George Prochnik would like the world _ . He makes his case in a new book. Listening for meaning in a World of Noise. Here he explain himself (using his voice); "We've become so accustomed to noise, there's almost a deep prejudice against the idea that silence might be beneficial, if you tell someone to be quiet ,you sound like an old man. But it's never been important to find continuing quiet. Silence focuses us, improves our health, and is a key to lasting peace and satisfaction." "We need to excite people about the sounds you start to hear, if you merely quiet things down a little. During a Japanese tea ceremony ,the smallest sounds become a kind of art the spoons making a light ringing sound on a bowl, the edges of a kimono brushing against the floor. "Deaf people are very attentive in almost every aspect of life. If two deaf people are walking together, using sign language, they constantly watch out for each other and protect each other by paying steady attention to the other. They are connected yet also fully aware of their surroundings. Even deaf teenagers! We in the hearing world can learn from them. If we remove the powerful blasts of noise .we become aware of an extraordinarily rich world around us---of little soft sounds and the sound of footsteps, of bind songs and ice cracking . It's astonishing how beautiful things sound when you can really listen.." What does Proehnik say about us? A) We are used to quietness B) We have to put up with noise C) We do not think silence to be beneficial D) We do not believe lasting peace to be available
C
(Question)
More than half of Americans do not take all their vacation days,even though they think they need one more holiday. And nearly a third of workers who take a break check their emails from the boss every other day and some even keep in touch hourly. "We're workaholics ',"said Samuel Nahmias."From a general perspective,this has a lot to do with the economic situation in the US. More and more people are unemployed." With jobless numbers reaching 9.6 percent,people who have jobs seem to be unwilling to take time off." _ People are not going on vacation as much and those who are going on vacation are being more selective about where they are going."Nahmias explained. Unlike European countries where four or more weeks of holiday each year is normal,27 percent of people questioned in the poll said they had 6 to 10 days of annual leave and 20 percent had less than 3 days.With more people on unemployment lists in America,those still with jobs are facing more responsibility at work,which is reflected in their lack of time off. The majority of workers who did not take time off mentioned too many responsibilities or stress at work,while some people said they simply did not have time to plan a holiday."People are more conscious of what they are doing and when they are going on vacation because they don't want to look bad in this situation,"Nahmias explained. Technology is also playing a part with smartphones enabling workers to keep in contact in ways that were not possible before.It has to do with technology and the level of concern about what is going on in the office. Americans don't take all their vacation days because _ . A) they devote themselves to the whole work B) they are afraid that they may lose their jobs C) they are asked to keep in touch with their bosses D) they aren't in need of holidays at all
(Answer)
B
Ques: Our sense of hearing is one of the most important means of knowing what is going on around us. We are warned of danger by sounds. The sounds of music please us. Sound has a waste product, too, in the form of noise. Noise has been called unwanted sound. Noise is growing and it may get much worse before it gets any better. Scientists, for several years, have been studying how noise affects people and animals and are alarmed by what they have learned. Peace and quiet are becoming harder to find. Noise pollution is no joke. It is a threat that should be looked at carefully. Sound is measured in units called decibels . At a level of 140 decibels people feel pain in their ears. Trucks, buses, motorcycles, airplanes, boats, and factories all make noise. This noise bothers not only our ears, but our minds and bodies as well. There is a saying about "it is so noisy that you can't hear yourself think". Doctors who study noise believe that we must be able to hear ourselves think most of the time. If we don't, we may have headaches, other aches and pains, or even mental problems. Noise adds even more tension to a society which already faces too much stress. Which of the following statements is TRUE? A) Scientists are warning people noise can be harmful. B) It's possible for man to get rid of all noises. C) Sounds under 140 decibels are not considered to be noise. D) Society has become more lively because there is noise now.
Ans: A
Ques: If your child does well on a test,of course,you're going to praise or her-but if you focus too often on achievements, children may not get the right message.Why? An experiment by psychologist Carol Dweck at Columbia University in New York shows what happens when kids are praised for their efforts,and what happens when they're praised for their intelligence. Dweck got a group of ten--yearolds to do a series of puzzles easy enough so that all could do them well.Then they were told either,"You must be smart at this,"or,"You must have worked really hard." In the following tests,the kids praised for their efforts chose to do a harder set of puzzles.when give a task two years beyond their grade levels ,they worked hard and enjoyed the challenge , even when they didn't succeed. And in a final test at the same level as the first ,their scores improved by 25 percent. And the "smart" kids? They refused to try the harder puzzles, choosing the one that guaranteed them good scores. When they did work in the "too hard" tests , they became discouraged and upset. And when retested with the original puzzles, their scores declined by 20 percent. Dweck's conclusion:"When we praise kids for their intelligence,we tell them: 'Look smart,don't risk making mistakes.'"By contrast,"emphasizing effort gives children an inspiring factor that they can control." Which of the statements may 1east support Mr.Dweck's idea when you give praise to your student who does well on a test? A) You must have taken a lot of efforts. B) You're smart and second to none. C) You're diligent in challenges. D) Your hard work contributes to your achievements.
Ans:
B