雅思閱讀資料推薦
爲了幫助大家在備考雅思閱讀的時候能夠多多練習一些材料，下面小編給大家帶來雅思閱讀資料推薦。
雅思閱讀材料大集合：六個壞習慣將毀掉你的睡眠
If you equate getting older with needing—or getting—less sleep, here’s a wake-up call: It's not true! “The majority of us require between seven and nine hours of shut-eye a night," says Robert Oexman, D.C., director of the Sleep to Live Institute. “And there’s little reason—whether you’re 55 or 80—not to get it.” Barring disease, medication and pain (all legitimate sleep interrupters), if patients complain of bad sleep, Dr. Oexman looks at their nighttime habits, where the problem almost always resides.
如果你認爲人慢慢長大變老，需要或得到的睡眠更少，那我來提醒你吧，不是這樣的!睡眠與生命研究所所長，脊骨神經科醫師羅伯特·歐克斯曼說道：“大多數人每晚需要7-9小時的睡眠時間。無論你是55還是80歲，都應該做到這一點。”疾病、藥物和疼痛除外(這些都可能會干擾睡眠)，如果病人抱怨睡不好覺，歐克斯曼醫師會查看其晚間生活習慣來發現問題所在。
So, how are you sabotaging your z-z-z-z-z’s?
所以，你是怎樣破壞自己的睡眠的呢?
Bad Habit #1: Watching TV until you fall asleep?
壞習慣一：看電視看到睡着
Why It Disrupts Sleep: It has nothing to do with what you watch—Downton Abbey isn’t a better pre-sleep choice than Dog the Bounty Hunter. Rather it’s the exposure to TV’s bright light that’s the culprit. Artificial bright light after dusk not only enhances alertness, but also delays the production of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone. So even if you nod off (in front of the TV, for example), you probably won’t stay asleep for long.
爲什麼會影響睡眠：這和你看什麼節目沒有任何關係，因爲《唐頓莊園》並不是比《賞金獵人》更好的睡前節目。反而是暴露在電視強光下才是影響你睡眠的罪魁禍首。天黑後的人造強光不僅讓人增加警惕性，而且會延遲體內睡眠荷爾蒙——褪黑素的生成。所以即使你打盹了(比如在電視機前)，你很可能也睡不了多久。
EZZZ Fix: An hour before bedtime, treat yourself like a baby: a warm bath, followed by a quiet activity in dim light—meditation, journal writing, reading. But no reading or writing on your computer before bed or in the middle of the night. (Almost half of the respondents in the AOL Email Addiction survey admitted to checking email during the night. If that’s you, keep technology out of the bedroom.)
解決方法：睡前一小時，讓自己像嬰兒一樣：洗個熱水澡，在暗淡的燈光下做些安靜的事情-冥想，寫日記，閱讀。但是睡前或者半夜絕對不能在電腦上閱讀或者寫東西。(幾乎一半參與美國在線電子郵件上癮調查的人們承認晚間會查看電子郵件。如果你也是這樣，那麼記得把高科技關在臥室外面吧。)
Bad Habit #2: Sleeping with Fido
壞習慣二：抱狗狗睡覺
Why It Disrupts Sleep: While animal-lovers argue the emotional benefits of sharing a pillow with their pets, research shows that pets can contribute to less than sound sleep. How? “Pets have different circadian rhythms than humans," says Oexman. “They sleep most of the day, and they shift a lot when sleeping—they get comfortable, then they move. This goes on all night, and whether you admit it or not, it interrupts your ability to get the level of sleep needed to feel rested." (As for pet dander and allergies—sneezing and wheezing are not great sleep enhancers.)
爲什麼會影響睡眠：動物愛好者認爲和寵物一起睡覺有情感上的益處，然而研究表明寵物實際上會影響睡眠。這是怎麼回事呢?“寵物和人有着不同的生理節律，”歐克斯曼說，“他們每天大多數時候都會睡，睡覺的時候經常動-他們覺得舒服，然後就會動。整晚都會這樣，而且無論你承認與否，你都會不知不覺被影響而達不到自己需要的睡眠程度。(至於寵物皮屑和各種過敏導致的打噴嚏和喘息都是會影響睡眠的因素。)
EZZZ Fix: For two weeks, put your pooch or cat in a crate outside your closed bedroom door. When your pet can sleep quietly in the crate, move the crate inside your room for another two weeks. When the crate training is complete, try letting the dog or cat sleep in his own bed near your bed. Discourage all attempts to jump on your bed and reward all successes for staying in his own bed. (Caveat: Plan on interrupted sleep for a few weeks.)
