Making fists is relaxing. It dictates the shape of the immediate future; it calms you down (it’s OK, it’s on a list somewhere) and it makes you feel good when you cross something off 0ist-making is standard practice in therapy for depression). It might even help you to get things done too. The more you have to do, the more you need a list and few people with high-powered jobs get by without them. Women always think they’re better at lists than men. Men tend to have Tasks which they assemble’ into Action Plans whereas women just have lists of Things To Do.
James Oliver, psychologist, has created his own “time management matrix (模式)”. He writes a list of things to do and then organizes them into categories: things that have to be done straight away, other things that it would be good to do today, things that are important but haven’t got to be done immediately and things that are less urgent but that he doesn’t want to forget. “Using categories to order the world is the way the human mind works,” he says. “After that, you should divide things into levels of importance.” But he also warns, “If people get too absorbed in making fists, it doesn’t work. They have too many categories and lose their ability to decide which is the most important.”
It’s all a question of what works best for you, whether it’s a tidy notebook, a packet of Post-it notes or the back of your hand. Having tried all these, student Kate Rollins relies on a computerized list, which is printed out each morning. “My electronic organizer has changed my life,” she says. “Up to now, I’ve always relied on my good memory, but now that I’m working and studying, I find I’ve got too much to keep in my head.”
So what are you waiting for? No, you’re not too busy to make today the first day of your upgraded time-managed life. In fact, there’s no better time titan the present to begin to take increased control of your work and life. So, get out your pencil and pen and make a list.
【小题1】The main purpose of making lists is to .
| A.help map out one’s future | B.divide things into levels of importance |
| C.treat certain diseases such as depression | D.organize one’s work and life reasonably |
| A.good memory helps in list making |
| B.too much’ listing might be misleading |
| C.women usually make a lot more lists than men |
| D.people with high-powered jobs make lists most |
| A.groups | B.portions | C.items | D.areas |
| A.suggest a way of raising one’s living standard |
| B.introduce some ways of business management |
| C.urge people to develop the habit of listing |
| D.warn people not to rely on their memory |
Every day we experience one of the wonders of the world around us without even realizing it. It is not the amazing complexity of television, nor the impressive technology of transport. The universal wonder we share and experience is our ability to make noises with our mouths, and so transmit ideas and thoughts to each other’s minds. This ability comes so naturally that we tend to forget what a miracle (奇迹) it is.
Obviously, the ability to talk is something that marks humans off from animals. Of course, some animals have powers just as amazing. Birds can fly thousands of miles by observing pos
itions of the stars in the sky in relation to the time of day and year. In Nature’s talent show, humans are a species of animal that have developed their own special act. If we reduce it to basic terms, it’s an ability for communicating information to others, by varying sounds we make as we breathe out.
Not that we don’t have other powers of communication. Our facial expressions convey our emotions, such as anger, or joy, or disappointment. The way we hold our heads can indicate to others whether we are happy or sad. This is so-called “body language”. Bristling (直立的) fur is an unmistakable warning of attack among many animals. Similarly, the bowed head or drooping tail shows a readiness to take second place in any animal gathering.
Such a means of communication is a basic mechanism that animals, including human beings, instinctively acquire and display. Is the ability to speak just another sort of instinct? If so, how did human beings acquire this amazing skill? Biologists can readily indicate that particular area of our brain where speech mechanisms function, but this doesn’t tell us how that part of our bodies originated in our biological history.
【小题1】According to the passage, the wonder we take for granted is .
| A.our ability to use language | B.the miracle of technology |
| C.our ability to make noises with mouth | D.the amazing power of nature |
| A.Lifting heads when sad. | B.Keeping long faces when angry. |
| C.Bowing heads when willing to obey. | D.Bristling hair when ready to attack. |
| A.Body language is unique to humans. |
| B.Animals express emotions just as humans do. |
| C.Humans are no different from animals to some degree. |
| D.Humans have other powers of communication. |
| A.the development of body language |
| B.the special role humans play in nature |
| C.the difference between humans and animals in language use |
| D.the power to convey information to others |
David Beckham had a dream: to be the first English player to appear in four World Cups.But now it appears that dream is over after a serious injury to his Achilles tendon (跟腱)
which means he could be out of action for around six months.With this year's World Cup in South Africa only three months away, sadly Beckham looks set to miss out.The injury happened while Beckham was playing for AC Milan against AC Chievo in the Italian league.After attempting to kick the ball he fell to the ground and hobbled off the pitch before being stretchered (被担架抬走)away.
