1、撰写大纲：Color Me PinkWe are all sensitive to color. There are some colors we like a lot and some we don’t like at all. Some colors soothe or excite us and some make us happy or sad. People are affected because color is tied to all aspects of our lives.Experts in colorgenics believe that the colors we wear say a lot about us, and that we subconsciously choose to wear certain colors in order to communicate our desires, emotions and needs.Colorgenics experts claim that our clothes send messages to others about our mood, personality and desires. For them, pink expresses peace and contentment of the wearer. People who often wear pink are supposed to be warm and understanding. The message is that you would like to share your peace and happiness with others. Red garments indicate a high level of physical energy. People who wear red like to take life at a fast pace. Brown is the color of wealth and shows a need for independence and material security. Wearers of green have love of nature and enjoy peaceful moments.Color is used symbolically in all cultures and it plays an important role in ceremonies and festivities. Yellow is a symbol of luck in Peru and it can be seen just about everywhere. Yellow is also an important color to the Vietnamese who use it at weddings and on their flag, where it represents courage, victory and sacrifice. In many cultures, white symbolizes purity, and black, on the other hand, symbolizes death.Some experts believe that colors have a strong effect on us and that colors can be used to heal. They say that by concentrating our thoughts on certain colors, we can cause energy to go to the parts of the body that need treatment. White light is said to be cleansing, and it can balance the body’s entire system. Yellow stimulates the mind and creates a positive attitude, so it can help against depression. Green, which has a calming and restful effect, is supposed to be good for heart conditions.Some psychologists also use color to treat patients with emotional and psychological problems. By giving them what is called the Luscher color test, in which people select the colors they like and dislike, doctors can learn many things about a patient’s personality.In conclusion, the study of color can help us understand ourselves and improve our lives. It offers an alternative way to heal the body and spirit, and it can help us understand what others are trying to communicate. We can then respond to their needs and achieve a new level of understanding. 简答题 20分

2、撰写大纲：Send in the Clones“Scientists have made a breakthrough to clone a human being”, as one TV newsman put it. While his description was off the mark, the real news was almost as fantastic: researchers at George Washington University split single human embryos into identical copies, a technology that has sparked a storm of controversy around the world.Claiming they began the experiments to spur a debate, the researchers got more than they bargained for. The Vatican condemned the technology as evil; one German magazine called the research “immoral”, and sociologists in the U.S. disagreed hotly over whether the technology should be offered to infertile couples, couples incapable of having children.The news left people wondering what the technology is all about. Actually what the researchers did was to extend a technique that has been used in livestock for more than a decade. The physicians used tube fertilization technology to create 17 human embryos in a laboratory. When the embryos had grown enough to contain 2-8 cells, the researchers separated them into 48 cells. Two of the separated cells survived for a few days in the lab, developing into new human embryos smaller than the head of a pin.Though no great technical feat, the procedure opens a range of unsettling possibilities. For example,parents could have one embryo implanted in the mother’s womb and store its identical siblings indefinitely. The spare embryos could be implanted later, allowing parents to create a family of identical children of different ages. Spare embryos could also be sold to other families, who could see from an already born child how their embryo would turn out. Even more bizarre, a woman conceived from a split embryo could give birth to her own twin.Such scenarios raise painful issues about the rights of parents and meaning of individuality. Some sociologists maintain that parents have the right to do with embryos what they will, including having twins born years apart. But others fear that the procedure unacceptably alters what it means to be human being, especially when the younger twins are forced to see older versions of themselves.Amid the controversy, one thing seems certain: the experiments will continue. While cloning is forbidden in Germany, fertility research is proceeding in the U.S. without federal regulations. But researchers must obtain approval from their hospital board. Without federal oversight, the highly competitive fertility business may soon use the new technology to attract clients. As a doctor told the scientific journal Science, “It was just a matter of time”. 简答题 20分

3、撰写大纲：SmellSmell, as a means of nonverbal communication, is important. Odor communicates not only when we are face to face with another person, but also when the other person is not present. People from different cultures may have different attitudes toward body odors.Most people in the West respond negatively to what they consider bad odors such as body odor, breath odor, or clothes that emit unpleasant smells such as sweat. They work hard to cover up their body odor and view those with body odor as dirty and unsanitary. However, people usually are not comfortable in discussing the topic, and generally will not tell another that his or her body odor is offensive. They will simply avoid being close to the person and will end the conversation as quickly as possible.Other cultures have quite different concepts of natural odors; they consider them as normal and believe that it is an act of friendship to “breathe the breath” of the person with whom they converse and to feel their presence by smelling. For example, Arabs don’t seem to feel comfortable unless they can smell each other. When Arabs talk, they virtually envelop each other in their breath. Smelling the natural body odors of one’s friend is desirable; denying him or her this privilege is to act ashamedly. In other cultures smell also plays an important role. In Japan, young girls will often play a game involving the placing of five fragrances in tiny boxes. The girl who identifies the most aromas wins the game. In Bali, Indonesia, when lovers greet one another, they often breathe deeply in a kind of friendly sniffing. It is not uncommon for young lovers in the Philippines to trade small pieces of clothing on parting so that the smell of the other person will evoke their affection for each other.Not knowing cultural variations in attitude toward smell can create uncertainty and even ill feeling. For example, a medical doctor from Saudi Arabia once worked in a hospital in the southern United States. Problems arose when patients refused to have the Saudi doctor examine them. Interviews with patients revealed two problems: He “smelled bad” and he breathed on the patients. The doctor’s training had apparently failed to include the difference between Arabic and American attitudes and practices relating to smell. Clearly, encounters between people with such widely differing attitudes could lead to serious miscommunication. To maintain harmonious intercultural business relationships, one should remember these diverse attitudes toward smell. 简答题 20分

4、撰写大纲：AfricasWhen many people hear the word “Africa”, inevitably they picture steaming jungles and gorillas and other wild animals. Hollywood films have shrunk the public image of this immense, varied continent into a small segment of its actual diversity. To have a more accurate picture of the whole continent, however, one should remember that the continent can be roughly divided into three Africas: the northern desert areas, the southeastern grasslands, and the tropical jungles to the southwest, each with its distinct climate and terrain and with a style of life suited to the environment.The northern regions have the environment and living patterns of the desert. Egypt, Libya, Algeria, and Morocco have hot, dry climates with very little land suited to farming. Green fields cannot be easily seen. Therefore, the population tends to be clustered into cities along rivers or the seacoast or into smaller settlements near oases. For thousands of years, people have lived in this vast region, relying partly on what the land could offer such as crops and animals they could raise and partly on trade with Europe.The southeastern grasslands provide a better environment for animal life and for some kinds of crops. Many wild animals inhabit the plains in this region-elephants, giraffes, rhinoceros, antelopes, zebras, and lions. The people in this area have long been expert cattle raisers and experienced hunters. Tea, coffee, cotton, cashew nuts, and tobacco are some of the main products grown in this region. Fishing also provides some food and income for people along the coast. The population here is less concentrated in cities and towns than in the north, but tends to be denser in areas where adequate rainfall and fertile soil make farming possible.West Africa is the region closest to the Hollywood image of mysterious jungles. As in the other two regions, the way people make a living depends upon their environment. This does not mean that most of the people live in grass huts in the jungle. In fact, such nations as Nigeria have become highly modernized by income from oil, timber and minerals. Most of the western countries have some farming that provides food and income; sugar cane, coffee, and tobacco are the important cash crops, while bananas, rice, and corn are raised for food. Fishing in a rivers and along the coast also accounts for food and income, and precious stones, especially diamonds, enhance the economy of countries like Angola and the Ivory Coast.Even a superficial look at the major regions of Africa shows that it is a continent with varied environments. Although most of the continent is tropical in its range of temperature, the climate ranges from deserts to rain forests. Similarly, human lifestyles vary from the simplest rural villages to industrial cities both new and ancient. Contrary to the myth, however, jungle life makes up only a very small portion of the whole of Africa. 简答题 20分

