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Why are vinyl albums becoming so different from their digital versions?
Lingo阅读卫报
It was one of the most anticipated collaborations of the year: Charli xcx teaming up with film-maker David Cronenberg for No One Lasts Forever, the closing track on her new album Music, Fashion, Film, which debuted at No 1 in the UK. But for fans who pre-ordered what was advertised as the “full-length” album on vinyl, an unwelcome surprise awaits. The song doesn’t contain the spoken-word contribution from Cronenberg – an astonishing reflection on art, death and eternity – that is included on streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. The collaboration, praised by Variety as “the heart of what the album is really about”, apparently missed the vinyl deadline. “It was at a point where we had to deliver the vinyl audio [and] we didn’t get David in time,” Charli told the Tape Notes podcast, adding: “There’s actually a different version of the song on the vinyl, which we haven’t really spoken about yet.”
Animesh Khare, a 27-year-old fan from Paris, was among those disappointed by the decision. “Learning that the vinyl version isn’t the complete record definitely makes me hesitate to purchase it,” he says. “Artists and labels owe it to fans to communicate these differences upfront so people can make informed decisions before dropping money on physical media. It’s just a matter of respect and transparency.”
Charli xcx isn’t the only offender. Fans who pre-ordered Olivia Rodrigo’s third album You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love documented unexpected edits across half a dozen tracks on the album’s vinyl editions, including missing bridges, outros and other musical passages. Meanwhile, fans discovered vinyl copies of Raye’s second album didn’t contain its final mix: This Album May Contain Hope, the title promised, but maybe not the finished songs. In response, Raye said: “I really apologise … the digital versions of some of these songs, some are quite different. And you just need to embrace that because I tried my best.”
It’s the year’s worst pop trend: fans paying the highest price to pre-order what is ostensibly the most desirable, collectible or elaborate edition of an album are instead receiving incomplete or unpolished versions of the music. In Raye’s case, the singer tried to offer a positive spin, joking to Zane Lowe that the almost-finished vinyl could become a collectible. But cash-strapped fans aren’t seeing the funny side. “It’s fair to assume when you’re buying a record that it’s the final recording,” wrote one person on Reddit, in a comment typical of dozens posted to the site. “I ride for Charli, I love her as an artist, but a bait-and-switch isn’t cool.”
Elsewhere, the first pressing of the Weeknd’s Hurry Up Tomorrow contained only 11 of the 22 tracks on the digital version, and also featured shorter or earlier mixes, different transitions and missing guest contributions; it was followed by a “complete edition” double-vinyl release. The first vinyl pressings of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter were missing five songs that were released in the digital version, causing dismay among fans – she did not respond to requests for comment at the time – while other albums, such as Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 and Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter VI, are pressed to vinyl in much shorter editions than their digital versions, possibly to avoid costly double or triple vinyl editions.
Another reason for these discrepancies is that vinyl plants need to receive audio masters and artwork at least six weeks before a planned release date, with elaborate packaging or multiple variants requiring extra. “The more complicated the package, the more time it’ll take to manufacture,” explains Ben Savage, manager of Birkenhead-based retailer and indie label Skeleton Records, “especially if there are box sets involved”. Spotify, by contrast, needs just five business days to process digital files.
In the case of Rodrigo, her June chart-topper was released in at least a dozen different vinyl configurations, including signed copies, picture discs, editions with lenticular artwork, alternative covers, retailer exclusives, pop-up book editions and a veritable rainbow of coloured pressings. But all feature shorter versions of songs such as Honeybee, Maggots for Brains and The Cure – the last of which, for example, loses its romantic violin outro. The cuts are so widespread that fans at first assumed their copies had been mispressed. Rodrigo’s label and publicists did not respond to requests for an explanation, but the singer let slip that album closer Cigarette Smoke was written only a week before she had to “turn everything in for the vinyl”.
It’s a revealing turn of phrase: the physical campaign may no longer be simply packaging a completed album. The manufacturing timetable may be intruding into the creative process itself: one deadline to get some version of the album on to wax, and another to finesse the final mix for the streaming release. If that’s the case, should artists make it clearer to fans that they might receive a vinyl copy that is different to a digital release? One Rodrigo fan said they were told by the singer’s online store that the vinyl “was received as intended” and denied a refund. And unlike accidental mispressings, which sometimes become valuable because only a handful escape the factory, these early editions are intentionally manufactured in large quantities – often tens of thousands. They may still appeal to collectors, but are unlikely to command the kinds of prices associated with genuine misprints.
