I live in Hollywood. You may think people in such an attractive, fun-filled place are happier than others. If so, you have some mistaken ideas about the nature of happiness.
Many intelligent people still equate happiness with fun. The truth is that fun and happiness have little or nothing in common. Fun is what we experience during an act. Happiness is what we experience after an act. It is a deeper, more long-lasting emotion. Going to an amusement park or ball game, watching a movie or television, are fun activities that help us relax, temporarily forget our problems and maybe even laugh. But they do not bring happiness, because their positive effects end when the fun ends.
I have often thought that if Hollywood stars have a role to play, it is to teach us that happiness has nothing to do with fun. These rich, beautiful individuals have constant access to exciting parties, fancy cars, expensive homes, everything that spells “happiness”. But in memoir(回忆录) after memoir, celebrities reveal the unhappiness hidden beneath all their fun: depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, broken marriages, troubled children, and long-time loneliness.
The way people hold on to the belief that a fun-filled, pain-free life equates happiness actually decreases their chances of ever attaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equated with happiness, then pain must be equated with unhappiness. But, in fact, the opposite is true: More times than not, things that lead to happiness involve some pain.
As a result, many people avoid the very efforts that are the source of true happiness. They fear the pain inevitably brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment, charitable work and self-improvement.According to the passage, “fun activities” ____________.
| A．are the things we do before we find happiness |
| B．may help us relax and forget our problems sometimes |
| C．will lead us to the true happiness |
| D．could provide long-last positive effects |
In the author’s opinion, those Hollywood stars ____________.
| A．possess happiness because they are rich and famous |
| B．experience almost all kinds of happy things |
| C．tell us happiness isn’t equal to fun using their own stories |
| D．have to suffer a lot before they become successful |
It is difficult for people to find real happiness because ____________.
| A．they believe happiness is the fun life without pain |
| B．they find pain equals unhappiness |
| C．they fear to lose what they already have in life |
| D．They are afraid all their efforts were in vain |
The main purpose of the text is to ____________.
| A．describe the difference between happiness and fun |
| B．show the true meaning of happiness |
| C．encourage people to pursue fun activities |
| D．advise people to find their real life |
Why are people interested in eating raw foods or whole foods? One reason is that eating these types of food reduces the risk of acid accumulation in your body.
Raw and whole foods are usually digested more efficiently than cooked and refined foods. When we cook foods, we destroy the natural enzymes (酶) that are part of the food in its raw form. These enzymes were intended by nature to help us digest the food. When we consume food without these natural enzymes, our bodies either digest the food improperly or allow too many nutrients to be absorbed into the bloodstream. In both instances, the result is obesity（肥胖）. When too many nutrients are absorbed at once, the body grows fat. Improperly digested food moves slowly through the digestive tract（消化道）, where it becomes increasingly acidic. To protect its vital organs from this acidic waste, the body changes the acid into fat and stores it safely away from the organs.
Processed foods contain chemical elements, which might confuse the appetite mechanism that tells us when we’ve had enough to eat; as a result, people often overeat. Processed foods also upset the digestive cycle. The body will either identify these foods as allergens（过敏原） and then store them safely away from the organs as fat, or the remains of undigested food will become acidic and enter the bloodstream as acid waste, which will stick to the blood vessel walls and block the passage of vital oxygen and nutrients heading for the body’s cells. The body’s metabolism (新陈代谢) becomes inactive, and the result is weight gain and obesity.
The accumulation of acid in the digestive tract makes digestion increasingly inefficient. When that happens, even healthy foods can become acidic and the food allergies will become more common.
To stop this vicious circle in its tracks, people need to consume food and supplements that will neutralize（中和）the acid already accumulated in body. Eating the right types of raw and whole foods can help. It’s also important to restore your enzyme balance. You need to identify and avoid the foods that cause acid accumulation and consume the foods that increase enzyme production. If you truly want to change and help your body heal itself, you need to take an active approach. It can be inferred from Para. 2 that __________.
| A．foods with natural enzymes help people keep fit |
| B．we’d better be cautious about raw and whole foods |
| C．it is essential for people to protect their vital organs |
| D．giving up cooked and refined foods is a new lifestyle |
Processed foods are unhealthy because they __________.
| A．destroy body’s cells | B．may lead to obesity |
| C．are difficult to digest | D．stop body’s metabolism |
What is the main purpose of this passage?
| A．To warn people of the problem of obesity. |
| B．To advocate eating more raw and whole foods. |
| C．To inform people of the harm of processed foods. |
| D．To tell the differences between raw and processed foods. |
What is likely to be talked about following the last paragraph?
| A．Different causes of acid accumulation. |
| B．Correct ways to cook raw foods. |
| C．Suitable types of raw and whole foods. |
| D．Active approaches to avoid acid. |
One way to sell stuff is to make things that people want to buy. Another way is to offer “free trials” and then hit customers with bills. This brings us to PDC Education Ltd, run by Rebecca Jordan and Kirsty Weir of Leeds, whose website teaching-resources-uk.com offers teaching plans for teachers.
