Why do people cross their fingers when facing difficulties-eve non-religious people? Why do we blame the black cat when we saw the low score of the test?

These habits have been referred to as magical thinking and can be found everywhere in daily life. For example, a person wishes something bad for an annoying colleague. Or parents pray for a safe fight when seeing their son off.

 

Psychologically helpful

In examining these habits, scientists decided to search for a reason for humans’ belief in magical powers. Psychologists have their own approach to the question.

“I think in part it’s because we are constantly exposed to our own thoughts, and thus likely to overestimate their connection to outside events. ”said Emily Pronin, a psychologist in the US.

For people who are uncertain of their own abilities or slow to take action, magical thinking can be a great help, explained Dr. Daniel Wegner, a professor psychology at Harvard. Feeling that their own thoughts can control things can help people fight depression.

 

A trait（特點）gained through evolution

But evolutionists have their own ideas.

Two schools of evolutionary thought have come up with reasons by analyzing the development of humans. They are the “adaptationists（適應(yīng)論者）”and the “byproduct theorists（副產(chǎn)品論者）”.

The adaptationists say that belief in magical powers makes people feel better, less worried about difficulties, more focused on the future, and more willing to care for themselves. People with a strong faith (in something) have a better chance of surviving a tough environment or competition.

But in byproduct theory，magical thinking is a product of our psychological features.

“We automatically look for an explanation of why things happen,”explains Justin Barrett, a psychologist, The brain, therefore, has evolved to make quick judgments about causation（因果關(guān)系）. So we often link two events based on nothing more than coincidence. For example, “I was just thinking about looking up my old high school girlfriend when she suddenly called me. ”

Another psychological feature is the theory of mind. We recognize that there could be an unseen power of mind affecting the outcome of an incident.

Byproduct theorists claim that because of these features, we are born with a tendency to believe in our magical thinking.

But we need to confine our magical thinking, warn psychologists.

For most people, beliefs are just some sort of comforting private ritual. When something important is at stake, such as a test or a performance or a relationship, people don’t simply perform their private rituals. They have to prepare.

 

72. In the Paragraph 1, “Gross their fingers” means       .

A. a sign of anxiety and fear

B. a sign of hoping for good luck

C. a sign of cursing bad luck

D. a sign of deep thought

73. Which of the following is true according to the next?

A. Justin Barrett, an evolutionist, denies magical thinking is a product of adaptation.

B. People with a weak faith have a better chance of surviving competition.

C. The adaptationists think we are born with a tendency to believe in our magic thinking.

D. Dr. Daniel Wegner believe magic thinking can be a great help.

74. In which part of the newspaper can you find this passage most possibly?

A. Culture.      B. Recreation    C. History     D. News

75. The author writes the passage mainly to            .

A. persuade people to think twice faced with difficulties

B. introduce some information about opinions of evolutionists

C. explain why humans have a need for faith from different respects

D. convince people that magic thinking has advantages and disadvantages

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科目：高中英語 來源：2010-2011學年江蘇省高三第一次模擬考試英語試題 題型：閱讀理解

Tui Na and Your Emotional Health

In Traditional Chinese Medicine the body, mind and spirit cannot be divided and so the unique whole-body treatment in Tui Na can also be a use­ful treatment correcting any imbalances in the body's energy before symptoms and disease can de­velop. It also works to restore emotional harmony as well as physical health. This is why after a Tui Na treatment many people "feel good". Many peo­ple in China use Tui Na regularly to keep healthy and to deal with some specific illnesses.

Tui Na is performed on the clothed body and the patient is either lying on a couch or sitting on a chair. Therapists using a variety of strokes or movements will control the intensity and direction of pressure in an exact way. The unique rolling movement in Tui Na is one of the most difficult strokes to learn and students have to practice sometimes for many months on a rice bag before they are allowed to practice on the human body.

Stress

Tui Na is of course very useful for treating stress.

It distributes the energy around the whole body. It is be­lieved that Tui Na moves the strong energy in the tense muscles to the weaker areas, thus making a more balanced body. When your Qi （energy in the body） flow is balanced you feel relaxed and comfortable.  Tui Na is especially useful for stiff shoulders and tense neck muscles.

