题型：任务型阅读 题类：常考题 难易度：困难
江苏省南京市六校联合体20182019学年高二下学期英语期末考试试卷
Fighting the curse of presenteeism
"It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance?" Beyond a certain level, extra effort seems to be selfdefeating. Studies suggest that, after 10 hours a week, employee productivity falls sharply.
But that doesn't stop some managers from demanding that workers stay chained to their desk for long periods. Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, recently applauded the "996" model, where employees work from 9am to 9pm, six days a week, as a huge blessing". However, to modern office workers presenteeism is a curse.
There will be days when you do not have much to do, just waiting for someone else to respond to a request. As the clock ticks past 5pm, there may be no purpose in staying at your desk. But you can see your boss hard at work and, more important, they can see you. So you make an effort to look busy.
If bosses do not like to go home before their underlings (下属)and underlings fear leaving before their bosses, everyone is trapped. Staff may feel that they will not get a pay rise, or a promotion, if they are not seen to be putting in maximum effort. This is easily confused with long hours. Managers, who are often no good at judging employees5 performance, use time in the office as a measurement.
But presenteeism has more serious consequences. As well as reducing productivity, this can increase medical expenses for the employer. According to a study, these costs can be six time: higher for employers than the costs of absenteeism among workers. To take one example, research found that Japanese employees with lowerback pain were three times more likely to turn up for work than in Britain. As a result, those workers were more likely to experience greater pain and to suffer from depression. What could be more discouraging than being in pain while feeling trapped at work?
"None of this is to say that employers are not entitled to expect workers to be in the office for a small amount of time. Unavoidably there will be a need for some (preferably short)meetings. Dealing with colleagues face-to-face develops friendships, allows for a useful exchange of ideas and enables workers to have a better sense of their common needs.
With portable smart phones and laptops, we can work at home as easily as in the office. Turning an office into a prison does nothing for the creativity that is increasingly demanded of office workers as routine tasks are automatic. To be productive you need presence of mind, not being present in the flesh.
Fighting the curse of presenteeism | |
Modern office workers stay chained to their desk for long periods. | |
Contributing factors | •The staff think it may give them a(n) to get a pay rise, or a promotion. •Employees' performance isin terms of working hours. |
Consequences | •Employees work less , some pretending to be busy. •More medical expenses have to be by employers for their staff. •Workers have ato be both physically and mentally. unhealthy. •It is of no to the development of creativity. |
of facetoface contact | •It develops friendships. •It makes a useful exchange of ideas . •It enables workers to each other's needs. |
Conclusion | To be productive you need presence of mind, not being present in the flesh. |
The Science of Risk-Seeking
Sometimes We decide that a little unnecessary danger is worth it because when we weigh the risk and the reward, the risk seems worth tasking. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Some of us enjoy activities that would surprise and scare the rest of us. Why? Experts say it may have to do with how our brains work.
The reason why any of us take any risks at all might have to do with early humans. Risk-takers were better at hunting, fighting, or exploring. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}As the quality of Risk-taking was passed from on ration to the next, humans ended up with a sense of adventure and a tolerance for risk.
So why aren't we all jumping out of airplanes then? Well, even 200,000 years ago, too much risk-taking could get one killed. A few daring survived, though, along with a few stay-in-the-cave types. As a result, humans developed a range of character types that still exists today. So maybe you love car racing, or maybe you hate it. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}
No matter where you are on the risk-seeking range, scientists say that your willingness to take risks increases during your teenage years. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}To help you do that, your brain increases your hunger for new experiences. New experiences often mean taking some risks, so your brain raises your tolerance for risk as well.
{#blank#}5{#/blank#},for the risk-seekers a part of the brain related to pleasure becomes active, while for the rest of us, a part of the brain related to fear becomes active.
As experts continue to study the science of risk-seeking, we'll continue to hit the mountains, the waves or the shallow end of the pool.
A. It all depends on your character. B. Those are the risks you should jump to take. C. Being better at those things meant a greater chance of survival. D. Thus, these well-equipped people survived because they were the fittest. E. This is when you start to move away from your family and into the bigger world. F. However, we are not all using the same reference standard to weigh risks and rewards. G. New brain research suggests our brains work differently when we face a nervous situation. |
Fashion, a term that applies to clothing, hairstyle, footwear, furniture and so on, is like a wind and is changing rapidly. From school-going kids to working professionals, everyday wants to look their best. Fashion is promoted mostly by TV advertisements and celebrities. Many people defined their fashion statement as comfort. They wear whatever makes them feel comfortable. Of course you need to consider the occasion too. You can't wear a jogging suit and go for a wedding and similarly you won't wear a skirt to go jogging.
Nowadays, fashion has become a common language for people all over the world, it helps to connect people internationally, because it travels from one city to another. Sometimes, fashion can be an inspiration for many to discover their hidden potential, and it persuades individuals to attend fashion schools and make something out of their career. In other words, fashion inspires some people to expand their knowledge and creativity to turn their hobby into a career. And therefore, fashion offers employment opportunities to those who dream about being a part of the fashion industry.
Additionally, following your own fashion statement makes you a more independent thinker. If you think you have the ability to carry the attire(服装),then it fills you up with a great deal of confidence. It also helps you to make new friends easily. If you share the same interest as other people, then connecting with them won't be difficult. You will have a common thing to base your decisions on.