5、撰写大纲：Last year alone, more than one million children in the United States chose home-schooling over traditional education. This stunning figure was released according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Home-schooling is a recent development in education. Not long ago, it was considered too radical by many education experts. Nowadays, it is legalized in every state and more than one million children have undergone home-schooling and many more parents are seriously considering home-schooling.The interesting thing was: What prompted such a change? There have been many recent surveys to suggest that parents are getting impatient and fed up with our public schooling system. It is seen as being superficial with no real-life skills being applied and taught.Parents are also concerned about the negative publicity often portrayed in news. Examples are school students taking drugs in schools, abusing fellow students physically and even students bringing guns and knives to schools. Parents are concerned about the negative peer influences that these students have on their children.Home-schooling offers an opportunity to end all that and allows parents to bring up their children in a natural and loving environment. It is especially important in the early years of a child’s development ( between three to twelve years old ) as this is the period where they are prone to negative influences and peer pressure and cannot differentiate what is right and what is wrong. Home-schooling helps to protect them from such negative influences.Another benefit of home-schooling is that it is an inevitable bond between the child and the parents. The parents and the child spend more time together forming a unique bond. The bond gets stronger as time passes and later you will find that you can connect with your child better than you never thought before.Parents can also have better control over the kind of moral and religious beliefs that a child should have. Parents can impart their moral values and beliefs to their children easily since they spend more time together.So what is stopping parents from adopting home-schooling? For one thing, home-schooling requires a lot of time and money. For most families, both parents need to be working full-time to support the family. Many home-schooling families are dependent on one parent for the income. The other parent has to devote full-time to home-schooling the child. Therefore in some cases, it is not possible to adopt home-schooling unless you are financially stable.The other interesting phenomenon is that more and more home-schooling support groups are appearing in the neighborhood. They help to guide and support each other. Some home-schooling support groups have even gone online. If you do decide to go home-schooling, find a home-schooling support group in your area. 简答题 20分

6、撰写大纲：The Human BrainFor centuries, people wondered about how the human brain works. Researchers were particularly concerned about its structure and functions. It was not long ago that scientists made the remarkable discovery that our brains are divided into two halves--left brain and right brain, and that each half has separate features and roles.The left brain is said to be the logical brain. It is the left brain that we use to solve mathematical problems and go think logically. For example, if you are asked how to make coffee, this is what happens. Your left brain begins to work; it searches its files for information on coffee making. If it finds the files, it begins relating what to do step by step. If it does not find any record, it says it does not know.The right brain is often called the creative brain. It has the function of thinking creatively. This contains all the artistic functions, including art and music appreciation. When you want to draw a picture or compose a piece of music or write poetry, it is the right brain that is in operation. When you come across a new situation in your life, your right brain gives ideas on how to tackle it.To some people, the left brain is dominant and to others, the right brain is. Of people who are good in mathematics and language expression--that is, putting into practice what they have learnt, we say that they are more left-brained. They are not very sensitive and believe in doing everything only after reasoning. They are very sharp at arguments. They are the type who will not believe in anything until they see it. Right-brained people are more artistic and have a good sense of music appreciation. They are also more sensitive and tend to be emotional. They are more open to new ideas and are willing to accept radical positions.Is the left brain better or the right brain? Both sides of the brain are equally important. In an ideal situation, a person should be exactly equal in both sides of the brain. However, as in most things, the ideal never happens. People are dominated by one or the other side of their brains. In order to function effectively in the world, we must learn to use both sides of the brain. In many situations that we meet in the world, there will be requirements for both sides of the brain to work together as partners. For example, when you want to write a story, which brain do you use? The answer is both brains. You need the right brain to think of the ideas and you need the left side to arrange everything in a logical sequence. You cannot go through life with only one side functioning.It’s fundamentally important for people to know these interesting facts about the human brains. However, many aspects concerning our brains still remain unknown. With scientists’ persistent efforts, more secrets of the human brain will be revealed. 简答题 20分

7、撰写大纲：Nowadays, giant jumble jets carry millions of people each day to and from almost all corners of the globe, giving most people the chance of visiting distant countries. However, many of us are sometimes, troubled by unfamiliar customs and traditions and are puzzled by the way foreigners behave. In my essay, both sides of the argument would be presented and analyzed as to whether we should follow the customs of the visited country, or all nations should be more willing to embrace exotic culture.Some people maintain that it is better for one to adopt host countries’ culture for the following reasons. First of all, as the old saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do,” by observing and following their particular way of doing things, travelers can greatly reduce the chances of misunderstanding and embarrassment. For instance, it is advisable not to ask a western lady personal questions such as her age or her marital status on the first meeting, which is common practice in China. Secondly, a nation’s customs and traditions are often fascinating and offer a unique insight into that very country. Obviously, people travel in order to broaden their horizon or merely to relax and enjoy themselves. But these aims could not be satisfactorily fulfilled if they have no idea about a country’s culture. Moreover, your interest in and understanding of their ways of life could help to establish a rapport with the local people, because people feel respected when their customs and behaviors are understood and imitated, and by doing things in their way, you become unconsciously a member of them and thus will no longer experience culture shocks.However, others also have strong reasons to believe that a country should tolerate and embrace foreign culture. In the first place, no country should cling to its old customs and traditions at all cost and expect others to follow suit. Culture should also be subject to changes brought about by advances in science and technology and the process of globalization. Like everything else, numerous traditional practices have been abandoned and people are forming new customs all the time. Besides, instead of challenging and damaging the local traditions, the customs brought by international visitors actually help to enhance our awareness of our own culture, by pointing out that what we take for granted is really not universally praised but rather unique characteristics of our own. In China, for instance, the Spring Festival is being celebrated with ever more enthusiasm despite the popularity of Christmas. Moreover, it is unjustifiable and unrealistic to expect visitors to alter their ways of doing things, and pick up some new behaviors and customs at short notice. Many Chinese Americans, for example, still live exclusively in Chinatowns and celebrate all the traditional Chinese holidays. Like a religious belief, one should be allowed to follow their own customs whenever and wherever they like.As far as I am concerned, I agree with the latter view that people can keep their own customs and nations should welcome cultural differences and integrate the positive aspects from other cultures to update their own. Apparently, if all are open-minded about different traditions and behaviors, the idea of a global village could come true in every corner of the earth, with people living in harmony and each enjoying his own cultural heritage. 简答题 20分