Emotions

In Traditional Chinese Medicine each major organ is linked to an emotion. By balancing the energy in the organ, the relevant emotion will be calmed. When your emotions are out of control, you would usually turn to your doctor or perhaps a psychotherapist. But perhaps some people would not like to be seeing a psychotherapist or feel nervous about discussing their problems with others. With Tui Na one does not need to tell the therapist anything one does not want to. The treatment of Tui Na can deal with the problem itself — although if one does need to talk, then the safe space is there to do so. An active dialogue between the therapist and the patient will help to get a better effect.

How the major organs rule your emotions

Each major organ — the heart, the stomach, the spleen, the liver, the bladder, the kidneys, the lungs, etc. — is linked to a relevant emotion.

The heart is linked to joy, excitement and sadness. If the heart is out of balance, the patient may dream a lot at night and often forget something important in the day.

The stomach and spleen are connected with too much thinking or wor­rying — over anxiety. When the stomach is out of balance there is often a lack of energy. The patient often feels very tired and has no interest in do­ing anything at all.

The liver and gall bladder are linked to anger. In Chinese Medicine the eyes are connected with the liver, and many people who suffer from an­ger often suffer from eye problems. The gall bladder rules decision-making and too much energy here can lead to rashness, while if there is too little it can bring about indecision. Where there is a history of depression, the therapist would look to the liver.

The bladder and kidneys are linked to fear of all kinds, from simple anxieties and phobias to vague fears and worries.

The lungs are connected with feelings of grief and sadness. When there is a history of grief, the therapist would look to the lungs.

Tui Na is used in almost all the hospitals in China and very popular among Chinese people. It is a useful and valuable method of restoring Qi balance, when emotional and physical health is out of balance. Tui Na is one of the remaining secrets of Chinese Medicine.

1. According to the passage, which statement is TRUE about Tui Na?

A. Tui Na is a whole-body treatment and can't be divided into different parts.

B. Tui Na can be used to balance the diseases before they can develop in the body.

C. Tui Na can bring back not only physical health but also emotional health.

D. Tui Na only makes people "feel good" but do not actually cure disease.

2. How can the emotion be calmed?

A. By linking the organ to an emotion.

B. By telling the therapist anything one does not want to.

C. By discussing their problems with others.

D. By balancing the energy in the relevant organ.

3. When the stomach is out of balance,          .

A. the patient will have a stomachache

B. the patient will have a lot to worry about

C. the patient will have nothing to do

D. the patient will not feel like doing anything

 

 

