Putting more green space around an elementary school may help students develop some mental abilities, a study su
ggests.
Researchers tested students repeatedly over the course of a year on attentiveness and working memory, which is the ability to keep something in mind temporarily for performing a task. The study tracked more than 2,000 students in 36 primary schools in Barcelona, Spain. The pupils were in the second to fourth grade when the study began. Overall, students whose schools are surrounded by more green space improve more pupils from schools with less green space.
“Policy makers should know that more green space around the school is better for cognitive (认知的) development and that they should make sure that kids can see and play in green areas,” one author, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen of the Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Barcelona, said in an email. “Existing urban schools should think about replacing concrete or other hard surfaces with green space, and even a few trees may help,” he suggested.
The researchers used satellite images to group schools according to how much green space appeared on the school ground and within about 55 yards of the school’s surrounding property. Their analysis indicated that differences in socioeconomic factors between schools did not account for the study outcome.
Sally Augustin, a psychologist in La Grange Park, Illinois, who used research on how people react to their surroundings to consult on design of buildings, products and services, said the results make sense to her. Augustin, who did not participate in the new study, said the results fit with previous findings that views of nature help children and adults lower stress and perform mental tasks better.
1.What do we know about the findings of the study?
A. Attentiveness (专注) is the most important quality for students.
B. A good memory enables students to perform a task better.
C. More green space may help the mental development of students.
D. Schools surrounded by more green space are favored by parents.
2.According to Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, policy makers should _______.
A. reduce the noise near the school
B. reduce air pollution from vehicles
C. provide more green space for kids
D. encourage kids to play more sports
3.How are the schools classified by the researchers?
A. By green space. B. By test scores.
C. By size. D. By position.
4.Why is Augustin mentioned in the passage?
A. To introduce another interesting study.
B. To make the findings of the study more convincing.
C. To present new evidence for the study.
D. To show a different viewpoint.
My grandma whom we all called Nanny was a solid, first-generation, Italian immigrant. She came to this country with her family on a tiny ship during World War I when she was only 8 years old. During the trip she survived stormy seas, little food, and an attack by a German U-boat. After getting here, her large family worked hard to build a new life in America. They never had much money but were rich in love.
One day, when I was about 5 or 6 years old, my parents and brothers went on a trip. It was just me and Nanny in the house for the weekend. Nanny seemed so happy to be taking care of me all by herself. She made me a special breakfast that first morning. However, all I could do was complain about how the food was not how Mom always made it. Nanny quietly put down the plate and went into the living room. I followed a minute later and saw that she had tears in her eyes. It was the first time I had ever seen my strong and proud grandmother cry and I was the one who had caused it.
I walked over to Nanny, climbed on her lap, and for the first time in my short life I did something else too. I apologized without being told to and asked Nanny to forgive me. She smiled, rubbed my head, and told me I was a good boy even though I didn’t feel like one then.
That memory just like my Nanny’s love will stay in my heart forever. It is a sign of both strength and wisdom. Asking for forgiveness helps us to learn to grow, and to love.
1.Why did Nanny’s family immigrate to America?
A. Because they suffered starvation in their homeland.
B. Because they wanted to start a rich life in the new land.
C. Because they tried to get away from the terrible climate.
D. Because their country was in war and they needed peace.
2.The boy complained to Nanny that the food _______.
A. wasn’t cooked the way his mom did
B. was served a bit later than usual
C. was prepared in a special way
D. was just to his parents’ taste
3.When seeing Nanny crying in the living room, the author felt _______.
A. surprised B. ashamed
C. shocked D. annoyed
4.What does the author mainly want to tell us?
A. Forgiveness can be beneficial to people asking for it.
B. Hardships can make children more indifferent (漠不关心的).
C. Grandparents are more tolerant than their grandchildren.
D. Family ties can sometimes be misused.
Most people recognize that there are many benefits of learning a foreign language. Scientific studies have even shown that learning a new language helps to keep memories sharp and naturally improves overall brain function.
But do you know that you can speak a new language in as little as 10 days? The Pimsleur Approach to speaking new languages helps users pick up new languages quickly. Even the FBI has purchased the Pimsleur Approach.
Dr. Pimsleur, a specialist in the field of applied linguistics, devoted his life and career to acquiring languages and recognized that effective communication in any language depends on mastery of a relatively limited number of words. And, trying to learn too many words at first can actually slow the language retention (保留) process. However, once this “core (核心) vocabulary” is mastered and used constantly, it speeds up language learning. The Pimsleur Approach aims at teaching you to use the core vocabulary of the language, so you can speak the most in the least amount of time. It’s not how many words you know, but rather, which words you can use.
Each Pimsleur Approach lesson has been scientifically planned to rapidly lock language material into your brain after just one listen. Just sit back, listen and start wiring your brain to pick up a new language today.
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The programs which normally cost $19.95 are now available for just $9.95. Better yet, they are also offering a full 30-day money-back guarantee (so if you find you are not speaking as fast as you want, simply return it for a full refund).
1.The teaching method of the Pimsleur Approach is ______.
