Dr. Wiseman started the “laugh lab” project in September 2001. It is the largest study of humor. Participants are invited to log on the laugh lab website, give a few personal details, tell their favorite jokes and judge the jokes told by other people.
Their project will last for a year, and the organizers hope to finally discover the world’s funniest joke. But there is also a serious purpose. The researchers want to know what people from different nations and cultures find funny. And they want to find out the differences between male’s and female’s sense of humor. The idea is that if we want to understand each other, we have to find out what makes us laugh.
This is a subject that has long interested psychologists (心理学家) and philosophers (哲学家). Most of the time, people are not completely honest. We do things that society expects us to and say things that help us get what we want. But laughing cannot be controlled. When we laugh, we tell the truth about ourselves.
By December 2001 over 10,000 jokes had been submitted (公认的). This gave the scientists enough evidence to make early conclusions. It seems that men and women do have different senses of humor, for example.
“Our findings show the major differences in the ways in which males and females use humor,” said Dr Wiseman. “Males use humor to appear superior (高傲的,有优越感的) to others, while women are more skilled in languages and prefer word play.”
Researchers also found that there really is such a thing as a national sense of humor. The British enjoy what is usually called “toilet humor”. But the French like their jokes short and sharp, “You’re a high priced lawyer. Will you answer two questions for $ 500?” “Yes. What’s the second question?”
The Germans are famous for not having a sense of humor. But the survey found that German participants were more likely to find submitted jokes funny than any other nationality. Perhaps that proves the point. Is this joke funny? I don’t know, but let’s say yes, just to be safe.
Dr Wiseman and his workmates also submitted jokes created by computer. But none of those who took part in the survey found any of them amusing. Perhaps this is relief (安慰). Computers already seem like they can do everything. But at least they should leave the funny things to us.
【小题1】The scientist started the “laugh lab” project ________.
A.to find the funniest joke in European countries |
B.to know what funny people are from different nations and cultures |
C.to find out the differences between the male’s and female’s sense of humor |
D.to get more personal details about participants |
A.to show that the French people have a better sense of humor |
B.to prove the British people have a sense of “toilet humor” |
C.to show people from different nations have different senses of humor |
D.to prove that the Germans have no sense of humor |
A.The jokes by computer are less funny than those by humans. |
B.The Germans cannot find the submitted jokes amusing. |
C.Males are better at word play compared with women. |
D.Females like to use humor to show that they are superior. |
【小题1】C
【小题2】C
【小题3】A
解析试题分析:文章介绍了由Dr. Wiseman进行的一次有关幽默感的调查,调查者想了解世界上最幽默的笑话,了解来自于不同国家不同文化的人的幽默感,以及男士与女士之间幽默感的不同。同时通过对参与者的统计得出了一定的结论。
【小题1】C细节理解题。Their project will last for a year, and the organizers hope to finally discover the world’s funniest joke.句意为:这项工程要持续一年,组织者希望找到世界上最有趣的笑话,由此可知A选项是错误的;The researchers want to know what people from different nations and cultures find funny.句意为:研究者想知道来自于不同国家不同文化的人都有什么样的乐趣,由此可知B选项是错误的;研究者的目的是搜集世界上最有趣的笑话,调查不同的人有什么不同的幽默感以及男女之间幽默感的不同,并非想得到参与者的更多的个人信息故D选项是错误的。因此答案为C。
【小题2】C细节理解题。Researchers also found that there really is such a thing as a national sense of humor. 句意为:调查者也想知道诸如民族幽默感这样的事情。下文通过举例说明英国,法国,德国不同的国家幽默的方式是不同的。故答案应为C。
【小题3】A细节理解题。Dr Wiseman and his workmates also submitted jokes created by computer. But none of those who took part in the survey found any of them amusing.句意为:Dr Wiseman和他的同事也搜集了由电脑创作的笑话,但是参与研究的人中,没有人发现这些笑话很有乐趣,由此可知答案A是正确的,意思是由电脑创作的笑话没有人创造的笑话有乐趣;But the survey found that German participants were more likely to find submitted jokes funny than any other nationality.句意为:调查发现,德国参与者似乎比其它任何国家都有幽默感故B是错误的;“Males use humor to appear superior (高傲的,有优越感的) to others, while women are more skilled in languages and prefer word play.” 句意为:男性用幽默去显示出他的优越感,而女性在语言方面更娴熟,更喜欢语言游戏,由知可知C D是错误的.
