Over the last 70 years, researchers have been studying happy and unhappy people and finally found out ten factors that make a difference. Our feelings of well-being at any moment are determined to a certain degree by genes. However, of all the factors, wealth and age are the top two.
Money can buy a degree of happiness. But once you can afford to feed, clothe and house yourself , each extra dollar makes less and less difference.
Researchers find that, on average, wealthier people are happier. But the link between money and happiness is complex. In the past half-century, average income has sharply increased in developed countries, yet happiness levels have remained almost the same. Once your basic needs are met, money only seems to increase happiness if you have more than your friends, neighbors and colleagues.
“Dollars buy status, and status makes people feel better,” conclude some experts, which helps explain why people who can seek status in other ways---scientists or actors, for example—may happily accept relatively poorly-paid jobs.
In a research, Professor Alex Michalos found that the people whose desires—not just for money, but for friends, family, job, health—rose furthest beyond what they already had, tended to be less happy than those who felt a smaller gap. Indeed, the size of the gap predicted happiness about five times better than income alone. “The gap measures just blow away the only measures of income.” Says Michalos.
Another factor that has to do with happiness is age. Old age may not be so bad. “Given all the problems of aging, how could the elderly be more satisfied?” asks Professor Laura Carstensen.
In one survey, Carstensen interviewed 184 people between the ages of 18 and 94, and asked them to fill out an emotions questionnaire. She found that old people reported positive emotions just as often as young people, but negative emotions much less often.
Why are old people happier? Some scientists suggest older people may expect life to be harder and learn to live with it, or they’re more realistic about their goals, only setting ones that they know they can achieve. But Carstensen thinks that with time running out, older people have learned to focus on things that make them happy and let go of those that don’t. “People realize not only what they have, but also that what they have cannot last forever,” she says. “A goodbye kiss to a husband or wife at the age of 85, for example, may bring far more complex emotional responses than a similar kiss to a boy or girl friend at the age of 20.According to the passage, the feeling of happiness ________.
| A．is determined partly by genes | B．increases gradually with age |
| C．has little to do with wealth | D．is measured by desires |
Some actors would like to accept poorly-paid jobs because the jobs_____.
| A．make them feel much better | B．provide chances to make friends |
| C．improve their social position | D．satisfy their professional interests |
Aged people are more likely to feel happy because they are more______.
| A．optimistic | B．successful | C．practical | D．emotional |
Professor Alex Michalos found that people feel less happy if _______.
| A．the gap between reality and desire is bigger |
| B．they have a stronger desire for friendship |
| C．their income is below their expectation |
| D．the hope for good health is greater |
If you haven’t heard or seen anything about Road Rage in the last few months, you’ve probably been avoiding the media. There have been countless stories about this new and scary phenomenon, considered a type of aggressive driving. You have most likely encountered aggressive driving or Road Rage recently if you drive at all.
While drunk driving remains a critical problem, the facts about aggressive driving are surely as disturbing. For instance, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Association, 41,907 people died on the highway last year. Of those deaths, the agency estimates that about two-thirds were caused at least in part by aggressive driving behavior.
Why is this phenomenon occurring more than ever now, and why is it something that seemed almost nonexistent a few short years ago? Experts have several theories, and all are probably partially correct. One suggestion is sheer overcrowding. In the last decade, the number of cars on the roads has increased by more than 11 percent, and the number of miles driven has increased by 35 percent. However, the number of new road miles has only increased by 1 percent. That means more cars in the same amount of space; and the problem is magnified（增强） in urban areas. Also, people have less time and more things to do. With people working and trying to fit extra chores and activities into the day, stress levels have never been higher. Stress creates anxiety, which leads to short tempers. These factors, when combined in certain situations, can spell Road Rage.
You may think you are the last person who would drive aggressively, but you might be surprised. For instance, have you ever yelled out loud at a slower driver, sounded the horn long and hard at another car, or sped up to keep another driver from passing? If you recognize yourself in any of these situations, watch out!
