The Development of Aesthetic Sensitivity

The Impact of Cultural SensitivityCultural sensitivity is a term that has gained significant importance in today's world. It refers to the ability to understand, appreciate, and respect the beliefs, values, customs, and practices of individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. In this essay, we will explore the impact of cultural sensitivity from various angles.Firstly, cultural sensitivity plays a vital role in promoting diversity and inclusion. When individuals are aware of and respectful towards cultural differences, it creates a welcoming and inclusive environment. This, in turn, leads to increased collaboration, creativity, and productivity. For example, a workplace that fosters cultural sensitivity is more likely to attract and retain a diverse workforce, leading to a wider range of perspectives and ideas.Secondly, cultural sensitivity is crucial in avoiding misunderstandings and conflicts. Misunderstandings can occur when individuals from different cultures interpret the same situation differently. For instance, in some cultures, direct eye contact is considered a sign of respect, while in others, it is seen as a sign of aggression. Cultural sensitivity helps individuals to understand and respect these differences, thereby reducing the likelihood of conflicts.Thirdly, cultural sensitivity is essential in providing effective healthcare. Healthcare professionals who are culturally sensitive can provide better care to patients from diverse cultural backgrounds. They can understand the patients' beliefs, values, and practices, and tailor their care accordingly. This leads to better health outcomes and increased patient satisfaction.Fourthly, cultural sensitivity is critical in international business. In today's globalized world, businesses operate in different countries and interact with individuals from different cultures. Cultural sensitivity helps businesses to understand the cultural nuances of the countries they operate in, and tailor their products and services accordingly. This leads to increased customer satisfaction and business success.Fifthly, cultural sensitivity is crucial in education. Schools that promote cultural sensitivity create a safe and inclusive environment for all students. This leads to increased student engagement, better academic performance, and a more positive school culture. Moreover, cultural sensitivity helps students to develop a global perspective, which is essential in today's interconnected world.Lastly, cultural sensitivity is essential in promoting social justice. When individuals are culturally sensitive, they are more likely to recognize and challenge cultural biases and stereotypes. This leads to a more just and equitable society, where individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds are treated with respect and dignity.In conclusion, cultural sensitivity has a significant impact on various aspects of our lives, including diversity and inclusion, conflict resolution, healthcare, international business, education, and social justice. It is essential to promote cultural sensitivity to create a more inclusive, just, and equitable society.。

考试注意事项整个试卷共120题,听力部分有30道题,长度约25分钟,该部分结束后立即开始语法词汇部分,然后是填充部分和阅读部分。

这三部分时间统用,共80分钟。

听力录音长度约21分钟,共30题,其中10题有惩罚措施:做对得1分,做错扣0.5分。

因此建议:不要做没有把握的题。

阅读部分中第111-120题亦有惩罚措施:做对得1分;做错扣1分。

请先下载听力试题的声音文件(MP3格式。

按鼠标右键,用―目标另存为...‖将声音文件下载到硬盘上,然后用相关软件播放。

试题的标准答案附在最后。

请自己核对答案。

最终成绩的换算表:Part I Listening Comprehension (听力理解每个正确答案乘以 1Part II Grammar and Vocabulary (语法、词汇每个正确答案乘以 0.6Part III Cloze (填充每个正确答案乘以 0.8Part IV Reading Comprehension (阅读理解每个正确答案乘以 1四项换算后的成绩之和为总分。

