Minimalism (简约主义) is a term that describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is reduced to its most basic features.
As for me, minimalism functions well not in art or design, but in my daily life.
When I was packing for university, I found it extremely difficult to let go of some of the things I owned. I knew I couldn’t take everything with me, but I kept asking myself “how could I possibly throw this away?”, “what if I need it one day?”, and “what about all of the memories?” Now that I’ve moved, and left that stuff behind, I don’t even miss it. Whether or not I got rid of it, it barely makes a bit of difference to me now.
I’ve learned that over time people forget, or their need for a particular object eventually disappears. Either they store it away or they get rid of it.
You might think nostalgically（怀旧的） about the toys you cared about when you were a child, but what is making you smile now is not the thing itself but the memory of it. 1’ve heard it a hundred times, “you don’t need things to make you happy.” It takes something life-changing like moving across the country to realize how true this is.
Speaking of which, for a lot of people, minimalism is about able to move. It’s about being able to go almost anywhere at any time because you don’t have many possessions to carry. When you keep things you don’t need they become a burden that ties you to a place. Moving to university was a good time to let go of a lot of stuff. And when I visit for the holidays, I’ll probably get rid of even more, to lighten the burden.
Of course there are exceptions. There are some things that are irreplaceable, very rare or expensive or we simply love and cherish for some reason or another, since we are humans. But after we keep those, how much is left that we don’t really need?
Hence, minimalism. And why does minimalism bring happiness? That was a bit of a roundabout way of saying that, it’s because what really makes me happy is freedom. And the key to freedom is minimalism because minimalism reduces our attachment to things.
Attachment to too many objects creates a great mess and can severely hold back our freedom to do whatever we want, while minimalism helps us start new projects, move, travel, learn new things, work, expand, be debt-free, be healthy – really living life to our full potential.
I left the nest to fly onwards and upwards, I can’t do it with old things weighing me down. And that is why I have adopted minimalism with open arms.
1.In paragraph l, the writer gives the definition of minimalism to .
A. introduce a topic B. present his own idea
C. describe a scene D. offer an argument
2.Many people don’t want to let go of some of their belongings because .
A. they haven’t had any life-changing experiences
B. they fear their memories will be gone with the thrown-away stuff
C. they hope to live life to their full potential by storing things away
D. they may have to change their lifestyle because of the loss of them
3.Which of the following is NOT the reason why the writer favors “minimalism” in life?
A. It takes the burden off her while she is moving.
B. It reduces her attachment to her personal things.
C. It enables her to gain the freedom that she desires.
D. It helps her to realize how true life is.
4.By saying “there are exceptions”, the writer means
A. little is left if we keep what we cherish most in our life
B. minimalism should be practised accordingly in different situations
C. minimalism is a method difficult to employ in reality
D. life is full of exceptions so it’s difficult to preserve what we value
5.What’s the main idea of the passage?
A. Minimalism brings happiness.
B. Minimalism is applied in many fields.
C. Minimalism makes people think nostalgically.
D. Minimalism is about able to move.
It’s really a tough job for automakers doing marketing and sales in China, where competition is acute and customers have little loyalty. They have tried a range of tricks in recent years.
But there should be a moral bottom line. Unfortunately, a Buick dealership used the tragedy of a two-month-old infant to advertise its cars last week on Weibo – Micro blog. And Hyundai Motor followed suit.
On March 4, an SUV was stolen with the infant left inside alone in the northeastern city of Changchun. The news spread widely on Weibo after the baby’s father called the local police and radio station for help. The next day it was revealed that the infant was choked to death and buried in snow by the thief. The online community expressed its deeply felt sympathy and condolences.
The Buick dealership posted a photo of the baby and two of its cars on its official Weibo account to advertise its GPS system that can locate the stolen car. “A few thoughts on the Changchun stolen car and baby incident: when buying a car it’s entirely OK to choose a brand with advanced technology,” said the post. Though the post was made before tragic fate of the infant was known, the action generated a storm of outrage on Weibo. Some online commentators said it is “marketing at the cost of lives” and “extremely despicable.”
Worse was the post on Hyundai’s official Weibo account that advertised the anti – theft system on its new SUV Santa Fe, an entry made after the child was known to have died. The action also enraged micro bloggers.
Both posts were soon deleted. The Buick dealership made an apology on Weibo to the family of the victim and the public. But screenshots saved by users continued to be posted and the negative impact on both brands persists.
