Decisions, decisions! Our lives are full of them, from the small ones to the life-changing. The right to choose is central to everyone. Yet sometimes we make bad decisions that leave us unhappy or full of regret. Can science help?
Most of us know little about the mental processes that lie behind our decisions. Luckily, what psychologists（心理学家）are finding may help us all make better choices. Here are some of their amazing discoveries to help you make up your mind.
Consider your emotions. You might think that emotions are the enemy of decision making, but in fact they're a part of it. Whenever you make up your mind, your brain’s emotional center is active. University of Southern California scientist, Antonio Damasio, has studied people with damage to only the emotional parts of their brains, and found that they were unable to make basic choices about what to wear or eat. Damasio thinks this may be because our brains store emotional memories of past choices, which we use to help the present decision making.
However, making choices under the influence of an emotion can greatly affect the result. Take anger, for example. A study by Nitika Garg of the University of Mississippi and other scientists found the angry shoppers were more likely to choose the first thing they were offered rather than considering other choices. It seems anger can lead us to make quick decisions without much thinking.
All emotions affect our thinking and motivation（动机）, so it may be best to avoid making important decisions under their influence. Yet strangely there’s one emotion that seems to help us make good choices. The American researchers found that sad people took time to consider the various choices on offer, and ended up making the best choices. In fact many studies show that people who feel unhappy have the most reasonable view of the world.
【小题1】According to the text, what may help us make better decisions?

A father in Wuhan, nicknamed "Eagle Dad" for his controversial parenting style, has dismissed critics' claims that he pushes his 4-year-old son too hard.

Police officer Wang Shaoyan came under the spotlight this month after his child took part in an 18-kilometer race in the Hubei provincial capital.

Some parents attacked his methods of extreme physical training, while others reacted strongly to his admission that he regularly exposes the youngster to cold showers. "I just want my son to reach his full potential," Wang said, adding that 4-year-old son not only runs 3 km every day he also takes cold showers from time to time to strengthen his body's resistance and willpower.

"He has never taken any sick leave from kindergarten," he said proudly. However, some parents find his methods too extreme.

"I'm not sure a 4-year-old is prepared for such intense training," said Zhang Ruxia  a woman who gave birth to two boys in October in Tianjin. "You can have good intentions to train your child at an early age but you also have to consider whether he can take it." Wang responded by saying children are too young to make decisions, and it is up to parents to lead them on the right path.

"I read many materials before and the whole process is step-by-step without pushing or imposing on my son," Wang said. The father said he was not acting rashly but following a scientific way of education. He said the doubts about his methods reflect the declining standards of modern education.

"Many people in Japan give their children cold showers too ,and no one is fussing about it，" he said. The traditional way of education applied by most of his peers might not necessarily help bring the best out of a child he said.

Wang said in addition to the physical training, he has also laid out a detailed and particular program to strengthen the intelligence of the child. "I have hired some university students to expand his knowledge in natural sciences, while playing the video for English-language teaching as well," he said.

1.For what reason was Wang made known to the public?

A. He employed some college students to teach his son.

B. He made his kid take a long distance race.

C. He exposed his 4-year-old to cold showers.

D. He forced his youngster to run 3 km every day.

2.Which statement is supported by the parents who hold the opposite opinion?

A. Extreme physical training can explore children's full potentials.

B. Taking cold showers regularly is beneficial for children's development.

C. It's up to parents to lead children on the right path.

D. The way to educate children should agree with their age.

3.What does the phrase "fussing about” probably mean in the 8th paragraph?

A. Minding about.      B. Paying attention to.

C. Laughing at.  D. Talking about.

4.In Eagle Dad’s opinion, his extreme parenting was questioned because____.

A. he didn’t take it step by step in a scientific way

B. the highly tense work-out was misunderstood

C. modern education is not challenging enough

D. some parents were jealous of his success

“In only six days I lost seven pounds of weight.”
“Two full inches in the first three days！”
These are the kinds of statements used in magazine，newspaper，radio and television ads，promising new shapes and new looks to those who buy the medicine or the device. The promoters of products say they can shape the legs，slim the face，smooth wrinkles，or in some other way to add to beauty or desirability.
Often such products are nothing more than money­making things for their promoters. The results they produce are questionable，and some are dangerous to health.
To understand how these products can be legally promoted to the public，it is necessary to understand something of the laws covering their regulation. If the product is a drug，FDA(Food and Drug Administration)can require proof under the Food，Drug，and Cosmetic Act that is safe and effective before it is put on the market. But if the product is a device，FDA has no authority to require premarketing proof of safety or effectiveness. If a product already on the market is a danger to health，FDA can request the producer or distributor to remove it from the market voluntarily， or it can take legal action，including seizure(查封)of the product.
One notable case a few years ago involved an electrical device called the Relaxacisor，which had been sold for reducing the waistline (腰围). The Relaxacisor produced electrical shocks to the body through contact pads. FDA took legal action against the distributor to stop the sale of the device on the grounds that it was dangerous to health and life.
Obviously，most of the devices on the market have never been the subject of court proceedings(法律诉讼)，and new devices appear continually. Before buying，it is up to the consumer to judge the safety or effectiveness of such items.
【小题1】It can be inferred that the ads mentioned in the text are________.

