I really hadn’t meant to yell at them. But that grey afternoon saw it just as my son and daughter were making a terrible mess on the floor in the kitchen.
With a tiresome report to write, I felt bothered at my desk. Suddenly, it occurred to me that my kids were at fault. A voice inside me insisted that I do something quickly.
“Ok, you two here, what an awful thing you are attempting!” I was shouting angrily. I made for them, while it became evident that the boy wanted no part of me. “Get away from us!” he shouted back, there being an expression of support from his sister.
All of a sudden, I found the fault in myself. Quickly I shaped my hands into pincers(钳子) and crawled towards them, “Crabby（暴躁的） Daddy is here. Ha, Ha, Ha, he likes to yell at children, and then eat them!” My son continued to keep me away, but now he was laughing and crying at the same time. My mission to repair the damage caused by my yelling seemed to work well. Still, I regretted not having controlled myself first in a right way.
Need I let them know how badly they were acting by blaming? This is a lesson that serves myself. It only shows just how to get rid of something (ill-feelings, responsibility…) by blaming others. It’s not my “best self”.
We have to search for our “best self” when with our children. They don’t need perfect parents, but they do need parents who are always trying to get better. Here, I am reminded of the words of a great thinker. “When a man lives with God, his voice shall be as sweet as the murmur of the brook (stream)…” Then, in our lifetime, couldn’t we always speak to our kids in such a sweet voice since most of us consider them as the most precious in the world? And before we reach this level, what should we do when we come across various difficult cases with our children? Which of the following made the author aware of his fault?
| A．No obvious reason. | B．The boy’s yelling back. |
| C．His self-awareness. | D．The girl’s shouting back. |
According to the passage, the author will _________ in another similar situation.
| A．play a crab again like this time | B．apologize to kids in a sincere way |
| C．avoid blaming kids in a hurry | D．beat them up about such things |
What will the writer go on to write about in the next paragraph(s)?
| A．How to behave ourselves properly when kids are at fault. |
| B．How to play with our children in a more interesting way. |
| C．How to deal with the housework with children around us. |
| D．How to persuade children to do what they are told to. |
What does “the boy wanted no part of me” in the third paragraph mean?
| A．The boy was happy because I loved them. |
| B．The boy was curious because I wanted to help them. |
| C．The boy was very happy for I was angry. |
| D．The boy didn’t want me to join them. |
A newly-published study has shown that loneliness can spread from one person to another, like a disease. Researchers used information from the Framingham Study, which began in 1948. The Framingham Study gathers information about physical and mental health, personal behavior and diet. At first, the study involved about 5,000 people in the American state of Massachusetts. Now, more than 12,000 individuals are taking part.
Information from the Framingham Study showed earlier that happiness can spread from person to person. So can behaviors like littering and the ability to stop smoking.
University of Chicago psychologist John Cacioppo led the recent study. He and other researchers attempted to show how often people felt lonely. They found that the feeling of loneliness spread through social groups.
Having a social connection with a lonely person increased the chances that another individual would feel lonely. In fact, a friend of a lonely person was 52% more likely to develop feelings of loneliness. A friend of that person was 25% more likely. The researchers say this shows that a person could indirectly be affected by someone’s loneliness.
The effect was strongest among friends. Neighbors were the second most affected group. The effect was weaker on husbands and wives, and brothers and sisters. The researchers also found that loneliness spread more easily among women than men.
The New York Times newspaper reports that, on average, people experience feelings of loneliness about 48 days a year. It also found that every additional friend can decrease loneliness by about five percent, or two and a half fewer lonely days.
Loneliness has been linked to health problems like depression and sleeping difficulties. The researchers believe that knowing the causes of loneliness could help in reducing it.
The study suggests that people can take steps to stop the spread of loneliness. They can do this by helping individuals they know who may be experiencing loneliness. The result can be helpful to the whole social group. What is TRUE about the Framingham Study?
| A．It was only conducted in 1948. |
| B．It involves more than 12,000 participants. |
| C．It was led by John Cacioppo. |
| D．It showed that any behavior could spread. |
Which statement about the spread of loneliness is true?
| A．The spreading effect was the second strongest among friends. |
| B．No spreading effect was found on husbands and wives. |
| C．Women are more likely to be affected than men. |
| D．Brothers are more easily affected than neighbors. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Actions should be taken to help lonely people. |
| B．People feel lonely for many reasons. |
| C．Ways to fight against loneliness. |
| D．Lonely people can affect others. |
The influence of America is increasing in my country. Spanish people drink Coca Cola, wear blue jeans, watch Hollywood movies, listen to American music, and eat fast food, and they do these things every day.
