一、Section Ⅰ Use of English
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
1、(1)
A、denied
B、concluded
C、doubled
D、ensured
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
2、(2)
A、protective
B、dangerous
C、sufficient
D、troublesome
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
3、(3)
A、Instead
B、However
C、Likewise
D、Therefore
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
4、(4)
A、indicator
B、objective
C、origin
D、example
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
5、(5)
A、impact
B、relevance
C、assistance
D、concern
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
6、(6)
A、in terms of
B、in case of
C、in favor of
D、in respect of
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
7、(7)
A、measures
B、determines
C、equals
D、modifies
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
8、(8)
A、in essence
B、in contrast
C、in turn
D、in part
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
9、(9)
A、complicated
B、conservative
C、variable
D、straightforward
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
10、(10)
A、so
B、while
C、since
D、unless
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
11、(11)
A、shape
B、spirit
C、balance
D、taste
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
12、(12)
A、start
B、qualify
C、retire
D、stay
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
13、(13)
A、strange
B、changeable
C、normal
D、constant
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
14、(14)
A、option
B、reason
C、opportunity
D、tendency
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
15、(15)
A、employed
B、pictured
C、imitated
D、monitored
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
16、(16)
A、compared
B、combined
C、settled
D、associated
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
17、(17)
A、Even
B、Still
C、Yet
D、Only
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
18、(18)
A、despised
B、corrected
C、ignored
D、grounded
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
19、(19)
A、discussions
B、businesses
C、policies
D、studies
Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have (1)_____ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually (2) _____. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. (3)_____ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an (4)_____ of good health.
Of even greater (5)_____ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined (6)_____ body mass index, or BMI. BMI (7)_____ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, (8)_____, can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.
While such numerical standards seem (9)_____, they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, (10)_____ others with a low BMI may be in poor (11)_____. For example, many collegiate and professional football players (12)_____ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a (13)_____ BMI.
Today we have a(n) (14)_____ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes (15)_____ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes (16)_____ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. (17)_____ very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.
Negative attitudes toward obesity, (18)_____ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity (19) _____. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high-visibility campaign (20)_____ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.
20、(20)
A、for
B、against
C、with
D、without
二、Section Ⅱ Reading Comprehension
What would you do with $590m? This is now a question for Gloria Mackenzie, an 84-year-old widow who recently emerged from her small, tin-roofed house in Florida to collect the biggest undivided lottery jackpot in history. If she hopes her new-found fortune will yield lasting feelings of fulfillment, she could do worse than read Ha ppy Money by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton.
These two academics use an array of behavioral research to show that the most rewarding ways to spend money can be counterintuitive. Fantasies of great wealth often involve visions of fancy cars and extravagant homes. Yet satisfaction with these material purchases wears off fairly quickly. What was once exciting and new becomes old-hat; regret creeps in. It is far better to spend money on experiences, say Ms. Dunn and Mr. Norton, like interesting trips, unique meals or even going to the cinema. These purchases often become more valuable with time—as stories or memories—particularly if they involve feeling more connected to others.
This slim volume is packed with tips to help wage slaves as well as lottery winners get the most “happiness bang for your buck”. It seems most people would be better off if they could shorten their commutes to work, spend more time with friends and family and less of it watching television (something the average American spends a whopping two months a year doing, and is hardly jollier for it). Buying gifts or giving to charity is often more pleasurable than purchasing things for oneself, and luxuries are most enjoyable when they are consumed sparingly. This is apparently the reason McDonald’s restricts the availability of its popular McRib—a marketing trick that has turned the pork sandwich into an object of obsession.
Readers of Happy Money are clearly a privileged lot, anxious about fulfillment, not hunger. Money may not quite buy happiness, but people in wealthier countries are generally happier than those in poor ones. Yet the link between feeling good and spending money on others can be seen among rich and poor people around the world, and scarcity enhances the pleasure of most things for most people. Not everyone will agree with the authors’ policy ideas, which range from mandating more holiday time to reducing tax incentives for American homebuyers. But most people will come away from this book believing it was money well spent.
21、21. According to Dunn and Norton, which of the following is the most rewarding purchase?
A、A big house.
B、A special tour.
C、A stylish car.
D、A rich meal.
What would you do with $590m? This is now a question for Gloria Mackenzie, an 84-year-old widow who recently emerged from her small, tin-roofed house in Florida to collect the biggest undivided lottery jackpot in history. If she hopes her new-found fortune will yield lasting feelings of fulfillment, she could do worse than read Ha ppy Money by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton.
These two academics use an array of behavioral research to show that the most rewarding ways to spend money can be counterintuitive. Fantasies of great wealth often involve visions of fancy cars and extravagant homes. Yet satisfaction with these material purchases wears off fairly quickly. What was once exciting and new becomes old-hat; regret creeps in. It is far better to spend money on experiences, say Ms. Dunn and Mr. Norton, like interesting trips, unique meals or even going to the cinema. These purchases often become more valuable with time—as stories or memories—particularly if they involve feeling more connected to others.
This slim volume is packed with tips to help wage slaves as well as lottery winners get the most “happiness bang for your buck”. It seems most people would be better off if they could shorten their commutes to work, spend more time with friends and family and less of it watching television (something the average American spends a whopping two months a year doing, and is hardly jollier for it). Buying gifts or giving to charity is often more pleasurable than purchasing things for oneself, and luxuries are most enjoyable when they are consumed sparingly. This is apparently the reason McDonald’s restricts the availability of its popular McRib—a marketing trick that has turned the pork sandwich into an object of obsession.
Readers of Happy Money are clearly a privileged lot, anxious about fulfillment, not hunger. Money may not quite buy happiness, but people in wealthier countries are generally happier than those in poor ones. Yet the link between feeling good and spending money on others can be seen among rich and poor people around the world, and scarcity enhances the pleasure of most things for most people. Not everyone will agree with the authors’ policy ideas, which range from mandating more holiday time to reducing tax incentives for American homebuyers. But most people will come away from this book believing it was money well spent.
22、22. The author’s attitude toward Americans’ watching TV is _____.
