题目内容
Behind our house is the start of a fascinating trail (小径). This trail is one of the old roads that wind through untold miles of forest. My 36 , Beans, and I walk the trail frequently. Normally, Beans sniffs alongside the trail to follow the smell of a deer track or 37 some cause known only to him.
B eans is a white dog, quite handsome and very 38 . He not only understands what we tell him, but also often makes sounds as if he were trying to 39 back.
One morning, we took a different route, which led us to an unfamiliar trail. I was sure this trail would eventually lead us to our familiar 40 . But, no. We seemed to be far off course. After two hours, I suddenly realized that Beans probably 41 the way home. So I urged, "Beans, take me home." He ran down a new trail. But it merely led to an intersection (岔道口) of trails.
Soon it became 42 that we were getting nowhere. I began to picture the rest of the day in the 43 , without food or drink. We had walked about ten miles. But Beans seemed totally 44 . The sniffing and exploring was going well for him.
Finally, we 45 a crossroad near a highway. Lady Luck suggested I should turn left. We did and 46 reached a cottage beside a field. I knocked on the door and explained my situation to an old man. He laughed and then drove us home.
Since our adventure, I 47 that Beans probably knew all along how to get home. He was just having too much fan exploring new trails.
36. A. deer B. dog C. lady D. man
37. A. imagine B. consider C. explore D. present
38, A. smart B. sweet C. slow D. shy
39. A. turn B. kick C. jump D. speak
40. A. driveway B. path C. crossroad D. highway
41. A. knew B. saw C. showed D. made
42. A, mysterious B. ridiculous C. fascinating D. apparent
43. A. house B. forest C. field D. cottage
44. A. unconcerned B. unconscious C. undecided D. uncomfortable
45. A. left for B. went off C. came to D. drove toward
46. A. punctually B. frequently C. formally D. shortly
BCADB ADBAC DC
Decisions, decisions! Our lives are full of them, from the small ones to the life-changing. The right to choose is central to everyone. Yet sometimes we make bad decisions that leave us unhappy or full of regret. Can science help?
Most of us know little about the mental processes that lie behind our decisions. Luckily, what psychologists are finding may help us all make better choices. Here are some of their amazing discoveries to help you make up your mind.
Consider your emotions. You might think that emotions are the enemy of decision-making, but in fact they are a part of it. Whenever you make up your mind, your brain’s emotional centre is active. University of Southern California scientist, Antonio Damasia, has studied people with damage to only the emotional parts of their brains, and found that they were unable to make basic choices about what to wear or eat. Damasia thinks this may be because our brains store emotional memories of past choice, which we use to help the present decision-making.
However, making choices under the influence of an emotion can greatly affect the result. Take anger for example. A study by Nitika Garg of the University of Mississippi and other scientists found the angry shoppers were more likely to choose the first thing they were offered rather than considering other choices. It seems that anger can lead us to make quick decisions without much thinking.
All emotions affect our thinking and motivation,so it may be best to avoid making important decisions under their influence. Yet strangely there is one emotion that seems to help us make good choices. The American researchers found that sad people took time to consider the various choices on offer, and ended up making the best choices. In fact many studies show that people who feel unhappy have the most reasonable view of the world.
【小题1】What does the underlined word “central” mean?
A.in the middle | B.easy to reach | C.important | D.having power |
A.emotions are the enemy of decision-making. |
B.our brain has nothing to do with decision-making. |
C.people with physical damage find it hard to make up their minds. |
D.our emotional memories of past choices can affect present decisions. |
A.To think about happy times. | B.To make many decisions at a time. |
C.To stop feeling regretful about the past. | D.To learn about the process of decision-making. |
A.They often forget their past choices. | B.They make decisions without much thinking. |
C.They tend to save time when shopping. | D.They are too angry to bargain. |
A.Emotions are a part of decision-making. |
B.Sad people always make worse choices. |
C.No emotion seems to help us make good choices. |
D.Only sad feelings affect our thinking and motivation. |