The combination of variant saturation and fan Fomo has been a boon for labels, helping drive UK vinyl sales to 7.6m LPs last year, according to the BPI – a 13.3% year-on-year increase and an 18th consecutive year of growth. But Savage warns that the industry may be pushing its luck. “It’s ripping off fans,” he says. “We fear it may lead to buyer exhaustion and cause the bubble to collapse.”
阅读自测
(事实细节题) According to the text, what primarily contributes to the discrepancies between vinyl and digital releases?
A. The protracted manufacturing cycles necessitated by physical formats. B. The artists' deliberate strategy to avoid producing costly double-vinyl editions. C. The recording plants' mandate that all albums must be finalized in five days. D. The fans' unprecedented demand for a veritable rainbow of colored pressings.
(词汇短语题) The word 'ostensibly' (Paragraph 4) is closest in meaning to ________.
A. seemingly B. genuinely C. comprehensively D. inevitably
(推理判断题) What can be inferred from the current physical production schedules?
A. They will inevitably cause the immediate collapse of the entire pop music industry. B. They might compromise the artistic integrity and completeness of the final musical output. C. They require all digital streaming platforms to postpone their release dates accordingly. D. They stem from the fans' exhaustion with purchasing multiple variants of the same album.
(观点态度题) Which of the following best represents the author's attitude towards the labels' strategy of releasing unpolished vinyl variants?
A. Strongly disapproving B. Cautiously optimistic C. Completely indifferent D. Mildly sympathetic
(主旨大意题) Which of the following would be the most appropriate title for the text?
A. The Hidden Cost of the Vinyl Revival: Why Physical Records Fall Short B. Charli xcx and Rodrigo: The Pioneers of Modern Pop Vinyls C. The Impending Collapse of the Global Music Industry Bubble D. How Streaming Platforms Have Completely Replaced Physical Media
Why Are We Suckers for Pseudoscientific Personality Tests?
Lingo阅读今日心理学
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is the most popular and well-known measure of personality. Fifty million people have taken the assessment and it has been used by 89% of Fortune 500 companies at some point to screen and evaluate employees, generating millions of dollars in annual revenue for the Myers-Briggs Company. People put their Myers-Briggs category on their Tinder profiles, and several years ago funders even put up $1 million to develop an app matching couples based on their Myers-Briggs personality types. While the Myers-Briggs test is telling people who to hire and marry, scientists hate it. As Laith Al-Shawaf has noted, “Any psychologist will tell you, it’s mostly bulls**t.”
Then why is it so popular? Primarily, it's because people are suckers for terrible psychology tests. Let’s start with the MBTI. The test was developed during World War II by an American mother and daughter who were fascinated by Carl Jung’s 1921 book Psychological Types. They created a series of 93 questions, like, “Are you more (a) realistic than speculative or (b) speculative than realistic.”
After you complete the Myers-Briggs test, you get sorted into one of 16 categories. Each group is given an appealing name: the “logical pragmatist” or the “insightful visionary”—providing a perfect new title for a professional development seminar or your online dating profile. Another perk is that you get matched with famous people. Are you an “ISFP” like Bob Dylan and Rihanna, or an “INTP” like Albert Einstein and Tina Fey? We (Dom and Jay) both completed the test and were categorized as “Commanders” with an ENTJ personality type. This puts us in prestigious—and tyrannical—company, like Steve Jobs, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Gordon Ramsay.
Despite the joy of being compared to celebrities, psychologists have repeatedly argued that the Myers-Briggs has minimal predictive ability and is grounded in debunked theory. If you take the test more than once, it’s also quite likely to give you different answers each time. Another big problem is that these 16 categories contradict how contemporary psychologists think about personality. Many experts posit that human personality can be boiled down to five traits—the BIG 5 of extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness to experience, and neuroticism. Each trait is continuous, so someone can score high, low, or anywhere in between.
A report in Scientific American compared the Myers-Briggs to other personality scores, ranging from the Big 5 to Astrological signs, to see how each predicted 37 life outcomes (see their full report), ranging from how many close friends they had, to how often they exercised, to how satisfied they were with life. Here’s what they found: On average, the Big Five test was about twice as accurate as the MBTI-style test for predicting these life outcomes, placing the usefulness of the MBTI-style test halfway between science and astrology—literally.