A、critical
B、supportive
C、sympathetic
D、ambiguous
What would you do with $590m? This is now a question for Gloria Mackenzie, an 84-year-old widow who recently emerged from her small, tin-roofed house in Florida to collect the biggest undivided lottery jackpot in history. If she hopes her new-found fortune will yield lasting feelings of fulfillment, she could do worse than read Ha ppy Money by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton.
These two academics use an array of behavioral research to show that the most rewarding ways to spend money can be counterintuitive. Fantasies of great wealth often involve visions of fancy cars and extravagant homes. Yet satisfaction with these material purchases wears off fairly quickly. What was once exciting and new becomes old-hat; regret creeps in. It is far better to spend money on experiences, say Ms. Dunn and Mr. Norton, like interesting trips, unique meals or even going to the cinema. These purchases often become more valuable with time—as stories or memories—particularly if they involve feeling more connected to others.
This slim volume is packed with tips to help wage slaves as well as lottery winners get the most “happiness bang for your buck”. It seems most people would be better off if they could shorten their commutes to work, spend more time with friends and family and less of it watching television (something the average American spends a whopping two months a year doing, and is hardly jollier for it). Buying gifts or giving to charity is often more pleasurable than purchasing things for oneself, and luxuries are most enjoyable when they are consumed sparingly. This is apparently the reason McDonald’s restricts the availability of its popular McRib—a marketing trick that has turned the pork sandwich into an object of obsession.
Readers of Happy Money are clearly a privileged lot, anxious about fulfillment, not hunger. Money may not quite buy happiness, but people in wealthier countries are generally happier than those in poor ones. Yet the link between feeling good and spending money on others can be seen among rich and poor people around the world, and scarcity enhances the pleasure of most things for most people. Not everyone will agree with the authors’ policy ideas, which range from mandating more holiday time to reducing tax incentives for American homebuyers. But most people will come away from this book believing it was money well spent.
23、23. McRib is mentioned in Paragraph 3 to show that _____.
A、consumers are sometimes irrational
B、popularity usually comes after quality
C、marketing tricks are often effective
D、rarity generally increases pleasure
What would you do with $590m? This is now a question for Gloria Mackenzie, an 84-year-old widow who recently emerged from her small, tin-roofed house in Florida to collect the biggest undivided lottery jackpot in history. If she hopes her new-found fortune will yield lasting feelings of fulfillment, she could do worse than read Ha ppy Money by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton.
These two academics use an array of behavioral research to show that the most rewarding ways to spend money can be counterintuitive. Fantasies of great wealth often involve visions of fancy cars and extravagant homes. Yet satisfaction with these material purchases wears off fairly quickly. What was once exciting and new becomes old-hat; regret creeps in. It is far better to spend money on experiences, say Ms. Dunn and Mr. Norton, like interesting trips, unique meals or even going to the cinema. These purchases often become more valuable with time—as stories or memories—particularly if they involve feeling more connected to others.
This slim volume is packed with tips to help wage slaves as well as lottery winners get the most “happiness bang for your buck”. It seems most people would be better off if they could shorten their commutes to work, spend more time with friends and family and less of it watching television (something the average American spends a whopping two months a year doing, and is hardly jollier for it). Buying gifts or giving to charity is often more pleasurable than purchasing things for oneself, and luxuries are most enjoyable when they are consumed sparingly. This is apparently the reason McDonald’s restricts the availability of its popular McRib—a marketing trick that has turned the pork sandwich into an object of obsession.
Readers of Happy Money are clearly a privileged lot, anxious about fulfillment, not hunger. Money may not quite buy happiness, but people in wealthier countries are generally happier than those in poor ones. Yet the link between feeling good and spending money on others can be seen among rich and poor people around the world, and scarcity enhances the pleasure of most things for most people. Not everyone will agree with the authors’ policy ideas, which range from mandating more holiday time to reducing tax incentives for American homebuyers. But most people will come away from this book believing it was money well spent.
24、24. According to the last paragraph, Happy Money _____.
A、has left much room for readers’ criticism
B、may prove to be a worthwhile purchase
C、has predicted a wider income gap in the U.S.
D、may give its readers a sense of achievement
What would you do with $590m? This is now a question for Gloria Mackenzie, an 84-year-old widow who recently emerged from her small, tin-roofed house in Florida to collect the biggest undivided lottery jackpot in history. If she hopes her new-found fortune will yield lasting feelings of fulfillment, she could do worse than read Ha ppy Money by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton.
These two academics use an array of behavioral research to show that the most rewarding ways to spend money can be counterintuitive. Fantasies of great wealth often involve visions of fancy cars and extravagant homes. Yet satisfaction with these material purchases wears off fairly quickly. What was once exciting and new becomes old-hat; regret creeps in. It is far better to spend money on experiences, say Ms. Dunn and Mr. Norton, like interesting trips, unique meals or even going to the cinema. These purchases often become more valuable with time—as stories or memories—particularly if they involve feeling more connected to others.
This slim volume is packed with tips to help wage slaves as well as lottery winners get the most “happiness bang for your buck”. It seems most people would be better off if they could shorten their commutes to work, spend more time with friends and family and less of it watching television (something the average American spends a whopping two months a year doing, and is hardly jollier for it). Buying gifts or giving to charity is often more pleasurable than purchasing things for oneself, and luxuries are most enjoyable when they are consumed sparingly. This is apparently the reason McDonald’s restricts the availability of its popular McRib—a marketing trick that has turned the pork sandwich into an object of obsession.
Readers of Happy Money are clearly a privileged lot, anxious about fulfillment, not hunger. Money may not quite buy happiness, but people in wealthier countries are generally happier than those in poor ones. Yet the link between feeling good and spending money on others can be seen among rich and poor people around the world, and scarcity enhances the pleasure of most things for most people. Not everyone will agree with the authors’ policy ideas, which range from mandating more holiday time to reducing tax incentives for American homebuyers. But most people will come away from this book believing it was money well spent.
25、25. This text mainly discusses how to _____.
A、balance feeling good and spending money
B、spend large sums of money won in lotteries
C、obtain lasting satisfaction from money spent
D、become more reasonable in spending on luxuries
An article in Scientific America has pointed out that empirical research says that, actually, you think you’re more beautiful than you are. We have a deep-seated need to feel good about ourselves and we naturally employ a number of self-enhancing strategies to achieve this. Social psychologists have amassed oceans of research into what they call the “above average effect”, or “illusory superiority”, and shown that, for example, 70% of us rate ourselves as above average in leadership, 93% in driving and 85% at getting on well with others—all obviously statistical impossibilities.
