When there are some strangers in front of us, which of them will we trust?
According to a new study in the online PLOS One, people make their decisions to trust others largely based on their faces.Your appearance can do a lot for you, especially if you are in the financial industry.The more trustworthy you look, the more likely people will buy what you’re selling.
Researchers from Britain’s University of Warwick Business School, University College London, and Dartmouth College, US, did a number of experiments.
The research team used computer software to make 40 faces, from the least to the most trustworthy-looking.
The study said that the difference between a trustworthy face and one that isn’t as trustworthy comes from features that look slightly angry or slightly happy, even when the face is at rest.However, a slightly happy face is more likely to be trusted.
Researchers gave participants some money and asked them which face they trusted to invest the money for them.Then researchers gave some good and bad information about the people with these faces, and asked the participants again whom they trusted.
The results showed that even if they got different information, the participants didn’t change their choices.They were still more likely to invest their money with the more trustworthy-looking faces.
Chris Olivola, one of the study’s authors, said in the University of Warwick’s press release: “It seems we are still willing to go with our own instincts about whether we think someone looks like we can trust them.The temptation to judge strangers by their faces is hard to resist.”Which of the following can be a proper title for this passage?
A.What kind of face do you trust? |
B.Who did the experiments? |
C.Why do you trust him or her? |
D.Why did they do the experiments? |
According to the study, which of the following faces is most likely to be trusted?
A.A sad face. | B.A smiling face. |
C.A crying face. | D.An angry face. |
Which of the following about the experiment is TRUE?
A.The trustworthy faces were given good information. |
B.Researchers took photos of the 40 people’s faces in college. |
C.Most participants gave their money to the trustworthy-looking faces. |
D.Participants liked to choose the faces with good information. |
What did the researchers learn from their experiment?
A.People can’t refuse temptations. |
B.People always do things with their instincts. |
C.People don’t trust strangers with sad faces. |
D.People often judge strangers by their faces. |
Not long ago the movie 2012 came into screen. The people were threatened by those scenes of destroying flood, severe earthquake, terrifying hurricane and constructions representing human civilization being destroyed and even swallowed by disaster. Luckily, they are just the director’s imagination, but the present situation is not heading a positive direction, either.
Take my own experience in Alaska as an example. Once I took a trip to the glacier. Along the way there stood signposts marking the snow lines of different years. They started from the foot of the mountain, but it was at the top when I finally saw melting glaciers(融化的冰川). My heart ached seeing the beautiful blue ice melting at every second.
Sad but true, they are the effects of global warming and the result of our human impact. Furthermore, each year the rising sea level will kill 56 million people, and that's about the population of the en tire Italy. According to studies, if the temperature keeps on rising like this, by the year 2050, some islands and coastal cities including New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Sydney will be drowned in water.
Our fortune is in our own hands. It depends on us to shape our future, to reduce future human impact and find ways to form a peaceful relationship with our environment. Therefore, it's time for actions to be taken right now. Contribute a little to energy saving by using more efficient light bulbs and less hot water. Let recycle become our habit by thinking twice before throwing something away. Let us take public transportation as our first choice when going to a certain place. It might cost more time for now, but it' s to the benefit of a permanent future. Take care of every tree and grass around us by watering them or simply just avoid destroying them.
In a word, small drops of water make a big ocean. The earth does not belong to us. On the contrary, we belong to the earth. Please bear in mind that the earth is our home. It is our responsibility to build a brighter and better future of our planet and prevent what happened in the movie 2012 from becoming reality.Why does the author talk about the movie 2012 in the passage ?
A.To give example. | B.To lead into the topic. |
C.To make prediction. | D.To provide the evidence. |
How did the author feel when he took a trip to the glacier?
A.Worried. | B.Puzzled. | C.Scared. | D.Bored. |
It can be inferred from the third paragraph that.
A.56 million people in Italy have been killed owing to the rising sea level |
B.Some islands and coastal cities will be drowned in water by the year of 2050 |
C.Human being w订l be in danger if we don't take actions to prevent the global warming |
D.It is certain that what happened in the movie 2012 will come into reality |
According to the passage, you are advised to.
A.drive our own private cars instead of taking buses to some place |
B.recycle everything that is used |
C.go to see the movie 2012 at once |
D.work together to take good care of our planet |
What does the author mean by saying "small drops of water make a big ocean"?