考点:社会现现象类文章的阅读理解。
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Long working hours,the fewest holidays and the high cost of living mean the big salaries on offer(可使用的)in the UK do not go as far as those earned in other countries,making Britain and Ireland the worst places to live in Europe.
France and Spain are the two countries topping the European Quality of Life Index(指数)out today,according to the place comparison website Switch.com.
The French enjoy longer lives,better healthcare,more holidays and cheaper prices.In contrast Britons work three years longer and die two years younger after paying above the European average for fuel,food,alcohol and cigarettes.The amount we spend on healthcare and education is below the European average.
Only Ireland and Poland spend less,but Ireland has more doctors and hospital beds and Poland has more beds than the UK.People in Germany,Spain,France,Italy,the Netherlands and Sweden all enjoy longer life expectancy than Britons.And while we may be giving up work earlier,the average age at which we retire is still the fourth highest in Europe——and the UK state retirement age is set to rise.
Ann Robinson,of Switch.com,said:“There’s more to good living than money and this report shows why so many Britons are giving up on (对……不再抱希望)the UK and heading to France and Spain.We earn substantially more than our European neighbors,but this level of income is needed just to keep a roof over our heads,food on the table and our homes warm” . “It’s giving us a decent standard of living,but it’s not helping us achieve the quality of life that people in other countries enjoy.For too long the focus in the UK had been on standard of living rather than quality of life.”
【小题1】In Europe,to enjoy the best quality of life,you’d better live in _______.
A.Britian and Ireland | B.Spain and France |
C.Ireland and Poland | D.Britian and Italy |
A.People in the UK pay more than the European average for fuel,food,alcohol and cigarettes. |
B.People in the UK enjoy the highest quality of life. |
C.People in the UK spend most on the healthcare and education. |
D.People in the UK die two years older than in France. |
A.good enough | B.bad enough | C.ordinary | D.neither bad nor good |
A.Money is a must to make you live a good life. |
B.High standard of living means good quality of life. |
C.High standard of living is one thing and good quality of life is another. |
D.To live a good life,go to Britian. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
You may have seen a lot of frogs, but if you haven't, you must have heard about frogs. However, have you heard about a frog that can kill a person?
These small brightly colored amphibians (两栖动物) live in the tropical rain forests of Central and South America. They are best known for their ability to kill persons even though they are no more than 2 inches long. If we touch their poisonous skin without proper protection (such as gloves), we may die! For animals of this size that can be so deadly, they are certainly one of the world's most poisonous animals! Who are they? They are poison arrow frogs or, simply, poison frogs.
Poison frogs acquired their name from the Indians. The Indians catch and kill many of these frogs before hanging them upside down over a campfire. As the frogs get hot, the poison drips out of their skin. The Indians collect the poisonous liquid in a bottle and dip(蘸) the tips of their arrows into the bottle. Once the tips are dried, they are ready to be used for their arrows for hunting.
There are about 170 different types of poison arrow frogs in the world. Though most species have bright markings, either in stripes or patches, on their black bodies, some just wear noticeable single-colored coats. Their shocking skin colors-usually in yellow, red, green, blue or orange-serve as a warning sign to other animals. The sign simply says,” Stay away or pay with your life!” They certainly do not bluff.
【小题1】We can infer that the Indians may kill poison frogs in order to______.
A.treat diseases | B.avoid being bitten |
C.hunt animals | D.eat their meat |
A.Poison frogs don't want to kill others. |
B.Poison frogs do not just scare others. |
C.Poison frogs want to stop others from coming near. |
D.Poison frogs just pretend to be dangerous animals. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
The way we do things round here
Some years ago, I was hired by an American bank. I received a letter from the head of the Personnel Department that started, "Dear John, I am quite pleased that you have decided to join us." That "quite" saddened me. I thought he was saying "we're kind of pleased you decided to join us although I wish we had hired someone else." Then I discovered that in American English "quite" sometimes means "very", while in British English it means "fairly".
