Which comes first, happiness or money? Are richer people happier? And if so, how do people get much richer? A recent study could tell you the answer.
The study looked into thousands of teenagers and found that those who felt better about life as young adults tended to have higher incomes by the time they turned 29. Those who were happiest earned an average of $8,000 more than those who were the most depressed.
The researchers, from University College London and the University of Warwick, say that very gloomy teens, no matter how tall or smart they were, earned 10% less than their peers, while the happier ones earned up to 30% more.
Happier teenagers have an easier time getting through school, college and a job interview, chiefly because they always feel better about life. It may also be true that happier people find it easier to make friends, who are often the key to homework help or networking.
A report in June suggested that professional respect was more important than dollars in terms of workplace happiness. In August scientists announced that they had found the gene for happiness in women, Alas (the same gene doesn’t appear to have the same effect on men). And in October researchers in the UK and in the US announced that people who eat seven portions of fruit and vegetables a day report being the happiest.
The big question is: if it really is true that happier kids end up being wealthier kids, is it necessary for parents to get their kids to do the homework? The fact is that no homework will make kids happy but surely hurt their grades. Studies do show, after all, that more education leads to better-paid jobs, which may give us a deep thought.
“These findings show that the teenagers’ happiness is important to their future success,” one of the report’s authors writes. “But what is the most important is that we should find a way to help children gain more satisfaction from doing schoolwork.”What conclusion can the researchers draw from the recent study?
A.Happy teenagers grow up to be wealthier. |
B.Money can make people become happier. |
C.Wealth has nothing to do with happiness at all. |
D.Schoolwork can help teens achieve success. |
The main reason why happier people have more chances to succeed is that ________.
A.they are easy to communicate with others |
B.they are good at doing their schoolwork |
C.they are hopeful and optimistic about their life |
D.they eat much more fruit and vegetables a day |
The underlined word “gloomy” in Paragraph 3 probably means “________”.
A.upset | B.glorious | C.happy | D.wealthy |
What can be the best title for the text?
A.The way to educate kids. | B.The source of happiness. |
C.How to achieve your goal. | D.The secret of being wealthier. |
Fifty–eight percent of the teachers interviewed in the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) questionnaire had come across copying among their pupils. Gill Bullen from Itchen College in Southampton, for example, said, "Pieces handed in by two students were identical and significantly better than either of them could have done. Not only that, the essays handed in didn't quite answer the title question I had set". A teacher from Leeds said, "I had one piece of work so bravely cut and pasted that it still contained ads from the web page."
Connie Robinson from Stockton Riverside College said, "With less able students it is easy to spot copying as the writing style changes in the middle of the assignment, but with more able students it is sometimes necessary for tutors to carry out Internet research to identify the source of the copy."
Mary Bousted, general secretary of the ATL, said," Teachers are struggling under a mountain of cut-and-pasting to spot whether work was the student's own or copy." She called for policies to stop copying, and asked for help from exam boards and the government in providing resources and techniques to detect cheats.
But there was another side. "I have found once students clearly understand what copying is, its consequences and how to reference correctly so they can draw on published works, copying becomes less of a problem," said Diana Baker from Emmanuel College, Durham.
"I think the majority of students who engage in copying do it more out of ignorance than the desire to cheat. They really want to succeed on their own."
53. The passage mainly wants to tell us ____________.
A. the benefits of the Internet for students |
B. web copying is a serious problem in the UK |
C. the ways to find web copying for teachers |
D. how we can use the Internet to do homework |
54. The underlined word “identical” (Paragraph 1) probably means ____________.
A. excellent |
B. contrasting |
C. the same |
D. complex |
55. What is TRUE according to Connie Robinson?
A. It’s not easy to find the less able students copy from the Internet |
B. It’s difficult to find whether the more able students have copied. |
C. The less able student will not change their writing style when copying. |
D. The more able students needn’t copy from the Internet. |
56. What’s the writer’s attitude towards “copying”?
A. The writer doesn’t tell us. |
B. The writer feels angry about it. |
C. The writer thinks it doesn’t matter. |
D. The writer approves of it. |
British and American scientists are raising genetically modified(转基因的) pigs in the hope of providing organs for transplant(移植) to humans, the project leader wrote in a newspaper Sunday.
Scientists in London and California have begun conducting the genetic experiments to find a solution to record–long waiting lists for organ transplants, Robert Winston said in an opinion piece written for Britain's Sunday Times.
In Britain alone, around 8,000 patients are waiting for a transplant.
"People needing a new heart or liver are waiting for someone else to die – usually a violent death in a traffic accident," Winston wrote in the newspaper. He said his team was "trying to modify pigs so their organs might save the lives of humans."