Aggressive pedestrians are in fact as dangerous as careless drivers. They cause traffic accidents, injury and death.
These dangerous walkers can be seen in any big city all over the world. About 69% of last year’s pedestrian deaths in the US occurred in urban areas. They cross streets ignoring “DON’T WALK” signals, suddenly appear without warning from behind parked vehicles, walk slowly at crossroads with cell phones attached to heads, blocking traffic.
These pedestrians and drivers share a common disregard for the rules of the road, both for selfish reasons. The drivers believe in the power of their machines. If their machines can go faster, they believe they have the right to go faster. If their machines are bigger, they believe they have the right to push smaller vehicles aside. Aggressive pedestrians, on the other hand, believe in the primacy(首位) of the individual, the idea that they are first in any environment, under any circumstances, even when they are on foot in a roaring tide of steel and rubber.
Last year, an estimated 5,220 pedestrians died in traffic accidents. Some 69,000 pedestrians were injured. On average, that worked out to one pedestrian killed in a traffic crash every 101 minutes, and one injured every eight minutes.
The good news is that the accident rate is dropping. For example, the number of pedestrians killed last year was 24 percent less than the number killed in traffic accidents a decade earlier. The bad news is that the basic causes of pedestrian deaths remain pretty much the same----disregard for traffic signals, inattention and crossing roads under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Alcohol, in fact, was involved in 46 percent of the traffic accidents that resulted in pedestrian deaths. Of those, 31 percent of the pedestrians were found to be drunk.
The bottom line is that the pedestrians must do more to protect their lives as well as the lives of other road users. They can start by obeying traffic signals, using marked cross-walks and calling a cab when they’ve had too much to drink.
【小题1】The passage is mainly about _____.

William Henry Bragg was born at Westward，Cumberland，on July 2,1862.He was educated at Market Harboroagh Grammar School and afterwards at King William’s College，Isle of Man.Elected as a minor scholar of Trinity College，Cambridge，in 1881，he studied mathematics under the well?known teacher，Dr E．J.Routh.He studied physics in the Cavendish Laboratory during a part of 1885，and at the end of that year he was elected to the Professorship of Mathematics and Physics in the University of Adelaide，South Australia.

His research interests dealt with a great many fields and he was skilled at picking up a subject，almost casually，making an important contribution，and then dropping it again.However，the work of Bragg and his son Lawrence in 1913～1914 founded a new branch of science of the greatest importance and significance，the analysis of the crystal structure by means of X?rays.It is true that the use of X?rays as an instrument for the systematic revelation of the way in which crystals are built was entirely due to the Braggs.This was recognized by the award of the Nobel Prize jointly to father and son in 1915.

He was an honorary Doctor of some sixteen universities，and a member of the leading foreign societies.Many other medals and awards were bestowed upon him among which may be mentioned the Rumford Medal in 1916 and the Copley Medal (its premier award) in 1930.

He was the author of many books，including Studies in Radioactivity，X?Rays and Crystal Structure，The World of Sound，Concerning the Nature of Things，Old Trades and New Knowledge，An Introduction to Crystal Analysis，and The Universe of Light.His favorite hobby was golf.After a life of astonishing productiveness，Sir William Bragg died on March 10,1942.

1.William Henry Bragg was awarded the Nobel Prize because________.

A．he succeeded in using X?rays to find out the crystal structure

B．he was the first to use X?rays to help to do his experiment

C．he determined to learn everything well and then gave them up

D．he was successful in his research work with the help of his son

2.According to this passage，William Henry Bragg was interested in all the subjects EXCEPT________.

A．mathematics? B．physics

C．medicine? D．sports

3.Which one of the following is TRUE according to this passage?

A．Bragg became a professor in the University of Adelaide in 1885.

B．Bragg won the Rumford Medal and the Copley Medal in the same year.

C．Bragg gained great achievements in many fields，including society.

D．Bragg and Lawrence wrote the book X?Rays and Crystal Structure.

4.Which of the following is the best title for this passage?

A．William Henry Bragg’s Productive Life

B．William Henry Bragg：A Famous Author

C．Bragg and His Son—Two Great Scientists

D．X?rays and the Crystal Structure