While you're hurrying around picking up gifts in the last few days before Christmas, do you have any time to think about how much your s, or friends will actually value what you find? WePay, a Website that helps people collect, manage and spend money online, has analysed tons of research, reports and surveys from different sources, and the results were surprising! Are Gift Cards a Good Idea? Rather than give someone a gift that they might not like, it's better just to pick up a gift card so they can buy what they really want, right? Wrong. This year, $ 2.5 billion in gift cards went unspent. Of that amount, $1.3 billion went unspent because people didn't bother making the time. Another $ I billion or so was forgotten altogether. How Much Do We Really Value the Gifts We're Given? The lucky recipient of a gift, like a cashmere sweater, will value it less than the amount it was purchased for. And ladies, contrary to what you might think, place less monetary value on the diamond ring they are given than the guys who have bought it for them. What Happens to Our Gifts After They're Given? Many complain that the holiday season means shopping and crazily spending money, but studies show that once the big day arrives, we are less focused on gifts than we think. Every year, at least one gift per person is regifted, returned or never even opened And How Do We Really Feel About Fruit Cakes? We all know that no one likes fruit cakes, right? Wrong, once again. Although fruit cakes continue to be taken away behind the rest of the holiday cookies and cakes on the dessert table, one in four people still consider giving them as gifts. What does this all really mean? To be clear, it's certainly not that you shouldn't enjoy the holiday spirit and feel great about giving gifts to those most important to you. While so many of us are worrying about how much money we're spending and who we still need to buy for, it simply helps to take a step back and rethink what it really means to give a gift. What does the author say about gift cards? A) They mean less than gifts themselves. B) A lot of them are not spent at all. C) People don t bother to buy them. D) They are more valuable to our friends.
B
Let us begin by saying what does not cause our dreams. Our dreams do not come from "another world ". They are not messages from outside source. They are not a look into the future , either . All our dreams have something to do with our feelings, fears, longings, wishes, needs and memories. If a person is hungry , or tired or cold , his dreams may include a feeling of this kind .If the covers on your body , such as a quilt or a blanket have slipped off your bed , you may dream that you are sleeping on the ice and snow. The material for the dream you will have tonight is likely to come from the experience you have today. So the subject of your dream usually comes from something that has effect on you while you are sleeping (feeling of cold, a noise, a discomfort, etc.) and it may also use your past experiences and the wishes and the interests you have now.This is why children are likely to dream of fairies, older children of school examinations, hungry people of food, home-sick soldiers of their families and prisoners of freedom. To show you how this is happening while you are asleep and how your needs and wishes can all be joined together in a dream , here is the story of the experiment.A man was asleep and the back of his hand was rubbed with a piece of absorbed cotton.He would dream he was in hospital and his charming girlfriend was visiting him , sitting on the bed and feeling gently his hands! There are some scientists who have made a special study of why we dream, what we dream and what those dreams mean.Their explanations of dreams , though a bit reasonable, is not accepted by everyone but it offers an interesting approach to the problem.They believe that dreams are mostly expressions of wishes that do not come true.In other words, dreams are a way of having your wishes carried out. What is the best title for this passage ? A) Why People Dream ? B) New Findings about Dreams C) Dream Makes Hopes D) What Dreams Mean ?
A
Q: While it is impossible to live completely free of stress,it is possible to prevent stress as well as reduce its effect when it can't be avoided.The US Department of Health and Human Services offers the following suggestions for ways to deal with stress. *Try physical activity When you are nervous, angry or upset, try releasing the pressure through exercise or physical activity. Running,walking,playing tennis,and working in your garden are just some of the activities you might try. *Take care of yourself You should make every effort to eat well and get enough rest. If you easily get angry and can't sleep well enough, or if you're not eating properly, it will be more likely that you will fall into stressful situations.If stress repeatedly keeps you from sleeping,you should consult a doctor. *Make time for yourself Schedule time for both work and entertainment.Don't forget,play can be just as important to your overall well-being as work. You need a break from your daily routine to just relax and have fun.Go window-shopping or work on a hobby.Allow yourself at least a half hour each day to do something you enjoy. *Make a list of things to do Stress can result from disorganization and a feeling that "there's so much to do,and not enough time".Trying to take care of everything at once can be too much for you and as a result,you may not achieve anything.Instead,make a list of everything you have to do,then do one thing at a time,checking off each task as it is completed.Set out to do the most important task first. Which of the following would be the advice to deal with stress according to the passage? A) just lie in bed for a rest B) always listen to pop music C) insist on doing work D) make a list to do things one by one
A: D
(Question)
In the past two years, his wife, Merlie, and their seven children have said "goodbye" to him four times, most recently last month. Each time it has been unnecessary. Mr. Smart had a hip replacement in February at the Burnie hospital but was rushed back two months later with internal bleeding. "The doctors couldn't stop the bleeding," Mrs. Smart said. Medical staff told Mrs. Smart to contact her family, which includes children in Western Australia. "It took two days for them to get here. We had to hope he _ ." he did. "The doctors were there 24 hours a day and they stopped the bleeding. They brought him back," Mrs. Smart said. "I certainly believe in miracles because I've seen one happen, but it wouldn't have happened if the doctors didn't do what they did." It was the second time Mrs. Smart thought she was losing her husband of 54 years. Two years ago, Mr. Smart was admitted to the Launceston General Hospital after a heart attack and a few days later with intense pain caused by a hemorrhage . Again, the family was called to say goodbye---twice. "I was given a 50-50 chance of coming out of it, " Mr. Smart said. Going through the ordeal (,) then was trying on the family, who had prepared themselves for the worst. But to face the same situation only two years later was hard. The Smarts said the support they received at the Burnie hospital helped them through. And it seems the experience has also left an impression at the hospital. Mrs. Smart said when she rang recently and mentioned her husband's name, the reply was "ah the miracle man". When Mr. Smart was rushed back to the hospital with internal bleeding, _ . A) only his wife believed he could survive B) no one believed that he could survive C) he had given up hope of recovering D) it didn't take the doctors long to stop the bleeding
(Answer)
B