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When some people hear self-discipline, they think that it's boring. They equate a disciplined life to feelings of entrapment. Allow me to tell you a story.

On a hot sunny day, Bertha is buzzing by her hive with some other bees, just relaxing and having a good time. Suddenly a bear starts to approach her hive for some honey and bee eggs. To save her hive, Bertha stings the bear. But its skin is so thick that once she tries to pull her sting out she dismembers(肢解) herself and dies. 

The sad part is that Bertha has no choice. Through years of evolution she has developed a biological reaction to dangers—to sting threats. If she had known she would die, she might have flown away and saved her own life. 

Bees are prisoners of their own biology, but humans can override their biology. Through self-discipline，most people have long-term desires for lasting relationships, meaningful careers or healthy bodies but are constantly tempted by short term pleasures, such as junk food or video games. Deep down they really want the life that comes in the long term. Yet they keep giving in to short-term pleasures. 

The only difference is self-discipline. Luckily, humans have the ability to practice self-discipline. It gives us the freedom to achieve what we truly want in life and allow us to break free of the biological or societal cages around us. But it's not that simple.

Companies are aware of our natural, biological reactions and use this against us by using supernormal stimuli. An example is junk food. Our ancestors were wired to seek out and enjoy fat and salty food because it was so rare at the time. But now companies have genetically engineered food to include more fats and salts than ever before in order to make us desire it even more. 

Social media and the Internet as a whole is another form of supernormal stimuli. Humans are biologically wired to seek out novelty. For our ancestors novelty could lead to more knowledge about the world, which could lead to more wisdom that helped us thrive as a species. It has its usefulness. However, the Internet has been designed to take advantage of this desire for novelty by showing you more novelty than you can ever dream of. Every page links out more pages. And every video to a video with even more novelty. Video games do the same thing. 

On the plus side, however, you and I are not like the bee, because we are not caused by our own biology. With self-discipline, we can live the life we truly want. We have the choice to be free. 

Paul O'Sullivan lounged around his Baltimore apartment one evening in 2014, feeling bored. So, like many others, he logged on to Facebook to find out just how many others on the social network shared his name. Moments later, dozens of name twins from around the world filled his screen. On a whim, he decided to send friend requests to them all.

Many of his fellow Paul O'Sullivans ignored him, but a few felt too curious to pass up his invitation. As Baltimore Paul scrolled through the other Paul O'Sullivans' profiles, he noticed something four of them had in common: They were all musicians. Like Baltimore Paul, Rotterdam Paul sang and played guitar. Another Paul in Manchester, England, played bass. And Paul from Pennsylvania was a drummer. Baltimore Paul had an idea. Wouldn't it be funny, he asked the other musical Pauls, if they formed a band called The Paul O'Sullivans? Yes, they all agreed.

Starting a band across multiple time zones proved to be tricky. Shaky Wi-Fi and other technical difficulties meant they were often out of sync. And being even half a second off from one another wrecked their sound. To fix this, they created a sort of musical assembly line. Baltimore Paul and Rotterdam Paul wrote and recorded a basic track, then e-mailed it to Manchester Paul. 

"I listen to the song over a few days," says Manchester Paul, "to get a feel for what bass arrangement seems most appropriate." Once he recorded a bass track, he e-mailed it back to Baltimore Paul, who then built it into the main song. Later, Pennsylvania Paul added the drumbeat. Round and round the track went, with each member adding on his own layer until they achieved the sound they want.

The Paul O'Sullivan Band released its first original song, "Namesake", in March 2016, which was about long-distance relationships. And when COVID-19 slowly shut____down the world, the Pauls didn't miss a beat. After all, the band had already got the hang of remote work. They used their time during the pandemic to record their first EP. Titled Internet Famous: A Retrospective, it was released last April.

"What are the odds," says Baltimore Paul, "that a random Facebook request would lead not only to new music but to lasting friendships as well?" "Some things are just meant to be."

