Most people hate change, which is sad since we often go through intense changes in life. And for some of us, even the smallest changes can upset our day. So the question is: Why do most of us find making adjustments to our lives so hard?
Fear of change is nothing new. Over a century ago, the Parisians were unhappy over a particular addition to their city: the Eiffel Tower. In fact, the citizens were so angry about the plans for the tower that they protested its construction. As strange as it may seem, their anger was completely natural. They were given no choice about the huge change that was going to be made, so they became angry.
But we get upset over changes even when we do have a say in the matter and think about them carefully. Changes are brought about every day by the decisions we make: which school to attend, which job to take, whom to marry. Voluntary changes also make most of us uneasy because we don’t know how those changes will affect our future.
People have discovered that the key to overcoming the fear and anger associated with change is to be flexible(可弯曲的). When they are flexible, people can adapt to new situations more easily. Being flexible is especially important in the 21st century as technology makes change occur faster than ever before. Those who oppose change, especially with technology in the workplace, may find themselves out of a job.
When change comes, and you have no choice but to face it, embrace it. A positive attitude helps a lot. In fact, the change may turn out to be the best thing for you. That new job you got may end up being much better than your old one. You may make the best friends of your life in the new city you moved to. Don’t merely focus on how you feel about change; instead decide to accept the change. The change is the reality, and it’s up to you whether the change will be a success or a failure. You never know – your next change may be your life’s Eiffel Tower!Why did the building of the Eiffel Tower make the Parisians unhappy?
| A．Because they didn’t like the design of the Eiffel Tower. |
| B．Because they couldn’t avoid accepting the Eiffel Tower. |
| C．Because it was no use building the Eiffel Tower. |
| D．Because the Eiffel Tower seemed strange. |
According to the passage, it can be inferred that what won’t disturb us are _____________.
| A．the changes that have agreement with one’s will |
| B．the small changes we meet in our daily life |
| C．the changes whose effect we can predict and control |
| D．the changes that we discuss or consider thoroughly |
How should we overcome negative emotions that the changes bring?
| A．We are not supposed to face the changes and let them alone. |
| B．We should actively accustom ourselves to the new circumstance. |
| C．We should not take the changes seriously and avoid them as much as possible. |
| D．We should know that the changes merely bring us bad influence. |
What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean?
| A．The change will probably make you fail like the Eiffel Tower. |
| B．The change is like the Eiffel Tower which is not good for our future life. |
| C．Your future life is never known just like the Eiffel Tower unknown to the Parisians. |
| D．Your future life is likely to be a great achievement due to the change. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．The Psychology of Change | B．The ways to Overcome the Fear |
| C．Changes That Disturb Us | D．The Bad Effect of Changes |
A firm handshake could be a sign of a longer life expectancy (预期寿命), according to British researchers. Scientists at the Medical Research Council found that elderly people who could still give a firm handshake and walk at a quick pace were likely to outlive their slower peers.
They found simple measures of physical capability like shaking hands, walking, getting up from a chair and balancing on one leg were related to the life expectancy, even after accounting for age, sex and body size. The study is the first to provide a comprehensive (综合的) view of the existing data from 33 studies. “These measures have been used in population-based research for quite a long time,” said Rachel Cooper of the Medical Research Council’s Unit for Lifelong Health and Aging. “They may be useful indicators for subsequent health.”
Cooper, whose study appears in the British Medical Journal, said more studies are needed to clarify whether the measures would be helpful to doctors as a screening tool. “I wouldn’t suggest that we roll them out into clinical practice tomorrow, but it is possible that they could be used in the future,” she told the media.
The researchers examined 33 studies involving tens of thousands of people, most of whom were aged over 60 but living in the community rather than in hospital or care homes. The researchers found that those with the strongest hand grasps tended to live longer than those with weak grips. The death rate over the period of the studies for people with weak handshakes was 67 percent higher than for people with a firm grip.
The slowest walkers were nearly three times more likely to die during the study period than swifter walkers. The people who were slowest to get up from a chair had about double the death rate compared to the quick risers.
“Those people in the general population who have higher physical capability levels are likely to live longer,” Cooper said. Which of the following are measures of physical capability according to the passage?
a. shaking hands b. balancing c. getting up
d. weight lifting e. walking
| A．a, b, c, e |
| B．a, c, d, e |
| C．b, c, d, e |
| D．a, b, d, e |
What does Cooper think about the measures of physical capability?
| A．They are of little help to doctors. |
| B．They can’t be used as a screening tool. |
| C．They can be applied to medical practice. |
| D．They are potentially beneficial to people. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．People who walk quickly and shake hands firmly have a lower death rate. |
| B．People with the strongest hand grasp are more outgoing. |
| C．Most of the people who received the study live in the community. |
| D．People who always sit are more likely to die than those who stand. |
In which part of a newspaper would you most probably find this passage?
| A．Sports. |
| B．Health. |
| C．Economics. |
| D．Culture. |
A clever cat has been called a hero after he prevented his owners’ home from burning down. Five-year-old Pepper has learned to open windows and lets himself out every night by using his paws to turn the latch. So when a fire broke out while his owners were at Christmas shopping, the quick-thinking cat leapt into action and opened the window to allow the poisonous smoke to escape.
