|
The African grey parrot’s ability to talk and mimic sounds makes it a charming companion. African grey owners often report that their greys oftentimes talk in context and can understand their people’s emotions (情感). The African grey parrot is not just a top talker - this bird is also known for its extreme intelligence, which gives them the name “The Einsteins of the Bird World”. The bird is medium-sized, dusty-looking and almost pigeon-like. It has a bright red tail, intelligent orange eyes, and a stunning scalloped (扇形的) pattern to its feathers. Their diet in the wild consists mostly of nuts, seeds, fruits, and leafy matter. At home, African greys need plenty of toys that challenge their intelligence, such as food searching and puzzle toys. Nutri-Berries by Lafeber Company are a perfect choice, which, with a balance of grains, seeds and other nutrients in the shape of a berry, encourages African greys to hold, bite off, and even play with, just as they do in the wild. African greys seem especially affected by stress and disturbing noise in their environment and can be put more at ease by placing one corner of the cage against a wall as opposed to in the middle of a room. African grey parrots are more likely to suffer from lack of Vitamin-A/beta-carotene, and therefore benefit from eating vegetables high in beta-carotene, such as cooked sweet potato and fresh kale. Lack of Vitamin-D is another concern, especially for greys on a poor diet. Offering a balanced, pill-shaped diet, such as Nutri-Berries, helps prevent vitamin and mineral shortage. 1.Why are African grey parrots called “The Einsteins of the Bird World”? A.Because of their brain size. B.On account of their intelligence. C.Owing to their rich emotions. D.Due to their talking ability. 2.What can “Nutri-Berries” probably be? A.A brand of bird food. B.Puzzle toys for birds. C.A type of round fruit. D.Wild Intelligence games. 3.What is the characteristic of African grey parrots? A.They may get ill due to lack of Vitamin B.They prefer to stay in the middle of the room. C.They are dusty looking with blue eyes. D.They are smart and love to have fun. 4.Where can we most probably find the passage? A.In a wildlife magazine. B.In science fiction. C.In a travel guide. D.On a shopping website.
Suppose you are about to complete high school and are thinking about attending a college or university. After doing some research, you find a school you would like to attend, but have questions about the application process. So you go to the school’s website in the hope of finding a few answers. Time goes by and you, a student, still do not have the answers. You almost feel like giving up. But today, as you can see, artificial intelligence is so advanced. You find a message appears on your computer or personal electronic device. It says something like: ''How can I help? '' Writing back to the website, you try to explain your problem. You possibly get a few questions to clarify what your concerns are. Then, almost immediately, the person with whom you are in contact provides the information you are seeking. In fact, you are not actually communicating with a school official. You are not even dealing with a human being. You are in contact with a computer program, or chatbot. It is using artificial intelligence, AI for short, to understand and communicate with you. This might sound strange. But chances are that this would not be the first time you have communicated with a computer program without knowing it. In recent years, chatbots have become a common tool for banks and large companies around the world. Having human beings available to answer people’s questions and complaints can be costly, requiring many workers. And in most cases, employees can only work for several hours in a day, increasing customers’ waiting time for a response, but the chatbot can work around the clock. So not only companies, but a growing number of universities have also begun using the chatbot technology. Australia's University of Adelaide noted a major improvement in its service to student after employing a chathot to deal with application questions in 2018. It said that students received responses 13 times faster, and students’ approval of the quality of service increased by 60 percent. And just the speed of reacting to questions is the chatbot's major strength. 1.How does the author introduce the topic of the text? A.By assumption. B.By comparison. C.By definition. D.By data. 2.What's the main purpose of paragraph 2? A.To tell time and tide wait for no man. B.To advise students should clarify their questions. C.To present the communication convenience brought by Al. D.To show the phenomenon that students are addicted to computers. 3.What is the main advantage of the chatbot technology? A.Its low cost. B.Its ease of use. C.Its short working hours. D.Its quick response. 4.What is the main idea of the text? A.Artificial intelligence is developing rapidly. B.Robots are gradually replacing human services. C.Employees chat with robots without knowing them. D.More universities use chatbots to communicate online.
