D. To emphasize the importance of Chinese learning.
B
What would make you happy? Really happy? A nice holiday, relaxing on a tropical beach?Maybe a blowout meal with friends at an expensive restaurant? Or possibly splashing out on a pair of the latest designer jeans? All these pleasures cost money, so does that mean we need lots of cash to feel good or does the old saying ?Money can?t buy happiness? still ring true?
This well-worn proverb has been put to the test by scientists in Canada. They found that when used in the right way, money can bring us happiness. They discovered that when you use money to free up time, by paying someone to do your chores(杂务) for example, you are happier. In an experiment, individuals reported greater higher life satisfaction if they used $40 to save time rather than spend it on material goods such as a new pair of shoes. But surprisingly, the researchers found that fewer than a third of individuals spent money to buy themselves time each month.
In our hectic lives time is one thing we seem to be short of. People are reporting a ?time famine?, where they get stressed over the daily demands on their time. Psychologists say stress over lack of time causes lower well-being and contributes to anxiety and sleeplessness. But in many countries now, as incomes are rising, there is an option to buy more time.
Professor Dunn, who worked with colleagues at Harvard Business School, says that “money can in fact buy time. And it buys time pretty effectively... and so my take-home message is, ?think about it, is there something you hate doing that fills you with great fear and could you pay somebody else to do that for you??If so, then science says that?s a pretty good use of money.”
I would agree that buying more time makes me feel happier and more relaxed. But making time a priority(优先) over making money does come at a price; you have less cash to spend on the things you now have time to do. However, there?s another old saying ?life is short and time is swift?, so there?s no time to waste and there?s more to life than doing abundant and boring housework. 24. How can people get happiness according to the experiment? A. By saving money without eating out. B. By buying time to be free from chores. C. By doing the housework in person. D. By spending cash on material goods.
25. Why do people get stressed according to their own reports?
A. They have less cash.
B. Daily demands take them much time. C. Pleasures cost them much money. D. They suffer poor health.
26. What does the underlined word “hectic” in the third paragraph probably mean? A. Busy. B. Boring. C. Stressful. D. Relaxing.
27. What does the text mainly tell us? A. Money is more to life than a pleasure. B. Money can?t buy happiness. C. Life is short and time is swift. D. Saving time is prior to saving money.
C
China?s reform and opening-up policy, which started in 1978, has become more effective. The success of reform and opening-up has transformed China from a low-income country to one of the world?s largest economies today. In my view, the success of China?s development lies in the country greatly reducing the number of people living in poverty. According to the World Bank, hundreds of millions of Chinese people have been lifted out of extreme poverty. China is now one of the most powerful countries in the world politically, economically, and socially. China has contributed to the stability and balance of global economic development.
China?s development is unique. It is not based on Western developmental theories and experience, but on China?s own culture, political system, and its people. China has successfully transformed its economy from initially focusing on agriculture to now more on modern industrial and service sectors(行业). Nowadays, China?s technology and manufacturing products can be found in every corner of the world. The Chinese government encourages opening up to the outside world and making technology innovation the driving force of economic development. China is also an advocate for world peace and stability, which is especially important to developing countries.
China?s leadership encourages win-win cooperation in economy and trade, which has attracted
more developing countries to trust and work together with China. China?s unique development combines socialism with a market economy system. Many countries in the world, either developed or developing, usually adopt one system to achieve economic growth. Only China has combined the two systems and made amazing achievements.
China?s economic development has set an example for developing countries in the world. The Belt and Road Initiative can promote infrastructure(基础设施) projects in less-known areas and regions. President Xi?s proposal of“adhering(追随)to the path of peaceful development and building a community with a shared future for humankind” is a great vision which can help China cooperate with more countries in the world and achieve prosperity(繁荣) in a win-win way. 28. What?s the text mainly about? A. China?s economic development. B. Global economic achievements. C. China?s special political system. D. President Xi?s great vision. 29. What can be inferred from the text? A. China focuses more on agriculture today. B. China faced far more poor people decades ago. C. Global peace and stability depends on China. D. Most countries respect more of political systems. 30. What makes China?s development unique? A. Applying Western theories and practice. B. Focusing on service and education sectors. C. Following its own development model. D. Win-win cooperation with other countries.
31. What does the writer think of China helping its people out of poverty? A. Discouraging. B. Decisive. C. Troublesome. D. Creative.
D
A “virtual(虚拟的) cocktail” glass that lets you change the flavor(味道) of your drink using your Smartphone has been developed by scientists.
Offering a customizable(定制的) range of drinks and tastes, the Vocktail can change a glass of water into a cocktail at the press of a button. The world?s first technology tricks your brain into thinking it is experiencing a specific flavor by fooling your senses of sight, smell and taste.
Developed by researchers at the National University of Singapore, the glass?three sensory components are controlled via a Smartphone App. Because the software can combine a number of smells, colors and tastes, the Vocktail can create almost any flavor.
Developer Nimesha Ranasinghe said: “Our approach is to increase drinks flavor experience by overlaying outer sensory stimuli(刺激物). For example, in the Vocktail we overlay color, taste and smell sensations to create an adjustable flavor experience. Flavor is mainly how we feel food and that?s achieved through the use of these senses. Therefore, by changing the color of the drink, using different smells and changing the taste through electricity, we are able to copy the flavor of a drink without it actually changing the liquid.”
The glass houses three fragrance containers connected to micro-air pumps. The pumps release smell that change your feeling of the drinks? flavor. For example, a lemon fragrance will trick your brain into believing it is tasting lemon-flavored drink.
On the outside edge of the glass are two electrode strips(电焊条) that send electric pulses into your tongue to stimulate your sense of taste and flavor differs with different pulses. 32. What controls the sensory components? A. A fragrance container. B. A micro-air pump. C. An electrode strip. D. A Smartphone App. 33. How does the Vocktail work?
A. By mixing different kinds of drinks together. B. By fooling one?s brain into flavor experience. C. By stimulating the tip of one?s tongue. D. By changing the inner liquid.
34. What does the underlined “it” in the 4th paragraph refer to?
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