We rose-tint our memories and put ourselves into self-affirming situations. We become defensive when criticized, and apply negative stereotypes to others to boost our own esteem. We stalk around thinking we’re hot stuff.
Psychologist and behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley oversaw a key studying into self-enhancement and attractiveness. Rather than have people simply rate their beauty compared with others, he asked them to identify an original photograph of themselves from a lineup including versions that had been altered to appear more and less attractive. Visual recognition, reads the study, is “an automatic psychological process, occurring rapidly and intuitively with little or no apparent conscious deliberation”. If the subjects quickly chose a falsely flattering image—which most did—they genuinely believed it was really how they looked.
Epley found no significant gender difference in responses. Nor was there any evidence that, those who self-enhance the most (that is, the participants who thought the most positively doctored pictures were real) were doing so to make up for profound insecurities. In fact, those who thought that the images higher up the attractiveness scale were real directly corresponded with those who showed other markers for having higher self-esteem. “I don’t think the findings that we have are any evidence of personal delusion,” says Epley. “It’s a reflection simply of people generally thinking well of themselves.” If you are depressed, you won’t be self-enhancing.
Knowing the results of Epley’s study, it makes sense that why people hate photographs of themselves so viscerally—on one level, they don’t even recognize the person in the picture as themselves. Facebook, therefore, is a self-enhancer’s paradise, where people can share only the most flattering photos, the cream of their wit, style, beauty, intellect and lifestyle. It’s not that people’s profiles are dishonest, says Catalina Toma of Wisconsin-Madison University, “but they portray an idealized version of themselves.”
26、26. According to the first paragraph, social psychologist has found that _____.
A、our self-ratings are unrealistically high
B、illusory superiority is baseless effect
C、our need for leadership is unnatural
D、self-enhancing strategies are ineffective
An article in Scientific America has pointed out that empirical research says that, actually, you think you’re more beautiful than you are. We have a deep-seated need to feel good about ourselves and we naturally employ a number of self-enhancing strategies to achieve this. Social psychologists have amassed oceans of research into what they call the “above average effect”, or “illusory superiority”, and shown that, for example, 70% of us rate ourselves as above average in leadership, 93% in driving and 85% at getting on well with others—all obviously statistical impossibilities.
We rose-tint our memories and put ourselves into self-affirming situations. We become defensive when criticized, and apply negative stereotypes to others to boost our own esteem. We stalk around thinking we’re hot stuff.
Psychologist and behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley oversaw a key studying into self-enhancement and attractiveness. Rather than have people simply rate their beauty compared with others, he asked them to identify an original photograph of themselves from a lineup including versions that had been altered to appear more and less attractive. Visual recognition, reads the study, is “an automatic psychological process, occurring rapidly and intuitively with little or no apparent conscious deliberation”. If the subjects quickly chose a falsely flattering image—which most did—they genuinely believed it was really how they looked.
Epley found no significant gender difference in responses. Nor was there any evidence that, those who self-enhance the most (that is, the participants who thought the most positively doctored pictures were real) were doing so to make up for profound insecurities. In fact, those who thought that the images higher up the attractiveness scale were real directly corresponded with those who showed other markers for having higher self-esteem. “I don’t think the findings that we have are any evidence of personal delusion,” says Epley. “It’s a reflection simply of people generally thinking well of themselves.” If you are depressed, you won’t be self-enhancing.
Knowing the results of Epley’s study, it makes sense that why people hate photographs of themselves so viscerally—on one level, they don’t even recognize the person in the picture as themselves. Facebook, therefore, is a self-enhancer’s paradise, where people can share only the most flattering photos, the cream of their wit, style, beauty, intellect and lifestyle. It’s not that people’s profiles are dishonest, says Catalina Toma of Wisconsin-Madison University, “but they portray an idealized version of themselves.”
27、27. Visual recognition is believed to be people’s _____.
A、rapid watching
B、conscious choice
C、intuitive response
D、automatic self-defence
An article in Scientific America has pointed out that empirical research says that, actually, you think you’re more beautiful than you are. We have a deep-seated need to feel good about ourselves and we naturally employ a number of self-enhancing strategies to achieve this. Social psychologists have amassed oceans of research into what they call the “above average effect”, or “illusory superiority”, and shown that, for example, 70% of us rate ourselves as above average in leadership, 93% in driving and 85% at getting on well with others—all obviously statistical impossibilities.
We rose-tint our memories and put ourselves into self-affirming situations. We become defensive when criticized, and apply negative stereotypes to others to boost our own esteem. We stalk around thinking we’re hot stuff.
Psychologist and behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley oversaw a key studying into self-enhancement and attractiveness. Rather than have people simply rate their beauty compared with others, he asked them to identify an original photograph of themselves from a lineup including versions that had been altered to appear more and less attractive. Visual recognition, reads the study, is “an automatic psychological process, occurring rapidly and intuitively with little or no apparent conscious deliberation”. If the subjects quickly chose a falsely flattering image—which most did—they genuinely believed it was really how they looked.
Epley found no significant gender difference in responses. Nor was there any evidence that, those who self-enhance the most (that is, the participants who thought the most positively doctored pictures were real) were doing so to make up for profound insecurities. In fact, those who thought that the images higher up the attractiveness scale were real directly corresponded with those who showed other markers for having higher self-esteem. “I don’t think the findings that we have are any evidence of personal delusion,” says Epley. “It’s a reflection simply of people generally thinking well of themselves.” If you are depressed, you won’t be self-enhancing.
Knowing the results of Epley’s study, it makes sense that why people hate photographs of themselves so viscerally—on one level, they don’t even recognize the person in the picture as themselves. Facebook, therefore, is a self-enhancer’s paradise, where people can share only the most flattering photos, the cream of their wit, style, beauty, intellect and lifestyle. It’s not that people’s profiles are dishonest, says Catalina Toma of Wisconsin-Madison University, “but they portray an idealized version of themselves.”
28、28. Epley found that people with higher self-esteem tended to _____.