满分为100分。

录取等级参考标准如下:高级班:65分以上中级班:50-64分准中级班:35-49分基础班:20-34分Part I Listening ComprehensionSection ADirections :In this section, you will hear 10 short statements. The statements will be spoken just once. They will not be written out for you, and you must listen carefully in order to understand what the speaker says.When you hear a statement, you will have a period of 15 to 20 seconds to read the four sentences in your test book and decide which one is closest in meaning to the statement you have heard. Then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the problem and mark your answer by drawing with a pencil a short bar across the corresponding letter in the brackets.Listen to the following example:You will hear:You will read:[A] He's been living in Beijing for a long time.[B] He used to live in Beijing.[C] He's gone to Beijing for a short visit.[D] He should stay longer in Beijing,Sentence [B] "He used to live in Beijing" is closest in meaning to the statement "He is no longer living in Beijing." Therefore you should choose answer [B].1. [A] Tom is riding a bike.[B] The bike is upside down.[C] Tom is repairing the bike.[D] Tom is cleaning his bike.2. [A] Professor Graff doesn't usually write on the blackboard.[B] Students are rarely bored in Professor Grafts class.[C] The professor uses graphs when she lectures.[D] Students in the graphic arts course don't take notes.3. [A] They are with them.[B] It is with them.[C] They are with her.[D] He is with her.4. [A] I passed the test because I studied hard.[B] I won't do well on the test if I don't study.[C] I failed the test because I didn't study enough.[D] I'll study hard so I can pass the test.5. [A] How long is the school term?[B] Why did you turn over the stool?[C] I wish I know how to get to the dormitory.[D] I want the term to end soon.6. [A] The boat owner must be rich.[B] This man must be the owner.[C] Those men are both rich.[D] The boat has a monkey on it.7. [A] Alice answered Jean's question.[B] Alice allowed Jean to respond.[C] Jean's response was questionable.[D] Alice accepted the answer.8.[A] Bob bought a new pair of sandals.[B] Bob's sandals were fixed.[C] The shoemaker only made sandals.[D] The shoemaker wore sandals.9.[A] We have to go to a party after work.[B] We are going to have a party when the house has been painted.[C] We went to a huge party after the house was painted.[D] We'll go to the party if the house is painted.10. [A] They read about the invention in the news report.[B] The inventor wrote an interesting news report.[C] A reporter asked the inventor some questions.[D] The reporter was watching the news.Section BDirections:In this section you will hear 10 short conversations between two speakers. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. You will hear the question only once. When you have heard the question, you will have a period of 15 to 20 seconds to read the four possible answers marked [A], [B], [C] and [D] and decide which is the best answer. Mark your answer on the answer sheet by drawing with a pencil a short bar across the corresponding letter in the brackets.Example :You will hear:'You will read:[A] At the office.[B] On his way to work.[C] Home in bed.[D] Away on vacation.From the conversation, we know that Bill is sick and will have to stay in bed until Monday. The best answer, then, is [C] "Home in bed." Therefore, you should choose answer [C].11. [A] On the steps.[B] By the window.[C] At s store.[D]In a bank.12. [A] It's almost time for lunch.[B] Only a few strawberries will be eaten at lunch.[C] There are just enough strawberries for lunch.[D] There won't be many people for lunch.13.[A] No one knows how Mary gets to work.[B] It's surprising that Mary could repair the record player.[C] She threw the old records away.[D] She doesn't think the record player works.14. [A] In a railroad station.[B] In a bus terminal.[C] In a restaurant.[D] In a hotel room.15. [A] At the information desk.[B] On the platform.[C] On the train.[D] Near the stairs.16. [A] Eighteen.[B] Nineteen.[C] Twenty.[D] Twenty-eight.17. [A] He gave homework.[B] He prepared a test.[C] He opened the book to page 20.[D] He went to the cinema.18. [A] He doesn't understand the question.[B] He will definitely not lend her the money.[C] He will lend her the money.[D] He might lend her the money.19. [A] She lost her money.[B] The price of postage went up.[C] She didn't know where the post office.[D] The post office was closed today.20. [A] Zero.[B] One.[C]Two.[D] Three.Section CDirections :In this section you will hear several brief talks and/or conversations. You will hear them once only. After each one, you will hear some questions. You will hear each question once only. After you hear the question, you will have 1 5 to 20 seconds to choose the best answer from the four choices given. Mark your answer on the answer sheet by drawing with a pencil a short bar across the corresponding letter in the brackets.21. [A] A person's character.[B] A person's voice characteristics.[C] A person's health.[D] A person's profession.22. [A] The strength of the speaker.[B] The force of air that comes from the lungs.[C] The weight of the speaker.[D] The height of the speaker.23. [A] The highness or lowness of sounds.[B] The loudness of sounds.[C] The force of sounds.[D] The speed of sounds.24. [A] The Student Activities Office will open.[B] Seniors will measure their heads.[C] Students will order new school hats.[D] Seniors will graduate.25. [A] All students[B] All seniors[C] All graduating seniors[D] All faculty26. [A] What kind of ceremony there will be[B] How to order the graduation outfit[C] How much to pay for the clothes[D] Where to go for graduation27. [A] Rent them[B] Buy them[C] Clean them[D] Measure them28. [A] Michael Jackson.[B] Muhammad Ali[C] A very famous actor.[D] A very famous and powerful president.29. [A] He was a gold medal winner in Olympics.[B] He is the younger brother of Michael Jackson.[C] He had some influence on the president of the U.S.[D] He is quite popular with the American young people today.30. [A] They usually don't live long.[B] They usually are quickly forgotten by the public.[C] They don't know where to hide themselves.[D] They are usually very fat.Part II Grammatical Structure and Vocabulary(30 minutesSection ADirections :There are 10 sentences in this section. Beneath each sentence there are 4 words or phrases marked [A], [B], [C] and [D]. Choose the one word or phrase that best completes the sentence. Mark your answer on the answer sheet by drawing with a pencil a short bar across the corresponding letter in the brackets.Example: I have been to the Great Wall three times ___ 1979.[A] from[B] after[C] for[D] sinceThe sentence should read, "I have been to the Great Wall three times since 1979." Therefore you should choose [D].31. Those foreign visitors look very ____.[A] smartly[B] wildly[C] like friends[D] friendly32.It ____ every day so far this month.[A] is raining[B] rains[C] has rained[D] rained33. James has just arrived, but I didn't know he ____ until yesterday.[A] will come[B] was coming[C] had been coming[D] came34. She ought to ___ my letter a week ago. But she was busy with her work.[A] have answered[B] answering[C] answer[D] be answered35. The house ____ windows are broken is unoccupied.[A] its[B] whose[C] which[D] those36. _____ of gold in California caused many people to travel west in hope of becoming rich.[A] The discovering[B] To discover[C] The discovery[D] On discovering37. _____ the Wright brothers successfully flew their airplane.[A] The century was beginning[B] It was the beginning of the century[C] At the beginning of the century[D] The beginning of the century38. After a brief visit to New Orleans,____.[A] returning to New York and beginning to write his greatest poetry did Walt . Whitman.[B] Walt Whitman returned to New York and began to write his greatest poetry.[C] Walt Whitman was writing his greatest poetry when he returned to New York.[D] having returned to New York Walt Whitman wrote his greatest poetry.39. We wish that you ____ such a lot of work , because we know that you would have enjoyed theparty.[A] hadn't had[B] hadn't[C] didn't have had[D] hadn't have40. Since your roommate is visiting her family this weekend, why_____ you have dinner with ustonight[A] will[B] won't[C]do[D] don'tSection BDirections :There are 10 sentences in this section. Each sentence has four parts underlined. The four underlined parts are marked [A], [B], [C] and [D]. Identify the one underlined part that is wrong. Mark your answer on the answer sheet by drawing with a pencil a short bar across the corresponding letter in the brackets.Example:A number of foreign visitors were taken to the industrial exhibition which they sawA B C Dmany new products.Answer [C] is wrong because the sentence should read, "A number of foreign visitors were taken to the industrial exhibition where they saw many new products." So you should choose[C].41. Thomas is most excellent in the family.A B C D42. By 1642 all towns in the colony of Massachusetts was required by law to have schools.A B C D43. Both moths and butterflies have a keen sense of sight, smell, and tasting.A B C D44.The plane took off after holding up for hours by fog.A B C D45. Smith sold most of his belongings. He has hardly nothing left in the house.A B C D46. The reason why I decided to come here is because this university has a goodA B CDepartment of English.D47.If he would have finished his paper a little sooner, he would have graduated this term.A B C D48. Most experts agree that there have never been such an exciting series ofA B Cbreakthroughs in the search for a cancer cure as we have seen recently.D49. If one does not have respect for himself, you cannot expect others to respect him.A B C D50. The South is mostly Democrat politically, when the North has both DemocratsA B C Dand Republicans.Section CDirections:There are 20 sentences in this section. Each sentence has a word or phrase underlined. There are four words or phrases beneath each sentence. Choose the one word or phrase which would best keep the meaning of the original sentence if it were substituted for the underlined part. Mark your choice on the answer sheet by drawing with a pencil a short bar across the corresponding letter in the brackets.Example: The initial step is often the most difficult.[A] quickest[B] longest[C] last[D] firstThe best answer is [D] because "first" has the same meaning as "initial" in the sentence. Therefore you should choose [D].51. The initial talks were the base of the later agreement.[A] first[B] quickest[C] last[D] longest52. She is quiet and pious at church in the morning but gossips all afternoon.[A]gentle[B] smiling[C]joyful[D] devout53. The weatherman said, "It will be chilly this afternoon."[A] wet[B] turbid[C] hot[D] cold54. He walked to his bedroom cautiously because he heard strange sounds in it.[A] happily[B] carefully[C] curiously[D] noisily55. Apparently she never got my letter after all.[A] Evidently[B] Disappointedly[C] Luckily[D] Anxiously56. Placing tags on ducks and geese as they migrate is one method of studying the behavior of birds.[A] sleep for winter[B] move from one place to another[C] flee their enemies[D] search for food57. In September, 1835, Darwin's vessel arrived at the Galapagos Islands.[A] assistant[B] cargo[C] ship[D] gun58. Movie studios often boost a new star with guest appearances on television talk shows.[A] attack[B] watch[C] denounce[D] promote59. When products advertise extensively on television, they are often ridiculously overpriced.[A] inexpensive[B] costly[C] valueless[D] overabundant60. John and his brother have entirely different temperaments.[A] likings[B] dispositions[C] tastes[D] objectives61. Seeds are contained in the center of fleshy fruit such as apples and pears.[A] core[B] focus[C] nucleus[D] median62. One of the responsibilities of a forest ranger is to drive slowly through the area in search of animals in distress.[A] cruise[B] tiptoe[C] skid[D] mare63. Mrs. Palmer was offended by the clerk's mean remark.[A] tasty[B] nasty[C] misty[D] musty64. Most recipients of the peace prize are given the award in person, but sometimes the award is givenposthumously.[A] when the person is out of the country[B] after the person has died[C] to political prisoners[D] by mail65. Seeing the Grand Canyon from the air is a sight to behold.[A] hold upon[B] remember[C] anticipate[D] gaze upon66: Mythical creatures have been a part of the folklore of many cultures throughout the centuries.[A] Appealing[B] Magical[C] Legendary[D] Fighting67. Everyone would like a panacea for health problems.[A] protection against[B] advice for[C] a cure-all for[D] a decrease in68. In the fall it is gratifying to see stalks of wheat ready for harvest.[A] terrifying[B] satisfying[C] surprising[D] relaxing69. A bad winter storm can paralyse an urban area.[A] immobilise[B] evacuate[C] isolate[D] stabilise70. Even though he was obese, Oliver Hardy gained fame as a comedian.