B
Honesty may well be the policy, but it often deserts us when no one is watching, psychologists report today. Experiments with an honesty box to collect payments for hot drinks show that people are better at paying up when under the gaze(注视) of a pair of eyes. The surprise was that the eyes were not real, but photographed.
Researchers at Newcastle University set up the experiment in secret. They attached a poster to a cupboard of mugs above an-honesty box alongside a kettle, with tea, coffee and milk. Over 10 weeks, they alternated each week between images of eyes and pictures of flowers.
Dr. Bateson, a behavioral biologist and leader of the study, said that even though the eyes were not real they still seemed to make people behave more honestly. They effect may arise from behavioral characteristics that developed as early humans formed social groups that increased their chances of survival. Individuals had to co-operate for the good of the group, rather than act selfishly.
"If nobody is watching us it is in our interests to behave selfishly. But when we think we're being watched we should behave better, so people see us as co-operative and behave the same way towards us, "Dr. Bateson said.
"We thought we'd get a slight effect with eyes, but it was quite striking how much difference they made. Even at a subconscious(潜意识的) level, it seems people respond to eyes, and that might be because eyes send a strong biological signal we have evolved(进化) to respond to."
The finding, which researchers believe sheds light on our evolutionary past, could be turned to practical use. The psychologists say images of eyes could promote ticket sales on public transport and improve monitor systems to prevent antisocial behavior.
45. This passage is mainly about _______________.
A. the policy of honesty B. an honesty box to collect money
C. evolution on honesty D. an experiment on honesty
46. The reason for doing the experiment secretly is that the researchers _____________.
A. wanted to get a comparatively more exact result
B. had known they wanted to do something illegally
C. meant to get the co-operation of their colleagues
D. intended to sell the hot drinks at a higher price
47. People behave honestly under watchful gaze of eyes because _____________.
A. they want to leave a good impression B. they fear to be laughed at by others
C. they've got the nature through evolution D. they take the photo for a real pair of eyes
48. Images of a pair of eyes can be applied to all except _____.
A. tickets sales on public transport B. cold drink sales in public places
C. places with “No spitting!” signs D. Christmas decorations in one’s home
The Healthy Habits Survey(调查)shows that only about one third of American seniors have correct habits. Here are some findings and expert advice.
1. How many times did you brush your teeth yesterday?
·Finding:A full 33% of seniors brush their teeth only once a day.
·Step: Remove the 300 types of bacteria in your mouth each morning with a battery-operated toothbrush. Brush gently for 2 minutes, at least twice a day.
2. How many times did you wash your hands or bathe yesterday?
·Finding:Seniors, on average, bathe fewer than 3 days a week. And nearly 30% wash their hands only 4 times a day—half of the number doctors recommend.
·Step:We touch our faces around 3,000 times a day—often inviting germs(病菌)to enter our mouth, nose, and eyes. Use toilet paper to avoid touching the door handle. And, most important, wash your hands often with hot running water and soap for 20 seconds.
3. How often do you think about fighting germs?
·Finding:Seniors are not fighting germs as well as they should.
·Step:Be aware of germs. Do you know it is not your toilet but your kitchen sponge(海绵)that can carry more germs than anything else? To kill these germs, keep your sponge in the microwave for 10 seconds.What is found out about American seniors?
A.Most of then have good habits. |
B.Nearly 30% of then bathe three days a week. |
C.About one third of them brush their teeth only once a day |
D.All of them are fighting germs better than expected. |
Doctors suggest that people should wash their hands______.
A.twice a day |
B.three times a day |
C.eight times a day |
D.four times a day |
Which of the following is true according to the text?
A.We should keep from touching our faces. |
B.A kitchen sponge can carry more germs than a toilet. |
C.There are less than 300 types of bacteria in the mouth. |
D.We should wash our hands before touching a door handle. |
The text probably comes from______.
A.a popular magazine |
B.a guide book |
C.a book review |
D.an official document |
When I was young, I had an old neighbor named Dr. Gibbs. He didn’t look like any doctor I’d ever known. He never shouted at us for playing in his yard. I remembered him as a neighbor who was nicer than anyone else in the neighborhood.