A、underestimate their insecurities
B、believe in their attractiveness
C、cover up their depressions
D、oversimplify their illusions
An article in Scientific America has pointed out that empirical research says that, actually, you think you’re more beautiful than you are. We have a deep-seated need to feel good about ourselves and we naturally employ a number of self-enhancing strategies to achieve this. Social psychologists have amassed oceans of research into what they call the “above average effect”, or “illusory superiority”, and shown that, for example, 70% of us rate ourselves as above average in leadership, 93% in driving and 85% at getting on well with others—all obviously statistical impossibilities.
We rose-tint our memories and put ourselves into self-affirming situations. We become defensive when criticized, and apply negative stereotypes to others to boost our own esteem. We stalk around thinking we’re hot stuff.
Psychologist and behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley oversaw a key studying into self-enhancement and attractiveness. Rather than have people simply rate their beauty compared with others, he asked them to identify an original photograph of themselves from a lineup including versions that had been altered to appear more and less attractive. Visual recognition, reads the study, is “an automatic psychological process, occurring rapidly and intuitively with little or no apparent conscious deliberation”. If the subjects quickly chose a falsely flattering image—which most did—they genuinely believed it was really how they looked.
Epley found no significant gender difference in responses. Nor was there any evidence that, those who self-enhance the most (that is, the participants who thought the most positively doctored pictures were real) were doing so to make up for profound insecurities. In fact, those who thought that the images higher up the attractiveness scale were real directly corresponded with those who showed other markers for having higher self-esteem. “I don’t think the findings that we have are any evidence of personal delusion,” says Epley. “It’s a reflection simply of people generally thinking well of themselves.” If you are depressed, you won’t be self-enhancing.
Knowing the results of Epley’s study, it makes sense that why people hate photographs of themselves so viscerally—on one level, they don’t even recognize the person in the picture as themselves. Facebook, therefore, is a self-enhancer’s paradise, where people can share only the most flattering photos, the cream of their wit, style, beauty, intellect and lifestyle. It’s not that people’s profiles are dishonest, says Catalina Toma of Wisconsin-Madison University, “but they portray an idealized version of themselves.”
29、29. The word “viscerally” (Line 2, Para. 5) is closest in meaning to _____.
A、instinctively
B、occasionally
C、particularly
D、aggressively
An article in Scientific America has pointed out that empirical research says that, actually, you think you’re more beautiful than you are. We have a deep-seated need to feel good about ourselves and we naturally employ a number of self-enhancing strategies to achieve this. Social psychologists have amassed oceans of research into what they call the “above average effect”, or “illusory superiority”, and shown that, for example, 70% of us rate ourselves as above average in leadership, 93% in driving and 85% at getting on well with others—all obviously statistical impossibilities.
We rose-tint our memories and put ourselves into self-affirming situations. We become defensive when criticized, and apply negative stereotypes to others to boost our own esteem. We stalk around thinking we’re hot stuff.
Psychologist and behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley oversaw a key studying into self-enhancement and attractiveness. Rather than have people simply rate their beauty compared with others, he asked them to identify an original photograph of themselves from a lineup including versions that had been altered to appear more and less attractive. Visual recognition, reads the study, is “an automatic psychological process, occurring rapidly and intuitively with little or no apparent conscious deliberation”. If the subjects quickly chose a falsely flattering image—which most did—they genuinely believed it was really how they looked.
Epley found no significant gender difference in responses. Nor was there any evidence that, those who self-enhance the most (that is, the participants who thought the most positively doctored pictures were real) were doing so to make up for profound insecurities. In fact, those who thought that the images higher up the attractiveness scale were real directly corresponded with those who showed other markers for having higher self-esteem. “I don’t think the findings that we have are any evidence of personal delusion,” says Epley. “It’s a reflection simply of people generally thinking well of themselves.” If you are depressed, you won’t be self-enhancing.
Knowing the results of Epley’s study, it makes sense that why people hate photographs of themselves so viscerally—on one level, they don’t even recognize the person in the picture as themselves. Facebook, therefore, is a self-enhancer’s paradise, where people can share only the most flattering photos, the cream of their wit, style, beauty, intellect and lifestyle. It’s not that people’s profiles are dishonest, says Catalina Toma of Wisconsin-Madison University, “but they portray an idealized version of themselves.”
30、30. It can be inferred that Facebook is self-enhancer’s paradise because people can _____.
A、present their dishonest profiles
B、define their traditional lifestyles
C、share their intellectual pursuits
D、withhold their unflattering sides
The concept of man versus machine is at least as old as the industrial revolution, but this phenomenon tends to be most acutely felt during economic downturns and fragile recoveries. And yet, it would be a mistake to think we are right now simply experiencing the painful side of a boom and bust cycle. Certain jobs have gone away for good, outmoded by machines. Since technology has such an insatiable appetite for eating up human jobs, this phenomenon will continue to restructure our economy in ways we can’t immediately foresee.
When there is exponential improvement in the price and performance of technology, jobs that were once thought to be immune from automation suddenly become threatened. This argument has attracted a lot of attention, via the success of the book Race Against the Machine, by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee, who both hail from MIT’s Center for Digital Business.
This is a powerful argument, and a scary one. And yet, John Hagel, author of The Power of Pull and other books, says Brynjolfsson and McAfee miss the reason why these jobs are so vulnerable to technology in the first place.
Hagel says we have designed jobs in the U. S. that tend to be “tightly scripted” and “highly standardized” ones that leave no room for “individual initiative or creativity”. In short, these are the types of jobs that machines can perform much better than human beings. That is how we have put a giant target sign on the backs of American workers, Hagel says.
It’s time to reinvent the formula for how work is conducted, since we are still relying on a very 20th century notion of work. Hagel says. In our rapidly changing economy, we more than ever need people in the workplace who can take initiative and exercise their imagination “to respond to unexpected events”. That’s not something machines are good at. They are designed to perform very predictable activities.
As Hagel notes, Brynjolfsson and McAfee indeed touched on this point in their book. We need to reframe race against the machine as race with the machine. In other words, we need to look at the ways in which machines can augment human labor rather than replace it. So then the problem is not really about technology, but rather, “how do we innovate our institutions and our work practices?”
