Most nutrition education isn’t very effective. People know that an apple is better than a Snickers bar, but they often eat the Snickers bar anyway. After conducting hundreds of studies on the psychology of how and why we eat, I’ve seen that it’s good to understand nutrition, but it’s much better to change your eating environment. Doing so can help you make better choices without even thinking about it.
Part 1
We all know children can be stubbornly habitual in what they want to eat. If kids had French fries yesterday, they want them again today. We came up with a simple way to interrupt this default. Instead of asking kids what they want, what if we ask them about someone they admire?
We studied this with elementary school–aged children one summer. We treated 22 kids to apple slices or fries at a fast-food restaurant. The first week, 20 of them ordered French fries, and two ordered apple slices. But the next week, we asked, “What would Batman eat: apple slices or French fries?” After they answered for Batman, we asked them what they wanted. This time, the number of kids who ordered apple slices jumped from two to ten— almost half of them.
If you ask yourself before deciding between the salad and the cheesy bacon fries, “What would my role model choose?” you’ll be a lot less tempted. Thinking about what a well-liked person would do makes us less indulgent.
Part 2
If we knew what a skinny person’s kitchen looked like, we could set up our own kitchens in a similar way. Once we got into people’s homes, we took pictures of everything: their dishes, sinks, refrigerator shelves, counters, snacks, pet-food dishes, tables, lighting — even random items held up by magnets on their refrigerators. Then we spent eight months coding these kitchens to see what thin people do differently.
We wondered if big kitchens turn us into big people. But it turns out that kitchen size isn’t the problem. It’s what you see in the kitchen. The average woman who kept potato chips on the counter weighed eight pounds more than her neighbor who didn’t. “In sight, in stomach.” We eat what we see, not what we don’t.Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined part “less indulgent”?
| A．self-confident | B．self-controlled |
| C．self-estimated | D．self-centered |
What’s the writer’s purpose of writing this passage?
| A．To give advice on how to become slim. |
| B．To warn people that nutrition education is important for our daily life. |
| C．To tell us that someone children admire may influence their eating habits. |
| D．To introduce some innovative ways to help us eat healthier. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Changing your eating environment is more effective than understanding nutrition in order to eat healthier. |
| B．The role model way has no effect on children at all when they choose what to eat. |
| C．Setting up our kitchens just like the slim person’s will help us eat healthier. |
| D．It is not the size of the kitchen but what we see in the kitchen that turns us into big people. |
What is the best title for part 2?
| A．The Slim Person’s Kitchen |
| B．How to decorate your Kitchen |
| C．Kitchen size makes a difference |
| D．Big kitchens are more popular |
People have wondered for a long time how their personalities and behaviors are formed．It is not easy to explain why one person is intelligent and another is not, or why one is cooperative （合作的）and another is competitive．
Social scientists are, of course, extremely interested in these types of questions．They want to explain why we possess certain characteristics and exhibit certain behaviors．There are no clear answers yet, but two distinct schools of thought （学派）on the matter have developed．As one might expect, the two approaches are very different from one another, and there is a great deal of debate between proponents of each theory．The controversy（argument) is often referred to as“nature and nurture（教育）”．
Those who support the “nature” side of the conflict believe that our personalities and behavior patterns are largely determined by biological and genetic factors．That our environment has little, if anything, to do with our abilities, characteristics, and behavior is central to this theory．Taken to an extreme(走极端）, this theory maintains that our behavior is predetermined to such a degree that we are almost completely governed by our instincts（本能）．
Proponents of the “nurture” theory, or, as they are often called, behaviorists, claimed that our environment is more important than our biologically based instincts in determining how we will act．A behaviorist, B．F．Skinner, sees humans as beings whose behavior is almost completely shaped by their surroundings．The behaviorists’ view of the human being is quite mechanistic（机械论的）; they maintain that, like machines, humans’ respond to environmental stimuli（刺激） as the basis of their behavior．
Socially and politically, the consequences of these two theories are far-reaching．In the US, for example, blacks often score below whites on standardized intelligence tests．This leads some proponents to conclude that blacks are genetically lower in status than whites．Behaviorists, on the contrary, say that the differences in scores are due to the fact that blacks are often robbed of many of the educational and other environmental advantages that whites enjoy, and that, as a result, they do not develop the same responses that whites do．
Either of these theories cannot yet fully explain human behavior．In fact, it is quite likely that the key to our behavior lies somewhere between these two extremes. That the controversy will continue for a long time is certain．This passage is mainly concerned with．
| A．relation between personality and behavior |
| B．relation between behavior and environment |
| C．different accounts of patterns of human behavior |
| D．different theories of the formation of human behavior |
The underlined word " proponents'' in paragraph 2 means．
| A．creators | B．advisors |
| C．supporters | D．judges |
In paragraph 5 , the author mainly writes about．
| A．the considerable（值得考虑的） influence of the two theories |
| B．differences between the blacks and whites |
| C．racial discrimination in the United States |
| D．different responds to intelligence tests |
What's the author's purpose in writing the passage?
