相关试卷

"Plants are in fashion right now," says Dr. Melinda Knuth, a researcher from the University of Florida. "People who live in plant-rich environments report a higher life satisfaction rating, " she says. "Adding more nature to our environment can change our mood and how we think." Plants can improve our state of mind in a few ways but the biggest is by decreasing our level of cortisol, the stress hormone (激素) in our body.

"Students who are around plants perform better academically than students who are in a classroom without plants," says Knuth. "This productivity also translates into the workplace for adults. Our study showed that there was a 30% decrease in sick leave for people who were in plant-rich workplaces."

If you're among the groups of people who are enjoying the mental and physical health benefits of surrounding yourself with plants, don't beat yourself up if one (or a few!) doesn't make it. "Doctors practice medicine and lawyers practice law and you should allow yourself the practice it takes to sustain a plant. Tending to plants is an exercise in patience and learning. Be invested in taking care of it, but if it dies, go get another one," Detrinidad says.

The 25-year-old teacher, who turned down opportunities in bigger cities, now spends her days in a once-worn-out classroom at Drumright High School, earning barely $30,000 a year. "When they offered me the job in April before graduation, I just said ‘yes'," recalls Hagan, whose passion outweighs the district's limited resources.

What began as a simple room with uneven floorboards and mismatched walls has become a lively math space under Hagan's care. Every surface bursts with colorful creations: posters and paper fill every corner and a handmade sign declares her the "Teacher of Awesome (Math)." This transformation mirrors her revolutionary approach to education — one that relies not only on textbooks but also on student-crafted learning journals filled with origami folds (折纸), hand-drawn diagrams, and lessons printed on rainbow-colored paper.

Hagan's classroom is full of unconventional energy: algebra becomes speed-dating as students pair up to name polynomials (多项式) and spaghetti strands (意大利面) demonstrate geometric principles. "She makes us forget we're learning," says Jake Williams. Even math haters like Taylor Russell find themselves engaged: "This year, I actually love it."

The young educator's "A, B, or Not Yet" grading system rules out failure as an option. Students reattempt assignments until they master the material, with Hagan routinely staying hours after school to provide support. During lunch breaks, students gather in her office for help with all subjects, not just math.

Fellow teacher Melinda Parker voices what many think: "We're so lucky to have her in Drumright." Though the workload sometimes wears her out, her commitment never declines. In rare free moments, she shares her innovative methods through her blog, appropriately titled Math equals Love — a philosophy that continues to transform lives in this unlikely corner of rural Oklahoma.

Heating, cooling, and powering homes contribute significantly to global CO₂ emissions. As nations strive to reduce their carbon footprints, residential energy use — responsible for nearly 20% of energy-related emissions — poses unique challenges. Below is the 2022 breakdown of household emissions by source.

ELECTRICITY   52%

HEATING   28%

COOLING   12%

APPLIANCES   6%

LIGHTING   2%

Clean energy solutions for homes must be affordable, efficient, and adaptable to diverse climates. While technologies vary, here are key innovations driving the shift toward sustainability.

HEAT PUMPS — Efficient Heating/Cooling

Replacing gas boilers, electric heat pumps transfer warmth from air or ground, cutting heating emissions by 50%. Hybrid models, hopefully, might be able to work in sub-zero temperatures in the near future.

SMART GRIDS (电网) — Dynamic Electricity Management

AI-powered grids optimize energy use, storing surplus solar power during peak hours and reducing reliance on fossil-fuel backups.

SOLAR PANELS — Rooftop Revolution

Solar energy is the most accessible renewable source for households. Advances in photovoltaic cells have cut costs by 80% since 2010, making them viable in numerous regions.

WIND TURBINES — Community Microgrids

Small-scale turbines (涡轮机) in windy areas can power neighborhoods, though land use debates persist. "The scale of this transition is staggering," says Dr. Elena Torres, a climate scientist at MIT. Residential renewables like solar and heat pumps could meet 90% of global household demand by 2050 — but only if investments triple within this decade. Recent studies show that every $1 invested in green homes today saves $5 in future climate adaptation costs. This isn't just an environmental imperative; it's economically inevitable.