The scientists are introducing human genes into the animals to reduce the chances of the organs being rejected by patients, as has been common in previous attempts to use animal tissues, said Winston, who heads the Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology at London's Hammersmith Hospital.
Working with Dr. Carol Redhead of the California Institute of Technology, Winston's team has injected human genes directly into male piglets(猪仔), adding them to the animal's sperm(精子).
He said that pigs involved in experiments had successfully produced transgenic sperm, but acknowledged that British and European laws had prevented the team from using the pigs to mate.
The Sunday Times newspaper reported that the experiments would be moved to the United States following difficulties with funding and regulations in Britain. It said the pigs would be bred in Missouri.
"Our U.S. friends will benefit from our technology and the income we might have produced for Britain will be lost," Winston wrote.
Some scientists have previously blamed the idea of using animal organs for human transplant, saying the technique risks spreading animal viruses to humans. Winston said his research project is attempting to breed virus-free pigs.
49. Scientists are introducing human genes into the animals to ____________.
A. make the organs healthier |
B. reduce the pain of animals |
C. make the organs live longer |
D. reduce the chances of rejection |
50. Some scientists have blamed the idea of using animal organs for human transplant because ____________.
A. the technique is not perfect now |
B. humans may be infected with animal viruses |
C. it is against laws and regulations |
D. it may cause a conflict between humans and animals |
51. According to Winston, it seems ___________ to Britain to move the experiments to the United States.
A. a pity |
B. a pride |
C. a disaster |
D. a good idea |
52. It can be inferred from the passage that ____________.
A. animal organs are commonly used for human transplant now |
B. lots of patients need animal organ transplants now |
C. examples of the animal tissues being rejected have happened |
D. it is not safe to use animal organs for human transplant |
TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TEENSGIVING?
TEENSGIVING is an exciting event where hundreds of New York City teens gather together annually for a remarkable day of community service. This year, TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010 participants will once again better New York City and impact thousands of lives!
When is TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010?
SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2010
Where is TEENSGIVING?
All over New York City. Everyone will meet at the 92nd Street Y (92nd and Lexington) at 9:00 AM for the event kick-off. Then, all TEENSGIVING volunteers will disperse across the city to work with our partnering agencies where they will make a HUGE difference (and have fun!).
Who participates in TEENSGIVING?
Hundreds of teenagers from around the city. Teens come from the 92nd Street Y, various city schools, youth groups, and organizations in the area. In addition, many adult volunteers (ages 21 and older) will donate their time to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010.
What projects do participants do at the agencies?
Sample projects include painting park benches, planting gardens, visiting and playing with underprivileged children, assembling craft kits for children in hospitals, assisting at animal shelters, working at soup kitchens, delivering meals and celebrating with families at homeless shelters.
Do I get anything for participating in TEENSGIVING?
Yes! Everybody benefits! Teen volunteers will receive *6 hours* of community service credit, good towards honor society, high school graduation and college application requirements. Adult volunteers will be “thanked” with a light breakfast, a gift certificate for their troubles, and the satisfaction of helping our city’s youth contribute to their community. In addition, all teen and adult volunteers will receive a cool TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010 T-shirt.
This sounds awesome! How do I register for TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010?
Interested teens and/or adults should e-mail the TEENSGIVING Coordinator Josh Hyman at jhyman@92Y.org (subject: TEENSGIVING) to receive more information and to register for this fantastic event!
**Teens can also contact their school’s Community Service Advisor**
TEENSGIVING is sponsored by the 92nd Street Y.
45. TEENSGIVING is an event held ____________.
A. from time to time |
B. every year |
C. every two years |
D. twice a year |
46. Teenagers may do the following in the event EXCEPT ____________.
A. watering flowers |
B. cooking |
C. cleaning streets |
D. taking care of animals |
47. An adult volunteer may get ______ for his time devoted to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010.
A. community service credit and a T-shirt |
B. a high school certificate and a light breakfast |
C. a T-shirt and a gift certificate |
D. a gift certificate and community service credit |
48. The writer’s purpose in writing the passage is to __________.
A. inform readers of some frequently asked questions |
B. introduce TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010 to readers |
C. encourage readers to ask more questions about TEENSGIVING |
D. call on readers to participate in TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010 |
I'm from the South Bronx. At 7, my neighborhood was the beginning and end of my universe. It was a small town to me. Everyone knew each other, so if you got into trouble in school, chances are your mom knew about it before you got home. I felt watched over and safe.
But just before I turned 8, things began to change. I watched two buildings on my block burn down. I remember seeing my neighbor Pito go up and down the fire escape to get people out. Where were the firemen? Where was the truck? Somebody must have called them.
