How Room Designs Affect Our Work and Feeling
Architects have long had the feeling that the place we live in can affect our thoughts, feeling and behaviors. But now scientists are giving this feeling an empirical（经验的，实证的）basis. They are discovering how to design spaces that promote creativity, keep people focused, and lead to relaxation.
Researches show that aspects of the physical environment can influence creativity. In 2009, Joan Meyers-Levy at the University of Minnesota, reported that the height of a room’s ceiling affects how people think. Her research indicates that higher ceilings encourage people to think more freely, which may lead them to make more abstract connections. Low ceilings, on the other hand, may inspire a more detailed outlook.
In addition to ceiling height, the view afforded by a building may influence an occupant’s ability to concentrate. Nancy Wells and her colleagues at Cornell University result of a family move made the most gains on a standard test of attention.
Using nature to improve focus of attention ought to pay off academically, and it seems to, according to a study led by C. Kenneth Tanner, head of the School Design & Planning Laboratory at the University of Georgia. Tanner and his team found that higher scores on tests of vocabulary, language arts and maths than did students whose classrooms primarily overlooked roads and parking lots.
Recent study on room lighting design suggests that dim（暗淡的）light helps people to loosen up. If that is true generally, keeping the light low during dinner, or at parties could increase relaxation. Researchers of Harvard Medical School also discovered that furniture with rounded edges could help visitors relax.
So far scientists have focused mainly on public buildings. “We have a very limited number of studies, so we are almost looking at the problem through a straw（吸管）” architect David Allison says; “How do you take answers to very specific questions and make broad,generalize use of them?” That is what we are all struggling with”
52. What does Joan Meyers-Levy focus on in her research?
A. Light B. Ceilings. C. Windows. D. Furniture
53．The passage tells us that____________.
A．the shape of furniture may affect people’s feelings
B．lower ceilings may help improve students’ creativity
C．children in a dim classroom may improve their grades
D．students in rooms with unblocked views may feel relaxed
54．The underlined sentence in the last paragraph probably mean that_______.
A．the problem is not approached step by step
B．the researches so far have faults in themselves
C．the problem is too difficult for researchers to detect
D．research in this area is not enough to make generalized patterns
55．Which of the following shows the organization of the passage?
CP ：Central Point P:point SP:： Sub-point（次要点） C：Conclusion
ALBANY，New York—Students who rely on working at night to improve their
grades might want to sleep on that strategy: A new survey in the US says those who never study all night have slightly higher grades than those who do.
A survey of 120 students at St.Lawrence University found that students who had never pulled an allnighter on average had higher grades than those who had. The survey found tho
se who did not study through the night had a grade point average of 3.2 compared to 2.95 for those who did.
The study, by assistant professor of psychology Pamela Thacher, is to be included in the January issue of BehavioralSleepMedicine.
“It's not a big difference，but it's pretty striking, ” Thacher said, “I am primarily a sleep researcher and I know nobody thinks clearly at 4∶00 in the morning. You think you can do，but you can't.”
Many college students, of course, have inadequate or irregular sleep, for reasons ranging from excessive caffeine to poor time management.
“A lot of students were under the impression that allnighters were a very useful tool for accomplishing work, and that caffeine intake was very useful in meeting deadlines and stuff like that, ”said Mr Chatani, who had a 3.4 grade point average last term.
Dr Howard Weiss, a physician at St.Peter's Sleep Center in Albany, said the study results made sense.
“Certainly that data is out there showing that short sleep duration absolutely interferes with concentration and performance on objective testing, ”he said.
“Some night owls do get good grades, of course，which may be explained by circadian (昼夜节律的
，生理节奏的) rhythms, ”Weiss said, “Some people have different 24hour body clocks from others, and may do better depending on classes and testing time.”The purpose of the passage is to tell us
| A．the bad effects of pulling an allnighter |
| B．pulling an allnighter leads to sleep problems |
| C．Thacher's doubt about allnighters |
| D．allnighters influence students' grades |
According to Thacher's study，around 4 o'clock in the morning is a time when .
| A．one can think more clearly |
| B．one has his/her best memory |
| C．one can't learn efficiently |
| D．one's brain falls into a period of deep sleep |
What can we know from Dr Howard Weiss' words？
| A．Thacher's study is not convincing enough. |
| B．He believes in Thacher's study. |
| C．Thacher's study makes no sense. |
| D．Thacher should take exceptions into consideration. |
Both my parents came from towns in Mexico. Then I was born in E1 Paso，Texas and when I was four, my family moved to a housing project in East Los Angeles.