[A] dying[B] crazy[C] unhappy[D]fatPart III ClozeDirections: For each blank in the following passage, choose the best answer from the choices in the column on the right. Then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the question and draw a short bar across the corresponding letter.There is a lot of luck in the drilling foroil. The [71] may just miss the oil although it is near;[72], it may strike oil at a fairly high[73]. When the drill goes down, itbrings [74] soil. The sample of soil from various depths areexamined for traces of [75]. If they are disappointed at one place, thedrillers go to [76]. Great sums ofmoney [77] spent, for example in the deserts of Egypt, in ‗prospecting‘ for oil. Sometimes[78] is found. When you buy a few gallons of petrol for our cars, we pay not only the [79] of the petrol, but also part of the cost if the search that 71.[A] time[B] man[C] drill[D] plan72. [A] at last[B] in the end[C] as a result[D] on the other hand73. [A] level[B] time[C] place[D] price74. [A] down[B] up[C] on[D] in75. [A] sand[B] water[C] oil[D] gas76. [A] another[B] the other[C] others[D] one another77. [A] are[B] is[C] has been[D] have been78. [A] a little[B] little[C] a few[D] few79. [A] amount[B] price[C] cost[D] drilling北京语言大学出国人员培训部/入学考试样题/2013is [ 80 ] going on.When the crude oil is obtained from the field, it is taken to the refineries.[ 81 ].The commonestform of treatment is [ 82 ]. When the oil is heated, the first vapours[ 83 ] are cooled and become the finest petrol. Petrol has a lowboiling[ 84 ]; if a little is poured into the hand, it soon vaporizes.Gas that comes off the [ 85 ] lateris condensed into paraffin. [ 86 ] the lubricating oils of variousgrades are produced. What [ 87 ] is heavy oil that is used as fuel.There are four main areas ofthe world [ 88 ] deposits of oil appear.The first is [ 89 ] of the Middle East.Another is thearea [ 90 ] North and South America, and the third, between Asia and Australia. The fourth area is the part near the North Pole. 80. [A] often[B] frequently[C] busily[D] always81. [A] to be treated[B] to treat[C] for treatment[D] for treating82. [A] heated[B] to be heated[C] to heat[D] heating83. [A] to rise[B] rises[C] rising[D] risen84. [A] level[B] place[C] point[D] degree85. [A] ground[B] air[C] oil[D] water86. [A] Then[B] Last of all[C] Afterwards[D] Lately87. [A] remains[B] remain[C] remained[D] remaining88. [A] there[B] which[C] that[D] where89. [A] the one[B] one[C] that[D] this90. [A] between[B] among[C] above[D] belowPart IV Reading Comprehension(40 minutesDirections:In this part there are passages followed by questions or unfinished statements, each with four suggested answers. Choose the one you think is the best answer. Mark your choice on the answer sheet by drawing with a pencil a short bar across the corresponding letter in the brackets. Questions 91-94 are based on the following passage:The fiddler crab is a living clock. It indicates the time of day by the color of its skin, which is dark by day and pale by night. The crab's changing skin color follows a regular 24-hour cycle that exactly matches the daily rhythm of the sun.Does the crab actually keep time, or does its skin simply respond to the sun's rays, changing color according to the amount of light that strikes it? To find out, biologists kept crabs in a dark room for two months. Even without daylight the crab's skin color continued to change precisely on schedule.This characteristic probably evolved in response to the rhythm of the sun, to help protect the crab from sunlight and enemies. After millions of years it has become completely regulated inside the living body of the crab.The biologists noticed that once each day the color of the fiddler crab is especially dark, and that each day this occurs fifty minutes later than on the day before. From this they discovered that each crab follows not only the rhythm of the sun but also that of the tides. The crab's period of greatest darkening is precisely the time of low tide on the beach where it was caught!91. The fiddler crab is like a clock because it changes color[A] in a regular 24-hour rhythm.[B] in response to the sun's rays.[C] at low tide.[D] every fifty minutes.92. The crab's changing color[A] tells the crab what time it is.[B] protects the crab from the sunlight and enemies.[C] keeps the crab warm.[D] is of no real use.93. When the fiddler crabs were kept in the dark, they[A] did not change color.[B] changed color more quickly.[C] changed color more slowly.[D] changed color on the same schedule.94. The best title for the passage is[A] The Rhythmic Cycles of the Sun and Tide[B] Discoveries in Biology[C] A Scientific Study[D] A living ClockThere is another example of the revolution in railway signaling and safety measures which can also be attributed to the widespread introduction of electricity in the last decade of the nineteenth century. The track circuit, patented by one William Robinson as far back as 1872, was based on a simple principle. A section of track is insulated at the rail joints from the adjoining sections, and an electrically-operated switch or relay is maintained in the closed position by a low-voltage current passing continually through the rails. The effect of the entry of a train on the insulated section is to short-circuit this current through its wheels and axles with the result that the switch opens. It will be appreciated that should the current fail or should an accidental short-circuit take place, the device will behave as if a train were on the section. However, it will obey the essential requirement of every safety device that in the event of failure the danger signal is given.95. What does the paragraph preceding this one probably discuss?[A] Another one of Robinson's inventions[B] A twentieth-century safety device[C] An electrically-operated safety device[D] Railroading in the mid-nineteenth century96. In the last sentence in the passage, what does the word "it" refer to?[A] An accidental short-circuit[B] A danger signal[C] A safety device[D] A train97. Which of the following statements is TRUE?[A] Railway signaling improved with the American Revolution.[B] The last century saw great progress in railway signaling device.[C] The track circuit is a simple application of a complex principle.[D] The widespread introduction of electricity took place around 1910.98. If a short-circuit takes place, what will happen to the section containing the safety device?[A] A fire will start.[B] A danger signal will be given.[C] A train will derail.[D] The electrically operated switch will close.99. What is the result when a train passed over a section with a low-voltage current?[A] It will derail.[B] A switch opens.[C] A danger signal is given.[D] It will shock the crew.100. What is the topic of this passage?[A] The development of electrical safety devices[B] The inventions of William Robinson[C] The danger of railroad accidents[D] The operation of an electrical safety device for trainsLife near the shore everywhere is affected by the tides, which come and go twice each day in a cycle of about twelve-and-a-half hours —just different enough from the daily cycle of the sun so that there can be no regular relationship between the shore being alternately wet and dry and alternately light and dark. The extent of the tides varies greatly, from as little as one foot in inland seas like the Mediterranean, to fifty feet or so in the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia. In some parts of the world, one of the two daily tides rises higher and falls lower than the other; and tides at the time of new moon and full moon are generally greater than at other times. The extent of the intertidal zone thus varies from day to day as well as from place to place.The kinds of organisms living in the region between the tidal limits depend very much on whether the shore is rocky, sandy, or muddy. Rocky shores have the most obviously rich faunas, because of the firm anchorage for both animals and plants, and because of the small pools left by the retreating seas. Sandy shores, especially when exposed to surf (as they usually are, have the fewest kinds of animals.101. Which of the following factors does not affect the extent of the tides?[A] Place[B] Time[C] The moon[D] The composition of the shore soil102. The time span between tides[A] varies as much as the extent of the tides.[B] is a more constant phenomenon than the extent of the tides.[C] is shorter in inland seas.[D] and the extent of tides depend upon each other.103. The two tides in a given day[A] may vary in extent.[B] never vary in extent.[C] always vary in extent.[D] only vary in extent at the time of a new moon or a full moon.104. The composition of the intertidal soil affect[A] the nature of tides.[B] the temperature of the water in that area.[C] the amount of animals and plants living in that area.[D] the level of pollution in that area.105. Muddy shores[A] have poorer faunas than do sandy shores.[B] have richer faunas than do rocky shores.[C] have poorer faunas than do rocky shores, but richer faunas than do sandy shores.[D] have no faunas at all.106. The smallest tides occur in[A] open seas.[B] inland.[C] bays.[D] deeper seas.Reading is the key to school success and, like any skill, it takes practice. A child learns to walk by practising until he no longer has to think about how to put one foot in front of the other. A great athlete practices until he can play quickly, accurately, without thinking. Tennis players call that "being in the zone." Educators call it "automaticity."A child learns to read by sounding out the letters and decoding the words. With practice, he stumbles less and less, reading by the phrase. With automaticity, he doesn't have to think about decoding the words, so he can concentrate on the meaning of the text.It can begin as early as first grade. In a recent study of children in Illinois schools, Alan Rossman of Northwestern University found automatic readers in the first grade who were reading almost three times as fast as the other children and scoring twice as high on comprehension tests. At fifth grade, the automatic readers were reading twice as fast as the others, and still outscoring them on accuracy, comprehension and vocabulary."It's not I.Q. but the amount of time a child spends reading that is the key to automaticity," according to Rossman. Any child who spends at least 3.5 to 4 hours a week reading books, magazines or newspapers will in all likelihood reach automaticity. At home, where the average child spends 25 hours a week watching television, it can happen by turning off the set just one night in favour of reading.You can test your child by giving him a paragraph or two to read aloud - something unfamiliar but appropriate to his age. If he reads aloud with expression, with a sense ofthe meaning of the sentences, he probably is an automatic reader. If he reads haltingly, one word at a time, without expression or meaning, he needs more practice.107. The first paragraph tells us____.[A] what automaticity is[B] how accuracy is acquired[C] how a child learns to walk[D] how an athlete is trained108. An automatic reader[A] sounds out the letters[B] concentrates on meaning[C] has a high I.Q.[D] pays much attention to the structures of sentences109. The Illinois study shows that the automatic reader's high speed[A] costs him a lot of work[B] affects his comprehension[C] leads to his future success[D] doesn't affect his comprehension110. A bright child[A] also needs practice to be an automatic reader[B] always achieves great success in comprehension tests[C] becomes an automatic reader after learning how to read[D] is a born automatic readerQuestions 111 - 116 are based on the following passage:The Triumph of Unreason?Neoclassical economics is built on the assumption that humans are rational beings who have a clear idea of their best interests and strive to extract maximum benefit (or―utility‖, in economist-speak from any situation. Neoclassical economics assumes that the process of decision-making is rational. But that contradicts growing evidence that decision-making draws on the emotions—even when reason is clearly involved.The role of emotions in decisions makes perfect sense. For situations met frequently in the past, such as obtaining food and mates, and confronting or fleeing from threats, the neural mechanisms required to weigh up the pros and cons will have been honed by evolution to produce an optimal outcome. Since emotion is the mechanism by which animals are prodded towards such outcomes, evolutionary and economic theory predict the same practical consequences for utility in these cases. But does this still apply when the ancestral machinery has to respond to the stimuli of urban modernity?One of the people who thinks that it does not is George Loewenstein, an economist at Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh. In particular, he suspects that modern shopping has subverted the decision-making machinery in a way that encourages people to run up debt. To prove the point he has teamed up with two psychologists, Brian Knutson of Stanford University and Drazen Prelec of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to look at what happens in the brain when it is deciding what to buy.。

