一模前任务型阅读专题练05(原卷版)

一模前任务型阅读专题练05题组一One of the primary problems of being a human being is: Try as you might to come across in a certain way to others, people often perceive(感知、理解)you in an altogether different way.One person may think, for example, that by offering help to a colleague, she is coming across as generous. But her colleague may interpret her offer as a lack of faith in his abilities. Just as he misunderstands her, she misunderstands him: She offered him help because she thought he was overworked and stressed. He has, after all, been showing up early to work and going home late every day. But that’ s not why he’s keeping strange hours; he just works best when the office is less crowded.These kinds of misunderstandings lead to conflict and resentment(怨恨)not just at work, but at home too. How many fights between couples have started with one person misinterpreting what another says and does? He stares at his plate at dinner while she’s telling a story and she assumes he doesn’t care about what she’s saying, when really he is admiring the beautiful meal she made.Most of the time, Halvorson says, people don’t realize they are not coming across the way they think they are. “If I ask you,” Halvorson told me, “about how you see yourself—what traits(特点)you would say describe you—and I ask someone who knows you well to list your traits, there’s a big gap between how other people see us and how we see ourselves.”This gap arises from some quirks(习惯)of human psychology. Most people suffer from what psychologists call “the transparency illusion”—the belief that what they feel, desire, and intend is crystal clear to others, even though they have done very little to communicate clearly what is going on inside their minds.Because the perceived assume they are transparent, they might not spend the time or effort to be as clear and forthcoming about their intentions or emotional states as they could be, giving the perceiver very little information with which to make an accurate judgment. The perceiver, meanwhile, is dealing with two powerful psychological forces that are warping(歪曲)his ability to read others accurately.Chances are that you “I’m kind of hurt by what you just said” face probably looks an awful lot like your “I’m not at all hurt by wha t you just said” face. And the m ajority of times that you’ve said to yourself, “I made my intentions clear,” or “He knows what I meant,” you didn’t and he doesn’t.题组二For the past 4,000 years of history since the Spring Festival began, the lifestyles of Chinese people have changed greatly, but the importance of celebrating this traditional festival in our lives has not faded. How do Chinese people all over the country celebrate? Let’s take a look.Beijing：homes and eventsIn Beijing, people take the Spring Festival very seriously. Before Chinese New Year, people decorate their homes inside and out. They put door gods on their gates, put couplets(对联)on door frames and stick paper cut-outs on the windows. The paper cut-outs show many scenes involving animals and plants, such as plum blossoms and lions with balls. Red lanterns are hung in the rooms and New Year Pictures and the character Fú are put on the walls.It is common for people in Beijing to go to the temple fairs during the Spring Festival. Temple fairs began when groups of vendors(小贩)did business near temples when many pilgrims(香客)came to worship the gods during traditional festivals. And they have now turned into a regular event. At the fairs, you can find vendors selling food and handicrafts, performers acting wonderfully and vendors organizing games to play.Shaanxi：folk performancesIn Shaanxi Province, yangge is the most popular folk performance during the Spring Festival. It includesmusic, dance and handkerchief skills. It has its origins in planting rice and farming in the countryside in the north of China, hoping for a good harvest for the year.Almost every village in northern Shaanxi Province has a yangge group. On Lunar New Year’s Day, after eating dumplings, the yangge group starts to pay New Year calls(拜年)from house to house. The leading performer has to be good at singing traditional songs and making up new songs about different occasions. When he sings, the others repeat his last sentence. The performance is simple and lively, showing the honest, happy personalities of the local people.Guangdong: flower sightsGuangzhou has been given the nickname of “Flower City” in China for its year-round flowers. The Spring Festival Flower Fair, which is held in Guangzhou every year, draws thousands of visitors from all over the world. During the festival, the streets of the city are filled with beautiful flowers. Kumquat(金橘)trees and peach blossoms are the most popular trees during this time. Looking like a gold ball, the kumquat in Chinese, sounds similar to many words that are thought to bring good luck. And people like buying the kumquat trees with the most leaves and fruits which mean success. Local artists show and sell their paintings and calligraphy(书法)works at the fair as well.Of all the many celebrations, the lion dance is always the biggest attraction to local people. It is performed on stage or on the street. The lions’ movements, together with firecrackers and loud music, are thought to scare away evil spirits and welcome good fortune.Celebrating the Spring Festival in China题组三Why should mankind explore space? Why should money, time and effort be spent exploring and researching something with so few apparent benefits? Why should resources be spent on space instead of on conditions and people on Earth? These are questions that, understandably, are very often asked.Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup as human beings. What drove our ancestors to move from the trees into the plains, and on into all possible areas and environments? With the wide spread of a species, human beings can get high chance of survival. Perhaps the best reason for exploring space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.Nearly every successful civilization has explored, because by doing so, any dangers in surrounding areas can be identified and prepared for. Without knowledge, we may be completely destroyed by the danger. With knowledge, we can lessen its effects.Exploration also allows minerals and other potential resources to be found. Even if we have no need of them right now, they will perhaps be useful later. Resources may be more than physical possessions. Knowledge or techniques have been acquired through exploration. The techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives. We have already benefited from other spinoffs including improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for weather forecasting and in communications systems. Even nonstick pans and mirrored sunglasses are byproducts of technological developments in the space.While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploration of space allows creative, brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us. While space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works, it also holds dangers. The danger exists, but knowledge can help human beings to survive. Without the ability to reach out across space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.While Earth is the only planet known to support life, surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us tolive on other planets. It is true that the lifestyle would be different, but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future.题组四Is loneliness a health epidemic?In recent decades, researchers have discovered that loneliness left untreated is not just psychically painful; it also can have serious medical consequences. Rigorous epidemiological studies have linked loneliness and socialisolation to heart disease, cancer, depression, diabetes and suicide. Vivek Murthy, the former United States surgeon general, has written that loneliness and social isolation are “associated with a reduction in life span similar to that caused by smoking 15 cigarettes a day and ev en greater than that associated with obesity.”But is loneliness, as many political officials and pundits are warning, a growing “health epidemic”(流行病)？I don’t believe so, nor do I believe it helps anyone to describe it that way. Social disconnection is a serious matter, yet if we set off a panic over its prevalence(流行)and impact, we’re less likely to deal with it properly.Anxiety about loneliness is a common feature of modern societies. Today, two major causes of loneliness seem possible. One is that societies throughout the world have embraced a culture of individualism. More people are living alone, and aging alone, than ever. Neoliberal(新自由主义的)social policies have turned workers into insecure free agents, and when jobs disappear, things fall apart fast. Labor unions, civic associations, neighborhood organizations, religious groups and other traditional sources of social solidarity are in steady decline. Increasingly, we all feel that we’re on our own.The other possible cause is the rise of communication technology, including smartphones, social media and the internet. A decade ago, companies like Facebook, Apple and Google promised that their products would help create meaningful relationships and communities. Instead, we’ve used the media system to deepen existing divisions, at both the individual and group levels. We may have thousands of “friends” and “followers” on Facebook and Instagram, but when it comes to human relationships, it turns out there’s no substitute for building them theold-fashioned way, in person.In light of these two trends, it’s easy to believe we’re experiencing an “epidemic” of loneliness and isolation. Surprisingly, though, the best data do not actually show a boom in either loneliness or social isolation. Yet the research tells us something more specific. In places like the United States and Britain, it’s the poor, unemployed, homeless and migrant populations that are suffering most from loneliness and isolation. Their lives are unstable, and so are their relationships. When they get lonely, they are the least able to get adequate social or medical support.题组五If you apply for a job position with a foreign company, chances are you will be asked to provide an English cover letter along with your resume.But what exactly is a cover letter? How long should it be? And most importantly, what should you write about?A cover letter, or motivation letter, is almost a standard requirement when applying for international jobs. In brief, it is a letter introducing yourself as a person and explaining why you are applying for the position. But there is moreto writing a good cover letter.Usually a cover letter should be one page in length, including the sender’s and the recipient’s address, which should be placed at the top of the page. Under this, write a short header in bold print to inform the reader what the letter is about. For example, “Internship opportunity at Haier Group”. If you are sending an e-mail, put this information in the subject box. Next, address the employer by name if you know the contact person. Otherwise it is acceptable to use “Dear Hiring Manager”.In the first paragraph you should then say what position you are applying for and how you found out about it.In the next few paragraphs explain in detail why you believe yourself to be a suitable candidate for the position. In the final paragraph, express your enthusiasm for the position and say that you look forward to a response. Alsooffer to provide further information on request.There are some tips for you to follow.The aim of the cover letter is to encourage the reader to look at your resume, so be confident but try to avoid repeating the same information that is already in your resume.It is very important to tailor your cover letter to the position you are applying for. Read through the job description carefully and explain why you meet its requirements. It is best to provide concrete examples of where you learnt the skills necessary for the job, so include some information from your work experience and studies.Don’t lie, as HR managers can easily assess whether you are saying the truth or not. Also, remember that if you are invited for an interview, you will most likely be asked questions about your previous experience, so think of good examples that demonstrate your skills, such as teamwork or problem solving. This is where you can really stand out from other applicants.Writing a convincing cover letter takes a lot of time and effort, but don’t think you can cut corners by writing just one letter and sending it to different employers. The first thing HR managers will pay attention to is whether you have thoroughly researched the company. If they receive a generic letter it will probably end up in the dustbin.Ask your parents, friends or your university’s career center to read through your cover letter, and make sure there are no spelling mistakes. You can look at samples of cover letters on the Internet for reference, but do not copy them.Title: Writing a Cover letter to Impress。