Recently I graduated from high school, and as a gift I received a huge hunch of flowers, 40 to be exact! I had so many that I didn't know what to do with them. The next weekend my niece and nephew, Sue and Mike, aged 6 and 7, came and suddenly I had an idea. I might let them give out these flowers to people they met on the street, and in this way they could learn how to be friendly to others. So I told them about my plan and explained that these flowers would make people feel happy and smile. They loved the idea and were eager to have a try. So at once we took every single flower and tied a smile card to it. We then went to the street with the flowers.

The first flower went to a policeman. As soon as she saw the policeman, my niece ran up to him and handed him a flower. His smile was so big, but hers was even bigger!

In no time, we neared the end of our flowers. It was lunch time and we went to Subway for lunch. There the kids gave a flower to the waitress, who was really excited to receive the flower. As we were eating our lunch, the waitress came up to the kids with two big chocolate cookies! She said the chocolate cookies were for them and that she really liked the flower! As they ate the cookies, my niece and nephew looked at me with the biggest smiles I had ever seen.

注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；

2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

With just one flower left, I said it should be given to the person who needed it most.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It turned out to be a great day for us.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

注意：

1. 词数80左右；

2. 请在相应位置作答。

写作步骤：

1. 明确体裁、话题——记叙文，一次令人感动的经历

2. 确定时态、人称——一般以过去时为主；第三人称为主

3. 布局文章架构：

首段：讲述一次感人的经历

尾段：谈谈感悟

4. 列出核心要点：

（1） 一位看似贫穷的人走进饭店吃了水饺之后走向捐款箱捐了100元

（2） 不能以貌取人

参考词汇与句型：

1. 一碗满满的饺子 a bowl full of dumplings

2. 从他的衣着判断 judge from his clothes

3. 吃完饺子 finishing up the dumplings

4. 前往捐款箱 go up to the donation

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Mike used to work at a circus. At first, he was fond of this job, but later he found it hard (entertain) the viewers, so he decided to leave. One day he saw an advertisement in a newspaper (ask) for a clown doctor. The employer was (deep) impressed by him, so finally he got the job. His job was to entertain the young patient when he/she was a bad mood. One day my little son was so mischievous that he fell off a tree and (injure) in his ankle. When the doctor was examining him, he was in great pain. Just at that time Mike (wear) a curly wig appeared and began to try his best to comfort him and cheer him up. To our (amuse), Mike was acting there just like a lovely monkey! I was impressed by his interaction with my son. he did really did the trick! At first, my son tried to crack a smile and then he began to laugh, as if he had forgotten his pain. In the end he concluded his performance with a soft song. Later, his fellow doctors told us Mike was gentle and patient that he never told off his patients and was never cruel to them, either. In a word, he deserved (praise) by the patients.

Lazy people will never gain anything in life. However, laziness can be defeated once a few changes have been made in your mind.

Many people lack sleep constantly, since they stay up too late and get up too early to prepare for work. These people have little motivation once they arrive home. Laziness works hand in hand with a lack of motivation and a tendency to put off things. By adjusting your sleep schedule to provide a few more hours of meaningful rest, you can fight laziness throughout the day.

Another way to fight laziness is to change your mind from passive to active. Some people treat their lives as if they were pushed from task to task. Others take a more positive approach, viewing each task as a challenge they must overcome alone.

Some people fight laziness by removing the temptations (诱惑) that surround them. A television in the living room may provide entertainment, but watching too much TV often contributes to laziness. Complete a few tasks and reward yourself with what you enjoy, such as a good dinner or a film.

Laziness can also be a lasting problem at home. Couples and children may all have different energy levels, but laziness can be spread if not dealt with immediately. Be the first to collect and wash dishes after a meal. Others in the home may eventually follow your example and perform their own task. It is difficult to practice laziness when you are surrounded by motivated people.