31、31. According to the first paragraph, economic downturns would _____.
A、ease the competition of man vs. machine
B、highlight machines’ threat to human jobs
C、provoke a painful technological revolution
D、outmode our current economic structure
The concept of man versus machine is at least as old as the industrial revolution, but this phenomenon tends to be most acutely felt during economic downturns and fragile recoveries. And yet, it would be a mistake to think we are right now simply experiencing the painful side of a boom and bust cycle. Certain jobs have gone away for good, outmoded by machines. Since technology has such an insatiable appetite for eating up human jobs, this phenomenon will continue to restructure our economy in ways we can’t immediately foresee.
When there is exponential improvement in the price and performance of technology, jobs that were once thought to be immune from automation suddenly become threatened. This argument has attracted a lot of attention, via the success of the book Race Against the Machine, by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee, who both hail from MIT’s Center for Digital Business.
This is a powerful argument, and a scary one. And yet, John Hagel, author of The Power of Pull and other books, says Brynjolfsson and McAfee miss the reason why these jobs are so vulnerable to technology in the first place.
Hagel says we have designed jobs in the U. S. that tend to be “tightly scripted” and “highly standardized” ones that leave no room for “individual initiative or creativity”. In short, these are the types of jobs that machines can perform much better than human beings. That is how we have put a giant target sign on the backs of American workers, Hagel says.
It’s time to reinvent the formula for how work is conducted, since we are still relying on a very 20th century notion of work. Hagel says. In our rapidly changing economy, we more than ever need people in the workplace who can take initiative and exercise their imagination “to respond to unexpected events”. That’s not something machines are good at. They are designed to perform very predictable activities.
As Hagel notes, Brynjolfsson and McAfee indeed touched on this point in their book. We need to reframe race against the machine as race with the machine. In other words, we need to look at the ways in which machines can augment human labor rather than replace it. So then the problem is not really about technology, but rather, “how do we innovate our institutions and our work practices?”
32、32. The authors of Race Against the Machine argue that _____.
A、technology is diminishing man’s job opportunities
B、automation is accelerating technological development
C、certain jobs will remain intact after automation
D、man will finally win the race against machine
The concept of man versus machine is at least as old as the industrial revolution, but this phenomenon tends to be most acutely felt during economic downturns and fragile recoveries. And yet, it would be a mistake to think we are right now simply experiencing the painful side of a boom and bust cycle. Certain jobs have gone away for good, outmoded by machines. Since technology has such an insatiable appetite for eating up human jobs, this phenomenon will continue to restructure our economy in ways we can’t immediately foresee.
When there is exponential improvement in the price and performance of technology, jobs that were once thought to be immune from automation suddenly become threatened. This argument has attracted a lot of attention, via the success of the book Race Against the Machine, by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee, who both hail from MIT’s Center for Digital Business.
This is a powerful argument, and a scary one. And yet, John Hagel, author of The Power of Pull and other books, says Brynjolfsson and McAfee miss the reason why these jobs are so vulnerable to technology in the first place.
Hagel says we have designed jobs in the U. S. that tend to be “tightly scripted” and “highly standardized” ones that leave no room for “individual initiative or creativity”. In short, these are the types of jobs that machines can perform much better than human beings. That is how we have put a giant target sign on the backs of American workers, Hagel says.
It’s time to reinvent the formula for how work is conducted, since we are still relying on a very 20th century notion of work. Hagel says. In our rapidly changing economy, we more than ever need people in the workplace who can take initiative and exercise their imagination “to respond to unexpected events”. That’s not something machines are good at. They are designed to perform very predictable activities.
As Hagel notes, Brynjolfsson and McAfee indeed touched on this point in their book. We need to reframe race against the machine as race with the machine. In other words, we need to look at the ways in which machines can augment human labor rather than replace it. So then the problem is not really about technology, but rather, “how do we innovate our institutions and our work practices?”
33、33. Hagel argues that jobs in the U. S. are often _____.
A、performed by innovative minds
B、scripted with an individual style
C、standardized without a clear target
D、designed against human creativity
The concept of man versus machine is at least as old as the industrial revolution, but this phenomenon tends to be most acutely felt during economic downturns and fragile recoveries. And yet, it would be a mistake to think we are right now simply experiencing the painful side of a boom and bust cycle. Certain jobs have gone away for good, outmoded by machines. Since technology has such an insatiable appetite for eating up human jobs, this phenomenon will continue to restructure our economy in ways we can’t immediately foresee.
When there is exponential improvement in the price and performance of technology, jobs that were once thought to be immune from automation suddenly become threatened. This argument has attracted a lot of attention, via the success of the book Race Against the Machine, by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee, who both hail from MIT’s Center for Digital Business.
This is a powerful argument, and a scary one. And yet, John Hagel, author of The Power of Pull and other books, says Brynjolfsson and McAfee miss the reason why these jobs are so vulnerable to technology in the first place.
Hagel says we have designed jobs in the U. S. that tend to be “tightly scripted” and “highly standardized” ones that leave no room for “individual initiative or creativity”. In short, these are the types of jobs that machines can perform much better than human beings. That is how we have put a giant target sign on the backs of American workers, Hagel says.
It’s time to reinvent the formula for how work is conducted, since we are still relying on a very 20th century notion of work. Hagel says. In our rapidly changing economy, we more than ever need people in the workplace who can take initiative and exercise their imagination “to respond to unexpected events”. That’s not something machines are good at. They are designed to perform very predictable activities.
As Hagel notes, Brynjolfsson and McAfee indeed touched on this point in their book. We need to reframe race against the machine as race with the machine. In other words, we need to look at the ways in which machines can augment human labor rather than replace it. So then the problem is not really about technology, but rather, “how do we innovate our institutions and our work practices?”
34、34. According to the last paragraph, Brynjolfsson and McAfee discussed _____.
A、the predictability of machine behavior in practice
B、the formula for how work is conducted efficiently
C、the ways machines replace human labor in modern times
D、the necessity of human involvement in the workplace
The concept of man versus machine is at least as old as the industrial revolution, but this phenomenon tends to be most acutely felt during economic downturns and fragile recoveries. And yet, it would be a mistake to think we are right now simply experiencing the painful side of a boom and bust cycle. Certain jobs have gone away for good, outmoded by machines. Since technology has such an insatiable appetite for eating up human jobs, this phenomenon will continue to restructure our economy in ways we can’t immediately foresee.
