Since the 1970s many 96.______________ have been found for me. I have become very important in communication, finance and trade. I have also been put into robots and used to make mobile phones as well as 97. ______________. I have even been put into space rockets and sent to 98. ______________. Anyhow, my goal is to provide humans with a life 99. ______________. I am now 100. ______________ that I am a devoted friend and helper of the human race!
In a study just published in the journal Intelligence, using search terms such as “stupid thing to do”, Balazs Aczel and his colleagues compiled a collection of stories describing stupid mistakes from sources such as The Huffington Post and TMZ. The researchers then had a sample of university students rate each story on the responsibility of the people involved, the influence of the situation, the seriousness of the consequences, and other factors.
Analyses of the subjects’ ratings revealed three varieties of stupid mistakes. The first is when a person’s confidence goes beyond their skill, as when a Pittsburgh man robbed two banks in broad daylight without wearing a disguise, believing that lemon juice he had rubbed on his face would make him invisible to security cameras.
The confidence-skill disconnection has been named the Dunning-Kruger effect, after a study by social psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger. Dunning and Kruger had Cornell undergraduates perform tests of humor, logic, and grammar, and then rate how well they think they performed compared to other subjects in the study. The worst performing subjects, whose scores put them in the 12th percentile, estimated that they had performed in the 62nd percentile. Summarizing the findings, Dunning noted, “Poor performers—and we are all poor performers at some things—fail to see the flaws in their thinking or the answers they lack.” When we think we are at our best is sometimes when we are at our objective worst.
As any number of political scandals illustrate, the second type of stupid mistake involves impulsive acts—when we seem unable to keep our behavior in check. In the scandal that became known as Weinergate, former U.S. representative Anthony Weiner sent blue texts and pictures of himself to women he met on Facebook. (After resigning, Weiner continued his cyber-dalliances, and then fell prey to the Dunning-Kruger effect when he overestimated his support in the 2013 New York City mayoral primary; he received 5% of the vote.)
The final variety of stupid mistake involves failing to concentrate—Homer Simpsonesque D’oh moments. As arguably the best example from American sports history, in the 1929 Rose Bowl, University of California star Roy Riegels recovered a fumble(失误球) and returned it 65 yards the wrong way. Riegel’s mistake set up a safety for Georgia Tech, which turned out to be the deciding factor in the opponent’s victory. Aczel and colleagues’ analyses revealed that subjects viewed this category of stupid mistake as the least stupid.
It is, of course, unrealistic to think that we could ever eliminate human error. To err will always be human. However, this research gives us a better description of our failings and weaknesses, and a place to start in thinking about interventions and prescriptions to help us err less. This research also reminds us of our shared human weaknesses. We all tend to overestimate our abilities, to make impulsive decisions, and to fail to keep attention. This simple realization makes stupid mistakes seem, perhaps, a little less stupid — and a little more human.
Title: Why you make breathtakingly stupid mistakes | ||
(71)_____of the research | ●Compiling stories about stupid mistakes from some sources. ●Rating the stories on the factors like responsibilities, influences, etc. ●(72)__________ how the subjects rate the stories. | |
Types of stupid mistakes | Confidence – skill disconnection | ●It happens when confidence (73)______ skill. Eg: A man rubbing lemon juice on his face robbed banks by (74)______his head in the sand like an ostrich ( 鸵鸟). ●The outcome may be just the (75)_________ when we overestimate our skills. |
Impulsive acts | ●We cannot put our behavior under (76)____________. Eg. Weiner disturbed women by sending blue texts and pictures, which put him at a disadvantage in mayoral primary. | |
(77)__________ of attention | ●Though viewed as the least stupid, it can be a deciding factor in may cases. Eg. Roy Riegel’s running the wrong way with a fumble (78)_________ for Geogia Tech winning the game. | |
Values of the research | ●Providing us with a clear image of our failings and weaknesses. ●Helping us err less though we are (79)__________ to stay away from error. ●Enabling us to evaluate our abilities objectively, make rational decisions and always get (80)_______________. |
How traffic affects our health
When talking about traffic problems, we,Jso need to take into consideration the pollution that we are exposed to and the health problems traffic causes. Given below is an in-depth exposition on how traffic afftcts our health and what we can do to avoid some of these effects to live a longer and healthier life.
Aches and Pains
Driving in a slouched(无精打釆的)position puts pressure on your back and neck. Back pain is often due to poor posture which can have a neu,nti\ e effect on your health. Your bad posture also puts stress on the joints of your elbows and knees, causing pain and tiredness to these areas of your body.
When you are driving in traffic, you are constantly shifting between the accelerator and brake (in automatic transmission cars), and clutch, brake, and accelerator (in manual transmission cars). This constant shifting puts pressure and stress on your knees, causing knee-related problems and aches.
What can you do?
You can counteract these ill effect and posture problems by sitting upright and having a support for your lower back and neck. Adjust the position of your seat in such a way that you can drive at ease without any discomfort. The backrest of the seat should be straight up, and not pulled down too much. Respiratory(呼吸的)Problems
Exposure to heavy traffic implies exposure to poisonous rases that are emitted by vehicles. It is believed that the transportation sector in the US is resporbible for a quarter of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Our lungs arc like sponges, soaking in everything that is breathed in by our respiratory system. The smoke coming out of the tailpipes of vehicles presents a serious threat to human health. Prolonged exposure to traffic emissions can cause,vious respiratory diseases including lung cancer.
What can you do?
There are ways to avoid breathing in polluted air If you can, avoid driving in parts of your town with heavy traffic congestion. However, if you find yourself driving through such areas, roll up your car windows to minimize exposure to harmflil gases. If you plan to go out for a walk or run, do it in a place where you get loads of fresh air. Eat foods that are rich in antioxidants(抗氧化剂),and exercise regularly so that your immune system is strong enough to fight off potential threats to your health.
