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Conquering Procrastination (拖延症)
Procrastination, the habit of putting tasks off to the last possible minute, can be a major problem in both your career and your personal life. 1. . Therefore, it takes deliberate strategies to avoid becoming our own worst enemy by procrastinating on our intended actions.
Don’t give in to feeling good. 2. . For example, a task at hand makes us feel anxious or overwhelmed, so we give in to feeling good, seeking immediate emotional relief, and we walk away, leaving the task for tomorrow. To cope with this, stay for a minute — don’t walk away. Acknowledge the negative emotions, but get started anyway. Progress on a goal provides the motivation for another step forward.
3. . We’re most likely to procrastinate on tasks that lack structure. This means that in addition to making your task specific, it’s important to reduce the uncertainty about how to continue — and, when it’s time to act, to reduce available distractions (分心的事物) as well. Shut off your e-mail, separate yourself from others as much as you can, and make sure the environment around you is working to strengthen your willpower and focus, not to weaken your efforts.
Make the most of the willpower muscle. A great deal of recent research clearly indicates that willpower is like a muscle. You can exhaust it more quickly than you might imagine and, when you do, you lose your ability to self-regulate your behavior. One immediate method to strengthen your resolve in order to keep you on task is to remind yourself of your values. 4. .
Beating procrastination isn’t rocket science, but it is psychology. Procrastinators can change their behavior — but doing so consumes a lot of mental energy. 5. . It can be done with highly organized cognitive (认知的) behavior treatment.
A. Its side effects include losing opportunities, rushed work, stress, anger, and guilt.
B. Do not perform several tasks at a time.
C. This process of self-recognition strengthens our weakening willpower.
D. When self-regulation fails, it’s often because short-term emotional repair comes before our long-term goals.
E. And it doesn’t necessarily mean one feels transformed internally.
F. It means doing more enjoyable things in place of less enjoyable ones.
G. Reduce uncertainty and distractions.
It is all very well to blame traffic jams, the cost of petrol and the quick pace of modern life, but manners on the roads are becoming horrible. Everybody knows that the nicest men become monsters behind the wheel. It is very well, again, to have a tiger in the tank, but to have one in the driver’s seat is another matter altogether. You might tolerate the odd road-hog, the rude and inconsiderate driver, but nowadays the well-mannered motorist is the exception to the rule. Perhaps the situation calls for a “Be Kind to Other Drivers” campaign, otherwise it may get completely out of control.
Road politeness is not only good manners, but good sense too. It takes the most cool-headed and good-tempered drivers to resist the temptation to revenge when subjected to uncivilized behavior. On the other hand, a little politeness goes a long way towards relieving the tensions of motoring. A friendly nod or a wave of acknowledgement in response to an act of politeness helps to create an atmosphere of goodwill and tolerance so necessary in modern traffic conditions. But such acknowledgements of politeness are all too rare today. Many drivers nowadays don’t even seem able to recognize politeness when they see it.
However, misplaced politeness can also be dangerous. Typical examples are the driver who brakes violently to allow a car to emerge from a side street at some hazard to following traffic, when a few seconds later the road would be clear anyway; or the man who waves a child across a zebra crossing into the path of oncoming vehicles that may be unable to stop in time. The same goes for encouraging old ladies to cross the road wherever and whenever they want to. It always amazes me that the highways are not covered with the dead bodies of these grannies.
A veteran (资深的) driver, whose manners are faultless, told me it would help if motorists learnt to filter correctly into traffic streams one at a time without causing the total blockages that give rise to bad temper. Unfortunately, modern motorists can’t even learn to drive, let alone master the subtler aspects of boatmanship. Years ago the experts warned us that the car-ownership explosion would demand a lot more give-and-take from all road users. It is high time for all of us to take this message to heart.
1.According to this passage, troubles on the road are primarily caused by ________.
A. people’s attitude towards the road-hog
B. the rhythm of modern life
C. the behavior of the driver
D. traffic conditions
2.The sentence “You might tolerate the odd road-hog... the rule.” (Para. 1) implies that ________.
A our society is unjust towards well-mannered motorists
B. rude drivers can be met only occasionally
C. the well-mannered motorist cannot tolerate the road-hog
D. nowadays impolite drivers make up the majority of motorists
3.In the writer’s opinion, which is “misplaced politeness”?
