The secret to happiness is keeping busy, rese...

The secret to happiness is keeping busy, research has found. Keeping the mind occupied with tasks—no matter how meaningless—keeps off negative emotions, the study found.

However, the bad news is that humans are seemingly born to be lazy in order to save energy, according to Professor Christoper Hsee, a behavioral scientist at Chicago University.

In a study, 98 students were asked to complete two surveys. After they had completed the first, they were made to wait 15 minutes to receive the next one. They were given a choice of either handing in the first survey nearby or a more distant location they had to walk to. Whichever option they chose, they received a chocolate bar. It turned out that about two-thirds (68 students) chose the lazy option. Those who had taken the walk reported feeling happier than those who had stayed put.

Professor Hsee concluded that keeping busy helped keep people happy. He said the findings, reported in the journal Psychological Science, had policy implications (暗示).

“Governments may increase the happiness of idle (无所事事的) citizens by having them build bridges that are actually useless,” he proposed.

At the personal level, he advised, “Get up and do something. Anything. Even if there really is no point to what you are doing, you will feel better for it. He added, Incidentally, thinking deeply or engaging in self-reflection counts as keeping busy, too.

“You do not need to be running around. You just need to be engaged, either physically or mentally.”

1.According to the passage, why can keeping busy make people happy?

A. It can help people keep off laziness. B. It can make people sleep better.

C. It can help get rid of unpleasant feelings. D. It can give people a sense of achievement.

2.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. The finding may contribute to politics.

B. The officials have taken Pro. Hsee’s advice

C. In the study one third students handed in the first survey nearby.

D. Governments can increase citizens’ happiness by building bridges.

3.What can we infer from the passage?

A. Everybody is certainly born to be lazy.

B. Being engaged can add to the possibility of being pleased.

C. Prof. Hsee’s finding was published in Psychological Science.

D. Only by keeping working all the time can you gain happiness.

4.Why does the author write this passage?

A. To explain what happiness is.

B. To advise people not to be idle.

C. To advise people to do whatever they prefer.

D. To show people how to take work seriously.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The researchers found clear and convincing evidence _________ happiness is the key when it comes to better health and longer lives.

A. where　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　 B. whether　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　 C. how　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　 D. that

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

The researchers found clear and convincing evidence _______ happiness is the key when it comes to better health and longer lives.

A. where             B. whether      C. how             D. that

高三英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析

The secret to eating less and being happy about it may have been found years ago — by McDonald’s. According to a new study from Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab, small non-food rewards — like the toys in McDonald’s Happy Meals — stimulate the same reward centers in the brain as food does.

The researchers, led by Martin Reimann, carried out a series of experiments to see if people would choose a smaller meal if it was paired with a non-food item.

They found that the majority of both kids and adults chose a half-sized portion when combined with a prize. Both options were priced the same.

Even more interesting is that the promise of a future reward was enough to make adults choose the smaller portion. One of the prizes used was a lottery ticket (彩票), with a $10, $ 50 or $100 payout, and this was as effective as a tangible gift in persuading people to eat less.

“The fact that participants were willing to substitute part of a food item for the mere prospect of a relatively small monetary award is interesting,” says Reimann. “One explanation for this finding is that possible awards may be more emotionally inspiring than certainty awards. The uncertainty of winning provides added attraction and desirability through emotional ‘thrills’. The possibility of receiving an award also produces a state of hope — a state that is in itself psychologically rewarding.” In other words, there’s a reason why people like to gamble.

How might this knowledge be used to help people eat more healthily?

One possibility is a healthy option that offers the chance to win a spa weekend. Or maybe the reward of a half-sized portion could be a half-sized dessert to be claimed only on a future date. That would get you back in the restaurant — and make you eat a little less.

1.What do we learn about McDonald’s inclusion of toys in its Happy Meals?

A.It may throw light on people’s desire to find a secret.

B.It has proved to be key to McDonald’s business success.

C.It appeals to kid’s curiosity to find out what is hidden inside.

D.It may be a pleasant way for kids to reduce their food intake.

2.What is the finding of the researchers led by Martin Reimann?

A.Reducing food intake is not that difficult if people go to McDonald’s more.

B.Most kids and adults don’t actually feel hungry when they eat half of their meal.

C.Eating a smaller portion of food does good to the health of kids and adults alike.

D.Most kids and adults would choose a smaller meal that came with a non-food item.

3.What is most interesting in Martin Reimann’s finding?

A.Kids preferred an award in the form of money to one in the form of a toy.

B.Adults chose the smaller portion on the mere promise of a future award.

C.Both kids and adults felt satisfied with only half of their meal portions.

D.Neither children nor adults could resist the temptation of a free toy.