Travel and traffic are two things that are absolutely unavoidable,and that is why we should try to be as comfortable as possible, to be stress-free and illness-free!
How traffic affects our health | ||
Passage outline | Supporting details | |
Lead-in | When it (71) to traffic problems, we should pay enouch attention to the pollution we are exposed to and the health problems that traffic causes. | |
Aches and Pains | Problems | (72) a Door Dosition when you are driving can affect your health badly in several ways such as back, neck, even the joints of your elbows and knees. Shifting posture constantly in the (73) of driving will put pressure and stress on your knees, causing aches and pains. |
Solutions | You can sit upright and have a support for your lower back and neck, j You can make (74) to the position of your seat. You can (75) the backrest of vour seat and avoid pulling it down too much. |
Respiratory Problems | Problems | It is believed that the transportation sector is to (76) for a quarter 〜greenhouse gas emissions in the US. Our lungs breathe in harmful elements in the smoke from vehicles, damaging our health seriously. Long exposure to dangerous pollutants from vehicles can cause various lung-related diseases, lung cancer (77) . |
Solutions | You should try to drive through the areas (78) from heavy traffic congestion. You must wind up your car windows to keep exposure, to harmfijl pollutants to the (79) . You should choose a place where you get loads of fresh air to take a walk or have a run. You must attach (80) to your diet and regular exercise to fight off potential threats to your health. | |
Conclusion t We should try to be stress-free and illness-free while driving or I traveling. |
New research says 35 percent of child deaths worldwide are caused by hunger. The research comes from poor or middle-income countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Robert Black from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland is the lead writer of the research. He says more than 3. 5 million mothers and children under five die in poor countries each year because of hunger.
He says about two million children die from underdevelopment, either before or after birth. Millions of others who survive face a lifetime of disabilities or early death and the effects are not just physical. Poor mental development also results from hunger as children grow. Then the cycle of poverty and hunger often continues for their children.
Doctor Black says hungry children can have conditions like high blood pressure and heart disease as a result of hunger. He says the studies show that food programs need to place the greatest importance on the first two years of life. Hungry children can suffer their whole-life damage from age two.
It is high time their diets were improved. Diets should include foods rich in vitamin A and other vitamins and minerals. The researchers say early help such as this could reduce child deaths by 25%.
This research has also faced some criticism. A medical aid group says the researchers underestimate (低估) the number of child deaths due to hunger. The researchers say there are findings that support this treatment but more studies are needed to compare it to hospital care.
Title | New research |
Theme | (71) ________ is children’s biggest killer. |
The general introduction | ●Of all child deaths throughout the world, 35 percent (72) ________ from hunger. ●The children in poor or middle-income countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America are (73) ________ with such a situation. ●Each year hunger causes over 3. 5 million mothers and children under 5 in poor countries to die. |
The (74) ________ effects of hunger on children | ●Over 2 million children die from hunger before or after they are (75) ________ . ●Millions of the survivors will be disabled all their lives or die at an early (76) ________ . ●Hunger can also result in children’s bad mental development. ●Hunger can bring children high blood pressure and heart disease, too. |
The (77) ________ to save children | ●Food programs must realize the period between the birth and the age of 2 is the most (78) ________ for children’s physical development. ●Diets should be improved. ●Diets should contain food with (79) ________ vitamins and minerals. |
Some criticism on the research | ●Not (80) ________ child deaths are paid attention to by the researchers. |
Everybody loves self-improvement. That’s why we’re such enthusiastic consumers of “top 10” lists of things to do to be a more productive, promotable, mindful— you name it—leader. But these lists seldom work. What if we didn’t think of self-improvement as work? What if we thought of it as play—specifically, as playing with our sense of self?
Traditionally, people work on themselves, committed to doing everything in their power to change their leadership style. You set your goals and objectives, you are mindful of your time, and seek efficient solutions. You’re not going to deviate(偏离) from the straight and narrow. You focus on what you should do, especially as others see it, as opposed to what you want to do. It’s all very serious and not whole of fun. There is one right answer. Success or failure is the outcome. We judge ourselves.
In contrast, no matter what you’re up to, when you’re in “play” mode, your primary drivers are enjoyment and discovery instead of goals and objectives. You’re curious. You lose track of time. Like in all forms if play, the journey becomes more important than a pre-set destination.
Much research shows how play develops creativity and innovation. Play with your own idea of yourself is similar to playing with future possibilities. So, we stop evaluating today’s self against unachievable ideal of leadership that doesn’t really exist. We also stop trying to will ourselves to “commit” to becoming something we are not even sure we want to be—what we call the “feared self”, which is composed of images negative role models. And, we shift direction from submitting to what other people want us to be to becoming more self-authoring. As a result, when you play, you’re more creative and more open to what you might learn about yourself.
Unfortunately, we don’t often get —or give ourselves—permission to play with our sense of self. In life, we equate playfulness with the person who dips into a great variety of possibilities, never committing to any. We find inconsistency distasteful, so we exclude options that seem too far off from today’s “authentic self”, without ever giving them a try. This kills the discontinuous growth that only comes when we surprise ourselves.
Psychoanalyst Adam Phillips once said, “people tend to play only with serious things—madness, disaster, other people.” Playing with your self is a serious effort because who we might become is not knowable or predictable at the start. That’s why it’s as dangerous as it is necessary for growth.
