There is a Web site called the “World Database of Happiness”. It combines and ____ the results of hundreds of surveys from around the world that have been conducted on life ____. Most of the findings are predictable, but a few are ____.
The database(数据库) makes it ____ that there is not a strong connection between material wealth and general contentment. It is a cliche(陈词滥调) to say that money ____ buy happiness, but the old saying seems to be ____ by research. Many people still stick to the belief that gaining riches will be the answer to all their problems, yet they are probably ____.
Studies have been ____ on people who acquired sudden wealth, such as lottery winners. In most cases, after the initial joy had ____， people were not left with a sense of lasting happiness. In fact, they ____ to return to the way they felt before they became rich.____ contented people continue to be contented，____ those who were miserable in the past sink back into misery.
If material wealth does not bring happiness, then ____ does? Perhaps happiness has something to do with ____ you live. The authorities at the World Database of Happiness have surveyed levels of happiness in different ____. Apparently, people in America, Canada, and Singapore are very happy; people living in India and Russia, not surprisingly, are not happy.
Other surveys consistently point to the importance of relationships. Family relationships，____， seem to be the key to long－term contentment. The Web site suggests that ____ in love and having children are two of the situations that bring the greatest happiness.
Nowadays people look to ____ as an alternative source of satisfaction. People increasingly spend more time alone watching TV or surfing the Internet ____ spending time with family. Can technology truly make people happy? It is too difficult to tell, but one thing is sure: If the Web site's research is ____， time spent with your family is a better investment than time spent making money.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Susannah was a shy but clever girl. She had worn 1 for as long as she could remember. And again, for as long as she could remember, some of her classmates had always made fun of her. The worst thing was that Lewis 2 her “Four Eyes”. She acted like she didn’t 3 but in fact Susannah couldn’t stand it.
One day, the class went on a school outing to visit some famous 4 . The children were walking towards the caves when Lewis 5 . While falling, he got 6 of Susannah, who walked next to him, and both 7 down the hole.
They landed in a dark cave. Susannah and Lewis shouted for 8 , but no one came. The next morning they still hadn’t been found and Lewis continued shouting for help, but no 9 and he started feeling 10 .
It must have been noontime, because Susannah 11 that the ray of light just landed on the floor in front of her. 12 , she took a piece of wood that had fallen into the cave, and, using her glasses as a magnifying glass, she focused the ray of light onto the 13 . Now they had a torch. Lewis watched with surprise and 14 and off they went to explore the cave.
It took them some time, and they had to burn quite a few torches, but finally they found a way out. On top of hugs and cries of 15 , Lewis gave Susannah his heartfelt thanks.
A．glasses B．necklaces C．earrings D．watches
A．teased B．laughed C．warned D．called
A．care B．mind C．object D．offend
A．villages B．hills C．caves D．parks
A．wandered B．waved C．smiled D．slipped
A．hold B．touch C．support D．place
A．walked B．moved C．fell D．flew
A．praise B．water C．food D．help
A．feedback B．response C．reaction D．effect
A．scared B．shocked C．disturbed D．annoyed
A．doubted B．concluded C．admitted D．noticed
A．Slowly B．Quickly C．Unexpectedly D．Obviously
A．glass B．torch C．wood D．floor
A．sorrow B．trouble C．excitement D．curiosity
A．loss B．relief C．justice D．return
I always carry at least $3 in my car and also in my pocket. I save it for the person who asks if I can “spare some 36 ”. Smiling and making eye contact, I always 37 very cheerfully with a comment like, “Yes, I would love to” 38 “It would be my pleasure”. And I give them the 39 .
Then I 40 it with my next $3 for the next person. I 41 spend this money myself. I honor the idea that it belongs to the 42 of the next person who asks for it. Three dollars is a small 43 , yet it means a lot to the person who might only expect 25 cents, 44 when delivered with respect to them.
I have also formed the habit of carrying 45 I think the needy may be able to use. I carry hats, socks, gloves, and an umbrella. Recently I 46 some care packages for the homeless. It 47 to me that things like band-aids, toothpaste, aspirin, combs, as well as food would be of use. I imagined that they would need things that are not easy to 48 , so I chose plastic or paper containers. The folks who 49 them were delighted.
