Honesty is the best policy, as the English saying goes. Unfortunately, honesty often leaves us when no one is watching, British psychologists reported last week.
Researchers at UK’s Newcastle University set up an experiment in their psychology department’s coffee room.
They set a kettle, with tea, coffee and milk on the counter and hung up a sign listing the price for drinks. People helping themselves to a cup of tea were supposed to put a few cents in the box nearby.
The scientists hung a poster above the money box, and changed each week between pictures of gazing eyes and pictures of flowers. The researchers found that staff paid 2.76 times more for their drinks when the image of the eyes was hung.
“We were shocked by the size of the effect,” said Gilbert Roberts, one of the researchers.
Eyes are known to be a powerful perceptual (知觉的) signal for humans, scientists say.
“Even though the eyes were not real, they still seemed to make people behave more honestly,” said Melissa Bateson, a behavioral biologist and leader of the study.
Researchers believe the effect throws light on our evolutionary past. It may arise from behavioral characteristics that developed when early humans formed social groups to strengthen their chances of survival. For social groups to work, individuals had to co-operate, rather than act selfishly. “There’s an argument that if nobody is watching us, it is in our interests to behave selfishly. But when we’re being watched we should behave better. So people see us as co-operative and behave the same way towards us,” Bateson said.
The new finding indicates that people have a striking response to eyes. That might be because eyes and faces send a strong biological signal we have evolved to respond to, Bateson said.
The finding could be put to practical use. For example, images of eyes could ensure ticket sales on public transport and improve surveillance(监视) systems to deter anti-social behavior.In the experiment, a poster was hung above the money box to ________．
| A．give a harmonious atmosphere |
| B．remind people the drinks were not free |
| C．prove the actual effect of different pictures |
| D．see how honest people are in different situations |
From the result of the experiment, we can conclude that ________．
| A．people might pay more for the drinks at the image of gazing eyes |
| B．people may be dishonest when no one is watching them |
| C．no one would pay for the drink unless they are told to |
| D．just a image of flowers is not enough to remind people to pay for a drink |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．You're being watched! |
| B．Pay for your drink, please! |
| C．Mind your behavior in public! |
| D．Look out for electronic surveillance equipment! |
Which of the following English proverbs can be best used at the beginning of the passage?
| A．Once a thief, always a thief |
| B．Lies have short legs |
| C．Honest is the best policy |
| D．An honest look covers many faults |
His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to eke（补充） out a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog (沼泽地). He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired（陷于泥坑）to his waist in black muck（淤泥） was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.
The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse(稀疏的) surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.
"I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life."
"No, " the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel（茅舍）.
"Is that your son?" the nobleman asked. "Yes," the farmer replied proudly.
"I'll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll grow to a man you can be proud of."
And that he did. In time, Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.
Years afterward, the nobleman's son was stricken with pneumonia(肺炎).
What saved him? Penicillin.
The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill.
His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill.Whose life did the Scottish farmer save?
| A．Lord Randolph Churchill's. | B．Sir Winston Churchill's. |
| C．Sir Alexander Fleming's | D．Penicillin's. |
Why did the nobleman take the farmer's son and give him a good education?
| A．The nobleman wanted to bring him up to be a man like his father. |
| B．The farmer was too poor to afford his son's education. |
| C．The nobleman wanted to pay back the farmer for saving his son. |
| D．The farmer wanted to make his son become a proud man. |
What kind of person could the farmer Fleming probably be?
| A．Kind, brave and generous. | B．Kind, shy and merciful. |
| C．Kind, innocent and passive. | D．Kind, brave and honest. |
Which of the following might be NOT TRUE according to the text?
