Some people believe that greed and selfishness has become the basis of modern society, and we should return to the old traditions of family and community then we will have a better life. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above opinion?
In this fast-paced world, many values are undergoing major changes. While people
traditionally prioritize caring, sharing and generosity in life and work, modern people seem to be more self-absorbed and self-concerned.
Modern people act selfishly to survive the harsh competition of life. They say that it is a jungle out there. To survive, you have to fight with whatever means that come handy. Obviously greedy and selfishness go perfectly well with such ideas. In a company, employees do everything they can to get better pay and higher position, even at the cost of colleagues. We are in any way advocating any selfish conduct. It is just that people are pressured to act in a certain way due to outside influences.
In spite of common practice, it is hard to conclude that modern society is built on greed and selfishness, both of which are not newly invented vocabulary. In ancient times people also did greedy and selfish things though such behaviors were more condemned then. But we can not ignore the fact that people in the past lived a relatively more isolated life and faced less pressure compared with their modern counterparts.
Are we happier to share with others and be generous to them? There is no fixed answer either. Some people take great pleasure helping and giving to others while others feel happy doing the opposite. But I personally think that people should not be too selfish. Caring for others can actually encourage the development of a mutually beneficial relationship.
In conclusion, modern people appear to be more self-centered than those in the past due to strong outside pressure. However, we should encourage people to know the importance of being caring and generous and build a mutually beneficial relationship with others.
Are Modern People Becoming More Selfish?
| Main comparisons |
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| In the past people put caring, sharing and generosity in the first |
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| Nowadays, people seem to be more |
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| People in the past appeared to be modest and self-effacing(谦让的) |
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| People may strive to achieve their own |
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| The author’s understanding |
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| Fierce |
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| The author’s |
A relationship which can |
One of the most well-known directors of our time is Stephen Spielberg. He was born in Cincinnati on 18 December 1946. His father was an electric engineer and his mother was a performing pianist. His sister, Anne Spielberg, became a screenwriter who wrote the stories for many famous films.
Stephen had always wanted to be a director ever since he was a young boy. When he was just 13 years old, he made a 40-minute film. It won a local competition. Three years later, he produced a film called Firelight, which made one hundred dollars’ profit at the cinema in his hometown. Many of the ideas from this film were later used for one of his most famous films called Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
When he was 18 years old, he wanted to go to film school so that he could improve his skills and become an even better director. Unluckily, he was unsuccessful in getting a place at this school so he went to a university in California to study English. Even though he had failed to get into the school he wanted to go to, he didn’t let this stop him following his dream to become a great director.
Stephen Spielberg has directed many films since his first major film in 1976. He now owns many different businesses, most of which are involved in the film industry.
| Year |
What happened |
| 1946 |
Stephen Spielberg 12in Cincinnati. |
| 1959 |
Stephen Spielberg made a 3film and it 4a local competition. |
| 1962 |
Stephen Spielberg produced a film called 5, from which many 6 were later used for Close Encounters of the Third Kind. |
| _7 |
Though he 8to get into the film school he wanted to go to, Stephen Spielberg didn’t give up his dream to become a great director. |
| 1976 |
Stephen Spielberg 9_ his 10major film. |
请仔细阅读下列文章,并根据所读内容在文章后的表格中的空格内填入一个最恰当的单词。
注意:请将答案写在答题卡上相应题号的横线上,每空只填一个单词。
When difficult people expresses themselves orally, they generally want at least two things: they’ve been heard and they’ve been understood. As a good communicator should be a good listener, five steps are advocated toward good listening.
The first step is cooperating. How does a difficult person know that you’re listening and understanding? In fact, it’s through the way you look and sound while he is talking. You may help him to fully express his thoughts and feelings. You do this by nodding your head in agreement, making certain sounds of understanding.
When the person begins to repeat what’s been said, it’s a signal of step two: turning back. It means that you repeat back some words he is using, sending a clear signal that you’ve listening carefully and that you think what he is saying is important.
Having heard what he has to say, the next step is clarifying. At this point, you start to gather information about what is being communicated. Ask same open-ended questions, which will allow you to figure out what intention he is hoping to satisfy.
The fourth step is to summarize what you’ve heard. This allows you to make sure that both you and the difficult person the same page. When you do this, two things happen. First, if you’ve missed something, he can fill in the details. Second you’ve shown that you’re making an effort to understand completely. This increases possibility of gaining cooperation from him.
Having listened carefully, you’ve now arrived at the point of confirming with the person that he feels satisfied that his thoughts have been fully voiced. Ask if he feels understood.
Then enough sincere listening, questioning, and remembering are brought together, understanding is usually achieved and a difficult person becomes less difficult and more cooperative.
| Listen to understand |
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| Reason |
Difficult people hope they have been heard and |
| ◆ ◆Repeat some ◆Collect information about the person’s expressions and find his ◆Give a ◆Confirm that the person gains |
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| Result |
A difficult person will be |
| You may unlock the doors to difficult people’s minds after you listen and understand. |
请认真阅读下文并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意:每空只填一词。
When you are in a place where you are hunting for a new job or career, you will find that there are several things that you should pay attention to. Jobs and careers are fewer than you expect, especially when satisfying employment is something you need to seriously think about. How are you going to find the job that you want and what should you avoid(避免) on your way? When you want to make use of your job search, take a moment and think about the things that you must avoid at all costs.