When there is exponential improvement in the price and performance of technology, jobs that were once thought to be immune from automation suddenly become threatened. This argument has attracted a lot of attention, via the success of the book Race Against the Machine, by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee, who both hail from MIT’s Center for Digital Business.
This is a powerful argument, and a scary one. And yet, John Hagel, author of The Power of Pull and other books, says Brynjolfsson and McAfee miss the reason why these jobs are so vulnerable to technology in the first place.
Hagel says we have designed jobs in the U. S. that tend to be “tightly scripted” and “highly standardized” ones that leave no room for “individual initiative or creativity”. In short, these are the types of jobs that machines can perform much better than human beings. That is how we have put a giant target sign on the backs of American workers, Hagel says.
It’s time to reinvent the formula for how work is conducted, since we are still relying on a very 20th century notion of work. Hagel says. In our rapidly changing economy, we more than ever need people in the workplace who can take initiative and exercise their imagination “to respond to unexpected events”. That’s not something machines are good at. They are designed to perform very predictable activities.
As Hagel notes, Brynjolfsson and McAfee indeed touched on this point in their book. We need to reframe race against the machine as race with the machine. In other words, we need to look at the ways in which machines can augment human labor rather than replace it. So then the problem is not really about technology, but rather, “how do we innovate our institutions and our work practices?”
35、35. Which of the following could be the most appropriate title for the text?
A、How to Innovate Our Work Practices
B、Machines Will Replace Human Labor
C、Can We Win the Race Against Machines
D、Economic Downturns Stimulate Innovations
When the government talks about infrastructure contributing to the economy the focus is usually on roads, railways, broadband and energy. Housing is seldom mentioned.
Why is that? To some extent the housing sector must shoulder the blame. We have not been good at communicating the real value that housing can contribute to economic growth. Then there is the scale of the typical housing project. It is hard to shove for attention among multibillion-pound infrastructure project, so it is inevitable that the attention is focused elsewhere. But perhaps the most significant reason is that the issue has always been so politically charged.
Nevertheless, the affordable housing situation is desperate. Waiting lists increase all the time and we are simply not building enough new homes.
The comprehensive spending review offers an opportunity for the government to help rectify this. It needs to put historical prejudices to one side and take some steps to address our urgent housing need.
There are some indications that it is preparing to do just that. The communities minister, Don Foster, has hinted that George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, may introduce more flexibility to the current cap on the amount that local authorities can borrow against their housing stock debt. Evidence shows that 60,000 extra new homes could be built over the next five years if the cap were lifted, increasing GDP by 0.6%.
Ministers should also look at creating greater certainty in the rental environment, which would have a significant impact on the ability of registered providers to fund new developments from revenues.
But it is not just down to the government. While these measures would be welcome in the short term, we must face up to the fact that the existing £4.5bn programme of grants to fund new affordable housing, set to expire in 2015, is unlikely to be extended beyond then. The Labour Party has recently announced that it will retain a large part of the coalition’s spending plans if returns to power. The housing sector needs to accept that we are very unlikely to ever return to era of large-scale public grants. We need to adjust to this changing climate.
While the government’s commitment to long-term funding may have changed, the very pressing for more affordable housing is real and is not going away.
36、36. The author believes that the housing sector _____.
A、has attracted much attention
B、involves certain political factors
C、shoulders too much responsibility
D、has lost its real value in economy
When the government talks about infrastructure contributing to the economy the focus is usually on roads, railways, broadband and energy. Housing is seldom mentioned.
Why is that? To some extent the housing sector must shoulder the blame. We have not been good at communicating the real value that housing can contribute to economic growth. Then there is the scale of the typical housing project. It is hard to shove for attention among multibillion-pound infrastructure project, so it is inevitable that the attention is focused elsewhere. But perhaps the most significant reason is that the issue has always been so politically charged.
Nevertheless, the affordable housing situation is desperate. Waiting lists increase all the time and we are simply not building enough new homes.
The comprehensive spending review offers an opportunity for the government to help rectify this. It needs to put historical prejudices to one side and take some steps to address our urgent housing need.
There are some indications that it is preparing to do just that. The communities minister, Don Foster, has hinted that George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, may introduce more flexibility to the current cap on the amount that local authorities can borrow against their housing stock debt. Evidence shows that 60,000 extra new homes could be built over the next five years if the cap were lifted, increasing GDP by 0.6%.
Ministers should also look at creating greater certainty in the rental environment, which would have a significant impact on the ability of registered providers to fund new developments from revenues.
But it is not just down to the government. While these measures would be welcome in the short term, we must face up to the fact that the existing £4.5bn programme of grants to fund new affordable housing, set to expire in 2015, is unlikely to be extended beyond then. The Labour Party has recently announced that it will retain a large part of the coalition’s spending plans if returns to power. The housing sector needs to accept that we are very unlikely to ever return to era of large-scale public grants. We need to adjust to this changing climate.
While the government’s commitment to long-term funding may have changed, the very pressing for more affordable housing is real and is not going away.
37、37. It can be learned that affordable housing has_____.
A、increased its home supply
B、offered spending opportunities
C、suffered government biases
D、disappointed the government
When the government talks about infrastructure contributing to the economy the focus is usually on roads, railways, broadband and energy. Housing is seldom mentioned.
Why is that? To some extent the housing sector must shoulder the blame. We have not been good at communicating the real value that housing can contribute to economic growth. Then there is the scale of the typical housing project. It is hard to shove for attention among multibillion-pound infrastructure project, so it is inevitable that the attention is focused elsewhere. But perhaps the most significant reason is that the issue has always been so politically charged.
Nevertheless, the affordable housing situation is desperate. Waiting lists increase all the time and we are simply not building enough new homes.
The comprehensive spending review offers an opportunity for the government to help rectify this. It needs to put historical prejudices to one side and take some steps to address our urgent housing need.
There are some indications that it is preparing to do just that. The communities minister, Don Foster, has hinted that George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, may introduce more flexibility to the current cap on the amount that local authorities can borrow against their housing stock debt. Evidence shows that 60,000 extra new homes could be built over the next five years if the cap were lifted, increasing GDP by 0.6%.