A. Revenge when subjected to uncivilized behavior.
B. Encouraging old ladies to cross the road as long as they want to.
C. A wave of acknowledgement in response to an act of politeness.
D. Waving a child across a zebra crossing.
4.In the writer’s opinion, ________.
A. strict traffic regulations are badly needed
B. drivers should apply road politeness properly
C. rude drivers should be punished
D. drivers should avoid traffic jams
When I was superintendent of schools in Palo Alto, California, Polly Tyner, the president of our board of trustees（董事会）, wrote a letter that was printed in the Palo Alto Times. Polly's son, Jim, had great difficulty in school. He was classified as educationally handicapped and required a great deal of patience on the part of his parents and teachers. But Jim was a happy kid with a great smile that lit up the room. His parents acknowledged his academic difficulties, but always tried to help him see his strengths so that he could walk with pride. Shortly after Jim finished high school, he was killed in a motorcycle accident. After his death, his mother submitted this letter to the newspaper.
Today we buried our 20-year-old son. He was killed instantly in a motorcycle accident on Friday night. How I wish I had known when I talked to him last that it would be the last time. If I had only known I would have said, "Jim, I love you and I'm so very proud of you."
I would have taken the time to count the many blessings he brought to the lives of the many who loved him. I would have taken time to appreciate his beautiful smile, the sound of his laughter, his genuine love of people.
When you put all the good attributes on the scale(天平) and you try to balance all the irritating traits such as the radio which was always too loud, the haircut that wasn't to our liking, the dirty socks under the bed, etc., the irritations don't amount to much.
I won't get another chance to tell my son all I would have wanted him to hear, but, other parents, you do have a chance. Tell your young people what you would want them to hear if you knew it would be your last conversation. The last time I talked to Jim was the day he died. He called me to say, "Hi, Mom! I just called to say I love you. Got to go to work. Bye." He gave me something to treasure forever.
If there is any purpose at all to Jim's death, maybe it is to make others appreciate more of life and to have people, especially families, take the time to let each other know just how much we care.
You may never have another chance. Do it today!
1.Which of the following is NOT true about Jim?
A. He was a boy handicapped and needed lots of patience.
B. He was an optimistic child and was sincere and kind to others.
C. He found a job after his graduation from high school.
D. He held a positive attitude to life despite his great difficulty in learning.
2.The letter submitted by Jim’s mother is intended to____________.
A. be in memory of her son who died at an early age
B. appeal to people to pay attention to road safety
C. remind people to cherish their friends and families
D. show the great sorrow when parents lost their child
3.The underlined word “traits” in the fourth paragraph probably means___________.
A. portraits B. Qualities C. arguments D. habits
4.The passage is most probably entitled__________.
A. A Heart-broken Story B. Memories About Jim
C. Great Parental Love D. Do It Today
A recent survey found that the French are the second-most insecure people in Europe after Italy about their proficiency in English. Only 13 percent of the French respondents believed they are proficient in the language, according to the European data agency Eurostat.
The situation is no better in business circles, where three-quarters of French executives feel unprepared to hold an interview in English and only 16 percent say they feel comfortable with the language, a separate survey showed.
The survey results aren't surprising. The French seem to have always had this cold and gloomy（沮丧的）attitude toward the English language. But what struck me is that, despite the French pessimism, living in Paris without being able to speak the language of Moliere is easier these days than in the past.
New immigrants are part of the reason. I can have an easy chat with the owner of the laundry in my neighborhood. Buying the medicine I need at the local pharmacy is effortless. Ordering a meal in English at the restaurant two blocks away from my apartment does not make me feel awkward. It is all because the people who run these businesses are immigrants.
Greater tolerance and acceptance of non-French speakers is a reflection of the fact that France, willingly or not, has begun to embrace(拥抱) globalization more comfortably. For instance, you will never get the same look you would have had 15 years ago if you ask for directions in English on the streets of Paris.
I have also met many native French who are happy to communicate in English. They are usually the kind of people who are open-minded and are sensitive to the changes beyond their own territories. They are very interested in gaining insight into what is happening on the other side of the globe.