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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Tui Na and Your Emotional Health
In Traditional Chinese Medicine the body, mind and spirit cannot be divided and so the unique whole-body treatment in Tui Na can also be a use?ful treatment correcting any imbalances in the body's energy before symptoms and disease can de?velop. It also works to restore emotional harmony as well as physical health. This is why after a Tui Na treatment many people "feel good". Many peo?ple in China use Tui Na regularly to keep healthy and to deal with some specific illnesses.
Tui Na is performed on the clothed body and the patient is either lying on a couch or sitting on a chair. Therapists using a variety of strokes or movements will control the intensity and direction of pressure in an exact way. The unique rolling movement in Tui Na is one of the most difficult strokes to learn and students have to practice sometimes for many months on a rice bag before they are allowed to practice on the human body.
Stress
Tui Na is of course very useful for treating stress.
It distributes the energy around the whole body. It is be?lieved that Tui Na moves the strong energy in the tense muscles to the weaker areas, thus making a more balanced body. When your Qi （energy in the body） flow is balanced you feel relaxed and comfortable.  Tui Na is especially useful for stiff shoulders and tense neck muscles.
Emotions
In Traditional Chinese Medicine each major organ is linked to an emotion. By balancing the energy in the organ, the relevant emotion will be calmed. When your emotions are out of control, you would usually turn to your doctor or perhaps a psychotherapist. But perhaps some people would not like to be seeing a psychotherapist or feel nervous about discussing their problems with others. With Tui Na one does not need to tell the therapist anything one does not want to. The treatment of Tui Na can deal with the problem itself — although if one does need to talk, then the safe space is there to do so. An active dialogue between the therapist and the patient will help to get a better effect.
How the major organs rule your emotions
Each major organ — the heart, the stomach, the spleen, the liver, the bladder, the kidneys, the lungs, etc. — is linked to a relevant emotion.
The heart is linked to joy, excitement and sadness. If the heart is out of balance, the patient may dream a lot at night and often forget something important in the day.
The stomach and spleen are connected with too much thinking or wor?rying — over anxiety. When the stomach is out of balance there is often a lack of energy. The patient often feels very tired and has no interest in do?ing anything at all.
The liver and gall bladder are linked to anger. In Chinese Medicine the eyes are connected with the liver, and many people who suffer from an?ger often suffer from eye problems. The gall bladder rules decision-making and too much energy here can lead to rashness, while if there is too little it can bring about indecision. Where there is a history of depression, the therapist would look to the liver.
The bladder and kidneys are linked to fear of all kinds, from simple anxieties and phobias to vague fears and worries.
The lungs are connected with feelings of grief and sadness. When there is a history of grief, the therapist would look to the lungs.
Tui Na is used in almost all the hospitals in China and very popular among Chinese people. It is a useful and valuable method of restoring Qi balance, when emotional and physical health is out of balance. Tui Na is one of the remaining secrets of Chinese Medicine

  1. 1.

    According to the passage, which statement is TRUE about Tui Na?

    1. A.
      Tui Na is a whole-body treatment and can't be divided into different parts
    2. B.
      Tui Na can be used to balance the diseases before they can develop in the body
    3. C.
      Tui Na can bring back not only physical health but also emotional health
    4. D.
      Tui Na only makes people "feel good" but do not actually cure disease
  2. 2.

    How can the emotion be calmed?

    1. A.
      By linking the organ to an emotion
    2. B.
      By telling the therapist anything one does not want to
    3. C.
      By discussing their problems with others
    4. D.
      By balancing the energy in the relevant organ
  3. 3.

    When the stomach is out of balance,          

    1. A.
      the patient will have a stomachache
    2. B.
      the patient will have a lot to worry about
    3. C.
      the patient will have nothing to do
    4. D.
      the patient will not feel like doing anything

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：同步題 題型：閱讀理解

閱讀理解。
     A survey was conducted in Shanghai where interviewees were asked if they wanted to be a factory worker. One percent of all peo ple interviewed said: "YES," Wang Hongjun, a technician, said, rai sing his voice for
impressive effect." But I can tell you, only a small part of that I percent are telling the truth."
     I've met colorful people like Wang all over China. They are cynical (玩世不恭的 ) yet warmhearted, plain
spoken but smart. And many of them are confined (局限于) to work in factories.
     Wang is a top technician but also represents manual factory workers, who are China's most important
natural resource. Their en- ergy is powering China's economic boom, and their muscle is turning the wheel of
the world's factory.
     But does their unskilled labor give their life meaning? At school, did they tell their friends:" When I grow up
I want to work in a factory making socks?" Did you?
     Factory work has always been a stepping-stone from farm life to the city and a modern life. It's been
happening for centuries, but today, with our space-age technology, it's outdated. Earning 1,200 yuan,( $169)
per month working in a factory is better than that on a farm, but as Wang points out, it's not a dream career.
There should be better ways to earn your rice.
     Many modern factories no longer have production line workers. Robots do the assembly (裝配). People
just do the monitoring. In this age of technology, in which China is now working smarter and not just harder,
why are people still standing in production lines?
     But life is cheap in China. So why not continue to make use of the low-cost labor situation and keep the
economy growing fast, some entrepreneurs may ask.
      But have these businessmen ever labored in a factory?
1. How many people surveyed really like to be factory workers?
A. One percent.
B. Only a small part.
C. Only a small part of that one percent.
D. The writer didn't mention it.
2. Which is NOT the writer's opinion of factory workers?
A. Cynical.
B. Unimportant.
C. Warmhearted.
D. Plain spoken.
3. The writer uses _____ to begin the passage.
A. a lot of figures
B. many examples
C. some dialogue
D. the result of a survey

