Saying no starts small
“All right then — just one more piece...” Words every girl has said when they are faced with the delicious cheesecake. Of course, many of us know we may eat the whole thing in the end.
It isn’t just girls. Most of us find it hard to say “no” to something attractive. However, scientists now say that willpower is very important to success and a happy life.
Scientists in different countries have been studying the effects of willpower on people’s lives for a long time. The results are similar, according to an article on February 7 in the Guardian, a famous British newspaper.
In one experiment, scientists told young children that they could either have a marshmallow (圆形软糖) now, or two marshmallows in 15 minutes. Waiting obviously needed more willpower. Scientists then continued studying the children as they grew up. They wanted to see if some children always had stronger willpower. They also wanted to see how having stronger willpower affected their lives.
Years later, scientists found that the children who had waited for two marshmallows were all healthier, happier and richer adults. Oppositely, the children who had shown weaker willpower at that young age were more likely to be in low-paid jobs, to be overweight, to have social problems.
But there is hope, Roy F Baumeister, an American social psychology(心理学) professor (教授) told the Guardian. Baumeister says we can train our willpower just like we train our muscles(肌肉). Even a little practice can strengthen(加强) our overall self-control if we do it regularly.
You could start by making yourself stand up straight, speaking in complete sentences, or using a computer mouse with the other hand. Scientists have found that people who manage to change little habits often perform much better in laboratory willpower tests.
Like muscles, willpower can “get tired”. Don’t try to do too many things at the same time, or when you don’t have enough energy, for example when you are ill. If you already feel tired, you can try to recharge(恢复) your willpower with a good night’s sleep and by eating well.The example of a girl eating cheesecake is used to
A.prove that girls have weak willpower |
B.introduce the topic of willpower to the readers |
C.show that cheesecake is especially attractive to girls |
D.show the connection between willpower and success |
What can we infer from the experiment?
A.The scientists had already known the results before the experiment. |
B.It showed that willpower is the most important to success and a happy life. |
C.The children who chose to wait were more likely to be successful in their lives. |
D.The children who chose only one marshmallow at first had stronger willpower. |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the training of willpower?
A.You should have a goal every day. |
B.Good rest and proper diet can help. |
C.Willpower needs to be exercised regularly. |
D.Keep willpower from being used too much. |
What is the article mainly about?
A.How willpower and muscles are similar and how they can be trained. |
B.How willpower affects people’s lives and how it is similar to muscles. |
C.How willpower is important to success and how we can make it stronger. |
D.How willpower is connected with success and how they affect each other |
Last week I went to London for a holiday with Jenny.
We got there by plane on Monday morning and took a taxi to our hotel. In the afternoon we went for a walk in Hyde Park.
On Tuesday we saw Big Ben and Buckingham Palace.
The next day we visited the British Museum and had supper in a Chinese restaurant!
On Thursday morning we relaxed. Then we went to Tower Bridge by boat on the River Thames and looked at the city.
On the last day I did some shopping and Jenny listened to a concert in the park. After I went back to the hotel, I sent some emails to my friends.
阅读短文,判断下列句子的正误。正确的填“T”,错误的填“F”。Last week I went to London with Marry.
We went for a walk in Hyde Park on Monday afternoon.
On Thursday we went to Tower Bridge by taxi.
On the last day I did some shopping.
Jenny sent some emails to her friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson lived in a big city. They liked traveling. One summer they went to the countryside for their holiday. They enjoyed it very much, because it was a quiet and clean place.
One day they went out for a walk early in the morning and saw an old man. He lived on the farm, and he was sitting alone in the warm sun in front of the house. Mr. Wilson asked him, “Do you like living in the quiet place?”
The old man said, “Yes, I do.”
Mr. Wilson asked, “What are the good things about it?”
The old man answered. “Well, everybody knows everybody. People often come and see me, and I often go and see them. And there’re lots of children here.”
Mr. Wilson said, “That’s interesting. And what are the bad things?”
The old man thought for a minute and said, “Well, the same things.” Where did Mr. and Mrs. Wilson live? _____________.
A.In a big city. | B.In the countryside. |
C.On the farm. | D.In town. |
Why did they like the countryside? Because ____________.
A.it was far |
B.they had a farm in the countryside. |
C.it was quiet and clean |
D.they saw the old man |
Was the old man their uncle? ____________.
A.Yes, he was. | B.No, he wasn’t. |
C.I think so. | D.We don’t know. |
What did the old man think were the good things about the countryside? ____________.
A.Everybody knew each other. |
B.Everybody didn’t know each other. |
C.It was clean and quiet. |
D.He had a farm. |
Did the old man think the good things were the same as the bad things? _____.
