Jobs and work do much more than most of us realize to provide happiness and contentment.We're all used to thinking that work provides the material things of life—the goods and services that make our modern civilization possible.But we are much less conscious of the degree to which work provides the more important psychological wellbeing that can make the difference between a full and an empty life.
Historically,work has been associated with slavery and sin (罪恶)and punishment.And in our own day we are used to bearing traditional complaints.Against this background,it may well come as a surprise to learn that not only psychologists but other behavioral scientists have come to accept the positive contribution of work to the individual's happiness and sense of personal achievement.Work is more than a necessity for most human beings;it is the focus of their lives,the source of their identity and creativity.
Rather than a punishment of a burden,work is the opportunity to realize one's potential.And the opposite is true,too.For large numbers of people,the absence of work is harmful to their health.Retirement often brings many problems surrounding the “What do I do with myself?”question,even though there may be no financial cares.Large numbers of people regularly get headaches and other illnesses on weekends when they don't have their jobs to go to,and must take care of themselves.It has been observed that unemployment,quite apart from financial pressures,brings enormous psychological troubles and that many individuals'conditions become worse rapidly when jobless.
But why?Why should work be such a significant source of human satisfaction?A good share of the answer rests in the kind of pride that is stimulated by the job,by the activity of accomplishing.Which of the following statements can NOT be learned from the passage?
A.People feel happier and more content than they realize when working. |
B.Work is likely to provide you with the chance of achieving your potential. |
C.Happiness can only be gained through working. |
D.A lot of people will suffer physically and psychologically without work. |
Traditionally,people are used to believing ________.
A.work is related to negative aspects |
B.happiness has nothing to do with work |
C.identity and creativity depend on work |
D.work is not only a necessity for humans but the focus of their lives |
What would the author probably discuss in the following paragraph?
A.What the proper way to balance work and life is. |
B.How work brings people pride in accomplishment. |
C.Which is more important:the material things of life or psychological wellbeing. |
D.How people overcome the problems arising from retirement. |
Which best describes the author's attitude towards work in the passage?
A.Doubtful. | B.Concerned. |
C.Approving. | D.Neutral. |
Hong Kong plays host to exciting events ranging from colourful festivals to world class arts and sports events. When planning your next visit,be sure to include these signature events in your plans.Where can sport lovers order tickets for sports events?
A.At www.hkticketing.com. |
B.At www. hksevens.com. |
C.At Hong Kong Stadium. |
D.At Auditorium,Kwai Tsing Theatre. |
How much should you pay at least to attend both the jazz concert and Writer’s Block?
A.HK $260. | B.HK $310. | C.HK $440. | D.HK $500. |
In which event can audience see Woody Allen in person?
A.Affordable Art Fair. |
B.Jazz Concert— HKCO + Howard MeCrary. |
C.Writer’s Block. |
D.Hong Kong Sevens 2014. |
Will online courses transform world of education?
Some may wonder what it feels like to attend a class at Stanford University. The recently popular MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) can satisfy this desire. But they are also most likely to change the situation of higher education. Only last month,both Peking University and Tsinghua University announced plans to start open online course on the edX platform,one of the world’s major providers of MOOCs,to explore this new form of online education.
Gaining momentum(势头)
“It’s not only a change of platforms from offline to online. It’s more about a reform of
teaching methods,even the whole education system,”said Chen Jining,president of Tsinghua University.
The potential of MOOCs to reform education has been obvious in the US ever since the immediate popularity of the course Artificial Intelligence,taught by Stanford University professor Sebastian Thrun, who later co-founded Udacity, a platform with 1.6 million enrolled(注册) students in 200 countries. According to Nature magazine,by June 2013,74 percent of universities in the US offered some type of online course. Lu Fang, vice-president of Fudan University,explains the appeal of MOOCs as a simple case of supply and demand:“The demand for high quality educational resources from both enrolled students and professionals is feeding the rise of MOOCs,in which classes usually taught by top teachers are available to everyone,”said Lu.
Too early to replace
With easy access and free of charge, MOOCs are said to have the potential to change the present education system. But there are barriers,because hardly any universities offer degree certificates, as college administrators point out, it’s difficult to confirm if students are foaming anything in MOOCs,reposed USA Today.
The Wall Street Journal also reposed that,presently,a typical MOOC student is likely to have
already graduated from college and is using the course to explore an interest or acquire professional
skills. Even so, an increasing number of undergraduates are signing up.
“What we are really establishing(创建)are educational pathways for people who want skills that are related to contemporary jobs,”Thrun told The Wall Street Journal.MOOCs have been considered likely to reform education since___________.
A.the founding of Udacity |
B.the wide application of online education |
C.the popularity of the course Artificial Intelligence |
D.the opening of MOOCs on the edX platform in China |
According to Lu Fang, MOOCs have become popular because___________.
A.high quality educational resources are in demand |
B.students can attend courses in famous universities |
C.college students have access to famous teachers |
D.MOOCs have brought about revolution in education |
What can we learn from the passage?
A.Most of the MOOCs focus on professional training for college graduates. |
B.There are barriers for MOOCs to replace the present education system. |
C.International companies prefer applicants who graduate from MOOCs. |
D.More and more undergraduates have realized the limits of MOOCs. |
The author’s attitude towards MOOCs is___________.