A. mastering a number of rules B. reciting many new words
C. reading and translating D. listening and speaking
2.What does the Pimsleur Approach focus on？
A. How many core vocabularies you remember.
B. How effectively you use the core vocabulary.
C. How to learn many words at first.
D. How to improve your language retention.
3.If you learn the Pimsleur Approach lessons now, you _______.
A. are to speak as fast as possible
B. can travel by ship for free
C. may get a $10 discount
D. have to hand in your fees within 30 days
1.西方哲学之父苏格拉底(Socrates)对西方的思想和科学有着深刻的影响。而亚历山大大帝(Alexander the Great) 将希腊文化从欧洲传到了非洲和亚洲，在此后的数个世纪中影响了整个世界。
2.很多人没有充分认识到吸烟对健康造成的伤害。这就是为什么我们选择公益广告--旨在就有关公共福利而教育人们.
3.他提议建一条双轨隧道。人人都钦佩他绝妙的幽默感。
4.他本该知道警察绝不会允许这类事情发生。但是Tazieff 经常冒这样的生命危险。
5.飞机撒播了近一个月的种子。法国政府让人把它包装起来，一部分一部分地搬回法国。
1.A______ great importance to this research, the professor spared no efforts to do the experiment.
2.Guests p______ when they heard a loud explosion and they fled in all directions.
3.It’s a simple recipe, only c______ of beef and vegetables.
4.The marriage c________ took place in the church.
5.Busy as he is, he still comes by and picks me up at his c_________.
6.They were _________(下定了决心) to figure out what was wrong with the machine.
7.How do you deal with _________(坚持不懈的) salesmen who won’t take no for an answer?
8.Fancy ________(讨价还价) with them about it? They might reduce the price.
9.________(简化) the story to make it easier to understand.
10.More than one teacher ________(呼吁) to the society to pay special attention to students’ mental health which is becoming increasingly bad these days.
The most wonderful time of the year (the Christmas season) is also the most stressful for lots of people struggling to fit in increased end-of-the-year workloads, holiday parties, shopping, guest hosting, travel, and seeing friends and relatives who you’d otherwise avoid. Luckily, the same coping mechanisms that can help relieve stress and find better balance during the year also work for this holiday.
Here are four tips to finding work—life balance during this season.
1. Know and avoid your stressors(压力源).
If cooking for a large group, baking cookies, or Christmas shopping are your key stressors, don’t do them. Lots of grocery stores will help cater your next holiday meal. Bakeries exist for a reason, and gift cards are much appreciated by all. Stop trying to live up to someone else’s expectations of the holidays and stay merry by outsourcing the pain points.
2. Get flexible at work.
If you normally travel an hour each way at work, see if your boss will let you work from home in this special season to save time, get more done, and reduce your stress. Or ask if you can start work from home in the mornings and come to the office later in the day to avoid peak hours. Leave early and finish your day from the comfort of home, too.
3. Make your own list and check it twice.
Make a to-do list for yourself, for both work and life, then divide it up into categories like “must do,” “want to do,” and “feel obligated to do.” If you can remove any or all of your required list, the rest of your to-dos will start to look a lot easier.
Once you have your lists in order, it’s time to start crossing things off. In between your must-dos tasks, include a want-to-do task to break things up and re-energize yourself. Yes, this holiday is a time to give back to others and be selfless, but there’s still a bit of “self” in selflessness, isn’t there?
4. If you start to feel a cold coming on, come to a full and complete stop.
The best way to stop a cold from exploding into a weeks-long sickness is to stop it at the start. Unless a task or activity is an absolute necessity, cancel your plans, put away your to-do lists, and settle in for a long winter’s nap. A day of rest and enough sleep is the only thing you NEED right now. Feel bad about declining holiday invitations from your friends and family? You’re doing them a favor. Once people hear that you’re sick, they’ll be glad you stayed away — they don’t want to come down with a cold during the holiday any more than you do!
It is certain that you can feel less stressed in this hectic season when you stop expecting so much from yourself, because nobody puts so much expectation on you as you do to yourself. Trying to satisfy clients, co-workers, friends and family can be draining and can finally negatively impact you in many ways. When you simplify things up front, you relieve the stress off of yourself and everyone else in the process. Stop focusing on what you feel like you’re obligated to do, and start focusing on what you want and need to do, the load will get lighter and you will feel a lot merrier under the Christmas tree.
1. | Four Ways to Find Work-life Balance during the Christmas Season |
Introduction | ◆The Christmas 2. is often a time when work and social activities collide with each other. ◆Luckily, 3. relief mechanisms can be found to cope with the problem. |
Four Tips | ◆Your stressors like cooking, baking and shopping can be 4. because there is enough outsourcing for you to turn to and it is OK if you fail to live up to people’s 5.. ◆You can talk to your boss for a 6. schedule. ◆You can make a list of what really 7. and let go of the obligatory list. ◆Your friends and family don’t want to come 8. with a cold at all, so feel free to cancel all your plans when 9.. |
Conclusion | ◆Start 10. on what you want to do and you can enjoy the season better. |
