A.The elephants can speak like people.
B.The wild elephants’ ways to fight against enemies.
C.The “secret language” between elephants.
D.The special life of female elephants.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Scientists and doctors across the world have done _____ research over the years, hoping to find a cure for cancer.
A. a great deal of B. quantity of
C. quite a few D. a large number of
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
I’ve always been interested in why we do the things we do, so last year I decided I’d like to study psychology. Most courses I found, however, were either too expensive, too long or were impossible to combine with work. I was about to give up 1..
At first, I had no idea what they were talking about, but they explained that a MOOC is a Massive Open Online Course — a new type of course offered completely online to thousands of people, which is designed so that anyone can follow it, regardless of age, location or education — 2.. You can search for hundreds of different subjects, and can usually watch a short introduction video to get an idea of what the course is about.
3.. At first, I didn’t know what to expect or how much time I might spend studying. Each week there were video lectures to watch and readings to do as well as some short assignments. The lectures were really interesting and easy to follow, and it was great to be able to watch them again or pause them to go and do something else. Most MOOCs have online forums (论坛), too, where students can discuss what they are learning. These are often really fascinating because there are so many different opinions, 4.. If you read everything on the forums, you won’t have time to finish the lectures!
5.. There is a huge range of courses on offer in hundreds of subjects, and you have the chance to learn new things and be in contact with many different types of people, all from the comfort of your own home. Why not check out a MOOC and start learning something new today?
A. but they are very time-consuming
B. all you need is an Internet connection
C. when a friend suggested that I try a MOOC
D. I chose a six-week Social Psychology course
E. it is difficult to find a course to combine with work
F. But the advantages of MOOCs for busy people today are obvious
G. In fact, that seems to be one of the problems of this new way of studying
高二英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析
For 40 years, people in London have been happy to see parakeets (马尾鹦鹉) in their parks. The shocking green body and long tail have brought a bright color to the parks, which have attracted a lot of people.
However, the parakeets are no longer welcome. They will push out local birds from trees to build their own nests, and will also take most of the food in the parks, such as seeds, fruit and nuts.
Sometimes by accident, plants and animals are carried to new places. They are transported by trains, ships or even planes. Often, animals like fishes get transported in the water containers of ships. When these ships reach new places and pump out the water from their tanks, these animals will start a new life in a new place.
Sometimes people take plants and animals from one part of the world to the other to solve a problem. But it will create a bigger problem. Years ago, the farmers of northern Australia brought the toads (蟾蜍) from South America to their farms. They thought they would kill the beetles that harm the sugarcane crops. But the toad has done much more. It is now killing Australia’s native animals, such as snakes, water birds and so on.
1.People get interested in parakeets mainly because of ____.
A. their appearance B. their singing
C. their behavior D. their living environment
2.How do the parakeets affect the local birds?
A. They sometimes kill the local birds.
B. They destroy trees which the local birds live in.
C. They take the local birds’ nests and food.
D. They have attracted much of people’s attention.
3.What is the third paragraph mainly talking about?
A. How animals and plants come to new lands.
B. How a new animal affects the local animals.
C. Why some plants are introduced to a new place.
D. The role of ships in transporting animals and plants.
4.What can we learn about the toads?
A. They didn’t kill the beetles at all.
B. They were brought to Australia by accident.
C. They have ruined the sugarcane crops.
D. They have created a larger problem in Australia.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Children's lives have changed greatly over the last 50 years.But do they have a happier childhood than you or I did?
It's difficult to look back on one's own childhood without some element of nostalgia(怀旧的). I have four brothers and sisters, and my memories are all about being with them.Playing board games on the living room floor, or spending days in the street with the other neighborhood children, racing up and down on our bikes, or exploring the nearby woods.My parents scarcely appear in these memories, except as providers either of meals or of severe blame after some particularly risky adventure.
These days, in the UK at least, the nature of childhood has changed dramatically.Firstly, families are smaller, and there are far more only children.It is common for both parents to work outside the home and there is the feeling that there just isn't time to bring up a large family, or that no one could possibly afford to have more than one child.As a result, today's boys and girls spend much of their time alone.Another major change is that youngsters today tend to spend a huge amount of their free time at home, inside.More than anything this is due to the fact that parents worry far more than they used to about real or imagined dangers, so they wouldn't dream of letting their children play outside by themselves.
Finally, the kind of toys children have and the way they play is totally different.Computer and video games have replaced the board games and more interesting activities of my childhood.The irony(令人啼笑皆非的事情) is that so many ways of playing games are called "interactive”. The fact that you can play electronic games on your own further increases the sense of loneliness felt by many young people today.
Do these changes mean that children today have a less relaxing childhood than I had? I personally believe that they do, but perhaps every generation feels exactly the same.
1.What is the purpose of the direct question given in the first paragraph?
A. To show who the passage is written for.
B. To gather people's opinions on childhood.
C. To compare the childhood lives of two generations.
D. To get people's attention and lead in the topic.
2.Which is NOT a reason for the changes?
A. Families are smaller today.
B. Toys can be played by children alone at home.
C. It's too dangerous to play outside.
D. Parents worried too much about their children.
3.What has the writer focused on in the fourth paragraph?
A. Some games that young people play today aren't really good.
B. Computer and video games have replaced the board games.
C. Young people today shouldn't play electronic games.
D. Board games are much more interesting than computer games.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
I appreciated ____ the opportunity to study abroad two years ago.
A. having been given B. having given C. to have been given D. to have given
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析