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科目：高中英語 來源：2011屆江蘇省鹽城中學高三第一次模擬考試英語試卷 題型：閱讀理解

Tui Na and Your Emotional Health
In Traditional Chinese Medicine the body, mind and spirit cannot be divided and so the unique whole-body treatment in Tui Na can also be a use­ful treatment correcting any imbalances in the body's energy before symptoms and disease can de­velop. It also works to restore emotional harmony as well as physical health. This is why after a Tui Na treatment many people "feel good". Many peo­ple in China use Tui Na regularly to keep healthy and to deal with some specific illnesses.
Tui Na is performed on the clothed body and the patient is either lying on a couch or sitting on a chair. Therapists using a variety of strokes or movements will control the intensity and direction of pressure in an exact way. The unique rolling movement in Tui Na is one of the most difficult strokes to learn and students have to practice sometimes for many months on a rice bag before they are allowed to practice on the human body.
Stress
Tui Na is of course very useful for treating stress.
It distributes the energy around the whole body. It is be­lieved that Tui Na moves the strong energy in the tense muscles to the weaker areas, thus making a more balanced body. When your Qi （energy in the body） flow is balanced you feel relaxed and comfortable. Tui Na is especially useful for stiff shoulders and tense neck muscles.
Emotions
In Traditional Chinese Medicine each major organ is linked to an emotion. By balancing the energy in the organ, the relevant emotion will be calmed. When your emotions are out of control, you would usually turn to your doctor or perhaps a psychotherapist. But perhaps some people would not like to be seeing a psychotherapist or feel nervous about discussing their problems with others. With Tui Na one does not need to tell the therapist anything one does not want to. The treatment of Tui Na can deal with the problem itself — although if one does need to talk, then the safe space is there to do so. An active dialogue between the therapist and the patient will help to get a better effect.
How the major organs rule your emotions
Each major organ — the heart, the stomach, the spleen, the liver, the bladder, the kidneys, the lungs, etc. — is linked to a relevant emotion.
The heart is linked to joy, excitement and sadness. If the heart is out of balance, the patient may dream a lot at night and often forget something important in the day.
The stomach and spleen are connected with too much thinking or wor­rying — over anxiety. When the stomach is out of balance there is often a lack of energy. The patient often feels very tired and has no interest in do­ing anything at all.
The liver and gall bladder are linked to anger. In Chinese Medicine the eyes are connected with the liver, and many people who suffer from an­ger often suffer from eye problems. The gall bladder rules decision-making and too much energy here can lead to rashness, while if there is too little it can bring about indecision. Where there is a history of depression, the therapist would look to the liver.
The bladder and kidneys are linked to fear of all kinds, from simple anxieties and phobias to vague fears and worries.
The lungs are connected with feelings of grief and sadness. When there is a history of grief, the therapist would look to the lungs.
Tui Na is used in almost all the hospitals in China and very popular among Chinese people. It is a useful and valuable method of restoring Qi balance, when emotional and physical health is out of balance. Tui Na is one of the remaining secrets of Chinese Medicine.
【小題1】According to the passage, which statement is TRUE about Tui Na?

A．Tui Na is a whole-body treatment and can't be divided into different parts.
B．Tui Na can be used to balance the diseases before they can develop in the body.
C．Tui Na can bring back not only physical health but also emotional health.
D．Tui Na only makes people "feel good" but do not actually cure disease.
【小題2】How can the emotion be calmed?
A．By linking the organ to an emotion.
B．By telling the therapist anything one does not want to.
C．By discussing their problems with others.
D．By balancing the energy in the relevant organ.
【小題3】When the stomach is out of balance,  .
A．the patient will have a stomachache
B．the patient will have a lot to worry about
C．the patient will have nothing to do
D．the patient will not feel like doing anything

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