A.Think twice before taking action, |
B.It's our duty to protect the ocean. |
C.Everyone together can make a difference. |
D.It's important to save every drop of water. |
Some Chinese new - rich like eating shark fin soup because they think it shows their class. However, for the Chinese NBA idol Yao Ming, doing so is unacceptable as the practice has led to the overfishing of sharks.
When Yao and his wife Ye Li got married in 2007, they publicly announced that they would not allow shark fin soup to be served at their wedding banquet.
Actually, Yao had been saying no to shark fins since 2006, when he was appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for wild life protection.
Now, the 226 - cm big guy is resorting to his personal influence to encourage more to say no to eating the soup and to raise awareness of protecting animals. “Sharks are friends of human beings. They are not our food,” Yao said.
Other celebrity athletes like Olympic champions. Li Ning and Kong Linghui are following on the heels of Yao, throwing themselves into serving the public as Goodwill Ambassadors for wild animal rescue. Recent reports about Yao’s retirement have saddened tens of thousands of basketball fans both at home and abroad. Yet Yao's influence goes far beyond the basketball courts.
Yao has engaged himself in charity and public welfare services for quite a while. When the devastating 8.0 -magnitude earthquake hit Wenchuan in southwest China in 2008 , Yao donated 2 million yuan. “When I was a little boy, my parents and teachers told me to help others and to be a good man,” Yao recalled. “But I could nor donate then because I had not much pocket money. After I moved to Houston, I got involved in quite a number of community service activities and I felt a strong sense of achievement when I got people together,”Yao said.
Like Yao, newly crowned French Open champion Li Na has showed her willingness to donate. Li gave 480,000 yuan of her prize money from the open, plus 20,000 yuan from her own pocket, to a local nursing home in her hometown. Another Chinese sports icon, hurdler Liu Xiang, has also been actively involved in charity for years.The reason why some Chinese new-rich like eating shark fin soup is that they think .
A.it is very delicious | B.it is very cheap and healthy |
C.it is very popular in society | D.it can show their status |
Yao Ming is against eating shark fin soup because .
A.too many sharks are killed | B.he dislikes eating sharp fin |
C.it is too expensive | D.sharks are dangerous animals |
Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
A.Li Na donated 500,000 yuan to a local nursing home in her hometown. |
B.Yao Ming donated 2 million yuan after the earthquake of Wenchuan. |
C.Yao Ming has encouraged more people to stop eating shark fin soup and protect animals. |
D.Yao Ming was appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for protecting wild life in 2007. |
What words can be used to describe Yao Ming according to the passage?
A.Rich and generous. | B.Influential and warmhearted. |
C.Energetic and optimistic. | D.Popular and confident. |
From the passage , we can learn that 。
A.most athletes don't like eating shark fin soup |
B.Yao Ming has been donating money to charity since he was a child |
C.Yao Ming has an influence on not only the basketball courts but also charity and public welfare services |
D.Yao Ming has taken part in many community service activities when he was in China |
One fine day, an old couple around the age of 70, walks into a lawyer's office. Apparently, they are there to file a divorce(离婚). Lawyer was very puzzled. After having a chat with them, he got their story.
This couple had been quarreling all their 40 years of marriage. Nothing ever seems to go right.
They hang on because of their children, afraid that it might affect their up-bringing. Now, all their children have already grown up, and have their own family. There's nothing else the old couple have to worry about. All they wanted is to lead their own life free from all these years of unhappiness from their marriage, so both agree on a divorce.
While they were signing the papers, the wife told the husband. “I really love you, but I really can't carry on any more, I'm sorry.”
"It's OK, I understand." said the husband.
Little did she know that, over the years, the husband has been trying all ways to please her. Little did she know that drumsticks were the husband's favorite.
Little did he know that she never thought he understands her at all. Little did he know that she hates drumsticks even though all he wants is the best for her.
That night, both of them couldn't sleep, toss and turn, toss and turn. After hours, the old man couldn't take it any more. He knows that he still loves her, and he can't carry on life without her. He wants her back. He wants to tell her he is sorry. He wants to tell her, "I love you."
He picked up the phone, started dialing her number. Ringing never stops. He never stops dialing.
