Even when you’re extremely busy, you aren’t using your time with 100% efficiency. There are gaps in everyone’s schedule where they aren’t doing anything important. Even if your schedule has no gaps, there is probably lots of time when you aren’t working as fast or as effectively as you possibly could.
Why aren’t you completely efficient? It’s because time isn’t the limiting factor. If it were the limiting factor, people could work non-stop without breaks or any unproductive distractions(消遣). Instead, people, even those who are highly productive, need to take breaks, occasionally procrastinate (拖延) and slow down on tasks throughout the day.
The real and most important limiting factor for productivity is your energy levels to pay attention. Energy levels limit your productivity because when you’re tired, you can have enough time and still not get everything done. Your attention ability is also limited, because even if there are a million things that need to be done, you can only focus on one or two at a time.
You might not be able to insert another 4-5 hours into your schedule without making some sacrifices(牺牲). But even extremely busy people can add an hour or two into their schedule without cancelling anything. The reason why it’s hard to “find time” isn’t a lack of time. It’s because you don’t have enough energy left to focus on something else that needs to fit into your day.
I first suspected time wasn’t the real problem during an extremely busy period in my life over a year ago. I was extremely busy, but at that time I still exercised regularly. I had daily to-do lists with over twenty items, and I still found time to exercise. However, after a few weeks off, because of illness, I stopped exercising. I was not busy by any standards, in fact, my schedule was very light. Despite this free time, I found it hard to find time to exercise. It seemed to get pushed later and later into my schedule until it was gone. How can I explain this strange experience? I believe you have known it.If someone can’t work with 100% efficiency, the most important limiting factor is ________.
A.a schedule without gaps |
B.breaks and distractions |
C.the limited time |
D.the limited energy |
According to Paragraph 4, everyone, including the extremely busy people, can ________.
A.work without any rest |
B.focus on many things at a time |
C.find some more time in a day |
D.do some exercise regularly |
The writer gives the example of himself in the last paragraph in order to ________.
A.prove what the real limiting factor is |
B.show us how busily he needs to work |
C.explain how important a healthy body is |
D.tell us what a strange experience he has |
What is the best title of the passage?
A.Do You Really Lack Time? |
B.How Can You Work Efficiently? |
C.What Makes Your Energy Limited? |
D.When Should You Do Exercise? |
The following is a QUIZ(自测) from a magazine.
Questions |
1 Point |
2 Points |
3 Points |
Where do you live? |
in a village |
in a town |
in a city |
How do you go to work/ school? |
by walking/ bicycle |
by train/ bus/ subway |
by driving a small car |
How many times a year do you fly on airplanes? |
1 |
2 |
3 |
How many hours of electricity do you use each day(e.g. watching TV, keeping lights on)? |
0-6 hours |
6-12 hours |
12-18 hours |
How often do you recycle? |
almost always |
often |
sometimes |
Total Points |
Result |
7 |
Less pollution than the average(平均) person |
8-10 |
As much pollution as the average person |
11-13 |
A little more pollution than the average person |
14-14 |
A lot more pollution than the average person |
Which of the following makes the least pollution?
A.Living pretty well in a big city. |
B.Flying on planes only twice a year. |
C.Almost always recycling used things. |
D.Using 15 hours of electricity each day. |
How many points does the average person get?
A.7 points. | B.8-10 points. |
C.11-13 points. | D.14-15 points. |
Tom lives in a city, goes to work by subway, flies on airplanes once a year, uses 15 hours of electricity a day, an sometimes recycles used things. How many points does he get?
A.11 points. | B.12 points. |
C.13 points. | D.14 points. |
Which of following would be the best title for the quiz?
A.Where Do You Live? | B.What Do You Recycle? |
C.Why Do We Travel? | D.How Green Are You? |
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHICNews Video Photogaphy The Magazine Environment Travel Adventure Television
Main Stories
Controlling the Mekong
The 5000km long Mekong River provides China with fresh when it flows and electricity when it’s dammed.
Dolphin Intelligence
300 of these social animals have been studied for over 30 years by Dr. Denise Herzing.Find out what she discovered about dolphin communication and what dolphins say.
A Day In New York
It was once a city that people scared. Now tourists are visiting New York each year. Join Robert Jones as he explores just what the Big Apple has to offer and what interesting activities can be done in a day.
Photography
The Magic of Night Markets
All around the world, street markets come to life at night.While people can shop for T-shirts and toys, the real attraction is the different kinds of food that somehow become even more delicious after dark.
Your Shot
Send us your best photos, let the world see them, and get helpful tips and advice from our photographers on how to improve them
Visions of Earth
Look through visions of the world as seen through photographers’ eyes.
Amazing Amazon
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2.A Day in New York
3.Photo of the Day Best of May
4.Making the Picture You Want
5.Photos That Take You to Mexico
6.The Week’s Best Space Picture
Special Offer. Order Today!
Print and Electronic Delivery. Just $25 a year for 12 copies.Orders outside the USA must add 20%“Dolphin Intelligence” is probably a story about dolphins’ ______.
A.eating habits | B.living places |
C.learning activities | D.communication methods |
What is true about New York according to the website?
A.People are now afraid to visit. |
B.Millions of tourists go there. |
C.It has some new activities. |
D.It offers many big apples. |
A person going to the page “The Magic of Night Markets” would expect to find______.
