puppeteer.‖
The puppets are designed specifically for each show, which is extremely time consuming. According to Roberts, ―Sometimes what you expect and what you actually create in the end are two very different things. I‘ve made some of my best puppets ?accidentally‘.‖
When most people hear the word ―puppetry‖, they more than likely think of a way of keeping children entertained at birthday parties. Certainly the subject matter will be expected to be light-hearted rather than serious. However, Roberts wants to point out that puppets come serious messages sometimes.‖ he says.
24. What do we know about puppetry in the first paragraph? A. It is a most popular form of entertainment. B. It cannot give people pleasure any more. C. It was first brought to life by Peter Roberts. D. Its value as an art form is not fully recognized. 25. In Roberts‘ eyes, his puppet shows . A. usually attract people full of humor B. are most something for old aged audience C. display something meaningful for different people D. involve hard work and great intelligence
26. Roberts developed an interest in puppets because of . A. the puppet show books B. his university major C. a Christmas gift
D. some Chinese string puppets
27. What does Roberts want people to think of puppet theatre? A. It is just a kind of entertainment for kids. B. It can be educational as well as entertaining. C. It is only a kind of serious art form. D. It should be kept light-hearted.
C
When it's five o'clock, people leave their office. The length of the workday, for many workers, it defined by time. They leave when the clocks tells them they‘re done.
These days, the time is everywhere: not just on clocks or watches, but on cellphones and computers. That
may be a bad thing, particularly at work. New research shows that clock based work schedules hinder creativity. Clock-timers organize their day by blocks of minutes and hours. For example: a meeting from 9 a. m. to 10 a. m, research from 10 a. m to noon, etc. On the other hand, task-timers have a list of things they want to accomplish. They work down the list, each task starts when the previous task is completed. It is said that all of us employ a mix of both these types of planning.
What, then, are the effects of thinking about time in these different ways? Does one make us more productive? Better at the tasks at hand? Happier? In experiments conducted by Tamar Avnet and Anne-Laure Sellier, they had participants organize different activities from project planning, holiday shopping, to yoga-by time or to-do list to measure how they performed under ― clock time‖ vs ― task time‖. They found clock timers to be more efficient(有效率的) but less happy because they felt little control over their lives. Task timers are happier and more creative, but less productive. They tend to enjoy the moment when something good is happening, and seize opportunities that come up.
The researchers argue that task-based organizing tends to be undervalued and under-supported in the business culture. This might be a small change to the way we view work and the office, but the researchers argue that it challenges a widespread characteristic of the economy; work organized by clock time. While most people will still probably need, and be, to some extent, clock-timers, task-based timing should be used when performing a job that requires more creativity. It‘ll make those tasks easier, and the task-doers will be happier.
28. What does the author say a clock-based work? A. It makes workers very tired. B. It reminds workers to leave on time. C. It makes workers aware of the precious time. D. It may have a bad effect on the creativity.
29. What does the underlined word ―hinder‖ in paragraph 2 mean? A. Block. B. Consider. C. Increase. D. Value.
30. What did Tamar Avnet and Anne-Laure Sellier find in their experiments about clock-timers? A. They seize opportunities as they come up. B. They always get their work done in time. C. They tend to be more productive.
D. They can control their lives. 31. What do the researchers suggest?
A. Task-based timing is preferred for doing creative work. B. It is important to keep a balance between work and life. C. Performing creative jobs tends to make workers happier. D. A scientific standard should be adopted in job evaluation.
D
Given the recent interest in green buildings in the media, let‘s think differently. Instead of focusing on increasing the supply of energy, what if we focus on reducing demand?
Can we start with ending the open-door practice of street-front shops? While cool air from these shops is refreshing to pedestrians, it carries a cost. Energy is used in the air conditioning process.
So it must be possible to look for changes in regulations that would encourage more energy-saving designs. For instance, if we fix ceiling fans, air-conditioning homes could surely be avoided for part of the year. Ceiling fans use far less energy. They were in a year air conditioners could stay if ceiling fans were fixed.
In homes built under the small-house policy in New Territories, the ceiling may be too low for ceiling fans. If the 9-meter maximum building height regulation were relaxed, ceiling fans could be fixed to reduce energy use. Current thinking in sustainable building design and operation involves integrated(协调统一的) design, that is, bring together all parties to create a building with better performance that achieves energy reduction.
For integrated design to succeed, all parties must come together and think beyond each person‘s circle of influence. Better solutions are impossible to avoid with integrated design. Buildings would no longer be engineered after the basic architecture was built. Positive project outcomes may include reduced air-conditioning load, reduced power use for electric lighting, and a reduction in the amount of materials used.
We need to ask if we are ready to look beyond our own small circles and seek an improved approach to building design. By that I mean an integrated design resulting in more sustainable buildings.
32. What's the author's attitude towards the open-door practice of the street shops? A. Supportive. B. Disapproving. C. Optimistic. D. Uncaring.
33. Why does the author suggest fixing ceiling fans? A. To follow an old practice.
