Intelligent people are more likely to trust others, while those who score lower on measures of intelligence are less likely to do so. Oxford university researchers based their findings on an analysis of the General Social Survey.
The authors say one explanation could be that more intelligent individuals are better at judging characters and may spend more time building relationships with people they can trust. Another reason could be that smarter people are better at weighing up situations and assessing whether or not the other person will keep his or her side of a bargain.
“Intelligence is shown to be linked with trusting others,”said the study’s lead author, Noah Carl of Oxford University. “This finding supports what other researchers have argued, namely that being a good judge of characters is a distinct part of human intelligence.”
In addition, the study shows that individuals who are more trusting are also happier with their lives and have higher levels of physical health. The Oxford researchers found, however, that the links between trust and health, and between trust and happiness, are not explained by intelligence. The findings confirmed that trust is a valuable resource for an individual, and is not simply a measure of intelligence.
The authors say the research is significant because the study of social trust could have far-reaching implications for public welfare, as social trust contributes to the success of important social institutions, such as welfare systems and financial markets.
According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, trust is in increasingly short supply in the current generation. This decline threatens world leaders’ability to handle some of today’s key challenges like global warming, and the political systems. There are good reasons to think that governments should try to develop more trust in society.
“Distrust usually causes friction in personal relationships, careers and politics among people,” says Stephen Covey. Although the majority of people say that trust can never be restored once it’s broken, Stephen feels it can be brought back. “It’s not easy, and it takes time, but you do it through your behavior, not just things you say.”
1.It can be concluded from the analysis of the General Social Survey that ______.
A.intelligent individuals spend less time on interpersonal relationships
B.judgment of characters determines the level of intelligence
C.intelligence accounts for the connection between trust and health
D.intelligent people tend to show more trust in others
2.What does the underlined phrase in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A.make the best of a situation.
B.stick to one’s promise as agreed.
C.figure out the true value of a bargain.
D.make an assessment of a deal
3.According to the research, higher level of social trust is _______.
A.a contributing factor to successful public institutions
B.a basic step to deal with global warming
C.a decisive basis for stable political systems
D.a complete solution to interpersonal conflicts
4.When it comes to rebuilding trust, Stephen is most likely to agree that _____.
A.behavior is a mirror in which everyone shows his image
B.actions always speak louder than words
C.behavior is largely determined by mind
D.action is the proper fruit of knowledge
One afternoon while preparing dinner in her kitchen, Anne Peters, a 32-year-old American housewife, suddenly had severe pains in her chest accompanied by shortness of breath. Frightened by the thought that she was having a heart attack, Anne screamed for help. Her husband immediately rushed Anne to a nearby hospital where her pains were diagnosed (诊断) as having been caused by panic, and not a heart attack.
More and more Americans nowadays are having panic attacks like the one experienced by Anne Peters. Studies discover that approximately 1.2 million adult individuals are currently suffering from severe and recurrent (重复发作) panic attacks.
There have been a lot of explanations as to the causes of panic attacks. Many claim that psychological stress could be a logical cause, but as yet, no evidence has been found to support this theory. Recent reports have shown there are at least three signs that indicate a person is suffering from a panic attack rather than a heart attack. The first is age. People between the ages of 20 and 30 are more often victims of panic attacks. The second is sex. More women suffer from recurrent panic attacks than men. The third is the variety of symptoms. A heart attack victim often experiences only pain and shortness of breath while a panic attack victim usually suffers more symptoms than the two mentioned.
It is generally agreed that a panic attack does not directly endanger a person’s life. All the same, it can negatively affect a person’s life by making him or her so afraid of having a panic attack in at a public place that he or she may refuse to leave home. Dr. Crocker’s advice to anyone who thinks he is suffering from a panic attack is to consult a doctor for a medical examination to rule out the possibilities of physical illness first. Once it has been confirmed that he or she is, in fact, suffering from a panic attack, the victim should turn to psychologists and doctors.
1.What happened to Anne?