I think that American movies are a good way to spread American culture because people are often influenced by what they see in the movies. Most of the programs and documentaries (纪录片) we watch on TV are from America, and most of the movies we go to see are made in Hollywood.
In the last few years, the government has tried to protect the Spanish movies. Now, in our cinemas, at least twenty percent of the movies which are shown must be from Spain or from other countries in Europe.
American culture is a part of Spanish life now. It’s certain that many things from America are as much a part of people’s lives as Spanish things. For example, Coca Cola is as familiar to everybody as any typical Spanish product. I’ve known about Coca Cola for my whole life.
However, it’s different with Western fast food. For example, I don’t think McDonald’s is as successful in Spain as it is in other countries. In my opinion, one of the reasons may be the lifestyle of the Spanish people. The Spanish people normally eat at home.
On the other hand, maybe McDonald’s hamburgers will eventually replace the famous Spanish tapas. It’s true that in every city in Spain you can find a McDonald’s, and it is more popular among the Spanish children than among the adults. In any case, it’s obvious that American culture is becoming more and more a part of our lives every day.From the first paragraph we can know that ____.
| A．the influence of America on Spain can be found everywhere |
| B．most Spanish people don’t like to listen to their own music |
| C．fast food spreads from Spain to the United States |
| D．some Spanish actors go to America to improve their acting skills |
What plays an important part in the spreading of American culture in Spain?
| A．American novels. | B．Hollywood movies. |
| C．McDonald’s. | D．American music. |
Why did the government set some rules for the films shown in Spain?
| A．To protect foreign culture in Spain. |
| B．To earn more money from Spanish films. |
| C．To limit the number of foreign movies. |
| D．To unite the European Community. |
What do you think Spanish tapas (in the last paragraph)might be?
| A．The name of a drink. | B．The name of a restaurant. |
| C．A clothing brand. | D．A certain kind of food. |
Around twenty years ago I was going through hard times. I could not find a satisfying job. To my shame, I had to drive a school bus to make ends meet and lived in a friend’s house.
One afternoon, while driving through a quiet suburban (郊外的) neighborhood I was so sad that I kept asking myself “Why has my life become so hard?” “What’s wrong with the world?” Then I pulled over the bus to drop off (让...下车) a little girl and as she passed she handed me a pretty earring, saying she found it on the floor of the bus and I should keep it in case（以防）the owner came to look for it.
In the evening, the owner did come to look for her earring. When I handed it to her, she got very excited and continued saying “Thanks, you’re a real gentleman.” I told her that she should thank the little girl who had found it. She said, “Yes, and you are a good driver, too. What a lovely world it is!” Then she left with satisfaction. I was touched by her last words. I had thought something was wrong with the world just because of my poor condition. In fact, nothing was wrong with the world. I should change my attitude towards life. I should be positive about life.
At first it was hard, and then it got easier. Every day I could find things to make me happy. Then one night there was a phone call for me at my friend’s house from a lady who was a manager in a large hospital. She said she had read my application form and asked me if I would like to work in the hospital. I said yes and got the job. Looking back at the experience I know the most important is to have a positive attitude towards life.We know from the second paragraph that ________.
| A．the author cried while driving that afternoon |
| B．a girl picked up an earring before getting off |
| C．there was only one passenger on the bus |
| D．the girl gave the author an earning as a gift |
The author decided to have a change in life because ________.
| A．what the earring owner said moved him |
| B．he didn’t want to be a driver any more |
| C．his friends helped him become positive |
| D．he was offered a better job in a hospital |
When the author got a call from the manager of the hospital, he felt ________.
| A．surprised | B．disappointed |
| C．shocked | D．delighted |
What does the author want to show in this passage?
| A．Lost things should be returned to the owner. |
| B．Life is usually hard for the young at the beginning. |
| C．One should hold a positive attitude towards life. |
| D．It is not easy to find a good job nowadays. |
Ad. 1
April fool’s party
On Friday, April 1, Inner Affair goes back to the days of funk! Classic Tunes from the 70’s and 80’s by DJs Den & Sion. 9pm till late.
