第2篇 How we form first impression
We all have first impression of someone we just met. But why? Why do we form an opinion about someone without really knowing anything about him or her – aside perhaps from a few remarks or readily observable traits.
The answer is related to how your brain allows you to be aware of the world. Your brain is so sensitive in picking up facial traits, even very minor difference in a how a person’s eyes, ears, nose, or mouth are placed in relation to each other make you see him or her as different. In fact, your brain continuously processes incoming sensory information – the sights and sounds of your world. Theses incoming “signals”are compared against a host of “memories” stored in the brain areas called the cortex (大脑皮层)system to determine what these new signals “mean”.
If you see someone you know and like at school, your brain says “familiar and safe”. “If you see someone new, it says, “new—potentially threatening”. Then your brain starts to match features of this stranger with other “known” memories. The height, weight, dress, ethnicity, gestures and tone of voice are all matched up. The more unfamiliar the characteristics, the more your brain may say, “This is new. I don’t like this person.” Or else, “I am intrigued.” Or your brain may perceive a new face but familiar clothes, ethnicity, gestures –like your other friends; so your brain says: “I like this person.” But theses preliminary “impressions” can be dead wrong.
When we stereotype people, we use a less mature form of thinking (not unlike the immature thinking of a very young child) that makes simplistic and categorical impressions of others. Rather than learn about the depth and breadth of people – their history, interest, values, strengths, and true character – we categorize them as jocks, geeks, or freaks.
However, if we resist initial stereotypical impressions, we have a chance to be aware of what a person is truly like. If we spend time with a person, hear about his or her life, hopes, dreams, and become aware of the person’s character, we use a different, more mature style of thinking—and the most complex areas of our cortex, which allow us to be humane.
36. Our first impression of some one new is influenced by his or her _____
A. past experience
B. character
C. facial features
D. hobbies
37. If you meet a stranger with familiar gestures, your brain is mostly likely to say____
A. “He is familiar and safe”
B. “He is new and potentially threatening”
C. “I like this person”
D. “This is new I don't like this person”
38. The word “preliminary” means ____
A. simplistic
B. stereotypical
C. initial
D. categorical
39. Our thinking is not mature enough when we stereotype people because _____
A. we neglect their depth and breadth
B. they are not all locks, peeks, or freaks
C. our thinking is similar to that of a very young child
D. our judgment is always wrong
40. Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the passage?
A. One’s physical appearance can influence our first impression
B. our first impression is influenced by the sensitivity of our brain
C. Stereotypical impressions can be dead wrong
D. We should adopt mature thinking when getting to know people
第3篇 A New Strategy to Overcome Breast Cancer
Post-menopausal (绝经后) women who walk for an hour a day can cut their chance of breast cancer significantly, a study has suggested. The report, which followed 73,000 women for 17 years, found walking for at least seven hours a week lowered the risk of the disease. The American Cancer Society team said this was the first time reduced risk was specifically linked to walking. UK experts said it was more evidence that lifestyle influenced cancer risk.
A recent poll for the charity Ramblers a quarter of adults walk for no more than an hour a week, but being active is known to reduce the risk of a number of cancers. This study, published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, followed 73.615 women out of 97,785 aged 50-74 who had been recruited by the American Cancer Society between1992 and 1993, so it could monitor the incidence of cancer in the group.
They were asked to complete questionnaires on their health and on how much time they were active and participating in activities such as walking, swimming and aerobics(有氧运动)and how much time they spent sitting watching television or reading. They completed the same questionnaires at two-year intervals between 1997 and 2009.Of the women, 47%said walking was their only recreational activity. Those who walked for at least seven hours per week had a 14% lower risk of breast cancer compared to those who walked three or fewer hours per week.
Dr. Alpa Patel, a senior epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, Georgia, who led the study, said:”Given that more than 60% of women report some daily walking, promoting walking as a healthy leisure-time activity could be an effective strategy for increasing physical activity amongst post-menopausal women. We were pleased to find that without any other recreational activity, just walking one hour a day was associated with a lower risk of breast cancer in these women.””More strenuous(紧张的)and longer activities lowered the risk even more.”
Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive of Breast Cancer Campaign, said: “This study adds further evidence that our lifestyle choices can play a part in influencing the risk of breast cancer and even small changes incorporate into our normal day-to-day activity can make a difference.”
She added:”We know that the best weapon to overcoming breast cancer is the ability to stop it occurring in the first place. The challenge now is how we turn these findings into action and identify other sustainable lifestyle changes that will help us prevent breast cancer.”
41. All of the following factors relating to cancer risk were mentioned in the passage EXCEPT________
A. breathing exercise
B. regular walking
C. recreational activity
D. lifestyle choices
42. It can be inferred from Dr. Alpa Patel’s study that____.
A. women have fewer chances of physical activity
B. daily walking could cut the chance of breast cancer
C. leisure-time activity is not associated with cancer risk
D. walking is not recommended for women with breast cancer
43. Dr. Alpa Patel was_____.
A. head of the survey study
B. chief editor of Cancer Epidemiology
C. chair of the American Cancer Society
D. chief executive of Breast Cancer Campaign
44. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. Most women take walking as their only recreational activity.
B. The study aims to track the health conditions of its subjects.
C. Walking was the only recreational activity for about half of the women
D. Irregular walking increased the risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women
45. The word “sustainable” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to?
A. continuable
B. affordable
C. available
D. persistent