Lead-in | ●People want to improve their 61. . ●People can apply work mode or play mode. |
62.between the two mode | In work mode ●one is 63. and sticks to his route ●one cares about others’ 64. of his performance. ●one judges himself with one standard— success or failure |
In play method ●the 65. outweighs the outcome; ●playfulness allows people to66. with various approaches; ●playfulness helps people obtain 67. results. | |
The 68. with application of play mode | We usually regard playfulness as equal to non-professional. |
69. | 70. danger, playfulness is a must for our self-growth. |
Bird migration (迁徙)
The man reason for migration or movement is food; for example, some birds may choose not to migrate if they are fed through the cold months Changes in the day length are signals for migration and relate to the physical changes in the birds. Birds will also display restlessness and increase their fat deposition(沉积). During shorter days in the fall, birds will return to warmer areas where they find adequate food supply.
Many smaller insect-eating birds migrate large distances usually at night. They may feed for a new days before continuing their course of travel. An advantage for night migrating is that it minimizes the threat of predators(食肉动物), allowing the birds to feed during the day and avoid overheating.
The migration for these birds is based on a number of different senses. Many birds use the sun as a compass. The ability to detect magnetic field (磁场), use of visual landmarks, as well as their sense of smell are used to help travel during migration. Bird migration is a strong genetic factor in terms of timing and route, which can be influenced by temperature. Migratory birds may use two tools to find their destinations; innate capability(genetically programmed) and experience. A first-timer migrant(候鸟) flies according to the Earth’s magnetic field, but does not know how far it will take until it grows accustomed to the journey and is able to use its other capabilities. With experience it learns various landmarks often called “mapping”.
Migration is mainly seen in the Northern Hemisphere and less obvious in the Southern Hemisphere. This is due to the lack of significant weather changes and the continual supply of food for the birds. A common pattern in migration involves flying north in the spring to bread(繁殖)during the summer and traveling to the south in the fall into warmer regions. No two species follow the exact route from beginning to end. Migrations narrow into one or more preferred routes or often called “flyways”. Flyways mainly follow coasts, sometimes rives, or mountain ranges. There are four major North American flyways; the Atlantic, the Mississippi, the Central and the Pacific Flyways. The flyways are not defined in their boundaries and at times may be combined into one.
In fact, long distance migrants move away from each other as young birds and form attachments to potential breeding and wintering sites. Once the site attachment is made, birds show high site-faith, visiting the same sites year after year. You will want to ensure your nesting boxes are cleaned out and available when these birds return to keep the cycle going for these migrating species.
Bird migration | |
Passage outline | Supporting details |
Why do birds migrate? | Besides61._____, migration has something to do with birds’ physical changes and day length changes. |
What are the advantages of night migrating? | ◇Night migrating helps minimize the 62._______ of being threatened by predators. ◇Night migrating allows birds to feed enough during the day with out overheating. |
63.______do birds migrate? | ◇The sun, magnetic field, visual landmarks and the sense of smell are all 64.____for birds to migrate. ◇Environmental changes are connected with birds’ timing and route. ◇Not only magnetic field but also some other capabilities and 65._____ relate to a first-timer migrant’s flying. |
Where do birds migrate? | ◇Migration mainly takes place in the 66._____ Hemisphere. ◇With four major flyways birds mainly fly 67.______ coasts, rivers, or mountain ranges. |
What 68.________ can you draw from the bird migration? | ◇Birds are 69._______ to their site attachment very much. ◇You must make sure the clean boxes are 70.______ before the birds come back. |
How Technology Can Help Language Learning
Intelligence, according to Howard Gardner, is of eight types—verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical-rhythmic, visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. This is the first in a series of posts that explore and understand how each of the above forms of intelligence is affected by technology-mediated education.
Verbal-linguistic Intelligence involves sensitivity to spoken and written language, the ability to learn languages, and the capacity to use language to accomplish goals. Such intelligence is developed by three specific activities: reading, writing and interpersonal communication—both written and oral. The traditional tools that have been used to efficiently develop verbal/linguistic intelligence—textbook, pencil, and paper—are giving way to technology in many schools. E-books, Internet lesson plans, online assignments and word processing software, or a subset of the above, are now common in schools. Technology allows addition of multisensory (多种感觉的) elements that provide meaningful contexts to help comprehension, thus expanding the learning ground of language and linguistics.
Research into the effect of technology on the development of the language and literacy skills vis-à-vis reading activities of children has offered evidence for favorable effects of digital-form books. A study shows that digital reading materials have become common in developing countries in early childhood classrooms to support engagement in storybooks while enhancing the emergent literacy (早期读写能力) among children. E-books are also being increasingly used to teach reading among beginners and children with reading difficulties.
Technology can be used to improve reading ability in many ways. It can enhance (加强) and sustain the interest levels for children by allowing immediate feedback on performance and providing added practice when necessary. Recent research shows that students are able to improve their sight word vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension through computer-based reading.
Technology can also help in improvement of writing skills. Word processing software promotes not only composition but also editing and revising in ways that streamline the task of writing. Desktop publishing and web-based publishing allow the work to be taken beyond the classroom into a virtual world that allows more constructive interactions.
Technology enhanced oral communication is indeed useful in that it allows students from remote locations, or from all over the world to communicate orally through video and audio conferencing tools. For example, students of languages in Australian universities overcome the problem of insufficient contact with native language speakers by using online audio and video tools that allow the development of aural, vocal and visual-cognition skills that are important in verbal and linguistic education. Oral group discussions in the form of video conferencing can help non-native speakers of a language with natural language negotiation and cultural intonations in ways that have not been possible due to geographic isolation.
Computer definitely aided language learning and computer mediated communication enhance teaching and learning experiences in the areas of linguistics and language intelligence. Although there have not been comprehensive studies on the use of technologies to aid K-12 English-language learners, there have been many individual computer programs and other technologies that accelerate the acquisition of phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and reading-comprehension skills and other language building blocks.