Unfortunately, it is quite hard to conceive of yourself in five-dimensional space. It’s also awkward to tell people at a conference, first date, or a job interview that you have a moderate score on extraversion, moderate-to-high on agreeableness and conscientiousness, high on openness, and moderate-to-low on neuroticism. This is hardly sparkling dinner party conversation! This is why assigning people to Myers-Briggs’ categories is compelling: People would much rather claim a social identity that includes Sun Tzu, Isaac Newton, Jane Austen and Arthur Ashe (setting aside the absurd fact that some of them were deceased hundreds of years before the test was even invented).
The use of categories is a great marketing maneuver and a big part of the reason behind the popularity of many dubious personality tests, from the Myers-Briggs to the infamous TIME magazine Harry Potter Quiz or Cosmo’s quiz to help you learn what kind of lover you are. The same logic also applies to astrology signs. All these tests operate a bit like the Sorting Hat from Harry Potter, slotting us into different groups. People crave self-definition and social identities provide this for us. We are attracted to group memberships that provide both a sense of connection to people just like us and distinction from others—what Marilynn Brewer termed “Optimal Distinctiveness.” These groups fulfill core social needs.
The ease with which people form group identities can be traced back to the minimal group experiments from the 1970s. People were randomly categorized into groups after completing a test of dubious merit, such as their ability to estimate the number of dots in an image or their preference for abstract art. Within minutes, they had created a new sense of identity and were treating their new in-group members very differently from out-group members. When we use personality tests that impose categories—like the Myers-Briggs or astrology—we risk exaggerating differences between groups and similarities within them. When this occurs with other types of identities like race or gender, we typically call it “stereotyping” and we try to avoid it. When consultants do it in companies, they are exploiting the same social psychology to make a buck.
This is why organizations could do much better by creating other meaningful social identities to create a sense of belonging. It is also why you should focus less on fictitious identities—like whether you are a Commander or an Aries—and more on real ones that matter. And if you do want to make romantic decisions based on personality, we highly recommend using a scientifically valid personality test like the Big 5.
阅读自测
(事实细节题) According to Paragraph 4, contemporary psychologists dismiss the Myers-Briggs test mainly because it ________.
A. fails to guarantee stable and reliable results over time B. classifies individuals into five continuous dimensions C. has never accurately predicted any significant life outcomes D. originates from Carl Jung's outdated psychological theories
(词汇短语题) The phrase 'are suckers for' (Paragraph 2) is closest in meaning to ________.
A. remain highly skeptical of B. are easily fascinated by C. take sole responsibility for D. feel profound sympathy with
(推理判断题) What can be inferred from Paragraph 6 regarding the Big Five test?
A. Its multidimensional scoring system might impede its social dissemination. B. It must be universally adopted as the primary tool for job interviews. C. It provides individuals with compelling labels of historical celebrities. D. Its accuracy is severely compromised by the complexity of its design.
(观点态度题) The author's attitude towards corporate consultants imposing personality categories can be described as ________.
A. cautiously optimistic B. clearly disapproving C. completely impartial D. mildly sympathetic
(主旨大意题) Which of the following best summarizes the main idea of the text?
A. The commercial dominance of the Myers-Briggs test in modern corporations. B. The psychological mechanisms driving the popularity of unscientific personality tests. C. The necessity of replacing categorical personality assessments with the Big Five. D. The irreversible negative impacts of social stereotyping in the workplace.
How to Improve Your Well-Being by Agreeing to Disagree
Lingo阅读今日心理学
For true-crime fans, or those simply following current trials in the national news, you have no doubt heard about accused murderer Lindsay Clancy. The parties do not dispute that Clancy killed her three young children: 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson, and 8-month-old Callan. Prosecutors contend the killings were planned and intentional. Her defense argues that she was not criminally responsible because she suffered a psychotic break.
While the decision as to murder or insanity will be in the hands of a jury of 12, the prosecution and defense have reached certain stipulations: specific facts to which both parties agree. This avoids the necessity of numerous witnesses and lengthy testimony. For example, the parties agreed to chain of custody regarding biological samples, DNA, and some physical evidence, meaning that the parties agree the items were handled properly according to protocol. Good on them. Legally, given both parties agree she did kill the children, why not agree to those facts which are not disputed?
Shouldn't we all stipulate to agreed-to facts? Why can’t people at least agree to those facts which are not disputed? And why should they? Many have written about why and how “agreeing to disagree” can be a positive thing. Note how when someone starts to talk politics at a party, the temperature in the room immediately goes up. It isn’t necessarily that politics are divisive; it may be that people immediately react negatively, creating a negative, toxic environment around the discussion of politics.