It is not yet known whether he has completely severed (切断)his Achilles tendon or only torn it.The player has now flown to Finland for assessment and treatment by a knee specialist.
England manager Fabio Capello fears the worst for Beckham's World Cup chances.
"We have to wait for the results of the scan but it looks like he is out of the World Cup," he said in a statement."I spoke with him after the game on Sunday night to offer my support.
"David is a great professional and has worked very hard to be ready for the World Cup, so missing it will be a big blow."
Beckham's former manager at American club LA Galaxy, Alexei Lalas, echoed (共鸣)Capello's words of support:
"It is a horrible situation for Beckham.I know how much it meant to him to be in the World Cup and how important he was to the England team.
David Beckham is now 34 and some are asking whether this serious injury could mean his whole career is over.
Whatever happens, as one of football's best-known and popular players, Beckham will have no shortage of encouragement from fans around the world.
Some will remember Beckham's miraculous recovery from an Achilles injury in 2006, when he was back on the pitch after only eight weeks.
If he could repeat the same feat in time for the World Cup it really would be the stuff of fairytales.
So, perhaps all is not lost.Optimists will take heart from Alexei Lalas' words:
"You never want to write off (排除) David Beckham as he has shown us his ability to bounce back (恢复原状)."
【小题1】What is the best title of the passage ?
| A.Beckham had a dream ? |
| B.Beckham--- a great football player ! |
| C.The end for Beckham ? |
| D.World Cup in South Africa ! |
| A.Missing the world cup will be a big success. |
| B.Missing Beckham means a great failure . |
| C.Missing Beckham means an important opportunity for the American club LA Galaxy. |
| D.Missing the world cup means a big disappointment for Beckham . |
| A.Beckham will definitely not be able to play football again |
| B.Beckham was cured by a great knee specialist he found |
| C.Beckham has his ability to bounce back |
| D.Beckham is likely to miss the world Cup |
| A.get disappointed |
| B.get help |
| C.get encouraged |
| D.get hurt |
In the late nineteenth century, ^5,000 pianos were sold in the United States each year and, with over half a million youths learning to play the instrument, there was a huge demand for sheet music (活页乐谱).Indeed the demand was so huge that publishers rushed to enter the profitable market.During the last fifteen years of the century, many publishers began to set up shops in New York, the center for the production of the musical arts
By the turn of the nineteenth century many important publishers had their offices on 28th Street between Broadway and 5th Avenue, and this Is the area that became known as Tin Pan Alley.It was here that publishers adopted new, aggressive business practices and marketing techniques to achieve great sales.
How it became to be known by that name is unclear, but the general opinion is that it is down to a visiting journalist by the name of Monroe Rosenfeld.He described the area as being drowned in the noise coming from the producers' offices, sounding as though hundreds of people were hitting tin pans(锡锅).He used it several times in his newspaper articles in the early twentieth century and the term stuck.With time this name was popularly embraced and many years later it came to describe the U.S.music publishing industry in general.
The start of Tin Pan Alley is usually dated to about 1885,.but the end of Tin Pan Alley is less clear-cut .Some date it to the start of the Great.Depression in the 1930s when the phonograph(留声机) and radio replaced sheet music, as the driving force of American popular music, while others consider Tin Pan Alley to have continued into thel950s when earlier styles of American popular music were upstaged (抢风头) by the rise of rock & roll.
There's a plaque(纪念匾牌)on the sidewalk on 28th Street in honor of the influence of Tin Pan Alley on American popular culture, but the buildings that were home to the legendary Tin Pan Alley publishers and songwriters are up for sale and may be torn down to make room for modern high-rise buildings.
【小题1】What.is the passage mainly about ?
| A.American popular music. |
| B.Tin Pan Alley's future。 |
| C.American music Industry. |
| D.The history of Tin Pan Alley. |
| A.the American popular culture. | B.the American printing media |
| C.the American rock-music center | D.the American music publishing industry. |
| A.rock & roll | B.sheet music |
| C.country music | D.phonographs and radios |
| A.very noisy | B.very quiet | C.wide | D.narrow |
| A.the term " Tin Pan Alley" was perhaps first used by Rosenfeld. |
| B.the old shops of Tin Pan Alley will be well protected. |
| C.Tin Pan Alley got its name in the early nineteenth century. |
| D.there were once some factories in Tin Pan Alley |
In England three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop. They studied the information on the post sign and decided which bus to take. About five minutes later the bus they wanted came along. They prepared to get on. Suddenly people rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted insulting remarks about the foreigners. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreign gentlemen looked puzzled and ashamed. No one had told them about the British custom of lining up for a bus so that the first person who arrived at a bus-stop is the first person to get on the bus.