| A．The farmer saved the nobleman's son twice. |
| B．The nobleman's son later became a great person. |
| C．The farmer's son later became a great person. |
| D．Penicillin is a powerful kind of medicine. |
What’s in a name? Well, apparently, our general happiness. Psychologists say that what we are called has a direct connection with our well-being (幸福). Those called Judy and Joshua are the happiest, while Lynn or Ben is likely to be the unhappiest, according to research. Psychologist Dr David Holmes found that this might due to the association(联想)that others made with the name. Hearing the name Judy may make them think of actress Judi Dench or TV presenter Judy Finnigan, people who are seen as good natured and happy. On the other hand, people think Paulines are unhappy because of the character Pauline Fowler from the TV programme East Enders. The research claims that this association influences the person with the name and so their personality becomes shaped to fit it. Dr David Holmes said, "This also has some relation with the original meaning of the name. For example, the original meaning of Judy is 'praised’." Certain names also work well in certain aspects of life. In the workplace Richard and Judy are happiest, while those called Ruth and Carly are happiest in relationships. At the other end of the scale the unhappiest workers are Stuart and Liz, with the unhappiest in relationships being Frank and Harriet. Dr Holmes said, "The relation we have with certain names, particularly important namesakes(同名者), also shapes how we see ourselves and so may have an effect on our confidence. Names are like product brands in having a powerful effect on attitudes and should therefore be chosen with care." "Other names are connected with being brave, outgoing or serious. Therefore, many celebrities change their names to ones which reflect these characteristics. This, in turn, influences parents when they choose names for their babies," said Dr Holmes, "however, names connected with ordinary people are seldom chosen for their babies".Which of the following is NOT a reason why Judy is a good name?
| A．The association people make with it. |
B．Its original meaning. |
C．The high number of famous people who are called Judy. |
D．The personalities of famous Judys. |
According to the passage, which of the following names are better?
| A．Ruth and Joshua. | B．Pauline and Frank. | C．Richard and Stuart. | D．Joshua and Ben. |
The reason why names should be chosen carefully is that___________.
| A．good names can make us succeed. |
B．names can affect how we see ourselves |
C．names can tell us what we should do |
D．good names can show others who we are |
The author may continue the passage with__________.
| A．names and product brands | B．famous people’s names |
C．parents ‘choices of baby names | D．names and personality |
What’s the main idea of this passage?
| A．How to choose a good name for babies. |
B．How to achieve success by changing a good name. |
C．The relation between names and success. |
D．The relation between names and happiness. |
As summer approaches, a lot of people will be in search of a great book to read while they are relaxing on the beach or by the pool. Here we have made a list of four e-books that we think are great summer reads.
Stark by Ben Elton--- If you have read a lot of books then you may know that Ben Elton is one of the funniest writers around the world. This book is one of his best pieces of work to date and it will certainly leave you in hysterics(狂笑). You may find yourself laughing out loud constantly when reading this book.
1984 by George Orwell---there is a big chance that some of you may have read this book ,but even if you have, it’s still well worth reading again. This is a great holiday book and it will shock you constantly due to the accuracy of the book. The book was actually written in 1948 and was written about what the author (George Orwell) fell the world would be like in 1984,and he was pretty spot-on .This book is thrilling and will probably leave you a little scared at the end of it.
The Road---This book is a fantastic read and will leave you hanging on edge all the way through it. This book is quite dark, however, and it certainly had some shocking moments throughout. The book is set in a post-apocalyptic(浩劫后的) world where modern life has been destroyed and in which there is no wildlife and a lot of humans have actually turned to cannibalism(同类相食).This book is fantastic if you enjoy a thrilling read that will leave you on the edge of your seat every few seconds. This certainly isn't a book for the faint of heart.
The Theory of Everything by Stephen Hawking---If you haven’t read this book yet then you really must .If you’re looking for a non-fiction and highly informative book for your summer then this is the book for you. This book was written by Professor Stephen Hawking and is extremely famous.What is the text mainly about?
| A．An introduction to four e-books that are great summer reads. |
| B．Advice on how to choose great e—books for summer reads. |
| C．The contents of four e-books that are famous around the world |
| D．People’s opinion on reading e-books on the beach. |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Ben Elton is the funniest writer all over the world. |
| B．If you’ve read 1984, there’s no need to read it again. |
| C．The Road presents a world in which there are no humans. |
| D．The Theory of Everything is full of information that is helpful to readers. |
We can learn from the passage that____________
| A．George Orwell wrote what the world in 1948 was like in his book |
| B．Readers will surely be scared after reading 1984. |
| C．The Theory of Everything is a work of popular fiction. |
| D．Readers who are fond of comedies may like to read Stark |
If Mark likes reading thrilling and exciting stories, which of the following should he choose?
| A．Stark | B．1984 | C．The Road | D．The theory of Everything |
In which section of a magazine would you most probably read the text?
| A．Literature | B．Travel | C．Lifestyle | D．Nature. |
In 2003, Bethany Hamilton,13, lost her left arm to a shark attack while surfing off Kauai, Hawaii. A new film ,Soul Surfer, is based on the story of how she overcame that to achieve her dream of becoming a professional athlete.