| A．To call our attention to the changes of human behavior． |
| B．To urge scientists to do more research in social science． |
| C．To give us a detailed explanation of human behavior． |
| D．To present an argument in the field of social science． |
A new generation addiction is quickly spreading all over the world. Weboholism, a twentieth century disease, affects people from different ages. They surf the net, use e-mailand speak in chat rooms. They spend many hours on the computer, and it becomes a compulsive habit. They cannot stop, and it affects their lives.
Ten years ago, no one thought that using computers could become compulsive behavior that could affect the social and physical life of computer users. This addictive behavior has affected teenagers and college students. They are likely to log on computers and spend long hours at different websites.
They become addicted to computers and gradually their social and school life is affected by this situation. They spend all free time surfing and don’t concentrate on homework, so this addiction influences their grades and success at school. Because they can find everything on the websites, they hang out there. Moreover, this addiction to websites influences their social life.
They spend more time in front of computers than with their friends. The relation with their friends changes. The virtual life becomes more important than their real life. They have a new language that they speak in the chat rooms and it causes cultural changes in society.
Because of the change in their behavior, they begin to isolate themselves from the society and live with their virtual friends. They share their emotions and feelings with friends who they have never met in their life. Although they feel confident on the computer, they are not confident with real life friends they have known all their life. It is a problem for the future. This addictive behavior is beginning to affect all the world. The author’s attitude towards weboholism is that of being______.
| A．oppositive | B．positive |
| C．optimistic | D．acceptable |
The main idea of the passage is about__________.
| A．the cause of weboholism |
| B．the advantage of weboholism |
| C．the popularity of weboholism |
| D．the influence of weboholism |
According to the passage, which is right?
| A．Ten years ago, someone thought computer users will isolate themselves from the society. |
| B．Weboholism, a twentieth century disease, only affects college students. |
| C．Those who are addicted to computers spend less time with their friends than in front of computers. |
| D．Most students spend all free time surfing but they can concentrate on homework. |
We can infer from the passage that_______.
| A．weboholism has the greatest effect on teenagers |
| B．students can hardly balance real and virtual life |
| C．people are addicted to games on the Internet |
| D．virtual life is more vivid and attractive anyway |
Make the most of college
Dear Daughter,
As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind.
First, I want to tell you how proud we are. Getting into Columbia is a real testament（ 证明）of what a great well-rounded student you are. You should be as proud of yourself as we are.
Your college years will be the most important of your life. It is in college that you will discover what learning is about. This will be the period when you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn’t extremely impotant for your life, the learning skills you gain will be something you will cherish（怀念） forever.
Follow your passion in college. Take courses you think you will enjoy. Don’t be trapped by what others think or say, but make up your own mind.
Most importantly, make friends and be happy. College friends are often the best in life. Pick a few friends and become really close to them – pick the ones who are sincere and honest to you. Don’t worry about their hobbies, grades, looks or even personalities.
Start planning early – what would you like to do? Where would you like to live? What would you like to learn? I think your plan to study fashion is good, and you should decide where you want to be, and get onto the right courses.
Whether it is summer-planning, or coursework planning, or picking a major, or managing your time, you should take control of your life. I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver’s seat – this is your life, and you need to be in control. Being in control feels great. Try it, and you’ll love it!
College is the four years where you have:
lThe greatest amount of free time
lthe first chance to be independent
lthe most flexibility（灵活性）to change
lthe lowest risk for making mistakes
So please treasure your college years – make the best of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny（命运）, be bold（敢于冒险的） to experiment, learn and grow through your successes and challenges.
May your years at Columbia be the happiest of your life, and may you become just what you dream to be.
Love,
Dad (&Mom)What does the author think college life holds in store for his daughter? ______
| A．Uncertainty |
| B．Pure enjoyment. |
| C．Successes and challenges. |
| D．Experimentation with life. |
What does the author advise his daughter to do in college?______
| A．Plan everything. |
| B．Party with friends in her free time. |
| C．Ignore what others think or say. |
| D．Treasure and make the best of her college years. |
Which of these pieces of advice is given in the article?_____
a. think and live independently
b. learn how to learn
c. choose friends with similar personalities
d. be genuine and sincere
e. try new things
| A．abc | B．bce | C．cde | D．abe |
From the text, we can conclude the father ______.
| A．is worried about his daughter |
| B．is optimistic about his daughter’s future |
| C．is strict with his daughter |
| D．is sad that his daughter is leaving home |
A gentle breeze blew through Jennifer’s hair. The golden red sun was setting. She was on the beach, looking up at the fiery (火红的) ball. She was amazed by its color, deep red in the middle, softly fading into yellow. She could hear nothing but the waves and the seagulls flying up above in the sky.