Ministers should also look at creating greater certainty in the rental environment, which would have a significant impact on the ability of registered providers to fund new developments from revenues.
But it is not just down to the government. While these measures would be welcome in the short term, we must face up to the fact that the existing £4.5bn programme of grants to fund new affordable housing, set to expire in 2015, is unlikely to be extended beyond then. The Labour Party has recently announced that it will retain a large part of the coalition’s spending plans if returns to power. The housing sector needs to accept that we are very unlikely to ever return to era of large-scale public grants. We need to adjust to this changing climate.
While the government’s commitment to long-term funding may have changed, the very pressing for more affordable housing is real and is not going away.
38、38. According to Paragraph 5, George Osborne may _____.
A、allow greater government debt for housing
B、stop local authorities from building homes
C、prepare to reduce housing stock debt
D、release a lifted GDP growth forecast
When the government talks about infrastructure contributing to the economy the focus is usually on roads, railways, broadband and energy. Housing is seldom mentioned.
Why is that? To some extent the housing sector must shoulder the blame. We have not been good at communicating the real value that housing can contribute to economic growth. Then there is the scale of the typical housing project. It is hard to shove for attention among multibillion-pound infrastructure project, so it is inevitable that the attention is focused elsewhere. But perhaps the most significant reason is that the issue has always been so politically charged.
Nevertheless, the affordable housing situation is desperate. Waiting lists increase all the time and we are simply not building enough new homes.
The comprehensive spending review offers an opportunity for the government to help rectify this. It needs to put historical prejudices to one side and take some steps to address our urgent housing need.
There are some indications that it is preparing to do just that. The communities minister, Don Foster, has hinted that George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, may introduce more flexibility to the current cap on the amount that local authorities can borrow against their housing stock debt. Evidence shows that 60,000 extra new homes could be built over the next five years if the cap were lifted, increasing GDP by 0.6%.
Ministers should also look at creating greater certainty in the rental environment, which would have a significant impact on the ability of registered providers to fund new developments from revenues.
But it is not just down to the government. While these measures would be welcome in the short term, we must face up to the fact that the existing £4.5bn programme of grants to fund new affordable housing, set to expire in 2015, is unlikely to be extended beyond then. The Labour Party has recently announced that it will retain a large part of the coalition’s spending plans if returns to power. The housing sector needs to accept that we are very unlikely to ever return to era of large-scale public grants. We need to adjust to this changing climate.
While the government’s commitment to long-term funding may have changed, the very pressing for more affordable housing is real and is not going away.
39、39. It can be inferred that a stable rental environment would _____.
A、lower the costs of registered providers
B、lessen the impact of government interference
C、contribute to funding new developments
D、relieve the ministers of responsibilities
When the government talks about infrastructure contributing to the economy the focus is usually on roads, railways, broadband and energy. Housing is seldom mentioned.
Why is that? To some extent the housing sector must shoulder the blame. We have not been good at communicating the real value that housing can contribute to economic growth. Then there is the scale of the typical housing project. It is hard to shove for attention among multibillion-pound infrastructure project, so it is inevitable that the attention is focused elsewhere. But perhaps the most significant reason is that the issue has always been so politically charged.
Nevertheless, the affordable housing situation is desperate. Waiting lists increase all the time and we are simply not building enough new homes.
The comprehensive spending review offers an opportunity for the government to help rectify this. It needs to put historical prejudices to one side and take some steps to address our urgent housing need.
There are some indications that it is preparing to do just that. The communities minister, Don Foster, has hinted that George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, may introduce more flexibility to the current cap on the amount that local authorities can borrow against their housing stock debt. Evidence shows that 60,000 extra new homes could be built over the next five years if the cap were lifted, increasing GDP by 0.6%.
Ministers should also look at creating greater certainty in the rental environment, which would have a significant impact on the ability of registered providers to fund new developments from revenues.
But it is not just down to the government. While these measures would be welcome in the short term, we must face up to the fact that the existing £4.5bn programme of grants to fund new affordable housing, set to expire in 2015, is unlikely to be extended beyond then. The Labour Party has recently announced that it will retain a large part of the coalition’s spending plans if returns to power. The housing sector needs to accept that we are very unlikely to ever return to era of large-scale public grants. We need to adjust to this changing climate.
While the government’s commitment to long-term funding may have changed, the very pressing for more affordable housing is real and is not going away.
40、40. The author believes that after 2015, the government may _____.
A、implement more policies to support housing
B、review the need for large-scale public grants
C、renew the affordable housing grants programme
D、stop generous funding to the housing sector
41、 Emerging in the late Sixties and reaching a peak in the Seventies, Land Art was one of a range of new forms, including Body Art, Performance Art, Action Art and Installation Art, which pushed art beyond the traditional confines of the studio and gallery. Rather than portraying landscape, land artists used the physical substance of the land itself as their medium.
The British land art, typified by Richard Long’s piece, was not only more domestically scaled, but a lot quirkier than its American counterpart. Indeed, while you might assume that an exhibition of Land Art would consist only of records of works rather than the works themselves, Long’s photograph of his work is the work. Since his “action” is in the past the photograph is its sole embodiment.
That might seem rather an obscure point, but it sets the tone for an exhibition that contains a lot of black-and-white photographs and relatively few natural objects.
Long is Britain’s best-known Land Artist and his Stone Circle, a perfect ring of purplish rocks from Portishead beach laid out on the gallery floor, represents the elegant, rarefied side of the form. The Boyle Family, on the other hand, stand for its dirty, urban aspect. Comprising artists Mark Boyle and Joan Hills and their children, they recreated random sections of the British landscape on gallery walls. Their Olaf Street Study, a square of brick-strewn waste ground, is one of the few works here to embrace the mundanity that characterizes most of our experience of the landscape most of the time.
Parks feature, particularly in the earlier works, such as John Hilliard’s very funny Across the Park, in which a long-haired stroller is variously smiled at by a pretty girl and unwittingly assaulted in a sequence of images that turn out to be different parts of the same photograph.