When Dr. Gibbs was happy, he was planting trees. And his life’s goal was to make it a forest.
Dr. Gibbs had some interesting theories about planting. He talked about trees that weren’t watered would grow deep roots in search of water. So he never watered his trees. He planted an oak (橡树) and, instead of watering it every morning, he beat it with the rolled-up newspaper. I asked him why he did that, and he said it was to get the tree’s attention.
Dr. Gibbs died a couple of years. Every now and again, I walk by his house and look at the trees that he planted twenty-five years ago. They’re very strong now.
I planted a couple of trees a few years later. I watered them regularly and took good care of them. Whenever a cold wind blows, they shake their leaves and branches.
The funny thing about those trees of Dr. Gibbs was that difficulty seemed to help them in ways comfort and ease never could.What was Dr. Gibbs’ life goal?
A.To build a forest. | B.To save more lives. |
C.To make a lot of money. | D.To study plants. |
One of Dr. Gibbs’ theories about planting was that ______.
A.he often talked to the trees |
B.he kicked the trees heavily |
C.he never watered the trees |
D.he buried the leaves around the roots |
What does the writer mainly want to tell us?
A.Trees are not as weak as we think. |
B.We should listen to others’ advice. |
C.Planting trees is good for the environment. |
D.Difficulty is necessary for growth. |
Most people know that Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize, and the first person to win it twice. However, few people know that she was also the mother of a Nobel Prize winner.
Born in September, 1897, Irene Curie was the first of the Curies’ two daughters. Along with nine other children whose parents were also famous scholars, Irene studied in their own school, and her mother was one of the teachers. She finished her high school education at the College of Sevigne in Paris.
Irene entered the University of Paris in 1914 to prepare for a degree in mathematics and physics. When World War I began, Irene went to help her mother, who was using X-ray facilities(设备) to help save the lives of wounded soldiers. Irene continued the work by developing X-ray facilities in military hospitals in France and Belgium. Her services were recognized in the form of a Military Medal by the French government.
In 1918, Irene became her mother’s assistant at the Curie Institute. In December 1924, Frederic Joliot joined the Institute, and Irene taught him the techniques required for his work. They soon fell in love and were married in 1926. Their daughter Helene was born in 1927 and their son Pierre five years later.
Like her mother, Irene combined family and career. Like her mother, Irene was awarded a Nobel Prize, along with her husband, in 1935. Unfortunately, also like her mother, she developed leukemia because of her work with radioactivity(辐射能). Irene Joliot-Curie died from leukemia on March 17, 1956.Why was Irene Curie awarded a Military Medal?
A.Because she received a degree in mathematics. |
B.Because she contributed to saving the wounded. |
C.Because she won the Nobel Prize with Frederic. |
D.Because she worked as a helper to her mother. |
Where did Irene Curie meet her husband Frederic Joliot?
A.At the Curie Institute. | B.At the University of Paris. |
C.At a military hospital. | D.At the College of Sevigne. |
When was the second child of Irene Curie and Frederic Joliot born?
A.In 1932. | B.In 1927. | C.In 1897. | D.In 1926. |
In which of the following aspects was Irene Curie different from her mother?
A.Irene worked with radioactivity. |
B.Irene combined family and career. |
C.Irene won the Nobel Prize once. |
D.Irene died from leukemia. |
What is the text mainly about?
A.Marie Curie | B.Irene Curie |
C.Marie Curie’s husband | D.Irene Curie’s husband |
The Internet can provide a wealth of educational resources for small children, if you know where to look. This article will offer some educational websites to small children. You may need to assist your children in navigating(导航) the pages until they understand where their favorite activities are.
Enchanted Learning
Enchanted learning is a great website for children, and I know several teachers who rely on it for materials for their classrooms. Most of the information is free, but for $20.00 per year, you can purchase a membership that allows you to have access to the site without the advertising. The pages here are great. There are colored pages and worksheets for toddlers(学步儿童) and school-age children. They focus on learning language, science, animals, geography, astronomy, explorers, music, art and nursery rhymes.