Instead, start with the facts you can agree with—stipulate, if you will. This is part of the “triple-A strategy” described to disagree agreeably: Agree, augment, and add. Listen and reply with “yes, I agree…” It can be as simple as, “Yes, I agree it is difficult to discuss the political candidates for our district…” There is some aspect of what was said that you do actually agree with factually, so reach with agreement or appreciation.
To augment, pick up on a specific word or point and elaborate on what you agree with about it. “They both have extreme positions about…” This acts as a bridge between you and the speaker that you are both on the same page about the issues raised by the speaker; that you understand their point.
Then add your point. Make your statement. Argue your position. Be careful, though. Don’t use “but,” which has a negative effect. “I am stipulating to the photograph of the murder weapon, but I think it looks bigger than it is.” Instead, “I am stipulating to the photograph of the murder weapon, and note the ruler in the photograph demonstrates the actual size.”
Here is why I stand by seeing what facts you can agree with to start, and then converse from there: It makes the exchange less emotional. You start in a common place and can then have a more positive conversation. And a more positive conversation can have positive health effects. Conversations with each other affect the quality of social relationships, which in large part determines a person’s well-being. Agreeing to specific facts as a starting point in any conversation can lead to a real, listening dialogue and exchange. It diminishes the immediate knee-jerk defensive, negative emotions, which can lead to a positive experience, adding to a person’s overall health.
阅读自测
(词汇短语题) The word "stipulations" (Paragraph 2) is closest in meaning to ________.
A. legal controversies B. witness testimonies C. absolute verdicts D. mutual agreements
(事实细节题) According to the "triple-A strategy", when you add your own statement in a conversation, you should ________.
A. always compromise your original position B. employ transitional words like "but" to show contrast C. focus solely on the actual size of the discussed evidence D. steer clear of expressions that trigger adverse psychological effects
(推理判断题) It can be inferred from Paragraph 3 that discussions about politics at a party ________.
A. inevitably lead to the breakdown of personal relationships B. are inherently divisive and should be banned entirely C. mainly result from the extreme positions of political candidates D. might foster an unfavorable atmosphere due to immediate hostile reactions
(观点态度题) The author's attitude towards the practice of initiating conversations with shared facts is ________.
A. evidently approving B. somewhat skeptical C. entirely objective D. totally indifferent
(主旨大意题) Which of the following best encapsulates the main idea of the text?
A. The Legal Necessity of Stipulating Undisputed Facts B. Eliminating Negative Emotions through Political Abstinence C. Achieving Personal Well-Being via Constructive Consensus D. The Ultimate Method to Defeat Opponents in Debates
New Ways to Deal With the Inner Critic
Lingo阅读今日心理学
You may have a persistent negative voice in your mind, especially when you’re doing something new, make a mistake, or feel anxious and uncertain. This Inner Critic says, “You never do anything right,” “You’re always messing up,” “You’re not good enough.” In her new book, The Power of Authenticity, psychologist Michelle Chappel likens the Inner Critic’s voice to a talk radio station that drones on with negative messages, undermining our confidence and our ability to flourish (Chappel, 2026).
We can develop an Inner Critic if our parents or caregivers didn’t give us the nurturing support we needed. Research has traced many cases to childhood abuse or neglect (Mao et al., 2026; Sajjadi et al., 2023). The Inner Critic often echoes critical words we heard as children (Sokova et al., 2025), and we begin to feel that something is wrong with us. But you don’t have to live with the Inner Critic. Research reveals how you can keep it from sabotaging you.
Mindfully notice it. As Chappel (2026) explains, the Inner Critic activates the amygdala, our brain’s alarm center. Plunging us into fight, flight, or freeze, it can keep us from thinking clearly and moving forward in life. Becoming mindful of the Inner Critic reduces its power over us (Sokova et al., 2025). To detach from it further, you might even give it a comical name: “There’s that gremlin again.” The point here is to recognize that it’s not you, not true, but an old, conditioned reaction.
Put something positive in its place. Chappel (2026) recommends listening to uplifting music or doing something you love, like painting or running, which can put you into a flow state. Another possibility is to use a positive affirmation or mantra (a spiritual word or phrase). Research has shown that when veterans with PTSD chose a mantram, practiced it, and then used it whenever they felt triggered, this practice significantly decreased their anxiety and negative feelings (Bormann et al., 2013). If a mantram practice can help people deal with the intrusive assaults of PTSD, it could also help you overcome the inner critic.