Enough exercise and a balanced diet can help you to develop a healthy lifestyle, thus enabling you to have more energy and help lift your spirits.

A. To fight family laziness, set an example.

B. One way to fight laziness is to get enough sleep.

C. Knowing how to fight laziness is important.

D. Finally, taking exercise regularly can help you fight laziness.

E. With strong determination, you will be able to achieve your goal.

F. Create a reward system for yourself, just as parents do for a child.

G. Laziness sets in when you no longer feel in charge of your own life.

But writing is in my bones, and despite my frustration (沮丧), giving up didn't seem like an option. I decided to go back to school. Last summer, I took a writing class with The New York Times bestselling author Susan Shapiro.

To my surprise, Shapiro's course was not just an education in how to get your writing published. It was also an eight-week lesson on how to get over yourself. She told stories about how hard she'd worked to get her essays out into the world. She was always forthcoming (愿意提供信息的) about how much writing, rewriting, submitting (提交), and resubmitting she'd had to do. "The harder I work, the luckier I get," she said.

For our last class, Shapiro encouraged us to write about our most embarrassing secret. I admitted how masks allowed me to fully enjoy the freedom from wondering what other people were thinking about the lower half of my face. Five weeks later, my essay, "I am insecure about my face. For me, masks are liberating", was published in The Washington Post. It was my first piece published in the major media and the first time I'd been paid for my writing.

Five months after my piece was published, I landed a book deal. I am now officially a writer for children. My first novel, Jawbreaker, is set to be published in the spring of 2023.

After so much rejection, landing a book deal was something that I never thought would happen to me. Taking Shapiro's class and learning to get over myself had changed my life. I continue to set publishing goals, and am no longer discouraged by rejection.

First of all, barriers give you motivations. Sometimes barriers can reset your goals. You might be faced with setbacks or difficulties, you' re forced to re-think, and re-examine your path. You may end up focusing on something new and exciting. Or, you may concentrate on something that you otherwise wouldn't have if not for the particular setback. By having to overcome an obstacle, you'll be fulfilling a purpose, rather than just going through the motions.

Also, barriers prepare you for the unexpected. They serve as guides for where to go next. Even though barriers can bring out many negative emotions in us, such as frustration, anger, or sadness, it's important to realize that they don't stop you from reaching your intended goals. Instead, they, in a way, give you time to stop and think if perhaps there is a new and better path to take and what you can prepare for what will happen along the way. Barriers shift your perspective.

Barriers, more often than not, are unavoidable. Life will never stop throwing you new barriers. So, the best thing to do is know how to better see and approach these obstacles, and transform them into opportunities for self-improvement. The more you're able to see barriers as being an advantage to your life, the better you'll be at managing them.

It will be rewarding to accept barriers, which will make you constantly change and adapt to new situations, thus allowing you to grow into a better version of yourself.

The author carried on the cartoon caption (字幕) task. 159 participants were shown more than 30cartoons without captions and were asked to come up with a funny caption for each one of them. Later, independent judges classified those captions based on how funny they were.

The results showed that those who produced the funniest captions also produced more captions overall. What was more interesting was that creating funny captions was negatively related to appreciation of humour. In other words, funny people tend to find jokes less funny than other people do. It is not clear why this is the case, but it might be because creators of great humour have higher standards of humour creativity and expect higher levels of creativity from people who tell jokes, compared to those who are not so good at creating humour.

Moreover, outgoing people and those who are open to new experiences found the cartoons funnier, but surprisingly, outgoing people are less likely to be funny. This is consistent with my own research that comedians were more introverted than the general population. They usually don't like to express themselves in social situations.

Appreciation and production of humour are two different cognitive (认知的) tasks, each with unique characteristics. This is why when someone tells you he or she has a great sense of humour, you may ask, "Are you good at telling jokes or do you tend to laugh more?"

Happy Cow (Free)

Buying and selling secondhand is a more responsible and environmentally friendly way to consume and part of the solution to reducing the carbon emission (碳排放) of mass production. This app helps users anywhere in the world make a little extra money from things they no longer need and moreover, how good it is to find that hidden treasure at a great price!