雅思閱讀材料大集合：可以聽懂你情緒的手機應用
Beyond Verbal Communications Ltd., a voice-recognition software developer here, is rolling out an app promising something Siri can't yet deliver: a readout on how you feel.
語音識別軟件開發商Beyond Verbal Communications Ltd.即將推出一款應用軟件，有望實現Siri尚且無法實現的一個功能：把你的情緒顯示出來。
Called Moodies, it lets a smartphone user speak a few words into the phone's mike to produce, about 20 seconds later, an emotional analysis. Beyond Verbal executives say the app is mostly for self-diagnosis -- and a bit of fun: It pairs a cartoon face with each analysis, and users can share the face on social media.
藉助於這款名爲“Moodies”的應用，智能手機用戶可以朝着手機的麥克風講話，在大約20秒鐘之後生成情緒分析。Beyond Verbal的管理人員說，該應用主要是用於自我診斷，也可以帶來一些小小的樂趣：它給每一次分析配上一張卡通臉孔，用戶可以把臉孔拿到社交媒體上去分享。
But the app is coming out as the company and other developers -- many clustered in Tel Aviv -- push increasingly sophisticated hardware and software they say can determine a person's emotional state through analysis of his or her voice.
在這款應用面世之際，Beyond Verbal和其他一些開發商――很多都扎堆特拉維夫――正在推出一些越來越尖端、據它們說可以通過分析語音確定一個人情緒狀態的硬件和軟件。
These companies say the tools can also detect fraud, screen airline passengers and help a call-center technician better deal with an irate customer. And they can be used to keep tabs on employees or screen job applicants. One developer, Tel Aviv-based Nemesysco Ltd., offers what it calls 'honesty maintenance' software aimed at human-resource executives. The firm says that by analyzing a job applicant's voice at an interview, the program can help identify fibs.
這些公司說，這些工具還可以偵測欺詐、檢查飛機乘客、幫助呼叫中心技術人員更好地對付發飆的顧客。它們可以用來監視員工或篩選求職者。特拉維夫開發商Nemesysco Ltd.推出以人力資源經理爲目標客戶的“誠信維護”軟件。該公司說，這套程序可以通過分析求職者在面試期間的說話聲音來幫助辨別謊言。
That's raising alarm among many voice-analysis experts, who question the accuracy of such on-the-spot interpretations. It's also raising worries among privacy advocates, who say such technology -- especially if it is being rolled out in cheap, easy-to-use smartphone apps -- could be a fresh threat to privacy.
這引起了很多語音分析專家的警惕，他們對這類現場轉譯的準確性提出了質疑。也引起了很多隱私鼓吹者的憂慮，他們說，這類技術有可能成爲一種新的隱私威脅，如果是以便宜好用的智能手機應用的形式推出，威脅就更爲嚴重。
Depending on how the analysis is performed, used and shared, 'there could well be breaches of certain privacy laws,' says Gwendolen Morgan, an associate at Bindmans LLP, a London human-rights law firm.
倫敦人權律師事務所Bindmans LLP合夥人格溫德琳?摩根(Gwendolen Morgan)說，這些分析“很有可能違反了某些隱私法規”，具體要看它們是怎樣運行以及被使用和共享的。
The new wave of technology is based on so-called layered voice analysis, and it's related to the much broader, more established field of 'speech-to-text' sentiment analysis. Verint Systems Inc., Thomson Reuters PLC and Hewlett-Packard Co. and others have long used speech-to-text technology to record phone calls and break them down into so-called text-based sentiment intelligence by flagging the occurrence of keywords or types of words. Call centers use the data to teach employees to keep customers on the phone or monitor employees for training purposes.
這一波新的技術浪潮基於“深層語音分析”(layered voice analysis)，跟更廣泛、更成熟的“語音轉文字”(speech-to-text)情緒分析領域有關。Verint Systems Inc.、湯森路透(Thomson Reuters PLC)、惠普(Hewlett-Packard Co.)等公司曾長期使用語音轉文字技術來記錄通話，並把出現在其中的關鍵詞或某些詞語種類標註出來，從而將通話分解爲“基於文本的情緒情報”。呼叫中心用這些數據教員工如何讓客戶保持通話，或爲了培訓的目的而監測員工。
The new speech-focused tools come as other companies are marketing body-language and facial-recognition sentiment-analysis tools -- including an app for Google Inc.'s Google Glass.
在這些新的語音分析工具面世之際，其他公司也在銷售身體語言和麪部識別類的情緒分析工具，比如一款針對谷歌公司(Google Inc.)“谷歌眼鏡”(Google Glass)的應用。
雅思閱讀材料大集合：北京推出霧霾險可以放心出遊
Travellers to China worried that their view of the Great Wall will be obscured by Beijing’s pollution can rest easy with a “smog insurance” product being introduced this week.