In my hometown, English is also being hotly debated since Beijing education authorities decided to reduce the importance of English proficiency in college entrance exams and increase that of the Chinese language and literature. The Chinese and the French share similarities in attitudes toward foreign languages. We are both so proud of our own languages and cultures that we can feel uncomfortable when we are forced to communicate in another language.
But like it or not, English is still the most widely used language in the world, at least for the foreseeable（可预知的） future. After all, it is not about abandoning one's own language but about being able to fit more easily into this globalized world.
1.What is the passage mainly about?
A. French people have great difficulty speaking English.
B. English is becoming increasingly acceptable in France.
C. Great changes take place in France because of the immigrants.
D. English helps France to embrace globalization.
2.The expression “to speak the language of Moliere” can be understood as________________.
A. to speak Italian
B. to speak English
C. to speak French
D. to speak the language of an immigrant named Moliere
3.What is the purpose of mentioning Chinese in the 7th paragraph?
A. To prove Chinese and French share a lot similarities in culture.
B. To show how wise it is to reduce the importance of English in exams.
C. To explain why French people are unwilling to speak English.
D. To show how proud they are to own their own languages.
4.What can we infer from the passage?
A. The immigrants in France speak English as their native language.
B. In France people refuse to communicate with each other in English.
C. Italians feel the most unconfident in speaking English in Europe.
D. French people are happy to face the changes in their country.
If you are sending a text, watching the TV or listening to the radio, you may want to stop and give this your full attention. Multi-tasking shrinks (萎缩) the brain, research suggests.
A study found that men and women who frequently used several types of technology at the same time had less grey matter in a key part of the brain. University of Sussex researchers said, “Simultaneously using mobile phones, laptops and other media devices could be changing the structure of our brains.”
The finding follows research which has linked multi-tasking with a shortened attention span, depression, anxiety and lower grades at school. The researchers began by asking 75 healthy men and women how often they divided their attention between different types of technology. This could mean sending a text message while listening to music and checking email, or speaking on the phone while watching TV and surfing the web. The volunteers were then given brain scans which showed they had less grey matter in a region called the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The findings held even when differences in personality were taken into account.
The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, is the first to make a link between multi-tasking and the structure of the brain.
Researcher Kep Kee Loh said, “Media multi-tasking is becoming more common in our lives today and there is increasing concern about its impacts on our cognition and social-emotional well-being.”
He added that more research is needed to prove that multi-tasking shrinks the brain. This is because it is also possible that people with less grey matter in the ACC are more drawn to using lots of small devices simultaneously.
Scientists have previously demonstrated brain structure can be changed on prolonged exposure to new environments and experience. Other studies have shown that training — such as learning to juggle or taxi drivers learning the map of London — can increase grey-matter densities (密度) in certain parts. Experts have also warned of the harmful impact technology can have on our memory and attention span.
1.According to Kep Kee Loh, ________.
A. the link between multi-tasking and brain shrinkage needs further research
B. people with less grey matter in the ACC are more attracted to multi-tasking
C. multi-tasking has harmful impacts on our cognition and social-emotional well-being
D. multi-tasking leads to a shortened attention span, depression, anxiety and lower grades
2.Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. What multi-tasking is probably linked with.
B. How researchers draw inferences about multi-tasking.
C. How different health conditions affect brain structure.
D. Significance and limits of the research from University of Sussex .
3.The purpose of the passage is to ________.
A. compare the latest research with previous ones
B. prove the dangers of multi-tasking
C. inform readers of research on multi-tasking
D. discuss the benefits and problems of multi-tasking
书面表达
高中生考入大学后，是否要立即为其配备笔记本电脑呢？对此，有人赞同，有人反对。请你根据下列表格的内容写一篇英语短文，并发表你的看法。
支持者 | 反对者 |
1. 是对子女奋发努力取得好成绩的肯定和奖励 2. 方便今后的学习，随时随地地可以上网查阅资料 | 1. 给有些家庭增加了经济负担 2. 大学学习条件比较优越，有足够的计算机房供学生使用 |
你的看法（至少两点）…… |
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注意：1. 对所给要点逐一陈述并适当发挥，不要简单翻译。
2.词数100左右，开头已经给出，不计入总词数。
Is it necessary for freshmen to have a laptop when they go to university? Different people have different ideas.