Rosemarie Brady, finance manager of Rutlish School in Merton, southwest London, tells us that one teacher called Amanda Seyfried downloaded the “free” resources. “Unfortunately in very small print, they state that unless the free trial is cancelled, then you will be charged,” she says.
A year has gone by and now they’ve been sent a second bill for 500 pounds, just because they forgot to cancel the “free trial”.
Merton Council—and it’s not the only one—has sent a warning to all its schools saying: “ Only in the very (easily missed) small print of the terms and conditions is it explained that, after the 14-day trial, schools will be automatically signed for a two-year contact with the company.”
“This will only be stopped if the teacher who requested the trial writes directly to PDC to cancel before the 14 days have expired(期满). The fee can be as much as hundreds of pounds, with the threat of debt recovery if they are not paid.”
Among the online complaints is this one from a teacher. “How disappointed I am that they will not even consider seriously re-negotiating the invoice(清单).”
Rebecca Jordan of PDC Education said, “ The whole purpose behind the free trial is that we have confidence in our business. This free trial period gives teachers the chance to see what is on offer without having to commit to a payment.”
Only a “very small number” of teachers have complained when they receive an invoice, she added. “ Their only complaint is that they have not checked what they are signing up to but that is not our fault, the position is totally clear. The prices and the trial terms are clear to see on the online sign up page.”
It’s true the terms and conditions are on their website. But perhaps it’s unhelpful that they run to almost 3000 words.We know from the passage that____________.
| A．Merton Council suggests that PDC Education Ltd should be closed down |
| B．the website teaching-resources-uk.com uses tricks to cheat people out of money |
| C．the users complained that they had not been informed of writing to PDC earlier |
| D．the education website promises to enlarge their warning print and cut down the term |
Which of the following words best describes the author’s attitude towards PDC?
| A．Critical | B．Reserved | C．Doubtful | D．Positive |
What might be the best title for the passage?
| A．An education website | B．A lesson in “free” trials |
| C．A mysterious invoice | D．Traps on the web |
It seems that many college graduates are unsure of what to do with their lives, so they jump back into the college scene by default(违约). But graduate school is costly, time consuming and requires a lot of in-depth study, and also parents will lay down more money and banks will supply more student loans.
However, there are some students who should be pursuing graduate degrees. Teachers, lawyers, doctors, professors and ministers are a few examples of those who will benefit from class work past a bachelor’s degree. Their professions call for additional courses and more specialization and therefore higher education is a must. Still, all students in general should not adopt the idea that graduate school is necessary for individuals who want to make more money. Working hard right after college can lead to promotions in the future. It seems that it does more good to network or internship（实习）with professionals while pursing a bachelor’s degree than it does to complete a master’s and distant oneself from the world of work.
If a student graduates with a four-year degree and immediately enters the work force , he will most likely start an entry-level pay. In a couple of years this employee will gain seniority and experience, therefore increasing their chance for pay rise. He will learn the information at his job-site that he did not learn in school. His bachelor’s degree loan can be immediately chipped away ,and his maturity level can increase as real work related responsibilities set in. But, if the student pursues a master’s degree, he may be able to demand more pay initially when he finally goes job hunting, but years of serious money making as well as work experience will already be lost.
Students should not shy from the workforce just because uncertainty follows graduation. Those who pursue a graduate degree just because they do not want to leave school and because they view the “real world” as scary should think again. Using graduate studies as a hiding place from the full-time job is a waste of time.College graduates who go to work can _____ than those who pursue graduate degrees.
| A．make more money in the future | B．acquire more experience |
| C．get a better job | D．become more responsible |
The underlined words “chipped away” can most possibly be replaced by_______.
| A．given out | B．set down | C．thrown away | D．paid off |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．College graduates shouldn’t pursue graduate degrees |
| B．College graduates should think twice |
| C．How can college graduates make more money? |
| D．Students use graduate school to avoid reality |
Are we too quick to blame and slow to praise? It seems that while most of us are only too ready to apply to others the cold wind of criticism, we are somehow unwilling to give others the warm sunshine of praise.