Title: How Technology Can Help Language Learning
Paragraph outline | Detailed information |
Brief introduction to Verbal-linguistic Intelligence | ●Howard Gardner thinks that intelligence is of eight types, 61.________ from verbal-linguistic to naturalistic intelligence. ●Verbal-linguistic Intelligence, 62.________ of three aspects, is developed by three specific activities. ●Technology is 63._______ traditional tools used to develop verbal/linguistic intelligence efficiently. ●The learning ground of language and linguistics has been 64._______ by adding multisensory elements to language learning. |
Effects on language and literacy skills | Digital reading materials have been used to help children in developing countries get 65.________ in storybooks, enhancing the emergent literacy among them. |
Effects on reading ability | Technology can enhance and sustain children’s interest levels by providing immediate feedback and extra practice. |
Effects on writing skills | Technology allows our work to be taken in a virtual world with more constructive66.________. |
Effects on oral communication | Technology allows students to communicate orally through video and audio conferencing tools67.________ geographic isolation. |
Conclusion | ●There is no68.________ that technology enhances teaching and learning experiences concerning linguistics and language intelligence. ●Although there is a 69._______ of comprehensive studies on the use of technologies to aid K-12 English-language learners, there have been other technologies that70.________ the acquisition of language building blocks. |
Do you always experience tired eyes at an even more frequent rate? What if your eyes are in such a kind of condition? There is no need to worry about it because it is so common nowadays. On the contrary, you should find the factors and then seek some appropriate treatments for them.
Some folks don’t wish to waste even a second at work, even to blink(眨眼)for a fraction of a second. Staring constantly at the screen can cause stress to one’s eyes. Sitting and staring at the television screen for hours can also make the eyes tired.
Bookworms love reading and they will make sure they read much more than their bodies can deal with. The desire to finish a book may result in fast reading, without taking breaks, which can lead to tired eyes. Continuous reading in dim light can also cause pressure to the eyes.
Decreased water intake and overindulgence(过度放纵)in salt-based junk food items like burgers, pizzas, etc. also play a role in causing tired eyes. These junk food items do not furnish the body with the required essential nutrients, thus causing a lack of vitamins, which also has an effect on tired eyes.
Stress at the workplace or at home and a noisy sleeping environment cannot bring enough sleep at night. Lack of sleep causes the eyes to become heavy. Dark circles are also seen to develop if one doesn’t get sufficient sleep over a period of time.
Even though this condition is not fatal, it is stressful for the health of the body, and must be treated. If not treated on time, the condition can become worse and result in double or blurred vision. Here are some ways to treat the tired eye condition.
Every hour during your day at work, spend a minute relaxing your eyes. Look away from your computer screen and roll your eyes in both directions. Try and blink more often. Look around the room or close your eyes for a minute if you want and then work again. Following this every hour will help reduce overall stress on your eyes, and you won’t feel so tired after work.
Caffeine present in the tea helps relieve tired eyes. Make a cup of hot black tea and pour it into a glass. Hold the glass close to your eyes, so that the vapors from the tea reach your eyes. This may be troublesome, so instead you can also use tea bags to relieve your eyes. Dip two black tea bags in a cup of hot water and once the warmth is bearable place the warm tea bags onto your eyes. This will also make you feel fresh.
If your eyes feel extremely tired at work, go to the washroom and wash your face with cool tap water. The cold water will help relieve the tired feeling. Do this every hour during work and you will find relief.
During the Middle Ages, European farmers were at the mercy of insects that were destroying their crops. They prayed to Virgin Mary for help. The story goes that soon after the ladybugs came, ate the insects and saved the crops!
The colorful beetles were named"The Beetles of Our Lady"and eventually came to be known as"Lady Beetles"in Europe and"Ladybugs"in the U.S.
Ladybugs are predators(捕食性动物)that cruelly kill hundreds of tiny insects called aphids every day. The aphids suck juices out of plants. A single ladybug can consume as many as 50 aphids a day!
The way in which they go about this is something to notice. When searching for unsuspecting aphids, ladybugs detect chemicals that plants release when being attacked. The chemicals act like a lighthouse, calling the ladybug to come and eat out the plant’s invaders.
Besides their bright yellow, red and black colors that warn away predators, nature has blessed ladybugs withanother defense mechanism. These colorful beetles can"play dead"by turning over and pulling their legs up. A small amount of foul-smelling blood flows out from their legs, which does a pretty good job of driving away the predators. Once danger passes, they resume normal life!
If there is one animal that can take down the ladybug, it is a tiny wasp about the width of a fingernail. When ready to lay eggs, the wasp injects the ladybug with an egg through her stinger(刺). When the egg hatches, it is the beginning of the end for the ladybug.
The newly hatched baby wasp is fed on the fluid inside the ladybug, draining the life from it. On the outside, the ladybug continues to hunt aphids, while getting eaten out from the inside by a wasp. The more the ladybug feeds, the quicker and bigger the wasp gets, stealing the nutrients from the ladybug.
Within a week, the wasp is big enough to survive on the outside, and so by creeping through a gap in the ladybug’s body, it binds itself to the bottom of the ladybug, wrapped in a cocoon(茧). Although the ladybug is not having its nutrients stolen, it’s still in trouble.
A baby wasp in a cocoon is very weak to predators, so it uses the ladybug as a bodyguard. When a predator approaches, the ladybug scares it off by waving its limbs. The ladybug will unwillingly serve the wasp for about a week until the now fully-grown wasp tears the cocoon apart and flies away. It is only then that the ladybug dies, its service complete.
