MONTREAL (Reuters) – Crossing the US-Canada border to go to church on a Sunday cost an American $10,000 for breaking Washington’s strict new security rules.
The expensive trip to church was a surprise for Richard Albert, who lives on the Canadian border. Albert often crosses the border like the other half-dozen people of Township 15. The nearby Quebec village of St. Pamphile is where they shop, eat and go to church. There are many such situations in these areas along the largely unguarded 5,530-mile border between Canada and the US, which in some cases actually runs down the middle of streets or through buildings.
As a result, Albert says he did not expect any problems three weeks ago when he returned home to the US after attending church in Canada as usual. The US customs station in this area is closed on Sundays, so he just drove around the locked gate, as he had done every weekend since the gate appeared last May, following a tightening of border security. Two days later, Albert was told to go to the customs office, where an officer told him he had been caught on camera crossing the border illegally.
Ottawa has given out special passes to some 300 Americans in that area so they can enter the country when Canadian customs stations are closed, but the US stopped a similar program last May. That forces the people to a 200-mile detour along hilly roads to get home through another border checkpoint.
Albert has requested that the customs office change their decisions on the fine, but he has not attended a Sunday church since. “I feel like I’m living in a prison,” he said.
We learn from the text that Richard Albert is .
A.an American working in a Canadian church |
B.a Canadian living in a Quebec village |
C.a Canadian working in a customs station |
D.an American living in Township 15 |
Albert was fined because he .
A.broke the American security rules |
B.failed to obey traffic rules |
C.worked in St. Pamphile without a pass |
D.damaged the gate of the customs office |
According to paragraph 4, how can Americans in that area get home?
A.They have to drive through the town. |
B.They have to race across the fields. |
C.They have to drive to the mountain area. |
D.They have to drive in a roundabout (绕道的) way. |
What would be the best title for the text?
A.A Cross-country Trip. | B.An Expensive Church Visit. |
C.An Unguarded Border. | D.A Special Border Pass. |
As the United States nears the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that killed more than 3,000 people, President Obama announced Sunday night that the al Qaeda(基地组织) leader and mastermind of that horrific day, Osama bin Laden, has been killed.
CNN reports that a senior government official confirmed that bin Laden was shot by a small team of U.S. soldiers while in a mansion with family members outside Islamabad(伊斯兰堡). His body is now in American custody(拘押) and is being handled according to Islamic customs. Three other adult men were killed in the firefight, including a son of bin Laden's, who was a senior member of the terrorist organization.
"Justice has been done," the president announced, saying that the operation he ordered after receiving intelligence information is "the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al-Qaeda."
The immediate reactions ranged from cautious to ecstatic. Crowds cheered outside the White House. But officials said a "worldwide caution" would be set for Americans in case of al Qaeda retaliation(报复).
Will bin Laden's death be the justice Americans have sought for nearly a decade?
Gordon Felt, president of Families of Flight 93, said it does bring comfort.
"This is important news for us, and for the world. It cannot ease our pain, or bring back our loved ones. It does bring a measure of comfort that the mastermind of the September 11th tragedy and the face of global terror can no longer spread his evil," Felt said.
President Obama says this victory does not close the book.
"His death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must and we will remain cautious," he noted.
The underlined word “ecstatic” most probably means _________.
A.scared | B.extremely happy and excited |
C.doubtful | D.amazed |
The author mentions all of the items listed below EXCEPT_________.
A.Four people were killed in the firefight. |
B.Families of the victims in the 9/11 attacks celebrated together. |
C.President Obama thought highly of the Anti-Terrorist Military Action |
D.Obama thought that al Qaeda will continue attack against the United States. |
It can be inferred from the text _________.
A.The 9/11 attacks happened on September 11, 2001. |
B.Osama bin Laden has three sons. |
C.Some soldiers were injured in the firefight. |
D.More than 3000 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks. |
From the last paragraph we can learn that _________.
A.Osama bin Laden’s death will put an end to terrorism. |
B.President Obama doesn’t think bin Laden's death is a victory. |
C.The United States will make efforts to defeat the al-Qaeda |
D.The al Qaeda has a new leader now. |
About 809 primary school pupils from Southwest China’s quake-hit Sichuan Province arrived in eastern Shandong Province on a special train to attend classes there. The pupils, all from Leigu Township, Beichuan County, a badly-hit area in Sichuan, will study for about two months in schools in Shandong’s capital city of Jinan.
