Our body clock, or natural body rhythm, influences our energy and alertness. Paying attention to it can help us choose the suitable time of the day when we best perform specific tasks.
The reality, however, is that most of us organize the time around work demands, school deadlines, commuting or social events. Doing whatever the body feels like doing is a luxury in today’s fast-paced modern society.
But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth trying. Obeying our body clock has significant health benefits. Disrupting our natural body rhythm, on the other hand, has been linked to problems such as depression, obesity, or headache, says Steve Key, a biology professor.
When the body clock can synchronize (使…同步) the rhythms of its natural processes, it “gives us an advantage in daily life”, says Key.
According to him, when it comes to cognitive (认知的) work, most adults perform best in the late morning. As our body temperature starts to rise just before awakening in the morning and continues to increase until midday, our memory, alertness and concentration gradually improve.
However, he adds, our ability to concentrate typically starts to decrease soon thereafter. Most of us are more easily distracted (分心) between noon and 4 pm.
Alertness also tends to fall after eating a meal and sleepiness tends to peak around 2 pm, making that a good time for a nap.
Surprisingly, tiredness may increase our creative powers. For most adults, problems that require open-ended thinking are often best dealt with in the evening when they are tired, according to a study in the journal Thinking & Reasoning.
When choosing a time of the day to exercise, paying attention to your body clock can improve results. Physical performance is usually best from about 3 to 6 pm, says Michael Smolensky, a professor of biomedical engineering.
Of course, not everyone’s body clock is the same, making it even harder to synchronize natural rhythms with daily plans.If we know our natural body rhythm well, we can ______.
| A．find out the suitable time to do specific tasks |
| B．organize our time around work demands |
| C．do whatever our body feels like doing |
| D．be sure to be healthy |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Our alertness is influenced by our natural body rhythm. |
| B．Doing whatever your body feels like is very difficult in our modern society. |
| C．Obeying our body clock is good for our health. |
| D．Disrupting our natural body rhythm can lead to obesity. |
Inspiration to solve a difficult problem will most probably come to us______.
| A．when we get up in the morning |
| B．when we are tired in the evening |
| C．when we are full of energy in the late morning |
| D．when we are asleep at night |
Which of the following can be the suitable title for the passage?
| A．What is natural body rhythm? |
| B．Natural body rhythm is good for us. |
| C．natural body rhythm and health |
| D．The latest research about natural body rhythm. |
Big football matches are always exciting affairs．Besides the action on the field, the noise the crowd makes really creates the unique atmosphere．At this summer’s World Cup, you can be sure that every country’s fans will be in full voice，supporting their teams．
The football chant(口号)is as old as the sport itself．It’s a way for fans to express their support for their team．It’s not uncommon for the noise of supporters to provide the encouragement for a team to win a match．Most agree that a chant is for building a great atmosphere and to support the team．
One of the most famous football songs is the Liverpool club anthem(颂歌)You’Never Walk Alone，originally from a 1945 Broadway show，which was adopted by Liverpool and is sung
before every match．It has been said that as soon as the opposite hears the song，they become
aware of how tough winning at Anfield (Liverpool’s stadium)will be．
The key to a good football song is that it should be simple．It has to he easy for all fans to
sing along with．When I went to watch Beijing Guo’an last season, I could join in one chant
though I could only speak a little Chinese．“Beijing wo ai ni。”the Guo'an fans sang—you
didn't have to be gifted to work out what that meant.
At the World Cup，the first songs you’ll hear at matches will he the national anthems．Fans and players join together to sing the anthems before each match, and it is considered a mark of
respect that the opposite remains silent while each team's an them is being sung．
So, even though I’ll be supporting England from home in the summer, you can be sure I'll be
chanting at my TV：“En-ger-land, En-ger-land, En-ger-land!”
59．From the passage we can learn that．
A．a good football chant is usually very long
B．the football chant can express support to the team
C．the football chant appears later than football itself
D．a fan is talented to learn foreign languages
60．What can fans do to support their team?