The two brands probably didn’t expect such a firestorm of fury from the Internet community, but they really made a big mistake sinking below the moral bottom line. They certainly ruined their own brand images.
The Chinese have the same proverb as the English language – a little leak will sink a great ship. It takes decades to build the great ship of a respectable brand but it can take just a moment of negligence to make it fail completely.
For those in corporate marketing, two lessons should be learned: first, be careful in the era of social media when one wrong can be easily magnified and have disastrous impacts in just a few clicks.
Second and more importantly, think with your brain and heart. Never break the moral bonds of respect for human life and sympathy for our fellow man.
1.Who is to blame for the tragedy of Changchun infant according to the passage?
A. The baby’s father B. Buick and Hyundai dealership C. Weibo D. Not clear
2.Which of the following statements is correct?
A. The missing infant was found alive in the stolen car.
B. Micro blog marketing of tragic infant death fuels firestorm of criticism.
C. People can’t see the two posts any more because they were deleted.
D. The two car brands mentioned in the passage spoiled their own reputation by selling the stolen car.
3.What does the underlined word – “despicable” in paragraph 4 mean?
A. Immoral B. Important C. Distinguished D. Considerable
4.The reason why Hyundai’s post was worse than Buick’s is that _________.
A. Hyundai dealership didn’t make an apology on Weibo
B. Buick dealership expressed its deeply sympathy and condolences
C. Hyundai’s post was made after people knew the infant had died
D. Buick’s car was more advanced on its GPS system
5.In the last paragraph, the author encourages people _____________.
A. not to sink below the moral bottom line
B. not to sympathize our fellow man
C. to think twice before making decision
D. to magnify the mistakes people make
We all know what it is like to be unable to turn your head because of a cold in the muscles of your neck, or because an unexpected twist has made your neck ache. The slightest move makes you jump with pain. Nothing could be worse than a pain in the neck.
That is why we use the phrase to describe some people who give you the same feeling. We have all met such people.
One is the man who always seems to be clapping his hands—often at the wrong time—during a performance in the theater. He keeps you from hearing the actors.
Even worse are those who can never arrive before the curtain goes up and the play begins. They come hurrying down to your row of seats. You are comfortably settled down, with your hat and heavy coat in your lap. You must stand up to let them pass. You are proud of yourself-control after they have settled into their seats…Well, what now…God, one of them is up again. He forgot to go to the men’s room, and once more you have to stand up, hanging on to your hat and coat to let him pass. Now, that is “a pain in the neck”.
Another, well—known to us all, is the person sitting behind you in the movies. His mouth is full of popcorn ; he is chewing loudly, or talking between bites to friends next to him. None of them remain still. Up and down, back and forth, they go—for another bag of popcorn, or something to drink.
Then, there is the man sitting next to you at lunch, smoking. He wants you to enjoy it too, and blows smoke across your food into your mouth.
We must not forget the man who comes into a bus or subway and sits down next to you, just as close as you will let him. You are reading the newspaper and he gets closer so that he can read the paper with you. He may even turn the paper to the next page before you are ready for it.
We also call such a person a “rubber neck”, always getting close to where it does not belong, like neighbors who watch all your visitors. They enjoy learning about your personal business. People have a strong dislike for “rubber necks”. They hate being watched secretly.
1.Where can you find this passage?
A. In a medicine dictionary. B. in a kids’ story book.
C. In a social science book. D. In a science textbook.
2.According to the passage, how do you feel when late comers walk back and forth in front of you in a cinema?
A. disturbed. B. bored. C. ignored. D. relaxed.
3.A “rubber neck” often __________________ .
A. says bad words behind people.
B. quarrels face to face with neighbors.
C. bargains with salespeople over the price
D. asks about other people’s business
4.Which of the following persons CANNOT be described as a “pain in the neck”?
A. Someone who often claps at the wrong time during a performance.
B. Someone who feels ache in his neck due to a cold in the muscles.
C. Someone who sits next to you smoking, which you never enjoy.
D. Someone who keeps eating or talking all through the movies.
5.What is the main purpose of the author?
A. To tell people what might be bad manners in public.
B. To criticize (批评) the people who might be a “pain in the neck”
C. To show anger to those who are described as a “pain in the neck”.
D. To tell people how to stop the pain in the neck.
Dr. Sylvia Earle wants you to stop eating fish. It's not because fish are endangered, though wild fish stocks in many oceans are very low. It's not because they're bad for you, though fish in many areas are exposed to poisonous substances in the water. It’s because they're smart.