A.a long article about night markets |
B.an interview with night market sellers |
C.many photographs of newly market foods and food shops |
D.many pictures of night market foods and food shops |
From which page can a reader get some useful advice on photography?
A.Video | B.Visions of Earth |
C.Your Shot | D.Photo of the Day |
What has been the most popular story on the website this week?
A.Top Danger for Lions: Hunting |
B.Controlling the Mckong |
C.A Day in New York |
D.Amazing Amazon |
Four years ago when I was a boy of 11, I got into the biggest trouble as a kid. It was a Saturday morning. Both my parents were out, leaving me and my 10—month—old sister became alone. Anyway, my sister was still asleep in her room. In fact I had the house to myself. I decided to do some drawing. Soon I gave up. Nothing was on TV, so I felt bored and touched the candles on the shelp…I had an idea! What would happen if I see fire to some kitchen paper? Well, of course it went on fire, but it wasn’t the tiny flame(火箭)I’d expected, and I couldn’t blow it out. I threw it on the floor, and then luckily got my dad’s boots(靴子)and stamped it out.
I thought I was safe until there was a HCGE hole in my room. When my mum came home later, she smelt the smoke immediately. She dropped the shopping bag, luckily for me, over the hole. I thought this meant she would never see it. However, after running round the house checking for a fire, she of course picked up the bag and saw the hole. Next I was grounded(关禁闭)and in trouble for months. Even though, the hole was still there, reminding me of what I did.How old was the writer when he wrote the passage?
A.11 years old. | B.13 years old. |
C.15 years old. | D.17 years old. |
The underlined words “stamp out” in the first paragraph mean ____.
A. 吹灭 B. 扑灭 C. 杀灭 D浇灭 Put the sentences in the right order according to the passage.
①The boy set fire to some kitchen paper.
②The boy did some drawing.
③The boy was grounded.
④The boy stamped the fire out.
⑤His mother checked for a fire.
A.②④③①⑤ | B.②①④⑤③ |
C.②①④③⑤ | D.①③④②⑤ |
Who put out the fire at last?
A.The writer. |
B.The writer and his sister. |
C.The writer’s mother. |
D.The writer’s father. |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
A.It’s difficult to put out a fire. |
B.The boy didn’t look after his sister. |
C.The boy made a big trouble when he was 11. |
D.Don’t leave children home alone while shopping. |
Be honest. That’s all you have to do on Honesty Day. It would be great if we were all honest every day of the year. It’s good that there is a day to encourage honesty. M. Hirsh Goldberg started Honesty Day. He chose the last day of April because the first day is April Fool’s Day, which celebrate lies. On Honesty Day, anyone may ask you any question and you should give a true and honest answer. That means that you have knowledge of Honesty Day.
M. Hirsh Goldberg wrote a book on telling lies. He said in his book that almost all person lie about 200 times a day. In our daily life, a typical(典型的)life for a man is “I did not drink that much” and for a woman is “Nothing is wrong, I’m fine.” It is found that nurses are the most honest people, while sales people and politicians(政客)are the biggest liars.
Every Honesty Day, M. Hirsh Goldberg hands out prizes to honest people.M. Hirsh Goldberg started Honesty Day to ______.
A.celebrate lies | B.encourage honesty |
C.ask questions | D.hand out prizes |
Which of the following is Honesty Day?
A.April 1st | B.April 10th |
C.April 20th | D.April 30th |
According to the passage, ______ are the most honest people.
A.nurses | B.sales people |
C.politicians | D.all men |
The underlined word “liars” probably means “______”.
A.获利者 | B.说谎者 |
C.影响着 | D.领导者 |
Do you sleep well? If your answer is no, the following might help you.
Set a certain bedtime and rising time A certain bedtime and rising time can help you build up your body clocks. Set a bedtime which is good and natural for you. Don’t change your bedtime and rising time on weekends. |
Avoid exciting activities just before sleeping Exciting activities get your thoughts running. At the same time, if you make tomorrow’s plan or read an exciting story before turning off the light, it doesn’t give you enough time to relax before you try to sleep. |
Keep the bedroom for sleeping only It’s a bad habit for you to use your bedroom as a place to eat, watch TV, read, talk on the phone, or discuss important matters with your family members. Break that habit to get better sleep. |
Don’t go to bed too early Your body usually lets you sleep only the number of hours it needs. You should decide how many hours you must sleep in order not to experience daytime sleepiness. |
Take a warm shower before your bedtime A twenty-minute warm shower at a temperature of about 45 –50 not only is a great relax at day’s end, but also raises your body temperature by several degrees. The coming drop in temperature of your body will naturally make you feel sleepy. |
If you want to build up your body clocks, you should ______.
A.set a certain bedtime and rising time |
B.go to bed neither too early nor too late |
C.keep the bedroom for sleeping only |
D.take a warm shower before sleeping |
Why should you avoid exciting activities just before sleeping?
A.Because they will get your thoughts running |
B.Because you have to make tomorrow’s paln |
C.Because you should read an exciting story |
D.Because you will have to turn off the light. |
Your bedroom should be kept for ______ only.
A.talking | B.eating |
C.reading | D.sleeping |
According to the passage, ______ will make you feel sleepy.
A.taking a cold shower |
B.your body temperature dropping |
C.your daily experience |
D.raising your body temperature |