However, there are also negative impacts of fashion. For example, today some students focus more and more on fashion than on their studies. They want to know everything about fashion, but little about their school or college activities. There are other problems, too. People experimenting with their hair or skin often forget about the allergies(过敏)they may have to face when using cosmetic(美容的)products. Being fashion-conscious can even make you anxious and depressed if you don't feel you are dressed up to the mark. Worse still, fashion can do harm to our environment through the procedure and ingredients used to produce fashionable products. Often, animal fur is used in jackets and fur coats. A large number of birds are killed, and experiments are done on animals to check if the products would be allergic to humans.
On a concluding note, fashion will not be harmful to our society if we learn to create a balance between our studies and interests. There is no harm in being fashionable, but don't let it interfere with your way of life and career.
Is fashion harmful to society | |
Introduction | *Fashion is always changing and affects people from all walks of life. *Fashion {#blank#}1{#/blank#}to be promoted via TV ads and by celebrities. *When flowing fashion, many consider comfort important, but we should take occasions Into {#blank#}2{#/blank#} too. |
Advantages of poor group dynamics | *Fashion is a platform where people connect in a(n){#blank#}3{#/blank#}manner. *Fashion is also a platform where people get themselves {#blank#}4{#/blank#} *Fashion makes one learn to think independently and become {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. *Fashion provides people with a common topic to discuss, which helps them make friends with each other. |
{#blank#}6{#/blank#}of fashion | *Fashion {#blank#}7{#/blank#}some students from concentrating on their studies. *Using some fashionable products can result in allergies. *Following fashion in an unbalanced manner can result in {#blank#}8{#/blank#}and depression. *To produce fashionable products, people kill many birds and experiment with animals, thus {#blank#}9{#/blank#} the environment. |
Conclusion | *Fashion, if followed in a proper way, will do no harm to society. *We should be fashionable without influencing our life and career {#blank#}10{#/blank#}. |
Brainstorming for Ideas
Try blind writing. When trying to get past a writing block or a brainstorming lag, take at least ten minutes to sit down and write. Force yourself to write for the full ten minutes, no matter what comes of it. The act of putting pen to paper will stimulate the part of your mind that generates ideas.
Make a mind map. Mind mapping is a brainstorming strategy that allows you to map out different tangents of thought to stimulate new ideas. Get a piece of paper, poster board, or whiteboard and write your goal in the center. Write subtopics and related thoughts around the goal, and continue branching out from them to develop your train of thought. For example, a mind map about the environmental goal “Going Green” could branch into subtopics such as “Reducing Waste”, “Eco-travel”, and “Global Warming”.
Attempt “rolestorming”. For a fresh perspective on a topic，attempt “rolestorming”. Picture yourself as someone else (e.g. a parent, friend, colleague, or partner) and imagine how you would approach a scenario as them. You can extend this brainstorming technique to famous people or historical figures (e.g. Albert Einstein, Bill Gates).
Try meditation. To open your mind to new ideas, try meditation. Find a peaceful place to sit quietly and focus on the question at hand (e.g. “How can I promote my new business on my limited budget?”). Bring a pen and paper to jot down ideas, and meditate for about 30 minutes, or until a good idea comes to you. To avoid worrying about the time, set an alarm on your phone to signal the 30 minute mark.
Remove limitations. Remove the limitations that may be hindering your brainstorming progress by approaching the subject as if there were no obstacles. While this process may not yield feasible solutions right away, it will open your mind to possibilities you would not look at otherwise. For instance, when planning a surprise party, you might overlook certain venues because of financial constraints, such as an expensive French restaurant that your friend would love to try. By allowing your mind to go there during brainstorming, you might get the idea to simulate the restaurant and meal for a house party.
Discuss things in a group. Group brainstorming sessions can allow you to develop your thoughts by feeding off of the ideas of others. If you are working on a group project or collaboration, schedule brainstorming time in a quiet location with no disturbance. If you are working on your own project, ask friends or colleagues if you can bounce ideas off of them and get their input.
Brainstorming for Ideas | |
Passage outline | Supporting details |
Try blind writing. | •Force yourself to write for the full ten minutes,{#blank#}1{#/blank#} comes of it. •The part of your mind that generates ideas will be {#blank#}2{#/blank#} by the act of putting pen to paper. |
Make a mind map. | •Mind mapping is a brainstorming strategy allowing you to find out different ways to stimulate new ideas. • Get a piece of paper, poster board, or whiteboard and write your {#blank#}3{#/blank#} in the center. • Branch out from subtopics and related thoughts to {#blank#}4{#/blank#} your train of thought. |
{#blank#}5{#/blank#} “rolestorming”. | •Picture yourself as someone else and imagine how you would approach a scenario as them. • This brainstorming technique can be {#blank#}6{#/blank#} to famous people or historical figures. |
Try meditation. | •Find a peaceful place to sit quietly and focus on the question at hand. •Bring a pen and paper to jot down ideas, and meditate for about 30 minutes, or until you {#blank#}7{#/blank#} up with a good idea. |
Remove limitations. | • {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the limitations that may be hindering your brainstorming progress by approaching the subject as if there were no obstacles. • While this process may not bring out practical solutions {#blank#}9{#/blank#}, it will open your mind to other possibilities. |
Discuss things in a group. | • When cooperating with others, remember to brainstorm quietly without being {#blank#}10{#/blank#}. |
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