Everybody likes taking selfies (自拍照), from your best friend to your favorite pop star. Selfies are taking over Renren and Sina Weibo. The word “selfie” was even named Word of the Year by Oxford Dictionaries in 2013. But why do people feel the need to take them? And are they doing us more harm than good?

According to Dr. Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center in the US, posting a selfie shows a biological need for self-validation (自我验证). Humans have an area in their brain that controls social activity. Receiving positive feedback (反馈) on a selfie you have posted can be the same as someone stopping you in the street and praising your appearance. The act of taking a selfie also puts you in a position of power. You are the director and the subject of your own work of art. It helps people feel in control of their self-image and can be a powerful tool.

But can it go too far? The experts warn that too much time spent on selfies can affect people’s confidence, particularly in teenagers. If you are spending a lot of time choosing the perfect selfie outfit (着装) or finding the right angle (角度), then there could be a problem. Likewise (同样地), posting selfies can harm your personal relationships. UK studies found that many people find it hard to relate to people who are often posting selfies.

So next time you catch your smartphone to take a quick selfie, it may be better to drop it straight back into your pocket.

1.What does Rutledge think of posting selfies?

A. It helps people get to know each other.

B. It helps people take better pictures.

C. It just lets people show off their new clothes.

D. It meets (满足) people’s need for self-validation.

2.From Paragraph 2, we learn the following EXCEPT .

A. it needs some art to take good selfies

B. the brain controls people’s social activity

C. people want good comments (评论) on their selfies

D. taking selfies helps people feel in control of their self-image

3.The experts think spending too much time taking selfies can .

A. affect people’s confidence

B. give away people’s personal information

C. make people spend more on smartphones

D. cause people to spend less time with their friends

If you are given only 1 yuan, could you live in a city for one day? It seems this may be a little difficult. But students from Xi’an did it.

On April 10, more than 60 students from the Middle School Attached to Northwestern Polytechnical University took part in the One Yuan Metropolis Survival. The charitable organization for teenagers called Imperceptible Education held this activity. Students not only have to live, but they also have to deal with a lot of hard tasks. It has happened in eight cities and is going to four others, including Beijing, in June.

To make money, many students looked for part-time jobs and saw how hard life was. Zhang Qiyue, 14, asked more than 10 restaurants for a job and finally got one chance. “We were sad when they said no. But gradually(逐渐地), we got used to it,” he said. After being a waiter for an hour, he got 25 yuan.

Some made use of their talents by singing and dancing in parks or shopping malls. Many people who walked by took notice and helped them. Zhao Jiacheng, 14, drew pictures and made paper crafts(手工). “This showed it’s important to learn a special skill,” he said.

Living was hard, but finishing the tasks wasn’t any easier. They went to different places to finish tasks in a short time. The most amazing one was when they had to exchange things worth thousands yuan with only a piece of paper in half an hour. “We learned how to persuade others. From a balloon to a cake to a bottle of yogurt(酸乳) … after almost 20 tries, we got an expensive necklace,” he said. They will give all of the money they made to poor schools in Tibet.

1.According to Paragraph 2, which of the following is correct?

a. adults can join this activity

b. students are given a little money

c. students have to do hard tasks

d. twelve cities have joined this activity

A. a、b B. b 、c C. c、 d D. a、 d

2.To make money, students tried many things EXCEPT _____.

A. going to Beijing to do their tasks

B. working part-time jobs

C. giving talent shows

D. drawing and making paper crafts

3.During this activity, _____.

A. Zhang Qiyue gave up when he was refused

B. students learned that life is hard

C. Zhao Jiacheng made money by singing

D. students learned how to make paper crafts

4.What does the underlined word “persuade” in the last paragraph mean?

A. argue with others B. show sth to others

C. sell something to others D. make sb do sth

5.Why do the students took part in the One Yuan Metropolis Survival?

A. To get a chance to do part-time jobs.

B. To find a way to survive in the city.

C. To help poor schools in Tibet

D. To exchange a piece of paper for a necklace

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