They have been arranged to study in four schools in Jinan and enjoy free schooling, food and accommodation. Each pupil would be given a monthly subsidy of 30 yuan. “To let them come to Jinan is not only for study, but also for recovery from the quake trauma (精神创伤).” said Zou Shiping, Jinan’s vice mayor. In Mingzhu Primary School in Jinan, a wall of pictures became a special way for the local pupils to welcome their friends from the quake zone. Dormitories were also specially decorated for them.
“This is the best meal that I have had for a long time.” a student from Wenchuan said after her first breakfast in the new place. Huang Zujie, Jinan Education Bureau’s deputy director, said, “We will let the children feel just as they are in their hometown.” Huang said the schools had invited chefs of Sichuan cuisine to let the pupils taste their familiar hometown meals. A second group of about 500 middle school students from Sichuan will soon come to Jinan for classes.
Where did those 809 primary school pupils arrive?
A.Hebei Province. | B.Qing Dao. | C.Jinan | D.Beichuan County. |
Which statement below is RIGHT?
A. Students come to Jinan for study.
B. Students come to Jinan for recovery from the quake trauma.
C. Students come to Jinan for a visit.
D. Both A and B.
Which statement is NOT true according to the short passage?
A.The pupils needn’t pay for food and they will eat Shandong meals. |
B.A second group of 500 middle school students from Sichuan will soon come to Jinan for classes. |
C.Pupils from Leigu Township were arranged to study in four schools in Jinan. |
D.Each pupil would be given a monthly subsidy of 30 yuan. |
How many students from Sichuan Province will come to Jinan for classes altogether?
A. About 1,309. About 809. C. About 500. D. About 2,000.
(Reuters)--- A Michigan man credited his dog with saving his life by chewing off his diseased big toe as he lay passed out in a drunken stupor(昏迷)
Jerry Douthett, 48, who woke up on a Saturday night in late July in his Rockford, Michigan home to find his Jack Russell Terrier, Kiko, had gnawed off his right big toe.
“The dog always lies with me on the bed”, said Douthett. “That night, I woke up and looked down at my foot, and it was wet. When I looked, it was blood and there was the dog looking at me with a blood moustache.”
Douthett’s wife, Rosee, rushed him to a hospital where doctors found he was suffering from Type 2 diabetes. His toe was badly infected and surgeons amputated(截)the remainder of the toe.
Douthett’s wife, a registered nurse, had been urging him for weeks to have his infected toe examined by a doctor.
On the night Kiko ate his toe, Douthett said he had been out with his wife and drank about six or seven beers and a pair of giant margaritas—big enough to put goldfish in.
“I was self-medicating at this point,” he said. “The moral of the story is that the dog saved my life, because otherwise I would never have gone to see a doctor.”
The couple said they were amazed that Kiko appeared to know Douthett had an infection that needed treatment.
“He kind of chewed off the infected part and stopped at the good bone,” said Rosee. “We joked that we shouldn’t have had to pay the co-pay because he did half the job by chewing off half of the toe.”
What does the underlined phrase “gnawed off” probably mean?
A.bit away | B.cared for | C.sucked on | D.smelt out |
It can be learned from the text that________________.
A.Douthett’s wife was a doctor | B.Douthett’s wife felt something about his disease |
C.Douthett never got that drunk | D.Douthett had seen a doctor for his disease |
From the text we know that Kiko ______________.
A.is in top physical condition | B.was trained at an early age |
C.nearly cost Douthett his life | D.saved his master’s life |
Which is NOT true according to the text?
A.It is hard for the couple to explain the dog’s behaviour |
B.Jerry Douthett went to see a doctor because of Kiko’s chewing his big toe.. |
C.The couple shouldn’t have to pay the co-pay because Kiko did half the job. |
D.Kiko didn’t hurt the good bone of its master. |
China news, Beijing, July 29 --- Housing price in China has always aroused heated discussions among property developers and ordinary Chinese. To many property developers and local government officials, housing price in China is still low compared with many developed countries. However, the average housing price in the United States is only 8,000 yuan per square meter, while in China, it is even higher than in the United States. This shows that there are some bubbles(泡沫) in Chinese real estate market, the International Finance News reported.