Tickets: Free entrance for those in costume, otherwise 50 Yuan (US$6)
Time/date: 9 pm, April 1
Place: Inner Affair, 1/F Qiankun Dasha, 6 Sanlitun Xiliujie, Chaoyang District
Tel: 8454 0321
Ad. 2
Language in use
Enjoy free in house coffee, tea and beer as well as music and dancing. Practice your Chinese, make friends and have fun.
Time/date: 7 to 9 pm, March 25
Place: Language In Use Club, 2/F, Science Fortune Center, 8 Xueqing Lu, north of Xueyuan Lu, Haidian District
Ad. 3
The “worst” party
Organized by Ozone Productions, the party is set to be “the worst ever”, with the lamest music from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Special prizes will be awarded to the worst dressed or for bad fashion sense.
Tickets: Free entrance
Time/date: 9 pm, April 1
Place: Pula Pula, Tianze Lu, Oriental Seven Colours Plaza, Chaoyang District
Tel: 64668575
Ad. 4
La Nuit Francaise
Again on the 2nd Thursday of the month La Nuit Francaise will be held at Le Rendezvous. The monthly event is an opportunity for all French people and everyone interested in France or speaking French to gather together.
The evening features three glasses of wine and canapes for participants and a special exhibition.
Time/date: 7 to 10 pm, April 14
Place: Le Rendezvous, 3 Gongti Beilu, across from the Pacific Century Plaza, Chaoyang District Tel: 64629110
Ad. 5
Marco V
Dutch DJ Marco V drops by Banana for a gig which is supported by Hong Kong’s DJ Spark.
Marco V has been around for many years, as an inventive, style blending deejay and a successful and devoted producer. His spinning is energetic, crowd pleasing and never sees an empty dance floor. He was ranked No. 15 in this year’s international DJ MAG DJ Top100.
Tickets: 40 yuan (US$4.80) in advance, 50 yuan (US$6) at the door, both include a free drink
Time/date: 10 pm to 4 am, March 31, April 1
Place: Banana, in the lobby of the Scitech Hotel, 22 Jianwai Dajie, Chaoyang District
Tel: 65283636 Which of the following is NOT true of Ad. 1 and Ad. 3?
| A．The two parties will be held on the same day. |
| B．The two parties will be held at the same time. |
| C．The entrance fees of the two parties will not be charged. |
| D．Some old music will be played at the parties. |
Which of the following is intended for the Chinese learners?
| A．Marco V. | B．La Nuit Francaise. |
| C．Language in use. | D．The “worst” party. |
We can infer that______.
| A．Marco V is a newly established band |
| B．La Nuit Francaise may be French words |
| C．the “worst” party will attract a lot of college students |
| D．you will enjoy free drink at April fool’s party |
Everyone has got two personalities – the one that is shown to the world and the other that is secret and real. You don’t show your secret personality when you’re awake because you can control your behavior, but when you’re asleep, your sleeping position shows the real you. In a normal night, of course, people frequently change their position. The important position is the one that you go to sleep in.
If you go to sleep on your back, you’re a very open person. You normally trust people and you are easily influenced by fashion or new ideas. You don’t like to upset people, so you never express your real feelings. You’re quite shy and you aren’t very confident.
If you sleep on your stomach, you are a rather secretive person. You worry a lot and you’re always easily upset. You’re very stubborn, but you aren’t very ambitious. You usually live for today not for tomorrow. This means that you enjoy having a good time.
If you sleep on curled up, you are probably a very nervous person. You have a low opinion of yourself and so it is easy for you to get angry. You’re shy and you don’t normally like meeting people. You prefer to be on your own. You’re easily hurt.
If you sleep on your side, you have usually got a well-balanced personality. You know your strengths and weakness. You’re usually careful. You have a confident personality. You sometimes feel anxious, but you don’t often get upset. You always say what you think even if it makes people angry.According to the writer, you naturally show your secret and real personality _______.
| A．only in a normal night |
| B．only when you go to sleep |
| C．only when you refuse to show yourself to the world |
| D．only when you change sleeping position |
Maybe you don’t want to make friends with a person who sleeps curled up. Why?
| A．He or she would rather be alone than communicate with you |
| B．He or she is rarely ready to help you |
| C．He or she prefers staying at home to going out |
| D．He or she wouldn’t like to get help from you |
It appears that the writer tends to think highly of the person who sleeps on one side because _______.
| A．he or she always shows sympathy for people |
| B．he or she is confident, but not stubborn |
| C．he or she has more strengths than weakness |
| D．he or she often considers making other people angry |
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