On the other side, she was sad. She couldn't understand how come after all these years. He still doesn't understand her at all. She loves him a lot, but she just can't take it any more. Phone's ringing, she refuses to answer knowing that it's him. "I want to keep it this way, if not I will lose face. "She thought. Phone is still ringing. She has decided to pull out the cord(线).
Little did she remember he had heart problems.
The next day, she received news that he had passed away. She rushed down to his apartment, saw his body, lying on the couch still holding on to the phone. He had a heart attack when he was still trying to get through (接通) her phone line.The old couple wanted to file a divorce because __________.
A.they had no child. |
B.their children didn’t like them. |
C.they didn’t understand each other actually. |
D.the old man didn’t love the old woman. |
Why didn’t they file a divorce before they were at the age of 70?
A.Because they were loving each other then. |
B.Because they had no time to lawyer’s office. |
C.Because they wanted to make their divorce open. |
D.Because they didn’t wish to affect their children’s up-bringing. |
According to the passage we can know that ______.
A.the old man still loved his wife really. |
B.the wife didn’t love her husband at all. |
C.their children still lived with old couple. |
D.they were in harmony over 40 years. |
After the last paragraph the old woman would be _______.
A.wild with joy | B.wild with grief(悲伤) |
C.unconcern about it | D.angry at that |
Museums
Skyscraper Museum
Wednesday - Sunday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Adults: $5
305-756-2385
Interested in tall buildings? Design? Then this museum is for you!!! Check the historical buildings and their special design right in lower Manhattan.
Madame Tussaud’s Wax(蜡像) Museum
Sunday - Thursday: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Adults: $29 Students: $13
305-532-9623
The students in Manhattan had an exciting experience at Madame Tussaud’s! They met hundreds of famous people at a discounted price! This museum is your chance to meet your idols and have a picture taken with them.
Bass Museum of Art
Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Adults: $8 The old / Students: $6
305-673-7530http://www. bassmuseum.org
Enjoy European paintings, and sculptures. It also includes exhibitions of modern artists from different parts of the world. You will also enjoy visiting its beautiful museum shop and media center.
World Art Museum
Daily: 11:00 AM – Midnight (including holidays)
Cost: $15
305-532-9336http://www. weam.com
Located in the heart of the South Beach Art Deco district, this museum shouldn’t be missed! It is currently one of South Florida’s hottest new attractions.If you are into how to build a house, you may go to_______.
A.Skyscraper Museum | B.Bass Museum of Art |
C.World Art Museum | D.Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum |
If you want to go to a museum, but you are only free after 10 pm, you can phone_______.
A.305-673-7530 | B.305-532-9336 |
C.305-532-9623 | D.305-756-2385 |
If your classmate is going to Bass Museum of Art with his grandparents, how much will they pay?
A.$22 | B.$24 | C.$18 | D.$20 |
It happened to me recently that I was telling someone how much I had enjoyed reading Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father and how it had changed my views of the current US President. The person I was talking to agreed with me that it was, in his words, “a wonderfully written book.” However, he then proceeded to talk about Mr. Obama in a way that suggested he had no idea of his background at all. I sensed that I was talking to a book liar(说谎者).
And it seems that he is not the only one. Clearly two thirds of people have lied about reading a book which they haven’t. In The World Book Day survey, Dreams From My Father is at number 9. The survey lists top ten books, and various authors, which people have lied about reading. As I’m not one to lie too often, I’ll admit here and now that I haven’t read the entire ten books. But I am pleased to say that I have read the book at number one, George Orwell’s 1984. I think it’s absolutely outstanding.
Asked why they lied, the most common reason was to impress someone they were speaking to. This could be difficult if the conversation became more in-depth!
The World Book Day survey also has some other interesting information in it. It shows that many people lie about having read classical works by Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Charles Dickens and so on. But when asked which authors they actually enjoy, they named JK Rowling, Jilly Cooper, and Stephen King. Forty-one percent of people asked admitted they turned to the back of the book to read the end before finishing the story.
So which books have you lied about reading —if any — and which is your favorite?The main reason why people lie about reading is to __________.
A.make fun of the listener | B.impress the listener |
C.please the listener | D.interest the listener |
The underlined word “proceeded” in the passage probably means“___________”.
A.wanted | B.happened | C.continued | D.stopped |
What is the best title for the passage?
A.Are You A Book Liar? | B.Readers Are All Liars |
C.World Book Day | D.Dreams From My Father |