1、1概要写作 1 EnvyIts a familiar but uncomfortable feeling. Your best friend will marry a handsome doctor, and the congratulatory hug you offer lacks genuine warmth. Your friend is made the team for Saturdays big game, and you take a certain pleasure in telling him you cant be there to watch him play. You
2、 smile but a voice in your head asks, why them and not you?Envy is a shortcoming of character we like to keep in our heart secretly. How shameful is it not to be looking forward with delight to your day as your best friends bridesmaid! Who would hope your friend might suffer some injury, so you can
3、take his place on the team?Envy is everywhere. It seems to be in our nature to hate others gifts and good fortune, especially if we see them as advantages they shouldnt have.Envy raises its ugly head when we focus on what we want but we dont possess now. Worse still, we may even wish for and take pl
4、easure in someones losing what we have always desired. When you compare yourself and your life unfavorably with your friend or your colleague, you can only keep your darker emotions. So is there a solution? Is there anything you can do to get rid of this most ungenerous emotion?Well, why not make en
5、vy the motivation you need for self-improvement? The best weapon against envy is not to compete where you cant shine, but to do your absolute best where you can.Start by making peace with yourself, and accept the gifts which make you unique. Make a n agreement with yourself to be the best you can be
6、. Then find the qualities in others that cause your envy. Is it someones singing voice, their work promotion, their new car? Envy shows us the things wed like to have. So, make a plan to earn whats important to you.And aim for genuine pleasure in the achievements and good fortune of others. Cheer on
7、 your friend when he scores that goal. Enjoy your best friends wedding day. Then go out and do something special, and make yourself wonderfully proud of you.参考答案Envy is a common but unpleasant feeling, which is a secret hidden in our heart. This nature usually arises when we cant get what we want an
8、d even take delight in others losing it. To avoid this negative feeling, firstly try to transform envy into the motivation to improve ourselves. Besides, accept your unique talents gladly. Finally, appreciate others achievements sincerely.概要写作 2 Water shortageUsing too much water or throwing rubbish
9、 into our rivers are clear ways that humans can put our water supply in danger, but we also affect our water supply in less obvious ways. You may wonder how paving a road can lead to less useable fresh water. A major part of the water we use every day is groundwater. Groundwater does not come from l
10、akes or rivers. It comes from underground. The more roads and parking lots we pave, the less water can flow into the ground to become groundwater.Human activity is not responsible for all water shortages. Drier climates are of course more likely to have droughts than areas with more rainfall, but in
11、 any case, good management can help to make sure there is enough water to meet our basic needs.Thinking about the way we use water every day can make a big difference, too. In the United States, a family of four can use 1.5 tons of water a day! This shows how much we depend on water to live, but the
12、res a lot we can do to lower the number.You can take steps to save water in your home. To start with, use the same glass for your drinking water all day. Wash it only once a day. Run your dishwasher only when it is full. Help your parents fix any leaks in your home. You can even help to keep our wat
13、er supply clean by recycling batteries instead of throwing them away.参考答案Human activities, such as wasting water, polluting rivers and constructing roads, can partly lead to water shortage. Meanwhile, drier climates are another cause of insufficient water supply. Hopefully, if you take action to use
14、 water smartly/wisely in your daily life, say, using the same glass of water, maximizing the efficiency of dishwashers, helping repair leaks and recycling batteries, you can still make a significant difference.2概要写作 3 SneezeMany people are used to saying “bless you” or “gesundheit” when someone snee
15、zes. No one says anything when someone coughs or blows their nose, so why do sneezes get special treatment?The phrase “God bless you” belongs to Pope Gregory the Great, who voiced it in the sixth century during a bubonic plague epidemic (黑死病泛滥时期) (sneezing is an obvious symptom of one form of the pl
16、ague). The term “gesundheit” comes fromGermany,and it literally means “health”. The idea is that a sneeze typically occurs before illness.Actually every country around the globe has its own way of wishing sneezers well. People in Arabic countries say “alhamdulillah” which means “praise to be God”. H
17、indus say “Live!” or “Live well!” Some countries have special sneezing responses to children. InRussia, they are also told “rostibolshoi” (“grow big”) after children are given the traditional response “bud zdorov” (“be healthy”).For the most part, the various sneeze responses originated from ancient