Practice self-compassion. New research shows how replacing the negative voice of the Inner Critic with the kind and supportive voice of self-compassion can help us with a range of challenges. One study shows how self-compassion can help us overcome negative emotional reactions and depressive symptoms from stress at work (Devenis-Meares, 2026). Another study (Mao et al., 2026) shows that self-compassion can not only overcome the Inner Critic but even protect young people from intentionally hurting themselves. A qualitative study reveals that self-compassion can silence the Inner Critic and also lead to greater emotional resilience, self-acceptance, and empowerment (Sokova et al., 2025).
Psychologist Kristin Neff’s three steps to self-compassion are: Mindfully acknowledge what you’re feeling, Realize that it’s only human to feel this way, and Treat yourself kindly as you would a dear friend (Neff, 2011; Neff & Miyagawa, 2026). Self-compassion can help you replace the critical voice with a kind, supportive inner voice.
So the next time you find yourself facing the Inner Critic, you can try: Mindfully noticing the inner critic’s voice and detaching from it, Replacing it with something positive, Giving yourself self-compassion. Mindfully changing your habitual thoughts from the Inner Critic with these three practices can make a positive difference in your life.
阅读自测
(词汇短语题) The word "sabotaging" (Para. 2) is closest in meaning to ______.
A. undermining your potential B. reflecting childhood traumas C. permanently damaging your brain D. arousing defensive instincts
(事实细节题) According to Michelle Chappel, the Inner Critic hampers our cognitive clarity primarily by ______.
A. triggering a primal survival response in the brain B. forcing us to adopt comical nicknames for it C. making us continuously tune in to negative radio stations D. eliminating all our desires to move forward in life
(推理判断题) What can be inferred from the study on veterans with PTSD mentioned in paragraph 4?
A. Spiritual phrases might possess the therapeutic potential to mitigate internal psychological distress. B. Veterans are uniquely vulnerable to the intrusive assaults of the Inner Critic. C. The inner critic serves as the fundamental root of post-traumatic stress disorder. D. Practicing a mantram is the only effective treatment for severe clinical anxiety.
(观点态度题) The author's attitude towards the application of "self-compassion" can best be described as ______.
A. objectively approving B. unconditionally enthusiastic C. subtly critical D. detached and indifferent
(主旨大意题) Which of the following would be the most appropriate title for the text?
A. Navigating Mental Hurdles: Strategies to Neutralize the Inner Critic B. The Devastating Effects of Childhood Trauma on Mental Health C. Why the Amygdala Dictates Our Negative Emotional Reactions D. Self-Compassion: The Infallible Cure for All Psychological Flaws
The Weaponization of Labels
Lingo阅读今日心理学
I am increasingly concerned about how labels are being weaponized and the polarizing effects they are having on us. Let’s take a look at how labels can influence us. A label is a word or phrase that is attached to a person, group, idea, or thing to put it into a category. Labels are lenses that influence how we see things and how we interpret our world. Our brains are wired to categorize or sort things into groups so we can make quick decisions without having to re-analyze every situation. Labels help us organize knowledge and predict what to expect from a person or an idea. Labels can help us or harm us.
For example, a medical diagnosis is a label. A diagnosis tells a doctor what treatment options exist, but it can also limit a doctor’s beliefs about how effective treatments may be. Another label is “scientifically supported,” which can help people separate reliable information from unproven claims, or cause them to distrust information because they have learned how heavily science has been influenced by large outside interests such as the tobacco and pharmaceutical industries. Labels can lead to stigma, which is built upon a series of steps: People label a difference, attach a stereotype to it, separate “us” from “them,” and then discriminate against the “others.”
In a study published in Science, healthy volunteers were labeled with a psychiatric diagnosis. The staff then interpreted their entirely normal behavior through the lens of that label. The label didn't just identify them with their diagnosis. It changed the way the staff judged their behavior. A label is never just information. It is always a lens, and lenses can be applied by people who want us to see things in a particular way. Because labels shape perception so powerfully, they're among the strongest tools of manipulation. A label used to shut down thought, rather than inform it, has been weaponized.
It's difficult for ordinary people to harm others if they see them as fully human. Militaries remove that barrier by comparing the enemy to animals, or reducing them to cold, unfeeling objects. Both of these methods strip away the qualities that cause us to see others as human. Nazi Germany described Jewish people as “vermin”. Rwandan radio called Tutsis “cockroaches” during the 1994 genocide. World War II propaganda portrayed Japanese soldiers as subhuman. Once a group is viewed as less than human, harming them becomes easier. Politics runs on labels, which are used to discredit opponents. Research has found that Americans across the spectrum increasingly describe the opposing party in less-than-human terms. A label like “extremist” is often employed in an effort to stop people from viewing the others’ opinions as worthy of consideration.