Your children's education doesn’t have to stop after school. These game apps for your iPhone, iPad and Android will keep your youngsters’ minds active outside the classroom. Of course, let your children play the developmental games in moderation. Elmo Loves 123s Help your children identify and count numbers from 1 to 20 and do some simple calculation. Everyone's favorite furry character, Elmo, and Abby Cadabby will guide kids along the way. （under five years,$4.99; iPad） Habitat the Game Players adopt a virtual polar bear and must complete real-world actions, such as turning off lights and conserving water, to keep the creature healthy. Kids will take pride in making an actual difference in the world with these exciting games. (4 years+, free; iPhone, iPad, Android) Disney Story Central Bedtime just gets a lot less painful thanks to Disney Story Central. The large selection of e-books star Disney characters, such as Mickey Mouse, the princesses, and Doc MacStuffins. Plus, the bookworms will earn awards as progress is made day by day.(2 years+, free for iPad for the first 4 books, with additional purchase packages starting at$4) GoldieBlox and the Movie Machine GoldieBlox, the toy company focusing on inspiring girls to become innovators, has created GoldieBlox and the Movie Machine, its first app for inspiring engineers. Your kids will learn the basics of cartoons and create her own one-second animated GiFs. (6 years+, free; iphone iPad) 1.Which of the apps can teach kids to care about the environment? A.Elmo Loves 123s. B.Habitat the Game. C.Disney Story Central. D.GoldieBlox and the Movie Machine. 2.What do we know about Disney Story Central? A.It is designed for girls. B.It is suitable for all ages. C.It offers rewards to advancers. D.It offers free books to iPhone users. 3.Who is the text most probably written for? A.Young engineers. B.Parents. C.Game developers. D.Teenagers.
假设你是晨光中学高一（3）班李津，你校将在下周五举办“校园艺术节（Campus Art Festival）”系列活动。请给你班留学生Jim写封邮件，邀请他参加，邮件的内容包括： 1.介绍你选择参加的活动（如唱歌、书法、绘画、舞蹈、乐器等）；2.说明参加该活动的理由；3.邀请他参加校园艺术节。 注意：1.词数不少于100；2.邮件的开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。 Dear Jim, ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Yours Lijin
阅读短文，并按照题目要求用英语回答问题。 What will the home of the future look like? A team of architects in Hong Kong say that city homes will be tiny, as populations continue to grow and space becomes more expensive. They have designed “space flats” with just 30 square meters in size as the houses in the following years. These flats have several small rooms: a living room, a bathroom and a bedroom, but everything is carefully planned to make good use of the limited space. The living room is the main room of the flat. It can be used as an office, a kitchen or even a second bedroom. There is a sofa that can be changed into a bed. The dining table can be changed into a computer desk. And, if not needed, both the sofa-bed and the table can be folded and put away. There is a flat-screen TV, which can also serve as a computer monitor. In one corner of the room, a small cooker, a microwave oven and a mini-refrigerator are hidden out of sight. The other rooms are small but practical. The bathroom contains a toilet and a shower. The double bed in the bedroom can also be transformed into a sofa, if required. “Space flats” are wonderful and they are now being tested in a building in Hong Kong. It is believed that “space flats” will be improved to be our future homes. 1.According to the architects, why will city homes be tiny?(no more than 10 words) 2.How many rooms does a “space flat” have?(no more than 1 word) 3.How can we deal with the sofa-bed and the table if we don’t need them?(no more than 8 words) 4.According to the passage, list 3 kinds of kitchen equipment in the flat.(no more than 10 words) 5.What do you think of the “space flats”? Give your reasons.(no more than 20 words)
Since the novel corona-virus (新冠病毒) outbreak, many people have been forced to stay at home for long periods of time to protect themselves from the virus. This has given people more free time to learn new skills and find different ways to entertain themselves. Some of these activities include things like singing, learning to cook and ordering fresh food online. All of these things can be done in the palm of your hand with mobile apps. Before, young people would go outside and meet friends at karaoke bars (卡拉OK酒吧). Now, friends can meet and sing on the mobile karaoke app Changba. “The Changba app not only gives me the chance to share my songs with friends, but also lets me sing whatever I like at