Do People Need Small Talk to Be Happy?
Psychologists (心理学家）have long said that connecting with others is an important part of happiness, but just how much conversation we require is under examination. In one study， researchers found that small talk made up only 10% of their conversation related with happiness.
1.. Scientists believe that small talk could promote bonding. Late last year, Princeton researchers reported that small talk keeps closeness with loved ones, and isn’t merely the stuff of awkward exchanges with strangers.
Still, chatting with strangers could brighten your morning. In a series of experiments, psychologists gave Chicago passengers different directions about whether to talk with fellow passengers一something they typically avoided.2.. None of the chatters reported being rejected.
Small talk can also help us feel connected to our surroundings. People who smiled at，made eye contact with, and briefly spoke with their Starbucks baristas (服务员）reported a greater sense of belonging than those who rushed through the transaction (交易）.3.One report found that when volunteers broke the silence to chat with gallery goers, the visitors felt happier and more connected to the exhibit than those who were not approached.
4..In one study, people who were rated “less curious” by researchers had trouble getting a conversation rolling on their own, and had greater luck building closeness with others when they were supplied with questions that encouraged personal disclosure (透露）.But people who were considered “curious” needed no help when transforming conversations about ordinary things into personal exchanges. 5..
A. The same is true of gallery goers.
B. They found that small talk is related with happiness
C. But don’t play down small talk just yet..
D. Of course, some people are better than others at turning small talk into something bigger.
E. A “curious mindset”，the author concluded, can lead to “positive social interactions”.
F. Making small talk is an important skill for all the social situations.
G. Those told to chat with others reported a more pleasant journey.
Imagine looking at something and being able to move it just by using your brain!That is exactly what the new technology called BrainGate can do —with the help of a robotic arm,anyway.
BrainGate is the idea of Professor John Donoghue and his team of researchers at the Brown Institute for Brain Science,USA. BrainGate is attached directly to the brain. First of all,gold wires are put into the part of the brain that controls movement. These are then connected to a small computer chip(芯片) . When the person thinks about different movements,this creates electrical signals,which are picked up by the chip. After this,the signals that are created by the brain are sent back to a computer,which changes the signals into movements. Finally,the computer uses the robotic arm to carry out these movements. BrainGate can already be used to write an e-mail or play computer games,just by brain power.
The technology has already cost millions of dollars to develop and when it is available for use,it will probably cost thousands of dollars per person. There are still many challenges ahead for Donoghue and his team. They are currently planning a mini wireless version,which will allow people to be connected to the computer at all times. Donoghue also dreams of using this technology to help disabled people who can't move their arms or legs. He plans to connect BrainGate directly to their own paralysed limbs(瘫痪的胳膊或腿) .This will mean that the person can control their own body again,without relying on a robotic arm.
This research is attracting the military's (军方的) attention as well. However,it is easy to understand why scientists might be concerned about how thought-controlled machines could be used by the military.
1.What does the underlined word “These” refer to?
A. Movements. B. Thoughts.
C. Brains D. Wires.
2.What is one of BrainGate's disadvantages?
A. It needs improvement. B. It produces few movements.
C. It is too expensive. D. It is difficult to control.
3.How will Donoghue help disabled people?
A. By developing a wireless version.
B. By replacing their limbs with robotic ones.
C. By making BrainGate smaller.
D. By attaching BrainGate to their bad limbs.
4.What does the military think of thought-controlled machines?
A. They could lead to disasters. B. They would face fierce competition.
C. They could be useful. D. They would be in mass production.
Crossing your legs is an extremely common habit; most people don't even notice that they're doing it when they sit down. While you may find it comfortable to sit with one knee crossed over the other, it might be causing health problems that you are not aware of.
A study published in Blood Pressure Monitoring stated that sitting with your legs crossed can increase your blood pressure. The reason for this is that the blood in your legs has to work against gravity to be pumped back to your heart and that crossing one leg over the other increases resistance, making it even harder for the blood to circulate. This causes your body to increase your blood pressure to push the blood back to the heart. You won't feel any immediate effects, but repeated, drawn-out increases in blood pressure can cause long-term health issues. So, planning to sit for a long period of time? Don't keep your legs crossed.
Crossing your legs at the knee can also cause pressure on the major nerve in your leg that passes just below your knee and along the outside of your leg, explains Richard Graves, a medical expert. This pressure can cause numbness and temporary paralysis (麻痹) of some of the muscles in your foot and leg, preventing you from being able to raise your ankle—what we know as that “pins and needles” sensation. While the feeling of discomfort may only last a minute or two, repeatedly crossing your legs until they feel numb can cause permanent nerve damage.
So next time you sit down, try to get yourself in the habit of sitting with both of your feet on the floor. Not only will it help your posture and stability, but it will also save your health in the long run.
1.What can we learn about crossing one's legs?