The concept of vitality is a fundamental aspect of life that propels us into the future with a sense of dynamism and energy.In the realm of English composition,this theme can be explored through various lenses,such as personal growth,societal progress,and technological advancements.Heres a detailed English essay that encapsulates the essence of vitality and its impact on the future.The Unstoppable Force of Vitality:Shaping Our FutureVitality is the lifeblood that courses through the veins of progress,the relentless energy that fuels innovation,and the boundless enthusiasm that drives us towards a brighter future.It is not merely a state of being but a force that shapes our world,one that is as essential as the air we breathe.Personal Growth and the Cultivation of VitalityAt the individual level,vitality is the key to personal growth and selfimprovement.It is the inner drive that compels us to step out of our comfort zones,to learn new skills,and to embrace challenges with open arms.The cultivation of vitality begins with a positive mindset,an unwavering belief in ones capabilities,and a commitment to lifelong learning. It is through this continuous process of selfenrichment that we prepare ourselves for the future,equipping ourselves with the resilience and adaptability needed to navigate the everchanging landscape of life.Societal Progress and the Role of Collective VitalityVitality is not confined to the individual it is a collective force that propels societies forward.It manifests in the form of social movements that advocate for change,in the collaborative efforts to solve global issues,and in the shared aspirations for a better world. The role of collective vitality is to inspire unity and action,to foster a sense of community,and to create an environment where every member feels empowered to contribute to the common good.It is through this collective vitality that societies evolve, adapt,and thrive.Technological Advancements and the Harnessing of VitalityIn the realm of technology,vitality is the catalyst for innovation and discovery.It is the curiosity that leads to groundbreaking research,the passion that drives the development of new technologies,and the ambition that propels us to explore the unknown.Theharnessing of vitality in this context is about embracing change,encouraging creativity, and fostering an environment where ideas can flourish.As we stand on the brink of unprecedented technological advancements,it is this vitality that will guide us towards a future filled with possibilities.The Future:A Canvas for VitalityThe future is a canvas,vast and uncharted,waiting for the vibrant strokes of vitality to bring it to life.It is a time of immense potential,a period that will be defined by our ability to harness and channel this vital force.Whether it is through personal endeavors, collective efforts,or technological breakthroughs,the future will be shaped by our commitment to vitality.ConclusionIn conclusion,vitality is the heartbeat of progress,the pulse of innovation,and the rhythm of change.It is a force that must be nurtured,celebrated,and channeled towards creating a future that is not only sustainable but also vibrant and full of life.As we look towards the horizon,let us carry the torch of vitality with us,illuminating the path to a future that is as dynamic and energetic as the vitality that drives us forward.This essay encapsulates the multifaceted nature of vitality and its profound influence on shaping our future.It encourages readers to embrace vitality in all its forms,recognizing it as a fundamental element in personal development,societal evolution,and technological innovation.。