home.” said an app user. Some people have also taken up cooking as a new hobby to pass the time. You don’t need to attend culinary (烹饪的) school, thanks to apps like Xiachufang and Ecook, which make it easier for those who want to learn how to cook. These apps provide a platform for users to look up different recipes (菜谱) and to share their own recipes with others. “Using this app, I have learned many new and healthy dishes which help me eat better.” an app user commented on the app’s website. To help people avoid crowded places like grocery stores, apps that deliver (递送) goods right to your door have also become very popular. “It is obvious that the epidemic (疫情) has attracted new groups of consumers (消费者), such as elderly people, who originally didn’t belong to our target user group.” Zhang Yi, an analyst from the market research company, said. Indeed, during this special time, these apps have opened up a whole new world of opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds. 1.According to the passage, what can people do during the period of novel corona-virus outbreak? A.Singing at karaoke bars. B.Learning to cook at home by apps. C.Buying food in crowded markets. D.Meeting friends at restaurants. 2.What does the author tell us about the Changba app in Paragraph 3? A.It is more user-friendly than karaoke bars. B.It helps users to discover their singing talent. C.It provides chances for users to share songs with friends. D.It allows users to improve their singing skills fast. 3.What does the article tell us about food-delivery apps? A.They have lost many young customers. B.They have opened culinary classes for their users. C.They have more elderly users than before. D.They have caused many grocery stores to close. 4.Which of the following shows the structure of the article? A. C. （①②③④⑤⑥= Paragraphs 1-6） 5.What is the purpose of the article? A.To introduce the mobile apps people use during epidemic period. B.To teach people how to cook at home. C.To show how to buy things on the Internet. D.To tell people how to protect themselves from the virus.
All eyes were on Jack Ma. The chairman of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. left his position on Teachers’ Day from leading the e-commerce（电子商务） giant he founded 20 years ago. “I still have lots of dreams to go after,” Ma wrote in an open letter last year to announce his parting. “The world is big, and I am still young, so I want to try new things.” The 55-year-old businessman showed that he was ready for new things by arriving at his farewell party dressed up like a rock star. In fact, his rags-to-riches（白手起家的） story is a good example of doing something different. Visiting the United States in 1995, Ma saw the internet and had the idea of setting up his own trading website. In 1999, he founded Alibaba with a group of friends in a shared apartment, struggling for years to get it off the ground. With all the challenges, the company slowly brought e-commerce to China. Although his success has inspired a number of Chinese tech businessmen, Ma pointed out that the key is having a dream. “It’s the dreams that keep us full of confidence and never afraid of setbacks（挫折）.” Ma said in a video posted on Sept 9. Now the experienced businessman is looking to focus on education. What can he offer? “I’m not going to teach English; I’m not going to teach business, But I’m going to teach young people how to face challenges,” he told Bloomberg News. Skilled sailors were never made on calm waters. As Ma said, “Today is cruel. Tomorrow is crueler. But the day after tomorrow is beautiful.” 1.What did Jack Ma announce on Teachers’ Day? A.His retirement from Alibaba. B.His plan to enlarge his online business. C.His dream of becoming a rock star. D.His plan to return to teaching. 2.What can we infer according to Paragraph 4? A.Jack Ma was born in a rich family. B.Jack Ma had the idea of setting up his own trading website in 1999. C.Jack Ma founded Alibaba alone. D.Jack Ma went through challenges to found Alibaba. 3.What does Ma think dreams mean to us? A.Dreams can guide us to further our education. B.Dreams can give us confidence and courage. C.Dreams can push us to set up new businesses. D.Dreams can lead us to offer more to society. 4.What lessons will be offered by Ma? A.How to operate business. B.How to learn English. C.How to face challenges. D.How to set up a website. 5.What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph imply? A.Practice makes perfect. B.Confidence is the key to success. C.Skilled sailors like calm waters. D.We should face challenges bravely.