Growing up on the “garden isle” of Kauai, Hamilton spent every minute she could riding the waves. She was on the verge of (即将) becoming a top competitor in professional surfing. But while she was practicing at an isolated cove (小湾)，a four-meter-long tiger shark ripped off her left arm. Though her life was saved, nobody could imagine she would ever get back on a surfboard again.
In a true test of her faith and by tremendous will power, Bethany did get back up on a surfboard only a month after the attack. Six months later, she was competing again. Bethany Hamilton won her first amateur surfing championship just two years after she lost her arm. She also established the “Friends of Bethany,” a non---profit foundation dedicated to supporting sharks attack victims.
It’s a story told in her autobiography, which is the basis for the film that stars teenager Anna Sophia Robb. “I knew Bethany’s story, of course, but I thought ‘What an incredible role’ ,”explains Robb. “I was so fascinated by all of the challenges. What would it be like to have your arm taken and what would go through your head and how would your faith be challenged?”
The filmmakers used special effects to digitally remove Robb’ s arm .However ,no tricks were necessary for the surfing scenes because Hamilton herself did the breathtaking wave riding.
Now 21, Hamilton says she hopes audiences find inspiration in the description of the sport she loves.
“Not a lot of people know that much about surfing, so I hope they’re educated about it,” Hamilton says. “And most of all if people are going through a hard time, they could be encouraged and find inspiration to push through those hard times and see that, in my case ,so much good has come out of it.”According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?.
| A．Hamilton was severely injured when surfing. |
| B．Nobody thought Hamilton could overcome the troubles. |
| C．Rob did the breathtaking wave riding in the film Soul Surfer. |
| D．Hamilton established the “Friends of Bethany” to help shark attack victims. |
Which of the following can best take the place of the underlined word “tremendous” in the third paragraph?
| A．Free. | B．Easy | C．Smart. | D．Strong. |
What can we learn from Anna Sophia Robb’s words?
| A．She was absorbed in the story. |
| B．she wasn’t sure she could play the role well. |
| C．She wants to challenge her faith. |
| D．She doesn’t believe Bethany’s story. |
How does Hamilton hope people will be affected by her story?
| A．she hopes more people will take up surfing. |
| B．she hopes people will be inspired and encouraged |
| C．She hopes more people will keep off the sharks. |
| D．She hopes people will donate something to her charity. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．A lot of people are fond of surfing. |
| B．Good things will happen to the disabled in the end. |
| C．Faith and will power will help people go through hard times. |
| D．People can always overcome every difficulty in life. |
The Olympic Games
The ancient Olympic Games was in the year 776BC. They were held at Olympia in Greece every four years, for almost 12 centuries, until AD394.
The contemporary Olympics were first held in 1896, in Athens. It was a Frenchman, Pierre de Coubertin, who brought the Olympics back to life. He dreamt that the Olympics would make it possible for 56. 各国人民和平相处. Now people all over the world are helping to realize this dream. Among them are many well-known athletes.
57. 中国运动员为奥运会做出了重要贡献。At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, the People’s Republic of China returned to the Olympics after 32 years’ absence. I am sure the whole of China must have felt proud when Xu Haifeng won the first gold medal for his country. 58. Deng Yaping is perhaps the greatest female table tennis player in the world. At the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Liu Xiang excited people all over Asia when he became the first Asian to win the gold medal in the men’s 110-metre hurdles.
59. The Chinese led the way at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, winning 51 gold medals. For the first time in history, the Chinese women’s gymnastics team won the gold medal.
These are some of the Olympic athletes who have brought joy to people across the world with their attempts to push the boundaries of human achievement. We are looking forward to seeing more of them in future Olympic Games. 60. Join us in wishing the Olympic Movement a successful future.