Note-taking is a skill that can help you do well in all your schoolwork — everything from taking tests to researching a paper. But unfortunately, most schools don’t have classes that teach you how to take notes. So here are some tips.
If you have a teacher who writes notes on the board, that’s a bonus. You can copy them down. If not, write down the most important points from class. It can take some experimenting to figure out what information really is helpful, so keep trying and don’t give up. Different teachers do things differently. For example, some teachers may mention lots of dates and facts in class but only write the key ones on the board. Other teachers may not write anything down, but they may repeat a certain date or piece of information. That’s a clue that it’s probably important. After a while, you’ll get to know a teacher’s style.
Don’t go crazy taking notes, though. You’ll be mad if you try to write down every word that’s said in class. And if you focus too much on getting your notes right, you might miss important points. Some people actually learn better by listening, writing down a few key points, and then going over the material after class when they have more time.
Keep your notes handy when you’re doing your reading assignments. Compare what you wrote with what the readings say — you may even want to add to your notes as you read. Going over your notes with a friend and comparing what the two of you put down can help reinforce what you’re learning. It also can help you remember information when it’s time for the test. And going over your notes will alert you and your friend to any errors.
Depending on how neat your handwriting is, you may want to recopy your notes when you get home. If you’ve taken notes in a hurry, you’re more likely to figure out an unreadable word or sentence on the day of the lesson rather than you are weeks later when you look back over your notes to prepare for a test.
Keep notes for each subject in different places so you can find everything easily when it comes time for a test. That may mean notebooks or sections of a notebook should be arranged in subjects as you take notes in class.
Note-taking gives your mind a chance to absorb the material it needs to learn. Not only can this help you to do better in a test, it’s also a great confidence booster when you’re studying and finding yourself saying,"Hey, I remember that!"
The Leadership Insider network is an online community where the most thoughtful and influential people in business contribute answers to timely questions about careers and leadership. Today’s answer to the question"How do you keep your best employees?"is by Mark Newman, CEO of HireVue.
No one describes his or her favorite job as"the one with the highest wages". Money does play a factor, but people use other language to describe why a job is their favorite:"I love what I’m working on","I’m proud of the work we do", or"I love the people I work with".
When you can connect a specific purpose and meaning to your job it’s no longer"just a job"— it’s your work. As a leader, make a plan to connect an employee’s role to the bigger company-wide mission. For example, our technical support team is made up of millennials who go to great lengths(竭尽全力) to ensure job candidates taking digital interviews have an amazing experience. Because a job interview is a life-changing experience for many people and we owe it to every candidate to make sure it’s incredible.
People need to be fairly paid —that’s obvious. It’s also obvious that someone else can always pay more. For me, the more effective hook is to provide employees with interesting work and inspire them to drive a path forward. When I’ve encouraged people to depend upon their strengths, and push outside their comfort zone, I find that they will drive toward doing their best work. Inside HireVue, I watched a talented young teammate evolve from a marketing intern, to a full-time marketing coordinator, to a strategic alliance manager, to a regional sales leader — four distinct positions all within just 24 months.
Life happens and people get distracted. So I believe in biting the bullet and investing in great benefits; the return on investment (ROI) of a workforce that can focus on actual work is astonishing. Sixty eight percent of employees can’t focus at work because they’re too busy multitasking between projects, emails and meetings. Pile on worry about personal issues such as health care, childcare and student loans, and the distractions can go through the roof. In an era of constant criticism of health care costs the incremental cost of good health care versus bad health care is nothing compared to the ROI of keeping and engaging someone great. Flexible schedules, quality health care, community service opportunities and work-life integration are crucial to success.
In an era of transparency, thanks to the likes of Glassdoor and social media, you can‘t put your head in the sand and think that you can take advantage of your team. You‘ll never win.
If Mickey Mouse is a westerner who has captured the world,Hello Kitty is the world’s
sweetheart from Asia. With its two innocent black eyes and the cute ribbon on its ear,this
white-faced kitten has captivated(迷住)the hearts of women of all ages since 1974.
Hello Kitty is found on more than 50 thousand items,including toys,school supplies,
make-up and even neckties.
To celebrate the character’s 38' birthday,an exhibition called“Inside Kitty" is underway
at the Seongnam Arts Center in Yatab-dong.
“Kitty was not popular at all at first,even in Japan. Only since 1985,11 years after it was
born,have people started to pay attention to it,”Yuko Yamaguchi,one of the designers of the
character,told the press.
“Hello Kitty was only for kids then. But in 1987,I got a letter from a high school student
who said that her friends teased her because she had a Hello Kitty product. She asked the com-
pany to make something that did not look strange for her to carry around. Since then we’ve
tried to come up with things that all ages can enjoy,”Yamaguchi said.
Hello Kitty became popular after being displayed in Anna Sui boutiques(精品店)in the
United States. Young women from all over the world have been in love with the character ever
since. The boutique of MAC,a make-up brand,packed,on the day the brand was released,its
first products made in collaboration with Hello Kitty.
“The character has to communicate with people. It should change over time,and always
stay fashionable,"Yamaguchi said.
“Inside Kitty" starts by viewing the past of the character. Kitty fans will be delighted to
see Hello Kitty items from throughout the past 38 years on display.
Hello Kitty 61____________ its 38th birthday | |
Appearance | Two innocent 62__________ eyes, a cute ribbon on its ear, and a white face. |
Related products | About 50 thousands items 63_________ toys, school supplies, and make-up. |
64________ | l It came into 65_______ in 1974 . l It has been 66________ since 1985, 11years after its 67_______. l In 1987, it was designed to appeal to all ages instead of only to 68_______. |
The 38th birthday celebration | An exhibition 69_________ “Inside Kitty” is being held where Hello Kitty items from throughout the past 38 years will be on 70_______. |
I used to be the messiest person alive. Over the years, through watching others and by trial and error, I have finally found ways to come up with plans, organize them and follow through with them.