So the first lesson about working in other countries is to learn the language and by that I don't just mean the words people speak. It is body language, dress, manners, ideas and so on. The way people do things highlights many of the differences we see between cultures(文化).
Some of these differences may be only on the surface-dress, food and hours of work-while others may be deeper and take longer to deal with. Mostly, it is just a question of getting used to the differences and accepting them, like the climate(气候),while getting on with business.
Some of the differences may be an improvement. People are more polite; the service is better; you ask for something to be done and it happens without having to ask again. However, other differences can be troubling, like punctuality(准时).If you invite people to a party at 7 o'clock your guests will consider it polite to turn up exactly on time in Germany, five minutes early in the
American Midwest, an hour early in Japan, 15 minutes afterwards in the UK, up to an hour afterwards in Italy and some time in the evening in Greece. I prefer not to use the word "late" because there is nothing wrong with the times people arrive. It is simply the accepted thing to do in their own country.
【小题1】The author was unhappy as mentioned in paragraph 1 because he thought_____.
A.the American bank didn’t think much of him |
B.the American bank might hire another person |
C.it’s difficult to get used to American culture. |
D.it’s easy to misunderstanding Americans |
A.encourage | B.helps to marrow |
C.increase | D.draws attention to |
A.Ask the native people for help. | B.Understand and accept them. |
C.Do things in our own way. | D.Do in-depth research. |
A.Italians | B.Germans | C.Greeks | D.the British |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Below is a discussion on a website.
http://www.TalkingPoints.com/ | |
Stuck on a desert island? | |
Started on 23rd April by Steve Posts 1 – 7 of 42 | |
Post 1 Steve USA | Hi, everyone. What would you miss most and least if you were stuck on a desert island? For me, it would be the changing seasons in New England. I guess this will sound stupid but I’d probably miss the rain, too. I wouldn’t miss getting up at six every day to go to work, though! What about you? |
Post 2 Tomas Germany | Good question. Steve, I think I’d miss different types of bread, and shopping at the supermarket. I’d miss the food most. What would I miss least? My mobile phone---I’d like to be completely quiet --- at least for a little while |
Post 3 Paola Italy | I would miss the company of people because I know I’d like to have someone to share experiences with. I’d go mad on my own. And I sure wouldn’t miss junk mail(垃圾邮件) --- I hate coming home every evening and a pile of junk mail in my post box. |
Post 4 Miko Japan | Hi, I would miss Manga cartoon, the Internet and Japanese food, like sushi. I’d also miss TV shows and shopping for clothes… |
Post 5 Roger UK | I would miss my daily newspaper and listening to the news on TV and radio. I’d feel very cut off if I didn’t know what was happening in the world. What I’d miss least would be traffic jams in the city, particularly my journey to work. |
Past 6 Jayne | Why hasn’t anyone mentioned their family? I’d be lost without my husband and two kids. They’re the most important for me. And I can’t get started in the morning without a cup of black coffee. I wouldn’t miss doing the housework! |
Post 7 Jaime Mexico | It would have to be music. I couldn’t live without my music. I wouldn’t miss going to school at all or doing homework! |
A.Jaime | B.Jayne | C.Miko | D.Paola. |
A.Steve. | B.Jaime | C.Roger. | D.Tomas |
A.One | B.Two | C.Three | D.Four |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
“When I grow up, I want to be...”
Almost all of us have thought about, or been asked to think about, our future careers. Our answers may differ greatly. Even now your aspirations may have changed from when you were in primary school.
However, it seems career options aren’t only based on personal taste. In a survey carried out by Teens, doctors, lawyers, and bankers were some of most popular careers that people said they hoped to follow. This is in line with a similar survey carried out in the UK in May 2011 by job website monster. Co.uk, in which medicine was the top choice among UK teenagers aged between 13 and 17.
