Mom was right! If you say thank you, for even the smallest gift or slightest show of kindness, you’ll feel happy.
Gratitude, says Robert A. Emmons, a professor of psychology at the University of California, is an important element of happiness. In his recent book, Thanks!, Emmons uses the first major study on gratitude to prove mom’s point.
As one of the leading scholars of the positive psychology movement, he admits gratitude may be difficult to express. He advises you to begin by admitting that life is good and full of events and elements that make daily existence a wonder. Second, recognize that the source of life’s goodness is more than just you. That source may be your mom, a friend, partner, child, colleague at work or play.
Gratitude is always other-directed, notes Emmons. You can be pleased or angry with yourself and feel guilty about doing something wrong, but you can never be grateful to or for yourself.
Expressing gratitude shouldn’t be a reaction; it should be a state of mind. To feel grateful when life is a breeze and you have more than you need is easy. To feel grateful in time of crisis—anger, hatred and bitterness—is easier. Also, too many people are aware of life’s blessings only after these are lost.
It’s crisis and chaos—danger, disease, disability and death—that bring many individuals to realize just how dependent they are on others. Yet it’s the way each of us begins life and ends it. It’s too bad that so many people waste those decades in between laboring under the illusion(幻觉) they are self-sufficient, says Emmons.
The abundance of voices expressing gratitude from his studies of individuals with chronic health problems is many. But Emmons goes beyond his “groundbreaking” science to make his case for gratitude by including the inspirational writings of philosophers, novelists and saints, as well as the beliefs of various religious and their respective scripture(经文). Taken together, these observations are summed up quite nicely by famous humanist Albert Schweitzer, who said the secret of life is “giving thanks for everything”.
To enable and embrace gratitude, Emmons encourages the readers of Thanks! to keep a gratitude diary. He even provides easy-to-follow directions on how to practise and develop gratitude.
I’m not a reader or advocate of self-help books, but I am thankful for the reference I found in a newspaper article to the research Emmons was conducting on gratitude involving organ donors and recipients. The chance discovery led me to this book.
Mom implied that kindness seems to find its way back to the giver because life really is all about giving, receiving and repaying. So I’ll pay attention to her professional advice and say: Thank you, professor Emmons. . What is the text mainly discussed?
| A．There are many ways of being thankful. |
| B．Gratitude is important to happiness. |
| C．Mom is great for her being thankful. |
| D．Being thankful will keep you fit. |
. The author mentions Robert A. Emmons’ book Thanks! in order to prove that __________.
A. Professor Emmons supports mom’s study on psychology.
B. mom is as great a psychologist as Professor Emmons.
C. Professor Emmons is a famous psychologist.
D. mom is right about her viewpoint on gratitude.. It will be easier for you to feel grateful when___________.
| A．you live a comfortable life |
| B．you receive gifts on your birthday |
| C．you get help during your hard times |
| D．you are congratulated on your success |
What is the opinion of Professor Emmons?
| A．It is enough to thank others orally |
| B．Whether you are thankful is always up to you |
| C．Remember to be thankful anytime and anywhere |
| D．It is easier to be thankful for yourself than for others. |
In the writer’s opinion, Emmon’s book Thanks! On gratitude is________.
| A．one-side | B．reasonable | C．puzzling | D．helpful |
When I was growing up in America, I was ashamed of my mother’s Chinese English. Because of her English, she was often treated unfairly. People in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.
My mother has long realized the limitations of her English as well. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on the phone to pretend I was she. I was forced to ask for information or even to yell at people who had been rude to her. One time I had to call her stockbroker (股票经纪人). I said in an adolescent voice that was not very convincing, "This is Mrs. Tan."
And my mother was standing beside me, whispering loudly, "Why he don’t send me cheek, already two week late."
And then, in perfect English I said, "I’m getting rather concerned. You agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn’t arrived."
Then she talked more loudly. "What he want? I come to New York tell him front of his boss." And so I turned to the stockbroker again, "I can’t tolerate any more excuse. If I don’t receive the cheek immediately, I am going to have to speak to your manager when I am in New York next week."
The next week we ended up in New York. While I was sitting there red-faced, my mother, the real Mrs. Tan, was shouting to his boss in her broken English.