This same tactic now exists in science. Labels like “quack” or “pseudoscience” can end a scientific conversation before the evidence is even evaluated. Consider two Nobel Prize-winning discoveries that were initially dismissed. When Australian scientists Barry Marshall and Robin Warren proposed that a bacterium caused most stomach ulcers, their work was rejected by conference organizers and delayed by skeptical reviewers, because it contradicted the dominant narrative of the time. But they were right, and won the 2005 Nobel Prize. Stanley Prusiner's idea that a misfolded protein could cause neurodegenerative disease was met with public ridicule. Later, scientists who rejected the idea that prions could cause neurodegenerative disorders were labeled “prion heretics”. Prusiner also won the Nobel Prize. During the COVID-19 pandemic, labels such as “fAnti-vaxxer”, “fear porn addict”, “misinformation spreader”, “radical left”, “MAGA extremist”, “quack”, “denier”, and ”conspiracy theorist” were used in an attempt to sway public opinion. Weaponizing labels in science and medicine can lead to disastrous results.
Medical breakthroughs can be buried. If Marshall, Warren, or Prusiner had been effectively discredited by a label, it may have taken many more decades to understand the cause of ulcers or neurodegenerative disorders. Unconventional ideas need testing, not dismissal. Legitimate treatments can be suppressed. An unfamiliar treatment can be labeled dangerous or fraudulent before it's fully evaluated. This can result in the death of patients who are denied access to novel treatments. Financial interests can distort which treatments are labeled as legitimate therapies. A review of thousands of studies found industry-sponsored research is more likely to report favorable results than independently funded research. When a company owns an expensive treatment, there's an incentive to cast doubt on cheaper alternatives. This doesn't mean every unconventional claim is a suppressed truth. Many fringe claims are fringe because the evidence doesn't support them, and some skepticism is essential to science. The danger is substituting a label for a legitimate evaluation.
Labels change how we see ourselves, not just how others see us. Psychologists call this “self-stigma.” This process involves internalizing a hostile label that can damage our self-esteem and increase our shame. Being on the receiving end of a weaponized label can produce anxiety, isolation, and a sense of being judged. How can we deal with weaponized labels? Here are some options: Ask what the label describes, not just what it implies. It should point toward evidence, not replace it. Separate the claim from the person. Judge an idea on its merits, not the person who holds it. Notice emotional versus informational words. If a word triggers contempt rather than curiosity, pause rather than rushing to judgment. Ask who benefits if you accept a label without question. Apply the scrutiny you'd want applied to your own beliefs. Dismissing an argument with a label is easy. Engaging it is harder, and more honest. Labels will always be part of how we think. The goal isn't to eliminate them but, rather, to notice when they stop helping us understand the world and start causing us to view it through a polarized lens that divides rather than unites us.
阅读自测
(事实细节题) According to the study published in Science, what was the consequence of labeling healthy volunteers?
A. It triggered them to display entirely abnormal behaviors. B. It fundamentally altered the staff's perception of their actions. C. It prevented the volunteers from questioning standard treatments. D. It must permanently damage their psychological well-being.
(主旨大意题) Which of the following best summarizes the main idea of the text?
A. Labels are inherently detrimental and must be completely eliminated. B. The weaponization of labels manipulates public perception and undermines rational discourse. C. Unconventional scientific claims are exclusively suppressed by dominant historical narratives. D. Psychological studies demonstrate that stigmatization directly originates from biological instincts.
(推理判断题) What can be inferred from Paragraph 6 about independently funded research?
A. It is consistently more accurate than industry-sponsored studies. B. It might be less susceptible to bias driven by commercial incentives. C. It aims primarily to discredit expensive alternative treatments. D. It is frequently denied access to conventional evaluation systems.
(观点态度题) The author's attitude towards 'skepticism' in scientific evaluation (Para. 6) can be described as ________.
A. strongly resentful B. reasonably approving C. completely dismissive D. intentionally ambiguous
(词汇短语题) The word 'buried' (Para. 6) is closest in meaning to ________.
A. deliberately suppressed B. exhaustively investigated C. permanently ruined D. publicly ridiculed
Can Learning a Language Keep Your Brain Young?
