From hitting the mall with your girl fiends on a Saturday afternoon, to holiday spending on gifts that go under the tree, shopping could be called one of America’s favorite pastimes. For most people, it means some new clothes for work or a small trinket for a friend. For others, however, shopping is much more than an enjoyable pastime, and in some cases, it is a real and destructive addiction that can turn into a financial disaster. Compulsive shopping and spending are defined as inappropriate, excessive过度的, and out of control. Like other addictions, it basically has something to do with impulsiveness and lack of control over one’s impulses冲动. In America, shopping is embedded in our culture; so often, the impulsiveness comes out as excessive shopping. Sometimes this is referred to as “shopholism”. Shopping addiction can damage a person’s life, family, and finances. “No one knows what causes addictive behaviors, like shopping, alcoholism, drug abuse, and gambling”, says a professor of applied health science. Some of the new evidence suggests that some people, maybe 10%-15%, may have a genetic predisposition to an addictive behavior, coupled with an environment in which the particular behavior is triggered引发, but no one really knows why.” Individuals will get some kind of high from an addictive behavior like shopping.
What are the telltale signs that shopping has crossed the line and become and addiction? What should a concerned family member or friend look out for when they think shopping has become a problem? The behaviors can signal a serious problem:
·Shopping or spending money as a result of feeling angry, depressed, anxious, or lonely
·Having arguments with others about one’s shopping habits
·Feeling lost without credit cards — actually going into withdrawal without them
·Buying items on credit, rather than with cash
·Describing a rush or a feeling of euphoria with spending
·Feeling guilty, ashamed, or embarrassed after a spending spree(大买特买)
·Thinking obsessively about money
·Spending a lot time juggling accounts or bills to accommodate spending
“If someone identifies four or more of any of these behaviors, there may be a problem”, experts say. Treating a shopping addiction requires a multifaceted approach. There are no standard treatments for shopping addiction. Medications have been used, but with mixed results. Therapists also focus on cognitive-behavioral treatment programs. There is no quick and easy answer that will immediately cure a shopping addiction, and while treatment is a necessary part of solving the problem, so is behavior change on the part of the addict.
Some basic changes in behavior that will have a big impact on breaking a shopping addiction are recommended:
·Admit that you are a compulsive spender, which is half the battle.
·Get rid of checkbooks and credit cards, which fuel the problem.
·Don’t shop by yourself because most compulsive shoppers shop alone and if you are with someone you are much less likely to append more.
·Find other meaningful ways to spend time.
And keep in mind that while behavior change is clearly important to recovery, so is reaching out for professional help.(509)
1. The best title of this article is _________
A. Should We Shop or Not? B. Shopping Behaviors, Good or Bad?
C. Shopping Spree, or an Addiction? D. The Dangers of Shopholism.
2. You should be carefully think about your shopping behavior if you ________.
A. are angry to go shopping
B. lost your credit card while shopping
C. are overjoyed and overwhelmingly excited to go shopping.
D. count your money while shopping
3. Which of the following statement is not true? ________.
A. Medication will not help to cure a shopping addiction
B. No one really knows why people get addicted to doing something which is no good to them
C. By the word shopholism, we refers to the impulsive and excessive shopping behavior
D. Shopping addiction can turn into a real disaster in one’s life
4. The most important way to get rid of the addiction is ________.
A. use credit card instead of checkbooks
B. change one’s behavior as well as seek professional advice
C. find somebody else to shop for you
D. go to a doctor for a standard treatment
My cat Toto is aging，and as she ages，her body is failing her．Mentally，she seems sharp，but after nearly sixteen years，Toto’s hips are causing her obvious trouble．In fact，they make it so that she can’t use a litter box effectively．She tries to squat（蹲坐），but mostly she just pisses（撒尿）out the back end of the box．
I spent the summer working with my vet to find things to help Toto，but nothing works．Since we can’t stand the smell of cat urine in the house，two weeks ago I took drastic measures．I banished Toto outside．（She gets to come in while I work，but I put her out for 80％of the day and night．）
Because Toto now lives outside，she eats and drinks outside．I’ ve set up a heating pad on the porch．and given her own food and water area nearby．She seems perfectly content with this arrangement except when she’s out of food，or she wants to be petted．
Strangely enough，she’s been out of food a lot lately．“I think another cat is eating Toto’s food．”I told Kris when I first noticed how quickly she was going through her bowl．
“Actually，”I said a couple of days later，“maybe it’s a dog．Whoever is eating Toto’s food keeps knocking the bowl over．”
But a few days after that，I realized that the food thief probably wasn’t even a dog．Whatever the critter（动物）was，it was messy． Every morning，Toto’s water dish was filled with mud．The food bowl was tipped over and the porch scattered with mud and debris（残渣）．“I’ ll bet it’s a coon（浣熊），”I told Kris．Though we live in a residential neighborhood not far from Portland，we’ ve seen plenty of raccoons in the six years since we moved in．
Today I got to see the cat－food thievery first－hand．Turns out it’s not one raccoon－it’s a family of four．I was lucky enough to have my camera handy as they performed their daring raid：My favorite part of this video is how Toto simply sits on her heating pad and watches the raccoons eat her food．She isn’t bothered at all．Which of the following about Toto is true?