Owner Sharon White said, “He can climb back in through the window, so he really does come and go as he pleases. Pepper is still a bit afraid but is still managing to eat plenty of food.” Sharon and her husband Phil were handed Pepper over four years ago after a neighbor could no longer look after it.
The fire started at 4 pm on Saturday after the couple went to the shops and left their microwave on a ten minute timer, which then caught fire. Sharon said, “We put something in the microwave for ten minutes and then went out to do our Christmas shopping in the local town. I discovered on the way that I had left my purse at home but decided not to turn around. It was my relative who lives next door that rang us and told us that we’d better get home as there was quite a lot of smoke coming out of our house and the firefighters were here.”
Firefighters rushed to their £350,000 house and put out the fire before it could spread and the kitchen suffered only smoke damage. Phil added, “Pepper managed to get out and smoke must have been pouring out the window which attracted the attention of the neighbors. He’s got a real mind of his own. Without him, the fire could have been so much worse.”
What is this passage mainly about?
| A．A quick-thinking cat thanked his owners. |
| B．A quick-thinking cat saved a house from a fire. |
| C．A quick-thinking cat saved himself from a fire. |
| D．A quick-thinking cat showed how clever he was. |
How did Pepper help avoid the danger of the fire?
| A．By ringing a neighbor’s bell. |
| B．By running into a neighbor’s room. |
| C．By standing in the way of some fire fighters. |
| D．By opening the window and letting out smoke. |
From Paragraph 2 we know that Pepper ____.
| A．didn’t belong to Sharon at first |
| B．was not frightened by the fire at all |
| C．has been taught to open the window |
| D．was found by its owners on the street |
What can we learn from what Sharon said in Paragraph 3?
| A．She and her husband were terribly frightened. |
| B．She and her husband didn’t call the firefighters. |
| C．It was that [LU2] relative who first noticed the smoke. |
| D．She and her husband knew there would be no damage. |
We can infer that Sharon and her husband Phil ____.
| A．are very careful |
| B．lived a very poor life |
| C．are very thankful to Pepper |
| D．didn’t like Pepper before the fire |
I wasn’t surprised when I read that actress Helen Hunt recently stated that she would never allow her young daughter to become a child star. Ms. Hunt is the daughter of a Hollywood technical director, and grew up in Hollywood. Now in her late 40s, she started acting and modeling when she was eight and has probably seen a lot over those years in show business.
She has had a successful career. She earned four Golden Globesand four Emmys. She also attained the top honor of her profession when she won the Best Actress Academy Award for her role in the 1992 movie. As Good As It Gets. Given those accolades, Ms. Hunt is successful. There is no doubt that her early experiences as a child star prepared her for what has been an outstanding adult career. Given those achievements, why would this star declare she’ll never allow her daughter, now at the age of six, to follow in her footsteps?
Everyone familiar with the entertainment scene is aware of the reasons for her attitude. Recent tabloid (小报) news headlines featuring the troubles of former child stars, among them Linsay Lohan, Britney Spears and the late Gary Coleman, may answer the question. Although Ms. Hunt managed to become a successful grown-up star, she apparently believes she’s an exception.
What Ms. Hunt may be suggesting is that many very young stars go through unnatural childhoods on movie and TV sets. While they’re earning big incomes, they’re so pampered (纵容) by directors and praised by fans; they may get false impressions that their lives will always be that way. Then, within a few years, when faced with reality, they’re hurt and confused. After all the overwhelming affection, they find they can’t deal with the problems. That’s often when drugs and alcohol take over their lives.
Helen Hunt has some other reasons why she doesn’t want her daughter to be in the entertainment business. Many child stars can never make a successful transition to meaningful adulthood. However, as with many Hollywood movies, I believe there are both good and bad scenes about how it can be played out in real life. According to the passage, Ms Hunt _________.
| A．has been acting for about 30 years |
| B．entered Hollywood when she was a little girl |
| C．is the daughter of a famous actor |
| D．was a model when she was six |
The underlined word “accolades” in Paragraph 2 probably means “_________”.
| A．difficulties |
| B．awards |
| C．salaries |
| D．opinions |
Helen Hunt wouldn’t allow her daughter to become a child star because she thinks _________.
| A．child stars often take drugs and alcohol |
| B．being a child star may ruin her future |
| C．child stars aren’t able to solve their problems |
| D．it is difficult to succeed as a child actor |
From the passage we can conclude that _________.
| A．few child stars will succeed in the future |
| B．there is no way to save the entertainment business |
| C．the author has a different opinion about child stars |
| D．meaningful adulthood only belongs to non-child stars |
I would like to talk about a very dear friend of mine, whose name was Peggy. She died at home last night at the age of 83. She was my first badminton coach and probably the best friend I’d ever had.
