School Activities for World Earth Day
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When we think about nonverbal behaviour, or body language, we think about communication. When we think about communication, we think about interaction. So what is our body language demonstrating to
Body language is a range of nonverbal signals that you can use to communicate your feelings and intentions. These include your posture,
Scientific experiments show that if we make powerful gestures long enough, we may actually feel more powerful. People who remember to use positive body language are more likely
A few years ago, I walked into Panera and placed my order. After I paid and filled my plastic cup with water, I walked further into the cafe. As I sat down, I
This wasn’t the first time I’d felt
Many people are always
I don’t think I’ll ever not get sad if I see someone eating alone, but I’ll
| A．recognized | B．noticed | C．examined | D．disturbed |
| A．delicate | B．unique | C．valuable | D．empty |
| A．respond to | B．belong to | C．reflect on | D．wash over |
| A．sad | B．desperate | C．dizzy | D．exited |
| A．precisely | B．automatically | C．cruelly | D．selfishly |
| A．liberation | B．misery | C．norm | D．solution |
| A．which | B．where | C．what | D．when |
| A．break down | B．leave behind | C．get away | D．ask around |
| A．against | B．beyond | C．around | D．within |
| A．better | B．prouder | C．nobler | D．gentler |
| A．constantly | B．dynamically | C．decently | D．fortunately |
| A．blank | B．determined | C．delighted | D．afraid |
| A．refresh | B．keep | C．absorb | D．decide |
| A．guarantee | B．reputation | C．break | D．reward |
| A．realize | B．promote | C．recall | D．convey |
How to Overcome Your Fears
Here are five practical strategies that will help you overcome your fears and face a brighter future.
Identify your fears
Take a moment to explore inward and identify the specific sources of your fears. Recognize what it is that is holding you back. Ask yourself, “What are you genuinely afraid of?” Spend a few quiet moments observing your thoughts and emotions.
Understand the root cause
Spend some time exploring the nature of your fears. Begin reflective thinking by asking yourself, “Why am I experiencing fear?” and “What is causing me to feel anxious?”
Practice acceptance
The journey of overcoming fear requires acceptance.
To overcome your fears effectively, you need to set clear and achievable goals. That’s because you can use a sense of purpose to drive you forward on your journey. In addition, breaking down your broader goals into smaller ones is important.
Take action
| A．Establish clear goals |
| B．Remember all your goals |
| C．If you take action at once |
| D．When you answer these questions |
| E．Then write down in detail what comes up for you |
| F．Accepting fear is not a barrier to self-improvement |
| G．At this point on your journey to overcome fear, it’s time to take action |
People are often surprised by my fear of blood and needles. Working in a public health unit, I probably have more daily interaction with syringes (注射器) than the average person. But the truth is, having my blood drawn scares me.
When I was 9, I had an extremely high temperature. A nurse rudely stuck the needle into my arm, causing a sharp pain. I avoided having blood taken from my body for the next years. A few months before I turned 30, my doctor ordered a blood test as part of my physical exam. I panicked. Sensing my fear, she gently suggested I see a psychiatrist (精神科医生). “Dr. M helped my other patients with the same fear,” she said.
When Dr. M called to set up an appointment, I hesitated. Talking about personal problems to a medically licensed stranger was uncommon in my family. “A psychiatrist?” Mother asked. “He’ll just put you on drugs. Can’t you get over this yourself?” I almost listened. But I went to Dr. M’s clinic finally. “Phobias (恐惧症) are pretty easy to treat,” he said. I wasn’t convinced of his words. But despite my doubts, I was running out of options.
We started with basic exposure treatment. I watched videos of blood being drawn every day. As I started to feel more at ease with needles, Dr. M suggested drawing blood. As he gently pressed the needle into my flesh, I felt dizzy and breathed deeply. After a few minutes, I looked at the needle. It wasn’t so bad. I didn’t pass out. “You’re doing well,” Dr. M said.
I still find it unpleasant getting blood drawn, but thanks to several months of treatment, I’m less scared. I hate to admit it, but Dr. M is right — phobias can be treated. Sometimes, we have to leave our comfort zone and face our fears. And this can lead to freedom in the end.