The Ocean Awareness Student Contest We invite middle and high school students from around the world to attend the 2017 Ocean Awareness Student Contest! The theme is Making Meaning out of Ocean Pollution, and it challenges you to research, explore, interpret, and say something meaningful about the connections between human activities and the health of our oceans. This year, we challenge you to concentrate on one type of ocean pollution and “make meaning” of it through art, poetry or film. We encourage you to connect it with your own life, your own local community, or something else that is personally meaningful to you, but what’s most important is to pick a topic that inspires you. To take part (1) Research Do research on your own. Ask tough and complex questions, and think about the way science and society help you explain the topic. (2)Create To explain your topic, create your own work of art, writing, poetry or film. Submit(提交): The closing date for entries is on June 13. 2017. at 11:59 pm. Submit as an individual: This means that you are the only creator of your submission. Submit as a group: Groups can be of unlimited size, but you must provide the names of each group member. There will be one group leader who will be the contact person for the group and prizes will be awarded to the group as a whole. Prizes: The winners will receive scholarships(up to S 1,500), and each year we give out over 140 prizes(totaling up to $80,000)as well as chances to the winners to work with us and to get their works exhibited and published. 1.The purpose of the contest is to____________. A.encourage more people to explore the ocean B.direct students to receive more scholarships C.draw students’ attention to the health of the oceans D.help students complete their works in various styles 2.The contest is designed for____________. A.college students B.teenagers C.art students D.le of all ages 3.To take part in the contest, students are asked to____________. A.submit their works only in groups B.experience the life in a local community C.submit their works before July 13, 2017 D.do research on their own and create their own work 4.Which of the following prizes is NOT mentioned in the passage? A.Scholarships will be offered to the winners. B.The organizers will let the winners work with them. C.The winners will be admitted to famous universities. D.The winners can get their works published. 5.Where is the text most likely from? A.A website B.A diary C.A novel D.A report
When we got ready to go to the rink(溜冰场), Mom always helped me tie up my skating shoes. Then she _______ her own. Mom and I had been coming to the rink every _______ since my lessons began. That was our deal. I went to _______ on Tuesdays, and we skated together on Sundays. When we were ready to _______ on the ice, Mom took my hand and put an arm around my shoulder. I looked up at Mom and smiled. She seemed _______ but still smiled back. I took a short gliding(滑行)step, and she stepped with me, holding my hand tight We went across the rink very _______. After a few minutes, we _______ in the center of the rink. I gently took my _______ back from Moms and glided away slowly. While Mom stood still, I _______ the move my teacher taught me this week. I placed one foot on the ________ , leaning (倾斜)forward a little. I slowly raised my back foot as ________ as I could behind me. I stopped and ________ a moment when some bigger kids skated quickly by. At last, I returned to my mother. ''OK, Mom. It’s your ________ now. '' I said. ''In fact, there is ________ to be afraid of. Skating alone is no ________ than skating with me.'' Then I did what my teacher did when he was teaching a ________skater. ''Watch my face, Mom. '' I said. ''Not your feet. Now, step! '' She took a baby step and ________. I waited until Mom skated across the rink three times by herself. ________ she succeeded, she glided over to me and gave me a big hug. ''I ________ you could do it.'' I said. She smiled and said, ''I couldn't have done it without my excellent ________.'' 1.A.took off B.put on C.looked for D.threw away 2.A.year B.day C.month D.Sunday 3.A.lessons B.parties C.churches D.theaters 4.A.dance B.jump C.skate D.run 5.A.nervous B.surprised C.angry D.upset 6.A.quickly B.nicely C.excitedly D.slowly 7.A.changed B.stopped C.started D.fell 8.A.bag B.shoes C.clothes D.hand 9.A.dropped B.ignored C.tried D.forgot 10.A.ice B.floor C.ground D.grass 11.A.long B.high C.low D.near 12.A.waited B.spent C.took D.lasted 13.A.advice B.support C.news D.turn 14.A.anything B.something C.nothing D.everything 15.A.easier B.harder C.better D.happier 16.A.tall B.clever C.young D.new 17.A.continued B.stood C.sat D.cried 18.A.Before B.Though C.After D.If 19.A.remembered B.knew C.agreed D.heard 20.A.neighbor B.student C.teacher D.boss
—Tom, shall we go out for a picnic? —We’d better not. The weather report says____________. A.you will have a frog in the throat B.you can kill two birds with one stone C.it will rain cats and dogs D.you should hold your horse