A.Yes, he did. | B.No, he didn’t. |
C.I don’t know. | D.Yes, he do. |
Jenny had a trip to Yunnan last week. The following is her schedule(行程表).
Date |
Place |
Activities |
Monday, June 3 |
Kunming |
◆Arrived at 12:20 by plane |
◆Relaxed at the hotel |
||
◆Went to Dali at 22:13 by train |
||
Tuesday, June 4 |
Dali |
◆Took a boat trip on Erhai Lake |
◆Watched a dancing show |
||
◆Visited Butterfly Spring Park |
||
◆Went to Lijiang by bus |
||
Wednesday, June 5 |
Lijiang |
◆Climbed Yulong Snow Mountain |
◆Traveled around the Old Town of Lijiang |
||
◆Bought gifts |
||
Thursday, June 6 |
◆Went back to Kunming by plane |
|
Kunming |
◆Visited the Stone Forest |
|
Friday, June 7 |
Kunming |
◆Visited the flower market |
◆Went back at 15:30 by plane |
How long was Jenny’s trip to Yunnan? ____________.
A.One week. | B.Three days. |
C.Five days. | D.Ten days. |
How did Jenny go to Dali? ____________.
A.By train. | B.By plane. |
C.By boat. | D.By bus. |
What did Jenny do in Lijiang? ______________.
A.She took a boat trip. |
B.She relaxed at the hotel. |
C.She visited a flower market. |
D.She climbed the mountain. |
Where was Jenny at 12:00 on June 7? ___________.
A.In Dali. | B.In Kunming. |
C.In Lijiang. | D.At home. |
What can we learn from the schedule? ____________.
A.Butterfly Spring Park is in Kunming. |
B.Jenny didn’t visit the old Town of Lijiang. |
C.Jenny visited the Stone Forest on Friday. |
D.Jenny bought some presents in Li jiang. |
Mr. Green is quiet and doesn't like talking with people. He likes reading newspapers and playing computer games. He never exercises. Sometimes he watches soccer or basketball games on TV. He likes milk very much and drinks it three times a day.
Mrs. Green is a bank clerk(职员).It's a busy but boring job. She works with people and money every day. So she is always tired after work. She likes to take a good rest and goes to bed early after dinner. Usually she goes to bed at 8:30 in the evening and gets up at 6:30 in the morning. Mr. Green is very happy with that. But Mrs. Green isn't, because Mr. Green always talks in her sleep.
One morning, Mr. Green sat at table and had breakfast. Mrs. Green asked him,“Why do you always talk in your sleep?”Mr. Green said,“Because I have few chances to talk in the daytime ”
The next morning after their children all went to school, Mrs. Green asked Mr. Green angrily,“Why did you scold(骂)me in your sleep last night?”“Because I'm afraid to do it when I'm awake(醒着的).”Mr. Green doesn't like ________
A.talking to people | B.playing computer games |
C.reading newspapers | D.watching TV |
Mr.Green______ drinks milk.
A.never | B.often | C.seldom | D.sometimes |
Mrs.Green works in a _______
A.Shop | B.TV station | C.bank | D.post office |
Mrs.Green usually sleeps____ _hours every night.
A.ten | B.nine | C.eight | D.seven |
Mrs.Green was angry with Mr. Green because he__________
A.went to work without breakfast |
B.didn't talk to her the night before |
C.didn't send their children to school |
D.scolded her in his sleep the night before |
In almost every big university in the United States, football is a favorite sport. American football is not like soccer.
Players sometimes kick the ball, but they also throw the ball and run with it. They try to take it to the other end of the field; they have four chances to move the ball ten yards(码). They can carry it or throw it. If they move it to the end of the field, they receive six points. This is called a touch-down(持球触地).
It’s difficult to move the ball. Eleven men on the team try to stop the man who has the ball. If the man does not move the ball ten yards, his team kicks the ball to the other team.
Thousands of people come to watch. They all yell for their favorite team. They dance and jump while they yell. Each team plays ten or eleven games each season. The season begins in September and ends in November. If a team is very good, it may play another game after the season ends. The best teams play again on January the first. Many people go to see these games and many others watch them on TV.In America, football players can _______.
A.only kick the ball | B.only throw the ball |
C.only carry the ball | D.kick, throw and carry the ball |
There are _______ in a game.
A.ten players | B.eleven players |
C.twenty players | D.twenty-two players |
If the man does not move the ball ten yards, his team has to _______.
A.go home | B.carry the ball ten yards |
C.run with it | D.kick the ball to the other team |
The best teams play again _______.
A.on Christmas | B.after the season ends |
C.on New Year’s Day | D.on Sunday |
The underlined word “yell” in the passage means “_______”.
A.shout loudly | B.jump | C.talk loudly | D.sing |