Although the average price of residential houses in the United States, after converted to Renminbi, is about 8,000 yuan per square meter, the houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do when they sell their houses. If US property developers sell their houses according to the building area, then the housing price will be even lower than 8,000 yuan per square meter. In most big Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, houses are sold at a price even higher than those in the US.
The high housing sales price in large cities in China proves that Chinese real estate market does have some bubbles. Moreover, Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality, environment and supporting facilities. Furthermore, it should be noted that American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people. How can the Chinese afford to buy a house which is even more expensive than that sold in US?
At the beginning of 2007, Chinese government issued a set of policies that aimed to benefit the public. Now in order to reduce the high housing prices, the government can regulate(控制) the real estate market by raising tax on property industry. At the same time, the government should allow people to build more houses through various fund-raising channels, such as funds collected from buyers or raised by working units. By applying these multiple means, it is expected that the high housing prices can be lowered.
What is the average housing price per square meter in China?
A.8000 yuan. | B.10000 yuan. | C.7000 yuan. | D.Not mentioned. |
Which of the following does NOT support the idea that the average housing price in China is even higher than in the United States?
A.Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality, environment and supporting facilities. |
B.American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people. |
C.The population who need houses in China is larger than in the United States. |
D.The houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do when they sell their houses. |
How many measures are mentioned in the last paragraph in order to reduce the high housing prices?
A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. | D.Four. |
What is the main idea of this passage?
A.The housing price in China is so high that the government should do something useful to prevent it. |
B.There are some bubbles in Chinese real estate market. |
C.The average housing price in China is even higher than in the United States. |
D.Chinese government issued a set of policies that aimed to benefit the public. |
More American people take their troubles with them on holiday, according to a new survey. Although 40 percent said that the main reason for going away is to escape pressure (压力) from work, almost all said they worry more than they do at home. Only four in every 100 said that they are happy and free of care.
The most common worry is burglary ( 入室盗窃) , with four out of 10 worrying about their homes being broken into while they’re abroad.More than a quarter fear they will feel crazy with some other noisy and rough holiday-makers and 22 percent worry they may be attacked or their possessions will be missing. One in five think the car may break down; and the same number worry about the chances of bad weather.
The survey also showed that the stay-at-home Americans are no more. Three out of every five want to have a holiday abroad, a great increase from the figures only three years ago. The hotel holiday is still a winner, with about one third of all Americana preferring to go on a self-catering ( 自助 ) holiday.
The underlined word “survey” in the first paragraph most probably means ______.
A.research | B.review | C.exhibition | D.examination |
According to the text, about ____ of people worry more on holiday than when they are at home.
A.25% | B.40% | C.80% | D.95% |
The third most common worry of American holiday-makers is that they may ______.
A.be attacked or lose their possessions |
B.have problems with their cars on the road |
C.have bad weather on holiday |
D.get mixed with some rough fellow holiday-makers |
Where do American holiday-makers like to stay most?
A.At a hotel. | B.In a quiet place. |
C.At a friend's house. | D.Where they can cook for themselves. |
Soccer star David Beckham will be there with his pop star wife Victoria. Elton John is attending with partner David Furnish.
The guest list for the April 29 union of Prince William and Kate Middleton is still being kept secret, but details have begun to leak out, with some coming forward to say they are attending and the Mail on Sunday newspaper claiming to have the official invitation roster (名单).
The palace dismissed the newspaper's list as speculation (猜测) Sunday.
It won't be clear until the day how the royal couple has balanced the protocol demands (王室规则) that they invite statesmen, diplomats, religious leaders, politicians and the like with invitations to the people they really want to see, particularly the crowd they made friends with when they met and fell in love at St. Andrews University in Scotland.
Kate Reardon, editor of high-society magazine Tatler, said many prominent Britons acted as if they didn't really care about receiving an invitation while secretly checking the mail every day to see if the invitation had arrived.
"Everyone's been hoping," she said.