| A．She is physically sharp． |
| B．She is at least sixteen years old． |
| C．She can’t use a litter box properly． |
| D．She stays outside all the while recently． |
The underlined part in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to________．
| A．drove away or forced somebody or something to leave |
| B．put away or stored something |
| C．protected somebody or something from being harmed |
| D．threw something away |
What does the writer like most about what he filmed?
| A．How Toto fought against the raccoons． |
| B．A family of raccoons stole the food together． |
| C．Toto’s casual attitude toward the raccoons． |
| D．How the raccoons made the writer’s porch dirty． |
What would be the best title of the passage?
| A．My Aged Cat | B．A Banished Cat |
| C．An Unforgettable Experience | D．The Raccoons on My Porch |
According to new research，there could be a social hierarchy（等级）attached to where people stand in the lift．More senior men stand at the back，young men in the middle and women of all ages at the front．
Most people know that awkward feeling when you shuffle（拖着鞋走）into an elevator with other people and try not to make eye contact．
But new research suggests it may be down to a subconscious power struggle being played out as you make your way up or down．
A study found that people decide where they stand based on a micro social hierarchy，established within seconds of entering the lift．
Rebekah Rousi，a Ph．D．student in cognitive science，conducted all ethnographic study of elevator behaviour in two of the tallest office buildings in Adelaide，Australia．
As part of her research，she took a total of 30 lift rides in the two buildings，and discovered there was an established order to where people tended to stand．
In a blog for Ethnography Matters，she writes that more senior men seemed to direct themselves towards the back of the elevator cabins．
She said，“In front of them were younger men，and in front of them were women of all ages．”
She also noticed there was a difference in where people directed their gaze half way through the ride．
Men watched the monitors，looked in the side mirrors（in one building）to see themselves，and in the door mirrors（of the other building）to also watch others．
Women would watch the monitors and avoid eye contact with other users（unless in conversation）and the mirrors，she writes．
The doctorate student concluded it could be that people who are shyer stand toward the front，where they can’t see other passengers，whereas bolder people stand in the back，where they have a view of everyone else．According to the passage，where do women likes to stand in the lift?
| A．At the back． | B．At the front． |
| C．In the middle． | D．On the right． |
What causes people to feel uncomfortable when entering the an elevator?
| A．The manner people went into the lift． |
| B．The limited space in the lift． |
| C．The subconscious power struggle. |
| D．The micro social hierarchy． |
Why did Rebekah Rousi take 30 lift rides in buildings in Adelaide，Australia?
| A．To enjoy the tallest office building． |
| B．To make a study of elevator behavior． |
| C．To go to work there． |
| D．To experience the ride by elevator． |
Which of following best summarizes the main idea of the passage?
| A．Women are more attentive than men in the lift． |
| B．Both women and men like to watch the monitors in the lift． |
| C．The shyer you are，the more likely you are to stand at the back in the lift． |
| D．Why where you stand in the lift reflects your social status． |
Don’t invite crime--take basic, sensible precautions. Your house and possession are valuable and must be properly protected. When you buy a lock, you buy time --- and this is the one thing a burglar can’t afford. Most thieves are casual opportunists to whom the best deterrents（遏制性因素） are delay and noise which could mean discovery.
When you leave it, lock it!
First of all, fit security locks to all doors and windows and a safety chain on the front door. Secondly, use them! If you have any ladders or tools, don’t leave them lying about in the garden, lock them away. “Safe” or “secret” places for keys and valuables are not reliable - nine times out of ten, they are the first place a thief will look.
When you move house...
When you move into a new home even if it is fitted with security locks, change them. You don’t know who else may have keys.
Never let strangers into your house. An official - looking cap is not enough, ask for proof of identity and look at it carefully - if you are still not satisfied, don’t let the person in.
Valuables need special protection
Valuables should really be given special protection - preferably by leaving them with your bank. A small security safe works too, but not to the most determined burglar. It is also important to keep an up - to - date list of valuables and their descriptions. In the case of fine art, paintings, or jewelry, color photographs can sometimes be of assistance to the police if you are unfortunate enough to have them stolen. Enter the details on the back of the pictures. But don’t keep such documents in your house, keep them at the hank or with your insurance company.