8、撰写大纲：What Is a Rodeo?“Rodeo” is a Spanish word meaning “gathering place or marketplace for cattle.” A rodeo itself is a competitive contest based loosely on traditional cowboy skills of riding and roping. It consists of six major events：riding an untamed horse in a saddle；riding an untamed horse without a saddle；riding a bull；roping a calf；wrestling a bull to the ground；racing horses around barrels with women riders. A rodeo is perhaps the most genuinely American of all sports.The first rodeo took place following a cattle roundup in the 1880s. From this informal cowboy pastime, a colorful spectacle has evolved that contains many familiar American elements--the exciting action of bucking horses and bulls, the explosive masculine environment, the hot dog stands, beer barrels, boots, jeans, and cowboy hats.Today, most rodeos are staged in a large, flat arena that is fenced off to protect the viewing public. Grandstands are erected on two sides of the arena；on the other sides are places to hold the horses, calves, and bulls. Nearby are narrow chutes from which animals are released into the arena. On a platform a loudspeaker system is set up for the announcer, who introduces the riders and comments on the events as they happen. Near the arena are refreshment stands where people gather to buy food and drink. Portable rest rooms are set up near the grandstand, and an ambulance is parked nearby in case of an accident.An opening parade of proud riders on proud horses usually begins a rodeo; the performers carry flapping national and state flags. Then the two-act performance begins. Calf roping and bull wrestling are timed events. In the fastest possible time, a man must rope and throw to the ground a calf and tie three of its feet together. In bull wrestling, the object is to tumble the bull onto its back with its head and all its feet in line. Calf roping has been done under fifteen seconds, and a bull has been wrestled in less than ten seconds.When riding an animal, a contestant mounts before the chute gates are opened. The rider must stay on the bucking animal for eight seconds; points are given for the performance of both the animal and the contestant. In all riding events, the contestant is disqualified if he touches the animal with his free hand.Probably the most difficult rodeo feat is Brahman bull riding. During this event, a rodeo comes to resemble a circus because gaily-costumed clowns come into the arena to distract the bull’s attention from fallen riders. To stay on a bucking bull for as long as eight seconds is one of the most challenging tasks in a rodeo. Spectators eagerly wait for this event.The present circus extends far beyond the region where the contests first developed. Now rodeos are popular throughout the western half of the U. S. A. and in major eastern and southern cities. Australia also stages these events. One of the biggest rodeos of all is held during the annual Calgary Stampede in Calgary, Canada. 简答题 20分

9、撰写大纲：My Opinion on Campus Flea MarketAs we university students progress from one grade to another, we may find that besides other things, we have accumulated a large pile of things that are no longer useful, for example, textbooks, test preparation materials, tapes and CDs. How to deal with the pile is really a big problem. Some throw them away, some keep them as souvenirs, and some sell them in the flea market on campus.The flea market has much to offer for sellers. Obviously, it can help sellers get some money. By selling things that are no longer needed, they can cover some of the original cost. This can be of much importance to students who need money. Last semester I sold about 30 books in the flea market, and the money was enough to cover my food bill for almost a month. Besides, selling things in the flea market can also help sellers cultivate a good habit of making the fullest use of their belongings. This will prevent them from throwing things away at will, thus becoming a thrifty person.If it just benefits sellers, the flea market can not be so prosperous. In fact, buyers also gain a lot. Things sold in this place are usually much cheaper than the new ones in stores, but the function is almost the same. If students buy their textbooks and other reference books here, they can save about 200 yuan every semester. It is said that second-hand book stores are very popular in foreign countries, and many students from poor families finish their studies by getting most of the books there. In China there are also many students troubled by financial difficulty. If the university authorities can organize a regular flea market, many poor students will find it easier to finish their university.The third benefit, which is usually neglected, is the positive influence on environment. This may sound irrelevant, but in fact, if we use second-hand products, we can help save paper and printing materials, and this can greatly reduce the negative impact on the already fragile environment. What's more, if we develop the habit of reusing products, we can make our contribution to the establishment of recycling economy that the government is advocating. Experts estimate that if all the textbooks in universities can be used again, we can save about one hundred million yuan in environmental protection. This fully demonstrates the social significance of the tiny market place.Therefore, if well managed, flea markets on campus can benefit sellers, buyers and the whole society as well. Of course, some of the used things may become valuable souvenirs and we should keep them all our life. As for those things that we can get rid of, we should carry them to the flea market rather than to the dustbin. 简答题 20分

10、撰写大纲：How to Lose GracefullyLosing is a necessary part of life. Nobody likes to lose, yet in every even remotely competitive situation, someone will. Perhaps it’s the next promotion at work, or the selection of a student union leader. Even small things, like playing a card game, have an air of winning and losing to them. However, it’s what you do with that failure that makes all the difference. Assuming one is the “loser,” all of these situations present a choice. One can either be a sore loser or a graceful loser.Losing gracefully is the first step to move forward and overcome the loss. In fact, graceful losers are hardly impacted by the loss at all, because they know another opportunity awaits them. They congratulate their opponent, embrace their failure and try to figure out where they went wrong. Graceful losers do not take failure personally, but they do accept responsibility. They learn from the loss, and then apply what they’ve learned so that next time they may win.Sore losers are quite the opposite. Perhaps the biggest risk of being a sore loser is this loss of hope for the future. Sore losers are stuck on the loss, and in so being, they may miss out on a new opportunity because of their poor attitude. Sore losers get angry. They blame their loss on the opponent, not taking responsibility for their own actions. Sore losers hold on to resentment, and may internalize their failure, leading to low self-esteem or even depression.Of course, making lemonade out of life’s lemons is not always easy. In fact, it can be downright hard. But it is a principle worth living by. How can you lose gracefully, even when you really, really wanted to win? Essentially, you need to realize that you never really lose.In fact, once you learn how to release the feelings about losing--the anger, the embarrassment, and the resentment--you will always feel successful. And then an amazing thing will happen. When you FEEL successful, you will ACT successful, and then, sure enough, you will BE successful. As you let go of the feelings that cause the sensation of loss, you discover that you never really lose anything.The objects in your life are always changing, but what you are at your core is changeless. The more you release on the fears and negativity about winning and losing, the easier it will be to accept things that do happen. When you lose or win, you’ll then be able to do so gracefully.By releasing your negative feelings, you allow the comings and goings of your life to simply happen as they do. This gives great relief and also allows you to be present with and for the new opportunities that are here every moment.Everyone has failed at some point in his or her life. This is nothing exceptional. Even in adverse situations, one should keep in mind the principle of losing gracefully. A graceful loser will turn into a potential winner while a sore loser a bigger failure. 简答题 20分

11、撰写大纲：May I Help You?The world is rapidly changing from an industrial economy to a service economy. There are fewer and fewer small factories and farms. As a result, a decreasing number of people are employed in manufacturing. How many shoemakers or bakers do you know? You probably don’t know any, but you do know the advertising people for the shoemakers and salespeople for oven manufacturers. In a service economy such as ours, there are service providers and consumers, who receive a service. According to the authority of the provider, there are three basic relationships between service providers and consumers: customer and salesperson, student and teacher, and patient and doctor.In the retail industry, people often say, “The customer is always right.” What they mean is that a salesperson never argues with a customer. If a 350-pound man wants to buy a pink bikini swimsuit, that’s his business. The salesperson is there to make the customer feel good about shopping at that particular store so that he’ll come back again and again. A salesperson can try to interest the customer in a different style, but she never tells the customer what to do. In the service relationship between the customer and the salesperson, the customer has all the authority.The relationship between a student and a teacher is different all over the world. It also varies depending on the age of the student. We tend to accept that “the teacher is always right” through the years of compulsory education. However, once people are old enough to make some choices about their education, the relationship changes. If you want to learn to play the piano, for example, you will probably look for a teacher who will teach you in the way you want to learn. Nevertheless, you still believe that your teacher knows much more about the subject than you do, so in this service relationship, the teacher has medium level of authority.Certain service providers have such specialized skills and knowledge that we tend to allow them complete authority in making decisions about what is the best. The doctor-patient relationship is an example of such a relationship. We expect ( rightly or wrongly ) that the doctor is such an expert that if she says, “You need surgery,” we usually don’t say, “No, thank you.” However, the medical profession is changing as many patients are becoming better educated about their conditions. It is now common practice in many parts of the world to get a second doctor’s opinion about how to treat a serious illness. Even so, in the traditional doctor-patient relationship, it is the doctor who has most, if not all, of the authority.In conclusion, most of us will be on both sides in a service relationship at some point in our lives. You may be a customer at noon and a salesperson at 1 p. m. You may be a teacher at the age of twenty-eight and a student at the age of fifty-eight. If you become an expert in a certain field, such as engineering, medicine, law, or psychology, you may be a client or patient one day and the service provider the next. However, you will never be both at the same time, and providing great service to your clients will still be based on the fundamental principle of understanding what your customer wants and needs. 简答题 20分