William and Middleton have showed their modern side by inviting a number of close friends, including some former sweethearts, the newspaper said.
The wedding is not technically a state event, which somewhat limits the protocol requirements applied to the guest list. But royal obligations (职责) still order that a large number of the 1,900 or so seats go to guests from the world of politics, not actual friends of the couple.
The couple have also invited many guests from the charities they work with, and Middleton has used her influence to invite the butcher, shopkeeper and pub owner from her home village of Bucklebury.
President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle were not invited and many other international leaders are also expected to be watching on TV, not from a seat at Westminster Abbey.
It is not clear if treasured Brits from the world of stage and screen and pop music will be on the list.
Who were not invited to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding?
A.David Beckham and his wife. |
B.Elton John and his partner David Furnish. |
C.People from the charities they work with. |
D.President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle. |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.The guest list for the wedding is officially announced. |
B.The wedding is technically a state event. |
C.Only the actual friends of the couple will be invited to the wedding. |
D.A large number of guests from the world of politics will be invited. |
The word "prominent" in paragraph 5 probably means .
A.honest | B.modern |
C.well known and important | D.busy and hardworking |
It can be inferred from the passage that .
A.their wedding will be held at Westminster Abbey on April 29th. |
B.Kate Reardon was invited to the wedding. |
C.journalists will not be allowed to attend the wedding. |
D.their former sweethearts are sure to attend their wedding. |
The best title for the passage might be .
A.Prince William and Middleton fall in love at St. Andrews University |
B.British royal wedding guest list details leaks out |
C.Prince William and Middleton prepares for their grand wedding |
D.British singers and movie stars invited to the wedding |
Now, it’s time for some brief news items.
Teens Go Online
Some 13 million European children under 18 use the Internet for schoolwork, games and music according to research done by Nielsen’s “Net-rating”. The study covered Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Experts advesed parents to limit the time their kids on line and keep them away from chat rooms.
Chat to the magic Mum
British author J.K.Rowling, mother of magic boy Harry Potter, will do an Internet interview about her new bool”Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”on June 26. Before the event, children are invited to send their questions about Harry to the website. The book will hit stores in the US and UK on June 21 and will arrive in China in August.
School Soldiers
Russian school students will have to do basic military training in their final year of school, the government has decided.The lesson will include learning to fire guns, marching drills and how to deal with a chemical, nuclear or biological attack. The activity is seen as part of a drive toward the education of their love for their country.
Is it hard for you to get up early and get ready for classes? Some students at Winter Park High School just roll our of bed in their pajamas(睡衣) and go to class in their own bedrooms. Of course, their teachers and classmates do not see them because all their class work is on the computer. The Florida High School, the state’s only online school, had 250 students who are taking classed at home by computer. Students in this first online program take classed in algebra(代数), American government , chemistry, computer, economics, and web-page design. They also have to go to regular school to attend other classes.
In the first news item, which country is NOT covered in the research?
A.Britain. | B.France. | C.Sweden. | D.Spain. |
Why will Russian school students have basic military training?
A.To get ready for a milirary parade. |
B.To learn to protect themselves. |
C.To gain some military knowledge. |
D.To develop their love for the country. |
What is the second news item mainly about?
A.J.K.Rowling will have an Internet interview. |
B.Children will meet Harry Potter’s mother. |
C.The Harry Potter book will be available on the Internet. |
D.The Harry Potter book will arrive in China in early June. |
The United Nations says forty million people or so around the world went hungry in 2008, mainly because of higher food prices. Early estimates from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) show that 963 million people did not get enough to eat.
World food prices have dropped since early 2008. Prices of major crops have decreased by more than half from their height earlier last year. But they remain high compared to earlier years.
But FAO official Hafez Ghana says lower prices have failed to end the food crisis(危机)in many poor countries. "For millions in developing countries," he says, "getting enough food every day to live an active and healthy life is a distant dream.”
The FAO says food shortage is a threat to people's health. Today, two-thirds of the world's undernourished people live in just a few countries. These are India, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Ethiopia and so on.
A report on food insecurity warns that the current economic crisis could send even more people into hunger and poverty.