It’s strange how mean we are about praising. Perhaps it’s because few of us know how to accept praise gracefully . Instead , we are embarrassed and ignore the words we are really so glad to hear. Because of this defensive reaction, direct praise is surprisingly difficult to give.
Do you ever go into a house and say, “ What a tidy room!” Hardly anybody does. That’s why housework is considered such a boring job. Shakespeare said, “ Our praises are our wages.” Since so often praise is the only wage a housewife receives, surely she is worthy of praise.
Mothers know naturally that for children an ounce of praise is worth a pound of scolding. Still, we are unaware of children’s small achievements and we seldom apply the rule. One day I was criticizing my children for quarrelling. “Can you never play peacefully?” I shouted. Susanna looked at me confused. “ Of course I can,” she said. “But you don’t notice us when we do.”
Teachers agree about the value of praise. “ I believe that a student knows when he has handed in something above his usual standard,” writes a teacher, “ and that he is hungry for a belief comment in the margin to show him that the teacher is aware of it, too.”
Behavioral scientists have done countless experiments to prove that people have a tendency to repeat an act which has been immediately followed by a pleasant result. In one such experiment, a number of schoolchildren were divided into three groups and given arithmetic tests daily for five days. One group was constantly praised for its previous performance; another group was criticized; the third was ignored. Not surprisingly, those who were praised improved dramatically. Those who were criticized improved ,too, but not so much. And the scores of the children who were ignored hardly improved at all. Interestingly, the brightest children were helped just as much by criticism as by praise, but the less able children, who reacted badly to criticism, needed praise the most.
To give praise costs the giver nothing but a moment’s thought and a moment’s effort—perhaps a quick phone call to pass on good comments , or write an appreciative letter. It is such a small investment—and yet consider the results it may produce. We will not only bring joy into other people’s lives, but also, very often, added happiness into our room.” I can live for two months on a good compliment.” said Mark Twain.
Title : Profits of Praise
| Theme |
Compared with_____ |
| Reasons for unwillingness to give praise |
We feel embarrassed and ignore the words pleasant to our ears____ We have ____ |
| Importance of praise in some cases |
A housewife ___ A mother is supposed to be aware of their children’s small achievements and ___ A student waits ____ |
| Findings of experiments on profits of praise |
Everybody___ Those who receive constant praise have made dramatic improvement. Unlike brilliant children, less able children ___ |
| ________ |
It pays to make a moment’s ___ |
The common cold is the world's most widespread illness, which is plagues(疫病) that flesh receives.
The most widespread mistake of all is that colds are caused by cold. They are not. They are caused by viruses(病毒) passing on from person to person. You catch a cold by coming into contact, directly or indirectly, with someone who already has one. If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever. But they do not. And in isolated Arctic regions explorers have reported being free from colds until coming into contact again with infected people from the outside world by way of packages and mail dropped from airplanes.
During the First World War soldiers who spent long periods in the trenches(战壕), cold and wet, showed no increased tendency to catch colds.
In the Second World War prisoners at the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp(奥斯维辛集中营), naked and starving, were astonished to find that they seldom had colds.
At the Common Cold Research Unit in England, volunteers took part in Experiments in which they gave themselves to the discomforts of being cold and wet for long stretches of time. After taking hot baths, they put on bathing suits, allowed themselves to be with cold water, and then stood about dripping wet in drafty room. Some wore wet socks all day while others exercised in the rain until close to exhaustion. Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold unless a cold virus was actually dropped in his nose.
If, then, cold and wet have nothing to do with catching colds, why are they more frequent in the winter? Despite the most pains—taking research, no one has yet found the answer. One explanation offered by scientists is that people tend to stay together indoors more in cold weather than at other times, and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on.
No one has yet found a cure for the cold. There are drugs and pain suppressors(止痛片) such as aspirin, but all they do is to relieve the symptoms(症状).The writer offered _______ examples to support his argument.
| A．4 | B．5 | C．6 | D．3 |
Which of the following does not agree with the chosen passage?
| A．The Eskimos do not suffer from colds all the time. |
| B．Colds are not caused by cold. |
| C．People suffer from colds just because they like to stay indoors. |
| D．A person may catch a cold by touching someone who already had one. |
Arctic explorers may catch colds when ________.
| A．they are working in the isolated Arctic regions |
| B．they are writing reports in terribly cold weather |
| C．they are free from work in the isolated Arctic regions |
| D．they are coming into touch again with the outside world |
The passage mainly discusses ________.
| A．the fallacy about the common cold |
| B．the experiments on the common cold |
| C．the reason and the way people catch colds |
| D．the continued spread of common colds |
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