My Footprint (Free)

Created by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), this handy app provides you with a wealth of detail on the latest facts and information on climate change issues as well as enabling you to track your carbon footprint and see how different areas of your life contribute to this. With this knowledge, you can then take part in challenges of your choice to help reduce your footprint.

Too Good To Go (Free)

With the aim of reducing the masses of food waste from shops and restaurants, this app helps to connect users with local businesses that have unsold produce to be collected for a small part of the cost. The app is the most direct way for you to get involved-all you have to do is search, place your order and go to pick it up!

Good On You ($ 2.99)

This app is a must-have that gives you the power to check the influence of brands (品牌) on issues that mean most to you. With more than 3,000 brands currently listed, and the option to request others to be added in time, this is a handy source of environment-friendly shopping information.

It's my graduation day! The ceremony was to be held in a large auditorium downtown on a damp December afternoon. As I prepared for this important day, choosing a simple black dress and even putting on makeup — both unusual for me — my mind was occupied with anxiety rather than excitement.

Due to my neurological condition (神经系统疾病) that affected my mobility and coordination (协调性), the upcoming ceremony filled me with fear. I had learned that I would need to negotiate a flight of stairs during the proceedings. The mere thought of walking across the stage was terrifying enough, but the additional challenge of stairs seemed impossible. To make matters worse, I would have to shake hands with my professors and receive my diploma with my right hand, which has limited control due to my condition These seemingly small details felt like impossible obstacles

Consumed by fear, I called Sally in tears, telling her I couldn't go through with it. She had been my notetaker throughout university because of my condition, but she was far more than that. We had been through many rough spots during the past two years. We took all our classes together, studied together, and edited each other's work.

Sally listened patiently as I poured out my anxieties. Then, she responded with determined support. "You are walking, damn it!" she declared firmly. She promised to handle everything and made me promise to show up at the auditorium. Though still fearful, I splashed cold water on my tear-stained face, touched up my makeup, and whispered to myself, "I'm doing this."

When I arrived at the auditorium, the reality of those frightening stairs hit me again. Just as panic began to seize me. Sally found me immediately. She hugged me tightly and assured me, "I have it all worked out. It's going to be fine." To my surprise, I noticed many of my classmates gathered nearby, their faces filled with warm smiles and encouraging nods. At this, I felt a surge of strength flowing through me, though I still couldn't imagine how I would manage the challenges ahead.

注意：

1. 续写词数应为150左右；

2. 请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。

Paragraph 1: As my name was called, I took a deep breath and began moving toward the stage.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paragraph 2: Walking down the stairs on the other side, I felt an overwhelming surge of pride.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(1) 书本简介；

(2) 赠书理由；

(3) 寄语希望。

注意：

(1) 写作词数应为80左右；

(2) 请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。

Dear friend,

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

Beijing recently made technological history by hosting the world's first half-marathon for humanoid robots, marking a significant milestone in robotics development. Twenty teams from top universities and tech firms participated, with six robots (complete) the 21-kilometer race. The winner, Tiangong Ultra, finished it in just 2 hours and 40 minutes.

This groundbreaking (compete) represented a crucial transition from controlled laboratory testing to real-world application. Unlike artificial lab environments, the marathon's unpredictable outdoor conditions tested the robots' adaptability and endurance capabilities. Beyond sports, such robots are already in use — for example, the specialized inspection robots (develop) by China Southern Power Grid, can operate (reliable) in temperature extremes ranging from 40℃ to 80℃ while maintaining power lines in remote (mountain) regions.

Since the beginning of this year, Chinese tech giants like Xiaomi and Huawei, well aware of the opportunities, (join) forces with automotive leaders including Tesla and Toyota in has become an international race to advance this technology. However, experts caution that rapid progress, significant technical hurdles remain. Most robots currently operate at Level 2 autonomy but achieving Level 4 — full independence — needs breakthroughs in AI decision-making.

