In life, we're often torn between the person we want to be and the person we ought to be. Yet, while many hesitate to take the risks of becoming their "ideal self', a new study shows that people regret not running after their passion.
Inspired by research published in the 1990s, psychologist Thomas Gilovich along with his colleague built upon his original study, which proved that regrets came from what people hadn't done, by looking into the content of people's most enduring regrets grown from not living up to our "ideal self", as opposed to not living according to our "ought self".
Researchers began by explaining the difference between regrets concerning the "ideal self" and the "ought self", before asking participants to list their regrets. Across the six different studies conducted as part of this project, participants said they experienced regrets concerning their ideal self more often. They also mentioned more ideal-self regrets than ought-self regrets when asked to list their regrets in life so far.
"Our work is the first to show that people's biggest life regrets more often involve failures to live up to their ideal self than their ought self," the researchers said. They advise that people go on with caution, as the best way to live depends on how much weight you place on your ought self and your ideal self. If you care more about your ought self, you'll be wise to minimize your regrets by thinking twice before going ahead and seizing the moment.
Despite this research, however, knowing what you want and pursuing that passion are two different things. Maybe you'll be encouraged by a quote from Mark Twain:" Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, and catch the trade winds in your sails."
1.What did Thomas's original study prove?
A. People didn't take a risk in life.
B. People regretted what they hadn't done.
C. People lived up to their ideal self.
D. People regretted pursuing their passion.
2.How was the researchers' new study carried out?
A. By analyzing six different studies.
B. By analyzing people's various responses.
C. By explaining the difference among regrets.
D. By comparing ideal-self and ought-self regrets.
3.What did the researchers advise people to do?
A. Look back now and then.
B. Think twice before feeling regretful.
C. Live according to their choice.
D. Care more about their own life.
4.What is implied in Mark Twain's quote in the last paragraph?
A. Everyone should be forced to pursue their goals.
B. Everyone should make full use of their surroundings.
C. Everyone should have the courage to pursue their goals.
D. Everyone should stop themselves from getting disappointed.
Don't get mad the next time you catch your teenager texting when he promised to be studying. He simply may not be able to resist. A UI (University of Iowa) study found teenagers are far more sensitive than adults to the immediate effect or reward of their behaviors. The findings may help explain why the initial rush of texting may be more attractive for adolescents than the long-term payoff of studying
“For the teenager, the rewards are attractive, ” says Professor Jatin Vaidya, an author of the study. “They draw adolescents. Sometimes, the rewards are a kind of motivation for them. Even when a behavior is no longer in a teenager's best interest to continue, he will still go on. That’s because the effect of the reward is still there and lasts much longer in adolescents than in adults.”
For parents, that means limiting distractions so teenagers can make better choices. Take the homework and social media dilemma for example: At 9 p.m., shut off everything except a computer that has no access to Facebook or Twitter, the researchers advise. "I m not saying they shouldn’t be allowed access to technology, Vaidya says. "But some help in netting their concentration is necessary for them so they can develop those impulse(冲动)-control skills.
In their study, Vaidya and co-author Shaun Vecera note researchers generally believe teenagers are impulsive, make bad decisions, and engage in risky behavior because the frontal lobes(额叶) of their brains are not fully developed. But the UT researchers wonder whether something more fundamental is going on with adolescents to cause behaviors independent of higher-level reasoning.
“We want to try to understand how the brains reward system changes from childhood to adulthood, "says Vaidya, who adds the reward character in the human brain is easier than decision-making. "We’ve been trying to understand the reward process in adolescence and whether there is more to adolescence behavior than an underdeveloped frontal lobe, "he adds. For their study, the researchers persuaded 40 adolescents, aged 13 and 16, and 40 adults, aged 20 and 35 to participate.
In the future, researchers hope to look into the psychological and neurological aspects of their results.
1.What does the passage mainly tell us?
A. Adolescents care more about instant rewards.
B. Adolescents cannot resist temptation of bigger rewards.
C. Adolescents are most fond of texting to friends.
D. Adolescents are sensitive to the effect of their behaviors.
2.What is the underlined word distractions closest in meaning to?
A. Immediate rewards. B. The pull of social media.
C. Concentration training. D. Obstacles to attention.
3.Which statement agrees with Jatin Vaidya's idea?
A. Children should have access to the Internet
B. Children need help in maintaining their attention.
C. Parents should help children in making decisions.
D. The influence of the reward is weak in adolescents
4.What result does teenagers’ brain underdevelopment lead to?
A. Making good decisions B. Avoiding risky behavior
C. Joining in dangerous actions D. Doing things after some thought
Director James Cameron went to new depths for his film-making on Sunday by setting the world record for the deepest ocean dive by a single person.
