contentious (有争议的) idea: Altruism has evolved as the result of group selection. But Wilson argues his corner masterfully, providing a clever reply to the belief that natural selection occurs only at the level of the selfish gene: “Selfishness beats altruism within groups. Altruistic groups beat selfish groups,” he says.
In other words, we cooperate when doing so gives our team the advantage. That doesn’t sound very selfless either.
Wilson acknowledges this, but argues that thoughts and feelings are less important than actions. According to evolutionary theory, pure altruists do exist, but it doesn’t matter why people choose to help others—their reasons may be difficult even for themselves to understand. What matters is that humans can coordinate their activities in just the right way to achieve common goals. Other animals do this too, but we are masters. “Teamwork is the signature adaptation of our species,” he says.
Pfaff goes further, insisting that our brain biology “urges us to be kind”. He believes this
knowledge alone will inspire individuals to be more altruistic. His desire to create a better world is admirable and some of his ideas are interesting, but Wilson’s analysis is clearer.
While it is in our nature to be altruistic, Wilson says, we also have a healthy regard for self-interest and a resistance to being pushed around. Which one comes to the fore depends on the environment in which we find ourselves. Ethics, he says, cannot be taught at individual level, but are “a property of the whole system”.
25. Which of the following can be considered an altruistic behavior according to Comte’s definition?
A. A person offers to donate his liver to another who needs one.
B. A clerk returns the umbrella to his colleague which he has kept for a long time. C. A student volunteers to work in the orphanage to collect data for his research.
D. A police officer spots a car parking in the no-parking area, finding a child in the trunk.
26. The word “naysayers” (in paragraph 3) most probably means _____. A. people who doubts something
B. people who take a positive attitude C. people who have no say in an area
D. people who are experts in an area
27. What does Donald Pfaff think people should do in order to act altruistically? A. Draw a picture of the person they are going to help. B. Imagine they themselves are to be helped
C. Visualize what they are going to do in mind first. D Transform the receiver into a kind person. 28. What can be concluded from the passage?
A. Both Donald Pfaff and David Sloan lay emphasis on team work.
B. Unlike Donald Pfaff’s book, David Sloan’s book aims at professional readers. C. Comte’s definition of altruism proves to be impractical in modern times. D. Figuring out what makes us behave selflessly is a tricky business.
C
The Chinese names of some well-known brands might sound silly in English, but they're key to helping foreign companies earn billions in China, where a name is thought to make or break your luck. For companies, coming up with a name that fits the firm is difficult enough. But it's even more Challenging in Chinese, which has many dialects and scores of homophones that can lead to unintended double entendres. For example, in Chinese, the word for \word for \
\Marketing Group. Best Buy (BBY), for example, didn't have a very attractive Chinese name, using a near-direct translation from English, Lawton said. While it's hard to tell just how much the name had to do with its business prospects, the electronics retailer never became popular in China, and changed its name in 2011.
Some brands have found success with names that not only sound like their English names, but also have significant meanings in Chinese: Coca-Cola (KO) came up with a clever one, \which means \name sounds like the Chinese word for \
While that kind of significance might be lost to a foreigner's ears, it's something that sticks with Chinese consumers, who are more inclined to remember the Chinese name over the English one, said Vladimir Djurovic, CEO of Labbrand, a company that helps foreign firms choose Chinese
names.
Banks, for instance, seeking to attract the rich, should consider names that give off the impression of wealth. Goldman Sachs' name in Chinese is \HSBC went with \French grocery chain, Carrefour, will want to appear more consumer-friendly. Its Chinese name, 'jia le fu\
29. What makes foreign companies' choosing Chinese names difficult?
A. There are billions of people in China. C. It's really difficult to speak Chinese.
B. Chinese is a hard language to master. D. Chinese is based on an ancient culture.
30. Best Buy changed its Chinese name in 2011, because
A. it wasn't very meaningful C. it wasn't translated accurately
B. Labbrand made a change to it D. it failed to attract customers
31. Who would be interested in the text?
A. The persons whose company will build a branch in China.
B. The persons who want to sell different drinks in China. C. The persons who want to learn the true original English. D. The persons who want to learn Chinese culture.
D
In the past, loading up the entire family for a road trip for a vacation was a much expected annual activity. With the high prices of gas, many people are going against the trend of taking a normal vacation, but prefer a \close to home and don't require extensive travel.
High gas prices may prove a cause for staycations. Many families are discovering attractions and events close to home and becoming tourists in their own home cities. Some popular staycation activities include visits to local theme parks or water parks, local festivals or museums. Many families simulate camping trips by setting up tents in their own backyards. Staycations saw a rise in popularity shortly after the economic collapse of 2007, when families started tightening the belt and cutting luxuries out of the family budget. Traveling close to home has become popular amongst families looking to cut costs without cutting the fun. Staycations prove an affordable solution to costly road travel. A family of four can save thousands of dollars in travel expenses.
Families must take care to treat their staycation just as a traditional away- from-home vacation. Many people who stay close to home on vacation find themselves checking email, returning phone calls, going to the office and being involved in household chores during their staycations. Setting clear boundaries and making a schedule ahead of time can reduce the temptation to fall into work while on staycation.
With the increase in popularity of the staycation, many businessmen see these cash-strapped travelers as a goldmine. Some resorts, theme parks and amusement activities have started charging higher prices to earn profits from the families enjoying their staycations close to home. To avoid being overcharged, staycationers should create and stick to a budget, just as they would on a traditional vacation.
32. What is the main reason for the rise of staycations?
A. The heavy road traffic.
B. The high prices of petrol. D. People's highly pressured job.
C. People's changing lifestyle.
33. What's the author's suggestion for staycationers?
A. Keeping away from work.
B. Staying closer to their homes. D. Observing a strict schedule every day.
C. Having as much fun as possible.
34. The purpose of the last paragraph is to
A. explain the popularify of staycations B. show the economic benefits of staycations C. suggest staycationers choose proper activities D. advise staycationers to avoid being overcharged 35. What is the text mainly about?'
A. What are staycations?
B. The rise of staycations.
D. The influence of economic collapse.
C. Different ways of travelling.
第二节 （共5小题，每小题2分，满分10分）
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项，选项中有两项为多余选项。
The benefits of raising a child in a home with a dog are numerous, which will last for the child's lifetime. 36 Dogs help in various stages of child development and with various skills. Children born into a house with pets such as dogs often have an excellent immune system.
