In 1968 Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson set an intelligence test for a class of primary school children at "Oak School" (an invented name) in San Francisco. The teachers were told that the intelligence test bad two purposes. Firstly, it would measure the IQ of the children and secondly it would predict 20% of students who, no matter what their performance to date was like, would be likely to make the most progress during the next school year. The teachers were then told who the predicted top improvers would be.
At the end of the school year, eight months later, the intelligence test was carried out again and, perhaps not surprisingly, the results showed that the 20% of children who had been predicted to improve the most, did in fact do so. They showed, on average, an increase of 12 IQ points on the test, compared with an increase of only 8 points for the other children.
But the fact is that no results of any test were used to predict who would be the top performers. Instead, the lucky children who the teachers were told would be the top improvers were given this label as a matter of chance. This study shows that the label that you are given, and your interaction(互动) with others who notice that label, can have a big influence on the results that you achieve. This phenomenon(现象)has been called the Rosenthal effect. It is also known as the Pygmalion effect, related most famously to the George Bernard Show play Pygmalion , which shows the effect that two men have in changing an untidy flower girl into a well-spoken lady.
For ethical (道德的)reasons the researchers at "Oak School!" only concentrated on trying to produce positive results in the children's performance. However, it is worth asking yourself what the effects on 20% of students considered least likely to improve in the following school year might have been. A frightening thought.
1.What did the study find about the predicted top performers at the end of the school year?
A.They showed more interest in tests. B.They really made the most progress.
C.They became less confident than before. D.They were as intelligent as the other children.
2.How were the top performers chosen?
A.According to the teachers' judgement. B.Based on the test results.
C.By chance. D.Openly.
3.What can we infer about the 20% of students mentioned in the last paragraph?
A.They might be willing to accept positive results.
B.They would likely have frightening thoughts.
C.They would likely make the least progress.
D.They might work much harder than before.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.The Rosenthal effect B.A play by Bernard Shaw.
C.A school in San Francisco. D.The labels given to children.
Parrots have been known to imitate words, but have you ever thought how they communicate? The sounds they make may sound meaningless to us, but new research has found that wild parrots are actually given names by their parents.
According to a study led by Karl Berg of Cornell University in the US, baby birds are given a unique sound of their own, which stays with them for their entire lives.
In the study, the team placed hidden cameras in the nests of 17 different wild parrots. After studying their sounds, the team identified slight differences in the calls parents used to communicate with each chick. And even before the baby birds had learned to communicate properly, the baby birds seemed to recognize and imitate their calls.
Sounds very similar to humans, doesn’t it?
The study also proved that these signature calls are acquired socially not genetically. To do this, scientists switched the eggs in nine of the 17 nests, so that half of the parrots were raising baby birds that weren’t theirs. Using the recordings, the scientists concluded the baby birds all used names similar to those the parents (whether biological or nonbiological) called them for the first weeks of their lives.
Lucie McNeil, from National Geographic, said, “this would be the first [proven] example of a non-human species teaching acoustical (声学的) communication.”
Lead scientist for the study, Karl Berg told National Public Radio of the US, “Most people say, ‘Well, all those calls are just noise,’ but I think they’re having conversations.”
Fox News also asked Berg what else the parrots might be saying? He replied, “The theory is that these birds are deciding where the food is, ‘Do we want to go 3 km North-Northwest?’ “Do we want to go to that field?’ They are sort of arguing or discussing.”
Natural science author, Virginia Morell, wrote: “Very gradually, scientists are learning to decode the conversations of very different animals that live lives rich with plans, quarrels, and romance.”
You never know, if the science of animal translation keeps advancing, we might one day be watching a reality series about parrots.
1.What did the new research find about wild parrots?
A.They can talk by learning from people.
B.The sounds they make are meaningless.
C.They have names given by their parents.
D.They have a unique way of making sounds.
2.What does the study suggest?
A.Different parrots are called differently by their parents.
B.Baby parrots can tell who their biological parents are.
C.Baby parrots can mimic their biological parents’ calls better.
D.Parrots are the most skilled animals in acoustical communication.
3.Why did the scientists switch the eggs in the study?
A.To see whether the parents could recognize their own babies.
B.To see whether the parrots made the same sounds all their lives.
C.To see whether the signature calls were acquired socially or genetically.
D.To see whether biological and nonbiological parents named babies differently.
4.The underlined word “decode” in the second-to-last paragraph is closest in meaning to “_____”.
A.imitate B.understand
C.practice D.create
About six years ago, I was sitting on a plane next to a woman who was extremely energetic. I was tired and wanted to take a nap, but she tapped me on the shoulder to introduce herself.
"Hi, my name is Helga."
As we talked, it came up that I had started an organization in high school called R.A.K.E. (Random Acts of Kindness, Etc.). As I described what we did, Helga got very serious and said to me, "There is nothing more important in the world than kindness."