Going on holiday?
Don’t talk about your holidays and future plans loudly in public. Do remember to cancel the milk and newspapers and also to draw curtains back.
Operate a “Good Neighbor” program to ensure that mail is taken in, the house is checked regularly and that lights are put on.
Call at your local police station and tell them you are going away. Make sure that they know how to contact you in case of trouble.
Don’t leave cash or valuables in the house—take them with you or put them in the bank．How should you deal with your ladders or tools?
| A．You should leave them in the yard． |
| B．You should put them in the safe place and lock the door． |
| C．You should lean them against the tree in the yard． |
| D．You should take them apart． |
When moving into a new house，you are supposed to_______．
| A．stop using the original lock |
| B．buy a safe |
| C．never let officials into your house unless he wears an official cap |
| D．stay away from strangers |
In case of your jewelry being stolen，you should do the following Except__________．
| A．taking a color photo of it |
| B．keep them at the bank |
| C．keep the picture in your house |
| D．keep them with your insurance company |
When you are away for holidays，you_________．
| A．should cancel your mail |
| B．shouldn’t leave your keys to your neighbors |
| C．shouldn’t make it known that your home is empty |
| D．should ask the police to check your house regularly |
An atheist was taking a walk through the woods, admiring all that the “accident of evolution” had created.
“What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!” he said to himself. As he was walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7 - foot grizzly（灰熊）charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing. He ran even faster, so scared that tears were coming to his eyes. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. His heart was pumping frantically and he tried to run even faster. He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the bear right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him.
At that instant the atheist cried out “Oh my God!”
Time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent. Even the river stopped moving.
As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky,“ You deny my existence for all of these years; teach others I don’t exist; and even credit creation to a cosmic （宇宙的）accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this difficulty? Am I to count you as a believer?”
The atheist looked directly into the light. “It would be hypocritical（伪善的）of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as Christian now, but perhaps could you make the bear a Christian？”“Very well,” said the voice.
The light went out. The river ran again. And the sounds of the forest resumed.
And then the bear dropped his right paw... brought both paws together... bowed his head and spoke, “Lord, for this food which I am about to receive, I am truly thankful.”According to the passage, the “accident of evolution” refers to the following Except ________.
| A．rivers | B．God |
| C．trees | D．the 7 - foot grizzly |
It can be inferred from the passage that an atheist is a person ________.
| A．who believes that there is God | B．who likes to do good needs |
| C．who makes a living by selling wood | D．who denies the existence of God |
What is the purpose of this text?
| A．To tell a real interesting story. |
| B．To give practical advice. |
| C．To convince readers of the existence of God. |
| D．To entertain readers. |
Thoughts claim our attention continuously, and waste our time and energy on unimportant and useless matters. They actually rule our life. We have become so used to this slavery, that we take it for granted, and have become unconscious of this habit, except on certain occasions.
While breathing, we do not need to pay attention to each inhalation and exhalation. We become conscious of the process of breathing only when we have some difficulty with breathing, such as when our nose is blocked, due to a cold, or when we are in an unventilated(不通风的) room.
It is the same with thinking. We become conscious of the constant onslaught of our thoughts, and of our inability to calm them down, only when we need to concentrate, solve a problem or study. We are also aware of them when we have worries or fears.
Look at the following familiar situation. You need to study something for an exam. You sit comfortably on the sofa with the book in your hands and start reading. After a while you feel hungry and go to the kitchen to eat something.
You return to read, and then hear your people talking outside. You listen to them for several moments and then bring your attention back to the book.
After a while you feel restless and switch on the radio to listen to some music. You continue to read for a little while, and then remember something that happened yesterday, and you start thinking about it.
When you look at your watch, you are amazed to find out that one complete hour has passed and you have hardly read anything. And at this time, you feel you’re thinking.
This is what happens when one lacks concentration. Imagine what you could have accomplished if you could control your attention and focus your mind!When can you feel you are thinking?
| A．While breathing. | B．While not reading. |
| C．When you need to concentrate. | D．When you waste your time. |
Why does the author put forward the exam situation?
| A．To explain the course of thinking awareness. |
| B．To show how to get ready for an exam. |
| C．To present an example of concentration. |
| D．To emphasize the importance of reading. |
Where can you most probably find the above passage?
| A．In a guidebook of natural science. |
| B．In the front page of a newspaper. |
| C．In an advertisement part of a magazine. |
| D．In the section of psychology of a magazine. |
This passage is mainly about _______.
| A．the relationship between thoughts and breathing |
| B．how people’s thought and mind work |
| C．what happens when one wants to think |
| D．the ways to increase your thought |