—Would you please____________ that book on the floor? —OK! A.pick up B.make up C.take up D.turn up
____________ the advances in technology, students can learn online at home during the epidemic period. A.In addition to B.Thanks to C.In spite of D.According to
Teenagers should try to be____________ of their parents, doing something on their own. A.independent B.impressive C.aware D.proud
It is a great____________ for our country to hold the 2022 Winter Olympic. A.signal B.function C.honor D.agreement
He was busy yesterday. ____________, he would have come to my party. A.Moreover B.Therefore C.However D.Otherwise
If you have any questions, please do not____________ to ask your teachers. A.suffer B.hesitate C.attack D.ensure
____________ China has made advances in 5G technology, there is still a long way to go for its popularity. A.If B.Because C.Since D.While
I would appreciate____________ if you could help me out when I am in trouble. A.that B.one C.it D.this
At the beginning of the year 2020, students never thought they____________ such a long winter vacation. A.would have B.are having C.have D.have had
____________ by his behavior, I said all this to my best friend. A.Disappointing B.To disappoint C.Disappointed D.Being disappointed
There were over 20000 people____________ my blog. A.read B.reading C.to read D.being read
I____________ go to a summer camp during the summer vacation, but I am not sure. A.might B.can C.must D.need
Eventually, the butterfly manages to reach the place____________ it will spend the winter. A.which B.when C.that D.where
—Tina, I have a piece of good news to tell you. I have won first prize in the speech contest. —____________! You deserve it. A.Come on B.Congratulations. C.Take it easy D.Best wishes
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。 The family had just moved to Rhode Island, and the young woman was feeling a little sad on that Sunday in May. After all, it was Mother's Day—and 800 miles separated her from her parents in Ohio. She had called her mother that morning to wish her a happy Mother's Day, and her mother had mentioned how colorful the yard was now that spring had arrived. As they talked, the younger woman could almost smell the tantalizing aroma of purple lilacs (紫丁香) hanging on the big bush outside her parents' back door. Later, when she mentioned to her husband how she missed those lilacs, he popped up from his chair. “I know where we can find you all you want,” he said. “Get the kids and come on.” So off they went, driving on the country roads of northern Rhode Island. Eventually, he stopped the car. “Come with me,” he said. “Over that hill is an old cellar hole, and there are lilacs all around it. Go pick a few.” There, on the top of the hill, were the towering lilacs bushes. While the man examined the cellar hole and tried to explain to the children what the house must have looked like, the woman had been cheered up, drifting among the lilacs. Carefully, she picked some out. She was in no hurry, admiring each blossom as a rare and delicate treasure. Finally, though, they returned to their car for the trip home. When they were almost home, she suddenly shouted to her husband: “Stop the car. Stop right here!” In a second, the woman was out of the car and hurrying up a nearby grassy slope with the lilacs still in her arms. At the top of the hill was a nursing home and, because it was such a beautiful spring day, the patients were outdoors, walking with relatives or sitting on the porch (走廊). 注意： （1）所续写短文的词数应为l50左右； （2）至少使用5个短文中标有下划线的关键词语： （3）续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好； （4）续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。 Paragraph 1: The young woman went to the end of the porch, where an elderly patient was sitting in her wheelchair, alone. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Paragraph 2: Curiosity was aroused among the kids and the husband. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
假定你是学生会主席李华，在高三毕业前夕邀请你们学校的外籍家长来校参加毕业典礼，请你写一封电子邮件，内容要点如下： 1. 毕业典礼时间地点； 2. 主要安排。 参考词汇：文凭：diploma 注意：1. 词数80左右； 2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。 Dear Father/Mother, ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Yours, Li Hua
