Life is difficult.
It is a great truth because once we truly understand and accept it, then life is no longer difficult.
Most people do not fully see this truth. Instead they complain(抱怨) about their problems and difficulties as if life should be easy. It seems to them that difficulties stand for a special kind of suffering especially forced on them or else on their families, their class, or even their nation.
What makes life difficult is that the process of facing and solving problems is a painful one. Problems, depending on their nature, cause sadness, or loneliness(孤独) or regret or anger or fear. These are uncomfortable feelings, often as painful as any kind of physical pain. And since life causes a lot of problems, life is always difficult and is full of pain as well as joy.
Yet, it is in this whole process of solving problems that life has its meaning. Problems are the serious test that tells us success from failure. When we want to encourage the growth of human spirit, we encourage the human ability to solve problems, just as in school we set problems for our children to solve. It is through the pain of meeting and working out problems that we learn. As Benjamin Franklin said, "Those things that hurt, instruct(指导)." It is for this reason that wise people learn not to fear but to welcome the pain of problems. From the passage, it can be inferred that_______.
| A．everybody has problems |
| B．we become stronger by facing and solving the problems of life |
| C．life is difficult because our problems bring us pain |
| D．people like to complain about their problems |
The writer probably used just one short sentence in the first paragraph to ___.
| A．save space |
| B．persuade readers |
| C．make readers laugh |
| D．get readers' attention |
The main idea of paragraph 3 is that _________.
| A．most people feel life is easy |
| B．the writer feel life is easy |
| C．the writer likes to complain about his problems |
| D．most people complain about how hard their lives are |
According to the passage, we give school children difficult problems to solve in order to ______.
| A．encourage them to learn |
| B．teach them to fear the pain of solving the problems |
| C．help them learn to deal with pain |
| D．teach them how to respect problems |
The saying from Benjamin Franklin "Those things that hurt, instruct" suggests that ______.
| A．we do not learn from experience |
| B．we do not learn when we are in pain |
| C．pain teaches us important lessons |
| D．pain cannot be avoided |
When you tidy your messy bedroom，it gets a lot easier to find things.Dreams may work the same way for a messy brain，helping you learn by organizing memories and ideas.
To test how much dreams can help learning，Robert Stickgold had some students play a shapefitting game called Tetris (俄罗斯方块) for a few hours and then go to sleep.Soon they were dreaming of falling Tetris shapes.Interestingly，the worst Tetris players had the most Tetris dreams and improved their game the most.Similar tests have shown the same results for all kinds of skills.
As we dream，many important tasks are getting done.The brain decides what to keep and what to forget.It is connecting new experiences to older learning.In fact，the brain is learning all night long.
Another important task of dreams may be to help us deal with emotions (情绪)．At night，emotions are in the driver’s seat.People who have had an upsetting experience often dream about it afterward.Often the dream event changes somehow—another way the brain tries to make the memory less upset.So if your best friend moves away，you might dream that you’re the one who’s moving.In fact，dreams have a proven power to improve mood，and people who dream about what’s bothering them usually feel better sooner than those who don’t.
Everybody dreams for a couple of hours every night—in the course of your life，you’ll spend about 25 years asleep and 6 years dreaming.There’s probably no single answer to the question why we dream，but there doesn’t have to be.One dream might help you remember your math facts，while another might lead to a new invention，or give you a fun，crazy story to tell your friends.It’s all in a night’s work for our busy，mysterious brains. Robert Stickgold’s test shows that________.
| A．games are useful for memory |
| B．dreams can help improve skills |
| C．players stop learning in dreams |
| D．tasks can only be settled through dreams |
We can learn from Paragraph 4 that________.
| A．dreams can get rid of sufferings |
| B．only drivers can deal with emotions |
| C．one may be less upset after a dream |
| D．dreams can copy what one experienced |
Which of the following does the author probably agree with?
| A．Dreaming does harm to one’s mood. |
| B．Dreaming affects the quality of sleep. |
| C．It’s hard to find out the secrets of dreaming. |
| D．It’s not so important to know the cause of dreaming. |
What does the text focus on?
| A．Dreams and memories. | B．Dreams and emotions. |
| C．The benefits of dreams. | D．The patterns of dreams. |
In which part of a magazine can this text be found?
| A．Entertainment. | B．Tourism. |
| C．Science. | D．Advertisement. |
Depression (抑郁症) is a serious problem today.Depression causes workers to be unproductive，causing companies and countries to lose billions of dollars.One expert says that depression is like cancer because it is “widespread，costly and deadly”．Depression hits one person in five around the world.
Although people have believed depression to be a problem among the rich and educated，studies show that depression is a problem among everyone.Over any sixmonth period，between five to seven percent of the world’s population will be suffering from a serious depression.Suicide rates among people suffering from the disease in its extreme，or clinical form were 80 percent higher than in the population at large，and sufferers were four times more likely to have heart attacks.People who suffer from depression often have problems sleeping，getting up on time，and doing work productively.