I was curious about what she had said, and as the plane took off. she began telling me a story about the last time she had flown.
It was three years ago and she was heading back to her hometown because her father had become very ill.
Just as the plane was about to leave, her father's doctor called to inform her that her father had suddenly passed away. For the three hour plane ride, she sat in stunned(受惊的) silence,.
When she arrived at the airport in her hometown, she walked to the nearest bench(长椅),sat down and cried.
For two hours, she sat and wept while thousands of people just walked on by.
"Not a single person stopped and asked if I was OK that day. It was on that day that I realized kindness isn't normal. "
Helga's words have stuck with me for all these years. I'm reminded all the time that for many of us, kindness is not usually our "default setting (默认设置)".
We spend so much time worrying about our own problems that we walk by or ignore other people in need of a bit of kindness.
So, I've made it my mission to do my part in making kindness "normal".
Now, I travel to schools all across the US to speak about compassion(同情),empathy(同感),and love.
I' m proud to share my stories with students, teachers, and parents about our need for character, compassion, and kindness.
Providing young people with practical ways to exercise kindness makes my job more satisfying than any other I can think of.
And when I give my talks, I always have my conversation with Helga in the back of my mind.
1.We can know from the first four paragraphs that the author___________.
A.was always eager to make friends B.was angry to be disturbed by Helga
C.found Helga a very serious person D.was interested in Helga's story
2.During Helga's trip to her hometown, she___________.
A.couldn't help but cry on the flight B.blamed the doctor for not calling her earlier
C.came to realize the value of kindness D.received help from passengers beside her
3.How did Helga' s story influence the author?
A.He found a better way to exercise kindness.
B.He realized that most people were nice and kind.
C.He realized the importance of using stories in speech.
D.He began teaching others about kindness and found it rewarding.
4.The author wrote this article mainly to___________.
A.show why kindness isn't normal. B.explain how he developed his kindness career
C.give advice on how to practice kindness D.share a touching story about kindness
Poetry Competition
Deadline
18th July 2019
Who may enter
The competition is open to anyone.
Description
The Ledbury Poetry Festival is the biggest poetry festival in the UK. It takes place over ten days each July. If you think you know what poetry is, come along and we'll surprise you. There are live readings, performances, music, exhibitions, films, family events and street events.
Each year we organize a famous competition for new poetry in partnership with Ty Newydd, The National Writers' Centre for Wales. It attracts entries from all over the globe. There are three groups: Adults (18+),Young people (12-17) and Children(under 12).
All poems must be the original work of the entrant and should not have been previously published, accepted for publication by a magazine, or have entered in other competitions.
The length of each poem must be more than 40 lines.
The Judge of the 2019 Ledbury Poetry Festival Poetry Competition is Daljit Nagra.
Entry fees
Adults: £5.75 for first poem, £3.50 for each extra poem.
Children / Young People: First poem free, £1.75 for each extra poem.
Prizes
Adults' Prizes | ·First Prize: £1,000 cash and a course at the National Writers' Centre for Wales ·Second Prize: £500 cash ·Third Prize: £250 cash |
Young People's Prizes | ·First Prize: £100 cash. ·Second Prize: £50 cash ·Third Prize: £25 cash |
Children' s Prizes | ·First Prize: £25 book token(购书券) ·Second Price: £15 book token ·Third Prize; £10 book token |
Website
Please visit https://www.poetry-festival.co.uk/ledbury-poetry-competition to learn more about the competition.
1.What do we know about the poetry competition from the text?
A.It is held every two months.
B.It awards all winners cash prizes.
C.It is open to worldwide competitors.
D.It offers competitors poem. lectures.
2.Which requirement should each poem meet?
A.It should be written independently.
B.It should contain at least 40 words.
C.It has won a prize in other competitions.
D.It has been published by some magazine.
3.What is the entry fee for a 15-year-old if he is sending 3 poems?
A.£12.75 B.£9.25.
C.£7 D.£3.5
假定你是高一学生李华，为了提高学生学习英语的兴趣你校学生会要举办一场英语晚会。请你给外教 Johnson写一封信介绍此次活动，并邀请他参加，内容包括：
时间：3月6日晚上6:30~8:00
2.地点:学校体育馆( stadium);
3.内容:朗诵英文诗歌演唱英语名曲等。
要求：1.词数:100个左右；
2.内容必须包括以上要点，可适当发挥；
3条理清楚，语句连贯。
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。作文中共有10处语言错误每句中最多有两处。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(从第11处起)不计分。
When I was a child, I hoped to live in a city. I think I would be happy there. Now I am living in a city, but I miss my home in countryside. There the air is clean or the mountains are green. Unfortunately, on the development of industrialization, the environment has been polluted. Lots of studies have been shown that global warming has already become a very seriously problem. The airs we breathe in is getting dirty and dirtier. Much rare animals are dying out. We must find ways to protect your environment. If we fail to do so, we'll live to regret it.