A. It is a very bad social habit.
B. It is usually practiced deliberately.
C. It can make others feel uncomfortable.
D. It can do harm to people's health.
2.According to the study, sitting with your legs crossed can______.
A. resist gravity effectively B. affect your blood pressure
C. lead to heart attacks easily D. improve the function of legs
3.In the third paragraph "pins and needles" probably means______.
A. serious muscle injuries B. being a little nervous
C. slight sharp pains D. being highly flexible
4.What is the main purpose of the text?
A. To give readers some advice. B. To compare common habits.
C. To evaluate effects of an experiment. D. To introduce research methods.
One cold day last November, my wife and I came home from work to a sick young daughter and we decided to stay at home for the night. Problem was, we had two tickets to see Miranda July, the performance artist, being interviewed at the Herbst Theatre. We decided to sell them online for ＄50. One hour before the event, a guy named Peter called me and said he wanted to buy the tickets. Since the time was limited, I told Peter to pay me the next day. Peter seemed touched and we said a fond goodbye.
However, a month later, Peter still didn’t pay me back. A few more weeks passed. Another month. There’d been one e-mail promising to mail the check, then silence.
Maybe he was having a hard time, I thought. But truth was, Peter seemed to be having a pretty normal time. According to the pictures and messages on his Facebook, he had been playing golf, dancing happily with his friends, and traveling on a boat. But he just refused to answer my calls, or reply to my e-mails or messages. So I tried reaching him with my wife’s phone one night. And he didn’t pick up when I called,but texted right back, playfully wondering who might be calling him.
“You should go to his office,”my wife said, “He would have to give you the money if all his coworkers were watching.”
But I didn’t want to become a debt collector. My efforts to reach Peter over these months had been light and I wanted to keep it that way. My initial exchange with Peter had been just two regular people agreeing to handle things humanly. There was a rare niceness in that, and I still wanted to keep that balloon in the air, however disappointing it was starting to look. I wanted to believe we could still trust each other.
1.For what reason did the author and his wife decide to sell the ticket?
A. They thought it was too cold that night.
B. They needed to look after their daughter.
C. They wanted to save some money.
D. They were going to be interviewed.
2.On the night the author sold his tickets to Peter, he .
A. knew he might not get the ＄50. B. felt a little hesitant.
C. thought he could trust Peter. D. was moved by Peter’s kindness.
3.Why didn’t Peter pay the author back?
A. Because he didn’t remember it. B. Because he was too busy to pay.
C. Because he didn’t want to pay. D. Because he was having a tough time.
4.What can we infer about the author?
A. He would never trust strangers.
B. He might call the police for help.
C. He would go to Peter’s office to talk to him.
D. He still hoped Peter would pay him back.
Away with words
The telegraph, an online news service, has teamed up with Saga, which provides products and services only for the over 50s, to hold a new competition to find the best travel writer. Three lucky winners will win a master class with two top Telegraph travel writers before travelling the world with Saga on one of three holidays of great comfort and pleasure. To enter, all you need to do is tell us something mysterious and wonderful about the world of travel—a favorite memory, a humorous tale, an unforgettable occasion or a sight worth writing about.
What we are looking for
You must be able to read not only those signs that help you find your way around but the ones that tell you how the locals tick. You must, in the words of Paul Theroux, an American travel writer, “descibe exactly what you see and give it life with your imgaination”.
In this competition, you can do that in anything from 150 words to 500, but they should be your words, and fresh ones. We do expect you not to hide the truth or the facts about your experience. Beyond that, you can make the most of the freedom travel writing gives you.
You’ll be editor as well as writer, so ensure those eyes are equally fresh when you check and recheck what you’ve written. We will make allowances for the occasional mistake, such as you have “fell” into a river. But we won’t put up with mistakes every few lines.
Terms ＆ conditions
Competitors must be aged 50 years or older.
The judging process is divided into two stages: entries will be hosted on the website for one month. The top 20 articles will then be selected by public vote. The top three winners will be chosen by three judges.
The closing date for entries is August 15.
1.What does the prize for winners include?
A. a chance to learn from excellent writers.
B. the publication of their works.
C. three wonderful holidays.
D. an opportunity to work in the Telegraph.
2.Who will select the final winners?
A. the public. B. Paul Theroux
C. two top Telegraph travel writers D. three chosen judges.
3.What type of writing is this text ?
A. . A nessay B. A travel guide
C. A writing guide D. An announcement
假设你是李华，你班将于本周日去太阳岛度假村（the Sun Island Resort）秋游。请你根据以下信息给外教Tim 写信，邀请他参加。要点如下：
1.出发及返回时间；
2.活动：骑车，钓鱼，划船，烧烤。
注意：1. 内容应包括以上要点，可以适当增加细节，以使内容连贯；
2. 词数100左右，开头已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Tim,
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Yours，
Li Hua