When I was a teenager, my mother’s broken English embarrassed me. But now, I see it differently. To me, my mother’s English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. It is my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, and full of observation and wisdom. It was the language that helped shape the way I saw things, expressed ideas, and made sense of the world.Why was the author’s mother poorly served?
| A．She was unable to speak good English. |
| B．She was often misunderstood. |
| C．She was not clearly heard. |
| D．She was not very polite. |
From Paragraph 2, we know that the author was .
| A．good at pretending |
| B．rude to the stockbroker |
| C．ready to help her mother |
| D．unwilling to phone for her mother |
After the author made the phone call, .
| A．they forgave the stockbroker |
| B．they failed to get the check |
| C．they went to New York immediately |
| D．they spoke to their boss at once |
What does the author think of her mother’s English now?
| A．It confuses her. |
| B．It embarrasses her. |
| C．It helps her understand the world. |
| D．It helps her tolerate rude people. |
We can infer from the passage that Chinese English .
| A．is clear and natural to non-native speakers |
| B．is vivid and direct to non-native speakers |
| C．has a very bad reputation in America |
| D．may bring inconvenience in America |
The National Library of Iceland is a reference library, which means books and other items in our collections cannot be browsed or borrowed, and must be ordered for consulation(查阅) in our reading rooms. The map below shows the location of the National Library. If you want to know more about our library, you can click on the link www. Nli.ie.
Opening Hours
| Location |
Hours |
| Main & Manuscripts Reading Room, Kildare Street |
Mon---Wed: 9:30am---7:45pm Thurs & Fri: 9:30am---4:45pm Saturday: 9:30am---12:45pm |
| Kildare Street Exhibitions |
Mon---Wed: 9:30 am---7:45 pm Thurs & Fri: 9:30am---4:45 pm Saturday: 9:30 am-4:45 pm Sunday: 1---4:45 pm |
| National Photographic Archive, Temple Bar, Reading Room(appointment only) |
Tues &Weds: 10 am---1 pm Thurs: 10 am---1 pm and 2:30---4 pm |
| NPA Exhibitions |
Mon---Sat: 10 am---5 pm Sunday: 12-5 pm |
Readers’ Tickets
Anyone over 16 years of age who wishes to use NLI collections may apply for a readers’ ticket. A reader’s ticket is valid(有效的) for three years and give readers access to all our collections. You must bring your ticket with you when using the reading rooms. A reader’s ticket is not required to access newspapers or other items on microfilm(微缩胶片)。
What you should bring
All applicants must produce a form of photographic identification, such as a passport, driver’s license, student card and so on.
Applying for a reader’s ticket and using the Reading Rooms
You can apply for your ticket in our Main Reading Room. It only takes a few minutes to process an application and issue a ticket. You will need to complete an online registration form. We will then check your identification, take your photograph and provide you with a reader’s ticket.
Renewing your reader’s ticket
Please bring your most recent reader’s ticket with you when renewing your ticket. If the expiry date(有效期) is greater than 12 months, you will also need to produce a form of photographic identification.The National Library of Iceland is located on ____________.
| A．Nassau Street | B．Kildare Street |
| C．Dawson Street | D．Dame Street |
At which time can you visit the Main & Manuscripts Reading Room of the National Library?
| A．At 6:45 pm on Thursday. | B．At 10 am on Sunday. |
| C．At 9 am on Saturday. | D．At 5 pm on Monday. |
You must ________ when applying for a reader’s ticket.
①take a photo of yourself ②have valid identity documents
③be older than 16 years old ④fill in a paper registration form
| A．②③ | B．①③④ |
| C．③④ | D．①②④ |
Which of the following about the National Library is NOT true, according to the passage?
| A．It is not a lending library. |
| B．Reader’s tickets are valid for use in its reading rooms |
| C．There is no need to renew reader’s tickets after they expire. |
| D．Certain categories of material can only be viewed by appointment. |
The passage is probably taken from a(n) _____________.
| A．website | B．magazine |
| C．newspaper | D．advertisement |
Dear David,
I’m glad you would like to share your feelings with me. It’s hardly surprising that your feelings of not being “grown up” have come on strongly at this point in your life, just before you’re about to become a father. You are asking: will I make a good father? How will I deal with? Should I have brought another little person into the world? Can I provide for it? Help! I think nearly every sensitive about-to-be-parent must have these occasional feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy（不适）before the birth and it would be most unusual if you didn’t share them.
It’s difficult, honestly, to feel grown-up unless you have something less grown-up to relate to. The boss with a hen-pecking wife may feel like a seven-year-old when he’s at home. But as he walks through the office door, and knows he’s going to be surrounded by staff looking to him for advice, he grows into a fully mature（成熟的）man. And I think it’s a mistake to imagine that we all feel, as we age, a kind of progression of states, from the baby to the adult. Most people feel, on Tuesday, about three years old, and on a Wednesday, around 80. I remember feeling very grown-up at eight, a time when I was weighed down with responsibility. These days, much older, I can, in the company of people I feel at ease with, feel like a young girl.
There’s a common remark that “all men are little boys”, but it’s not true. It’s more true that men often behave like little boys. But nearly all people, at some moments in their lives, are able of great maturity.