I met her at 12 when she coached an after-school badminton program. She saw my potential, but I thought she was a little frightening so I didn’t go back to the program. She went to my house to ask me back. I did go back and that was the beginning of my badminton “career”. She brought me to tournaments and encouraged me. At the time my mother was drinking heavily and badminton kept me out of trouble and focused on a positive pursuit.
Peggy was a person who had the qualities of honesty and integrity. She was devoted to her family and was married for over 50 years. She loved her children and was so happy to become a grandmother with the addition of Merissa to the family. She loved to have fun and play games. Another true love of her life was cats; she had one cat that lived 22 years. Before she died she had 10 cats and they brought her great joy and comfort. She also loved the Montreal Canadiens, and she supported them and often watched them play hockey games.
She wasn’t a celebrity; she was a homemaker who was proud to provide a happy home for her family. She was a loyal and dedicated friend to many. She never forgot a birthday, anniversary or to send a Christmas card. Speaking of Christmas she was an expert on Christmas and decorations. She was able to prepare this year’s tree and had hoped to spend this Christmas with her family but it wasn’t meant to be.
I had the privilege of speaking to her just a couple hours before she passed away and she told me that her life wouldn’t have been the same without me and I am grateful for that and I feel the same. Paragraph 3 tells us that Merissa __________________.
| A．is Peggy’s grandchild |
| B．is the name of Peggy’s cat |
| C．lived 22 years |
| D．didn’t get along well with Peggy |
The underlined part “Montreal Canadiens” refers to ____________.
| A．a hockey team |
| B．a group of cats |
| C．a music group |
| D．an interesting game |
Which of the following statements about Peggy is TRUE?
| A．She was once coached by the author. |
| B．She died before this year’s Christmas. |
| C．She was unmarried when she died. |
| D．She died at the age of 50. |
It’s implied in the passage that the author __________________.
| A．thought Peggy was friendly at first |
| B．got out of her drinking problem thanks to Peggy |
| C．hadn’t talked to Peggy for a long time before she died |
| D．thought her life would have been different without Peggy |
Stop wasting your time thinking of reasons for your failures and shortcomings. Instead，realize that the seeds of success were planted within you when you were born. Only you have the power to make those seeds grow.
The seeds and the power to grow them are contained in the human mind. Success is a choice but not a chance. You can be a success if only you make the right choice.
You cannot be successful without first developing yourself esteem (自尊)．Your level of self esteem is always based on the degree of control that you are able to exercise over yourself，and thus over your life. People with low self esteem do not believe that they have any power，or responsibility for their lives. They are leaves tossed (摇摆) by the winds of chance brought about with any sudden change in the weather.
You can exercise control over your life only to the degree that you believe that you are responsible for whatever happens in your life. Failures think that everything happens by accident while successful people realize that they are responsible.
Everything happens as a result of something. If we can identify the cause，we can control the effect. We are responsible for what we consciously choose to accept and believe. Thoughts and beliefs cause everything. Our attitudes and actions are a result of habits ingrained in us over a period of time. One generally rises to the level that one expects. We are responsible for setting our expectations. Our success depends upon our level of confidence. We are responsible for either reinforcing good habits or kicking bad habits and consciously replacing them with consistently practiced good habits.
If you associate with positive thinking people，you are definitely going to achieve success. On the contrary，the opposite happens. We are responsible for finding，planting，and nurturing (培育) the seeds that contain future victory，born from setbacks.
In short，in all areas of your life，whether they are financial，physical，emotional，or spiritual，you are responsible. Once you recognize this，accept it，and firmly believe it，you are on the road to success.Losers would think that________.
| A．success is the result of hard work |
| B．working hard will lead to success |
| C．they fail only because of bad luck |
| D．they don’t make efforts to succeed |
It can be inferred from Paragraph 5 that________.
| A．whether we will succeed depends on our attitudes |
| B．developing confidence is the key to future success |
| C．thoughts and beliefs are the result of creative mind |
| D．setting our expectations is essential before taking action |
The last paragraph serves as________.
| A．the proof of the author’s point |
| B．the conclusion of the argument |
| C．an introduction to another topic |
| D．a comparison between two views |
Which is the best title of the text?
| A．Success Is a Choice |
| B．The Secrets of Success |
| C．Develop Our Confidence |
| D．How to Achieve Success |
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