Depression，which researchers agree has its origin in the genes，brings loss of confidence and ability to concentrate—making it impossible for employees and managers to work efficiently.
Depression is made more serious in China by Chinese’s inability to face it.Many people believe that depressed people are either weak or lazy.Besides，there is no good treatment，with few specialists available.“Most patients in China just don’t get help，”a Chinese doctor says.“In my hospital，I have to see 30 or 40 patients in a morning，just have time to say ‘Hello，how do you feel？’”
In Western countries，people are not afraid to admit that they have depression，but most do not tell it to their boss，because they fear that they will be stricken_off_the_rolls.“In my experience，aging bosses are the most willing to admit they have it.Because they feel the most secure about themselves，” an American doctor says.
Hopefully，in the near future，people around the world will be able to admit that they have depression so that they can get the right treatment.Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．It is widely believed that everyone may suffer from depression. |
| B．Depression brings great problems to its sufferers in their life and work. |
| C．Depression is a commonlyexisting problem only in rich countries. |
| D．The poorer and the less educated a person is，the less he will suffer from depression. |
．Compared to normal people，the depressed people are likely to be________.
| A．very unconfident and often absentminded |
| B．easy to avoid being hit by heart attacks |
| C．working efficiently and productively |
| D．either weak or lazy |
Depression becomes more serious in China because of________.
| A．the understanding of the problem |
| B．the lack of treatment and doctors |
| C．their unwillingness to tell it to their boss |
| D．the doctors’ careless work |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．People are suffering from depression because of the shortage of specialists. |
| B．The aging bosses around the world dare to say they are depressed. |
| C．More and more patients will turn to specialists for help. |
| D．Western people are braver than Chinese people. |
What does the underlined words in the 5th paragraph mean?
| A．Hired. | B．Dismissed. |
| C．Promoted. | D．Recommended. |
Rae and Bruce Hostetler not only work very hard，they also relax just as well.Numerous vacations help the couple to maintain their health and emotional wellbeingand it’s no surprise to health care professionals.
“Rest，relaxation，and stress reduction are very important for people’s wellbeing and health.This can be accomplished through daily activities，such as exercise and meditation，but vacation is an important part of this as well，” said primary care physician Natasha Withers from One Medical Group in New York.Withers lists a decreased risk of heart disease and improved reaction time as some of the benefits from taking some time off.“We also know that the mind is very powerful and can help with healing，so a rested，relaxed mind is able to help the body heal better，” said Withers.
Psychologists confirm the value of vacations for the mind.“The impact that taking a vacation has on one’s mental health is great，” said Francine Lederer，a clinical psychologist in Los Angeles who specializes in stress and relationship management.“Most people have better life perspective and are more motivated to achieve their goals after a vacation，even if it is a 24hour timeout.” The trips could be good for their health，good for their family and good for their businesses.
The online travel agency Expedia conducted a survey about vacation time in 2010，and according to their data the average American earned 18 vacation days—but only used 14 of them.France topped the list，with the average worker earning 37 vacation days and using all but two of them.Americans’ responses may not be surprising in a culture where long hours on the job often are valued，but that’s not always good for the individual，the family or the employer.
Psychologists have also found that people who don’t take enough time to relax may find it harder to relax in the future.“Without time and opportunity to do this，the nerve connections that produce feelings of calm and peacefulness become weaker，making it actually more difficult to shift into lessstressed states，” Mulhern said.How did the author introduce the topic of the text?
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By giving an example. |
| C．By raising questions. | D．By providing data. |
According to Natasha Withers，vacations can________.
| A．weaken reaction system |
| B．cure serious diseases |
| C．reduce the level of wellbeing |
| D．decrease the risk of heart disease |
Expedia’s survey shows that Americans________.
| A．dislike family gatherings |
| B．have the shortest vacation |
| C．enjoy as many vacations as the French |
| D．think much of spending long hours on the job |
What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
| A．One should never wait to relax. |
| B．Work and rest go against each other. |
| C．Time and opportunity wait for no man. |
| D．A relaxed mind determines everything. |
What is mainly talked about in the text?
| A．Ways to relax in one’s free time. |
| B．The benefits of taking time off. |
| C．Different opinions on holidays. |
| D．The Hostetlers always on the go. |
An older friend once gave me a piece of advice，“Enjoy the last few weeks of college，” she said，“since college is the best time of your life.”
This was not the first time I’d heard such a statement，but with graduation fast coming close，her words especially struck me.It seemed a bit disappointing to reach one’s life peak at only 22 years of age，but in her opinion，college had been one of the best times in my life so far.I made friends，took classes，and learned a great deal about myself.But I was also excited for the time after college—moving to a new city，starting a new job，and becoming a “real” person.I hoped that my great dreams were practical.