That same summer, after serving two tours in Vietnam, my brother was killed in the South Bronx. He was shot above the left eye and died instantly.
People who could moved out of the neighborhood, and all I wanted to do was get out, too. I used education to get away from there and got good at avoiding the topic of where I was from. To be from the South Bronx meant that you were not a good person. It felt like a stain.
After college, I didn't want to come back to the South Bronx, but in order to afford graduate school, I had to. I was almost 30 and could only afford to live at my parents' home. It felt like a defeat, and I hated it.
At the same time, the city was planning a huge waste facility here, and no one seemed to care — including many of us who lived here. They were like, "Well, it's a poor community; what's the difference?"
I was very angry. It drove me to act. It moved my spirit in a way that I didn't know was possible. And it changed my beliefs — it changed the way I felt about myself and my community. I worked hard with others who felt the same way, and together, we defeated the plan.
After that, I realized it's just as important to fight for something as it is to fight against something. So we dreamed up a new park on the site of an illegal waste dump — and after many community clean-ups, along with $3 million from the city, we have one. And it's a glory. It was the seed from which many new plans for our community have grown.
Today, the South Bronx is no longer a stain; it's a badge(象征) of honor for me. I believe that where I'm from helps me to really see the world. Today, when I say I'm from the South Bronx, I stand up straight. This is home, and it always will be.
41. Paragraphs 2 and 3 make the readers believe ____________.
A. the author felt watched over and safe |
B. he author’s brother was a bad man |
C. the author’s neighbor Pito was braver than a fireman |
D. the author felt his hometown was not a safe place to live in |
42. The author went back to the South Bronx after college because ____________.
A. he couldn’t afford to live without his parents’ help |
B. he loved his hometown very much |
C. he was defeated in studies at college |
D. he almost reached the age of 30 |
43. The underlined sentences(Paragraph 2) imply that ____________.
A. the author wondered where the firemen and the truck were |
B. the author wanted someone to call the firemen |
C. the firemen didn’t come to help although called |
D. the firemen didn’t find a place to park the truck |
44. What does the author want to convey in the passage?
A. Great changes have taken place in the South Bronx. |
B. The South Bronx is a beautiful place. |
C. You can make a difference to your hometown if you act. |
D. Everyone should love his hometown. |
After a two-week dig, scientists have concluded that Stonehenge was “the ancient healthcare centre of southern England” because of the existence of “bluestones”---the smaller columns of dolerite(辉绿岩)that formed an earlier stone structure.
By dating pieces of remains to around 7330BC, Tim Darvill, of Bournemouth University, and Goff Wainwright, of the Society of Amtiquaries have found that hunter-gatherers were at the site on Salisbury Plain 4,000 years earlier than thought. The first stage of Stonehenge, a round earthwork structure, was built around 3000BC. Professor Wainwright added: “I did not expect the degree of complexity we discovered. We’re able to say so much more about when Stonehenge was built and why---all of which changes our previous understanding of the monument.”
The research reveals the importance of the henge’s famous bluestones. Hundreds of bluestone chips gathered at the site have led the team to conclude that the bluestones were valued for their curing effects---the key reason that about 80 of them, each weighing up to 4 tons and a half, were dragged more than 150 miles from the Preseli Hills to Wiltshire. After years of research, Professors Darvill and Wainwright have concluded that, for thousands of years, the Preseli mountain range was home to magical health centers and holy wells.
Even today there are those who believe in the curing powers of the springs for coughs and heart disease, and people who use crystals and bluestones for self-curing. Radiocarbon tests have also revealed that the construction of the original bluestone circle took place around 2300BC, three centuries later than originally thought. Interestingly, on the same day died the “Amesbury Archer”---a sick traveler from the Swiss or German Alps who had an infected knee---whose remains were discovered about five miles from Stonehenge. The professors believe that he was a devoted religious person who was hoping to benefit from the curing powers of the monument.
Stonehenge is recently believed to be a place
for people.
A.to recover from poor healthto observe star movements
C.to hold religious ceremonies D.to gather huge bluestonesWhat can be inferred about Stonehenge from the passage?
A.The springs could cure coughs and heart disease best
B.The new discovery was the same as what had been expected.
C.Some huge bluestones were not produced at Stonehenge.
D.The original bluestone circle was thought to be constructed around 2000BC.The sick traveler in the passage is supposed to be.
A.a devoted religious person from Stonehenge |
B.one of the earliest discoverers of Stonehenge |
C.the first explorer to test the magical power of bluestones |
D.a patient trying to cure his infection at Stonehenge |
Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A.Stonehenge: A New Place of InterestStonehenge: Still Making News
C.Stonehenge: Heaven for Adventurers D.Stonehenge: Still Curing Patients