Searching the OED

How to use the quick search

The quick search bar can be found on the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) homepage and at the top of every entry page, and finds main dictionary entries, such as alphabet, break, xylophone. It also finds phrases and compounds listed within main entries, such as to look up an alphabet book, and different forms of spellings such as dictionaries.

Wildcard searches

A wildcard is a symbol which stands for any character. The question mark? represents the occurrence of any one single character, and the asterisk * represents the occurrence of any number of characters (or no character at all) . Wildcards are useful if you do not know how to spell a word, or if you want to find several terms beginning with the same root.

How to use the advanced search

An advanced search is a full search of the entire dictionary text which is for readers who have logged in or subscribed to the dictionary. Advanced search can be especially useful for very specific searches. You can use the search area functionality to search by each section of an entry. You can also use filters to narrow your search to match certain criteria.

Browsing by categories

Categories allow you to explore the dictionary through groupings of words in, for instance, a subject or from a particular origin. If you want to find all the Carribbean borrowings in English, or find the first word related to espionage to enter the dictionary, this is the function for you.

Further explore your search by using the options that appear on the right-hand side of the results page.

When my husband Randy died in late fall, deciding what to do with his garden was way down on the list of necessary tasks. During the first few months, I cried with our daughters, planned a memorial, cried with my family, celebrated a quiet Thanksgiving, and panicked over not having bought Christmas presents.

As the calendar turned to a new year, the often rainy days and long nights deepened my sorrow. I found myself exhausted at the end of February, both physically and mentally.

Then the daffodils bloomed (开花) in the garden.

Years before, Randy had planted dozens of these lemon-yellow flowers. To him, they served as a reminder of hope, a promise that light and warmth would soon replace cold and dark. Looking at those daffodils, I thought about how Randy had considered our garden a living work of art, carefully choosing plants so we'd see new blooms every month.

Then I noticed all the weeds that had taken root and spread everywhere. The neglect (疏于打理) showed, for Randy's illness had lasted a couple of years, a time when he didn't have energy for yard work the way he had before.

Faced with the neglected garden, I felt overwhelmed in the beginning. My daughters suggested I hire a service to clean everything up. I didn't respond.

Every time I sat in the garden alone, the memories of the lively garden came flooding, like the numerous scenes in an unforgettable film. Many days Randy came home from work, changed into old clothes, and headed out the door to mow or prune (修剪). Orange dragonflies followed him around the yard as he worked. Honeybees buzzed among the flowers, birds sang beautiful songs, and gentle breezes carried the sweet smell of dirt. No matter how cold or wet it was, the fresh air and physical activity made him energized and refreshed. For Randy, the work was quiet and comforting, which was a relief, as well as a pleasure.

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。

Para.1:

The days grew warmer and lighter, and I started the work myself.

Para.2:

Weeks later, my daughters returned to visit me.

注意：1.写作词数应为80左右；2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Liangzhu Museum displays various burial objects found in the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City,a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ruins have gained worldwide recognition evidence for the existence of at least 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.

When Zhang Han set foot inside Liangzhu Museum, the 10-year-old embarked on a tour that took him back more than 5,000 years. Wearing the smart glasses,Zhang (present) with virtual images of relics. Augmented reality glasses feature among a string of measures taken by the museum to give visitors a more vivid experience of Liangzhu civilization, while (help) them gain a better appreciation of Chinese culture.

Tourists can also visit the official website of Liangzhu Museum to enjoy a virtual tour. With click of the mouse, they can gain access to exhibition halls that they may never be able to visit （physical).

(advance) technologies are increasingly playing a major role in Chinese museums. In the northwestern Chinese city of Dunhuang, is known for the UNESCO World Heritage Site Mogao Grottoes, the "digital Dunhuang project" has made extensive use of digitalization. By the end of 2021, it(complete) the digital collection of 268 grottoes, the image processing of 164 grottoes, and so on.

The protection and(revive) of Dunhuang's ancient culture is not an isolated case in China. The Yungang Grottoes in Shanxi province also have 3D "digital archives"， which allow precious cultural relics and historical archives（preserve) permanently.