12、撰写大纲：E-mail-Return to Sender?For many of us, turning on the computer and checking for e-mail messages has become a part of our daily routine. The growing popularity of e-mail makes us wonder how we ever survived without it. In our enthusiasm for e-mail, we should realize that e-mail is a poor substitute for regular mail both in our lives and in the business world.There is no denying that e-mail has many merits. The most in a matter of minutes. It is this speed that has led to our calling regular mail “snail mail”. E-mail involves less expense, for most people, than regular mail. Many people have access to e-mail for free through their work or school. And while some people may pay for e-mail through an online service, there is no increase in cost relative to the number of messages sent. Admittedly, e-mail is convenient. It allows us to send the same message to many people at the same time with little more effort than it takes to send a message to one person. When sending multiple copies of a message, we photocopying the letter, printing out additional copies, addressing envelopes, and posting the mail.Despite its many benefits, e-mail is not always appropriate. Before dashing off another piece of e-mail-in our private yes or in the business world--we need to pause and consider whether the post office or a carder might be more fitting.It would be sad to think that letters from friends might become obsolete. With e-mail, unfortunately, all messages look very much alike, and this sameness removes some of the wonder of getting a message in the first place. We have no handwriting to scrutinize, no perfumed envelope to smell, no colors or textures to enjoy. For these more personal things we must still rely on regular mail. Besides, opening old computer files is never as much fun as pulling a dusty shoebox out of the closet to browse through old letters and photos.In the business world, as in our personal lives, e-mail is not always an appropriate medium. The issue of privacy requires serious consideration. Because of its electronic transmission in networked systems, e-mail may be accessible to o-workers and supervisors. It’s probably not a good idea to complain about the boss on the company e-mail or to writ anything that shouldn’t be shared with strangers or potential enemies. The informality of e-mail may as well affect the image of the sender. For much company business, a certain level of courtesy and formality is desirable; e-mail can seem inappropriate because of its relatively slapdash quality. Olien, because of its speed, e-mail encourages “flaming,” sending Off rapid-fire emotional messages that can get a businessperson in serious trouble.While e-mail gives us the ability to send messages with convenience, speed, and little expense, it lacks the personality and authority of regular mail. Luckily, however, we needn’t always choose one over me other. Instead, we should take advantage of both, using each to its best advantage. 简答题 20分

13、撰写大纲：The Smell of HomeLast week a friend told me that she was reading a French novel in her university literature class. It was called Remembrance of Things Past and was written by Marcel Proust. She told me that in that book. a man bites into a little cookie called a Madeleine and that the taste of the cookie makes him think about the past. For me, it is the sense of smell rather than the sense of taste that brings back happy memories.The aroma of pipe tobacco always makes me smile. I know most people feel very differently about the smell of tobacco, but I like it for a simple reason: My grandfather used to smoke a pipe, and I adored my grandfather. After an especially good dinner, he used to settle into his favorite chair and go through a long ritual of filling his pipe with something that looked like dead leaves and smelled of apples. Then he would light the pipe, lean back, and smile. The grandchildren gathered around him while he smoked and told us stories about when he was young and travelled the world on sailing ships. I felt safe and loved sitting near my grandfather while he smoked his pipe.Another wonderful smell is the scent of sweet rolls just coming out of the oven. When I was a child, my mother used to bake sweet rolls every Saturday. The children helped mix the dough with sugar and cinnamon and shape it into little balls. Then we eagerly watched the timer as it counted down the minutes until the rolls were done. After my mother took out the hot rolls and placed them on the counter, the children mixed water and sugar into a paste. When the rolls were cool, we spread the paste over the rolls. What a wonderful aroma! My mother let us eat one right away. We were very happy and secure there in the family kitchen with the smell of sweet, hot rolls.My favorite aunt always wore a perfume that smelled like roses. My aunt was a tall and large woman who had lots of blond hair and wore flowered dresses. Her perfume was just like her: soft, friendly, warm, and cheerful. She had a lovely singing voice, and when I spent the night at my cousins’ house, she would sit in the bedroom as we fell asleep singing old lullabies in her rich, low voice. I fell asleep under the blankets to the smell of her rose perfume and her songs, feeling cared for the content.These are just three examples of smells that I associate with happiness and safety. I don’t know anyone who smokes a pipe these days, so I rarely smell pipe tobacco. However, I have my mother’s recipe for sweet rolls, and I sometimes bake them for my friends. I like to wear more than one kind of perfume, but whenever I wear my rose perfume, I think of my aunt. Smells bring back wonderful memories. 简答题 20分

14、撰写大纲：Leonardo da VinciLeonardo da Vinci’s works of art made him world-famous. But there was far more to this great man of ideas than just the Mona Lisa’s pretty face. Leonardo is often thought of primarily as an artist, and with masterpieces such as The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa to his credit, his place in art history is assumed. Yet his notebooks show that his main interests lay elsewhere-in engineering and technology. The notebooks are full of drawings and designs for all kinds of inventions-from calculating machines to tanks, from parachutes to helicopters. If his pioneering work on anatomy is also taken into consideration, we can easily see why Leonardo is considered one of the greatest geniuses of all time. He is not only an outstanding artist, but also a great scientist.Born in 1452, Leonardo was given only a rudimentary education in his early age. After ten years in the workshop of the artist Verrocchio, he set up as a freelance artist. Some of his works have survived, and reveal a stunning combination of technical skills with very careful observation. His works also reveal an emerging fascination with technology, with technical drawings of equipment of all kinds.Leonardo was particularly fascinated by the technology of warfare. At this time, Florence was at war with the Pope, and Leonardo realized that this was an opportunity to make use of his new inventions for better guns and other military equipment. However, the war ended before anything could come of his plan and he returned to his painting.At the age of thirty, he left his home town and eventually moved to Milan, where he spent seventeen years under the patronage of Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan. Here he continued to combine his scientific and technological work with his painting, which was of perspective and proportion. During this period, he painted The Last Supper and developed his ideas for chemical weapons and flame-throwers.When Sforza was driven from power by the French, Leonardo returned to Florence and spent four years working for Cesare Borgia as an engineer and military architect. He now became fascinated with flight. He studied birds for clues about how to fly and drew sketches of machines resembling helicopters.In 1506, he returned to Milan and became increasingly focused on science. He began to study human anatomy and the circulation of blood. He also drew up a comprehensive guide to the working of living creatures.He died at Amboise in France, where he was welcomed by King Francois I. He continued to do the occasional sketch, a few designs and plans for buildings, but most of his time was devoted to sorting out his scientific papers.Only twenty-one of his dozens of notebooks survive. Just seventeen paintings have been ascribed to him with certainty, and some of those are unfinished. Leonardo may not have achieved the perfection that he aspired to but he came closer to it in more fields than anyone before or since. 简答题 20分