Lingo阅读今日心理学
Can you exercise your brain the way you exercise your body? The answer appears to be yes, and one of the most effective workouts may be learning another language. As we age, many of us look for ways to stay mentally sharp. We tackle crossword puzzles, download brain-training apps, and take up new hobbies in the hope of preserving our memory and thinking skills. Increasingly, researchers are pointing to another activity that challenges the brain in a particularly powerful way: learning a new language.
Unlike many pastimes that exercise a single mental skill, language learning engages almost every major cognitive system at once. It calls on memory, attention, problem-solving, pattern recognition, and mental flexibility. Every conversation is a rapid-fire exercise in selecting words, applying grammar, suppressing competing alternatives, and interpreting meaning in real time. Few everyday activities ask quite so much of the brain.
One reason scientists are fascinated by bilingualism is its relationship with cognitive reserve, which is the brain's ability to cope with age-related changes or neurological damage while continuing to function effectively. Think of cognitive reserve as an alternative route through a busy city. If one road is blocked, a well-connected network offers plenty of other ways to reach the destination. Likewise, a brain with greater cognitive reserve may be better able to compensate for damage before symptoms become obvious.
Research suggests that speaking more than one language may help build this reserve (Stollznow, 2026). Some studies have found that bilingual people may experience the symptoms of dementia several years later than their monolingual peers. Although learning another language is certainly not a guarantee against Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia, it appears to be one of several lifestyle habits that may help support healthier cognitive aging.
Language learning doesn't simply fill our minds with new vocabulary; it appears to change the brain itself. Our brains are made up of neurons and the dense web of connections between them. Studies have shown that people who grow up bilingual often have greater gray matter density in regions associated with attention, memory, and executive function (Korenar et al., 2023). Bilingualism has also been linked to stronger white matter, the network of nerve fibers that allows different parts of the brain to communicate efficiently. Better-connected brain networks are associated with faster information processing and stronger cognitive performance.
The encouraging news is that these benefits are not limited to people who learned two languages in childhood. Adults also form new neural pathways as they master unfamiliar sounds, grammar, and vocabulary (Pliatsikas, 2020). Each new word and grammatical pattern becomes another connection within an ever-expanding network. With repeated use, those pathways become more efficient, allowing the brain to process information with increasing ease. The cognitive benefits of language learning extend well beyond memory. Studies have linked learning another language with improvements in concentration, working memory, and executive function, the mental skills that allow us to plan, adapt, focus attention, and solve problems (Bialystok, 2017). Some research has even found that language learners perform better in subjects such as mathematics and science, suggesting that the benefits can transfer beyond language itself.
Just as importantly, every language offers a different way of organizing experience. Learning another language means encountering new ways of expressing emotions, relationships, humor, and identity. In doing so, we often become more open to perspectives other than our own. Research has linked language learning with greater empathy, cultural awareness, and cognitive flexibility, qualities that enrich our relationships as much as our intellect.
No single activity can promise a healthy brain forever. Genetics, education, physical activity, sleep, diet, and social connection all play important roles. But learning another language stands out because it combines many of these protective ingredients into a single pursuit. It challenges the mind, rewards curiosity, fosters human connection, and may even help build a brain that's better prepared for the years ahead. That's a compelling reason to keep learning, one conversation at a time.
阅读自测
(事实细节题) What distinguishes language learning from many other pastimes according to Paragraph 2?
A. It simultaneously mobilizes a wide array of mental faculties. B. It is the only daily activity that demands real-time interpretation. C. It primarily focuses on exercising a single skill to enhance memory. D. It constructs alternative neural routes to cure neurological diseases.
(词汇短语题) The phrase "cognitive reserve" (Paragraph 3) most probably refers to the brain's capacity to _______.
A. stock unlimited amounts of new vocabulary and grammar rules. B. prevent the physical deterioration of busy urban networks. C. circumvent impairment through alternative neural pathways. D. completely halt the progression of age-related brain damage.
(推理判断题) What can be inferred from Paragraph 6 regarding adult language learners?
A. They will inevitably achieve the exact same white matter density as childhood bilinguals. B. Their newly acquired linguistic skills might yield positive outcomes in unrelated academic disciplines. C. They naturally develop greater cultural awareness and empathy than younger learners do. D. Their mastery of mathematical subjects fundamentally accelerates their foreign language acquisition.
(观点态度题) Which of the following best describes the author's attitude towards the claim that language learning prevents dementia?
