Jobs and work do much more than most of us realize to provide happiness and contentment.We're all used to thinking that work provides the material things of life—the goods and services that make our modern civilization possible.But we are much less conscious of the degree to which work provides the more important psychological wellbeing that can make the difference between a full and an empty life.
Historically，work has been associated with slavery and sin (罪恶)and punishment.And in our own day we are used to bearing traditional complaints.Against this background，it may well come as a surprise to learn that not only psychologists but other behavioral scientists have come to accept the positive contribution of work to the individual's happiness and sense of personal achievement.Work is more than a necessity for most human beings；it is the focus of their lives，the source of their identity and creativity.
Rather than a punishment of a burden，work is the opportunity to realize one's potential.And the opposite is true，too.For large numbers of people，the absence of work is harmful to their health.Retirement often brings many problems surrounding the “What do I do with myself？”question，even though there may be no financial cares.Large numbers of people regularly get headaches and other illnesses on weekends when they don't have their jobs to go to，and must take care of themselves.It has been observed that unemployment，quite apart from financial pressures，brings enormous psychological troubles and that many individuals'conditions become worse rapidly when jobless.
But why？Why should work be such a significant source of human satisfaction？A good share of the answer rests in the kind of pride that is stimulated by the job，by the activity of accomplishing.Which of the following statements can NOT be learned from the passage?
| A．People feel happier and more content than they realize when working. |
| B．Work is likely to provide you with the chance of achieving your potential. |
| C．Happiness can only be gained through working. |
| D．A lot of people will suffer physically and psychologically without work. |
Traditionally，people are used to believing ________.
| A．work is related to negative aspects |
| B．happiness has nothing to do with work |
| C．identity and creativity depend on work |
| D．work is not only a necessity for humans but the focus of their lives |
What would the author probably discuss in the following paragraph?
| A．What the proper way to balance work and life is. |
| B．How work brings people pride in accomplishment. |
| C．Which is more important：the material things of life or psychological wellbeing. |
| D．How people overcome the problems arising from retirement. |
Which best describes the author's attitude towards work in the passage?
| A．Doubtful. | B．Concerned. |
| C．Approving. | D．Neutral. |
Stop wasting your time thinking of reasons for your failures. Instead, realize that the seeds of success were planted within you when you were born. Only you have the power to make those seeds grow.
The seeds, and the power to grow them, are contained in the most awesome machine ever created: the human mind. Success is a choice and not a chance. You were born a winner. You were born rich. You can be a success if only you make the right choice.
You cannot be successful without first developing your self-confidence. Your level of self-confidence is always based on the degree of control that you are able to exercise over yourself, and thus over your life. People with low self-confidence are people who do not believe that they have any power, or responsibility for their lives. They are always victims. They are leaves tossed (摇摆) by the winds of chance blown about with any sudden change in the weather.
You can exercise control over your life only to the degree that you believe you are responsible for everything that happens in your life. Failures think that everything happens by accident and chance. Successful people realize that they are responsible.
Everything happens as a result of something. If we can identify(确定) the cause, we can control the effect. We are responsible for what we choose to think and believe. One generally rises to the level that one expects. We are responsible for setting our expectations. Our success is dependent upon our level of confidence.
In all areas of your life, whether they are financial, physical, or spiritual, you are responsible. Once you recognize this, accept it, and firmly believe it. You are on the road to success.People with low self-confidence are compared to leaves because they .
| A．don’t have the power to face their lives |
| B．are ready to change their minds |
| C．can’t exercise control over themselves |
| D．are easily affected by windy weather |
Losers would think that .
| A．they fail only because of bad luck |
| B．they don’t make efforts to succeed |
| C．success is the result of hard work |
| D．working hard will lead to success |
It can be inferred from the fifth paragraph that .
| A．what we believe in is the result of creative mind |
| B．whether we will succeed depends on our attitudes |
| C．setting our expectations is vital before taking action |
| D．knowing cause and effect is the key to future success |
The last paragraph serves as .
| A．an introduction to another topic |
| B．a comparison between two views |
| C．the proof of the author’s points |
| D．the conclusion of the argument |
Music died here last spring, or rather, it was killed by members of the school committee who ignored the importance of music as part of the high-school curriculum.