15、撰写大纲：Everyone Is Talking, and No One Is ListeningSince the middle of the 1990s, the ability to communicate electronically has expanded dramatically. Electronic communication is changing how people relate to one another. However, one thing remains constant: these new forms of communication are not face to face. They are distant, and they keep people at a distance. In my opinion, due to electronic communication, relationships today are changing for the worse; they have become fragmented, superficial, and anonymous.Communication these days is becoming a process of exchanging messages of two or three words. There is no longer time for serious and deep reflection. For example, in most countries, sending a text message via a cell phone is much cheaper than talking on that phone, so people send each other silly messages like “RU ready?” or “4 sure.” The language of Shakespeare and Milton has become reduced to abbreviations. With Instant Messenger (IM), people send each other emoticons such as a smiley face instead of sentences. In addition, since Instant Messenger depends on who has the fastest connection, there cannot be real communication. There is no give-and-take. These fragmented messages are not true communication.The current ability to relate to one another electronically is largely textual; that is, people read messages from each other. Blogs, or Web logs, have become the way to communicate. However, anyone, anywhere can create a blog, and they can write anything they want. There are millions of blogs being produced. It seems that everyone wants to shout, “Hey, here I am! This is me!”, but no one really listens. No one responds. Another reason why relationships are becoming more superficial is the spread of e-mail. Because they are overwhelmed by spam in addition to real messages, people just skim what they see and either make a rapid, thoughtless response or ignore it completely. No one reads e-mail messages carefully because there are just too many of them.Finally, while one great advantage of the World Wide Web is that it is anonymous, this is also its major disadvantage. Anyone can pretend to be anyone. For example, a sixteen-year-old high school student could say that he is a twenty-three-year-old college graduate, and the person reading his blog or profile would never know. This type of anonymity can also put internet users at risk. There are many news stories about a criminal convincing a teenager to meet him at a coffee shop or a mall. The teenager agrees to meet her internet friend because she thinks she is meeting another teenager. The Web knows no one; a person can invent an identity. It’s clear that there can be no real communication when it's so easy for someone to remain anonymous.In short, electronic communication has multiple advantages, but it also has disadvantages. This new form of communication makes people lonelier because they don’t make real and meaningful connections. The communication is fragmented and superficial, and it is not always honest because of the ability to be anonymous. Fewer silly messages and more face-to-face communication would make us better people, I think. 简答题 20分

16、撰写大纲：Styles of Dress as Reflections of Social ConditionsSomething that becomes very apparent when we study the topic of fashion is that clothes and style are related to so much more than merely an individual’s appearance. For thousands of years, fashion and style have been primary indicators about a person’s social status, sexuality, wealth, individuality, and overall personality attributes.In the 20th century alone, each decade has been marked by distinctly different manners for dress for both men and women. Our Halloween tradition exemplifies this very clearly with “costumes” such as a 1920’s “flapper girl” and the 1960’s “hippie”. With deeper consideration, however, these differing fashion styles can be viewed as representative of the related social conditions occurring at the time.As stated by Pasacoe, “The fashion of the 1920’s reflected the Jazz Age perfectly. It was made for fast automobiles and Charleston dance. For the first time in western fashion the knee was socially acceptable.” Although there are many theories regarding what causes fashion to change, the fact that social climate is reflected in styles of dress has a great deal of support. Perhaps the reason why so much change occurred in women’ s dress in the early decades of the century is that so many changes occurred regarding women’ s roles and fights within that same time frame.Another decade in which fashion was strongly indicative of the underlying social conditions is the turbulent 1960’s. One of the most noted developments accredited to this decade is the introduction of the miniskirt. Many social historians relate the introduction of the miniskirt to the introduction of the birth control bill. Women became sexually liberated and the “free love” era began. These miniskirts came to symbolize the new liberation for women and the social climate of the decade. As stated in Vogue at the end of the decade, “The length of your skirt is how you feel this moment.”Towards the end of the 1960’s, younger generations were rejecting the establishment and rejecting the idea of high fashion along with it. Students wore long hair, faded denim jeans, and flamboyant patterns. Many wore combat jackets and surplus shirts to anti-war rallies. As Hoeymaker stated, “By the end of the decade, cheap, flamboyant clothes became expensive designer labels. The hippie style became high fashion; in fact, ‘anti-fashion’ became the biggest fashion of all.” In this case, clothes became a form of protest.Overall, there are countless examples of how fashion is influenced by the social climate of the times. Over the past thousands of years, the socially “appropriate” styles of dress for men and women have varied tremendously. Regardless of what exactly constituted “stylish” fashion during any given time period, one thing that remains constant is that fashion has always been a significant aspect of one’s life and the time in which they lived. 简答题 20分

17、撰写大纲：Acting out Metaphors Encourages Creative ThinkingIt happens in schools, offices, and boardrooms everywhere: someone working on a project hits a mental block. A boss or teacher might resort to a metaphor like “think outside the box” or “put two and two together,” encouraging a creative solution to the problem. As it turns out, this isn’t just abstract advice. According to an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, literally working outside of a box or putting two halves of something together just might help those creative juices start flowing again.Since physical metaphors regarding creativity are so common and appearing in several different languages, a group of researchers hypothesized that they may extend beyond mere metaphors. Their study indicates that acting out metaphors literally can affect how our minds work.In the first part of the study, the researchers asked 102 undergraduates to perform a Remote Associates Test ( RAT ), in which the subjects were given three seemingly unrelated words and asked to come up with a word that relates to each one. For example, the subject might be given “measure,” “worm,” and “video,” and the correct response would be “tape.”The participants were divided into three groups; one group was asked to perform this task while sitting inside a 5’ by 5’ cardboard box, another group sat outside the same box, and those in the third group performed the task without a box in the room at all. None of the participants knew the hypothesis behind the study; they were merely told it was an experiment on different working environments.There was no difference in performance between those inside the box and those with no box at all. However, the participants that were seated outside the box did much better on the RAT than the other two groups. Apparently, something about literally “thinking outside the box” encourages creativity.A second experiment looked at another well-known piece of advice: to “put two and two together” to come up with an answer. In the study, 64 subjects were divided into two groups. The first group had to perform a RAT while joining halves of cut paper cards from piles on each side of a desk. The second group performed a similar task, but only had to move card halves from one side of a desk to the other side. Those “putting two and two together” by uniting the two halves of the cards did far better on the RAT than those that were merely moving the cards from one pile to another.So, acting out metaphors linked to creativity really can help us think creatively. In fact, it does more than let us access the knowledge we presently have; it encourages us to come up with new, unique and creative ideas. Next time you’re stuck on a problem, take a minute to ponder--or even act out--your favorite metaphor, and you might happen upon a great solution. 简答题 20分

18、撰写大纲：ConfuciusNo other philosopher in the world has had more enduring influence than Confucius. For over two thousand years, his concept of government, and his ideas about personal conduct and morality pervaded Chinese life and culture. Even today, his thoughts remain influential.Confucius was born in a small town in northeastern China and grew up in poverty. He had no formal education; however, through self-study he became a learned man. For a while he held a minor government post; but he soon resigned his position and spent most of his life teaching. The most important teachings of Confucius were collected in a book, the Analects, compiled by his disciples.The two cornerstones of his system of personal conduct were ren and li. Ren might be defined as “benevolent concern for one’s fellow men.” Li is a term less easily translated: it combines the notions of etiquette, good manners, and due concern for rituals and customs. Confucius believed that a man should seek truth and virtue rather than wealth. In addition, he was the first philosopher to state the Golden Rule, which he phrased as “Do not do unto others that which you would not have them do unto you.”Confucius believed that children owe respect and obedience to their parents, wives to their husbands, and subjects to their rulers. But he was never a defender of tyranny. On the contrary, he held that the state should work for the benefit of the people, and that a leader should govern by moral example rather than by force.At the time of his death, Confucius was a respected, but not yet greatly influential, teacher and philosopher. Gradually, though, his ideas became widely accepted throughout the country. In the third century B.C. Shih Huang Ti, the first emperor of Qing Dynasty, united China. He decided to reform the country entirely and make a complete break with the past. The Emperor therefore suppressed Confucian teachings and ordered the burning of all copies of Confucian works.Most Confucian works were indeed destroyed, but some copies survived, and a few years later, after the dynasty founded by the “First Emperor” had fallen, Confucianism re-emerged. In the Han dynasty, it became the official state philosophy, a position it maintained throughout most of the next two millennia.Indeed, for much of that period, the civil service examinations in China were based primarily on knowledge of Confucian classics. Since those examinations were the main route by which common people could enter the administration and achieve political power, the governing class of China was largely composed of men who had carefully studied the works of Confucius and absorbed his principles. 简答题 20分

