"Why should I care about the environment?" some people ask. There is a very simple reason: We live on the earth, and it is the only place we can live on right now, as we cannot live in space yet. If we treat the earth like a garbage dump, it will become dirty and unlivable. If we treat it well by being eco-conscious, the earth will stay clean and suitable for living, for ourselves and for our children. What is "being eco-conscious"? Being eco-conscious means being aware of your actions, and what you do to the environment. For example, you might think, "Using hairspray is great for fixing my hair." However, if you are eco-conscious, you would ask, "Does this hairspray have CFCs in it? Could I be destroying the earth by using hairspray?" How can I be eco-conscious? You can find many simple ways to help the environment in your everyday life. When you go shopping, bring a bag or a basket with you. Please try not to use plastic bags as much as you can. You can go to work by bike or on foot if it is not far from your home. You can put your rubbish into different bags, which makes it convenient for recycling. You can eat less chewing gum. You can use your own chopsticks instead of the disposable ones in your company or in restaurants. You can put batteries in a special box instead of in garbage bins. You can use the water which has been used for washing vegetables or fruits to clean the floor and the toilet or to water your garden. You can turn off the decorative lights in your room when watching TV. You can turn down your air conditioner by one degree, as this will cause a 10% reduction in energy use. You can use recycled paper. Every ton of recycled office paper saves 380 gallons of oil. You can also use recycled glass instead of glass made from raw materials. This will reduce the related air pollution by 20%, and the related water pollution by 50%. Please believe that. If you do a little, it will make a big difference. If you want to help the environment, you should do all the following EXCEPT _ . A) share a car with your colleagues B) use paper bags instead of plastic bags C) use hairspray containing CFCs D) use recycled glass instead of glass made from raw materials
C
(Question)
A survey by an international temporary service agency found that U. S. managers believe that people with a sense of humour do better at their jobs, compared with those who have little or no sense of humour. In fact, about 96 percent of those surveyed said people with a sense of humour do better. The survey went on to point out that the results suggest that a sense of humour may help light-hearted employees keep their jobs during tough times. And, what's more, it may push them up the corporate ladder past their humourless colleagues. Why? It seems that those with a sense of humour are better communicators and better team players. Studies have shown that happy workers are more productive. In fact, a researcher at California State University found that humour could help the employees to release tension. Research done by psychologist Dr. Ashton Trice at Mary Baldwin College in Virginia showed that humour helps us think. When people feel stuck on important projects, they tend to feel angry or depressed. According to Dr. Trice's research, taking time out to laugh can help us to get rid of negative feelings and allow us to return to a task or move on to another project unaffected by past defeat. If humour is really this important, then why don't we use it more often on the job? Most likely, the main reason is that many people are unaware of the positive effects of humour in the workplace. However, it is important to realize that some humour is not suitable for the workplace, and that it is often used at wrong times. Most people think a sense of humour can _ . A) help you to do your work better B) make you have a rich life C) make you pleased with your work D) help you to make more friends
(Answer)
A
My first wife and I only had one child. It might have been nice to have more. I would have liked a son, but we just had Carmen. I see her as my best friend. I think she always comes to me first if she has a problem. We have the same sense of humor and share many interests; except that she's crazy about animals, obsessed with them she has always had dogs, cats, and horses in her life. We were closest when she was about four, which I think is a wonderful age for a child. That's when they need their parents most. But as soon as Carmen went to school, she seemed to grow up and grow apart from her family, and any father finds it difficult with a teenage daughter. She was very moody and had an odd group of friends. There was an endless stream of strange young men coming to our house. I remember once got annoyed with her in front of her friends and she didn't talk to me for days. I've always wanted the best for her. We sent her to a good school, but she wasn't happy there. She left because she wanted to become an actress, so with my connections I got her into a drama school, but she didn't like that either. She worked for a while doing small roles in films, but she must have found it boring although she never really said why. She got married a few years ago, her husband's a vet. They must be happy because they work together, and she loves animals. We have the same tastes in books and music. When she was younger, I used to take her to the opera that's my passion-but she can't have liked it very much because she hasn't come with me for years. I don't think she goes to the cinema or watches TV much. She might watch my films, but I don't know. It's not the kind of thing she talks to me about. I'm very pleased to have Carmen. She's a good daughter, but I don't think she likes my new wife very much because she doesn't visit us very often. I'm looking forward to being a grandfather one day. I hope she'll have a son. By saying "wanted the best for her", the author means that _ . A) he had done everything he could for Carmen B) he was sad when Carmen wasn't happy at school C) he never asked Carmen why she gave up drama D) he was pleased that Carmen married her husband
A