Next time a customer comes to your office, offer him a cup of coffee. And when you’re doing your holiday shopping online, make sure you’re holding a large glass of iced tea. The physical sensation of warmth encourages emotional warmth, while a cold drink in hand prevents you from making unwise decisions—those are the practical lesson being drawn from recent research by psychologist John A. Bargh.
Psychologists have known that one person’s perception (知觉) of another’s “warmth” is a powerful determiner in social relationships. Judging someone to be either “warm” or “cold” is a primary consideration, even trumping (打败) evidence that a “cold” person may be more capable. Much of this is rooted in very early childhood experiences, Bargh argues, when babies’ conceptual sense of the world around them is shaped by physical sensations, particularly warmth and coldness. Classic studies by Harry Harlow, published in 1958, showed monkeys preferred to stay close to a cloth “mother” rather than one made of wire, even when the wire “mother” carried a food bottle. Harlow’s work and later studies have led psychologists to stress the need for warm physical contact from caregivers to help young children grow into healthy adults with normal social skills.
Feelings of “warmth” and “coldness” in social judgments appear to be universal. Although no worldwide study has been done, Bargh says that describing people as “warm” or “cold” is common to many cultures, and studies have found those perceptions influence judgment in dozens of countries.
To test the relationship between physical and psychological warmth, Bargh conducted an experiment which involved 41 college students. A research assistant who was unaware of the study’s hypotheses (假定), handed the students either a hot cup of coffee, or a cold drink, to hold while the researcher filled out a short information form. The drink was then handed back. After that, the students were asked to rate the personality of “Person A” based on a particular description. Those who had briefly held the warm drink regarded Person A as warmer than those who had held the iced drink.
“We are grounded in our physical experiences even when we think abstractly,” says Bargh. In Bargh’s experiment, the students were asked to _______.
| A．evaluate someone’s personality |
| B．write down their hypotheses |
| C．fill out a personal information form |
| D．hold coffee and cold drink alternatively |
We can infer from the passage that _______.
| A．abstract thinking does not come from physical experiences |
| B．feelings of warmth and coldness are studied worldwide |
| C．physical temperature affects how we see others |
| D．capable persons are often cold to others |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Drinking for Better Social Relationships |
| B．Experiments of Personality Evaluation |
| C．Developing Better Drinking Habits |
| D．Physical Sensations and Emotions |
B
One hot afternoon I became a thief of music.
For the first time, I created an original piano arrangement of my favorite song. Using only my ears and iPod, I created complex harmonies and voices into something I could perform with only two hands. No help, no guide: I did it on my own.
I’ve been a pianist since before my hands were big enough to reach an octave: with a musician as a father, I was all but born on the piano bench. For many years, my musical identity was defined by the notes others had written before.
This was why, when I added the finishing touches to my piano version of a modern rock song, I was proud of myself : this arrangement was mine. What I’d done seemed magical: an ability to take what had already existed—to “steal” a song from my favorite band—and to change it into something different and all my own. I was a thief, but I was also an artist.
In music, as in other aspects of life, I believe trueoriginality rarely exists. Almost everything has, in one form or another, been done before. The most romantic novel may well be a slightly changed version of a play by Shakespeare, which is likely to be borrowed from the works of Ancient Greece: same themes, different characters. But, the novel is no less deserving of praise just because its uniqueness is compromised. Adaptation is not a symbol for failure.
The gift of creativity is the ability to do what I did on the piano: to find something beautiful, to analyze and twist it, and then to make it new. Such an act is not copying; it is finding inspiration and having the strength to use it as fuel for your own masterpiece. I believe it is my job, as an artist, to rearrange this world into what I imagine it to be.
I refuse to live as if I were trapped within the walls of a museum: looking but never touching, afraid to ruin the so-called perfection of the artifacts inside. Therefore, I will embrace my ability to be a thief, because if I don’t steal what the world has to offer, I’ll never have the tools to share with others a creation of my own.
My life is my own arrangement, and because of that, anything is possible.Which can be the best title?
| A．The Love for Music. |
| B．Changes from a Thief to an Artist. |
| C．My Stolen Piano Lessons. |
| D．A Man Who Steals Music. |
According to the passage , which statement is true ?
| A．Actually there was originality only in music |
| B．He was born on the piano bench. |
| C．The author created the original piano arrangement all by himself. |
| D．The author was once a thief who stole music from his favorite band. |
Why did the writer feel proud of himself ?
| A．Because he became a real artist without others’ help. |
| B．Because he changed a song into a piano arrangement by himself. |
| C．Because he has a father who was a composer. |
| D．Because he could play the piano at an early age. |
What does the underlined word “embrace” mean?
| A．Hug | B． Explain | C．Adapt | D．Quit |
From the passage we can learn that the writer______
| A．never accept others’ advice. |
| B．likes to recreate songs whenever it is possible. |
| C．would rather not turn to his father for help. |
| D．is more of a leader than a follower. |
A
More than one-third of adults in the United States are obese. In fact, over obesity has reached such proportions that one big-city mayor has gone about banning large-sized, sugary soft drinks and the First Lady has been on a campaign to control the dietary offerings in public schools.
