Don’t put it off, do it now!
Why do we spend so much time not doing the work we should do, or putting off small jobs that have piled up to create a big problem? Procrastinating, as putting things off like this is called, is in our character we have naturally since birth; we avoid dull or difficult jobs until it’s too late to do anything else.
“We often put things off although we know it will make life more stressful,” says Dr. Steel, an authority on the science of motivation. “If these tasks were fun, we’d just do them now. We put off what is difficult or unpleasant, such as the paperwork that needs doing before leaving the office or cleaning the bits of your home that people can’t see. But the fact is, the less people procrastinate, the more money they have, the better relationships they have, and the healthier they are.” This is obvious when you look at the couples who don’t argue about whether anyone has cleaned the kitchen, and the people who simply go for a run instead of endlessly rescheduling it in their heads.
Of course, there are the rest of us, who feel the small jobs piling up around us daily. “We’ve evolved to respond to the moment, and not to set our sights too far in an uncertain world,” Dr. Steel adds. “We are not set up to appreciate long-term rewards, whether it’s the benefit of a four-year degree, doing exercise or dieting. We usually feel the cost now and the reward comes much later.” According to Dr. Steel, we have two decision-making systems. They are the limbic, which is responsible for the short term, and the prefrontal cortex, which deals with the future. We bounce between long-term goals and short-term temptations, so we need goals that will translate our plans for the limbic system.
Let’s take the example of students’ writing essays. They should set themselves targets and word counts per day. These are thus turned from seemingly endless tasks into something concrete with measured progress. Dr. Steel recommends such techniques, or “pre-commitments”, adding that leaving you a month before the “deadline” makes it more likely a task will be completed. The benefit is that you’ll avoid the embarrassment of not following up on something people are expecting you to do—telling everyone you are going to take up jogging makes you more likely to do so.
Overcoming procrastination finally comes down to planning, which, if you’re not careful, becomes procrastination in itself. But it is worth making sure you have everything in place. “Successful people don’t pretend they don’t procrastinate,” Dr. Steel says. “People who pretend they have willpower are less successful.” Instead, plan for procrastination: make your work environment a temple of productivity by cutting out what stops you paying your attention, so you can really focus on moving forward.
1.What does the author say about procrastination in Paragraph 1?
A. It is something many people can’t help.
B. It is an excuse people often use in public.
C. It is caused by the technology in people’s life.
D. It is more common when people have small jobs to do.
2.In paragraph 3, Dr. Steel believes that people who procrastinate should ______.
A. attempt to overcome their natural tendencies
B. take the advice of others in the same situation
C. be aware that their problem is relatively small
D. find out more about the way they make decisions
3.Why does Dr. Steel recommend making “pre-commitments” in Paragraph 4?
A. They are an alternative to impossible goals.
B. They make challenges feel more manageable.
C. They are an effective way of impressing others.
D. They allow people to achieve their aims sooner.
4.What does the author do by saying the underlined sentence?
A. Encourage the reader to develop plans effectively.
B. Advise the reader to deal with complex tasks quickly.
C. Warn the reader against spending too long getting organized.
D. Remind the reader to take the time to focus properly on a task.
The Alexander technique
Until earlier this year, I didn’t know anything about the Alexander technique—and saw no reason to think I should. One day, the backache I regularly suffered was more painful. I was brought up to think that the preferred way of dealing with aches is to do nothing and hope they’ll go away, but I eventually went to the doctor. After examining me, he said, “You actually have bad posture (姿势). Go off and learn the Alexander technique.” Three months later I could walk straighter and sit better.
The Alexander technique is a way of learning how you can get rid of harmful tension in your body. The teaching focuses on the neck, head and back. It trains you to use your body less severely and carry out the movements that we do all the time with less effort. There is little effort in the lessons themselves, which sets apart the Alexander technique from yoga or pilates, which are exercise-based. A typical lesson involves standing in front of a chair and learning to sit and stand with minimum effort. You spend some time lying on a bench with your knees bent to straighten the spine (脊椎) and relax your body while the teacher moves your arms and legs to train you to move them correctly.