Then，last week I read a column in Real Simple Magazine called 100 Years of Attitude，in which women 100 years or older shared their life experiences and views.I noticed that none of them considered college as the “best” time of their life.Not all of them went to college，but still in most cases their teens and twenties were not the best times of their life.They said some of their favorite times were raising their children，traveling after retirement，and even enjoying their present time and age.
Enjoying one’s present time and age was a clear theme of the interviews.A piece of advice given by the women was about the importance of making the best of all situations.I think it more accurate than that of my friend；I can say with certainty that if I am lucky enough to make it to 100.I refuse to spend the last 80 years of my life plummeting (跌落) downhill，or even leveling off.
I am sure that our eagerness and devotion will make us college students live a meaningful life.We will not just look backwards or miss our college days.We will look forward in excitement about continued journey uphill.Which of the following opinions does the writer agree with?
| A．College is the best time of one’s life. |
| B．Twenties were the best time of the old people. |
| C．One should make the best of all situations. |
| D．One should not look backwards at their college time. |
In the second paragraph，the writer wants to say________.
| A．her achievements in college would be the peak of her success |
| B．she is looking forward to living as a “real” person in college |
| C．she becomes more and more uneasy with graduation |
| D．she is satisfied with the college life but is hopeful for the future |
The column the writer read is mainly about those old women’s________.
| A．best time of life at youth |
| B．life experiences and views |
| C．different opinions about life |
| D．favorite time with best friends |
By saying “I refuse to spend the last 80 years of my life plummeting downhill，or even leveling off” (in Paragraph 4)，the writer really means________.
| A．she will not spend the rest of her time at college |
| B．she will not just obtain a college level certificate |
| C．she will not be satisfied with what she has already accomplished |
| D．she will not be content with the life in the future |
Which of the following words can be used to describe the writer?
| A．Ambitious. | B．Practical. |
| C．Imaginative. | D．Proud. |
When Peng Liyuan stepped off the plane in Moscow，the whole world wanted to know who dressed the elegant first lady.The reporter released the secret—Ma Ke. 
Peng Liyuan has been wearing Ma Ke’s designs for more than a decade，a fact that was only highlighted recently when she was on her first state visit，accompanying her husband President Xi Jinping.The elegant and attractive Peng，formerly a popular singer，has been compared with the US’ first lady Michelle Obama and France’s Carla BruniSarkozy，since stepping off the airplane in Moscow on March 22.Suddenly，everyone was curious to know more about the first lady’s wardrobe.
Even so，Ma prefers a lowkey approach.“If you eat a tasty egg why would you want to see the hen？” she says of all the media attention.
Ma’s relationship with Peng began 10 years ago after a concert in Guangzhou when a reporter told Peng she knew the designer behind the label Exception de Mixmind.Peng asked for an introduction because she was a fan of Ma’s designs and had been wearing them for years.
The two naturally became friends.Ma says：“The painting reflects the painter，and clothes reflect both the designer and the wearer.Someone desires fame and wealth，or love and sympathy；what you have in your heart is reflected in the design.Those who don’t share my philosophy won’t buy my clothes.Peng is a caring person，devoted to charity and environmental protection，which is exactly what I’m doing now.”
However，regardless of the brand，Peng’s support of Chinese labels has surprised millions of Chinese who favor foreign fashion brands.
“Instead she presented a vision of Chinese fashion，desiring to bring Chinese designers to the world stage，” says a western designer.
The first lady’s doublebreasted coat and her black leather handbag aren’t available at any of Exception’s shops，though Exception’s physical stores do have seen a rising number of visitors.The passage mainly discusses________.
| A．the designer of the first lady Peng Liyuan’s dress，Ma Ke |
| B．the friendship between Peng Liyuan and her designer |
| C．Peng Liyuan’s clothes on her first state visit |
| D．the reactions to Peng Liyuan’s first visit to Moscow |
In the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 Ma Ke mentioned “an egg and the hen” to show________.
| A．it is hard to explain “Which came first，the egg or the hen？” |
| B．paying such great attention to her was unnecessary |
| C．the outcome was more important than the process |
| D．her dissatisfaction with the media attention on her dress |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．First ladies compete with each other whenever they are together. |
| B．Peng’s suits can be bought in Ma Ke’s clothes stores. |
| C．Ma Ke offered to design the first lady’s clothes through her friends. |
| D．Peng had liked Ma’s designs long before she got to know her in the flesh. |
In the passage，Peng Liyuan________.
| A．often reflects on what she has in her heart before choosing clothes |
| B．is sympathetic and has a strong environmental consciousness |
| C．always desires the exceptional charm of the brand |
| D．is knowledgeable in philosophy |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Peng wears the dress designed by a Chinese designer probably to support Chinese brands |
| B．Many citizens found Peng Liyuan’s choice quite unexpected. |
| C．Black leather handbags like Peng’s are widely sold in bag stores in big cities. |
| D．After Peng Liyuan’s visit to Moscow Ma Ke’s clothes became more popular. |
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