Even many adults who do not fit the clinic definition of obesity are still overweight, and a large percentage are looking for the best ways to lose weight.
Reducing pounds largely comes down to the two-sided factors of diet and exercise. Not carrying out the first one enough, and not getting enough of the second one, ends up giving the individual a recipe for being overweight.
Advising someone to eat less and exercise more might be the easiest advice possible, but it’s also, partially, an oversimplification. Dieting has more to do with the types of food you eat than how much you eat. Reduce the amount of red meat in your diet. If you don’t want to eliminate red meat altogether, choose cuts of meat with less fat content. Limit your intake of salt and starches. If you’ve got to have potato chips alongside your sandwich at lunch, choose the baked potato chips that contain less fat than the deep-fried chips. You might find you’re really not sacrificing that much in terms of taste.
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, egg whites, fish and nonfat dairy products will certainly aid in the mission of losing weight. Drink more water and less sugary drinks. If you have to have a soda, a diet soda is a better option, but seltzer is an even better choice than that.
It’s important—if not always easy—to make sure you get at least some physical activity each and every day. If your feet won’t allow for a regular jogging regimen, then make sure you take lots of walks. Next time you need to mail a letter, walk to the mailbox instead of driving. Try to work in a daily walk in your neighborhood.What is the closest meaning of the underlined word “proportions” ?
| A．Shares. | B．Degrees. |
| C．Stages. | D．Height. |
How can you lose weight?
| A．Try some weight-losing products. |
| B．Control your diet strictly. |
| C．Exercise as well as go on a diet. |
| D．Read more articles about losing weight. |
Why did the First Lady start a movement in public schools?
| A．To raise people’s health consciousness. |
| B．To help people realize the importance of dieting. |
| C．To forbid sugary soft drinks. |
| D．To control the dietary supplying. |
What does the fifth paragraph mainly talk about?
| A．What makes the proper diet. |
| B．Vegetables are good for health. |
| C．Drink more water and less sugary drinks. |
| D．Dairy products will helps losing weight. |
According to the last paragraph ,what can you do if you can’t jog to work out?
| A．Exercise | B．Walk | C．Swim | D．Jog |
E
Small endangered animals are often hard to find in their natural habitats, making it difficult for scientists to monitor them and develop conservation plans. But new technologies can help. Australian researchers have equipped flying drones with infrared cameras so they can spot koalas hiding high in trees.
Koalas spend most of their lives in eucalyptus trees, whose leaves are their favorite food. Since the leaves are low on calories and nutritional content, koalas are not very active - they sleep up to 20 hours a day. Curled-up in high branches, they are not easy to spot from the ground, and they have few natural predators. The greatest threat to this iconic symbol of Australia is logging.
“Every single tree in Australia right now, needs to be protected and unless that happens I can promise you the koala is going to go to extinction,” said Deborah Tabart, Australian Koala Foundation.
Scientists studying koalas say one of the keys for saving the animals is to know where they live and how many of them are left.
Using drones fitted with infrared cameras to conduct a census was an untested concept. Queensland Institute of Technology technician, Gavin Broadbent, said they were skeptical at first. “But when we saw the images come through, we saw the koalas were very distinct compared to the trees and the environment. So we thought, yes this is absolutely a proof of concept that could work,” he said.
The images beamed back to a computer clearly show the animal’s position, even from a distance far enough away not to disturb its sleep.
“We have tested at 20 meters and 80 meters. At 20 meters we get really good resolution,” stated Felipe Gonzalez, project leader.
The remotely controlled camera pivots and swivels, so scientists can scan the trees from all angles, picking out koalas even in the most dense areas, not visible to researchers on foot.
“So this will drastically reduce the manpower," said Amber Gillett, a veterinarian with the Australia Zoo. "Will greatly increase the area that can be covered to survey koalas and in areas where people may not be able to walk through because of dense undergrowth.”
Scientists say it is now clear that drones with infrared cameras can be used for spotting, and perhaps saving, other animals in the wild.What is an important factor in protecting the animals according to the passage?
| A．To know how they live and how many of them are left. |
| B．To protect the place they live in. |
| C．To learn their positions and their number. |
| D．To stop killing them by educating people. |
What is the meaning of the underlined word “logging”?
| A．cutting | B．hunting | C．killing | D．destroying |
Which is not the advantage of drones with infrared cameras?
| A．They can take photos of animals from a distance far away. |
| B．They can help reduce the manpower. |
| C．They can scan the trees from all angles. |
| D．They can send the images back to a computer. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Koalas in Australia have been found by drones with infrared cameras. |
| B．New technologies can be used in drones to set up environment suitable for endangered animals. |
| C．Drones with infrared cameras can be used to save small endangered animals. |
| D．The functions of the remotely controlled camera are proved. |
D
“Just take it easy.” “Don’t be nervous.” “You’re more likely to die in a car wreck on the way to the airport than you are in a plane crash.” These are just some words given to people with a fear of flying. But as Tom Cruise, playing Lt. Daniel Kaffee in the movie A Few Good Men, said, “I get sick when I fly because I’m afraid of crashing into a large mountain. I don’t think Daniel will help.”