The atmosphere relaxed her. After all she had been through, this was what she needed. “It’s getting late,” she thought, “I must go home. My parents will be wondering where I am.”
She wondered how her parents would react when she got home after the three days she was missing. She kept on walking, directing herself where she spent every summer holiday. The road was deserted. She walked slowly and silently. Just in a few hundred meters she would have been safe in her house.
It was really getting dark now. The sun had set a few minutes before and it was getting cold too. She wished she had her favorite sweater on: it kept her really warm. She imagined having it with her. This thought disappeared when she finally saw her front door. It seemed different. Nobody had taken care of the outside garden for a few days. She was shocked: her father was usually so strict about keeping everything clean and tidy, but now... It all seemed deserted. She couldn’t understand what was going on.
She entered the house. First, she went into the kitchen where she saw a note written by her father. It said: “Dear Ellen, there is some coffee ready. I went looking.” Ellen was her mother but — where was she? On the right side of the hallway was her parents’ room. She went in. Then she saw her. Her mother, lying on the bed, was sleeping. Her face looked so tired, as if she hadn’t slept for days. She was really pale. Jennifer would have wanted to wake her up but she looked too tired. So Jennifer just fell asleep beside her. When Jennifer woke up, something was different... she wasn’t in her mother’s room and she wasn’t wearing the old clothes she ran away in. She was in her cozy bed in her pajamas (睡衣).
It felt so good being back home. Suddenly she heard a voice, “Are you feeling better now, dear? You know you got us very, very scared.”The writer describes the beautiful sunset to show Jennifer’s ______.
| A．love of the natural beauty |
| B．desire of getting back home |
| C．intention of becoming independent |
| D．depression of being alone |
What does the underlined phrase “This thought” most probably mean?
| A．The idea of going back home. |
| B．Her anxiety about her parents. |
| C．The feeling of being warm in her favorite sweater. |
| D．The feeling of getting back home safely. |
Her father didn’t take care of the garden because ______.
| A．he was busy looking for her |
| B．he had to look after his wife |
| C．he was not strict with his job |
| D．he no longer enjoyed working in the garden |
We might like to think we're not influenced by other people, but a new study into the group-buying mechanisms（机制） - like those used on coupon（优惠券） sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial - reveals that telling buyers who come later to the offer how many have already signed up increases the number of purchasers.
Researchers at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management wanted to understand why group buying sites that have entered the market recently have enjoyed greater success than those operating a decade ago, such as Mercata and MobShop.
Earlier attempts typically left potential buyers waiting for days before confirming whether or not they had got the offer they had signed up for.
“We think one of the reasons group-buying has been successful recently is because of the short time horizon,” says Rotman Professor Ming Hu, who co-wrote the study with Professor Mengze Shi and PhD student Jiahua Wu. “It allows for a herding effect.”
Another reason is the use of an information structure that discloses to later arrivals how many have already signed onto the deal.
Researchers looked at two ways of designing the purchasing mechanism for a group buy:a simultaneous mechanism, where no one knows how many buyers have come before them, and asequential（连续的） mechanism, where a second group of buyers has the advantage of knowing the size of the first group.
The researchers' analytical（分析的） model shows the most successful mechanism is the sequential one because it eliminates uncertainty for those coming later to the deal, and improves the confidence of those who sign on early, as they're able to track the numbers of those who come after them.
“That boosts confidence,” says Professor Hu, who teaches operations management. Deals for "luxury" services, versus everyday items, work better in a group buy scenario（方案） because they offer consumers a greater benefit.It can be learned from the text that ______.
| A．the short time horizon is the reason why group-buying has been successful. |
| B．a simultaneous mechanism is where a group of buyers has the advantage of knowing how many people have signed up. |
| C．a sequential mechanism allows a herding effect which boosts the confidence of the buyers. |
| D．researchers at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management carried out an experiment about why group buying sites entered the market successfully, such as Mercata and MobShop. |
The underlined word “eliminates” in paragraph 7 probably means“______”.
| A．to become or to make something greater in amount, number, value |
| B．to remove or get rid of something |
| C．to deliberately not include something in what you are doing or considering |
| D．to make something known to somebody |
What can be the best title for the passage?
| A．Secret for marketing success – boosting confidence. |
| B．Secret for group-buying mechanism—herding effect. |
| C．Comparison between a simultaneous mechanism and a sequential mechanism. |
| D．What others do influences our decisions. |