1．What caused the author’s phobia?| A．Her sensitivity to pains. |
| B．Her awful performance in study. |
| C．Her bad medical experience. |
| D．Her regular contact with syringes. |
| A．Conservative. | B．Disapproving. |
| C．Supportive. | D．Optimistic. |
| A．It cost the author a great deal of money. |
| B．It eased the author’s pain totally. |
| C．It centered on watching videos. |
| D．It was smoother than expected. |
| A．Bravery brings us a happier life |
| B．Walk toward what scares us |
| C．Ups and downs make one strong |
| D．Nurse our physical health carefully |
In February, news broke that Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff had taken a “digital detox(脱瘾)”: 10 tech-free days at a French Polynesian resort. For a small group of people, taking a step back from devices is an achievable dream, but for most, it’s an impossibility, especially.
A digital detox requires dismissing technology almost entirely: taking a break from screens, social media and video conferences for multiple days. The goals—reducing stress or anxiety, and reconnecting with the physical world—are well-intentioned. However, experts say a digital detox isn’t practical anymore for most people.
“Technology is very much a part of us now. We bank with an app, read restaurant menus on phones and even sweat with exercise instructors through a screen,” says Seattle-based consultant Emily Cherkin, who specialises in screen-time management. “It’s so embedded(嵌入式的) in our lives, we’re setting ourselves up for failure if we’re going to go phone-free for a week.”
As people become increasingly interdependent on technology, doing a digital detox no longer seems like a reasonable goal. But there may be a more realistic solution that will lessen our tech obsession(着迷), without forcing us to totally disconnect.
Rather than cutting out technology altogether, practice digital mindfulness. Make sure the use of technology is purposeful. Instead of a full detox, digital mindfulness may be more practical for some people: less worry about cutting tech out entirely, and more focus on being intentional with its use.
The goal shouldn’t be to cut off technology or to put a full stop. People still need to send an email, but can do so without getting distracted by the various online contents.
This approach is called “grey detoxing”—you’re not totally immersed(沉浸的) or totally cut off from technology. Instead of causing ourselves more anxiety by attempting to live without our phones for a week, we can approach unavoidable screen time in a way that feels right for our individual lives.
1．Why does the author mention Marc Benioff in paragraph 1?| A．To criticize the idea of digital detox. | B．To urge readers to take a digital detox. |
| C．To bring digital detox up for discussion. | D．To recommend a French Polynesian resort. |
| A．They are more stressed and anxious. | B．They are deeply influenced by tech. |
| C．They are unwilling to go phone-free. | D．They tend to be more pessimistic. |
| A．Going on a holiday to Polynesia. | B．Avoiding tech altogether. |
| C．Disconnecting occasionally. | D．Using tech purposefully. |
| A．It is achievable. | B．It is unreasonable. |
| C．It is ridiculous. | D．It is unrealistic. |
Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses (球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements (代替物) for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.
1．What is the meaning of the underlined words in paragraph 2?| A．resource-consuming | B．resource-developing |
| C．resource-protecting | D．resource-controlling |
| A．It is environmentally-friendly. | B．It improves our health. |
| C．It is simple and free. | D．It can make you put on weight. |
| A．Playing basketball in a gym. | B．Motor racing in the desert. |
| C．Cycling around a lake. | D．Swimming in a sports center. |
| A．To show us some major outdoor sports. |
| B．To encourage us to go in for green sports. |
| C．To discuss the influence of some popular sports. |
| D．To introduce some environmentally-friendly sports. |
In 1985, Vanessa Foster and her husband hopped on a flight to Alaska without any plan. When they
“I hopped out and
As they walked down the
“When he heard we were
The
“I really appreciate his kindness toward a couple of
| A．escaped | B．came | C．won | D．landed |
| A．car | B．horse | C．pick-up | D．bike |
| A．lesson | B．treat | C．ride | D．truck |
| A．gave up | B．pulled over | C．checked out | D．sat down |
| A．rushed | B．preferred | C．appealed | D．referred |
| A．wandered | B．searched | C．played | D．drove |
| A．asked | B．invited | C．became | D．needed |
| A．hill | B．valley | C．bank | D．highway |
| A．break | B．pick | C．clean | D．eat |
| A．Currently | B．Occasionally | C．Finally | D．Frequently |
| A．little | B．black | C．big | D．blue |
| A．jobless | B．hungry | C．tired | D．cold |
| A．drive | B．scenery | C．experience | D．book |
| A．forget | B．miss | C．hate | D．forgive |
| A．animals | B．thieves | C．workers | D．strangers |
To Swedes, the scent of surströmming (鲱鱼罐头) is pleasant, but to most others, it’s sickening. This contrast highlights the role of culture in shaping our perceptions (见解) of scent. However, researchers now suggest that biology might play a more significant role than previously thought.