前往中國的遊客如果擔心長城風景可能受到北京污染的影響，那麼本週推出的“霧霾險”產品有望讓他們安心。
“Smog insurance” is the latest response to choking air pollution in China and follows efforts that include closing industrial plants and do-it-yourself air filter specialists dispensing advice online.
“霧霾險”是對中國令人不敢呼吸的空氣污染的最新迴應，之前的努力包括政府勒令工廠停產，以及DIY空氣過濾器專家在網上提供諮詢。
Panasonic, the Japanese electronics group, said last week it would offer a pollution bonus to expatriate employees working in China.
日本電子集團松下(Panasonic)上週表示，將向外派至中國工作的非中國籍員工提供污染獎金。
Li Keqiang, Chinese premier, declared a “war on pollution” in his annual speech to the legislature in March. Only three Chinese cities meet national air quality standards, two of which are on islands.
中國總理李克強3月在全國人大年會上發表講話時，宣佈“向污染宣戰”。中國只有三個城市達到國家空氣質量標準，其中兩個位於島上。
CTrip, an online travel agent, and Ping An, the state-owned insurance company, have teamed up to offer “smog insurance” to travellers and residents in seven cities plagued by smog. The scheme pays out when the air quality index, or AQI, exceeds set levels for two days in a row.
在線旅遊代理攜程(CTrip)和國有保險公司平安(Ping An)聯手推出“霧霾險”，面向受到霧霾困擾的7個城市的遊客和市民。該產品將在空氣質量指數(AQI)連續兩天超過設定水平時作出賠付。
A week of the index being over 300, a level deemed hazardous at prolonged exposure, yields the policy holder a free lung check while those who need hospitalisation because of it would receive Rmb1,500 ($240).
如果空氣質量指數持續一週高於300(被視爲長時間接觸有危險的水平)，保單持有人將得到一次免費的肺部檢查，而污染導致需要住院接受治療的保單持有人將得到1500元人民幣(合240美元)。
If pollution exceeds the charts, as happened this winter in the northern city of Shijiazhuang for several days, policy holders can compete for a free trip to the subtropical island of Hainan to “clear their lungs”.
如果污染達到“爆表”水平(北方城市石家莊在這個冬天有好幾天出現這樣的情況)，保單持有人有機會獲取海南“洗肺”旅遊。
It is not unknown for cities in northern China to see pollution in hazardous levels for a week at a time, particularly in the winter. But Ping An is on safer ground in the springtime, when breezes and bright skies tend to keep the AQI within more comfortable limits.
在冬季的華北城市，危險級別的污染持續一週的情況並非罕見。但春天意味着平安保險較有把握：微風和明媚的天空往往使空氣質量指數保持在比較舒適的範圍內。
Haikou, the capital of subtropical Hainan Island, Zhoushan, on an archipelago south of Shanghai that consists of 1,390 islands and 1.1m inhabitants, and Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, were the only three to meet national standards in a survey of 74 of the largest cities, the vice minister for the environment said this month.
中國環保部副部長本月表示，全國74個城市的全年監測結果顯示，僅3個城市達到空氣質量二級標準。這3個城市是：海口(地處亞熱帶的海南島的首府)、舟山(上海以南的一個羣島，共有1390個島嶼和110萬居民)，以及西藏首府拉薩。
The air quality index assesses the level of air pollution with a grading system from 0 to 500. The higher the value, the more polluted the air and the greater the health concern: 50 represents good air quality with little potential to affect public health and over 300 is well within the hazardous range.
空氣質量指數採用從0到500的數值來評估空氣污染水平。該值越高，空氣污染就越嚴重，健康擔憂就更大： 50代表空氣質量狀況屬於優，不致影響公衆健康，而超過300就進入危險範圍了。
The air in Beijing on Thursday was rated “good” by the US embassy and “excellent” on the Chinese index.
週四，北京的空氣被美國大使館評爲“良好”，被中國的指數評爲“優”。
雅思閱讀材料大集合：八個方法支撐你度過困難時期
No matter what problem you're facing, tough times happen to the best of us. Whether it's financial trouble or just an overall bad day, finding positivity in a daunting situation is the key to overcoming it. It may be hard to look on the bright side, especially when things aren't going as expected, but everything passes in time. If you need a boost of happiness to help you through the day, be sure to remember these things:
不管你正在面臨什麼問題，即使是最幸運的人也會遇到困難時期。不管是經濟問題或者只是倒黴的一天，關鍵在於我們要在不順的環境裏找到正能量!有時候，我們很難凡事都往好處想，特別是在事情進展不順的時候，但是一切都會過去的。如果你需要一點幸福感來支撐你度過今天，記住以下這些事情：
1. Accept it.
接受現實。
Although it may seem challenging to accept a negative situation, it's your best bet in moving toward a resolution. You can't change what already happened; you can only focus on how to improve the circumstances now.