One of the most important rules is never to compromise(妥协) on the things you ask for or desire or it will badly affect your life and peace of mind. Keep in mind your basic expectations of a dream job. They might be something about monetary compensation or you might find they have something to do with time off. Whatever they are, make sure that you do not accept a job without them. Your requirements might not be easy to meet, but you have the right to try and achieve them.
What’s more, don’t shy away from odd (临时的)jobs that might actually take you to the place that you want to be in. Sometimes, finding the right job is a matter of luck and chance after you have been searching and putting in a lot of effort. And if something unexpected happens, remember that taking the chance is of great importance and is something you might want to seriously consider. As long as you keep your goals in mind , you are going to be doing much better than other people during the job search.
If you are looking for the right job, another thing that you can do to make sure that you get the right kind of employment is to market yourself. When you do nothing to push yourself forward, you will be the one suffering for it. If required, give enough encouragement to yourself and try to confidently look at all that you have. Make sure that you can show your skills and abilities. If the jobs that you have set your sights on are challenging , set goals for yourself and work hard at them. The more efforts you put in marketing yourself, the more your chances of obtaining the job you like will be.
Remember that when you are working on a job search, you should not short-change yourself. This is because you will only harm yourself by setting low goals.
| Title |
What to avoid during your job search |
| Brief introduction |
Satisfying jobs are fewer than_____ When hunting for a job, there are some related things that need your __ |
| Important ___ |
Remembering your expectations Don’t compromise on your requirements or it will have a(n) _ Although your requirements are __ |
| Taking the chance Take some odd jobs and this might help you ____ When something unexpected happens, taking the chance is a very |
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| Marketing yourself Positively look at all that you have and __ Show your skills and abilities If the job that you want is a(n) ___ |
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| Conclusion |
Don’t short-change yourself because __ |
请认真阅读下面短文,并根据所读内容在文章后图表中的空格里填入最恰当的单词。注意:每空只能填1个单词。
Most people feel lonely sometimes, but it usually only lasts between a few minutes and a few hours. This kind of loneliness is not serious. In fact, it is quite normal. For some people, though, loneliness can last for years. Now researchers say there are three different types of loneliness.
The first kind of loneliness is temporary. This is the most common type. It usually disappears quickly and does not require any special attention. The second kind, situation—for example, family problem, the death of a loved one, or moving to a new place. Although this kind of loneliness can cause physical problems, such as headaches and sleeplessness, it usually does not last for more than a year.
The third kind of loneliness is the most severe. Unlike the second type, chronic(the opposite of “temporary”)usually lasts more than two years and has no specific cause. People who experience habitual loneliness have problems socializing and becoming close to others. Unfortunately, many chronically lonely people think there is little or nothing they can do to improve their condition.
Psychologists agree that one important factor in loneliness is a person’s social contacts, for example, friends, family members, co-workers, etc. We depend on various people for different reasons. For instance, our families give us emotional support, our parents and teachers give us guidance, and our friends share similar interests and activities. However, psychologists have found that, though lonely people may have many social contacts, they sometimes feel they should have more. They question their popularity.
Psychologists are trying to find ways to help habitually lonely people for two reasons: they are unhappy and unable to socialize and there is a connection between chronic loneliness and serious illness as heart disease, while temporary and situational loneliness can be a sad, and sometimes dangerous condition.
Loneliness and Disease
| Three different types of |
The most common type is |
| The second type is situation, which usually lasts for |
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| The |
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| An important loneliness |
With the help of Psychologists, we know a person’s social contact is one important factor. |
| We depend on a wide variety of people for different reasons. For instance, we have interests and activities |
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| The for finding ways to help the lonely people |
One is that they are unhappy and unable to socialize. |
| The other is that temporary and situational loneliness can be a sad condition, sometimes |
阅读下列短文,根据所读内容在文章后的表格中填入恰当得单词。 注意:表格中每个空格中只填入一个单词。
A conflict at work is common. If you can avoid conflict, it means you will win what you want regardless of what the other person wants. Since the potential issue has not been removed, it will simply reappear later. Let’s see what you can do.
★Be aware of the fact that some conflicts are unavoidable at work. On numerous occasions, conflict and disagreement are likely to happen. But when a conflict happens it's not the end of the world. On the contrary, it can be the beginning of an interesting learning process. Conflicts mean that people care enough to disagree strongly. The trick is not to allow the conflict to go on forever.
★ Deal with conflicts sooner rather than later. Solve a conflict when it starts, as it only gets worse with time going by. Conflicts at work arise not from something that was said, but from something that wasn't said! Everyone's waiting for the other to admit he's wrong and gets more unpleasant after the conflict has lasted a while. It's essential to interrupt the "waiting game" before it gets to that point.
★ Ask nicely. If somebody has done something that made you angry, or if you don't understand their viewpoint or actions, simply asking nicely about it can make a world of difference. Never assume that people do what they do to annoy or hurt you. Sometimes there's a good reason why that person does what he or she does, and a potential conflict disappear right there. Do remember to make an inquiry, not an accusation of any sort.
★ Appreciate. Praise the other part in the conflict. Tell them why it's worth it to you to solve the conflict. This can be difficult as few people find it easy to praise and appreciate a person they disagree strongly with, but it's a great way to move forward.
| Topic |
How to |
| Reason |
Conflicts won't |
handling conflicts |
● Don't be afraid of conflicts which are usually ● Interrupt the "waiting game", try to admit your ● Don’t imagine people do something to make you on purpose. Remember not to about what they do, which may make a difference. ● Try to appreciate the other part in the conflict although it is |
| If you learn to do with conflicts, you'll work in joy. |