"Fish are sensitive, they have personalities," says the marine biologist. For Earle, eating a fish would be like eating a dog or a cat. "I would never eat anyone I know personally."
There's a lot more to fish than meets the eye: they talk to each other, they like to be touched, and they engage in behavior that can seem very human. They can remember things and learn from experience. Earle and a growing number of animal rights activists see these as strong arguments against eating fish altogether.
The activists also point out that fish feel pain and fish suffer horribly on their way from the sea to the supermarket. "While it may seem conspicuous that fish are able to feel pain, like every other animal, some people think of fish as swimming vegetables," says Dr. Lynne Sneddon. "Really, it's kind of a moral question. Is the enjoyment you get from fishing (or eating fish) more important than the pain of the fish?"
Fishermen and (fried) fish lovers are skeptical. "I've never seen a smart fish," says Marie Swaringen as she finishes off a plate of fish at a Seattle seafood restaurant. "If they were very smart, they wouldn't get caught."
"For years, everyone's been telling us to eat fish because it's so good for us," says another diner. "Now I've got to feel guilty while I'm eating my fish? What are they going to think of next? Don't eat salad because cucumbers have feelings?"
1.According to Dr. Sylvia Earle, he would stop eating fish as a result of the following reasons EXCEPT ___________ .
A. Fish are sensitive and have personalities
B. He knows fish very well
C. Fish are dangerous to eat because the water is polluted
D. Fish are clever
2.Dr. Lynne Sneddon describes the behavior of eating fish in a(n) _______ tone.
A. opposed B. optimistic C. indifferent D. supportive
3.Which word below can take the place of the underlined word “conspicuous” in Paragraph 4?
A. obvious B. easy C. impossible D. necessary
4.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that _____________ .
A. Human beings should stop eating fish
B. We would feel guilty if we continued eating fish
C. People eat fish because fish are delicious
D. Cucumber is a kind of vegetable or fruit
5.What was the author’s purpose when writing this passage?
A. To advise people to stop eating fish.
B. To introduce a topic of whether people should eat fish.
C. To advise people not to stop eating fish.
D. To tell us that fish will feel pain when caught and transported.
My grandfather went to high school in the 1920s. While in school, he became in the drama program, acting in various productions. He in touch with his drama teacher.
My father went to high school in the 1960s. Like his before him, he acted in high school. He, too,stayed in touch with his drama teacher for the rest of the teacher's I graduated in 1997. When Hoover, my drama teacher, was in Alaska, I didn't want her to feel like she was ending her life , so I sent her many packages, including Drama Club yearbook photos from each year she there in order that she could see the students whose lives she forever .
Her nickname for our group of Drama Club was "the Throwaway Kids". , no? She described us as that we were nonconformists (不墨守成规者) that other teachers didn't know what to do with. She simply us for who we are, and that was exactly what we needed.
We have all become members of society: reporters, lawyers, and singers, soldiers, doctors and, you guessed it, teachers. Every member of my family is a teacher. This year the 73rd year we have taught in Alaska altogether.
me, teaching the course is only one important part of the job. As I returned to my classroom just before the final bell on the last day of school in May, I thought how the most emotional part of the experience will not be seeing the recent return to say "hello" at Christmas. That was how the of keeping in touch with our teachers our whole life long began in my family. Honestly, learning a lifetime.
1.A. famous B. active C. anxious D. attractive
2.A. lost B. provided C. kept D. shared
3.A. teacher B. classmate C. mother D. father
4.A. life B.job C. space D. season
5.A. dying B. singing C. acting D. playing
6.A. Poor B. angry C. anxious D. alone
7.A. taught B. constructed C. ordered D. demanded
8.A. protected B. developed C. scolded D. affected
9.A. Interesting B. Exciting C. Shocking D. Encouraging
10.A. because B. if C. But D. although
11.A. purely B. exactly C. obviously D. basically
12.A. entertained B. accepted C. disliked D. noticed
13.A. consuming B. contributing C. confirming D. connecting
14.A. fills . B. marks C. covers D. deals
15.A. After B. With C. To D. By
16.A. natural B. simple C. entire D. casual
17.A. fel1 B. rang C. broke D. rolled
18.A. classmates B. soldiers C. adultsD. graduates
19.A. tradition B. culture C. custom D. behavior
20.A. wastes B. puts C. takes D. pulls
The telephone _____ three times in the last hour, and each time it _____ for my sister.
A. had rung; wasB. has rung; wasC. rang; has beenD. has been ringing; is