Whether you are getting angry at other drivers, or another driver is visibly upset with you, there are things you can do to avoid any major conflict. If you are easily influenced by Road Rage, the key is to discharge your emotion in a healthy way. If you are the target of another driver’s rage, do everything possible to get away from the other driver safely, including avoiding eye contact and getting out of their way.The first sentence in Para. 1 implies that ______.
| A．onemaybeangeredbymediareportsandwantstoavoidthem | ||
| B．themediainventedtheterm“RoadRage”onlyafewmonthsago | C．RoadRagehasreceivedmuchmediacoverageinthelastfewmonths | D．peoplenotinterestedinthemediaknowlittleaboutrecenthappenings |
The underlined word “spell” in Para. 3 means ________.
| A．relieve | B．cause | C．spread | D．prevent |
Which of the following characterizes aggressive driving?
| A．Talking while driving. | B．Driving at high speed. |
| C．Sounding the horn when passing. | D．Shouting at another driver. |
The last paragraph is intended to _________.
| A．tellpeoplehowtodealwithRoadRage |
| B．informpeoplehowaggressivedriverscouldbe |
| C．showpeoplehowtocontrolthemselveswhenangry |
| D．warnpeopleagainsteyecontactwithanotherdriver |
Andy loved the first grade. He loved his teacher，Mrs.Parks. He loved playing games on the playground. He loved learning about dinosaurs and the solar system (恐龙和太阳系)．
Every morning Andy’s mother dropped him off in front of his school on South Street. One foggy morning，the traffic was so bad on South Street that she decided to drop him off behind the school. Andy walked for about ten minutes and got to the gate. He held the icy handle，but it didn’t move！Using both hands，he tried his hardest and finally the gate opened.
After Andy closed the gate behind him，he looked in the direction of the teaching building. But all he could see was fog. He got to the spot where the slide had always been，but it was not there.“The slide is gone！” he cried. He walked a little more to look for the swings，but they were not where they had always been.“The swings are gone！” he cried again.
Andy kept walking. He was so anxious to see the school that he fell and landed on the ground. He still couldn’t see the school. A terrible thought appeared in his head.“The school is gone！” he cried sadly. No more games with Jennie，Angel and Dillon，he thought. No more reading about dinosaurs. No more watching videos on the solar system...
Suddenly the boy saw something up ahead.“It’s Jennie！”he shouted. Then he saw the outline of a school building. His school was still there！He was full of excitement!
“Hi，Jennie！” he stood up and caught up with the girl.“I couldn’t see the school. I thought it was gone.” Jennie just laughed.“You’re so silly.” “What happened to the slide and the swings？” Andy asked.
“We will have new playground equipment today，” Jennie answered.“The old equipment was taken away last night. Don’t you remember Mrs. Parks telling us about it yesterday？” “I guess I forgot，” Andy said，smiling.“Anyway，I’m glad the school is here.”It can be concluded from the passage that________．
| A．Andy’s mother might feel sorry for her son |
| B．Andy was a boy who loved school very much |
| C．many students would be late for school on that foggy day |
| D．Jennie did well in learning and was interested in nature |
Andy cried the second time probably because________．
| A．he couldn’t play on the slide any more |
| B．he carelessly fell down on the ground |
| C．it was too cold for him to walk a long way |
| D．he didn’t find the swings where they had been |
Why didn’t Andy see the school building before he met Jennie?
| A．Because his eyesight was not very good. |
| B．Because he went in the wrong direction. |
| C．Because there was heavy fog that morning. |
| D．Because he was not concentrated then. |
According to the passage，when Andy began his class that day he would________．
| A．still feel confused | B．have a nice day |
| C．miss his mother | D．behave badly |
One night, as Diaz stepped off the train and onto a nearly empty platform, a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.
“He wanted my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, ‘Here you go ’” Diaz says.
As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, “Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you’re going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm.”
The robber looked at him puzzled, saying, “Why are you doing this?”
Diaz replied, “If you’re willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me…..”
Diaz says he and the teen went into a diner and sat in a booth.
“The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi,” Diaz says.
The kid said, “You know everybody here. Do you own this place?”
“No, I just eat here a lot,” Dias said. “But you’re even nice to the dishwasher,” he said.
Diaz replied, “Well, haven’t you been taught you should be nice to everybody?”
“Yeah, but I didn’t think people actually behaved that way,” the teen said.
When the bill arrived, Diaz said, “You’re going to have to pay for this bill because you have my money and I can’t pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I’ll gladly treat you.”
The teen returned it immediately. “I gave him $20…. I figure maybe it’ll help him.” Diaz says he asked for something in return--- the teen’s knife--- “and he gave it to me.”
Afterwards, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, “You’re the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch.”