The technique helps to break the bad habits accumulated over years. Try folding your arms the opposite way to normal. This is an example of a habit the body has formed which can be hard to break. Many of us carry our heads too far back. The head weighs four to six kilos, so any inappropriate posture can cause problems for the body. The technique teaches you to let go of the muscles holding the head back, allowing it to go back to its natural place on the top of our spines.
So who was Alexander and how did he come up with the technique? Frederick Alexander, an Australian actor born in 1869, found in his youth that he had vocal (声音的) problems during performances. He analyzed himself and realized his posture was bad. He worked on improving it, with excellent results. He brought his technique to London and opened a teacher-training school, which is still successful today.
So if you’re walking along the road one day with shoulders bent forward, feeling weighed down by your troubles, give a thought to the Alexander technique. It will help you walk tall again.
1.What does the author suggest in Paragraph 1?
A. She felt no better after the treatment.
B. She got bored with the Alexander technique.
C. She was sceptical about the doctor’s method.
D. She was unwilling to seek treatment for her backache.
2.What is the principle of the Alexander technique?
A. Physical tension shouldn’t be completely relieved.
B. The technique shouldn’t be combined with other exercises.
C. The practice of the technique shouldn’t be attempted alone.
D. Familiar physical actions shouldn’t be done with much effort.
3.What can we learn about Frederick Alexander?
A. He managed to recover his vocal powers.
B. He was eager to make a name for himself.
C. He developed a form of exercise for actors.
D. He had to leave home to develop his technique.
4.What is the main idea of the passage?
A. The occurrence of back pain is widespread.
B. Alexander improved the technique to treat body pain.
C. The Alexander technique helps overcome posture problems.
D. People with back pain are victims of inappropriate postures.
Open water swimming
I had only swum in open water a few times, and always in gentle lakes, so I wasn’t prepared for how rough Lake Windermere appeared on a cold day. A swimmer told me the water felt colder than it had been measured, and that the water was a bit rough. But I, along with 10,000 others, was about to complete the challenge.
Most of the people taking part were doing a one-mile race, and 10 races were planned over the weekend. There seemed to be a mix of open-water enthusiasts alongside complete beginners—which is precisely the aim of the swims, to get as many people as possible completing their own challenge. The oldest woman competing was 77, taking part in the two-mile race, alongside a man who last year had swum in every one-mile race.
I had chosen the third one-mile race of the day. There were over 600 people in my race. We were taken through an acclimatization area, a children’s paddling pool-sized part of the lake where we moved in to feel how cold the water was. “Not too bad” was everyone’s thought! Then we headed out towards the middle of the lake.
We’d been warned that the first 100 metres would be really rough. However, somewhere near the 750m mark I was still waiting for the calm; it felt more like swimming in the sea than a lake. I tried to focus on my breathing and technique, and just keep going. As I approached the 400m-to-go mark my lower right leg became painful. I recalled overhearing people talking about how they kept swimming through the pain, so I tried. But it didn’t work. I began to feel the entire leg tight and painful. I didn’t want to stop, so I bent my right knee and just kicked with the left leg.
Finally I saw the finishing post, and I just concentrated on getting there—still one-legged. My finishing time was 38 minutes 25 seconds but that didn’t matter—the atmosphere was fantastic and everyone felt a sense of achievement, whatever their time. I’m hooked, and want to give it another go. I’ve already signed up for my next open-water swim.
1.How did the author feel before the race?
A. Scared of the most challenging race.
B. Disappointed by the difficult conditions.
C. Concerned about the other swimmers in the race.
D. Determined to be as tough as the people around her.
2.Why does the author mention the two people in Paragraph 2?
A. To stress the importance of the race.
B. To praise the experienced swimmers.
C. To show the wide range of the participants.
D. To introduce the various events of the race.
3.The author suggests in Paragraph 4 that ______.
A. the race would cause breathing problems
B. the race became harder than she had expected
C. it was really necessary to prepare for tough swims
D. it would have been easier if she had taken others’ advice
4.What does the author talk about in the last paragraph?