A．To kick the ball on the field．
B．To fight with the opposition fans．
C．To provide encouragement with chants．
D．To donate money to the players．
61．Why the national anthems of both the teams can be heard at the world Cup?
A．Because it is a sign to show the respect to each other．
B．Because it is sung for the leaders of the host country．
C．Because it represents encouragement from their fans．
D．Because either team senses the support from country．
62．Which of the following is the best title?
A．You’ll Never“Cheer”Alone
B．National Anthems at Matches
C．You’ll Never Walk Alone
D．Football—A Popular Sport
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C．Four Seasons.com/hongkong D．Booking.com/hotels-hong-kong
57．At a discounted hotel, how much can you save for a room for HK$200per night?
A．HK$150 B．HK$100 C．HK$50 D．HK$75
58．From the ads above we know that
A．Hong Kong Hotels guarantee low rates and free computers
B．guests can give reviews on the hotel they have lived in
C．booking a hotel online is quite a special offer
D．experience in Hong Kong is an expensive night
Dear Economist,
My newly-wedded wife and I are deeply in love. There is, however, one issue that threatens the happiness of our marriage. I absolutely insist on shopping at Walmart. My wife, meanwhile, would rather avoid Walmart at all costs.
I have recently tried to convince her that not only does Walmart offer the lowest prices known to man, but that the chain is also a force for good―lower prices mean better standards of living for all consumers, increased global trade means a tighter-knit(紧密团结的) international community, and efficient operations translate into higher productivity growth for the economy. My wife complains about poor labour policies, the “fact” that Walmart squeezes suppliers, and that it puts local shops out of business.
Who is right? Will our marriage survive?
Brian Gee
Dear Brian,
I have to agree with you about Walmart. Jason Furman, then an economist at New York University, now an adviser to President Obama, famously argued in 2005 that Walmart was unwittingly (不知不觉地) a progressive success story. The chain’s prices don’t much affect me (I prefer Whole Foods) but Furman estimated that they benefited low-and-middle-income Americans to the sum of around $250 billion a year.
Walmart does not pay much, so it may depress wages. Then again, it may increase wages by offering jobs to the otherwise-unemployed. Either way, the benefits of low prices to Walmart shoppers far outweigh any seemingly reasonable costs to Walmart employees. And while it is true that Walmart employees tend to be poor, the same is true of Walmart shoppers.
Armed with this information you can face your wife with confidence. You are sure to win the conversation. The divorce is likely to be more argued.
Economist
68. What concerns Brian Gee so much that he wrote the letter?
A. His wife refuses to shop at Walmart.
B. They are faced with a divorce.
C. They can’t afford the costs of shopping at Walmart.
D. They are in conflict about shopping at Walmart.
69. Brian Gee’s wife tends to hold the opinion that _________.
A. it is wrong for Walmart to depress its employees’ wages
B. consumers’ lives have improved thanks to Walmart
C. Walmart’s business operation increases productivity in economy
D. Walmart’s business increases global trade
70. What can be inferred from the reply letter?
A. Some employees accept the low pay to keep the job.
B. Walmart appeals to only poor consumers and poor employees.
C. Employees suffer from Walmart’s low prices more than consumers.
D. Jason Furman, a New York University economist, spoke highly of Walmart.
To be able to motivate oneself, or self-motivate, occurs when a person has the willingness to do something and is internally(内在地) motivated to do it.
Sometimes it’s very difficult to get ourselves moving. The natural tendency is to postpone. Life just seems to get in the way! There is a job to go to, groceries to do, television to watch—whoops! I guess we get pretty good at finding excuses to escape getting started on goals like an exercise routine or reading a new book. The fact is that we are creatures of routine and habit. So what can we do to motivate ourselves to accomplish our goals?