Make an outline of everything you need to have and do to make your plan happen. Make a list of all of the steps that need to be accomplished and think about what needs to be done.
Detail everything thoroughly and read over it so you can start coming up with some mental solutions of how to carry out your plans.
You should ensure that if for some reason way one doesn’t work, you have way two and way three to lean back on. Therefore, different ways are needed at hand. It’s just a matter of being organized. Chances are that there is always more than one way of doing things, and chances are that if one of those ways doesn’t work, one of the other ones will.
Committing yourself to finishing at least part if not all of your plan at once is also necessary. It will show that you not only have initiative to get things rolling, but that you are interested in the results obtained with making the move to get everything done.
If you make a commitment to finish before a specific time, make sure that you carry that out, and be sure to do everything in the way you said you would, within the time-frame you set for yourself.
Don’t try to tackle more things all at a time. All that does is delay your progress, distract you and make you lose your interest, motivation and energy.
Carrying out an effective plan requires being as organized as possible. You will only achieve this by sticking to the order of the plan and not deviating or trying to do more at a time.
Last but not the least, you should never abandon things mid-project. It will only annoy everyone around you including yourself. Unfinished plans are a waste of time, energy and, in some cases, even money.
So, don’t be afraid of organization. The older we get, the more necessary it becomes to have the skills necessary to follow through with confidence and to be able to carry through plans in an organized and manageable way. It pays to be organized, after all.
Title: Tips on how to be (76)___________ in your life | ||
Tips | Details | (77)__________ |
(78)___________ down your plan | ◆List everything you need ◆List (79)______ you will follow | To make your plan happen |
Prepare three (80) ways to carry out your plan | To (81) __________ that you can have some other choices when one way doesn’t work | |
(82) ________ to finish at least part of your plan if not all | Do everything (83)__________ your own time-frame | To show yourself you are determined to get things started and caring about the results |
Do one thing at once | Stick to the order of your plan | To save your interest, motivation and energy |
Finish what you have started | To get your plan (84) ______out thoroughly. | |
(85)____________ | You shouldn’t be afraid of organization because it’s really worthwhile. |
Some people believe that greed and selfishness have become the basis of modern society,and we should return to the old traditions of family and community then we will have a better life.To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above opinion?
In this fastpaced world,many values are undergoing major changes.While people traditionally prioritize caring,sharing and generosity in life and work,modern people seem to be more selfabsorbed and selfconcerned.
Modern people act selfishly to survive the harsh competition of life.They say that it is a jungle out there.To survive,you have to fight with whatever means that come in handy.Obviously greedy and selfishness go perfectly well with such ideas.In a company,employees do everything they can to get better pay and higher position,even at the cost of colleagues.We are in any way advocating any selfish conduct.It is just that people are pressured to act in a certain way due to outside influences.
In spite of common practice,it is hard to conclude that modern society is built on greed and selfishness,both of which are not newly invented vocabulary.In ancient times people also did greedy and selfish things though such behaviors were more condemned then.But we can not ignore the fact that people in the past lived a relatively more isolated life and faced less pressure compared with their modern counterparts.
Are we happier to share with others and be generous to them?There is no fixed answer either.Some people take great pleasure helping and giving to others while others feel happy doing the opposite.But I personally think that people should not be too selfish.Caring for others can actually encourage the development of a mutually beneficial relationship.In conclusion,modern people appear to be more selfcentered than those in the past due to strong outside pressure.However,we should encourage people to know the importance of being caring and generous and to build a mutually beneficial relationship with others.
Are Modern People Becoming More Selfish?
Main comparisons | Contexts |
56________are changing | In the past people put caring,sharing and generosity in the first Nowadays,people seem to be more 57________ |
58_______about themselves. | |
59_______are changing too. | People in the past appeared to be modest and self-effacing(谦逊的). |
People may strive to achieve their own 60_______at the price of their coworkers. | |
The author’s understanding | |
61________for the changes in author’s eyes | Fierce 62_______and great 63________on modern people may be responsible for the changes. |
The author’s 64_______ towards topic | A relationship which can 65_______ two sides should be established. |
Whatever your career, and whatever your goals in life are, ideas are going to matter to you. One great idea could change your life. The thing is, you probably don’t have as many great ideas as you’d like. Perhaps you feel unimaginative and unoriginal. You keep hoping that a really good idea will just pop into your head, but that never seems to happen. The good news? Ideas aren’t magic dust sprinkled by the Muses. There’s an awful lot you can do to generate ideas any time you want.
First, you need time to come up with ideas – and quality time, where you’re not worrying about the chores or your emails. Getting quality time ideally means taking a whole day away from your regular responsibilities. Go out to a coffee shop with a notebook, or shut yourself in a room at home without internet access. Get a zoomed-out view of your life: set aside worries about “but what would people think?” and “is it sensible?” and let yourself dream. You’ll be amazed what you come up with.
Ever had an idea which you immediately dismissed? You probably told yourself “That’s stupid,” or “It’s been done before.”When you’re generating ideas and thinking through possibilities, you’ll inevitably come up with a few false starts. Some ideas will be unoriginal, undesirable or unworkable. But that’s not a bad thing. One idea often leads to a whole train of thought – and you might end up with a really good idea from something which seemed, at first glance, unpromising.
Although I’m a bit of an introvert – I like to spend a fair amount of time on my own – I also get a great buzz from being with like-minded people and discussing ideas and projects with them. You’ve probably experienced something similar yourself – maybe in a brainstorming meeting at work, or maybe just at a bar with friends. The energy generated by several people together can spark some brilliant ideas – ones which you’d never have come up with alone. How do you find like-minded people to bounce ideas off? You could try: Local groups, such as evening classes; Getting together with a couple of friends who “get” your dreams; Finding an online forum of people with the same interest or goals as you.