Once your baby arrives, you’ll soon feel less childlike, or rather, less often. When your child tries to put its fingers into the electric plug, the adult in you will rise up to prevent it. You’ll see you have very little in common with a needy child, particularly if it’s looking to you for comfort and support.
Comfort yourself, David, with two truths. One is that your friends laugh when they talk about this subject because they, like you, feel frightened. And remember that people who haven’t grown up don’t go around talking about the fact that they don’t feel grown-up.
Hope my advice will be helpful and good luck to you and your little one.
Sincerely Yours,
Miss AdviceAccording to the passage, Miss Advice thinks David’s self-doubt _______.
| A．valuable | B．natural |
| C．unusual | D．bearable |
From Paragraph 2, we can learn that people’s sense of maturity _______.
| A．will increase with age |
| B．is obviously seen at home |
| C．changes with different situations |
| D．becomes stronger with familiar people |
Miss Advice holds the view that _______.
| A．all men always behave like little boys |
| B．men with a baby feel more grown-up |
| C．people tend to need comfort and support |
| D．people enjoy talking about their immaturity |
First Day at School
It was my first day at school in London and I was half-excited and half-frightened. On my way to school I wondered, what questions the other boys would ask me and practiced all the answers: "I am nine years old. I was born here but I haven't lived here since I was two. I was living in Farley. It's about thirty miles away. I came back to London two months ago." I also wondered if it was the rule for boys to fight strangers like me, but I was tall for my age. I hoped they would decide not to risk it.
No one took any notice of me before school. I stood in the center of the playground, expecting someone to say "hello", but no one spoke to me.
My teacher was called Mr. Jones. There were 42 boys in the class, so I didn't stand out there, either, until the first lesson of the afternoon. Mr. Jones was very fond of Charles Dickens, so he asked several boys if they knew Dickens' birthplace, but no one guessed right. A boy called Brian, the biggest in the class, said: "Timbuktu” and Mr. Jones went red in the face. Then he asked me. I said: "Portsmouth” and everyone stared at me because Mr. Jones said I was right. This didn't make me very popular, of course. “He thinks he's clever," I heard Brian say.
After that, we went out to the playground to play football. I was in Brian's team, and he obviously had Dickens in mind because he told me to go in goal. No one ever wanted to be the goalkeeper.
"He's big enough and useless enough;" Brian said when someone asked him why he had chosen me.
As the boy kicked the ball hard along the ground to my right, I threw myself down quickly and saved it. All my team crowded round me. My bare knees were grazed and bleeding. Brian took out a handkerchief and offered it to me.
"Do you want to join my gang (team)?" he said.
At the end of the day, I was no longer a stranger. The writer prepared to answer all of the following questions EXCEPT "__________".
| A．How old are you? |
| B．Where are you from? |
| C．Do you want to join my gang? |
| D．When did you come back to London? |
We can learn from the passage that ___________________.
| A．boys were usually unfriendly to new students |
| B．the writer was not greeted as he expected |
| C．Brian praised the writer for his cleverness |
| D．the writer was glad to be a goalkeeper |
The underlined part "I didn't stand out" in paragraph 3 means that the writer was not ______.
| A．noticeable | B．nervous |
| C．important | D．outstanding |
The writer was offered a handkerchief because _________________.
| A．he was in Brian’s team |
| B．he was no longer a new comer |
| C．he was beginning to be accepted |
| D．he pushed a player on the other team |
Any introduction to Peking Opera would not be complete without telling of Mei Lanfang. During his stage life, he combined the traditions of the past with his own creations, shaping a style of his own and giving birth to “The Mei Lanfang School”. He was also the first artist to introduce Peking Opera to an overseas audience, making it popular to the world.
Mei Lanfang began his stage life at the age of 8. His teacher said he showed little hope because of his boring eyes. To improve this, he exercised them day after day. Thanks to his efforts, he managed to change his dull eyes into a pair of bright and expressive eyes and win national fame before the age of 20.
In over 50 years on the stage, Mei Lanfang played no less than 100 different characters in the performance. He also wrote many new plays, designing the dances himself. The many dances he created form part of the great treasure that he left to Peking Opera.
In 1930, Mei Lanfang started on a successful US tour. There his brilliant performances impressed the audience, making them realize that Peking Opera was a theatrical form of great value.Mei Lanfang was the first artist to introduce Peking Opera to ________.
| A．China | B．audience |
| C．the world | D．schools |
How long did it take Mei Lanfang to exercise his eyes into bright and expressive?
| A．About 8 years. | B．About 10 years. |
| C．About 12 years. | D．About 14 years. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．The history of Peking Opera. |
| B．Mei Lanfang’s early stage life. |
| C．The performance of Peking Opera by Mei Lanfang. |
| D．Mei Lanfang’s great contributions to Peking Opera. |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号