Starfall
Starfall is another good educational website for small children. Teachers often use this website in classrooms. It emphasizes reading skills for early learners. The website is aimed at first grade level learners, but it has tools that can help all children from pre-K to second grade. The website has reading activities, worksheets to download, and a store where you can purchase educational materials for your children.
Sesame Street Workshop
Kids love Sesame Street, and it is always educational. This is one of the funniest websites online for children because it is very well animated and has great sound effects. The website has games and stories for small kids, and they can create letters at the post office and mail them to their favorite characters.
Sprout Online
Sprout has features on its television network, which are just for children. There are games, colored pages, recipes, music, videos, sign language activities and exercise videos for children. There are also online activities based on Sprout television shows. These include Roary the Race Car, the Wiggles, the Mighty Jungle and many others.
These are just a few of many educational websites for children. Small children love to use computers, so help them find some websites that contain fun and learning at the same time.What’s the purpose of the author in writing this passage?
A.To introduce some educational websites to parents for their kids. |
B.To let parents distinguish between good and bad websites. |
C.To attract the readers to download some useful information. |
D.To enrich young children’s spare time with some Internet games. |
What’s the difference between people who have memberships and those who don’t?
A.With a membership, you can get the information for free. |
B.You can download materials you want for free with a membership. |
C.With a membership, you can have access to the site without the ads. |
D.You can look through more pages with a membership. |
If you want to buy educational materials for your children, you should choose _________ .
A.Enchanted Learning. | B.Starfall |
C.Sesame Street Workshop. | D.Sprout Online. |
Why does the Sesame Street Workshop have more fun than others?
A.Because it has games and stories for young kids. |
B.Because children can mail letters to their favorite characters. |
C.Because it is always educational, and children love it.. |
D.Because it has great sound effects and animation. |
It can be learnt from the passage that ______ .
A.Enchanted Learning has reading activities and worksheets to download. |
B.Starfall is designed for learners from pre-K to second grade |
C.the Wiggles and the MightyJungle are not based on television shows. |
D.websites that involve joy and learning are beneficial to kids. |
Country-dwellers(农村居民) often say the constant noise, heavy traffic and crowds of the city would drive them mad. Well, they might be right, according to the latest research. City residents are more likely to develop mental illnesses than those who live in villages, a study has found.
Researchers from Cardiff university examined the lifestyles of more than 200,000 people in Sweden and found that those who lived in urban areas were more at risk from mental illnesses than people who lived in villages.
The experts don’t know exactly why this is but they suggest that town and city residents are more likely to be ostracized(排挤) by those around them. They are more likely to experience discrimination(歧视) if they do not fit in, which can lead to them feeling anxious and even developing mental illnesses.
Dr Stanley Zammit, who led the research said that people living in towns and cities are more likely to develop other mental illnesses that result in personality changes — a condition known as non-affective psychosis(非情感性精神病).
Earlier this year an official report found that village-dwellers live an average of two years longer than those living in towns and cities. According to figures from the Office of National Statistics in the UK, men who live in villages are likely to live for between 78 and 79 years, while those in towns and cities can expect to survive to an age of 76. Women on average survive to their 81st birthday in towns and cities, but live to between 82 and 83 in villages. The small marked town of Wimborne Minster in rural Dorset was named the healthiest place to live in.What is the passage mainly about?
A.Country-dwellers are more likely to develop mental illnesses. |
B.City-dwellers are more likely to develop mental illnesses. |
C.Country-dwellers live longer than city-dwellers. |
D.City-dwellers live longer than country-dwellers. |
The research from Cardiff University was based on the people’s _________.
A.interests. | B.characters. | C.occupations. | D.lifestyles. |
It can be inferred that ___________.
A.people like living in towns and cities |
B.city-dwellers enjoy their peaceful city life |
C.village-dwellers are more likely to be looked down upon by others |
D.village-dwellers get along better with their neighbors than city-dwellers. |
Non-affective psychosis is a kind of mental illnesses that is linked to ________
A.character change | B.temperature rise |
C.pressure increase | D.energy weakening |
We can learn from the last paragraph that generally ________ .
A.women living in villages live the longest |
B.women living in cities live the longest |
C.men living in villages live the longest |
D.men living in cities live the longest. |