七下英语作文1~4单元英文回答：Unit 1: Theme of the Universe.What is the universe made up of?The universe is made up of galaxies, stars, planets, moons, asteroids, and other celestial bodies.What are the different theories about the origin of the universe?There are several theories about the origin of the universe, including the Big Bang theory and the Steady State theory. The Big Bang theory is the most widely accepted theory, and it postulates that the universe began as a singularity that expanded rapidly into a vast, expanding universe.What are some of the major features of the universe?Some of the major features of the universe include the Milky Way galaxy, the solar system, the Earth, the moon, and the sun.Unit 2: Theme of Science and Discovery.What is science?Science is a systematic and organized body of knowledge about the natural world. Science is obtained through systematic observation, experimentation, and hypothesis testing.What are some of the major discoveries in science?Some of the major discoveries in science include the theory of relativity, the laws of thermodynamics, and the theory of evolution.How has science influenced our lives?Science has influenced our lives in many ways,including the development of new technologies, the improvement of healthcare, and the advancement of our understanding of the natural world.Unit 3: Theme of Technology.What is technology?Technology is the application of scientific knowledge to solve problems and create new products and processes.What are some of the major technological advancements?Some of the major technological advancements include the computer, the internet, and the mobile phone.How has technology affected our lives?Technology has affected our lives in many ways, including the way we communicate, the way we work, and theway we learn.Unit 4: Theme of the Human Environment.What is the human environment?The human environment is the natural world that has been modified by human activities.What are some of the challenges facing the human environment?Some of the challenges facing the human environment include climate change, pollution, and deforestation.What can we do to protect the human environment?There are many things we can do to protect the human environment, including reducing our carbon footprint, recycling, and conserving water.中文回答：单元1，宇宙的主题。