A. Her confidence in her own ability.
B. Her pride in having swum so quickly.
C. Her eagerness to repeat the experience.
D. Her surprise at having managed to finish.
1.What is the advantage of Fineways’ new food labels?
A. They provide extra nutritional information.
B. They warn customers about unhealthy foods.
C. They show different customers’ nutritional needs.
D. They remind customers of the harm of unbalanced nutrition.
2.According to the passage, the new labelling system can help to ______.
A. reduce the amount of food you take
B. follow GDAs by mixing various foods
C. make your choice of more delicious food
D. satisfy the growing demands for nutrition
3.Where is the passage most probably taken from?
A. A dinner menu.
B. A research report.
C. A fashion magazine.
D. An advice brochure.
The sandwich man
Michael rises every morning at 4:00, in good and bad weather, and walks into his sandwich shop. By 5:50, he’s making the rounds of the shelters on Centre Streets. He ______ out 200 sandwiches to the homeless, before beginning his workday.
It started 20 years ago when Michael came across a homeless man named John. He began to help him ______ effort then. Day after day, he brought John some food and, when it was really ______, a resting place in his car while he worked. Once he asked John if he wanted to get cleaned up. It was a(n) ______ offer, because Michael thought John would refuse. ______, John said, “Are you going to wash me?” Michael knew that he was looking at a ______ of his promise. It was at the moment that Michael ______ to help the homeless.
Michael began his work. He received no sponsorship, saying, “I’m not getting media ______. I just want to do some good in my way. There are days when it’s snowing, and I have a hard time leaving my warm bed and the ______ of my family to go downtown with sandwiches. But I’ve ______.”
Michael makes 200 sandwiches every day for the past 20 years. “I don’t simply ______ the sandwiches on a table for the homeless to pick up. I shake their hands and ______ them a good day,” says Michael. Once Mayor (市长) Koch came to make the rounds with him. They ______ the media, and it seemed like it was just the two of them. But of all Michael’s ______, working side by side with the Mayor was not as important as working next to someone else…
A man had ______ from the sandwich takers, and Michael thought about him from time to time. He hoped the man had moved on to a more ______ environment. One day, the man came back, greeting Michael and ______ sandwiches of his own to hand out. He said Michael’s daily food, warm handshakes and wishes had given him the ______ he badly needed. After achieving some success, he decided to do the same thing as Michael.
The moment needed no ______. The two men worked silently, side by side, handing out their sandwiches. It was another day on Centre Streets, but a day with just a little more ______.
1.A. picks B. sets C. gives D. finds
2.A. with B. around C. from D. over
3.A. sunny B. warm C. cloudy D. cold
4.A. silly B. empty C. crazy D. free
5.A. Fortunately B. Disappointedly C. Surprisingly D. Thankfully
6.A. test B. gift C. trick D. view
7.A. demanded B. agreed C. pretended D. determined
8.A. benefit B. attention C. sympathy D. information
9.A. comfort B. wealth C. value D. honor
10.A. suffered B. hesitated C. managed D. wondered
11.A. check B. lay C. match D. cover
12.A. witness B. predict C. follow D. wish
13.A. ignored B. blamed C. confirmed D. handled
14.A. situations B. memories C. schedules D. professions
15.A. escaped B. volunteered C. disappeared D. survived
16.A. competitive B. complex C. familiar D. stable
17.A. carrying B. seeking C. occupying D. treating
18.A. responsibility B. permission C. encouragement D. achievement
19.A. purpose B. dialogue C. relief D. doubt
20.A. luck B. fun C. pride D. hope
Shark attacks can be deadly, but they are not common. Each year, sharks usually kill fewer than 10 people worldwide, and about 100 people 1. (injure). You are more likely to be attacked in parts of the sea 2. tourists throw in food to bring in sharks. However, people are dangerous to sharks, too. 60 million sharks are killed 3. food and medicine every year. As a result, some kinds of sharks may die out completely. 4. (protect) these wonderful animals, some countries have made programs to help them survive.