Even though we struggled to make ends meet, my parents stressed to me and my four brothers and sisters how fortunate we were to live in a great country with limitless opportunities. They influenced us with the concepts of family, faith and nationalism.
I got my first real job when I was ten. My dad injured his back working in a cardboardbox factory and was retrained as a hairstylist. He rented space in a little shopping mall and gave his shop the fancy name of Mr.Ben’s Coiffure.
The owner of the shopping center gave Dad a discount on his rent for cleaning the parking lot three nights a week，which meant getting up at 3 a．m..To pick up rubbish, Dad used a little machine that looked like a lawn mower. Mom and I emptied garbage cans and picked up litter by hand. It took two to three hours to clean the lot. I’d sleep in the car on the way home.
I did this for two years，but the lessons I learned have lasted a lifetime. I acquired discipline and a strong work ethic(道德), and learned at an early age the importance of balancing life’s competing interests－in my case，school，homework and a job. This really helped during my senior year of a high school, when I worked 40 hours a week flip
ping burgers at a fastfood joint while taking a full load of college preparation courses.
The hard work paid off. I attended the U．S.Military Academy and went on to receive graduate degrees in law and business from Harvard. Later, I joined a big Los Angeles law firm and was elected to the California StateAssembly(州议会)．In these jobs and in everything else I’ve done, I have never forgotten those nights in the parking lot. The experience taught me that there is dignity in all work and that if people are working to provide for themselves and their families that is something we should honor.Before my father got injured，we________.
| A．didn’t like living in the USA | B．lived a poor but happy life |
| C．were lucky to move to the USA | D．had many ways to make money |
When he recovered，to make a living my father________.
| A．ran a small shopping mall | B．did a parttime job |
| C．worked as a barber | D．became a street cleaner |
Working in the parking lot for two years had tau
ght me________.
| A．how to obey school discipline | B．how to do two things well at a time |
| C．that discipline and work were of equal value | |
| D．that I must do as many things as possible at a time |
The au
thor tells us in the last paragraph that we should be proud of those who________.
| A．have done all kinds of jobs | B．are cleaning the parking lot |
| C．have achieved a lot in their lives | D．are bearing their responsibilities |
Do you ever run out of great books to read? So what should I read next? Is fast-paced crime fiction your thing? Try the new Patricia Cornwell book, Scarpetta (Putnam). She is such an able writer and handles complex forensic(法庭的) intelligence with ease. You need to be prepared, though, for the world you're entering—this isn't for the faint of heart, let's say.
If peace is more your thing, try Mary Pipher's wonderful new book, Seeking Peace:Chronicles of the Worst Buddhist in the World (Riverhead). Mary is a lovely, comfortable writer who takes the reader through her personal awakening after reputation and fortune came her way. Even if you've never experienced life as a bestselling writer (as she has done, in her book years back, Reviving Ophelia), you'll totally understand and sympathize with her renewed need for privacy, distance and quiet.
What if you want a straightforward, totally thrilling read with vivid characters, set about World War II? You cannot go wrong with Jim Lehrer's new novel, Oh, Johnny (Random House), about a young Marine whose life is changed forever when he meets a woman on his way to war. His relationship with her lasts him through danger and hardship, and there's an impressive ending. See our interview with the productive novelist/newsman in the current issue of Reader's Digest (March, on stands now), by the way, for insight into the very talented Mr. Lehrer and what interests him.
Well, what about something wickedly funny and totally offbeat? Does the name Carrie Fisher do anything for you? Try her vivid and new life in Hollywood and elsewhere, Wishful Drinking (Simon & Schuster). Be prepared for humor as sharp as knives. In which column will you probably find the above passage?
| A．Advice. | B．News story. |
| C．Advertisement. | D．Comments. |
What does the writer intend to tell us by the underlined sentence?
| A．The world is complex and hard. | B．Scarpetta is a thriller. |
| C．The fiction is hard to understand. | D．Society is hard to fit into. |
Which of the following is true of Mary Pipher?
| A．She is an adventurous writer. |
| B．She doesn’t care about fortune. |
| C．Her books normally sell well. |
| D．She can help you achieve writing skills. |
To get further information about Jim Lehrer, you may________.
| A．go to Reader’s Digest issued in March |
| B．go to Random House |
| C．analyze the characters in Oh, Johnny |
| D．read the novel Oh, Johnny |
Which book isn’t directly based on the writer’s own life?
| A．Seeking Peace. | B． Reviving Ophelia. |
| C．Wishful Drinking. | D．Oh, Johnny. |
New York State has passed the USA’s first state law banning motorists talking on hand-heldcell phones. The ban will begin November 1, although drivers caught using hand-held cell phones will be given only warnings during the first month.