18、 superstitions (迷信). Some people believed that a sneeze causes the soul to escape the body through the nose. Saying “bless you” would stop the devil from taking the persons soul. Others believed the opposite: evil spirits use the sneeze as an opportunity to enter a persons body. There was also the m
19、isunderstanding that the heart temporarily stops during a sneeze (it doesnt), and saying “bless you” is a way of welcoming the person back to life.We now know that sneezing is a reflex action and is most often the sign of something relatively benign (良性的), such as a cold or allergy (过敏). A sneeze al
20、so can be caused by being outside in the sunlight or from smelling a strong smell. Still, we keep the custom of saying “bless you” or “gesundheit”, mainly out of habit and common kindness.参考答案People usually say “bless you” after they sneeze, as sneezing was considered one of the typical features of
21、the plague. Many countries have their unique custom of wishing good health in response to sneezing. Most practices have their origin from ancient superstitions. Now sneezing is known as merely an indication of a minor sickness and a response to outside stimulations, yet we keep the custom, mainly ou
22、t of habit and politeness.概要写作 4 Taking a showerTAKING a shower is relaxing. You can hum a song, daydream or think about nothing, leaving the real world behind you. But did you know that showering can also benefit your mind?A piece of research by Scott Barry Kaufman, a psychologist from Yale Univers
23、ity in the US interviewed over 3,000 people around the world. It turned out that nearly two-thirds of the interviewees said they had experienced new ideas in the shower and were more likely to have them in the shower than at work.So why does a simple shower have such magic power? Science can explain
24、 it.Showering can help to raise our level of dopamine, a hormone closely related to our creativity. “People vary in terms of their level of creativity according to the activity of dopamine”, explained Alice Flaherty, a renowned American neuroscientist. “Taking a warm shower can make us feel relaxed
25、and therefore make the dopamine level rise and bring the “Aha!” moment to us.”Besides the chemical changes, showering may give you a break from what you feel you have been stuck with. Especially when you have thought hard all day about a problem, jumping into the shower can keep you from the outside
26、 world so that you can focus on your inner feelings and memories. In this way, according to American psychologist Shelley H. Carson, author of Your Creative Brain, “a showering hour may turn into an incubation (孵化) period for your ideas”.Compared with sitting in front of a computer, taking a shower
27、is something we do less frequently in our daily lives. When showering, we get a fresh experience with the change of location, temperature and humidity. “New and unexpected experiences can lead to positive changes in thinking,“ explained Kaufman. “Getting off the couch and jumping in the shower may c
28、reate a distance and force you to think from a new point of view”.Showering allows us to enjoy the creative juices of our minds, which makes the bathroom an alternative where you get your inspiration. So next time you consider ways to free your mind, count it in.参考答案Showering can relax your body and
29、 free your mind as well. First, relaxation in the shower helps raise the level of 3dopamine and bring new ideas. Second, showering provides a new, unexpected and fresh experience that can result in positive changes, making it possible to stop thinking about what you are stuck with. Besides, showerin
30、g can make us think from a new point of view with the change of location, temperature and humidity.概要写作 5 ShopaholicsTV. The Internet. The mall. Everywhere we look, we see advertisements that urge us to buy. In todays consumer society, we are under constant pressure to shop. Of course, most people o
31、nly buy what they need and what they can afford. However, there are some people, called shopaholics, who cant control their desire to spend money and buy things. This kind of addictive behavior can lead large financial problems, family conflict, and deep unhappiness.What are the symptoms of a shopah
32、olic? People with this problem often spend hours and hours shopping on the Internet or at the mall. Their closets are full of clothing and jewelry that they have never worn, with the price tags still on them. Their homes may be packed with shopping bags and boxes that they bought but never used. Man
33、y shopaholics are aware of their own problems, but when they go to a store, they simply cant resist the urge to buy. Some of them are ashamed of their weakness and try to hide it by storing their purchases in places like the attic(阁楼), where others wont see them.Psychologists suggest there are sever