In France, a bookstore chain has put a special camera in its shops. The system feeds a video stream to software which_______shoppers’ movements and facial expressions for surprise, dissatisfaction, confusion or hesitation. When a shopper walks to the end of an aisle（货架通道） only to_______with a frown to a particular bookshelf, the software messages_______, who then go to help. For the eight months leading up to this April, sales rose_______a tenth. The bookseller wants to keep its name_______for now. Similarly，other French clients of the Paris startup behind the technology, Angus.ai, are_______it in stores which are not open to the public. They_______ airport owner Aéroports de Paris, the luxury-goods giant LVMH, and Carrefour, the supermarkets chain. Simple video produces a lot of insights, but there are far more complicated ways of learning about shoppers’_______. Thermal-imaging (热成像的) cameras_______detect heart rates. Wirelessly collected data from smartphone accelerometers (加速度传感器) can suggest when shoppers become fascinated (movement stops) or are unhappy about________(a phone is raised to search for cheaper products online). For even more insights, shoppers are sometimes asked to put on special equipment, typically in exchange for a ________or reward of another kind. All of this could be a(n)________, some say, for sellers to enjoy the advantage that big data has long given online sellers. A race is________to work out how best to________and use emotional data, thus improving packaging, displays, music, or the content and timing of persuading customers into buying goods. Using technology is much less________than old-fashioned interviewing. Nielson, a consumer-research giant, charges around $10,000 to interview 25 shoppers about three products. Angus. ai’ s service costs just $66 a month per camera. Sometimes,________market surveys may ask the wrong questions. What’s more, they can give misleading________. People typically change their responses intentionally to make themselves sound sensible,________purchases are often driven by subconscious (潜意识的) emotions. One obvious________of shopping’s emotional side is the idea of “retail therapy” — consumers driven to spend when they are feeling blue. Whichever store is the first to spot mildly________customers could make a fortune! 1.A.receives B.analyzes C.designs D.delivers 2.A.return B.nod C.yell D.sit 3.A.guards B.officials C.secretaries D.clerks 4.A.to B.at C.for D.by 5.A.present B.different C.quiet D.famous 6.A.testing B.improving C.leading D.leaving 7.A.contain B.include C.list D.involve 8.A.ideas B.preferences C.choices D.emotions 9.A.must B.need C.can D.should 10.A.services B.prices C.qualities D.packages 11.A.product B.value C.discount D.activity 12.A.challenge B.chance C.alternative D.routine 13.A.on B.off C.up D.in 14.A.store B.process C.collect D.share 15.A.mature B.popular C.attractive D.expensive 16.A.traditional B.ordinary C.original D.historical 17.A.impressions B.suggestions C.results D.promotions 18.A.because B.while C.though D.unless 19.A.change B.imitation C.example D.signal 20.A.satisfied B.affected C.confused D.depressed
When you’re a writer, finishing your book and publishing it is your biggest dream. You’re curious as to how people will react to it, and whether it could sell or not.1.There are either things you want to change about it, or fear about people’s reaction. Still, you shouldn’t let these things stop you from going after your dream. Below are some of the most common fears that new writers face, and how to beat them. Originality For many new writers, originality is an issue. Considering there are so many writers out there, it’s hard to know if someone thought of an idea before you did.2.And it’s not really pleasant being seen as a thief. The thing is that it’s hard to come out with something that’s entirely original as well. As long as you put the idea into practice in a different way, it shouldn’t be an issue. As long as you are able to cover a topic deeply, as well as provide a new and unique perspective, that should work. People’s Opinion It’s hard not to think about what people will think about your book, as they are the ones who have the final word. One of the biggest fears many writers deal with is how their book will be perceived by readers, and it's human nature to think about the bad stuff first. Not only you’re afraid you won’t get Instagram followers that are fans of the book, but you also fear the book won’t sell.3.So why let this thought kill your mood? A book’s goal is to reframe old information or make new claims, so what people say shouldn’t stop you. No Time to Write People get busy, it’s normal. Nevertheless, it shouldn’t stop you from doing what you love.4.You can take that time and use it to write instead. Nobody says that you have to write endless pages in a day – writing a book is a whole process, and nobody is rushing you. Make sure you schedule your time, so you have time to write at least one hour daily. 5. You want fans to connect with you and it can be disheartening when things like your social following grows slowly. Try using tools such as the best tools for Instagram as a means to get followers. A.Therefore, you’re at risk of being accused of stealing from someone’s work. B.Growing your fan base. C.However, there will always be people disagreeing with you or not liking what you do. D.Don’t let the details stop you from sharing your story. E.But sometimes it’s hard hitting that post button, because things are holding you back. F.You most likely have some spare time that you use doing something else. G.Communicate with your fans.