In sub-Saharan Africa, the percentage of the people who continually go hungry fell from 34% in 1997 to 30% in 2008. But the FAO says Ghana is the only country that has reached two sets of hunger reduction targets. These were set by the 1996 World Food Summit and the Millennium Development Goals. The main reason is the growth in agricultural production in Ghana.
The FAO says some countries in Southeast Asia like Thailand and Vietnam have made progress in hunger reduction goals. But South Asia and Central Asia haven't, and North Korea is still in hot water.
What FAO official Hafez Ghana says implies _________.
A.it's easy but takes long to provide people with enough food |
B.enough food can make people more active and healthier |
C.there is difficulty solving the food shortage in a short time |
D.people in developing countries will never get enough food |
Ghana has reached the targets of hunger reduction mainly because of ________.
A.the still high food prices | B.the donation of developed countries |
C.the two targets of hunger reduction | D.the growth in agricultural production |
The underlined word “undernourished” in Para. 4 probably means _________.
A.hungry and unhappy | B.unhealthy for lack of food |
C.not fat because of poverty | D.undeveloped and poor |
Which country has not made progress in hunger reduction?
A.North Korea | B.Thailand | C.Vietnam | D.Ghana |
What is the best title of this passage?
A.The food production of the world | B.The hunger reduction target of the FAO |
C.The food shortage around the world | D.The solution to the global food shortage |
The bus driver and his passengers were being hailed as heroes last night after rescuing a woman from her burning car following a crash on the Bluff Highway. The 60-year-old woman was taken by ambulance to Southland Hospital after firefighters battled for 30 minutes to cut her from her car.
Acting Senior Sergeant Brock Davis, of Invercargill, said emergency services were called to the scene of the crash at the crossroads of Motorimu Rd and State Highway I shortly before 5:00 p.m. yesterday.
Mr. Davis said a Mitsubishi car driven by a 30-year-old man traveling north on the highway and the woman’s southbound(南行的)Suzuki Alto collided(碰撞). The man suffered slight injuries in the crash, he said.
Invercargill Passenger Transport Ltd driver Bill McDermott and his passengers—New Zealand Aluminum Smelters Ltd workers were first on the scene and alerted emergency services. The scene at the spot was disordered, Mr. McDermott said.
“There was a car on its side and a guy wandering around who was quite excited,” he said. “We stopped, got out and found a lady trapped in her car …… then we noticed flames in the engine bay and the smell of petrol.” Mr. McDermott took a fire extinguisher(灭火器)from the bus,doused(泼洒)the flames,and several other workers controlled traffic.
However,he said his actions were “no big deal”. He was not willing to take any credit for helping the woman.
“The praise goes to all the guys that jumped off that bus.” Invercargill Senior Station officer Alan Goldsworthy, who was an officer in charge at the scene, said there was a possibility the car could have burst into flames if Mr. McDermott and the smelter workers had not helped. “They should acquire a good pat on the back.” he said.
It can be known from the passage that the car accident happened _____.
A.at noon | B.in the morning |
C.in the afternoon | D.at night |
Who should get the biggest praise according to the reporter?_____.
A.Brock Davis. | B.Bill McDermott. |
C.Allan Goldsworthy. | D.The firefighters. |
The underlined sentence “They should acquire a good pat on the back” in the last paragraph really means _____.
A.the government should give each of the heroes a gold medal of honor |
B.the saved woman should offer as much money to the heroes as she can |
C.everybody there should pat the heroes on the back gently and thankfully |
D.the good deeds of the heroes are well worthy of great appreciation |
STRANGERS parties go wild these days. The main idea of them is to never let the people know who their matches are until the last minute. These are some popular practices that are storming the world’s youth on this V-day.
Speed dating
It’s exactly what the name implies. Complete with a timer, a whistle and 50 willing singles, speed dating is not the traditional dinner and a movie type of first date. Singles pay US $35 for three minutes with more than two dozen future dates. They ask questions and try to get to know each other. At the sound of a whistle, they do the same thing all over again―25 times in all.
Lock and key party
Women are given a lock and men are given a key, upon arriving at the party. Each key and lock has several matches. One can hunt for his/her later-to-be sweetheart in various groups, and try out the key or lock. Each time a lock and key match the pair are entered into a ballot (票数) for top prizes!