For students considering future careers in technology, humanoid robotics represents one of the most exciting and promising fields may transform industries and daily life. successful Beijing marathon serves as both a testament to how far we have come and s preview of the remarkable innovations still to come.

However, Rose was difficult to get along with. She would take them out for dinner but then4 what they could order, and complained about everything they did. This led to their confusion, leaving them feeling increasingly5. One day, Karen shared with me the growing weight of6 she felt from caring for Rose. When I asked if she had any volunteer7, she responded that she had no time. I then suggested that she8 looking after Rose as volunteer work. Instantly, it was like a light bulb went on. Karen's9 shifted. She told David the same that night, and the idea changed everything. From then on, they still did the same work, but as "volunteers," it felt10 — no longer a duty, but a choice. For the rest of Rose's life, they still11 helped, finding joy in the role.

We often talk about volunteering, which makes us feel good. But there's also a way to12 a burdensome commitment as "volunteering". By doing so, a task we feel forced to do can become a voluntary act.

Let's take Karen and David as an example. Their13 to helping Rose at first seemed like an unwanted14. But after the shift, a chore turned into a15 experience.

With electric vehicles (EVs) gaining significant popularity globally — accounting for 22% of new car sales in 2024 — many passengers report experiencing increased motion sickness compared to traditional vehicles. Social media platforms are filled with such personal experiences, particularly from those riding in passenger or back seats.

A primary reason for this phenomenon is the lack of familiarity with EV motion patterns. As William Emond, a PhD researcher in France specializing in motion sickness, explains, people's brains heavily depend on past experiences to predict and interpret motion. For instance, experienced drivers naturally expect acceleration after hearing engine revs in fuel-powered cars, but EVs operate without such familiar auditory signals.

Recent research indicates that specific seat vibrations and the complete absence of traditional engine noise in EVs contribute significantly to motion discomfort. Furthermore, the regenerative braking systems — innovative technology that transforms kinetic energy (动能) into battery power — cause an unusually gradual slowdown.

Beyond this, motion sickness fundamentally occurs when the brain receives contradictory sensory signals about body movement. The inner ear, visual cues, and physical sensations send mixed messages to the brain, creating what experts call a "neural mismatch". This mechanism explains why drivers themselves rarely experience carsickness — they control and predict the vehicle's movements.
 

A. Such long-term conflict can trigger motion sickness symptoms.

B. Another contributing factor is that EV-specific features add to the problem.

C. Some manufacturers are improving suspension systems to minimize vibrations.

D. Drivers usually don't experience carsickness due to their control over the vehicle.

E. This technology lengthens the stopping process and may worsen feelings of sickness.

F. Without previous EV experience, the brain has to struggle to estimate forces accurately.

G. In regard to this phenomenon, researchers have identified several scientific explanations.

Our behavior and our brains are closely linked. And yet, the majority of studies only take a snapshot of our lived experience. "We know little about the response of brain functional connectivity to environmental, physiological, and behavioral changes on different timescales, from days to months," said Triana, a professor from Aalto University.

To investigate these effects, Triana and his colleagues tracked their own brain activity and behavior over a five-month period using a combination of brain scans, wearable devices and their smartphones. "We studied brain activity using FMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging), sleep and physical activity patterns using a smart-ring, heart and respiration rates using a smartwatch, and mood using questionnaires prompted on their smartphone," Triana said.

Triana's brain was scanned twice a week, followed by qualitative (定性的) data from mood surveys. The team identified two distinct brain patterns in response to specific behaviors: a short-term wave lasting less than a week and a long-term wave lasting up to 15 days. The short-term wave was reflective of rapid responses to a behavior, like struggling to focus after a poor night's sleep. Meanwhile, the long-term wave suggests more gradual, lasting effects of a particular behavior. These were particularly apparent in areas of the brain tied to attention and memory. In other words, a workout or restless night from two weeks ago could still be affecting you — positively or negatively — today.