Here are some tips on how to get moving:
lDecide what you want. It’s hard to motivate an aimless mind. Set a goal and decide how you are going to go about it. Then break it down into smaller sections so it’s easier to handle and less overwhelming.（势不可挡）
lKeep track of your progress. Keep a log or journal where you can measure how much you have accomplished. Looking at it can also motivate you to keep pushing ahead.
lPost motivating pictures or slogans within your sight. It is always inspiring to see pictures of people who have accomplished what you’re going for. It makes it attainable and realistic. Likewise, little slogans like “go for it” or “just do it” can give you the little support you need.
lSometimes we forget what we set out to do and a little reminder is all we need to be revitalized (激活) and focus on the end result. If you remind yourself to go for the desired promotion, it will re-establish why you are doing what you’re doing.
lMake it a habit. Once you have accomplished your objective, e.g. becoming an early riser, keep it up so that it’s second nature to you and you don’t have to think about it anymore.
64. According to the author, some people fail to achieve their goals because ________.
A. they don’t have enough desire
B. their life is filled with routine work
C. they benefit from the force of habit
D. they naturally put off forming new habits
65. It can be inferred from the underlined sentence that ________.
A. self-motivation needs repeated self-reminding of one’s goal
B. in modern society people tend to become forgetful
C. when we forget our goal, our life becomes meaningless
D. we can achieve our goal only by focusing on the end result
66. To get moving on your goal, you can do the following EXCEPT ________.
A. keep a diary to clearly judge your distance to your goal
B. make self-improvement your second nature
C. forget your aim and revitalize yourself with slogans
D. support yourself by hanging inspiring pictures in your house
67. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. Set Goals in Your Life B. Get Yourself Motivated
C. Get into Good Habits D. Do Not Postpone
Oprah Winfrey, the queen of American daytime talk TV, is considered one of the most powerful women in the world. Now, after 25 years’ hosting The Oprah Winfrey Show, the star has announced she is calling it quits.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the move “signals the beginning of the decline for the daytime talk show.” More women are working full-time jobs, and people are turning to cable (有线电视) and pre-recorded shows for their entertainment.
It may be that Oprah isn’t quitting so much as moving on. She has created the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), and will most likely move her show to the network. If audiences around the world need Oprah, they well know where to look.
Oprah Winfrey was born to a single teenage mother in a small town in rural Mississippi, US. As a child, she lived with poverty and abuse. But she got a job at a local radio station, where her honesty, emotional style won her many fans. She quickly rose through the ranks of radio and television before launching her own production company and starting her own show.
Oprah’s talk show was not the first of its kind, but it quickly became the best and most popular. It made talk shows popular, and others jumped in to start similar shows. But while other talk shows turned ugly, featuring guests who argued and attacked each other with chairs, Oprah rose above the mess.
“Part of her power lies in the fact that her life story resonates (产生共鸣) with her audience, as a kind of version of the American dream,” writes Kevin Connolly, a reporter with the BBC.
She became a star because of the way she opened up about her problems to her audience. She shared her own struggles with relationships and weight. She focused on self-help. Connolly believes “something in her honesty and her sometimes painfully emotional directness struck home with a certain type of American”.
60. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. The stop of Oprah’s show reflects the decrease of audience.
B. Oprah hosted her showfor about 25 years.
C. American talk show was pioneered by Oprah.
D. Oprah used to be a radio presenter.
61. What does the underlined sentence mean?
A. Oprah could deal with the guests fighting very well.
B. Oprah’s show stood out with her unique style.
C. Oprah turned a deaf ear to other people’s quarrel.
D. Oprah’s fame rose because lots of people watch her show.
62. From Kevin Connolly, we know people like Oprah’s show for all the reasons EXCEPT ________.
A. Oprah always shares people’s life stories in her show
B. the audiences are touched by Oprah’s honesty and frankness
C. Oprah’s life story reflects the truth of American dream
D. some audiences are inspired by Oprah’s show
63. According to the text, Oprah ________.
A. always volunteers to help those who need help
B. has practiced presentational skills since she was young
C. believes that one should rely on himself to solve problems
D. calls on women to work full-time jobs