Ideas don’t just appear in a vacuum. They’re formed from all the various input that you take in. Sometimes, a news story might give you the perfect idea for a Christmas present for your sister, or a book that you’re reading might get you thinking about a particular goal in your life.The more widely you read, the more open you’ll be to new ideas cropping up. That might mean reading a magazine or journal article that’s far outside your normal area of expertise, or turning to a biography of someone who you know almost nothing about.A great place to start is online: blogs, news sites, forums and even Twitter and Facebook are all a rich source of ideas, just waiting for you.
How do you come up with great ideas? And is there a particular area of your life where you feel like you’re lacking inspiration?
How to come up with great ideas—all the time | |
(71)_____quality time to think | Getting ideal quality time means (72)_____aside worries about your regular (73)_____ such as the housework or your emails and letting yourself dream for some time. |
You may come up with some (74)_____ideas. | |
Don’t judge your ideas | A(n) (75)_____unimportant ideas might (76)_____ out to be a really good one. So don’t dismiss any unoriginal, undesirable or unworkable ideas (77) ______. |
Talk to other like-minded people | Talking with people who (78) ______ the same interest or goals with you can inspire some brilliant ideas. You can find such people at work, at a bar, in evening classes or on an online forum. |
Read widely | Reading widely helps you put forward new ideas and the Internet is a great place (79) _____ in ideas. |
Conclusion | Whatever your career, and whatever your goals in life are, ideas are of (80) _____ to you. |
Put a group of strangers in a room together, and they’ll probably start a conversation. “Hot today, isn’t it?” one might say. “You said it,” another replies.
Why do we talk so much about the weather? When we meet new people, we don’t begin by telling them our life story. We start with small talk, a polite conversation about something like traffic or weather.
Research suggests that small talk can build new friendships. When we begin conversations with new people, we want to feel comfortable, and so do they. We use small talk to find common interests. Once we have a common interest, a friendship can begin.
Small talk even helps people get a job. In order to impress at a job interview, you need to bond with the interviewer right away. Proper small talk can make that first impression get you the job.
So, how can you make small talk lead to a new friendship or job? First off, find common ground. Select something around you that you share with the other person.
Next, keep the conversation going. Compliment (赞美) the other person to make him or her feel comfortable, and ask questions to show interest.
Third, keep eye contact. When you loop people in the eye, they feel you appreciate what they are saying. It makes you appear honest and build trust.
Naturally, shy people might not have enough confidence to start up conversations with strangers. Talking to someone you don’t know is not the easiest thing to do! Some experts say with more practice, small take does get easier.
Some people avoid small talk because they dislike discussing things like traffic or weather. For them, they are just too small. However, when you think about it, small talk is anything but small. In fact, it is actually a very big deal!
Title | Small Talk: A Big (76) _________ |
Introduction | We are likely to make small talk when we (77) _______ meet people. |
(78)___________ | Small talk can help people form (79) ________ friendships. |
Small talk can also help people get (80) __________. | |
Advice | Find some topics (81) ________ with the other person. |
Keep the talk going by making compliments and (82) __________ questions. | |
Keep eye contact in conversation to build (83) ________. | |
(84) _________ more in order to make small talk easier. | |
Conclusion | Small talk really (85) _________ a lot to us. |
A. account B. adjustable C. appliances D. capture E. decorations F. direct
G. experiment H. intended I. operated J. soulless K. squeeze
Golden Rules of Good Design
What makes good design? Over the years, designers and artists have been trying to 41 the essentials of good design. They have found that some sayings can help people understand the ideas of good design. There are four as follows.
Less is more. This saying is associated with the German-born architect Mies van der Rohe. In his Modernist view, beauty lies in simplicity and elegance, and the aim of the designer is to create solutions to problems through the most efficient means. Design should avoid unnecessary 42
More is not a bore. The American-born architect Robert Venturi concluded that if simplicity is done badly, the result is 43 design. Post-Modernist designers began to 44 with decoration and color again. Product design was heavily influenced by this view and can be seen in kitchen 45 such as ovens and kettles.
Fitness for purpose. Successful product design takes into consideration a product’s function, purpose, shape, form, color, and so on. The most important result for the user is that the product does what is 46 . For example, think of a(n) 47 desk lamp. It needs to be constructed from materials that will stand the heat of the lamp and regular adjustments by the user. It also needs to be stable. Most importantly, it needs to 48 light where it is needed.
From follows emotion. This phrase is associated with the German designer Hartmut Esslinger. He believes design must take into 49 the sensory side of our nature—sight, smell, touch and taste. These are as important as rational(理性的). When choosing everyday products such as toothpaste, we appreciate a cool-looking device that allows us to easily 50 the toothpaste onto our brush.
As the Internet has become widely used, the online bookstore has gained much popularity with consumers, which have a vital influence on the survival of many private small—and medium—sized physical bookshops, a cultural landmark in the cities in China.
Apart from a campaign, “saving physical stores”, many Chinese politicians and scholars have also urged the government to adopt measures to prevent bookstores from closing down their businesses, because unlike shops selling other goods, physical bookstores play the important social role of passing down knowledge and culture to younger generations.
Besides tax cut, the government should also take other measures to support and encourage the development of such bookstores.
Online bookshops are popular because they offer customers easier access to books, more attractive prices, and delivery service. Readers can buy almost any book sitting at home.
Physical bookstores have actually become “the exhibition halls” of online bookstores. People read and select books in physical bookstores, and then buy them from online bookstores.
