A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”However, that’s not really true.Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn’t matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves--the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.
We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We’re usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. In fact, we really shouldn’t be, because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.
This“ self-talk” helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down.Be aware, though, that as much as 77%of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves.We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back ,The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying“ Good job!”
Often, words come out of our mouths without us thinking about the effects they will have. But we should be aware that our words cause certain responses to others. For example, when returning an item to a store, we might use warm, friendly language during the exchange. And the clerk will probably respond in a similar manner. Or harsh and critical language will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive.
Words possess power because of their lasting effect. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it true? Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn’t pass this test, then it’s better left unsaid.
Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things.Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.The author argues in the first paragraph that __________.
| A．words will never hurt us at all |
| B．words have lasting effects on us |
| C．inspiring words give us confidence. |
| D．negative words may let us down |
Why should not we feel embarrassed when it comes to talking to ourselves?
| A．Talking to ourselves is believed to be good for our health. |
| B．Almost everybody has the habit of talking to oneself. |
| C．Talking to ourselves helps us to solve all the problems. |
| D．It is harmful to have “self-talk” when we are alone. |
The underlined phrase “give ourselves a pat on the back” in Paragraph three means “ _________”.
| A．blame ourselves | B．punish ourselves |
| C．talk to ourselves | D．praise ourselves |
Which of the following statements would the author agree to?
| A．Unkind words are unlikely to be forgotten. |
| B．Positive words may destroy all the good relations. |
| C．It is better to think twice before talking to others. |
| D．Kind words are sure to cause unfavorable response. |
Why should we talk in a friendly way when returning an item to a store?
| A．Because kind words destroy true relationships. |
| B．Because the clerk in a store is hard to deal with. |
| C．Because critical language may hurt your feelings. |
| D．Because friendly words cause positive responses. |
Dear John,
My name is Amber and I want to share my story with you because what you've shared about life and positive energy has changed my life. This past year has been one of the hardest for me. I felt I was stuck in a position that had nothing to do with what I wanted to do with my life. In January, after two years of being together, my boyfriend left me.
I read your blog every morning as I drink my coffee at work, but it wasn't until this March that I told myself "no more negativity" as you taught readers in your blog.
Since then I've got into new habits at work to keep my energy positive. When people walk in the front door, I'm the first face they see, so I smile big when I say "good morning" to them, especially on Mondays. Instead of waiting for someone to ask me for help, I offer it with an open mind. The CEO noticed my change and offered me the executive assistant position that I wanted.
One of the biggest things I've taken to heart from your blog is changing my opinions on my job. Yes, it was not an important position, but when I was passionate （热情的） about it, I could make my life fulfilling.
All in all, I have to thank you somehow for having the passion to help others because it truly is inspiring to me. So thank you so much, John. My life has changed because your words pointed me in the right direction, Take care!
Sincerely ,
AmberAmber wrote the letter mainly to______
| A．introduce herself to John | B．talk about her bad year |
| C．ask for some advice | D．express her thanks |
We can infer from the passage that Amber______
| A．didn't like her boyfriend |
| B．spent a lot of time online |
| C．wasn't satisfied with her job |
| D．received very good education |
What is implied about John in the letter?
| A．He is a very famous writer. |
| B．He used to live a very negative life. |
| C．He doesn't like sharing his life stories. |
| D．He likes helping others through writing positive blogs. |
What does Amber's change tell us?
| A．Practice makes perfect. |
| B．Bad luck doesn't exist long. |
| C．A positive attitude is rewarding. |
| D．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
完形填空，阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
Do you know insurance? Buying insurance is a _______ by which people can protect themselves _____ large losses. Protection against fire is one kind of insurance. Large numbers of people pay _______sums of money to an insurance company. Although thousands of people have paid for fire insurance, only ______will lose their homes by fire. The insurance company will pay for these homes out or the sums of money it has ________.
The first modern fire insurance company was _______in London, England in 1666. A great fire had just ________ most of the city, and people wanted protection against ________ losses. The first company________ rapidly. Soon other companies were founded in other areas.
Benjamin Franklin helped form the first fire insurance company in America in 1752. He also ________ a new kind of insurance for ________ . The new insurance would offer protection against the loss of crops ________ storms.
In 1795, Benjamin Franklin helped start ________ new insurance company in America. This company, _______ offered life insurance, collected some money ________ from many different men. ________ a man died, his family was given a large sum of money. Today, this company is ________ in business.
Over the years, people have ________ from many new kinds of insurance when they have suffered from ______ accidents as car and plane crashes. _______, almost everyone has some kind of insurance.
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Success is often measured by the ability to overcome adversity（逆境）. But it is often the belief of others that gives us the courage to try.
J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter book series, began writing at age 6. In her biography（传记）, she remembers with great fondness when her good friend-Sean became the first person to encourage her and help her build the confidence that one day she would be a very good writer.
“He was the first person with whom I really discussed my serious ambition（志向） to be a writer. He was also the only person who thought I was bound to（注定）be a success at it, which meant much more to me than I ever told him at the time.”