But there’s a new application that just may. Today, the VALK Foundation, a Dutch group that’s a partnership between KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and the University of Leiden, launches the app in the US. The VALK Foundation was one of the first centers for research and fear-of-flying treatment in the world and is the organizer of three world conferences on fear of flying.
The foundation said the app, called Flight App VALK, is the first scientifically-developed, web-based treatment for people who suffer from mild to moderate fear of flying.
“The fear of flying application we have created aims to transfer all of the knowledge we have developed through our program into a mobile application that will help ease travelers’ fears,” said Dr. Lucas van Gerwen, director of the VALK Foundation. Dr. van Gerwen is also a psychologist and professional pilot with more than 30 years experience.
The foundation said up to 30% of adults are fearful fliers. The Flight App is designed to help relax passengers before and during flights by educating users about flight safety and turbulence. It explains the sounds and sensations they can expect during departure, flight and landing. And, if a passenger’s flight stress reaches a panic level, they press a special panic button which provides audio and written information to help decrease stress levels. Most importantly, the Flight App can be used during the flight in the airplane mode. Once downloaded, the program does not require Internet connection in the air.Why are the words at the beginning of the passage given to people?
| A．To ease their doubt about plane. |
| B．To reduce their fear of flying. |
| C．To have fun on their flight journey. |
| D．To use some medicine to cure their fear of flying. |
Which of the following about the VALK Foundation is true according to the passage?
| A．It is a group focusing on psychology on the flight. |
| B．It was the first center to do research into fear of flying. |
| C．It focuses on researching and offering treatment on fear of flying. |
| D．It organizes the world conferences on fear of flying annually. |
What is the purpose of Flight App VALK ?
| A．To help passengers experience the fear of flying. |
| B．To teach people the basic knowledge of taking flight. |
| C．To treat people who suffer from mild fear of flying. |
| D．To help relax passengers before and during flights. |
What’s the main idea of the last paragraph ?
| A．Many adults are suffering from fear of flying. |
| B．Many planes will be installed with the Flight App. |
| C．It’s not comflex for people to use the Flight App. |
| D．The Flight App can decrease stress levels effectively. |
C
As smartphones and other handheld devices are becoming more affordable, doctors say children who spend long hours playing video games are increasingly showing signs of postural deformities. Physical therapists warn that long-term consequences may be severe.
Owaish Batliwala, 10, from Mumbai, India, admitted spending three to four hours each day playing games on his tablet computer. When he started complaining about a neck pain, his mother Mehzabin became concerned.
“My son got a problem in his neck around June, July. The pain gradually spread to his hand and his back, this was the problem,” she explained. “He plays for hours on the iPad and mobile phone. He plays regularly for at least for two-three hours, that's what caused the problem.”
Physical therapist Sadia Vanjara said the number of young children with chronic pain in upper extremities is on the rise.
“They are not ageing, they haven't had an accident, their age is like, under 10, they are not complaining, the blood reports are fine, their X-rays are fine, their MRI's are fine, then where is the culprit? And that is the very common thing that is happening amongst all children and that is smart phones and the gadgets,” Vanjara said.
There are more smartphone users in India than anywhere else in the world, except for China. Networking technology giant Cisco estimates their numbers will increase from 140 million today to 651 million by the end of the decade.
Vanjara said the best remedies for already-existing pain are daily exercises.
With correct posture, pain can be prevented, so Vanjara also teaches children how to hold their gadgets correctly.
“If you hold the phone up in front of you, your head will not be bent down to look at it and so your neck won’t get strained,” she said.
With the number of smartphones and other handheld devices constantly on the rise, Vanjara predicts we will see not only physical but also psychological and emotional ailments stemming from their excessive use.Why did Mehzabin become concerned?
| A．Her son was addicted to playing computer games. |
| B．Her son’s neck pain has spread to his hand and his back. |
| C．There is something wrong with her son’s neck. |
| D．Her son’s addiction to computer games has caused mental disease. |
What is true according to the passage ?
| A．India has the most smartphone users in the world. |
| B．The number of smartphone users will double in ten years. |
| C．Young children are aging because of using handheld devices. |
| D．Long time’s playing video games will have bad results in the long run. |
Vanjara advised the children to_______________.
| A．avoid using smartphones |
| B．take exercise every day to relieve the pain |
| C．stop holding the phone up in front of them |
| D．bend down their heads to look at the phones |
What may be the best title of the passage?
| A．Doctors Warn of Gadget Addiction Consequences |
| B．Physical, Psychological and Emotional Effects of Gadget Addiction |
| C．The Risk of Back and Neck Pain |
| D．Never Use Handheld Devices for a Long Time |