Our Summer Pix 16 competition has been on for a week and we have already had hundreds of entries (参赛作品). Keep the entries coming in: the contest still runs for three more weeks. So seize the moment and join us now!

How to enter

We want your best photographs of the summer. Send your pictures to summerpix16@ irishtimes. com to be in with a chance of winning our prize - a Canon digital camera，which is sold at a price of /span>549 in shops. Each Friday, we’ll display the best photos sent in that week, and at the end of August we’ll print the winning photograph. The photos can be taken with any kind of camera or phone. We regret we cannot respond to each entry, but we will be in touch with you if your photograph is going to be published.

Terms & conditions

• The photos must be taken this summer.

• 5 photographs may be submitted by any individual person at most.

• Employees of The Irish Times and their families or other persons connected with the organizer are not suitable to enter.

• All entries without an e-mail address are disqualified.

• By handing in your photograph, you give The Irish Times the right to use your photograph to promote the competition within the newspaper and online in printed and electronic formats. The Irish Times may also use the photograph for the promotion of any other photographic competition with The Irish Times both in print and online.

21. How long does the contest last in all?

A. Only a week.                  B. Two weeks.                           C. Three weeks.                D. Four weeks.

22. What will a winner of the competition enjoy?

A. /span>549.                                                                      B. His photo being printed.

C. A Sony digital                                                           D. A job offer from the organizer.

23. Which may meet Terms & conditions?

A. Anyone has access to the competition.

B. Over 5 photos can be submitted by any person.

C. Entries without e-mail addresses are not accepted.

D. You can send pictures taken at any time.

24. What can The Irish Times use participants’ photos to do?

A. Promote itself as a better newspaper.

B. Advertise other photographic competitions.

C. Display all of the photos each Friday.

D. Sell the photos for money.

Everyone seems to be living for someone else.

I had once helped a friend run a watermelon stall. I noticed something interesting: almost every buyer would lift the melon up to their ear, and tap it, apparently trying to listen to something. I wondered what they expected to hear. Finally I could no longer hold back my curiosity and asked a customer—an elderly gentleman—about this. Hearing my question, he roared with laughter. Then he replied in a self-mocking (自嘲) tone, “Young lady, I have been doing this for more than fifty years. But all I know is that everybody would stare at you as if you were a fool if you just pick up a melon and leave!”

Not long after that, my watermelon stall friend sent me an invitation to her wedding, which really surprised me. I asked her, “Why are you seized by a sudden desire to get married? I don’t remember ever hearing you mention that you’ve got a boyfriend.” She answered while counting money, “Everyone has to get married anyway, so it is better to get married sooner than later.”

I could think of no word to refute (反驳) her. It seems that everybody is living for everybody else and has forgotten the need of their own heart. It may be safe and save a lot of worries by following others’ suit in doing things. The use of WE or US will give one a steady and sure sense of pride. But why do people usually feel uneasy when using “I”?.

I find all these things somewhat funny. We have got used to following others’ example. We feel at ease and justified simply because this is a way of US, a way which has been practiced by so many people. But is this massive practice really right?

25. Why did the elderly gentleman tap the watermelon before buying it?

A. Because he expected to hear something.

B. Because he was a fool.

C. Because he just wanted to follow the crowd.

D. Because it was his habit and it was hard for him to give it up.

26. Which word can replace the underlined word “justified” in the last paragraph?

A. reasonable                           B. embarrassed                 C. excited                           D. disappointed

27. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A. It may be safe to do what most people do.

B. People should live for others and forget their own heart.

C. The writer felt unexpected when her friend wanted to get married.

D. The use of We or I will give speakers themselves quite different senses.

28. In which section of a magazine can you read the passage?

A. Nature and Art                                                         B. Sport and Health

C. Science and Technology                                                D. Culture and Society

The modem open office was originally designed for team building but now it is mostly distinguished by its high noise levels and lack of privacy.

The noise of the open office is one of employees’ chief complaints, and research shows that the constant noise can actually destroy our motivation. In a study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, 40 female workers suffered from open - plan office noise for three hours. Another group experienced three hours of blessed quiet. Afterwards, both groups were given puzzles which had no solution. The participants who’d been treated to a quiet work setting kept working hard at the puzzles， while the participants who’d stood the noisy conditions gave up after fewer attempts.

Look around any open - plan office today and you will see that many workers deal with this problem by wearing earplugs or headphones. Although it might seem that importing one’s own noise wouldn’t be much of a solution, experts say that this approach could be effective in at least one aspect.