However, physical bookstores have their own advantages. The physical bookstores make people feel the existence of culture. Entering a bookstore is like absorbing various elements of culture. For example, they offer the choice of feeling a real book rather than just the chance to see the cover and read a few introductory lines.
But they can also offer lower prices, sales promotions and better service, and organize readers’ club and other activities to attract more booklovers. A citywide delivery service could make it more convenient for readers to buy books from them. Moreover, the physical bookstores can make use of new technologies to improve their services, develop their online sales and expand their business.
Theme | How to (71)_______ physical bookstores |
Introduction | The popularity of online bookstores is a (72)_________ to many real ones, so steps must be taken to help them (73)_____________. |
(74)___________of online bookshops | ·The prices of the online books are (75) ________. ·Its delivery service makes people buy almost any book (76)__________. |
Suggestions | ·The government should (77) ________ tax and take other measures. ·Physical bookstores have their own advantages (78) _______full use of. ·Some activities like (79)________ sales, lowering prices and bettering service should be organized. ·New technologies should be (80)_________ to improve physical bookstores’ services, develop their online sales and expand their business. |
Although people are quite sensitive by nature, only a few of us actually “show it.” The reason why we usually prefer to keep things to ourselves is that we are scared that others may judge us or consider us weak. However, sometimes it is necessary to open up and be honest and direct about your struggles—you cannot get help from others unless you let them know that you need it, and that is usually the most difficult part, since it takes a lot of courage. Here are some tips on finding the courage to open up.
The first and perhaps most important step toward finding the courage you need to open up is to know what your emotion is. You will need to explain your feelings and emotions to the person you are opening up to, and it’s truly challenging to name the emotion that you feel deep inside. If you are able to do that, you will see that other people will find it a lot easier to understand and accept the things you have to say. We connect with others through emotions and language.
Another important thing you need to do is to spend more time with other people. Not only will you feel more familiar with them, but you will also learn their reactions, making it a lot easier to find common ground. People react differently to unusual or even shocking news, and when you spend more time with the one who is about to receive the news, you will create an emotional and mental connection with them, meaning that it will be slightly more difficult for them to react negatively.
People are not mind-readers, and we all know how complex the human mind and emotions can get. Not even those who have been close to you for decades are able to know what’s going on in your mind, and you should never expect them to be able to. Nobody knows for sure what you want, and only a few people are even curious to find out. Share your experiences, emotions, desires and plans with the other person, rather than waiting for them to guess what is happening deep inside you.
The final tip is to simply relax. It often happens that we create worst possible situations deep inside our minds—situations that remain there most of the time, while the reality is totally different. Make sure never try to assume the feelings, thoughts or emotions of other people—you may be terribly wrong. Let them speak for themselves before drawing any conclusions!
These are the most important tips to carefully consider before opening up to someone about a serious emotional matter.
(81) ▲ on Finding the Courage to Open Up | ||
Introduction | ●We seldom show that we are sensitive, because we don’t want to be (82) ▲ or considered weak. ●Open up and be honest and direct about your struggles, (83) ▲ you cannot get help from others. | |
Tips | Know what you’re feeling | (84) ▲ the emotion that is deep inside you, and other people will find it a lot easier to understand and accept what you have to say. |
Spend more time together | ●Spend more time with other people, and you will not only feel more (85) ▲ with them, but you will also learn their reactions and find common ground more easily. ●Connect with them emotionally and mentally, which helps them react positively. | |
Never expect anyone to (86) ▲ your mind | No matter how (87) ▲ they are to you, they can never figure out what is happening in your mind. | |
(88) ▲ | ●The reality is totally (89) ▲ from the worst situations you have imagined. ●It is unwise of you to assume others’ feelings, thoughts or emotions—let them speak for themselves, instead. | |
Conclusion | You should take these tips into (90) ▲ consideration before opening up to someone. |
As Chinese President Xi Jinping leaves on Friday on his first overseas tour, which includes stops in Moscow and three African countries, Beijing’s media is very interested in Xi’s famous wife Peng Liyuan, who will be traveling with him.
China’s new First Lady, one of the country’s most famous folk singers and a World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador(亲善大使) for Tuberculosis(结核病) and HIV/AIDS, has long been as well known as her husband.
The news that she would come along with her husband on the trip has already attracted widespread attention on China’s micro-blogging service, where expectations(期望) are high about her ability to promote China’s image abroad.
“Each country’s First Lady has her own style and charm, and the thing that the world loves is color and difference,” says Tsinghua University political scientist Tang Xiaoyang.
As Peng and President Xi start their trip to Moscow, Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of Congo, the outing is the president’s first chance to shape his image as China’s new leader before foreign audiences.
Renmin University journalism professor Zhong Xin says there are high expectations that Peng will help her husband pass on a friendly image of China.
“Mrs. Peng is beautiful and popular.” Zhong said, explaining that the new First Lady will not only have a good effect on herself, but the president and the whole country.
Peng Liyuan—China’s New First Lady | |
A brief(71)__________ | ● Beautiful and popular. ● Famous for her folk (72) __________. ● Well-known (73) __________ a World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. |
Her overseas tour | ● Setting out with her (74) __________—President Xi. ● Starting her overseas tour on Friday, (75) __________stops in Moscow and three African countries. |
Widespread attention on her | ● Beijing’s media is (76) __________ in her. ● On China’s micro-blogging service, people express that they look forward to her (77) __________ China’s image abroad. ● The world expects her to be colorful and (78) __________ from other countries’ First Ladies. |
Possible effects | ● Peng will help President Xi pass on a(n) (79)__________ image of China. ● Peng will not only have a good (80) __________ on herself, but the president and the whole country. |