19、撰写大纲：E-wastesThe past few decades have witnessed amazing advancement in technology, especially in the field of electronics. Despite the remarkable facilities offered by these advances, they have given birth to a new type of hazardous wastes, makes hazardous impacts and renders recycling problems.Electronic waste, or e-waste, is any broken or unwanted electronic device or appliance; sometimes, it is also called E-waste from electrical and electronic equipment. Discarded computers, monitors, televisions, printers, scanners, fax machines, mice, keyboards, CD players, digital cameras, walkie-talkies and cell phones form the major chunk of e-waste.It has been estimated that around 50 million tons of electronic products are discarded annually around the world. Most of the electronic wastes are produced by developed nations, which are later exported to developing countries for disposal. Since the government regulations are absent or are not enforced in these third world countries, the used electronic products are often easily accessible to the general public, who are exposed to health hazards associated with e-wastes.The primary concern with e-wastes is the hazardous content they carry. Studies indicate that more than 1000 chemicals including PVC plastics and various types of gases are used for manufacturing electronic products and their components. For instance, computer monitors typically contain lead, a heavy metal known for causing brain damage among children.Similar to monitors, flat panel TVs contain large amounts of mercury, which is likely to cause cancer. Switches and batteries contain cadmium(镉) and nickel, which are harmful to humans, animals and plants. Metal housing and joints, often coated with chromium corrosion protector(镀铬防护层) cause damage to liver and kidney. Similarly, beryllium(铍) dust generated from relays, connectors and motherboards are highly poisonous to humans.The waste management of electronic appliances is complicated, primarily because most of the countries are not able to recycle more than 20 percent of the e-waste they generate. The leading reason for this low rate of recycling is the lack of information and initiative on part of the consumers. In addition, in many parts of the world, tons of electronic waste is discarded in illegal dump sites, where no waste monitoring system exists. The extensive variety of the materials involved in electronic appliances also makes the sorting tedious, thereby rendering the e-waste recycling business less effective. The problem can only be resolved by adopting improved recycling solutions and generating public drive for e-waste recycling.The extensive variety of materials involved in electronic appliances also makes the sorting tedious, thereby rendering the e-waste recycling business less effective. The problem can only be resolved by adopting improved recycling solutions and generating public drive for e-waste recycling.E-waste represents one of the most diverse mixtures of the waste categories. Increasing at an alarming rate, e-wastes pose serious health hazards to humans and wild life. Consumer awareness and commitment are necessary for controlling the problem. Technological advances such as clean computers and appliances are also beneficial since they can address the problem at root. 简答题 20分

20、撰写大纲：What Makes an Exceptional Leader?On December 14, 1911, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and his team made history as the first expedition to reach the South Pole. Thirty-five days later on January 17, 1912, British explorer Robert Falcon Scott reached the South Pole, with five exhausted men. None survived the brutal journey home. Another noted British explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton, never reached the South Pole. While failing to achieve the first overland crossing of Antarctica, Shackleton succeeded in bringing all 27 members of his expedition party safely home, after 634 days of unbelievable hardship. The polar adventures of Shackleton, Scott, and Amundsen provide fundamental leadership lessons for any leader-no matter what race must be run.Effective leadership requires a clear strategic focus. With single-minded determination, Amundsen set his plans and priorities on winning the race to the South Pole, for the glory of standing there first. Scott lacked such focus. He assembled the best scientific minds and equipment available for an unprecedented research expedition. But he also aimed to claim the “reward of priority” for the British Empire. Striving for both goals, Scott failed doubly.Successful leaders are open to new ideas. As a Norwegian, Amundsen began with an advantage over his British rivals: comfort with skiing Yet, he continued to refine his skills, importing ideas from the Eskimos and developing an integrated set of competencies skiing, dog-handling, clothing. and carefully-planned diet, pace, and rest-for polar travel. Scott and Shackleton, however, were surprisingly resistant to the use of novel methods. Ultimately, both relied on the slow exhausting technique of man hauling.Leaders need to draw on the collective wisdom of the team. As a leader, Scott believed it was his unique responsibility to analyze situations and draw conclusions. His decisions were closely held and sometimes revealed at the last minute. In sharp contrast to Scott, both Amundsen and Shackleton sought ideas and opinions from their men. Through this process, Amundsen and Shackleton gave team members a sense of control and value, resulting in greater ownership and commitment.The best leaders forge strong bonds. Despite their differences in personality the enthusiastic, Shackleton and the understated Amundsen had strikingly similar approaches to leadership. Both were acutely sensitive to the emotions of their men and skilled at managing conflict. Both emphasized individual ability above rank or social status. And both participated in everyday expedition life, including simple chores. These behaviors, both practical and symbolic, reinforced the message of unity. Although Scott's doomed polar party stayed together until the very end, his detachment, emphasis on hierarchy, and one-sided decision-making style created barriers to team unity and damaged morale.Flaws aside, Shackleton, Amundsen, and Scott shared qualities--exceptional perseverance, determination, and courage--that are crucial for any leader. Leadership success is often relative and always personal. Amundsen led his team and landed on the South Pole successfully; Scott and his men reached the South Pole, but none of them survived the journey home, Shackleton failed in achieving his goal of crossing Antarctica, but he led his team to safety through extreme hardship. Was Shackleton a success or a failure as a leader? The answer depends on how you measure success. 简答题 20分

21、撰写大纲：How to Deal with NervousnessEveryone has experienced being nervous at one point in their lives. Being nervous is a normal emotional reaction to stressful, unknown, or intimidating circumstances. One may feel nervous before an upcoming job interview, the first date, and even a doctor’s appointment.For some people, nervousness becomes a problem that interferes with normal life. Shaky and sweaty hands, stammering speech and blank mind may spoil things. However, nervousness can be managed if treated properly.First of all, it is important to remember that no treatment can make a person instantly calm down and forget about his nervousness. The secret to achieving true calm，without tranquilizers(镇静药), is in practice. The more you practice, putting yourself in situations that may make you nervous and taking action, the more confident you become. This way you eventually feel more and more comfortable and less nervous. If you are getting ready for an important interview or a presentation at work, practice your speech so that you can do it automatically. That way, your lips and body will know what to do even if your mind gets blocked somehow. During the speech you need to concentrate on breathing slowly and deeply to avoid short quick breaths that are common for nervous people. When people talk slowly, they keep a nice steady supply of oxygen flowing through their bloodstream.In many cases, nervous people spend time visualizing as to what may go wrong in a future situation. This can, of course, create a lot of nervousness. It can also give you the results you imagined, or feared. If you convince yourself that you will fail, them most probably you do fail. Much more helpful is to have pleasant thoughts and try to imagine only good outcome of a situation. If you visualize things in an optimistic way, what actually happens can change a lot about how you believe, how you present it, how convincing you sound, and generally how you feel in the situation. It always has a great effect on how the things actually go.Sometimes, fear occur for a good reason. It is quite understandable that people might be afraid of jumping with a parachute(降落伞), for instance, but what about speaking in public? It is absolutely irrational. Try to compare these two types of fear and maybe then it will be easier to understand that nervousness does not really make that much sense. So, ask yourself a few simple questions. For example, “What is the worst that could happen to me?” Questions of this kind can put things into a healthier perspective and calm yourself down.With sufficient practice, positive self-image and rational thinking, you’ll be able to build up self-assurance bit by bit and behave confidently whether in workplace or in social life. Apply these strategies and don’t let nervousness stand in the way to your success. 简答题 20分

