题型：阅读理解 题类：常考题 难易度：普通
安徽省宿州市芦岭矿中学、朱先庄矿中学2017-2018学年高二上学期英语期末考试试卷
Do you believe that things are connected for no scientific reason at all? For example, do you avoid saying the word "four" to avoid bad luck? If so, you have a superstition (迷信). And you're not alone – all kinds of people have them.
For example, Portugal's soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo always steps onto the pitch (球场) with his right foot first, according to The Telegraph. And sports players are not alone in having superstitions. A visitor once asked the Nobel Prize winning scientist Niels Bohr whether he really believed that the horseshoe he'd hung at his country home was lucky. "Of course not," the Danish physicist said. "But I understand it's lucky whether you believe in it or not."
One recent study found that even scientists at MIT and other top US schools tended to look for a meaning in natural events, similar to the connection between stepping on the pitch and playing soccer well, according to The Atlantic. When the researchers gave the scientists little time to answer questions, they were twice as likely to agree with statements such as "Trees produce oxygen so that animals can breathe" as they were when they had more time to think about their reply.
It seems that fear can make people think differently in this way, too. In a British study, students imagined meeting a "witch" who said she would cast (施魔法) an evil spell(符咒) on them. About half said a scientist should not be worried about the spell. Yet each of them said that, personally, they wouldn't let the witch do it to them.
So why are so many of us superstitious? Well, it seems to be our way of dealing with the unknown. "Many people quite simply just want to believe," Brian Crank, a professor of psychology at Missouri Western State University, said in a 2008 interview. "The human brain is always trying to work out why things happen, and when the reason is not clear, we tend to make up some pretty bizarre (古怪的) explanations."
And these explanations aren't completely unhelpful. In fact, superstitions can sometimes work and bring real luck, according to psychologists at the University of Cologne in Germany in the May 2010 issue of the journal Psychological Science. They found that believing in something can improve performance on a task like an exam.
So, what about you? What superstitions do you follow to keep you safe and successful?
Holidays
Holiday News Vacancies now and in the school holidays at a country hotel in Devon. This comfortable, friendly home-from-home lies near the beautiful quiet countryside, but just a drive away from the sea. The food is simple but good. Children and pets are welcome. Reduced prices for low season. |
The Snowdonia Center The Snowdonia Center for young mountain climbers has a mountain lesson. The beginners' costs are £ 57 for a week, including food and rooms. Equipment is included except walking shoes, which can be hired at a low cost. You must be in. good health and prepared to go through a period of body exercises. This could be the beginning of a lifetime of mountain climbing adventure. |
The World Sea Trip of a Lifetime Our World Sea Trip of 2008 will be unlike any holiday you have ever been on before. Instead of one hotel after another, with all its packing and unpacking waiting and traveling, you just go to bed in one country and wake up in another. On board the ship, you will be well taken care of. Every meal will be first-class and every cabin will be like your home. During the trip, you can rest on deck （甲板）, enjoy yourself in the game rooms and in the evening dance to our musical team and watch our wonderful play. You will visit all the places most people only dream about－from Acapulco and Hawaii to Tokyo and Hong Kong. . For a few thousand pounds, all you've ever hoped for can be yours. |
Hiring a self-drive car really adds to the enjoyment of your holiday. There are so many places of interest to visit. And if you enjoy seeing more than just the city centre, there's no better way to explore than by car.
Hire Charges | |
What's included | What's not included |
● Unlimited mileage (里程数). ● Expenses on oil, maintenance ( 保养 ) and | ● Personal accident insurance. ● Garaging, petrol, parking and traffic fines. |
Repairs, which will be repaid on production of invoices (发票). ● Full insurance cover but exclusive of personal | |
Conditions of Hire
⒈The shortest rental period at these especially low prices is three days. For prices and for periods of one or two days you only see our representative at the hotel.
⒉Car hire must be booked six weeks or more before arrival in London to guarantee a car. But if you have been unable to make a booking in advance, please see our representative at the hotel who may still be ab le to help you.
⒊The car types on the sheet are examples of the types of cars in each price range, but a particular car cannot be guaranteed.
⒋Upon delivery the driver(s) will be asked to sign the car hire company's Conditions of Hire.
⒌If you decide to hire a car, just fill in the Booking Form and return it to us. A booking fee of ￡12 as part of the car hire cost is required.
⒍Should you be forced to cancel your car hire booking after payment in full (two weeks before date of hire), a cancellation charge of ￡12 will be made.
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