Dinner in the dark
Waiters wearing night vision glasses guide the guests through the pitch-black dining room. They are seated at the table and familiarized with the wine glass and plate. Food is handled with the fingers. People will not see the food they are eating or the guests at their table until the dessert course. At that moment, dining partners will appear.
Message party
Have A Cocktail, Leave A Message! When you arrive, you get a tag with a number and a pad of post-it notes. If you see someone you like, write a message on the message board. But wait… You’ve got a message… Go and collect it! You can make new friends and win lots of gifts. The more messages you leave on the bulletin board, the more chances you have of winning prizes.
What do you think the similarities of these parties are?
A.All the parties have very strict rules for their members. |
B.If you want to go to any of the parties, you have to buy a ticket. |
C.All the parties are aimed at strangers who want to be lovers. |
D.All the parties are suitable not only for the young but for the old. |
In which party does a participant have to be careful with the time?
A.Speed dating. | B.Lock and key party. |
C.Dinner in the dark. | D.Message party. |
If you go to the Dinner in the dark, ________.
A.you have to wear night vision glasses |
B.you have to eat with your hands |
C.guests eat all the courses in the darkness |
D.your dining partners will help you choose the food |
How many of the parties offer gifts or prizes?
A.1. | B.2. | C.3. | D.4. |
Following the nuclear at the Fukushima (福岛) nuclear power station in Japan, Germany has decided to abandon the use of nuclear energy sooner than it had planned.
Germany was planning to cut its use of nuclear power slowly over 25 years. But now, the government has speeded up its program. Germany’s government has said that seven of its 17 nuclear reactors (反应堆) will stop working for three months for safety checks.
Nuclear power has been very unpopular in Germany since the Chernobyl (切尔诺贝利) nuclear reactor disaster in Ukraine (乌克兰) in 1986. Since then, the country has been working on developing new resources of energy.
The plan to give up nuclear power will cost the country at least 150 billion euros (1.4 trillion yuan)) in investment. Experts say this will likely lead to a rise in electricity prices.
Some experts think Germany is setting a good example for countries such as the US to follow. Germany now gets 23 percent of its energy from nuclear power –about as much as the US.
However, France, which relies on nuclear energy for more than 70 percent of its power, shows no sign of changing its policy.
We can most probably read the article _______.
A.in a newspaper | B.in a pamphlet(小册子) |
C.in an advertisement | D.in a textbook |
The most appropriate heading for this article is _______.
A.Germany to develop its new resources of energy |
B.Nuclear power no longer popular in Germany |
C.Germany to have safety checks for some nuclear reactors |
D.Germany to end its nuclear energy program |
According to the article, all of the following statements are true EXCEPT______.
A.In both the US and Germany, approximately a quarter of their energy are from nuclear power now. |
B.The explosion of some Fukushima nuclear reactors has quickened Germany’s pace to abandon nuclear energy. |
C.France, which relies on nuclear energy for more than 70 percent of its power, will follow Germany and cut its use of it at any cost. |
D.The Chernobyl nuclear disaster seemingly cast a huge shadow over the Germans, making them increasingly suspicious of the safety of nuclear energy. |
WASHINGTON — Money can buy happiness, but only if you spend it on someone else, according to researchers.
Spending as little as $5 a day on someone else could significantly boost happiness, the team at the University of British Columbia and Harvard Business School found on Thursday.
Their experiments on more than 630 Americans showed they were measurably happier when they spent money on others --- even if they thought spending the money on themselves would make them happier.
“We wanted to test our theory that how people spend their money is at least as important as how much money they earn,” said Elizabeth Dunn, a psychologist at the University of British Columbia.
They asked their 600 volunteers first to rate their general happiness, report their annual income and detail their monthly spending including bills, gifts for themselves, gifts for others and donations to charity.
“Regardless of how much income each person made, those who spent money on others reported greater happiness, while those who spent more on themselves did not,” Dunn said in a statement.
Dunn’s team also surveyed 16 employees at a company in Boston before and after they received an annual profit-sharing bonus of between $3,000 and $8,000.
