Many of us recognize that familiar feeling of eagerly tearing open a carefully wrapped gift box, only to find a terrible woolen sweater. But what makes a good gift? The answer is very different, depending on whether you ask the gift giver or receiver.
A study published this month in Current Directions highlights the disconnection between the gifts we actually want and the ones we want to give, and offers some insights that may come in handy this holiday shopping season.
Psychologists have long known that we often struggle to predict other people’s preferences, and according to study co-author Elanor Williams, a marketing professor at Indiana University Bloomington, our ego(自我) may be to blame.
As gift givers, we tend to focus on the gift exchange itself, eagerly anticipating(期待)the warm feeling we get when we see the other person’s face light up with joy on opening our present. However, gift receivers focus more on the gift itself: Is it useful? Is it wanted?
Williams says the best strategy may be to simply ask people what they want. “There’s a misconception that the best-received gifts are the ones that are unexpected, but that’s just not true,” he explains. “The best-received gifts are the ones that best match what the receiver actually desires.”
Research on gift giving may feel a little dull, but as Williams points out, gift giving is something we do all the time. He adds that it plays an important social role—giving gifts can help us cater for (迎合) others and strength social bonds. There is also a more practical reason to up our gift-giving game—every holiday season, we shell out(支付) hundreds of billions of dollars on presents. “If we’re dong that,” he says, “We might as well get it right.”
1.What do we know about Current Directions?
A. It may be a magazine about psychological science.
B. It may be an advertisement about holiday shopping.
C. It may be a commercial report about people’s preferences.
D. It may be a wall newspaper in a shopping community.
2.In which case can the gift be regarded as the best-received one?
A. My friend gave me a ticket for a film but I was too busy to see it.
B. I bought a favorite book but a friend sent me another copy of it.
C. My aunt sent me a sweater in summer because it was cheap.
D. My uncle sent me a new mobile phone which I need badly.
3.What does the passage mainly intend to tell us?
A. Different feelings between gift gives and receivers.
B. How and why we should choose well-received gifts.
C. What makes a good gift in different holiday seasons.
D. Best-received gifts are the ones that are unexpected.
“Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you much stronger. If you do little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves,” said Dale Carnegie.
Sometimes, doing your best work or trying your hardest at something is difficult. It may have something to do with trying to do something new for the first time, like a new sport or activity at school. It may have something to do with doing homework for a subject that is not your favorite or is not your best.
As Hunter S. Thompson once said, “Anything worth doing is worth doing right.” And as Albert Einstein added, “We have to do the best we can. This is our sacred human responsibility.”
Developing the habit of trying your hardest and doing your best is something that will help you succeed throughout your life. If you have looked at some quotes related to trying your hardest, you will see that many of them come from people who have made a big difference in the world. This is not a coincidence. It was not only their cleverness that helped them stand out and change the world, but their ability to try their hardest and do their best in whatever they were doing. If you can develop this same habit---to do your best in any situation, it will be a great benefit to your family, career, school and community.
As Bob Cousy put it, “Do your best when no one is looking. If you do that, then you can be successful at anything you put your mind to.” The choice is yours.
1.Why does the author use the quote of Dale Carnegie in Paragraph 1?
A. To describe a scene. B. To introduce a topic.
C. To draw a conclusion. D. To support an argument.
2.According to the passage, in which case is it difficult to try your hardest?
A. When you are doing something that you are familiar with.
B. When you are doing something that you are good at.
C. When you are doing something that you feel bored with.
D. When you are doing something that you like very much.
3.Why does the author suggest we develop the habit of trying our hardest?
A. To let us make a big difference in the world.
B. To help us achieve success all through our life.
C. To make us more skillful in our work.
D. To make it possible for us to benefit the whole world.
4.What is the main purpose of the passage?
A. To inform. B. To advertise.
C. To introduce. D. To persuade.
As an instructional coach, I like to keep my candy boxes full in my office, with a variety of treats for my teachers. So this particular Saturday, I headed over to Walmart to check out the latest shipment of sorted Christmas candy. Sure, enough, the shelves were freshly stocked with all the latest Reese’s White Crème and Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Trees! I picked up a couple of big bag items and headed on my way.
Remembering my husband told me to be sure to get the tires repaired, I swung into Les Schwab to see if they could help me. Sure enough they got me in right away. It wasn’t going to take long, so I just stayed in the vehicle. 6 or 7 guys in the shop worked together like a race track pit(修理加油站) crew and I was done in minutes. Then I remembered my candy bag, thinking I’ll bet these guys would appreciate some peanut butter and chocolate.