高一英语时文悦读第四期AWhen we see babies o r pets, we can’t help gently touching them to show ourlove. And they give us happy feelings back. But a recent study shows that it’s different for plants.to beA study, published in The Plant Journal, shows that plants don’t “like”　because t ouching changes t heir genes (基因) and, even worse, can touched. That’sslow their growth.Professor Jim Whelan of the La Trobe Institute in Australia gave an explanation. “The lightest touch from a human, animal, insect, or eve n plants touching each otherin the wind, leads to a huge gene（基因）change in the plant,” Science Daily reported.In order to test the theory, the scientists did an experiment on plants. They grewa number of plants to the age of four weeks. Then they touched them with a paintbrush every 12 hours over a 36-hour period.They found that as a response t o the touch, the mitochondria (线粒体) in theplants had been partly destroyed. The mitochondria, as Science Alert noted, are the “powerhouse of the cell (细胞)”. The mitochondria produce energy for the rest of thecell in both animals and plants.If this “powerhouse” is weakened, the plants will lose a large amount of energy that should have supported their growth.Whelan further explained to Science Daily, “If t he touching is repeated, thenplant growth is reduced by up to 30 percent.”Although the process does have a strong effect on plants, usually the plants survive. Touching changes the plants, but it’s not necessarily a bad change.According to Science Alert, frequent touching or moving plants will make themgrow shorter than other ones.The researchers believe this change, in some way, could be helpful. It may helpplants fight threats to their health such as insects and bad weather.The new research findings have led to a deeper understanding of the plants’　response to touching. And the research might “open up new ways to reduceScience Alert sensitivity (敏感性) and optimize (优化) growth in the future”,reported.1. Why did the scientists do the experiment?A. To find out why some plants grow more slowly than others.B. To test if touching can change the genes of plants.C. To show that plants’ and animals’ genes are different.D. To explain why touching has different effects on plants and animals.2. What did the scientists find in their experiment?A. Repeated touching shortened the plants’ life by four weeks.B. Mitochondria in the plants couldn’t produce energy because of touching.C. Touching slowed down plant growth by reducing energy for growth.D. Repeated touching made plants die sooner than they were expected to.3. What do the scientists think when plants become shorter because of touching?A. They may become better at fighting threats.B. They may be more easily harmed by bad weather.C. They may be more likely to be attacked by insects.D. They may become less sensitive to touching later.BRecently, Whitewater Middle Schoolstudents in the US looked at 200 pounds(90.7 kg) of food. Their classmates threw itaway after a meal in the cafeteria（自助餐厅）.They found the remains of pizzas. Theysaw untouched green salads and pieces ofbread bitten only once.It was, they said, both disgusting（可憎的）and educational.said “You don’t realize how much food waste you’re making till you see it,”　student Cody Gist.To deal with this problem, Whitewater added environmental science as a school-wide program this year. Teachers are guiding their students through researchon the ways food is linked to environment, poverty, a nd people’s health.The school changed to compostable (可用作堆肥的) paper trays (托盘) as well. Working with Every Tray Counts, a US nonprofit (非营利的) group, the school hopesfor a change from disposable (一次性的) trays to compostable paper trays.ol. Whitewater is joining a network of schools, This isn’t just an exercise at scho主流) as businesses and neighborhoods. They try to make composting as mainstream ( recycling.said Laurette “The larger issue is protection of landfill (垃圾填埋场) space,”　Hall, an environmental management official. The area has enough space to last foras much as it sounds in such a rapidlymaybe 25 more years, she said. That isn’tgrowing area.Principal Beth Thompson said students advise each other on new ways to dealwith trash（垃圾）.“Students understa nd why it matters so not one student refused to do extra workwhen throwing away their waste,” Thompson said.Whitewater teachers make sure students know how their own eating habits arepart of bigger problems. In environmental literature (文学) class, students read bookssuch as Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal.Mollie Lyman works with several language arts classrooms. Their classesdiscuss such issues as how poor neighborhoods often have less access (使用权) tohealthy food.Lyman says she wants students to ask some basic questions: “What do we What do we waste?”Choose the best answer:4. Why did Whitewater Middle School students look at the food?A. To check what foods were most popular among students.B. To find out the calories（卡路里）of different kinds of food.C. To see how food was connected with other problems.D. To prepare students for the environmental science course.5. What measures did Whitewater Middle School take?①Introducing a new course about the environment.②Using compostable paper trays in the cafeteria.③Setting up a group called Every Tray Counts.④Joining others to make composting common.A. ①②③B. ②③④C. ①②④D. ①③④6. What did Laurette Hall worry about?ll space.A. People don’t want to protect landfiB. There won’t be enough landfill space in the future.C. Students don’t know how to recycle trash.D. Students don’t understand the waste problem.7. What is the purpose of the article?A. To tell readers how important it is to save food.B. To call on students to care about poor people.C. To encourage schools to have environmental protection classes.D. To share how a US school is making an effort for the environment.CSoccer players who change clubs must get used to new team cultures, languagesand lifestyles.But it didn’t take long for Wu Lei to fit in when he moved from Shanghai SIPGto Spanish club Espanyol at the end of January.On March 2, when the 27-year-old Chinese striker (前锋) helped his team to a3-1 win over Real V alladolid, Wu became the first player from an Asian country to-up for Lascore a goal in Spain’s top league. And he also made the list of best lineLiga (西甲)’s round of 26.“I’m so proud to be the first Chinese player to score in La Liga,” W Daily. “I really want to thank my teammates f or their support since the first day I arrived.”Spanish sport newspaper Marca noted that Wu has answered those who doubted适应) to La Liga has surprisedhis move to the club and that “his quick adaptation (many people”．In fact, Wu has been surprising people since the beginning of his career. He wasa top student at primary school, and once won the title of merit student (三好学生) in Nanjing. Out of his passion (热情) for soccer, he decided to join soccer manager Xu Genbao’s soccer training center in Shanghai at the age of 12.Although some teachers disagreed with his decision, Wu proved that he couldkeep up his studies, as well as his playing. At 14, Wu became China’s youngest professional league player. Last season, W u won the Chinese Super League’s TopScorer and Player of the Year awards.Now a Chinese international, Wu is working hard to show that “there are in China who can shine in the best leagues in the world”, he told Global Ti篇章) for Chinese soccer in And given that he’s already opened a new chapter (Europe, the chances are that Wu has even more surprises in store for us.8. What happened to Wu Lei at the end of January?A. He fell out with Shanghai SIPG.B. He joined the Spanish club Espanyol.C. He helped his team defeat Real Valladolid.D. He scored a goal in one of the world’s top leagues.9. What was the Marca newspaper’s comment on Wu?A. He lacked self-confidence.B. He had learned a lot from his teammates.C. He made a mistake when he changed clubs.D. He surprised people with his ability to adapt.10. What do we know about Wu when he was a student?A. He often skipped class to play soccer.B. He was better at sports than other subjects.C. He did well in both soccer and his studies.D. He fell behind in his studies because of playing soccer.11. How does the author feel about Wu’s future career?A. Worried.B. Doubtful.C. Confident.D. Caring.DAre aliens（外星人）signaling to us?A question that human beings often ask about the universe is: “Are we alone here?”For years, scientists have tried to answer this question. In January, the discovery of new fast radio bursts (FRBs, 快速射电暴) from deep space got many to ask it again.According to Mirror, a Canadian-led team of scientists found 13 FRBs with the help of a radio telescope(望远镜）.First discovered in 2007, FRBs are short bursts of radio waves coming from far outside the Milky Way (银河). Scientists have found over 60 FRBs so far. They last only a few milliseconds (毫秒) but release the same energy as the sun gives off in a day, CNN reported.Among the 13 FRBs, a very unusual repeating signal was found, which came six times from the same location about 1.5 billion light-years away, CNN reported. Such an event has only been reported once before, back in 2012. It may help scientists understand where FRBs are from and what causes them.More importantly, the new FRBs were recorded at unusually low radio frequencies. Most of those previously（先前地）found have had frequencies (频率) of around 1,400 megahertz (MHz), but new bursts are found at even 400 MHz －the lowest frequency the telescope can discover.According to the BBC, the low frequency means that the sources (来源) of the bursts have changed. It also suggests humans can learn more about the environmentwhere the bursts come from.Avid Loeb, a professor from Harvard University, believes the radio waves maybe evidence of alien technology. They may be “leakage (泄露) from a huge,Loeb told The Independent. And even somelight-powered ship deep in space,”　Chinese internet users joked we shouldn’t respond to them.However, most researchers believe t hat FRBs are formed due to（由于）thedeath of a star or the merging (合并) of two black holes.“Science isn’t a matter of belief, it’s a matter of evidence,” claim So only more advanced technology and more collected data will reveal (揭露)the truth about FRBs. Time will be the judge.12. What can we learn about FRBs from the article?A. They were first discovered in January.B. They come from somewhere in the Milky Way.C. They often last several seconds.D. They release huge energy.13. How are the 13 FRBs special?A. They have the lowest radio frequency ever discovered.B. They come from a location about 1.5 billion light-years away.C. Their frequencies change all the time.D. They clearly show the environment where they are from.14. Where may the FRBs come from, in Leob’s opinion?A. The death of a star.B. The birth of a star.C. An alien spaceship.D. A huge black hole.第二部分七选五根据短文内容, 从短文后的七个选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项, 选项中有两项为多余选项。

英语语法词汇详解aesthetic aesthetic英[iːsˈθetɪk]美[esˈθetɪk]adj.美感的；美学的；审美的；带来美感的；外观悦目的n.美学原则复数：aesthetics英文释义：1. concerned with beauty and art and the understanding of beautiful things关于美、艺术和对美的事物的理解2. made in an artistic way and beautiful to look at以艺术的方式制作并且看起来很漂亮举个例子：1.That armchair is comfortable but not very aesthetic.那张扶手椅坐起来舒服，但不太美观。

2.My aesthetic standards are quite different from his.我的审美标准与他的大不相同。

3.Visualized and lifesome geometric solid,can cater to modernist`s aesthetic.形象生动的几何形体，更能迎合现代人的美感4.The study of art comprehends both aesthetic and intellectual considerations.艺术学习中既包括美学，又包括知识的学习。

常用短语：aesthetic education 美育；审美教育aesthetic value 审美价值，美学价值aesthetic feeling 美感aesthetic appreciation 审美aesthetic appearance 式样美观aesthetic perception 美感，审美观念；审美知觉aesthetic quality 美感质素；感官质量aesthetic design 美学设计；美术设计aesthetic attitude 审美态度；美感态度aesthetic pleasure 审美享受词汇拓展：近义词n. philosophical doctrine, philosophical theoryadj. aesthetics, esthetics, artistic, beautiful, cosmetic, enhancive, painterly反义词n. inaesthetic, unaesthetic, tasteless联想词aesthetics美学,美术理论,审美学,美的哲学;utilitarian有效用的;artistic艺术的;sensibility感情;stylistic风格上的;minimalism极简派艺术; aesthetically审美地,美学观点上地; visual视觉的，视力的; architectural建筑学的; minimalist极简抽象艺术的; modernist现代主义的; stereotype英[ˈsteriətaɪp]美[ˈsteriətaɪp]n.陈规；老套；旧框框；铅版；铅版浇铸；铅版印刷；老套的人；陈俗的人v.使成为老一套；使成为陈规；对…有成见复数：stereotypes第三人称单数：stereotypes现在分词：stereotyping过去式：stereotyped过去分词：stereotyped英文释义：a fixed idea or image that many people have of a particular type of person or thing, but which is often not true in reality许多人对某一特定类型的人或事物的固定观念或形象，但在现实中往往不是这样举个例子：1.There's always been a stereotype about successful businessmen.对成功的商人们总有一种成见。