This type of extreme research is nothing new to the director. Cameron, 57, is most famous for directing Titanic (1997) and Avantar (2009). During the several years of research for Titanic, he famously traveled to the bottom of the ocean to visit the sunken ship. He also visited the deep sea as research for his fictional 1989 film. The Abyss, which is about a submarine that comes across an alien species. "Most people know me as a film-maker, "Cameron said. "But the idea of exploring the ocean has always been the stronger drive in my life.
Cameron and his team had been preparing for the trip for seven years. On Sunday, Cameron took more than two and a half hours to make the dangerous 6.8-mile journey down to the Trench, an area with near-freezing temperatures, no sunlight, and heavy water pressure. Cameron traveled in a 24-foot-long mini-submarine he helped design, equipped with lights and 3D cameras for filming the adventure. It also had a mechanical arm for collecting samples of soil and deep-sea creatures. Humans had not visited the Mariana Trench since two divers first reached the deep-sea spot in 1960. The divers Don Walsh and Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard spent 20 minutes there but could hardly see anything. They took no pictures.
In his well-equipped submarine, Cameron was able to spend three hours in the Trench, exploring and filming. He plans to use his recordings in a 3D film production for movie theaters and for a National Geographic TV special. “I see this as the beginning,” Cameron said. “It's not a one-time deal. This is just the beginning of opening up this new frontier.”
1.We learn from the passage that James Cameron______
A. won't dive again in the future
B. is known as a film-maker to most people
C. is the only one who has ever been to the deep ocean
D. is famous for having reached the deepest ocean with his friends
2.Which of the following is TRUE about the film The Abyss?
A. It takes place underwater.
B. It was Cameron's first fictional film
C. Cameron spent seven years researching for it
D. Cameron dived to the bottom of the Trench for it
3.It can be inferred from the passage that________.
A. Cameron is very interested in high-tech
B. Cameron plans to use his recordings in the deep sea in all his films
C. Cameron will continue his exploration of the deep ocean
D. Cameron wants to make a lot of money from his exploration
4.What's the best title for the passage?
A. The Great Movies of James Cameron
B. James Cameron’s Autobiography
C. Hardship Under Water
D. A Director's Deep Dive
A notice at IKEA Shanghai has been shared widely among netizens on Chinese social media. It states that the stores cafeteria now requires customers to order food before sitting down in cafeteria seats. The policy is in response to an elderly blind dating group that occupies seats for a long time, consuming only their own food brought from home. Do you support IKEA’s new regulation? China Daily readers share their opinions with us.
Lee Xin (China)
The elderly are harmless. They are lonely and are probably hoping to find some company again. If anything, the store should at least sympathize with these old people.
Mbursian (US)
This is more for socializing than for romance. I really don’t think a home furnishing store is a good dating place for seniors.
IKEA could also post a reasonable time limit per visit during peak hours. Or instead of tables and chairs, they could use those standing tables and get rid of the chairs altogether. At least IKEA’s cafeteria isn’t occupied by the dancing grannies and their portable PA systems (音响).
SEARU (Australia)
Romance is the most important thing while eating is not that important! So a noble man always leaves more space for seniors’ love affairs!
Mr. Qiu (Shanghai, China 65 years old)
We have been to fast food outlets like McDonalds, but there are barely any peers there. We feel like aliens surrounded by youngsters. If there is another place in Shanghai where elderly people can gather, we are more than ready to pay twice as much and travel further.
TedM (UK)
Romance can arise in many places, even IKEA. However, this debate arose as a result of many people taking advantage of IKEA’s generous drink offers and going there to meet and stay with friends without buying anything. IKEA is a shop; it exists to provide a service for a reasonable profit. It is not a public park.
Michel (New Zealand)
To everyone romanticizing this, please also consider that the store has an image to uphold while protecting the interests of other paying customers. It is ugly to take up seats for such long durations while you make others wait.
1.How many people are in support of this new regulation?
A. 2. B. 3.
C. 4. D. 5.
2.What is the major cause of this new regulation?
A. Senior blind dates influencing their business.
B. IKEA has zero tolerance for romantic behavior.
C. The strong reaction of netizens on social media.
D. Old people eating their own food to save money.
3.People who are against the new regulation will probably agree that .
A. seniors’ love affairs can contribute to the store’s image
B. IKEA is the only place where seniors can find their peers
C. the society is being too judgmental and lacks understanding
D. IKEA should not reserve a special area for the old people to date
_______ with heavy loads of school work ______ he became an easy target of the flu.
A. So tired was the student; that B. So tired the student was; that
C. Tired as the student was; which D. The student was so tired; which
It was President Xi Jinping ______ visited the navy troops on April 19 and advocated that naval force ______.
A. who; be strengthened B. that; would be strengthened
C. who; to be strengthened D. that; must be strengthened