A. Unreservedly supportive. B. Objectively cautious. C. Mildly dismissive. D. Strongly intolerant.
(主旨大意题) Which of the following best summarizes the main idea of the text?
A. The necessity of adopting language acquisition as a multidimensional approach to cognitive preservation. B. The methodology of combining genetics and social connection to guarantee a youthful brain. C. The structural alterations of gray and white matter exclusively resulting from childhood bilingualism. D. The inevitable correlation between grammatical mastery and enhanced cultural empathy in old age.
How to stop procrastinating
Lingo阅读经济学人
PUTTING THINGS off exacts a hefty toll. One study published in 2013 ranked 22,053 people on a procrastination scale of one to five. Each increase of one point was associated with a drop of nearly $15,000 in annual earnings. Those who habitually engage in “self-regulatory failure”, as procrastination is also known, are more prone to delaying medical treatment. A study of 3,525 Swedish university students published in 2023 found that those who scored highly for procrastination were more likely to suffer debilitating pain.
It gets worse. The same Swedish study also found procrastinators more prone to anxiety, stress and loneliness. A 2025 meta-analysis, published in Frontiers in Psychiatry and covering 88 studies involving 63,323 people in 17 countries, found procrastination and its resulting erosion of self-esteem to be a predictor of future depression. How might procrastination be curbed?
Mental exercises appear to help. One set is known as mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII). Popularised in a number of smartphone apps, the idea is simple: picture the benefits of achieving a goal; contrast that image with the main obstacle; and devise a tactic to overcome it. In two randomised trials reported in 2020 undergraduates were given online MCII exercises designed to reduce the delaying of bedtime, which research has linked to procrastination in general. They missed their intended bedtimes by around 38 minutes less each night than those in a control group given advice about healthy sleeping habits.
Exercise shows promise too. A Chinese trial published in March assessed procrastination in 77 male teenagers. Those randomly assigned to 12 weeks of strength training, high-intensity interval training, or a combination of the two, showed “significant reductions” in putting things off. An earlier study of 564 Chinese university students, published in 2022, found that the most physically active also procrastinated less. The researchers speculated that overcoming the stress of exertion gave them a “sense of mastery” that boosted confidence and motivation.
Then there is the question of diet and other habits. A 2024 study of Italian university students found higher procrastination among breakfast-skippers, heavy drinkers and poor sleepers. The researchers speculated that missing the energy from breakfast might hinder “motivation and ability to focus on tasks”. But the skipped breakfasts may have been a consequence of procrastination, rather than a cause: studies have yet to show convincingly that diet affects it.
As for medications, none as yet targets procrastination. But an intriguing finding emerged in 2021 from an American randomised controlled trial. Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder showed significant gains in cognitive executive function, including the ability to get started on tasks, while taking the stimulant lisdexamfetamine rather than a placebo.
These days, opportunities for procrastination are greater than before. Many people work from home, out of the boss’s sight. Smartphones offer endless distractions. In one review published in 2022, each of the 18 studies assessed linked excessive smartphone use to procrastination. Scrolling often delays bedtime, too. Lack of sleep impedes executive function, leading to more failures of self-regulation. It would be helpful if the scientists involved could stop dawdling.■
阅读自测
(事实细节题) According to Paragraph 4, physical exertion helps individuals curb procrastination mainly by ________.
A. guaranteeing an immediate reduction in severe mental anxiety B. replacing high-intensity interval training with strength exercises C. cultivating a feeling of competence through physical strain D. forcing teenagers to focus heavily on their academic tasks
(词汇短语题) The word "dawdling" (Paragraph 7) is closest in meaning to ________.
A. stalling B. experimenting C. debating D. complaining
(推理判断题) What can be inferred from Paragraph 5 regarding diet and procrastination?
A. Missing breakfast inevitably leads to a significant loss of motivation. B. Dietary patterns are not necessarily the root cause of delaying habits. C. Italian students are uniquely vulnerable to poor sleeping habits. D. Heavy drinking has been proven to be the primary trigger of procrastination.
(观点态度题) The author's attitude towards the prospect of treating procrastination with medications can be described as ________.
A. strongly dismissive B. guardedly hopeful C. highly skeptical D. completely indifferent
(主旨大意题) Which of the following would be the most appropriate title for the text?
A. The Severe Economic Tolls Caused by Modern Workplace Distractions B. Why Physical and Mental Therapies Must Replace Medications C. Approaches to Addressing the Crisis of Self-Regulatory Failure D. The Correlation Between Poor Dietary Habits and Smartphone Addiction
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