I got interested in the idea of standing desks about a year ago. The health advantages of standing instead of sitting for eight hours a day are clear, so when the company Ergotron invited me to review their WorkFit C-Mod Dual Desk, I jumped out of my chair---really. After several hours putting the desk together, I finally got to try it out. The standing desk had a desktop that I could use for writing. At first I absolutely loved it. Standing during the day instead of sitting was fantastic. Although I felt more tired after all that standing during the day, I knew the health benefits were worth the slight discomfort. However, after the initial novelty of the desk wore off, I realized that I could not use it in the long term. It was just not practical. While using the desk for a month , I could definitely foresee problems arising from using it full time. I enjoy having a lot of things on my desk. The standing desk just did not have enough room for all of my things. I can easily foresee awkward situations when I put that desk in an office space. When someone comes into your office, does your guest have to stand as well? If you office is big enough, maybe you have room for two chairs for you and a visitor, which is great. Yet for the ordinary worker in a small office, the standing desk creates a very awkward situation. Additionally, the amount of money I would have to spend to replace my current workspace with a standing desk was another issue. The desks I have looked at were highly expensive. Yes, spending the day standing can offset many of the negative effects of too much sitting, but we humans are designed for movement. Through activity changes like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, you can easily increase the time you spend on your feet. Best of all, those options are completely free. When first using the standing desk, the author _ . A) thought it was boring B) thought it was wonderful C) felt less tired than usual D) felt quite uncomfortable
B
(Question)
Research led by UK and Australian scientists sheds new light on the role that our ancestors played in the extinction of Australia's prehistoric animals. The new study provides the first evidence that Tasmania's giant prehistoric animals were still living on the island when humans first arrived. The findings suggest that the mass extinction of Tasmania's large prehistoric animals was the result of human hunting, and not climate change as previously believed. Scientists have long argued over the reasons behind the worldwide mass extinction that took place towards the end of the last ice age. The main _ are generally thought to be climate change or some form of human impact. People only arrived in Tasmania around 43,000 years ago, when the island became temporarily connected by a land bridge to mainland Australia. None of Tasmania's giant animals, known as "megafauna" were known to have survived until this time. This appeared to clear humans of any involvement in the disappearance of the island's large megafauna. This new international study reports the discovery of giant kangaroos surviving in Tasmania until people arrived, placing humans back on the list of likely culprits for the extinction of the megafauna. Using the latest techniques, the team were able to determine the age of the fossilized remains of the megafauna more accurately than ever before. The results showed that some of these animals survived until at least 41,000 years agomuch later than previously thought and up to 2,000 years after the first human settlers arrived. As climate in Tasmania was not changing dramatically at this time, the researchers argue that this is evidence of these species being driven to extinction through over-hunting by humans. The best title for the passage would be _ . A) Giant prehistoric animals found in Tasmania B) Climate change and human activities C) Humans involved in prehistoric animals' extinction D) Roles of climate change and human activities
(Answer)
C
Ques: Just five minutes of exercise a day outdoors can improve mental health, according to a study. Researchers from the University of Essex, UK have found that as little as five minutes of a "green activity" such as walking, gardening, cycling or farming could help to improve mood and increase self-esteem . Many studies have shown that outdoor exercise can reduce the risk of mental illness and improve a sense of well-being, but the new study, led by Jules Pretty and Jo Barton, was the first to determine how much time needed to be spent on green exercise for the benefits to show. Barton and Pretty looked at data from 1,252 people of different ages, genders and mental health status taken from 10 studies in Britain. They analyzed their different outdoor activities including walking, gardening, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-riding and farming in locations such as a park, garden or nature trail . They found that the mental health changes were seen after just five minutes. With longer periods of time exercising in a green environment, the positive effects were more apparent. Looking at men and women of different ages, the researchers found the health changes were particularly strong in the young and the mentally ill. Green and blue A bigger effect was seen with exercise in an area that also contained water - such as a lake or river. "This is because historically we are drawn to water to survive and it is in our genetic make-up to be at one with nature," the researchers wrote in their report. Pretty said those who were generally inactive, or stressed, or with mental illness would probably benefit the most from "green exercise". "Employers, for example, could encourage staff in stressful workplaces to take a short walk at lunchtime in the nearest park to improve mental health." He also said exercise programs outdoors could benefit youth offenders. What is the main problem discussed in this article? A) Physical well-being. B) Mental illness. C) Outdoor exercise. D) Harmony with nature.
Ans: C
Ques: About 45 percent of Americans don't get enough sleep, according to a recent survey. However, the benefits of getting enough sleep far outweigh the thrill of watching TV for one more hour or surfing the web. Getting a better night's sleep will help you lose or keep your weight more effectively. Try these simple steps to improve your quality of sleep. Take time to relax So many of us go-go-go until it's time for bed, but it's important to take time to slow down and relax before sleeping. Do relaxing things, such as listening to soothing music or deep breathing. Avoid stimulating activities such as writing e-mails, talking on the phone and watching TV. Some guidelines : no e-mail after 8 p.m. and no TV or phone calls after 9 p.m.. Darker is better Your body regulates your sleep cycle in response to the presence and absence of light, so dim the lights as evening approaches. Try getting ready for bed by candlelight. When you're ready to sleep, make sure your room is as dark as possible. Put your thoughts to bed We all need time to process our day, but bed is not the place to do it if you want to sleep well. Take 10 to 15 minutes to record your thoughts in a journal. This effective technique will capture what's in your mind so you don't lie awake. Tell yourself you're putting your thoughts to bed so that you can go to bed. No sugar or alcohol before bed These may wake you up. If you need a snack before bed, make it protein. Try to get more sleep Get an extra hour or two of sleep every night for a week and see how you feel. You'll notice the difference! We should take time to slow down because it can _ . A) inform us of the importance of sleeping B) signal to our body it's time to sleep C) tell us to stop watching TV for making phone calls D) tell us not to do stimulating activities
Ans:
B