“I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It’s as simple as it gets in this complicated world.”What did Diaz do to the teen?
| A．He gave the teen a new wallet | B．He treated the teen to dinner |
| C．He gave his coat to the teen | D．He bought the teen’s knife |
From the passage we can infer that the boy _______.
| A．expressed his gratitude for Diaz’s kindness |
| B．gave up the idea of robbing in the end |
| C．wasn’t taught how to be nice to everybody |
| D．gave the knife to Diaz in return for his forgiveness |
As for what Diaz did, his mother showed an attitude of _______.
| A．anger | B．concern | C．criticism | D．praise |
By telling the story of Diaz, the author intends to tell us ______.
| A．to keep calm in danger | B．not to go out alone at night |
| C．to treat others kindly | D．not to harm others on purpose |
Homeschool materials are every where .In fact, as a homeschool parent, one of the best learning tools you can use is making use of songs. Think of it .When you hear your favorite songs come on the radio and as soon as the lyrics begin , you can join in at once and sing along. Perhaps, you haven’t heard this song for months or even years! Doesn’t it amaze you? There is no doubt that learning through lyric and rhyme(韵律)is a great way!
With some careful searching , you can come up with many songs ,lyrics ,and rhymes that fit well with your homeschool lesson plan or unit study. Some places even have songs that have the same themes with the lessons. They are perfect to be used to add to your homeschool materials ! Even if you don’t find a particular great song for what you may be teaching at the time, you can write your own. With a little practice, you can not only write your own songs over time but also be surprised how good you can become.
Take any of the traditional chidren’s songs and modify(修改) them to meet your needs .This is an interesting exercise for both you and your children. It helps you with reading , recognizing(识别)sounds, and improving memory. Soon you’ll have your children want to write and sing their own songs!
Song and singing is such a great way to teach your children. It’s fun and relaxing. Sometimes. you really need such a break from your study and work .It will cost nothing. So turn your creativity and imagination loose and have fun .Whisrle (吹口哨) while you work!In Paragraph 1,the author proves his point through______
| A．his favorite songs | B．his own experience |
| C．people’s common experience | D．singing along with the radio |
What does the underlined word “They” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
| A．Songs. | B．Themes. | C．Lessons | D．Places |
According to the passage, modifying traditional songs can ______
| A．improve people’s writing ability |
| B．make materials more interesting |
| C．help children sing better |
| D．help people improve memory |
The passage is probably written to______
| A．homeschool students |
| B．homeschool parents |
| C．all the children |
| D．school teachers |
Which of the follwing would be the best title for the passage?
| A．How to raise children at home |
| B．How to find homeschool materials |
| C．Homeschool materials in songs |
| D．Children’s singing materials |
Two years ago my grandmother was going to turn 75. My family discussed what was the best way to celebrate. Should we throw her a party? Should we take her on a trip ? We remembered that she had touched so many people's lives , and there were so many people for her to cosider. Then someone got the idea that we should include everyone in the celebration by turning it into a tribute(献礼) to my grandmother.
We secretly sent out letters to the people in Grandmother's address book and asked them to send a letter with a memory that they had shared with her. People sent us letters with poems, stories and pictures. The deep feeling that was shared through the response(回应)surprised us. We compiled(编辑)these letters into a memory book and amazed her with it on the morning of her birthday.
The unusual thing about my grandmother's friends was not the number that she had, but the connection they shared. In many ways this book of friendship was the greatest achievement of my grandmother's life.
I believe that developing true friendships is one of the most important things that anyone can do in one's lifetime. It is not a matter of the number of friends one has, but the quality of the bonds. If one has had at least one true friendship before dying, then one can say one has lived a successful life. I have made many friends and I believe I have begun to develop the same types of friendships my grandmother kept up over her lifetime. I only hope that I will be as successful as she has been. How did the author's family celebrate Grandmother's birthday ?
| A．They took her on a trip across the country. |
| B．They gave her a memory book of friendship. |
| C．They invited all her friends to her birthday party. |
| D．They asked all her friends to send her cards. |
When receiving her birthday gift, the author's grandmother probably felt _____.
| A．disappointed and lonely |
| B．sorry and sad |
| C．surprised and pleased |
| D．nervous and excited |
The underlined word “bonds” in the last paragraph probably means________
| A．relationships | B．works | C．successes | D．celebrations |
According to the passage, the author probably agrees that _____.
| A．the more friends you have, the better |
| B．friends are more important than family |
| C．understanding leads to greater success |
| D．true friendship is very important to us |
Which of the following words can best describe the author's grandmother ?
| A．Famous | B．Great. | C．Polite | D．Pleasant |
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