标 题: 攒rp，发shl的verbal题目
发信站: 北大未名站 (2005年11月26日15:30:04 星期六), 转信
1. An international protocol on climate change, ratified by the EU,
Japan, Canada, and now Russia, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
prevent the more serious ramifications of global warming. Current attention
is focused on the progression of complementary technologies that will give
us low-cost renewable energy over the short and longer-term. This will
provide the economic incentive to replace fossil fuels in developed and
developing countries, leading to a more pervasively low-carbon economy. This
is crucial if we are to slow the rate of climate change which can have
devastating effects on the flora and fauna of our planet.
2. It was originally believed that the universe had been created only a
few thousand years ago. However, there are shortcomings of this theory.
Firstly, it was discovered in 1923 that many of the faint patches of light
in the night sky are from other galaxies larger than our own. The light was
so faint because it took millions or billions of years to reach us, which
meant that the universe could not have been just a few thousand years old.
Secondly, astronomers had learned, by analysing the light projected by other
galaxies that all other galaxies are moving away from us. Moreover, the
farther they are from us, the faster they are moving away. This means that
the universe is expanding. These discoveries completely changed discussions
surrounding the origin of the universe.
3. Internet shoppers are at an increased risk of both fraud and theft
due to a number of factors. Amongst them are both a decrease in a means of
reliable identification and an increase in the use of websites for monetary
transactions whether from online reservations, internet banking, or other
types of business. This fraud is increasing in severity and frequency in
areas such as false business websites, telesales and online shopping and is
now a more serious problem than ever before. One solution to this problem
would be to limit internet transactions to websites authorised by the banks.
4. In general, the longer an individual practices Yoga, the more the
person improves. Long term Yoga enthusiasts benefit more while suffering
from fewer symptoms of modern day life; they experience less stress,
insomnia and high blood pressure and are less susceptible to common
complaints such as tiredness and back pain. They are also likely to
recommend it to other new health enthusiasts. Fitness fanatics usually gauge
their performance on the basis of strength and stamina. They rarely study
another factor that reflects how much is gained - the individual''s
wellbeing.
5. A recent study investigating the effects of stress at work argues
that stress management programs should be included in all organisational
development policies as a key step in helping to fight absenteeism from work
and work-related stress. The Confederation of Work and Industry states that
it is essential to counter work-related stress to beat higher absenteeism
from jobs, and that most work stress arises from poor management. Stress
management strategies are currently excluded from organisational development
policies by many businesses, and smaller companies are unlikely to allow
organisational development in the area of stress management.
6. An ever-increasing amount of time is spent each year on staff
assessment, and the benefits can be numerous. An appraisal can be
informative, shedding light on areas of good performance; it can be
constructive in that it can give employees an opportunity to consider areas
for development within the job; and it can also be motivating by
highlighting those skills, abilities and areas of knowledge that the
individual has gained from the job. However, the frequency of appraisals is
the focus of criticism by some people, who state that assessments do not
take place at appropriate times, i.e. in time for an individual to address
performance areas in time for a promotion, and therefore it is likely that
half of the time spent on assessment is used ineffectively.
7. Off-shoring has been adopted by banks and other financial
organisations in the West since the 1980''s, but it is only in recent years
that it has become popular in other industry sectors as its financial
benefits over more local outsourcing have become recognised. Evidence
indicates that off-shore workers have a lower incidence of failure and cost
less to employ than workers based locally. Off-shore workers need less
financial rewards and become more competent than local workers in a shorter
space of time.
8. Since the number of societies actively promoting environmental
awareness has escalated in recent years, the implementation of campaigns is
leading to a corresponding increase in involvement. However, survey data
demonstrates that only one in twenty interested supporters bothers to get
involved with the society concerned. This inertia typically reflects the
belief that their contribution would be inconsequential, and, to a lesser
extent, uncertainty about the appropriate channels to use. The data also
suggested that interested followers are likely to discuss their views with
other individuals. While this is a valuable means of promoting environmental
awareness, it would be more beneficial to get involved with the societies
themselves.
9. Minimum wage policies, first introduced in the service industry and
leading to a reduction in employee exploitation, were the result of numerous
studies. The studies confirmed that a national minimum wage is an important
parameter in employee security, and campaigners were rewarded with key
backing from worker''s unions. This provided the support required to drive
through Employment Relations programmes in many agricultural and industrial
sectors, culminating in the creation of the Low Pay Commission. This has
been vital in attracting collaboration from major corporations which have
previously resisted the pressure to improve income stability.
10. Until 1995, the use of bicycles had remained virtually static for
many years. However, in recent years the number of people using bicycles has
grown with increasing pressure from environmentalists, transport agencies
and health officials. The trend has been to produce more fashionable
bicycles in a variety of styles, lighter cycles, and more comfortable
cycles. The diversity of models has increased enormously, though their
general shape has not changed radically.
