Question

We often find that weekends and holidays feel so short while classes and work feel so long. Actually, though, we know that this is not true. But we still wonder where that strange feeling comes from.

In fact, this is one of the ways that we’re tricked by time, according to the website All That Is Interesting. The website lists several wrong impressions we often have about time. Let’s have a look.

First of all, emotions affect our time-keeping abilities. Negative emotions, especially anxiety and boredom, make time seem longer because they make us concentrate more on the passage of time. However, when we are enjoying ourselves, we pay more attention to what we are doing and are likely to lose track of (失去對……的意識) time.

Here is another example. In 2007, a group of scientists carried out a test. In the test, people fell 50 meters into a safety net and were then asked about their experience. Although the experience took shorter than 3 seconds, the people thought it was much longer than it actually was.

This is because of the way our bodies reply to danger, according to the scientists. Our bodies produce a chemical called adrenaline ( 腎 上 腺 素 ) when we are faced with danger. It allows us to concentrate better so that we can stay alive. As a result, we are able to remember far more details ( 細(xì) 節(jié) )over a short period of time, which makes it seem like time is going more slowly.

Another situation when we make mistakes about time is when we take afternoon naps (午覺). Have you ever had trouble telling what time it is after a long nap? That’s because the best amount of time for a nap is 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, you enter a new stage of sleep called slow-wave sleep. If you wake up mid-way in this stage, it will take a while before you can correctly perceive (感知) time again.

Yes, time can be mysterious and there is no way to control it. So, perhaps the best thing to do is to make good use of every minute.

1. According to the passage, what possibly makes people feel so long ?

A. weekends and holidays B. weekends and work

C. classes and work D. holidays and work

2. Which is NOT the wrong impressions that we often have about time according to the the website listing?

A. negative emotions B. positive emotions

C. adrenaline D. scientists

3.According to the passage, in which situation do we make mistakes about time?

A. We have many problems left in the test paper, but the time is up.

B. We have a math test when we fall down from a high place.

C. We may have trouble telling what time it is after a long nap.

D. We go to school on the school bus as usual on weekdays .

4.According to the passage , what will NOT happen when we are faced with danger ?

A. Our bodies will produce a chemical called adrenaline.

B. We are able to feel that time seems to go more slowly.

C. Adrenaline will make us concentrate better to stay alive.

D. We will forget far more details over a short period of time.

5.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage ?

A. Negative emotions, especially anxiety and boredom, make time seem longer because they make us concentrate more on the passage of time.

B. When we are enjoying ourselves, we pay more attention to what we are doing and we are able to feel like time is going more slowly.

C. If we wake up mid-way after a long nap, it will take a while before we can correctly perceive time again.

D. Time can be mysterious and there is no way to control it.So, perhaps the best thing to do is to make good use of every minute.

Answer 1