Girls are better at reading and writing than boys as early as fourth grade, according to a study, and the gap continues to widen until senior year.

Scientists generally agree that boys and girls are psychologically more alike than they are different. But reading seems to be a(n) 1 , with growing evidence suggesting a similar 2  in writing. The study, published in the journal American Psychologist, provided further 3  to support this view.

David Reilly, lead author of the study, said the study 4  the commonly held view that boys and girls start grade school with the same cognitive abilities. "It appears that the gender gap for writing tasks has been greatly 5 , and despite our best efforts with changes in teaching methods, that does not appear to be 6  over time, he said.

Factors explaining the results could include learning 7  being more prevalent among boys; the pressure to conform to masculine ideals and the idea of reading and language being 8 ; and slight differences in how boys and girls use their brain hemispheres (半球), the authors believe.

To investigate how 9  levels differed between boys and girls in the U.S., the team studied data collected over three decades in the National Assessment of Educational Progress. This database of test scores on over 3 million students in the fourth, eighth, and twelfth grades 10  national and state performances in a range of subjects, and considered such variables such as disabilities or whether children were English learners. Reading and writing was 11  according to children's understanding of a range of different passages and genres.

12 , girls were found to perform significantly better in reading and writing tests by fourth grade when compared with boys of the same age. As children progressed to eighth and twelfth grades, girls continued to 13  boys, but the difference was more noticeable in writing than reading. But what caused this difference in abilities? Evidence suggests 14  problems, such as being disruptive in class or being aggressive could be linked to neurological conditions. What is known as lateralization (偏侧化) could also play a role. Boys are believed to use one hemisphere when reading or writing, while girls appear to use both. The data did not, however, provide evidence to argue 15  the two genders having different learning styles.

Across Asia many people have just witnessed the natural wonder that is a total solar eclipse. 

This week's total eclipse could be seen in eastern India before slowly moving across Burma, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Japan, and the Pacific Ocean. Yesterday, when it reached eastern China, people flocked (聚集)into the streets to witness the astronomical wonder.

As daylight disappeared and the sky quickly darkened.  Cities such as Shanghai were plunged into (陷入) darkness during what is thought to be the longest total eclipse of the 21st century. It lasted 6 minutes and 39 seconds.

Total solar eclipses of such a long duration are very rare events. Shao Zhenyi, an astronomer at the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory in China explained: "We'll have to wait a few hundred years for another opportunity to observe a solar eclipse that lasts this long? so it's a very special opportunity. ‘‘

But while millions celebrate this phenomenon, it should be remembered that total eclipses have not always been such treasured events. Many cultures traditionally believed that a total eclipse was a bad omen (凶兆) or a supernatural event. Others believed that the eclipse signified oncoming disasters. Nowadays it appears that these fears and superstitions(迷信)are long forgotten. As daylight once again flooded Asian cities such as Shanghai, whoops and cheers could be heard among the gathered crowds.

Reflecting on what had just happened, one Shanghai resident described the eclipse as "eerie"(怪诞的), while another said "It's like magic, the day turns into night in such a short period of time. I have no idea where I am right now. .

A. It feels like a different world.

B. They happen but once in a lifetime.

C. Those watching were left far from disappointed.

D. Some believed that evil gods were eating the Sun.

E. People were frightened by the sudden darkness.

F. Some people thought it was a natural wonder.

G. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Moon and Earth line up in such a way that our view of the Sun is totally hidden by the Moon.

A handshake seems to be a normal gesture. In fact, in the 9th century BC, an ancient site during the ruling of Shalmaneser III clearly shows two figures holding hands. The Iliad, usually dated to the 8th century BC, mentions that two characters "taking each other's hands and expressing their loyalty." Centuries later, Shakespeare once wrote of two characters who shook hands and swore to be brothers in the book As You Like It. Shaking hands seems to be an ancient custom whose roots have disappeared in the sands of time.