重视科研的发展英文作文英文：As someone who values the importance of scientific research and development, I believe that investing in science and technology is crucial for the progress of society. Scientific research leads to advancements in medicine, technology, and other areas that can improve the quality of life for people around the world.One example of the positive impact of scientific research is the development of vaccines. Through scientific research, vaccines have been created to prevent deadly diseases such as polio, measles, and smallpox. This has saved countless lives and prevented the spread of these diseases.Another example is the development of renewable energy sources. Through scientific research, we have been able to harness the power of wind, solar, and hydroelectric energy.This has led to a reduction in carbon emissions and a move towards a more sustainable future.However, scientific research requires funding and support from governments, organizations, and individuals. Without proper funding, many important research projects may never get off the ground. It is important for society to recognize the value of scientific research and invest in its development.In conclusion, I believe that scientific research is essential for the progress of society. Through research, we can develop new technologies, improve medical treatments, and work towards a more sustainable future. It is important for society to invest in scientific research and supportits development.中文：作为一个重视科研发展的人，我认为投资科学技术对于社会的进步至关重要。

The light of science illuminates the path to true knowledge,guiding humanity through the darkness of ignorance and towards the enlightenment of understanding. Science,as a systematic enterprise of discovery and innovation,has been the driving force behind the progress of human civilization.From the earliest days of human history,people have sought to understand the world around them.The ancient Greeks,for instance,made significant strides in mathematics, astronomy,and philosophy,laying the groundwork for the scientific method.As time went on,the Renaissance brought about a renewed interest in scientific inquiry,leading to the development of the scientific revolution.The scientific revolution was marked by a shift from reliance on religious and philosophical dogma to empirical observation and experimentation.Pioneers like Galileo Galilei,Isaac Newton,and Robert Boyle made groundbreaking discoveries that expanded our understanding of the natural world.Newtons laws of motion and universal gravitation, for example,provided a comprehensive framework for understanding the physical universe.In the modern era,the advancement of science has accelerated at an unprecedented pace. The discovery of electricity,the development of the steam engine,and the harnessing of nuclear energy have all transformed the way we live and work.The invention of the computer and the internet has revolutionized communication and information sharing, connecting people across the globe in ways that were once unimaginable. Moreover,science has played a crucial role in improving public health and extending human life expectancy.The germ theory of disease,the development of vaccines,and advancements in medical technology have saved countless lives and alleviated suffering. The study of genetics has opened up new possibilities for treating and preventing hereditary diseases.However,the light of science is not without its shadows.The pursuit of knowledge can sometimes lead to ethical dilemmas and unintended consequences.The development of powerful technologies,such as nuclear weapons and genetic engineering,has raised important questions about the responsible use of scientific power.In conclusion,the light of science is a beacon of hope in our quest for understanding.It has the power to dispel the darkness of ignorance and to reveal the wonders of the universe.As we continue to explore the frontiers of knowledge,it is essential that we do so with wisdom,humility,and a commitment to the betterment of humanity.。