Another frequent complaint is the lack of privacy in an open office. Designers and managers believed that workers would be more likely to have casual conversations that can inspire new ideas. However, research shows conversations among employees in open offices tend to be short and skin - deep.

The original promoters also hoped that the setting would make co - workers available to help one other. That’s great for the help seeker; not so great for the help giver who has her own work to do.

29. What was the original purpose of open - plan offices?

A. To spare more room.                                                      B. To promote cooperation.

C. To reduce work stress.                                            D. To save office expenses.

30. What’s experts’ opinion about wearing earplugs?

A. It will make more noise.                                            B. It destroy workers’ motivation.

C. It is helpful in a way.                                                       D. It will fix the problem completely.

31. What can we learn about open offices?

A. Conversations seldom lead to creativity.

B. They create more sincere communicating opportunities.

C. Help seekers are disturbed too much.

D. Help givers enjoy more respect.

Up to 60 Shanghai maths teachers are to be brought to England to raise the UK maths teachers’ standards, in an exchange arranged by the Department for Education. The announcement comes as a campaign that is launched to raise adult maths skills. A survey of 2,300 adults for the numeracy campaign found that over a third thought their level of maths had held them back. An accompanying economic analysis said that a lack of maths skills cost the UK 20 billion pounds per year.

The plan to bring 60 English - speaking maths teachers from Shanghai is an attempt to learn from a city that has been the top performance in the OECD’s Pisa tests. The OECD says that children of poor families in Shanghai are on average better at maths than middle class children in the UK. The Shanghai teachers, expected to arrive from the autumn, will help share their teaching methods, support pupils who are struggling and help to train other teachers.

“ We have some smart maths teachers in this country but what I saw in Shanghai - and other Chinese cities - has only strengthened my belief that we can learn from them,” said education minister, Elizabeth Truss, who has recently visited Shanghai, accompanied by head teachers from England. “They have a can - do attitude to maths - and I want us to match that, and their performance.” She stressed the economic significance of raising maths standards, for individuals and the country. ‘‘As part of our long term economic plan, we are determined to drive up standards in our schools and give our young people the skills they need to succeed in the global race. Good maths qualifications have the greatest earning potential and provide the strongest protection against unemployment,” said Elizabeth Truss.

32. Poor maths skills have caused serious        consequences in England.

A. academic                       B. economic                       C. culture                                  D. political

33. What is the main reason for Shanghai teachers’ success in maths teaching?

A. Their students are from poor families.

B. Their students have a talent for maths.

C. They have a positive attitude to teaching.

D. They teach in a highly developed city.

34. According to Elizabeth Truss, raising standards can be helpful in       .

A. equipping young people with global competitiveness

B. promoting the students’ international test performance

C. teaching how to earn money in the global market

D. discovering one’s maths talents at an early age

35. What can be the best title for the passage?

A. Good Maths Skills Are about Hard Work

B. Why Are English Maths Standards Left Behind?

C. Why Are Shanghai Maths Teachers Getting Popular?

D. Chinese Teachers Bring the Art of Maths to English Schools

It’s impossible to achieve complete balance in life.   36 

Here are five ways you can follow to find happiness.

1. Give to others.

Many people are completely absorbed in their own problems. But helping others is really satisfying. In the 21st century, people are always busy with their own business. They never know the true feeling of helping others. If you can give a little time, you may feel happiness you never thought possible.

2. Take up an activity.

Everyday life can be extremely stressful, between kids, work and home life. People always complain that their time is limited. Taking part in something as an individual seems hard.   37   It can be a sport, night class or even just going for a run. A hobby can help you feel happy.

3.   38 

Not only does your body need to relax, but your mind also needs to relax and this won’t happen with the family around.

4. Don’t focus on the negatives.

A negative attitude is often the reflection of someone who is overall not happy with his or her life. Adopting a negative approach is not good for anyone.   39   If we can look at things from a different perspective, we may find that life is not that bad. There are still some happy things around us.

5. Be grateful for what you have

  40   A man without a penny to his name can be just as happy as a man who has plenty of money. Instead of thinking about what you don’t have, look at what you do have and in turn you will not only be a happy person, but you will be filled with confidence.

True happiness is hard to achieve. But if you put these ideas into practice, you will see what the outcome will be.

A. However, you should always make time to take up at least one hobby.

B. Obviously, being happy is everyone’s dream.

C. Rest and stay with your family.

D. Instead, try to find the positive in most situations.

E. Find time for yourself.

F. However, a feeling of happiness can be found through simple things.

G. Happiness has nothing to do with material things.