22、撰写大纲：What Technology Has Done to UsI am not a patient person. As I was waiting for the elevator the other day, I must have looked at my watch 25 times in one minute. Living in a world of fast-moving technology, I am used to instant reactions. I push a button, the elevator should open, right? Ah, this is what technology has done to me.So why do we use technological devices so much? It saves time and is convenient. With the Internet, we can receive and send information, communicate with friends and buy various items all instantly by the click of a mouse. In fact, our patience level has changed drastically all because of faster connections.While this technology does make it more convenient to receive information, sometimes I wonder if all this is too convenient. We take advantage of the speed so much that if the Internet is not working or the fax machine is not sending properly, our world seems to shut down temporarily. We simply find it difficult to function without access to our e-mail or updated news. In fact, technology can often make us lazy. I cannot possibly spend the time to mail a letter in the acclaimed snail mail. “Fax it. E-mail it.” the world cries. Society seems to revolve around time as it never did before.This speed of communication has caused us to be so impatient that we have grown apart from each other. Our society can practically thrive without physical contact. Many people have all the required devices already in their homes: a computer, Internet access, a phone and a fax machine. Does anyone else think it is scary that a person does not need to even leave his or her bedroom to have full contact with anyone in the world? I think it decreases our value of face-to-face human contact as a whole. Why visit someone who lives 40 minutes away when you can e-mail them or chat online? It saves time, yet nothing can replace having face-to-face conversation with someone.What about those who have limited access to the Internet or other technology?They seem to get lost. Sometimes, when I am too busy to check my e-mail or have no access, I miss out on important information and events that have already taken place without my knowledge. The common thought seems to be that if you have an e-mail address, you must check it every hour, right? Sadly, this idea is becoming truth.While technology is an essential part of our thriving society, it should be less emphasized as the only way to communicate efficiently. Instead, accuracy should be the priority. While the Internet and fax machines are faster, efficiency can have its drawbacks. They do not always promise accurate information in sending. For example, these devices might not be the best way to submit important documents, such as college applications. Also, with the Internet, valuable information, such as credit card information, can fall into the wrong hands without being detected.While completely abandoning these communication devices is not feasible, society needs to be more patient with the inefficiencies of human-made inventions and of course with human connections. 简答题 20分

23、撰写大纲：How to Raise a Moral RobotIn the future, humans will create more intelligent and more moral robots than those portrayed in the recent film Chappie. What the film touches on is perhaps the greatest challenge of raising moral robots. The toughest part is how to safely integrate robots into society. As is known, humans are the most powerful learning machines on Earth. If robots are to be part of human society, they have to become at least second best at learning. Is it possible for humans to produce moral robot learners?More and more scientists of artificial intelligence ( AI ) agree that true intelligence comes from learning, not just from programming. With a growing number of machine learning approach available, robots can take in new information. They turn that information into instructions and learn from feedback to adjust actions in the ever-changing environments.Robot learning, however, must have limits. If scientists succeed in building sophisticated robot that can learn, they will have to establish limits to how robots learn. If robots are allowed to lean anything they can and want, they may become brutal bullies. Therefore, programmers must set rule and laws that prohibit them from learning anything socially undesirable.One approach to that problem is democratic robot learning. Programmers write a small number of fundamental norms into the robot, and let it learn the remaining ones. These fundamental norms will include prevention of harm, especially to humans, but also politeness and respect. The norms will then be translated into behavior, for example, what it means to be polite in a particular context. They also define conditions under which one fundamental norm can replace another. It’s OK, for instance, to drop politeness when a robot tries to save someone from harm.Democratic robot learning would also guide a robot in dealing with contradictory teachers. Say one person tries to teach the robot to share, and another tries to teach it to steal. In that case, the robot should ask the whole community which teacher it should listen to. After all, the norms and morals of a community are typically held by the majority of members in that community.This approach would also prevent robots from learning something evil in human society. Humans a generally cooperative and kind towards those whom they consider part of their group, but they can become wicked and cruel towards those outside their group. If robots learn such hostile sentiments evil actions, they may very well become a threat to humanity. Take robots in some science-fiction fins for example. They get out of human control, turn their human masters into slaves, and even kill them. If those horrible scenes come into reality. it would be a disaster to mankind.Somehow, society will have to protect robots from continuing dark human heritage. If successful robots will be helpful to humanity as a whole--lending a hand in production, health care, education and elder care. That is what AI scientists should pursue, and those are the moral robot’s human society should raise. 简答题 20分

24、撰写大纲：When You Refuse to Be a VictimSometimes life can be downright nasty. People can wrong you, cheat you, betray you, and put you in a situation where you are victimized. If you fall a victim to an abuse or a rumor, you may feel hopeless and helpless, or even desperate. It's unfortunate, but it happens. Complaints in cases like these certainly lead you nowhere. Your own initiative does. It plays a decisive role if you want to take back control of your life.The easiest approach to the problem is asking whether you can remove yourself from the situation. For example, if you're betrayed in a relationship for whatever reason, can you put yourself out of harm’s way? On many occasions, we find ourselves helplessly victimized. It’s time to change that. You could go stay with a friend, family member, or get a hotel. Either way, refusing to leave the harmful situation is not healthy.If leaving is not the best choice, what can you do? More often than not, you cannot force a person to change, but you can greatly influence him. You can act as a catalyst. For example, if you live with a family member who has an abuse problem and tends to be really mean to you, what can you do? You can start changing the situation by setting boundaries. You can take your power back by letting that person know what is unacceptable. You cannot change others--it’s up to them, but you can influence their behavior by changing how you interact with them.When these approaches fail, accepting the situation and then changing your mindset should be applied where you have been victimized. This is definitely a hard thing to do, but you can do it. If a tragic wrong has been done, accept it, put it in the past and live in the present. It may take time, but the greatest gift you have is the present. Changing your mindset means you will no longer assume the role of a victim. You will reclaim your power and voice--they are yours and should have never been taken. Regardless of how you are victimized, you can change your life by changing your mindset, knowing that you have complete power over your thoughts, actions and reactions.You know what will happen when you decide to stop playing the victim and take your life back? A lifetime is full of possibilities. You will have your personal power back. Your creative spark will glow to help solve problems where most other people wouldn’t know what to do. By taking back your power and no longer playing the victim, you will have more freedom, as you no longer depend on others. You will become the master of your own life. You set the pace and decide what road to take. 简答题 20分