雖然讓你接受一個消極的境遇很有挑戰性，但這是讓你找到解決方案的最好的措施了。你不能改變已經發生的事情，你只能集中精力尋找改善情況的方法。
2. Don't waste time dwelling on it.
不要浪費時間老是想着問題。
Dwelling on a problem can only make it bigger than it already is. Not only will you feel worse in the long run, but also, you'll lose valuable time when you could be working toward a solution. Don't let a bad situation get the best of you — take steps to let it go.
老想着一個問題只會讓問題變得比實際更嚴重。你不僅會覺得越來越糟糕，而且你浪費了本可以用來想出解決方案的寶貴時間。不要讓壞情況阻礙你，隨它去吧。
3. Don't compare yourself to others.
不要拿自己和別人比。
According to a quote from Steven Furtick, "The reason why we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind the scenes with everyone's highlight reel." When you're struggling through a tough situation, comparing yourself is the last thing you should be doing. You have no idea what struggles another person could be going through, so instead of comparing, you should look at the happiness within yourself.
作家史蒂文·富蒂克說過：“我們缺乏安全感，是因爲我們總是拿自己不好的地方與別人的長處對比。” 當你在艱難的環境裏掙扎的時候，你最不該做的事兒就是和別人比較。你根本不知道其他人正在經歷什麼樣的掙扎，所以與其比較，不如多關注一下自己的快樂。
4. Make a plan of action.
制定一個行動計劃。
The best way to overcome a negative time is to be determined to find a way out of it. If you don't like the way something is, do what you can in your power to change it. In financial situations, you can work on a budget and prioritize your costs. In a fight with a loved one, you can take some time to cool down and amend things by talking it out.
度過困難時期的最佳方法就是下定決心戰勝它。如果你不喜歡某件事，發揮你的力量來改變它吧。對於經濟問題，你可以做一個預算並安排一下各項開銷的順序。如果是跟愛人吵架了，你要花點時間來冷靜一下，然後把問題說出來才能解決它。
5. Recognize positive things in your life.
發現你生活中積極的事物。
While it may feel like your world is crashing around you, this rough time does not, ultimately, define your life. From family to being healthy, it's best to recognize the positive things in your life. It definitely helps ease the pain of a negative situation.
你可能覺得自己的世界都要崩塌了，但是一次這樣的艱難時刻並不會定義你的人生。不管是一個美滿的家庭或是自己的健康，最好要發現你生活中這些積極的事物，這絕對可以幫助你減輕在困難環境裏的痛苦。
6. Acknowledge you're not alone.
明白自己不是一個人在戰鬥。
Having a support system is essential for any tough moment. Family members, significant others, and best friends are the people you should confide in when going through a distressing time. These people are the ones who know you best and can give you advice from an outside perspective. Besides, it doesn't hurt having someone you love and care for in your corner rooting you on.
在困難的時候，一個強大的後援團是很重要的。家人、另一半或者好朋友都是你在經歷痛苦時可以傾訴的人。這些人是最懂你的人，可以從旁觀者的角度來給你一些建議。而且，讓你愛的人或者你關心的人給你一點支持，總不會有什麼壞處。
7. Learn from it.
從中學習。
There's always something to be learned from every experience you go through, good or bad. Take some time to reflect on the situation, how you reacted, and what you can do if you ever go through it again. Collecting all this knowledge could even help you avoid the situation in the future or assist a friend who is going through something similar.
無論好壞，你總能從每次經歷中學習到一些事情。花些時間來反思一下當時的處境、你是如何應對的還有如果重頭來一次，你會怎麼做?前事不忘，後事之師，以後你還能幫助遇到相同情況的朋友呢。
8. Look to the future.
展望未來。
Now that all is said and done, it's time to start looking ahead to the future. Leave the past behind you, and begin looking to a brighter tomorrow. Change begins and ends with you, and clinging to a past event won't help alter it. Work on building a better future for yourself; it all starts with a positive mindset.
該說的該做的都完成了，現在是時候開始展望未來了。拋開過去，開始眺望一個更加燦爛的明天!你決定自己生活裏的一切變化，沉溺過去是不會幫助你改變處境的。努力爲自己建造更美好的未來;一切從一個積極的心態開始!