Historians who have studied ancient etiquette (礼仪) books note that the modem handshake did not appear until the middle of the 19th century, when it was considered a slightly inappropriate gesture that could only be used between friends. But what if Shakespeare had written about handshaking hundreds of years earlier?

According to author Torbjdm Lundmark in his Tales of Hi and Bye: Greeting and Parting Rituals Around the World. the problem comes in differing definitions of the handshake. The early handshakes mentioned above were part of making deals or peace; King Shalmaneser III referred to a rebellion in which he signed a treaty with the King of Babylon. In the Iliad, Diomedes and Glaucus shook hands when they realized they were guest-friends, and Diomedes declared: 66Lefs not try to kill each other." Shakespeare was similarly referencing settlement of a conflict.

The modern handshake as a form of greeting is harder to trace. As a Dutch sociologist Herman Roodenburg — the chief authority for the history of handshaking ——wrote in a chapter of an anthology called A Cultural History of Gesture, "More than in any other field, that of the study of gesture is one in which the historian has to make the most of only a few clues".

One of the earliest clues he cites is a 16th-century German translation of the French writer Rabelais's Gargantua and Pantagruel. When one character meets Gargantua, Rabelais writes, "He was greeted by countless hugs and countless good days." But according to Roodenburg, the 16th-century German translation added references to shaking hands.

A popular saying suggests that Cleland's statements against bowing were actually a wish to go back to a potentially traditional method of greeting in Europe. As the centuries progressed, handshaking was replaced by more hierarchical （等级的）ways of greeting - like bowing. According to Roodenburg, handshaking survived in a few remote places, like in Dutch towns where some would use the gesture to make peace after disagreements. Around the same time, those who valued equality also made use of handshaking. Then, as the Continent's hierarchy was weakened, handshaking became a common practice among people of the same rank, as it is today.

The urgency and importance of Covid-19 over (he past year have driven almost everything else from most leaders' minds. But since the vaccine is kicking in, Britain's government is once again beginning to think about the things that will matter later. Next week, it is expected to publish a "plan for growth" to boost productivity, with innovation at its centre.

The world may be on the point of a technological boom with life sciences, at which Britain excels. Innovation is crucial to productivity, but on this front Britain's performance has lagged behind its competitors' in recent years. Its low spending on Research and Development (R&D) argues for a boost Those who attributed the financial failure in the 1970s to the insufficiency of research funds may regard this as a threat to economic growth. Promoting innovation can quickly (um into an exercise in picking winners - or, as is more often the case, losers.

A second danger is that policy agendas get mixed up. The government has promised to "level up" poorer areas of the country, so deprived towns arc campaigning for more money for their universities. But trying to boost innovation by sending money to weak institutions is likely to make our leading universities lose their advantages, thus producing average ideas that could have been remarkable. Britain's research-funding system has always been elitist(精英主义的). It should stay that way.

The government's first move in boosting innovation was the announcement of a plan for an Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA). ARlA's purpose is to fund high-risk, high-reward research. But money is not all that mailers. The successful translation of life science research into treatments during the pandemic suggests some inexpensive measures that can also make a difference.

One is to speed up governmental processes. The rapidity with which Britain's medical regulator moved during the pandemic is one reason why the vaccine roll-out is racing through the population. Urgency is not unique lo pandemics. Getting things done quickly can make an investment worthwhile and determine where a businessman chooses as a base.

Another useful measure the government should use is its unique ability to overcome barriers. At the beginning of the pandemic. Covid-19 researchers were unable to gain access to different strands of health service data. The government eased restrictions on existing data and allowed researchers (o ask people who had tested positive tor Covid-19 to join trials. Both were crucial to the effort.

A last principle is the value of connections between the government and the private sector. Kate Bingham, a venture capitalist who led the vaccine-purchase effort, understood how to deal with drug companies. Many of the civil servants working with her had commercial experience. The governments closeness to business during the pandemic has been criticized. But without it, the vaccine effort would not have succeeded.

Innovation took human beings from caves to computers. Good education, a welcoming immigration policy and a friendly business environment will do most to tend it. But a few sensible principles can help keep the flame burning.