Though there were many difficulties, Rowling continued her writing, particularly fantasy stories. But it wasn’t until l990 that she first came up with the idea about Harry Potter. As she recalls（回忆）, it was on a long train journey from London to Manchester that “the idea of Harry Potter simply fell into my head. To my great disappointment, I didn’t have a pen with me, and I was too shy to ask anybody if I could borrow one. I think, now, that this was probably a good thing, because I simply sat and thought, for four (delayed train) hours, and all the details came up in my brain, and this thin, black-haired, bespectacled（戴眼镜的）boy who didn't know he was a wizard became more and more real to me.”
That same year, her mother died after a ten-year fight with serious diseases, which deeply affected her writing. She went on to marry and had a daughter, but separated from her husband shortly afterwards.
During this time, Rowling was diagnosed with depression（诊断患有抑郁症）. Unemployed, she finished her first novel in area cafes, where she could get her daughter to fall asleep. After being refused by l2 publishing houses, the first Harry Potter novel was sold to a small British publishing house.
Now with seven books that have sold nearly 400 million copies in 64 languages, J. K. Rowling is the highest earning novelist in history. And it all began with her friend’s encouragement as well as her ambition to write.Who believed J. K. Rowling was to be a good writer?
| A．Her friend Sean. | B．Her mother. |
| C．Her daughter. | D．Her husband. |
Rowling first came up with the idea about Harry Potter________.
| A．at the age of 6 | B．on a train journey |
| C．after her mother’s death | D．in her secondary school |
She felt disappointed on the train because_________.
| A．her train was delayed for four hours |
| B．she didn’t have a pen with her |
| C．her mind suddenly went blank |
| D．no one would offer her help |
It can be concluded from Paragraph 5 and 6 that Rowling is_________.
| A．open-minded | B．warm-hearted |
| C．good-natured | D．strong-willed |
The text mainly tells us_________.
| A．adversity makes a good novelist |
| B．the courage to try is a special ability |
| C．you can have a wonderful idea everywhere |
| D．encouragement helps one succeed |
A new study shows students who write notes by hand during lectures perform better on exams than those who use laptops(笔记本电脑).
Students are increasingly using laptops for note-taking because of speed and legibility(清晰度).But the research has found laptop users are less able to remember and apply the concepts they have been taught.
Researchers performed experiments that aimed to find out whether using a laptop increased the tendency to make notes “mindlessly” by taking down word for word what the professors said.
In the first experiment, students were given either a laptop or pen and paper. They listened to the same lectures and were told to use their usual note-taking skills. Thirty minutes after the talk, they were examined on their ability to remember facts and on how well they understood concepts.
The researchers found that laptop users took twice as many notes as those who wrote by hand. However, the typists performed worse at remembering and applying the concepts. Both groups scored similarly when it came to memorizing facts.
The researchers’ report said,“ While more notes are beneficial, if the notes are taken mindlessly, as is more likely the case on a laptop ,the benefit disappears.”
In another experiment aimed at testing long-term memory, students took notes as before but were tested a week after the lecture. This time, the students who wrote notes by hand performed significantly better on the exam.
These two experiments suggest that handwritten notes are not only better for immediate learning and understanding, but that they also lead to superior revision in the future.
More and more students favor laptops for note-taking because they can .
| A．write more notes | B．digest concepts better |
| C．get higher scores | D．understand lectures better |
While taking notes, laptop users tend to be .
| A．skillful | B．mindless |
| C．thoughtful | D．tireless |
The passage is likely to appear in .
| A．a newspaper advertisement | B．a computer textbook |
| C．a science magazine | D．a finance report |
Even at school there had been an unhealthy competition between George and Richard.
“I’ll be the first millionaire in Coleford!” Richard used to boast.
“And you’ll be sorry you knew me,” George would reply “because I’ll be the best lawyer in the town!”
George never did become a lawyer and Richard never made any money. Instead both men opened bookshops on opposite sides of Coleford High Street. It was hard to make money from books, which made the competition between them worse.
Then Richard married a mysterious girl. The couple spent their honeymoon on the coast—but Richard never came back. The police found his wallet on a deserted beach but the body was never found. He must have drowned.
Now with only one bookshop in town, business was better for George. But sometimes he sat in his narrow, old kitchen and gazed out of the dirty window, thinking about his formal rival. Perhaps he missed him?
George was very interested in old dictionaries. He’d recently found a collector in Australia who was selling a rare first edition. When the parcel arrived, the book was in perfect condition and George was delighted. But while he was having lunch, George glanced at the photo in the newspaper that the book had been wrapped in. He was astonished—the smiling face was older than he remembered but unmistakable! Trembling, George started reading.
“Bookends have bought ten bookstores from their rival Dylans. The company, owned by multi-millionaire Richard Pike, is now the largest bookseller in Australia.”George and Richard were ______ at school.
| A．roommates | B．good friends |
| C．competitors | D．booksellers |
How did George feel about Richard after his disappearance?
| A．He envied Richard’s marriage. |
| B．He thought of Richard from time to time. |
| C．He felt lucky with no rival in town. |
| D．He was guilty of Richard’s death. |
What can we infer from this article?
| A．Richard’ wife played an important part in his career. |
| B．Competition could make close friends become rivals. |
| C．George got information about Richard from the wrapping paper of a book. |
| D．Richard became a millionaire while George had no great success. |
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