“Employees who devoted more of their bonus to pro-social spending experienced greater happiness after receiving the bonus, and the manner in which they spent that bonus was a more important predictor of their happiness than the size of the bonus itself,” they wrote in their report, published in the journal Science.
“Finally, participants who were randomly (随机地) required to spend money on others experienced greater happiness than those required to spend money on themselves,” they said.
They gave their volunteers $5 or $20 and half got clear instructions on how to spend it. Those who spent the money on someone or something else reported feeling happier about it.
“These findings suggest that very minor adjustment in spending allocations (分配) --- as little as $5 --- may be enough to produce real gains in happiness on a given day,” Dunn said.
This could also explain why people are no happier even though US society is richer.
“Indeed, although real incomes have increased dramatically in recent decades, happiness levels have remained largely flat within developed countries across time,” they wrote.
Dune’s experiment on 630 Americans was to ________.
A.help people make careful plans for their money | B.encourage people to be generous to others |
C.see how to spend money is important to happiness | D.test whether $5 is enough to buy happiness |
What can we conclude according to the experiment?
A.Happiness largely depends on the size of your bonus money. |
B.Happiness, as a matter of fact, has nothing to do with money. |
C.The more money you give away, the happier person you will be. |
D.Spending money for the good of society will make you happier. |
How many different ways are used by the researchers to test their theory?
A.Two. | B.Three. | C.Four. | D.Five. |
The last sentence of the passage means _______.
A.happiness does not necessary increase as money grows |
B.people in richer countries actually have more problems |
C.fast economic growth has a bad effect on people’s life |
D.great increase of income contributes to keeping happiness level stable |
1. 我细细地看了这篇文章,了解到那是为农村妇女写的。
I ___________________the text and realized that it was __________________ women in the countryside.
2. 我发现林巧稚把毕生都奉献给了病人,而自己却选择了独身。
I discovered that Lin Qiaozhi __________ her patients and had chosen not to have a family ___________.
3. 多亏了他的研究,联合国在消除世界饥饿的战斗中又多了些方法。
______________his research, the UN has more tools in the battle ______________.
4. 他们主要是想保持土壤肥沃且免受病害。
They ______________ keeping their soil ___________________.
5. 在人们感到沮丧的时候,他可以使他们开怀大笑,于是他们就对自己的生活感到比较满足。
He made people laugh at a time when they ______________, so they could feel _____________their lives.
6. 不是所有文化背景下的人都以同样方式寒暄,接触陌生人时,距离太近或太远都会使他们不舒服。
Not all cultures ______________________the same way, _____________________ in the same way with
touching or distance between people.
SPECIAL EVENTS THIS WEEKEND
Captain Goodfellow
Do your children enjoy interesting stories, funny games, and exciting dances? Captain Goodfellow will be ready to teach all these things to children of all ages at the City Theatre on Saturday morning at 10:00, free.
Walking Tour of the Town
Forget your worries on Saturday morning. Take a beautiful walk and learn about local history. Meet at the front entrance of City Hall at 9:30. Wear comfortable shoes!
Films at the Museum
Two European films will be shown on Saturday afternoon at the Museum Theatre. See Broken Window at 1:30. The Workers will be at 3:45. For further information, call 4987898.
International Picnic
Are you tired of eating the food every day? Come to Central Park on Saturday and enjoy food from all over the world. Delicious and not expensive. Noon to 5:00 pm.
Take Me out to the Ballgame
It’s October, and tonight is your last chance to see the Redbirds this year. Get your tickets at the gate. It might be cold… Don’t forget sweaters and jackets.
Do You Want to Hear “The Zoo”
“The Zoo”, a popular group from Australia, will give their first U.S. concert tomorrow night at 8 at Rose Hall, City College.
You can probably eat Chinese, Italian, and Arab food _______.
A.at the front entrance of City Hall | B.at the Ballgame |
C.at Rose Hall, City College | D.at Central Park on Saturday |
“ The Zoo” is __________.
A.going to give the concert at 8 am tomorrow | B.U.S. concert |
C.a music group | D.a park with lots of animals there |
You may see this passage in ________.
A.a British newspaper | B.an American newspaper |
C.a British magazine | D.an American magazine |
试题篮
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