11. The first television broadcast took place over 50 years ago.
However, since then the advances in technology, science and programme
production expertise have been phenomenal. The production of programmes has
advanced exceptionally fast in the last 20 years and due to popular demand,
television has become of significant importance to domestic life. The huge
variety of programmes produced for television has influenced the types of
audience attracted, such as the film enthusiasts of the 80''s, sporting
advocates and those attracted by information media such as the news. Plasma
screens have now been developed to improve the quality of television for the
viewer, and the increasing demand for smaller handheld televisions are a
reflection of the increasing popularity of television technology.
12. For most people, any reference to hypnosis brings to mind images of
individuals involved in amusing, and often out of character, behaviour.
However, hypnosis is also a topic of scientific research. Research by
scientists over the last few decades has revealed ways in which memory
processes and processes involved in pain perception can be changed using
hypnosis. It has also been found that hypnotic suggestions can regulate
activity in identifiable sections of the brain and can contribute to the
effective management of cognitive conflict. Findings from several related
brain imaging studies, for example, have suggested that people under
hypnosis can exhibit reduced levels of brain activity in both visual areas
and the anterior cingulate cortex. Disparate research has already
established the role of these brain structures in the monitoring of
cognitive conflict.
13. Horticulturalists must take into account many factors when planning
the reproduction of plants. Propagation by seed is the most common method
employed as it is relatively easy and has a good expected rate of
germination, although this can drop if the seed has been packaged for more
than a year. Many seeds can remain viable for up to 5 years if properly
stored, as their protective coats prevent sprouting until ideal growing
conditions exist. External conditions can be manipulated in order to bring
seeds out of dormancy and hasten germination. However, even with optimal
conditions, some seeds are reluctant to sprout.
14. Significant advances in float furnace design and operation, in the
development of glass compositions and in the glass forming process itself
have all played a role in the optimisation of glass manufacturing. For
example, thermodynamic modelling assists in the enhancement of glass
composition and offers control over devitrification characteristics, and
studies examining burner design, to ensure flames have maximum luminosity
and impinge on the glass at the correct angle, aid the minimisation of fuel
consumption. The exploitation of such advanced research allows glass
manufacturers to reduce their expenditure on fuel, decrease their defect
rates and produce glass of the highest quality, all of which are important
if they are to retain their commercial standing and customer loyalty.
15. When implementing a change programme, the more attention an
organisation pays to the ''people side'' of the business, the more successful
the initiative is likely to be. Considering these human elements ensures
more employees understand the changes and thus support them; staff are more
motivated and are therefore less likely to leave. They are also more likely
to disseminate the message to others in a positive light. Most organisations
focus initially on the process elements of the change initiative. Only very
infrequently is the initial focus upon this equally important part of the
change process: the people.
16. Financial fraud is a crime of growing significance. In 2003, 8% of
reported business-related crimes were frauds, averaging ?35,000 in losses.
By 2005, whilst financial fraud was found to be the sixth-most frequent
crime, it was the third-highest concern amongst business leaders.
Researchers found that globally, Internet-based fraud was rising
dramatically, accounting for two-thirds of all reported fraud cases in 2005.
The main reasons for the frauds included poor supervision and lack of proper
division of duties, inadequate control of access to systems, and poor
authorisation controls. Internal detective measures uncovered less than half
of the cases, with an increasing number of cases being discovered by
accident. One third of the cases were committed by managerial staff, while
one-half were committed by non-managerial staff.
17. The cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation is the afterglow
from the Big Bang, and weak as it may be today, these primeval microwaves
hold valuable information about fundamental properties of the early
universe. Slight differences, or anisotropies, in the brightness and
polarization of the CMB reveal clues about the nature of the primordial
plasma: that the discrepancies exist at all shows that the plasma was not
perfectly uniform. The variations in brightness seen in the CMB reflect
differences in the density of the primordial plasma, whereas the anisotropic
polarization reveals information about the dynamics of the early universe,
such as the movement of material and the number of gravitational waves. The
CMB, however, is not the only source of polarized microwaves and the
cosmological polarisation must thus be measured at different wavelengths so
as to isolate them from foreground signals.
18. As in the tradition of haute couture catwalks and magazines, an
effective shop window must display items in such a way that engenders
customers'' aspirations to lead a certain lifestyle and consequently
stimulate their desire to purchase the merchandise. Financial success may
also depend on how frequently the window display is altered, as this will
encourage customers to regularly enter the shop to inspect new stock. It may
also induce an anxiety that the pieces may be removed imminently and thereby
increase customer spending, as well as catch the attention of passers by
because a constantly evolving window display suggests something exciting is
happening. The display items should be large and bright in colour to ensure
that they are visible from a distance and a themed window (e.g. Christmas)
often improves sales considerably. A common drawback of placing items in a
shop window is that they are more liable to be stolen.
19. The prospect of accepting negative feedback about ourselves elicits
conflict as we need to assess the immediate emotional costs of negative
information about ourselves against the long-term benefits of gaining useful
feedback. Studies have confirmed what most managers seem to have known
already: that the mood we are in whilst receiving feedback often influences
the relative weight people assign to emotional costs versus the
informational benefits of receiving negative feedback. The studies that have
been carried out have demonstrated that positive moods can function as a
buffer and therefore enable people affected in this way to both accept as
well as better handle the emotional costs of negative self-related
information.

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