What is beautiful is usableN.Tractinsky *,A.S.Katz,D.IkarIndustrial Engineering and Management,Ben Gurion University of the Negev,Beer Sheva 84105,IsraelReceived 10January 1999;revised 2March 2000;accepted 24March 2000AbstractAn experiment was conducted to test the relationships between users'perceptions of a computer-ized system's beauty and usability.The experiment used a computerized application as a surrogate for an Automated Teller Machine (ATM).Perceptions were elicited before and after the participants used the system.Pre-experimental measures indicate strong correlations between system's perceived aesthetics and perceived usability.Post-experimental measures indicated that the strong correlation remained intact.A multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that the degree of system's aesthetics affected the post-use perceptions of both aesthetics and usability,whereas the degree of actual usability had no such effect.The results resemble those found by social psychologists regarding the effect of physical attractiveness on the valuation of other personality attributes.The ®ndings stress the importance of studying the aesthetic aspect of human±computer interaction (HCI)design and its relationships to other design dimensions.q 2000Elsevier Science B.V.All rights reserved.Keywords :User interface;Aesthetics;Usability;Apparent usability;HCI design considerations;HCI perceptions1.IntroductionThe tension between form and function has long been at the crossroad of artifact design [1±3].Whereas emphasis on function stresses the importance of the artifact's usability and usefulness,accentuating the artifact's form serves more the aesthetic,and perhaps social,needs of designers and customers.Until the ®rst quarter of this century,the design of commodities and mass production artifacts were quite devoid of aesthetic considerations.Petroski [3]credits two industrial design pioneers,Loewy and Dreyfuss,with the intro-duction of aesthetic considerations to mass production and with the development of industrial design as an explicit marketing instrument.Evidently,aesthetics considerations gained importance quickly.About half a century later,Norman [4,5]laments the appro-priation of modern design by designers who place aesthetics ahead of usability.Similar sentiments concerning designers'priorities can be found in various areas of artifact design.N.Tractinsky et al./Interacting with Computers 13(2000)127±145127Interacting with Computers 13(2000)127±1450953-5438/00/$-see front matter q 2000Elsevier Science B.V.All rights reserved.PII:S0953-5438(00)00031-X/locate/intcom*Corresponding author.For example,Tufte [6]denounces the increasing use of ªchartjunkºÐthe application of unnecessary decoration and ink elements that hinder the ef®cient reading of visual displays.Perhaps in a backlash to recent tendencies by the computer industry to oversell glitz and fashion in its products or because of its origins in disciplines that emphasize ef®ciency,the ®eld of human-computer interaction (HCI)appears to stress the prominence of usability over aesthetics.There is little doubt that,in general,the criterion of aesthetic design is an integral part of effective interaction design [7].Yet,readers of HCI textbooks can hardly ®nd any reference to aesthetic considerations in design.Contrast this with the plethora of publications that deal with the concept of usability and its application and evaluation.The claim for the prominence of usability in the ®eld of HCI goes sometimes as far as stating that ªmeasurement of usability de®nes the success or lack thereof in a GUI designº[8,p.60].In a sense the concepts of aesthetics and usability represent two orthogonal dimensions of HCI.Whereas aesthetics usually refers often to non-quanti®able,subjective,and affect-based experience of system use,usability is commonly measured by relatively objective means and sets ef®ciency as its foremost criterion [8].The near neglect of the aesthetic aspect of HCI is unfortunate for several reasons.First,it reveals a gap between the practice of much of the computer industry and the research foci of HCI in terms of the attention given to HCI design criteria.Second,it seems to ignore important needs of computer users,who,like consumers of other commodities [9,10]are likely to value aesthetics and fashionable designs in addition to usability.Third,previous research suggests that aesthetic perceptions of an interface are highly correlated with perceptions of the interface's ease of use [11,12].Therefore,it appears that users do not perceive these two design dimensions as independent.Thus,our purpose in this study is to experimentally explore users'perceptions of usability and aesthetics before and after using an application,in order to tease out how they effect users'evaluation of the quality of their interaction with the application.2.BackgroundMuch effort has been put in recent decades into studying,and then advocating,the effective design of HCI.One of the central sub-disciplines that emerged in the ®eld during the early 1980s was that of usability engineering [13,14].With a few exceptions (e.g.[15],who emphasized the user's experience),usability engineering has traditionally empha-sized objective performance criteria,such as time to learn,error rate and time to complete a task [8].Recently,as usability became one of HCI's most popular concepts [16,17],less stringent and more subjective criteria such as user satisfaction have also been widely recognized as appropriate measures of good HCI design [18,19].There is a pervasive claim for the prominence of usability criterion over aesthetics in HCI.Even when classical elements of aestheticsÐsuch as screen design and graphicsÐare dealt with [20±22],they are mostly analyzed in terms of their effects on human information processing rather than on human affect and experience.Whenever considera-tions of aesthetics and usability contradict,the unequivocal recommendation is to giveN.Tractinsky et al./Interacting with Computers 13(2000)127±145128N.Tractinsky et al./Interacting with Computers13(2000)127±145129 priority to the latter[20,21].This sentiment is expressed today with regard to the design of Web sites as well.For example,in a guide to Web site usability,Spool et al.[23]argue that ª¼no one surfs the online employee policy manual just for kicksº(p.4).They conclude ªwe found no evidence that graphic design helps users retrieve information on a web siteº(p.83,italics added).Unfortunately,this approach ignores the affective aspect of users' behavior[24]and its relevance to HCI.It also ignores the potential relationships that exist between usability and aesthetics and their combined effect on users'evaluation of compu-ter systems.For example,Jordan[10]found that usability and aesthetics(as well as several other factors)are both instrumental in creating pleasurable electronic products. Because the aesthetics aspect was by large overlooked in HCI research,it is not surpris-ing that only a handful of studies to date have investigated the relations between users' perceptions of aesthetics and usability.Kurosu and Kashimura[11]explored the relation-ships between a priori perceptions of the ease of use of an automatic teller machine (ATM)Ðwhich they termedªapparent usabilityºÐand other variables.These variables included factors believed by HCI professionals to enhance usability(termedªinherent usabilityºby Kurosu and Kashimura).Another factor included in Kurosu and Kashimura's study was the perceived beauty of the interface.The study,conducted in Japan,found surprisingly high relationships between users'judgements of the interface's aesthetics and its apparent usability r 0:59 :(In fact,this correlation was higher than all but one of the inherent usability factors.)In a recent study,Tractinsky[12]corroborated Kurosu and Kashimura's®ndings in a different culture(Israel),and removed doubts about potential method bias as an alternative explanation to the high correlation between apparent usabil-ity and perceptions of interface aesthetics.The mechanism that links affective and cognitive evaluations of user interfaces is not clear.We speculate that the strong correlations found between perceived usability and aesthetics resemble®ndings in the social psychology literature about the relationships between physical attractiveness and socially desirable characteristics.This conjecture is in line with the recent evidence suggesting that individuals experience media similar to their experience of social environments and interactions.Reeves and Nass[25]presented the results of an extensive research project,which found thatªindividuals'interactions with computers,television,and new media are fundamentally social and natural,just like in real lifeº(p.5,original emphasis).The social phenomenon of inferring personality attributes from physical attractiveness was demonstrated by Dion et al.[26].In a paper titledªWhat is beautiful is good,ºDion et al.found that people who are physically attractive are assumed(by other people)to possess more socially desirable personality traits than persons who are unattractive.Researchers suggested two mechanisms by which theªbeautiful is goodºphenomenon can be explained.The®rst mechanism suggests that the carry over from the physical appearance to other traits may re¯ect a stereotyping approach,which associates beauty with other personal attributes[26,27].The other expla-nation involves the halo effect.That is,because physical beauty is the most obvious and accessible personal characteristic accessible to others[26],it is perceived early in the interaction and then tends to color later perceptions and inferences about other personal characteristics.Recently,issues of aesthetics,and more generally,affective properties of the shopping environment became the foci of research in the®elds of marketing and consumer behavior.The concept of ªretail personalityºwas introduced by Martineau [28],who illustrated how a store's functional and psychological characteristics are capable of de®ning its image in a consumer's mind.Russell and Pratt [29]suggested that a store's affective quality (which is based to a large extent on its physical characteristics,including aesthetics)must be considered in any complete description of the shopping environment.Donovan and Rossi-ter [30]found that feelings generated by a retail store environment relate to shopping behavior while Bloch [31,p.16]concluded that the ªphysical form or design of a product is an unquestioned determinant of its marketplace successº.Edell and Burke [32]demon-strated that feelings generated by advertisements (especially by the nonverbal elements of the ad)may subsequently in¯uence cognitive processing of the ad's content.A study by Darden and Babin [9]found that not only are store characteristics capable of enticing affective response in consumers,but that a store's functional (i.e.more objective)and affective (i.e.subjective)qualities are interrelated in the consumers'eyes.Similar to the ªbeauty is goodºphenomenon in social psychology,consumer researchers suspect that a halo effect is responsible for a carry over of ®rst impressions of products or shopping environments to consumers'evaluations of other attributes of these products or environ-ments [33].In addition,this literature suggests that aesthetics may affect perceptions of products by inducing affective response which,in turn,in¯uence evaluations of other product attributes and of the product in general.In Fazio et al.,[34,p.212]terms,ªaffect is preattentively `extracted'and in¯uences subsequent perception.º.To conclude,three different processes may induce positive relationships between inter-face aesthetics and perceived usability:(a)A popular stereotyping which might associate successful design on one (noticeable)design dimension with successful design of other,less implicit design dimensions.(b)A halo effect may cause carry over of an aesthetic (or not aesthetic)design to perceptions of other design features.(c)An affective response to the design's aesthetics may improve users'mood and their overall evaluations of the system.3.Research questionsOur ®rst goal in this study was to test whether the initial correlation of perceived aesthetics and usability re¯ect more general tendencies to associate aesthetics with other system attributes.The question is important,because a positive answer would portray a picture of users whose judgment is completely masked by the interface's aesthetics.If we ®nd that users are able to discriminate between various system attributes and their relations to the interface's aesthetics,we would have to conclude that perceptions of aesthetics and usability represent a special type of relationships that merit further study.Again,one can ®nd similarity here with the history of research on the ªbeautiful is goodºphenomenon.As the study of physical attractiveness'effects on personality judgments evolved,it was shown that these effects do not apply universally to all personality attri-butes.Individuals were found to be selective in their association of physical attractiveness and personal qualities.In a comprehensive analysis of research in the ®eld,Eagly et al.[27]found that the ªbeautiful is goodºholds strongly especially for social competence attributes.These relationships were less strong for other personality traits (e.g.intellectualN.Tractinsky et al./Interacting with Computers 13(2000)127±145130N.Tractinsky et al./Interacting with Computers13(2000)127±145131 competence),and were demonstrated to disappear for yet a different type of attributes, (e.g.integrity).Our second goal is to explore what happens to users'perceptions of aesthetics and usability after they use the system.While Kurosu and Kashimura[11]and Tractinsky [12]established the existence of close relationships between perceptions of aesthetics and apparent usability before users actually use the system,it still remains to be seen whether users continue to perceive these concepts as highly correlated after they interact with the system.Dearth of previous research limits our ability to hypothesize about the persever-ance of these relationships.On the one hand,intuition suggests that post-use perceptions of usability are highly dependent on the interface's actual usability rather than on other features.On the other hand,social psychology research found that initial social percep-tions persevere even after strong evidence is presented to the contrary[35,36].In a study of information systems use,Hiltz and Johnson[37]found that initial perceptions of a system's ease of use were correlated with users'satisfaction with the system's interface after four months of use.Similarly,Szajna and Scamell[38]and Gaeth et al.[39]found that users'expectations of a system affects their perceptions of the system's actual perfor-mance.Consequently,if initial perceptions of usability are highly related to perceptions of interface aesthetics,these relations may hold even after experiencing the interface's actual usability.Thus,our study is designed to test whether the initial perceptions of aesthetics-usability relationships hold after a period of system use,and whether these perceptions are affected by the degree of the interface's perceived aesthetics and/or by the actual usability of the system.4.Method4.1.ParticipantsParticipants were132third year Industrial Engineering(IE)students who participated in the experiment for class credit.The IE curriculum includes primarily technically oriented courses,with no product design or aesthetic components.The participants were not exposed during their academic studies prior to the experiment to aesthetic considerations of artifact design.The average age of the participants was25.About67%of the partici-pants were males.4.2.Experimental design and manipulationsThe experiment used a2£2between groups factorial design.One factor,the aesthetic level of the interface,had three levels:low,medium and high.The other factor,usability, included two levels:low and high.The Aesthetics Factor.In the®rst stage of the experimental session,a computer program presented the participants with nine ATM layouts.The layouts were selected from the26 ATM layouts that were introduced by Kurosu and Kashimura[11]and later adapted by Tractinsky[12].The nine layouts were chosen based on the ratings of the screens by participants in Tractinsky's study[12].Three of the nine layouts were rated as highly aesthetic in that study,three layouts were rated low in terms of aesthetics and the otherthree were rated in between.All of the layouts contained the same objects,and differed only in terms of the way those objects were arranged on the screen.Participants were asked to rate each layout on a 1±10scale with regard to three attributes.One of the attributes was the layout's aesthetics.Participants who were assigned to a certain aesthetics condition (high,medium,or low)performed the experimental tasks using a layout that matched that condition based on their ratings.For example,participants who were assigned to the high aesthetics condition worked with the layout that they rated as the most aesthetic.To ensure successful manipulation of the aesthetics factor,eight partici-pants whose ratings of the most-and least-aesthetic layouts differed by 3points or less (on a 1±10scale)were excluded from the analysis.The Usability Factor .The program presented the participants with 11tasks to be performed on the ATM.The tasks (detailed under the Tasks subsection)were presented in a constant order to all participants.The usability factor was manipulated by introducing dif®culties to the interaction between the ATM and the participants in the low usability condition.These dif®culties included longer system delays (of 9s on average per task),buttons that did not operate the ®rst time they were pressed,and one task that prevented the users from taking a short cut for its completion.To sensitize participants to the ATM's usability,they were told that they should complete each task as quickly as possible.4.3.ProcedureThe experimental session included three stages.In the ®rst stage,the experimental program displayed the nine ATM layouts.Each layout was presented three times.Every time a layout was presented,participants were asked to rate it on one of three dimensions:(i)aesthetics;(ii)ease of use;and (iii)amount of information on the screen.Thus 27combinations of layout (9)on rating (3)were presented in a completely randomized order.An example of an ATM layout with the rating question and response buttons is presented in Appendix A.Before the second stage,participants were assigned to an aesthetics condition as described above.They then practiced the use of the ATM by performing the four types of tasks that they later had to perform in the experiment.After practicing the ATM,participants in each aesthetic level were randomly assigned to one of the two usability levels,and performed the experimental tasks using the same layout that they used for the practice tasks.Finally,participants were asked to rate the system with which they worked on several dimensions.4.4.TasksParticipants received a 4-digit personal code that allowed them to operate the ATM.The code was,in fact,identical for all participants.Participants had to perform 11tasks which were comprised of the following four types:inquiring about their account balance (this task type was repeated three times during the experiment);withdrawing cash (four times using different amounts of cash);checking out the account balance and withdrawing cash simultaneously (twice);and depositing money (twice).Obviously,all tasks were performed logically without the exchange of physical materials.The tasks were presented at the bottom of the screen,in an area separated from the ATM display,one task at a time.N.Tractinsky et al./Interacting with Computers 13(2000)127±145132The main panel of the ATM display presented system messages that guided the users in performing their tasks (e.g.ªEnter your personal codeº),or feedback about the task progress (e.g.ªthe system is handling your request,please waitº).After successfully completing a task,participants could move to the next task at their own discretion.An example of the screen in one task,querying the account balance,is presented in Appendix B.4.5.VariablesThe variables of interest in this study are subjective valuations of interface properties.Three variables measured pre-experimental perceptions of the interface:aesthetics,usabil-ity,and the amount of information it contains.Four variables measured post-experimental perceptions of the interface.Three of these measures correspond to the three pre-experi-mental variables (aesthetics,usability and amount of information).The fourth variable measures user's satisfaction.Because of the nature of our study (in which participants had to answer the same items for each of the nine displays before the main experimental procedure)we decided to settle for single-item measures.1In addition to subjective measures,number of errors and task completion times were recorded for each task.N.Tractinsky et al./Interacting with Computers 13(2000)127±1451331We are well aware that measurement theory advocates the use of multiple item measures.However,as Wanous et al.[50]suggest,single-item measures can be accepted under circumstances similar to those of our study (e.g.when there is danger that too many items might overwhelm the respondents),provided that the items are focused and unambiguous.Table 1Pre-experiment mean ratings (standard deviations in parentheses)of aesthetics,usability and amount of informa-tion for the ATM interface that was later used in the experiment in each experimental group.Rating scales ranged from 1(low)to 10(high)Aesthetic levelPre-experimental perceived measure UsabilityHigh Low HighAesthetics 8.48(1.25)8.05(.94)Usability 7.62(1.53) 6.90(1.55)Information 4.91(1.48) 4.80(1.99)N2120MediumAesthetics 5.05(1.05) 4.90(.99)Usability 5.20(2.17) 3.84(2.43)Information 5.45(1.95) 5.63(1.54)N2019LowAesthetics 2.13(1.1) 2.0(1.22)Usability 4.04(2.23) 3.19(2.23)Information 5.61(1.53) 6.57(1.43)N2321N.Tractinsky et al./Interacting with Computers 13(2000)127±145134Table 2A correlation matrix of pre-,and post-experimental measures n 124 :The dotted-lines separate pre-experimental correlations between three measures (top-left),post-experimental correlations (bottom-right),and correlations between pre-,and post-experimental measures (top-right) *p ,0:01level)Pre-usabilityPre-information Post-aesthetics Post-usability Post-information Post-satisfaction Pre-aesthetics 0.66*20.26*0.62*0.50*20.140.48*Pre-usability ±20.180.52*0.48*20.110.48*Pre-information ±20.030.110.63*0.00Post-aesthetics ±0.71*20.020.71*Post-usability ±20.010.87*Post-information±20.10N.Tractinsky et al./Interacting with Computers13(2000)127±145135 5.Results5.1.Manipulation checkTable1displays the pre-experimental mean ratings of the three interface dimensions (aesthetics,usability and amount of information).These ratings refer to the one ATM interface that was eventually used in the experiment by the participants in each experi-mental condition.A one-way analysis of variance(ANOVA)revealed a strong effect of the aesthetics factor F 2;121 338:58;p,0:001 :Mean ratings of the ATM's aesthetics were8.26,4.97and2.07for the high,medium,and low aesthetics conditions,respectively. To test whether the differences between the three conditions were statistically signi®cant, we used the standard method of Scheffe post hoc contrasts[40].The differences between any pair of three groups were signi®cant at the0.001level,indicating that the aesthetics manipulation was successful.The success of the usability manipulation was evaluated by comparing the completion times of the11tasks for both usability conditions.We performed a2-way ANOVA to®nd usability and aesthetic effects on completion times.The usability factor had signi®cant effect on completion times F 1;118 414:05;p,0:001 ;indicating that the usability manipulation succeeded.In the high-usability condition the average completion time was 23.5s per task,whereas in the low-usability condition the average was37.5s.Of this14s average difference,9s were caused by intentional system delays of the experimental program,while the other5s can be largely attributed to other usability differences(as noted in Section4).At the same time,there was no aesthetics effect on completion times F 2;118 0:01;p 0:987 ;nor was there an aesthetics X usability interaction effect F 2;118 0:96;p 0:387 :Thus,we conclude that the usability manipulation was successful and clear of any aesthetics side effects.On average,participants made1.26mistakes during the experimental sessions.There were neither main,nor interaction effects on the numbers of errors.5.2.Correlation analysisIntercorrelations among the perceived measures in this study(both before and after the experiment)are presented in Table2.Pre experimental perceptions of ATM aesthetics and their perceived usability were highly correlated r 0:66 :The high correlation resembles those obtained by Kurosu and Kashimura[11]and Tractinsky[12].Perceived amount of information,on the other hand was only weakly,and negatively,correlated with the perceived aesthetics r 20:26 and perceived usability r 20:18 :This indicates that participants were able to distinguish between these concepts.It further corroborates Trac-tinsky's[12]conclusion that it is unlikely that the correlation between aesthetics and apparent usability stems from a method effect that creates arti®cial correlations between the interface's attributes.The correlations between perceived aesthetics and usability remained high r 0:71 even after the experiment.In addition,post-experimental satis-faction with the ATM was highly correlated not only with its perceived usability(as predicted by the usability literature),but also with post-experimental perceptions of aesthetics r 0:87and.71,respectively).Pre-,and post-experimental correlations ofaesthetics and amount of information were relatively high r 0:62and 0.63,respec-tively),while pre-,and post-experimental correlation of perceived usability was lower r 0:48 :The relatively low correlation between the two usability measures can be explained in part by the different experience that the two usability groups had using the ATM in this experiment.(The correlation was 0.53for the high-usability group,and 0.40for the low-usability group.)Another interesting ®nding is that post-use satisfaction could be predicted quite well from pre-experimental perceptions of usability and of aesthetics r 0:48 :5.3.Analysis of varianceThe post-experimental measures of perceived aesthetics and usability are presented in Fig.1for the six experimental conditions.The results indicate a very similar pattern of both measures,which decline considerably as the level of aesthetics decrease.There is also a slight tendency for those measures to decrease under low usability,but only under moderate and low levels of aesthetics.Under the high-aesthetics condition,the perceptions of both usability and aesthetics measures were insensitive to changes in the ATM's usability.The main analysis of the experimental results was done using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA).The use of this technique is recommended when a variable (i.e.the covariate)which is likely to affect the dependent variables is also assumed to be correlated with one (or more)of the experimental factors [41].By applying this technique,the researcher can test the experimental effects as if all participants scored the same on the covariate.Otherwise,the researcher may not be able to tell whether observed differences in the dependent variable stem from differences in the experimental factor or from differ-ences in the covariate.The MANCOVA's two factors were level of Aesthetics (3levels)and Usability (2levels).Post-experiment ratings of aesthetics,usability,amount ofN.Tractinsky et al./Interacting with Computers 13(2000)127±145136Fig.1.Post-experimental perceptions of usability and aesthetics (on a 1±10scale)under three levels of ATM aesthetics and two levels of ATM usability.。