A.doubtful | B.negative | C.critical | D.optimistic |
Tasha Tudor(August 28,1919 — June 18,2008) was an American illustrator(插画家)and writer of children’s books. She received many awards and honors for her contributions to children’s literature. When people talk about her creativity in artwork,she said,“I do it to support my dogs and my four children.”Her great publishing record, the number of magazine stories that have been written about her over the years, and her admirers have no effects on her at all.
Much of Tasha’s artwork and her reading are done in the wintertime.“I love winter. It’s delightful,”she says.“I don’t have to go anywhere because I work at home. If I’m snowed in,I can stay this way for months.”She hopes for early, deep snow to protect her garden from the hardship of the New England winter,and when it comes she puts on snowshoes when she needs to get down the mile-long dirt path that leads to the road.
Given her enjoyment of winter and her fantasy(梦幻)way of life,it’s not surprising that Tasha’s Christmas is a storybook holiday. She hangs flowers over the front door. Her tree comes from the woods,
and it goes up on Christmas Eve,lit by homemade candles and decorated with her great- grandmother’s collection that dates from 1850. In a place of honor on the tree are large cookies cut into the shapes of her animals.
The grandchildren and friends get presents from Tasha’s old dolls;so do the animals and they
have their own Christmas tree. “Of course,it’s a known fact that all the animals talk on Christmas
Eve,”she has written. Small, handmade gifts fill a big wooden box
At the end 0f each year, Tasha can look back and know that her life is perfect,that she has
again ignored the twentieth century,and that the magic continues. And for the rest of us,here’s
a bit of advice, Tasha style:“Nowadays, people are so restless.If they took some tea anti spent more time rocking on the porch(门廊)in the evening listening to light music,they might enjoy life more.”Tasha loved winter because it allowed her to ____________.
A.read stories to her grandchildren |
B.show her DIY snowshoes to kids |
C.stay indoors working mid reading |
D.enjoy bicycle tiding along the path |
From the passage, we can learn that Tasha’s life is ____________.
A.modern and fashionable | B.simple and fantastic |
C.lonely and hard | D.adventurous and inspiring |
Which of the following is TRUE about Tasha?
A.She cared little about fame. |
B.She created an animal fund. |
C.She wrote many stories for magazines. |
D.She bought presents for her relatives. |
In which section of a paper can you probably read the article?
A.Travel. | B.Sports. | C.Economy. | D.People. |
Driving a car is not just handling controls and judging speed and distance. It requires you to predict what other road users will do and get ready to react to something unexpected. When alcohol is consumed, it enters your bloodstream and acts as a depressant (抑制药), damaging eyesight, judgment and co-ordination(协调), slowing down reaction time and greatly increasing the risk of accidents. Even below the drink driving link, driving will be affected.
Alcohol may take a few minutes to be absorbed into the bloodstream and start action on the brain. Absorption rate is increased when drinking on an empty stomach or when consuming drinks mixed with fruit juice. To get rid of alcohol from the body is a very slow process and it is not possible to speed it up with any measures like taking a shower or having a cup of tea or coffee.
The present Road Traffic Ordinance states clearly that the limit of alcohol concentration is: ● 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of blood; or
● 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath; or
● 67 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of urine (尿液).
Drivers who cause traffic accidents, or who commit a moving traffic offence or are being suspected of drink driving will be tested.
Any drive found drinking beyond the limit will be charged. The driver declared guilty may be fined a maximum of HK $25,000 and be sentenced to up to 3 years in prison and punished for 10 driving-offence points; or temporarily banned from driving.
The same punishment applies to failing to provide specimens (样本) far breath, blood or urine tests without good excuse.
Drink driving is a criminal offence. Be a responsible driver, think before you drink. For the safety of yourself and other road users, never drive after consuming alcohol.The first paragraph is mainly about ________.
A.the introduction of driving skills |
B.the damage of drinking to your body |
C.the effect of drinking on driving |
D.the process of alcohol being absorbed |
The underlined word “it” in the second paragraph refers to “________”.
A.alcohol | B.absorption | C.blood | D.process |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Drinking below the drink driving limit has no effect on driving. |
B.Alcohol is taken in more quickly when drunk with fruit juice. |
C.Having a cup of tea helps to get rid of alcohol from the body. |
D.50 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of breath is below the drink limit. |
A drive suspected of drink driving ________.
A.should provide specimens for testing |
B.will be forbidden to drive for 3years |
C.will be punished for 10 driving-offence points |
D.should pay a maximum fine of HK $25,000 |
Have you ever wondered what a Degree might be worth to you in your job or career? It means a lot of Americans with an Associate Degree average nearly $10,000 more in yearly earnings than those with just a High School Diploma(毕业证).
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Mail coupon today! Or call the number below 1-800-372-1589. Call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. www. Harcourt-learning. com E-mail:Harcourt@learning. com.This advertisement aims at calling on people to ________.
A.attend full-time universities |
B.work part time to further their education |
C.improve their education at home to get better jobs |
D.earn their degrees in different ways that suit them |
Which of the following is NOT clearly mentioned in this advertisement?
A.The way how you will get your degree. |
B.Tuition price. |
C.The hot fields you will be preparing yourself for. |
D.The length of time it will take you to get a degree. |
What does the writer of this ad intend to say by naming General Electric, IBM, Ford, etc.?
A.To show that their training is widely used in the country. |
B.To show that the training program is fully supported by famous companies in the U. S. |
C.To prove the value of their training in every area. |
D.To show the importance of getting recognized by the most famous companies. |
How many ways are mentioned in the ad for people to get in touch with the Harcourt Learning Direct?
A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. | D.Four. |