The committee decided that teaching students how to take a test is more important than a curriculum in which students can explore their interests in the arts as well as academics. Because the school system is running out of funding(资金), it needs to make sure that students pass the test or even more money will be lost. If students fail the state test，it is not the fault of music classes — they are failing because the “academic” classes are not adequate.
It is painful to think of how many students will be discouraged from singing, acting, and playing instruments because school programs are no longer offered. Many families cannot afford private music lessons, and many potential musicians may not find their calling if they are not exposed to it in school. The fact that the school committee thinks the arts are not worth the investment(投资) will certainly make some students believe the arts are not worth their time or support and the cycle will continue.
Teaching for a test does not shape students into complete, well-rounded people. It blocks the natural sense to create and express feelings through art — there is more to life than the analytical(善于分析的) thinking that math and English provide. What happens after a test? Sure, a student might graduate, but they will have limited knowledge — certainly not a good preparation for the real world.Music is not included in the high school curriculum mainly because .
| A．the school committee pays no attention to it |
| B．the students are not interested in it |
| C．the school is afraid of losing financial support |
| D．the state test is more important |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The number of the classes determines students’ performance in the test. |
| B．The school committee completely influences students’ attitude towards art. |
| C．Students can be musicians only if they can afford private music lessons. |
| D．Quite a few students are discouraged from learning music at school. |
We can learn that music and art can .
| A．make students round-shaped people in future |
| B．motivate students in creativity and expression |
| C．provide students with analytical thinking |
| D．prevent students graduation from high school |
The best title of the passage can be .
| A．Who on earth killed music? |
| B．Can curriculum go without music? |
| C．Can we ignore the importance of music? |
| D．How to prepare for the real world? |
Three Japanese tourists taking a holiday in Australia got stuck when their GPS told them they could drive from the mainland to an island, failing to mention the 15 kilometres of water and mud in between.
As they drove their hired car from Moreton Bay to nearby North Stradbroke Island, they started to notice the firm surface they were driving on giving way to the well-known bay mud. However, being confident that their GPS would direct them to a road soon, they decided to drive on, managing to travel around 500 metres before their car was up to its tires in mud. To make matters worse, the tide(潮汐) started to come in and soon forced them to seek help and abandon the vehicle. Just four hours later the car was trapped in two metres of water — to the great amusement of onlookers on the shore and passengers on passing boats and ferries.
Yuzu Noda, 21, said she was listening to the GPS and “it told us we could drive down there. It kept saying it would navigate(导航) us to a road. But we got stuck…there’s lots of mud.” She and her travel companions Tomonari Saeki, 22, and Keita Osada, 21, instead had to give up their plans for a day trip to the island and headed back to the Gold Coast of a lift from the RACQ tow truck(吊车) driver who was called to the trapped car. No such luck for the hired car though – after assessing the situation, no attempt was made to recover it. The students from Tokyo, who are due to return home tomorrow, said the experience would not put them off returning to Australia for another visit. Mr. Tomonari said, “It has rained every day on our six day holiday. Hopefully next time we come back it will be sunny.”
The car was covered by insurance, but the tourists will have to pay up to about $1500 in extra charges.The three Japanese tourists got stuck because .
| A．there was no way to the island |
| B．their GPS was broken during their journey |
| C．their GPS had given the wrong information |
| D．their car was not made in Japan |
They didn’t abandon their car until .
| A．some onlookers went to save them |
| B．they got stuck in the mud |
| C．there came the tide |
| D．they managed to travel around 500 metres |
How did these Japanese students get back?
| A．They had to walk back to their living place. |
| B．They had to take a lift from the tow truck driver. |
| C．They had to repair their GPS and drove back. |
| D．They had to turn to passengers on boats and ferries. |
According to the passage, which of the following is true?
| A．The passengers saved these students in the end. |
| B．Mr. Tomonari got very down after the journey. |
| C．No money has to be paid thanks to insurance. |
| D．The car was left where it was trapped. |
If a sitcom(情景喜剧) that lasts for l0 years is considered popular, then surely one that still arouses emotions after 20 must be considered a classic. Friends first aired in the US in 1994, telling about six young men and women in New York．Since then, it’s become one of the most famous titles in the sitcom style, aired in over 100 countries and regions in the world.