We are surrounded by people trying to make the world a better place. Peace activists bring enemies together so they can get to know one another and feel each other’s pain. School leaders try to attract a diverse set of students so each can understand what it’s like to walk in the others’ shoes. It is true that people who are empathetic (共情的) are more sensitive to the perspectives and sufferings of others. They are more likely to make sympathetic moral judgments. The problem comes when we try to turn feeling into action. Empathy makes you more aware of other people’s sufferings, but it’s not clear whether it actually motivates you to take moral action or prevents you from taking immoral action. For example, in the early days of the Holocaust, Nazi prison guards sometimes wept as they killed Jewish women and children, but they still did it. Empathy directs you toward moral action, but it doesn’t seem to help much when that action comes at a personal cost. You may feel painful for the homeless guy on the other side of the street, but the chances are that you are not going to cross the street to give him a dollar. Studies investigating the link between empathy and moral action suggest that empathy is not a major player when it comes to moral motivation. Its contribution is slight in children, modest in adults, and nonexistent when costs are significant. Nobody is against empathy. However, it’s not enough. These days empathy has become a shortcut. It has become a way to experience delicious moral emotions without confronting the weaknesses in our nature that prevent us from actually acting upon them. It has become a way to experience the illusion (幻觉) of moral progress without having to do the nasty work of making moral judgments. Teaching empathy is a safe way for schools and other institutions to seem blameless without risking dispute or hurting anybody’s feelings. People who actually perform pro-social action don’t only feel for those who are suffering, they feel it necessary to act by a sense of duty. Empathy is less important. If you want to make the world a better place, help people debate, understand, reform, revere and enact their moral principles. Accept that principles conflict. 1.Why does the author mention the Holocaust in paragraph 2? A.To show that empathy is limited in preventing people from wrongdoings. B.To prove that empathic people are more likely to make compassionate moral judgments. C.To explain that empathy is helpful for moral teaching. D.To criticize the immoral actions of Nazis. 2.What will empathetic people probably do when they see the homeless? A.Reach out to them. B.Ignore them. C.Feel sorry for them. D.Raise money for them. 3.According to paragraph 4, which of the following statements is NOT TRUE? A.People are enthusiastic about empathy. B.Teaching empathy is a quicker way to achieve moral education. C.Empathy alone is not sufficient. D.People are unwilling to take actual actions. 4.According to the author, what’s the best way to make the world a better place? A.Try to understand what it’s like to walk in the others’ shoes. B.Be more sensitive to the perspectives and sufferings of others. C.Stop teaching empathy since it is only a sideshow in moral education. D.Take on the duty to act and make real moral progress.
I’ve been teaching college for many years, long enough to note the gradual relaxation of attention in matters of student dress. And I’ve long been used to the worn jeans, flip-flops and shorts. Still, I took note recently when one of my students showed up in pajama bottoms. I couldn’t help asking, “Did you just roll out of bed?” “Five minutes ago.” he responded. I’m familiar with the school of thought that says that how students dress is not important, so long as they’re learning. This is much the same when they say “Grammar and spelling don’t matter, so long as they’re expressing themselves.” Perhaps. But I also wonder about the wisdom of blurring(模糊)the line between bed and desk. I should think that a careful consideration of clothes before entering a formal environment is a sort of visible reminder to oneself (and one’s teachers) that impressions are important and that we have come together to get down to business. I suppose that I come from a time when there were “school clothes” and “play clothes,” and never did the two sorts meet. I grew up in a working-class family, to whom “looking sharp” was important. Personal appearance might have made the difference between getting and losing a job. So yes, I’m all for freedom of choice in matters of dress, and yes, I do want my students to be comfortable. But I also want to pay my respects to those students who believe that appearances matter. I think of this lady I had in class a few years back. She was someone to whom science was never easy: She worked hard for respectable grades on every task. But I was impressed by how tastefully she dressed, day after day. When the course ended, I mentioned this to her. “You always looked so nice,” I remarked，“as if you were ready to take on the world.” 1.Which of the following statements is Not True? A.“Looking sharp” is helpful in getting a job. B.It is wise to blur the line between bed and desk. C.Students are being more and more casually dressed. D.The author believes we should pay some respects to our appearances. 2.What does the “school of thought” mean in paragraph 2? A.a college that teaches thoughts B.a group of students and teachers C.a way of thinking D.a branch of learning 3.What do we know about the lady in the last paragraph? A.She had a talent for science. B.The author was impressed by her casual dressing. C.Her grades were not decent though she studied hard. D.She was one of the students who believed that appearances matter.
|