While this study only shows the brain activity of one individual, the researchers hope that it demonstrates the importance of studying brain activity in the context of our wider lifestyle and behavior, rather than a single snapshot in the lab. "This research is important because it provides a more comprehensive and dynamic view of brain function, highlighting the long-term impact of everyday behaviour on brain health," Triana said.

If you've experienced anything like the above anecdote, you're not alone. People responding "maybe" to invitations is a common yet annoying aspect of social life. What goes on in people's heads when they aren't sure whether to accept an invitation? Social invitations can be a delicate dance. People often misread what someone extending an invitation wants to hear and overestimate an inviter's likelihood of preferring a "maybe" over a "no." Moreover, they fail to realize how much more disrespected people feel when they receive a "maybe" in response to their invitation.

Naturally, we wanted to figure out why this awkward dynamic plays out. We found that it's largely due to something called "motivated reasoning." Motivated reasoning occurs when a person interprets information in a biased (有偏差的) way to suit their own wishes. In other words, invitees convince themselves that inviters want to hear "maybe" instead of "no" because a "maybe" is better for the invitees, allowing them to leave their options open. Besides, people tend to overestimate the negative consequences of saying "no" to invitations, thinking it will upset, anger and disappoint inviters.

However, there were certain situations that made people more comfortable saying "no" to an invitation. When recipients of an invitation put themselves in the shoes of the person extending the invitation, they are more likely to realize that they'd probably prefer a definite answer. When the participants get invited to do something they didn't want to do, they had no desire to keep their options open. The motivated reasoning then became irrelevant.

While navigating social situations can be tricky, being direct and definite is sometimes best. It might reduce your options. But it'll keep those who invite you from being left uncertain and maybe they'll still think of you when the next concert comes to town.

Though never skilled at crafts, I've always found comfort in textiles. My mother, who had knitted a granny-square blanket in her twenties, was game to re-learn how to do it. In her youth, Granny squares became the after-dinner routine and soon I was churning out dozens of multicolored squares. And it felt like this project was, maybe, helping?

"It's incredibly mindful," says Gabrielle Gatto, a death educator in our community. "That's part of really sitting with something."

On a Tuesday evening, Gatto sets up a snack table inside the cemetery's church, preparing for the start of her monthly interactive workshop, "Grieving & Weaving. " "I think it was important to have that in the name as well," she says. "We are going to talk about grief, death and loss. But we're also going to create happy memories together, eating and drinking a bunch of things."

It's a project that had been sitting in her closet for months. Earlier this year, after both her grandmothers died, she lost what she calls the "knitting light" for a while. Rafferty, who is also a therapist, says she almost skipped the workshop to stay home with her dog, but she's glad she didn't — being here is therapeutic.

As Gatto says, after all, it's not the end product that's the therapy. It's the act of doing it. "A big thing with grief is moving through it both mentally and physically," Gatto says. "And that's exactly what we do here. We bring something that is maybe heavy on our minds or our hearts. And then we work with our hands. We work with it, and we work together."

Duration

4 weeks, 2-3 hours per week; start from Nov. 5.

About this course

The crises of our time generate enormous adaptive challenges for our families, organizations, communities, and societies. The need for leadership that can mobilize people to meet these challenges and improve life is critical.

In this introductory course, you will explore strategies for leading in a changing world where adaptive pressures will continue to challenge all of us. You will discover new ways to approach complex organizational systems and take thoughtful action on the work we all face ahead. Most importantly, you will reflect on how to move forward on the leadership challenges you care about most.

At a glance

·Institution: HarvardX

·Subject Business & Management

·Level: Introductory

·Language: English

·Video Transcript: English

·Associated skills: Leadership

What you'll learn

In this short introductory course, you will discover a diagnostic-and-action process for exercising leadership that explores the following foundational principles and strategies:

·How to identify and break down complex challenges.

·How to understand the role of formal and informal authority.

·How to build and renew trust relationships.

·How to approach conflict.

About the instructor

Ronald Heifetz: Founder, Center for Public Leadership.