34、al reasons for a shopping addiction. For some people, it is a way of relieving stress. For others, shopping is a way to fight loneliness or depression. For people with low self-esteem, shopping can be a way that they prove their self-worth. Sometimes the problem develops out of boredom. It becomes a
35、 replacement for other hobbies and interests, and it helps pass the time. Although shopping can temporarily make people feel good, they often experience feelings of shame and guilt later.When shopping habits get out of control, people need professional help. They can either see a counselor(顾问) or jo
36、in an organization such as Shopaholics Anonymous. Groups like this try to help people understand the reasons for their addiction and learn how to control the urge to shop. Their goal is to help people find ways to fulfill themselves that do not lead to serious debt and troubled lives.参考答案Shopaholics
37、 refer to those who are addicted to shopping whether they need something or whether they can afford something. There are several symptoms of shopaholics. They spend too much time shopping and cant resist the desire to buy things, many of which are even never used. Shopaholics do so for different rea
38、sons, such as reducing stress, fighting loneliness or depression, proving self-worth, killing boredom or time and so on. Anyhow, professional help is available if necessary.概要写作 6 Punishing childrenPunishing children is a controversial topic. Everybody has different opinions about how to act to corr
39、ect a childs behavior. Parents, teachers, doctors, and specialists like psychologists, have disagreements about whether it is good for a childs education to punish him.The word “punish” means different things to different people. Punishment can be physical or emotional. Physical punishment is when t
40、he parent hits, slaps or spanks the child.On the other hand, emotional punishment is when the parent, in order to educate the child, doesnt let him watch TV, go to play with his friends, or do things like that. The parents doesnt teach him, but still he punishes the child.Although many surveys and s
41、tudies have been made about what the correct way is to raise a child, nobody has the answer or the truth. I think it will be very difficult to find the answer or get people to agree.I think parents should love their child and give him the best education, but at the same time, they should punish the
42、child if he deserves it. I think if you love your child, you should be rational when you apply the punishment. It should be reasonable but strict.The parents goal is to have in the future a good man or woman in society, so sometimes you should do what is necessary to get your child to behave well.参考
43、答案People have mixed opinions towards punishment to children. (要点 1) Punishment can be physical or emotional, but the way they are punished is the key problem. (要点 2) As a matter of fact, it is difficult to find the correct way to 4raise a child. (要点 3) Proper punishment can be instructive and necess
44、ary to children if it is reasonable and strict. But love and education are the most important for us to make our kids behave well. (要点 4)概要写作 7 Second childMany couples who already have one healthy, happy child, are facing a dilemma, that is, the issue of whether to have a second child or not. They
45、have hard jobs and limited time and money, but they want to make sure that their only child does not become a lonely child. So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of having a second child? That is what so many couples are very much concerned about and eager to understand.One popular saying is
46、 that one child means a lonely child. Thats why many single-child parents plan to have a second child. They feel guilty about their decision to have only one child, because there are no other children in the family for their only child to play with, which may make the child feel lonely at times, esp
47、ecially during vacations.Another common argument against having just one child is that an only child may be more spoiled than one with brothers or sisters. If one couple had only one child, the child could not learn to share things with others and are less capable of getting along well with other ch
48、ildren than one who grows up with brothers or sisters.However, in many parts of the world, more and more parents are still choosing not to have a second child because they argue that there are advantages for the child as well as the parents. With just one child, they suggest, there is little chance
49、of family arguments concerned with children. Besides, as an only child in the family, the child can receive more quality time and attention. This often leads to increased self-respect and independence, which can lead to the child being more confident.Unluckily, there is no simple answer to the question of whether or not to have a second child. Every family is different, and what is proper for one family may not be for another. The important thing, in the end, is to make a decision that both you and your spouse (配偶 ) feel confident about.参考答案Whether or not