Generally however British land artists preferred to get away from towns, gravitating towards landscapes that are traditionally considered beautiful such as the Lake District or the Wiltshire Downs. While it probably wasn’t apparent at the time, much of this work is permeated by a spirit of romantic escapism that the likes of Wordsworth would have readily understood. Derek Jarman’s yellow-tinted film Towards Avebury, a collection of long, mostly still shots of the Wiltshire landscape, evokes a tradition of English landscape painting stretching from Samuel Palmer to Paul Nash.
In the case of Hamish Fulton, you can’t help feeling that the Scottish artist has simply found a way of making his love of walking pay. A typical work, such as Seven Days, consists of a single beautiful black-and-white photograph taken on an epic walk, with the mileage and number of days taken listed beneath. British Land Art as shown in this well selected, but relatively modestly scaled exhibition wasn’t about imposing on the landscape, more a kind of landscape-orientated light conceptual art created passing through. It had its origins in the great outdoors, but the results were as gallery-bound as the paintings of Turner and Constable.
参考答案：DEGCA
42、 Most people would define optimism as being endlessly happy, with a glass that’s perpetually half full. But that’s exactly the kind of false cheerfulness that positive psychologists wouldn’t recommend. “Healthy optimism means being in touch with reality,” says Tal Ben-Shahar, a Harvard professor. According to Ben-Shahar, realistic optimists are those who make the best of things that happen, but not those who believe everything happens for the best.
Ben-Shahar uses three optimistic exercises. When he feels down—say, after giving a bad lecture—he grants himself permission to be human. He reminds himself that not every lecture can be a Nobel winner: some will be less effective than others. Next is reconstruction. He analyzes the weak lecture, learning lessons for the future about what works and what doesn’t. Finally, there is perspective, which involves acknowledging that in the grand scheme of life, one lecture really doesn’t matter.
参考答案：
参考译文
多数人会把乐观当作无休止的快乐，以及觉得杯子永远只有半满的心态。但积极的心理学家恰恰不推荐这种假装愉悦的心态。一名哈佛大学的教授塔尔·本沙哈尔说：“健康的乐观意味着要与现实接轨。”根据本·沙哈尔的观点，实用主义乐观者是把已发生的事情做到最好的人，而不是相信所有事情都会往最好方向发展的人。
本·沙哈尔进行了三项乐观主义训练。当他感到不开心，比如讲座讲得很糟糕时，他正视自己作为普通人的身份。他提醒自己，不是所有的讲座都会赢得诺贝尔奖，总有一些人会比其他人效率低一些。接下来是重构。他分析那些讲得不好的讲座，从讲座中有效和无效的信息中吸取教训以在未来做好。最后是洞察力，包括要认识到在生命的长河中，一次失败的讲座算不了什么。
三、Section Ⅲ Writing
43、Part A
Directions:
Suppose you are going to study abroad and share an apartment with John, a local student. Write him an email to
1) tell him about your living habits, and
2) ask for advice about living there.
You should write about 100 words on the ANSWER SHEET.
Do not sign your own name at the end of the letter. Use “Li Ming” instead.
Do not write your address. (10 points)
参考答案：
参考范文
Dear John,
My name is Li Ming and I am writing to tell you that I will soon be going to London to study and be your roommate. I am genuinely delighted to have such an experience and I would like to introduce myself and seek some advice from you.
I can perfectly fit in an international lifestyle despite some possible culture differences. I may use the kitchen every other day and take showers at night, but I assure you I will minimize any inconvenience that I may cause. Besides, because this is the first time I study abroad, it would be really nice of you if you could give me some suggestions about everyday life such as food, shopping, climate and transportation.
Thank you for your consideration and I am convinced that we will get on well in the UK.
Yours sincerely,
Li Ming
参考译文
亲爱的约翰：
我叫李明，我写信是为了告诉你我很快要去伦敦学习，并成为你的室友了。有这样一次经历我真的非常开心，我先介绍一下我自己，并向你寻求一些建议。
我可以很好地融入国际化的生活方式中，尽管有可能会遇到一些文化差异。我每隔两天会用一下厨房，而且我晚上洗澡，但我保证会将我的影响降到最小。除此之外，因为这是我第一次在国外学习，如果你能在饮食、购物、气候和交通方面给我一些建议就真的太好了。
感谢你的耐心，我相信我们在英国会相处很融洽的。
谨致问候，
李明
44、
Part B
Directions:
Write an essay based on the following chart. In your essay, you should
1) interpret the chart, and
2) give your comments.
You should write about 150 words on the ANSWER SHEET. (15 points)
参考答案：
参考范文
The bar chart illustrates the urban population and rural population changes in China from 1990 to 2010. There were only 300 million people living in cities while 834 million people still lived in the countryside in 1990. However, in 2000, city population increased by more than fifty percent to 458 million while rural population only had a minor decrease. The most recent statistics in 2010, however, showed that the number of those who dwelled in cities had increased to almost equivalent to that of those in the countryside, with 666 million and 674 million respectively.
This trend has reflected a rapid urbanization process of China. Many factors may have accelerated this process, including the privileged income, infrastructure, healthcare and education in cites, as well as the limited benefits of agriculture caused by shrinking arable lands.
Urbanization does not mean the mere substitution of cities for villages, and to make urbanization more scientific, the government should pay more attention to the problems caused by the floating population. Meanwhile, measures that may shorten the gap between urban areas and rural areas appear to be a major concern in the future.
参考译文
这张柱形图展现了1990年到2010年间中国城镇人口和乡村人口的变化情况。在1990年，只有3亿人生活在城镇而在农村生活的人口高达8.34亿，但在2000年，城镇人口迅猛增长了超过50%，达到4.58亿，而农村人口却呈少量下降。最近的数据表明，2010年住在城市里的人和住在乡村里的人口数量几乎一样，分别为6.66亿和6.74亿。
这一趋势反映了中国快速的城市化进程。有许多因素在加速这一进程，包括城市在收入、基础设施、医疗和教育上有更高的水平，以及耕地缩小导致的农业利益的局限性。
城市化不仅仅等同于把村庄替换为城市。如果要使城市化更科学，政府就要更加留意城市流动人口带来的问题。同时，还应该采取措施来缩小城乡差距，乡村地区显然是未来的一个主要关注点。
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