Medicine and law are two of the oldest and best known professions. Their prestige (威望) may come from the fact that doctors and lawyers are some of the most esteemed members of society, and they make good money. Joining these high-profile professions is often seen as a sign of upward social mobility.
It is equally unsurprising that banking is now one of the most common career choices. Youngsters worldwide think of banking and see the money rolling in. Wealth is increasingly becoming one of the most important indicators of a successful career. British young men list the UK tycoon Alan Sugar, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg as their top role models “for their wealth”. Just as Chinese teenagers see being a banker as a good and fun pathway to “wealth”.
However, not every child has the makings of doctor, lawyer, or banker. They are those who see fulfillment and happiness in other areas, and many teenagers dare to ink more individuality into their career options. As the Teens’ survey discovered, a variety of unconventional jobs---coffee shop owner, gourmet(美食家),waiter at a fast food restaurant---are among teenagers’ career choices. They can be equally interesting and rewarding jobs.
With every choice comes responsibility and challenge, and all career paths require specific education and training, you have to learn to balance optimism and confidence with being realistic about your particular talents and skills.
【小题1】What is the passage mainly about?
A.Careers in teenagers’ mind. |
B.Choosing a good job is very important. |
C.Teenagers in the UK like doctors. |
D.The choice of career needs challenge. |
A.Medicine | B.Law | C.Bank | D.Education |
A.respect from others | B.the oldest profession |
C.high pay | D.upward social mobility. |
A.Prestige | B.Fulfillment | C.Happiness | D.Wealth |
A.According to your particular talents and skills, you can choose your favorite career. |
B.Specific education and training can help get a good job. |
C.Whatever career you choose, you should balance optimism and confidence with being realistic about your particular talents and skills. |
D.Responsibility is the most important when you choose a good job. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
TOKYO, Japan (AP) – Japan is very serious about robotics (机器人技术). If the droids are going to fit in, they probably need to learn the Japanese custom of serving tea. Fortunately, researchers at the University of Tokyo are exploring just that. In a show this week, a humanoid(有人类特点的)with camera eyes made by Kawada Industries Inc. poured tea from a bottle into a cup. Then another robot on wheels delivered the cup of tea in an experimental room that has sensors embedded in the floor and sofa as well as cameras on the ceiling, to simulate(模仿)life with robot technology.
“A human being may be faster, but you’d have to say ‘Thank you,’” said University of Tokyo professor Tomomasa Sato. “That’s the best part about a robot. You don’t have to feel bad about asking it to do things.”
Sato believes Japan, a rapidly aging society where more than a fifth of the population is 65 or older, will lead the world in designing robots to care for the elderly, sick and bedridden(卧床不起的).
Already, monitoring technologies, such as sensors that automatically turn on lights when people enter a room, are becoming widespread in Japan.
The walking, child–size Asimo from Honda Motor Co. greets people at showrooms. NEC Corp. has developed a smaller companion robot–on–wheels called Papero. A seal robot available since 2004 can entertain the elderly and others in need of fuzzy companionship.
Sato says his experimental room is raising awareness about privacy questions that may arise when electronic devices(设备)monitor a person’s movements down to the smallest detail.
On the bright side, the tea – pouring humanoid has been programmed to do the dishes.
【小题1】What is the best title of this passage?
A.“Thank You” Will Never Be Needed in Japan |
B.Monitoring Technologies Are Widespread in Japan |
C.Robot Is Designed to Care for the Elderly. |
D.Robot Technologies Are Widespread in Japanese Daily Life. |
A.fixed | B.established |
C.settled | D.rooted |
A.the robot serves tea much faster than a human being |
B.the robot does anything like human beings |
C.tea – serving robot helps to form laziness of the aging society |
D.tea – serving robot doesn’t need any reward for the service |
A.A robot can imitate people to complete complicated tasks. |
B.A robot has been programmed to clean the dishes. |
C.All the problems in the aging society can be solved by robots. |
D.The number of aging people is increasing rapidly in Japan. |
A.people are afraid of being monitored by robots. |
B.the technology of robots has been highlighted in Japan. |
C.robots can completely take the place of human beings. |
D.people’s privacy should be strictly protected |
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