A.Her heart failed. B.She hurt her chest.
C.She had a panic attack. D.Her breath stopped.
2.What can we learn from Paragraph 3?
A.Panic attacks go hand in hand with heart attacks.
B.Old people are more likely to have panic attacks.
C.Panic attacks involve a wider range of symptoms.
D.It is psychological stress that causes panic attacks.
3.What is Dr. Crocker’s advice to victims of panic attack?
A.To have a thorough medical check.
B.To rule out the possibilities of illness.
C.To examine the symptoms on their own.
D.To seek psychological and medical help.
Two things changed my life: my mother and a white, plastic, daisy bike basket. I have thought long and hard about it and it’s true. I would be a different person if my mom hadn’t turned a silly bicycle accessory (配件) into a life lesson I carry with me today.
It was summer and, one day, my mother drove me to the bike shop to get a tire fixed — and there it was in the window. White, shiny, plastic and decorated with daisies, the basket seemed so appealing and I knew I had to have it.
“Mom, please can I please, please get it? I’ll do extra chores for as long as you say. I’ll do anything, but I need that basket. Please, Mom. Please?”
“You know,” she said, gently rubbing my back while we both stared at what I believed was the coolest thing ever, “If you save up, you could buy this yourself.”
“By the time I make enough it’ll be gone!’
“Maybe Roger here could hold it for you,” She smiled at Roger, the bike guy.
“For that long? He can’t hold it for that long, Mom. Someone else will buy it. Please, Mom, please?”
“There might be another choice,” she said. My mother bought the beautiful basket and put it safely out of reach in some hiding place I couldn’t find. Each week I eagerly counted my growing nest egg earned by extra work here and there (washing the car, helping my mother make dinner, delivering milk around the neighborhood). And then, weeks later maybe, I counted, re-counted and jumped for joy. Oh, happy day! I made it! I finally had the exact amount we’d agreed upon.
Days later, the unthinkable happened. A neighborhood girl I’d played with millions of times appeared with the exact same basket fixed to her shiny, new bike that already had all the bells and whistles. I rode my bike fast home to tell my mother about this disaster, this horrible turn of events.
And then came the lesson I’ve taken with me through my life: “Honey, your basket is extra-special,” Mom said, gently wiping away my hot tears. “Your basket is special because you paid for it yourself.”
1.In Paragraph 1, the writer shows a sense of _________.
A.loneliness B.gratitude C.brightness D.regret
2.The writer finally got the basket she desired by _________.
A.waiting and sharing B.crying and begging
C.working and saving D.borrowing and returning
3.What lesson did the mother want to teach her children?
A.The fruit of one’s labor tastes sweeter. B.After rain comes fair weather.
C.Hard work leads to success. D.Tolerance and patience bring happiness.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.Why is it difficult for many people to make good coffee in the morning?
A.They have the wrong kind of machine.
B.They are too sleepy.
C.They have little time.
2.What is true about the Morning Miracle?
A.Its coffee is better than Starbucks’.
B.It takes half the time as other machines.
C.It can be controlled with your voice.
3.How much does the Morning Miracle cost including shipping?
A.$114. B.$99. C.$84.
4.Where does the talk take place?
A.On the phone. B.On TV. C.On the radio.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Why is the woman frustrated?
A.The man is rude to her.
B.The restaurant is missing many items.
C.The man told her to hold for too long.
2.Which of the following is NOT included in the Greek Salad?
A.Cheese. B.Lettuce. C.Olives.
3.What does the woman order in the end?
A.Pizza. B.Salad. C.None.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.Which collisions happened much more often?
A.Those between cyclists and people crossing the street.
B.Those between people crossing the street and motor vehicles.
C.Those between motor vehicles and bicycles.
2.Where were the 15 people on foot killed?
A.On the main roads.
B.At the intersections.
C.On sidewalks and other off-road areas.
3.Who was the main victim of the accidents?
A.People on foot. B.Cyclists. C.Car drivers.