Learning the language of a country isn’t enough. If you want to ensure a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your hosts. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, you might see a man apparently(显然地)shaking his head at another and assume (认为) that he is disagreeing. But in many parts of India a rotating (旋转) movement of the head is a gesture that express agreement or acceptance. Nodding your head when offered a drink in Bulgaria is likely to leave you thirsty. In that country you shake your head to express “yes” — a nod means “no”.
In Europe it is quite usual to cross your legs when sitting talking to someone, even at an important meeting. Doing this when meeting an important person in Thailand, however, could cause offence (冒犯). It is considered too informal an attitude for such an occasion. Also when in Thailand avoid touching the head of an adult — it’s just not done.
Attitudes to women vary considerably(相当地)around the world. In Japan, for example, it is quite usual for men to plan evening entertainments for themselves and leave their wives at home.
Knowing about customs and attitudes is useful when you are travelling, but you also need to know the language used to express different degrees of formality (礼节).
【小题1】The three foreign gentlemen looked puzzled and ashamed because __________________.
| A.they didn’t know the English language |
| B.someone called their names |
| C.they didn’t know the custom of lining up for a bus |
| D.they knocked someone down while getting on the bus |
| A.Men always go to parties with women. |
| B.Men plan evening entertainments for their wives. |
| C.Men and women have equal rights to go to parties. |
| D.Men plan evening entertainments for themselves, while their wives stay home. |
| A.善意的 | B.咨询的 | C.商量的 | D.无礼的 |
| A.India and Thailand | B.India and Bulgaria |
| C.Bulgaria and Thailand | D.Thailand and Japan |
| A.It’s probably that you are thirsty if you nod your head |
| B.You’re possibly eager to have a drink if you nod your head |
| C.You probably refuse to drink when you nod your head |
| D.You’d like to have a cup of tea because you nod your head |
America is a mobile society. Friendships between Americans can be close and real, yet disappear soon if situations change. Neither side feels hurt by this. Both may exchange Christmas greetings for a year or two, perhaps a few letters for a while — then no more. If the same two people meet again by chance, even years later, they pick up the friendship. This can be quite difficult for us Chinese to understand, because friendships between us flower more slowly but then may become lifelong feelings, extending (延伸) sometimes deeply into both families.
Americans are ready to receive us foreigners at their homes, share their holidays, and their home life. They will enjoy welcoming us and be pleased if we accept their hospitality (好客) easily.
Another difficult point for us Chinese to understand Americans is that although they include us warmly in their personal everyday lives, they don’t show their politeness to us if it requires a great deal of time. This is usually the opposite of the practice in our country where we may be generous with our time. Sometimes, we, as hosts, will appear at airports even in the middle of the night to meet a friend. We may take days off to act as guides to our foreign friends. The Americans, however, express their welcome usually at homes, but truly can not manage the time to do a great deal with a visitor outside their daily routine. They will probably expect us to get ourselves from the airport to our own hotel by bus. And they expect that we will phone them from there. Once we arrive at their homes, the welcome will be full, warm and real. We will find ourselves treated hospitably.
For the Americans, it is often considered more friendly to invite a friend to their homes than to go to restaurants, except for purely business matters. So accept their hospitality at home!
【小题1】 The writer of this passage must be ______.
| A.an American | B.a Chinese |
| C.a professor | D.a student |
| A.Friendships between Americans usually extend deeply into their families. |
| B.Friendships between Americans usually last for all their lives. |
| C.Americans always show their warmth even if they are very busy. |
| D.Americans will continue their friendships again even after a long break. |
| A.warmly welcomed at the airport |
| B.offered a ride to his home |
| C.treated hospitably at his home |
| D.treated to dinner in a restaurant |
| A.strict with time | B.serious with time |
| C.careful with time | D.willing to spend time |
| A.Friendships between Chinese |
| B.Friendships between Americans |
| C.Americans’ hospitality |
| D.Americans’ and Chinese’s views of friendships |