So I handed a handful of individually wrapped trees to one of them and told him to share with his buddies. It was a small thing, but nearing the end of the busy day at the tire shop, I saw them standing around like kids with treats. You would have thought I gave them gourmet desserts! “Thanks so much for coming in today and your sweet candies!” I heard one of them say.
As I drove out of the garage I thought, it truly is the little things in life that make a difference! I’m going to keep looking for those small opportunities of kindness! I challenge you, the next time you get your tires repaired, take along a bag of candy!
1.The author went into Les Schwab in order to ________.
A. get the tires repaired
B. buy Christmas candies
C. show off her chocolate
D. help the workers in the garage
2.What can we know about the guys according to Paragraph 2?
A. They appreciated eating chocolate.
B. They were eager to eat peanut butter.
C. They were skillful in their repair work.
D. They helped the author to get in the car.
3.What does the underlined word “gourmet” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. Proper. B. Abundant.
C. Ridiculous. D. Delicious.
4.What may be the best title for the passage?
A. Chocolate Treats at the Tire Shop
B. People Around Me Love Chocolate
C. An Instructional Coach Enjoys Candy
D. Looking for Opportunities of Kindness
What’s the Big Deal?
In school, you may have experienced bullying. Bulling is hurting someone either by words or actions.
Some feel that bullying is a part of normal growing up. It isn’t! There are always problems between kids. But bullying is not right. We should stand up against it!
Did You Know?
★One out of four students report they have been bullied during the school year!
★Students who experience bullying have trouble sleeping, headaches, and stomach-aches.
★58% of kids have not told their parents about something hurtful that has happened to them.
★90% of teens who report being cyber-bullied have also been bullied offline.
★One out of five kids admit doing some “bullying”.
What Can You Do?
Bullying is big problem! But there are ways you can help either by yourself or by joining others trying to put an end to bullying!
Here are some ways you can take action:
Do Something Small:
★When you see bullying, do something! Stand up for kids in your school who are victims of bullying and offer to help.
★Be kind to the kids being bullied. Sit with them at lunch, talk to them at school, or invite them to do something. Just hanging out with them will help them know they aren’t alone.
Do Something Big:
★Talk to your teacher about becoming a leader in preventing bullying at your school.
★If your school doesn’t have an anti-bullying program, then ask for one! Register your school as a Champion Against Bullying!
Know that you can make a difference! Across the world, kids like you raise awareness of how to prevent bullying at their schools—and you can, too!
1.What percentage of teens report that they have been bullied during the school year?
A. 20%. B. 25%. C. 58%. D. 90%.
2.What can we learn about those being bullied according to the passage?
A. They may have difficulty in sleeping.
B. They often do some “bullying” online.
C. They may be ready to experience bullying.
D. They do something hurtful to someone else.
3.What does the author think kids expect others to do if they are bullied?
A. Keeping them company at dinner.
B. Advising them to talk with a teacher.
C. Asking them to put up with it.
D. Telling them to make more friends.
4.Which tends to be an effective way to stop bullying?
A. Make sure that you can make a difference.
B. Regard bullying as a normal part of growing up.
C. Work out a plan for an anti-bullying program.
D. Be a leader in an organization against bullying.
英语老师为了鼓励学生多进行英文课外阅读, 要求班上每一位同学在下周的口语课上用英语向其它同学推荐一种自己看过的报纸或杂志。请你写一份发言稿, 内容包括：
简要介绍你推荐的这种报纸或杂志的内容；
举例说明你推荐的这种报纸或杂志的优点。
注意：
1．词数100左右（开头和结尾已给出, 不计入总词数）；
2．可适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯。
Dear classmates,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
That’s all. Thank you.
文中共有10处错误, 每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧）, 并在其下面写出该加的词。 删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。修改：在错的词下划一横线, 并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；2. 只允许修改10处, 多者（从11处起）不计分。
Dear cousin,
Long time no see！It has been almost a year since you move to London. I miss you a lot of. I’m writing a letter to ask you for help. As you know, I am eager to be photographer like you, so I asked my parents to buy me a camera last week. But he told me I wouldn’t concentrate in my schoolwork if I got it. Oh, my god! What can I make them trust me？I’m not a kid any longer, but I can control myself. What’s worse, I have promised that I will take photos for the school’s newspaper next month. When asking by my classmates, I will be absolutely embarrassed. Therefore, would you like to lend me some money? If you’d like to, I will return it as soon as possibly.
Yours sincerely,
Tom