The show is typical among those who grew up in the 1990s because it explores basic yet important themes like friendship, struggling to survive in a big city, and finding independence and identity, all of which are still relevant to young audiences today.
Against the background of the Internet age, IT staff who were once marginalized(排斥) and laughed at have been brought back to life due to the popularity of hit show The Big Bang Theory, in which four talents lacking normal social skills make an attempt at living on a college campus.
At the same time, Gossip Girl, describing a young cast of New Yorkers born with silver spoons in their mouths, showing the difficulties upper-class adolescents experience. The play’s fashion and mature subject matter allowed it to draw the interest of both teenagers and adults.
Although these typical TV shows cover a wide timeline and a variety of themes, they all have a universal topic. Why are they still appealing? It remains to be found out.Why is the sitcom Friends typical among young people in the 1990s?
| A．Because it is a breakthrough in the producing style. |
| B．Because it is the most influential sitcom of all time. |
| C．Because it predicts the future of the young at that time. |
| D．Because it addresses the subjects faced by the youth. |
What can we learn about The Big Bang Theory?
| A．It improves the conditions of the people in IT. |
| B．It arouses people’s enthusiasm for computers. |
| C．It is about four talents who are good at everything. |
| D．It is set in the time before the Internet came into being. |
According to the passage, Gossip Girl .
| A．describes the hardships of upper-class people |
| B．attracts people of all ages |
| C．shows eye-catching style and adult subject |
| D．describes the life of ordinary girls |
What will the author most probably talk about next?
| A．The introduction to other hit sitcoms. |
| B．The further information about the plot. |
| C．The analysis of the reasons for the appeal. |
| D．The emotional response among audience. |
Jerry was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, “I don’t get it! You can’t be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?” Jerry replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, ‘Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.’ I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life. The bottom line: It’s your choice how you live your life.” I reflected on what Jerry said. Later, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life.
Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was stopped at gun point by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe(保险箱), he forgot the password, nervous. The robbers shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found rather quickly and rushed to the local hospital. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry left hospital with fragments（碎片）of the bullets(子弹) still in his body.
I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, “The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door,” Jerry replied. “Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live.” “Weren’t you frightened? Did you lose consciousness(知觉)?” I asked. Jerry continued, “The doctors and nurses were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really frightened. I knew I needed to take action.”
“What did you do?” I asked. “Well, there was a big, strong nurse shouting questions at me,” said Jerry. “She asked if I was allergic (过敏的)to anything. ‘Yes,’ I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and shouted, ‘Bullets!’ Over their laughter, I told them. ‘I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.’”
Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.The author left Jerry’s restaurant industry because he________.
| A．wanted to start business on his own |
| B．was afraid of another robbery later |
| C．was not equal to the job any longer |
| D．didn’t get along well with others |
Why was Jerry shot? ________.
| A．Because he left the back door open |
| B．Because he refused to open the safe |
| C．Because he didn’t open the safe in time |
| D．Because he pretended to forget the password |
What was Jerry really afraid of in the emergency room? ________.
| A．The doctors and nurses gave him up. |
| B．He decided to take action to live again. |
| C．He saw many doctors and nurses waiting there. |
| D．He might not be saved by doctors and nurses. |
From the passage we can learn that Jerry was ________.
| A．no longer positive to his life after the operation |
| B．optimistic even when things were at their worst |
| C．influenced by all his colleagues in many ways |
| D．badly injured and stayed in hospital for six months |
Which of the following is conveyed in this article?
| A．Where there is life, there is hope. |
| B．Everything comes to him who waits. |
| C．Attitude determines everything. |
| D．Humor is the best medicine that creates miracle(奇迹). |
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