25、撰写大纲：Smart RavenA flock of ravens ravaging a dead body may technically be called an unkindness. People hate them, but ravens are not terrifying. Do they have sharp, curved beaks(鸟喙) that they use to tear dead animals to pieces? Yes. Are their calls close to a horrifying and mysterious laugh? Most definitely. But that doesn’t make them evil. Rather, they are masterminds, good at making awesome plans for the future.The latest findings of ravens come from two Swedish scientists who literally put ravens to test. Up until now, we know that ravens have some ability to plan ahead for their own food needs because they hide food to dig up later. Then again, squirrels store food in the ground for later and they’re, well, not the smartest. They forget about 75 percent of their nuts, accidentally planting millions of trees in the process. And if “stupid” squirrels can be biologically programmed to store food for later, maybe ravens aren't as smart as we thought. Except obviously they are.Ravens, as it turns out, will often choose to give up a tasty nut now in favor of getting a better treat later. Faced with a piece of food and a tool that they know can open a box containing more delicious food, they will generally choose the too-even if they don’t have the box yet. They’ve learned that when researchers present them with the box in 15’s minutes time, they can use that tool to unlock their prize. That’s great vision right there. Even small children choose to eat ice cream immediately rather than wait a few minutes for more.This shouldn’t come as such a shock. Ravens also steal from each other by watching competitors hide food, noting the location, and returning later to dig it up. And because they set stolen from, some ravens will actually pretend to hide food to mislead thieves. What's more, they can tell other ravens where to find a juicy, rotting animal body and team up to scare off their competitors. That ability-to communicate information about a distant location - is shared only by ants bees and humans. Besides deceiving one another to keep a food source a secret, they can also take advantage of other animals. For example, they would call wolves over to a dead body that hasn’t broken down enough yet so that the wolves can rip it apart, leaving more convenient scraps for the ravens to eat.If all that doesn’t make you love and embrace our raven lords, nothing will. These birds are geniuses in their own right so what if their look is a little weird? Their intelligence isn’t to be feared: it's to be revered. 简答题 20分

26、撰写大纲：Living Trash FreeThree years ago, I heard on the radio the tale of a British couple who lived trash-free. Walking home tom my laboratory, I told my roommate that I could also do that and I’d start soon. “No,” he said. “If you care about this, you start today.” Just like that, I began an experiment of a trash-free life in the face of large environmental problems.The average American produces about four pounds of trash per day, about 1,500 pounds per year. In my first year of living trash-free, I produced less than eight pounds of waste. In year two, I made it down to six pounds-about 0.4 percent of the American average. That was an accomplishment of my experiment.To get there, I needed to change the way I lived. I collected my waste, such as concert tickets, packaging and glass, and didn’t throw it away. I knew my experiment wouldn’t make much difference, but I felt I should do it. Since unnecessary consumption existed everywhere, I had to get creative. When a restaurant furnished a napkin-wrapped fork and knife, I asked the waiter to give me a set without the napkin. I carried a fork, a spoon, a plate and a bowl wherever I went, just in case the food was served only with plastic to eat with. Sometimes it was awkward.The hardest part was figuring out the best way to talk about what I was doing. It is important to speak to people in a language they understand from their background. Also, big issues such as trash and recycling are tied to other big issues such as economic growth and climate change. So, as I wrote about the experiment on reducing trash, I had to discuss economy, peace, poverty, and so on. It was much harder to explain all that than simply announcing myself as a vegetarian, for instance.Sometimes I failed, as some people didn’t see the need of my experiment. More often, though, people gave me their support. The experiment inspired others to do similar experiments on their own. A couple of friends in Ann Arbor are doing it for a year. Their efforts have paid off. Ann Arbor has become one of the most environmentally conscious cities in America. When I visit that city now, I can get nearly all of my food unpackaged. There are several great secondhand stores I can go to, if I really need something. I can get shoes and tools that don't come in paper or plastic boxes.Humans have caused terrible problems: The polar ice caps are melting, and the oceans are full of trash. My project did not reshape those trends. But my views on consumption an social change had an impact. My experiment of trash-free life allowed me to answer the question of how we stand up in the face of large environmental problems. I am convinced each individual can help to create examples and communities of change. 简答题 20分

27、撰写大纲：How to make friendsWhat are friends for? This isn’t a rhetorical question, but of essential concern for everybody. We might find friends extremely valuable in difficult situations. The truth is that friendship is always one of life’s most important features, and one too often taken for granted. As a matter of fact, making friends requires time and effort, sometimes involving strategy.The human desire for companionship may be boundless, but research suggests that our social capital is finite-we can handle only so many relationships at one time. Social scientists have used a number of ingenious approaches to gauge the size of people’s social networks; these have returned estimates ranging from about 250 to about 5,500 people, though a Stanford thesis focusing exclusively on Franklin D. Roosevelt, a friendly guy with an especially social job, suggested that he might have had as many as 22,500 acquaintances. Looking more specifically at friendship, a study using the exchange of Christmas cards as an indicator for closeness put the average person’s friend group at about 121 people.However vast our networks may be, our inner circle tends to be much smaller. The average American trusts only 10 to 20 people. Moreover, that number may be shrinking: From 1985 to 2004, the average number of bosom friends that people reported decreased from three to two. This is both sad and consequential, because people who have strong social relationships tend to live longer than those who don’t.So what should you do if your social life is lacking? Here, research findings can be instructive.Generally speaking, people tend to dismiss the humble acquaintance. However, building deeper friendship from acquaintance may be largely a matter of putting in time. A recent study found that it takes about 50 hours of socializing to go from an acquaintance to a casual friend an additional 40 hours to become a “real” friend, and a total of 200 hours to become a close friend.If that sounds like too much effort, reviving dormant social ties can be especially rewarding Reconnected friends can quickly recapture much of the trust they previously built, while offering each other a dash of novelty drawn from whatever they’ve been up to in the meantime.And if both fail, you could start randomly confiding in people you don’t know that well in hopes of letting the tail wag the relational dog. Sharing personal stories makes us more likable, and as a bonus, we are more inclined to like those to whom we have bared our soul.The academic literature is clear: Longing for closeness and connection is pervasive, which suggests that most of us are stumbling through the world yearning for companionship that could be easily provided by the lonesome people all around us. So set aside this article turn to someone nearby, and try to make a friend. 简答题 20分

28、撰写大纲：Knowledge About Different Cultures Is Shaking the Foundations of PsychologyPsychology was developed largely in North America and Europe. Some would argue it’s been remarkably successful in understanding what drives human behavior and mental processes, which have long been thought to be universal. But in recent decades, some researchers have started questioning this approach, arguing that many psychological phenomena are shaped by the culture we live in.Consider which two of these objects go together: a panda, a monkey and a banana. Respondents from Western countries routinely select the two animals. This indicates an analytic thinking style, in which objects are largely perceived independently from their context. In contrast, participants from Eastern countries often select the monkey banana, because they share a relationship ( monkeys eat bananas ). This is a holistic thinking style, in which object and context are perceived to be correlated.In a classic demonstration of cultural differences in thinking styles, participants from Japan and the USA were presented with a series of animated scenes. Lasting about 20 seconds each scene showed various creatures, vegetation and rocks in an underwater setting. In a obsequent recall task, both groups were equally likely to remember the larger fish. But the Japanese participants were better at recalling background information, such as the color of the water. This is because holistic thinking focuses on background and context just as much foreground.The way Westerners describe themselves seems to be culturally bound. They tend to view themselves as free, autonomous and unique individuals, possessing a set of fixed characteristics. This feature regarding self-knowledge has even been demonstrated at the brain level. In a brain-scanning study, American participants were shown different adjectives. They were asked how well these adjectives represented themselves and how well these adjectives represented their mother. The study showed there was a clear difference in brain responses between thinking about the self and the mother.However, in many other parts of the world, people describe themselves primarily as a part of different social relationships and strongly connected with others. This is more prevalent in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The brain-scanning study with Chinese participants showed little or no difference between the self and the mother, suggesting that the self-presentation shared a large overlap with the presentation of the close relative.Clearly, the way we define ourselves is linked to differences in social relationships motivation and upbringing. Culture has a massive effect on how we view ourselves and how we are perceived by others. The field, now known as “cross-cultural psychology” is increasingly being taught at universities across the world. With more research, we may well find that cultural differences pervade into even more areas where human behavior was previously thought of as universal. But only by knowing about these effects will we ever be able to identify the core foundations of the human mind that we all share. 简答题 20分