Artin Arshamian, a neuroscientist at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, and Asifa Majid, a psychologist at the University of Oxford, noticed from their own previous work that people from different cultures described smells differently. They also knew from past experiments by other researchers that culture was important in determining which sorts of faces people found beautiful. Thus, they expected to see a similar phenomenon with smells.
The researchers conducted a study involving nine diverse groups of people, including hunter-gatherers in Mexico, farmers in Ecuador, and residents of cities like Mexico City and Bangkok. They were presented with ten smells, ranging from isovaleric acid to vanilla extract, and asked to rate them according to pleasantness. The results showed high consistency across cultures, with isovaleric acid universally disliked and vanilla extract mostly enjoyed.
Interestingly, the chemical composition of the smells accounted for 41% of the reactions, while cultural factors only explained 6%. It is quite different in the case of visual perception of faces, where a person’s culture makes up 50% of the explanation for which faces they find beautiful. Meanwhile, the researchers identified an “eye of the beholder” effect in our perceptions of scent. This phenomenon, though less obvious than in visual perception, represents the personal preferences that are shaped by influences outside individual culture, accounting for 54% of the differences in which smells people liked.
This study suggests that our sense of smell may be more influenced by biological factors than cultural ones. It challenges the idea that culture alone determines what we find pleasant or unpleasant and opens up new ways of exploring the biological basis of our senses.
1．What is the initial purpose of the research?| A．To explore how culture affects our sense of smell. |
| B．To prove all people enjoy the scent of surströmming. |
| C．To examine geography plays a role in scent perception. |
| D．To confirm biology has an influence on scent perception. |
| A．By making questionnaire surveys. | B．By recording participants’ reactions. |
| C．By comparing cultural backgrounds. | D．By referring to previous study reports. |
| A．the standard of beauty across different cultures |
| B．the role of culture in shaping our sense of smell |
| C．the impact of personal preferences on scent perception |
| D．the influence of outside factors on our visual preference |
| A．They were familiar with isovaleric acid beforehand. |
| B．They hated isovaleric acid all due to its unpleasant smell. |
| C．Their reactions to the scent of isovaleric acid varied among cultures. |
| D．Their dislike for isovaleric acid was based more on biological factors. |
If you find yourself embracing the thrilling chaos of completing tasks at the last minute, congratulations — You are not alone! According to a survey, 20% of U.S. adults procrastinate (拖延) at home, at work, in relationships, and more. Another survey found that 88% of people procrastinate at least one hour a day.
Sounds alarming? As it turns out, if you’re feeling stressed, you may be more likely to procrastinate. Essentially, our brains are structured to approach tasks we find enjoyable and avoid those we are afraid of. Our limbic brain (边缘大脑), the emotional part of our brain, is screaming, “Let’s do anything but that stressful thing!” while our prefrontal cortex (前额叶皮层) is the CEO of our brain, setting the goals, making a plan, and ensuring we stay on track. CEO vs. Drama Queen Brain — who will win? Actually, there do exist chances when our limbic brain overrides that prefrontal cortex message.
Then there’s the burst of energy we often get when we’re up against a deadline, which leads to a reward pathway within our brains and sets the foundation for procrastination as a habit. When you race to the end and get to the goal finally, your previous stress is gone and you almost get in that pattern of “See, I work better under pressure!”
So, how to beat procrastination? Well, you need to retrain your brain to cope with the stress. One trick is to take periodic breaks (reward) to refocus your attention on the task. Ever heard of the Promodoro Technique? It’s about working for 25 minutes and resting for 5. During those breaks, forget about brain-burning activities — try relaxing techniques such as meditation or yoga instead. Another trick is to “eat the frog” first thing in the morning, or tackle the most difficult and stressful task of the day, as was once said by Mark Twain.
1．Why are the two surveys mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To warn the readers. | B．To introduce a concept. |
| C．To present a phenomenon. | D．To make a comparison. |
| A．We are born to prefer what we like and avoid what we fear. |
| B．The limbic brain is under the control of the prefrontal cortex. |
| C．We are more likely to burst when getting close to the deadline. |
| D．Failing to complete a task can lead to habitual procrastination. |
| A．Force the brain to focus. | B．Take a break regularly. |
| C．Solve a tricky math problem. | D．Eat something refreshing first. |
| A．Humorous. | B．Ironic. | C．Serious. | D．Unclear. |
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