4.What can we infer from Martin Reimann’s finding?

A.People should eat much less if they wish to stay healthy and happy.

B.More fast food restaurants are likely to follow McDonald’s example.

C.We can lead people to eat less while helping the restaurant business.

D.More studies are needed to find out the influence of emotion on behavior.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Daniel has undertaken to keep the secret, so he won’t tell anyone even though ______.

A.asked to keep B.to be asked C.to ask D.asked to

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Play is the basic business of childhood, and in recent years research has shown the great importance of play in the development of a human being. From earliest infancy (婴儿), every child needs opportunity and right materials for play, and the main tools of play are toys. The main function of toys is to suggest, encourage and play. To succeed in this, they must be good toys, which children will play with often, and will come back again and again. Therefore, it is important to choose suitable toys for different stages of a child’s development.

In recent years research on infant development has shown that the standard a child is likely to reach, within the range of his inherited abilities, is largely determined in the first three years of his life. So a baby’s ability to benefit from the right play materials should not be underestimated. A baby who is encouraged, talked to and shown things and played with, has the best chance of growing up successfully.

In the next stage, from three to five years old, curiosity knows no bounds. Every type of suitable toys should be made available to the child, for trying out, experimenting and learning, for discovering his own particular ability: Bricks and jigsaws and construction toys; painting, scribbling and making things; sand and water play; toys for imaginative and pretending play—the first social games for learning to play and get on with others.

But at the third stage of play development—from five to seven or eight years old— the child is at school. But for a few more years play is still the best way of learning, at home or at school. It is easier to see which type of toys the child most enjoys.

Until the age of seven or eight, play and work mean much the same to a child. But once reading has been mastered, then books become the main source of learning. Toys are still interesting and valuable, which lead up to new hobbies, but their significance has changed — to a child of nine or ten years old, toys and games mean, as to adults, relaxation and fun.

1.According to the first passage we know that as a child grows up, ______.

A. he should be allowed to choose his own toys

B. he should be given the same toys

C. he should be given fewer and fewer toys

D. he should be given different toys

2.According to the passage, the abilities a child has inherited from his parents ______.

A. determine his character

B. will not change after the age of three

C. partly determined the standard he is likely to reach

D. to a large extent determine the choice of toys

3.We learn from the passage that a child has boundless curiosity ______.

A. when he is two                    B. when he is around four

C. when he is six                     D. when he is eight

4.The passage is mainly about _______.

A. the role of play in a child’s development

B. the importance of schooling

C. the importance of pre-school education

D. the choice of toys for youngster

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Jerry has promised to keep the secret, so he won’t tell anyone even though　　　　 .

A．asking to　 B．to be asked　　 C．to ask　　　　 D．asked to

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

B

Play is the basic business of childhood, and more and more in recent years research has shown the great importance of play in the development of a human being．From earliest infancy （婴儿）, every child needs opportunity and the right material for play, and the main tools of play are toys．The main function of toys is to suggest, encourage and assist play．To succeed in this, they must be good toys, which children will play with often, and will come back to again and again．Therefore, it is important to choose suitable toys for different stages of a child’s development.

In recent years research on infant development has shown that the standard a child is likely to reach, within the range of his inherited abilities, is largely determined in the first three years of his life．So a baby’s ability to benefit from the right play materials should not be underestimated．A baby who is encouraged, talked to and shown things and played with, has the best chance of growing up successfully．

The next stage, from three to five years old, curiosity knows no bounds．Every type of suitable toy should be made available to the child, for trying out, experimenting and learning, for discovering his own particular ability. Bricks and jigsaws and construction toys; painting, scribbling and making things; sand and water play; toys for imaginative and pretending play; the first social games for learning to play and get on with others．

By the third stage of play development—from five to seven or eight years old— the child is at school．But for a few more years play is still the best way of learning, at home or at school．It is easier to see which type of toys the child most enjoys．

Until the age of seven or eight, play and work mean much the same to a child．But once reading has been mastered, then books and school become the main source of learning．Toys are still interesting and valuable, which lead up to new hobbies, but their significance has changed —to a child of nine or ten years old, toys and games mean, as to adults, relaxation and fun.

1.60. The writer wants us to understand that a child_______.

2.61. According to the passage, the abilities a child has inherited from his parents ________.

3.62. The passage tells us that children are the most curious when they are about______.

4.63. The article is about_______.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Jerry has promised to keep the secret, so he won’t tell anyone even though ______.

A．asking to          B．to be asked        C．to ask            D．asked to

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Jerry has promised to keep the secret, so he won’t tell anyone _____ asked to.

A. until                     B. now that         C. unless              D. even though

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析