First-time violators(违法者) will face a ＄100 fine. A second time call for a ＄200 fine and every violation after that will cost＄500.
At least a dozen localities(地方) have established bans, starting in 1999; and 40 states have had bans proposed but not passed. At least 23 countries, including the Great Britain, Italy, Israel and Japan, ban drivers from using hand-held cell phones.
There are about 115 million cell phones in use in the United States and more than 6 million in New York State.
“To think that I’m not going to use cell phone when at the same time I can still use my laptop, I still can read a paper, I can still change my pants(裤子) while driving 65 mph. I think there’s just something wrong,” an official said.
Other critics noted that other things like eating, drinking coffee and applying make-up while driving posed(造成) at least as much of a concern. They suggested that the ban include a broader range of things. How much fine will a hand-held cell phone user receive if he has been caught using it four times while driving after November?
| A．$500. | B．$1000. | C．$1200. | D．$1300. |
We can see from this passage that _______.
| A．the ban has been put into effect in most states in the U. S. |
| B．many of the developed countries forbid drivers using hand-held cell phones |
| C．over fifty localities or states ban drivers from using hand-held cell phones |
| D．more people in the U. S. are against the ban than for it |
The official mentioned in this passage _______.
| A．does not agree with this ban |
| B．doesn’t believe using hand-held cell phones while driving will cause any danger |
| C．doesn’t understand why hand-held cell phones alone should be banned among many others |
| D．believes changing pants while driving will cause greater danger |
The writer intends to tell us in the last paragraph that _______.
| A．it is not fair to have this ban passed |
| B．the ban will never be passed in the whole country |
| C．more activities of the same kind should also be banned |
| D．the ban will meet with more criticism |
This article is most probably taken from _______.
| A．a newspaper article | B．an advertisement |
| C．a personal diary | D．a letter |
“What’s in a name?”According to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, there is not too much. “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. ”But Shakespeare may have been wrong. In most cultures, names matter a great deal.
Americans choose names for their children with care. Parents usually think about the impression a name gives, not its meaning. Most Americans would consider a“Jennifer”more attractive than a “Bertha”, for example. The last name, or, surname, must also be considered when choosing a first and middle name. A name like Lester Chester Hester would sound poetic, but odd. Parents would avoid names that remind them of people they don’t like. On the other hand, people might name their children after a respected elderly relative or even a famous person. The popularity of certain names can change with each new generation. Names that were once common, like Fanny or Elmer, sound old-fashioned today. But other names—like John and David, Mary and Sarah—have stood the test of time and continue to be favorites.
People in America don’t always call their friends and relatives by their given names. Instead, they often use nicknames. Sometimes nicknames are short forms of a longer name. For instance, a girl named Elizabeth may be called Lisa, Beth or Betsy. As children grow up, they may decide for themselves which nickname they wish to be called. Some people just go by the initials of their first and middle names, like B. J. or R. C. And of course, people may call their children or their sweethearts other special nicknames. Often they have a “sweet” flavor, like Honey or Sugar. What’s in a name? A world of significance. So if you’re choosing an English name for yourself, take care to choose a good one. A made-up name could sound strange to native English 
speakers. And a translation of your Chinese name may not make an appropriate name, either. But a good name can leave a positive and lasting impression. As an American politician once said,“In real life, unlike in Shakespeare, the sweetness of the rose depends
upon the name it bears.”What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 2 mean?
| A．People change names in order to be popular with the new generation. |
| B．Names will change by themselves in order to be popular. |
| C．Some names may no longer be popular among the new generation. |
| D．No names can stand the test of time. |
When choosing names, you should stick to the following principles except that _________.
| A．the impression a name gives is more important than its meaning |
| B．you can name after a well-known person |
| C．surname should be paid attention to |
| D．you can create a name that is special |
The word “initial” in paragraph 3 probably means .
| A．nickname | B．the first letter | C．short form | D．title |
The author will name a newly born baby girl .
| A．Bertha | B．Fanny | C．Yunyun | D．Elizabeth |
What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．Names have great significance to Americans. |
| B．Names change when time goes by. |
| C．Chinese people should be careful when choosing their English names. |
| D．Roses smell sweet by any other name. |
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