But I think it’s not just that I give them things that 50 . It’s that I see them for the beautiful ray of lights that they are. I know that they are 51 expressions of God and that this is how they are at the current time, not who they are. I am 52 to also give a hug and a smile with the money. And I always remember it is they who bless me with the 53 to be kind! What a joy! I felt 54 good and proud of what I had done. See, that’s the added 55 about completing acts of kindness —you feel fantastic.
A．change B．energy C．time D．spare
A．represent B．respond C．show D．explain
A．and B．nor C．or D．otherwise
A．bill B．$3 C．cheque D．chance
A．select B．provide C．recall D．replace
A．ever B．almost C．never D．always
A．possession B．business C．account D．position
A．amount B．price C．count D．total
A．seriously B．specially C．especially D．slightly
A．tools B．clothes C．pictures D．items
A．sold out B．put together C．divided into D．looked for
A．appealed B．referred C．pointed D．occurred
A．pull B．combine C．break D．find
A．received B．accepted C．gave D．bought
A．uses B．minds C．cares D．matters
A．strange B．unique C．rare D．curious
A．sad B．regretful C．glad D．sure
A．opportunity B．trial C．possibility D．convenience
A．as B．not C．much D．so
A．disadvantage B．bonus C．dream D．voice
One Sunday, a picture in the newspaper touched me. A young woman stood in front of a totally destroyed home. A little boy stood beside her with his head 36 . Holding her skirt tightly was a tiny girl, eyes wide with 37 and fear.
With growing 38 I noticed that their sizes of each family member closely 39 ours. This would be a good opportunity to 40 my children, so I explained their difficult 41 to my seven-year-old twins and three-year-old Meghan.
“We have so much, but these poor people now have nothing,” I said, “we’ll 42 what we have with them.”
I brought three large boxes and placed them on the living room floor. Meghan watched seriously 43 the boys and I filled one box with canned food.
While I 44__ our clothes, I encouraged the boys to go through their toys and 45 some of their less favorite things. Meghan watched 46 as the boys piled up useless toys in the box.
“I’ll help you find something for the little girl,” I said to her.
The boys placed the toys they had 47 to donate into one of the boxes while I filled the third box with clothes. Meghan walked up with Lucy, her worn, faded, much-loved doll 48 tightly to her chest. She 49 in front of the box, pressed her little face into Lucy’s face, gave her a 50 kiss, then, laid her gently on top of the other toys.
“Oh, honey,” I said. “You 51 to give away Lucy. You love her so much.”
Meghan nodded, eyes shining with tears. “Lucy makes me happy, Mommy. 52 she’ll make that little girl happy, too.”
I stared at Meghan for a long moment, 53 how I could teach the boys the lesson she had just taught me.
It’s easy to give what we don’t want any more, but 54 to let go of things we cherish, isn’t it? 55 , the true spirit of giving is to give with your heart.
A．off B．up C．down D．round
A．smile B．confusion C．joy D．anger
A．happiness B．friendship C．puzzle D．interest
A．matched B．equaled C．compared D．suited
A．help B．complain C．change D．teach
A．experience B．problem C．situation D．process
A．give B．share C．send D．spare
A．as B．since C．though D．because
A．came through B．broke through C．sorted through D．got through
A．donate B．leave C．keep D．sell
A．hopefully B．anxiously C．depressingly D．quietly
A．separated B．chosen C．bought D．confirmed
A．hugged B．tied C．grasped D．caught
A．settled B．regretted C．paused D．cried
A．precious B．final C．hearty D．lovely
A．wouldn’t like B．ought not C．had better not D．don’t have
A．Also B．Yet C．Maybe D．Though
A．knowing B．wondering C．realizing D．expecting
A．available B．necessary C．important D．hard
A．However B．Therefore C．Otherwise D．Moreover
As a music teacher，I have always known that music touches the soul. It can 36 all kinds of barriers to reach students in a very special way.It can be the 37 for each child to find their light.I would like to 38 a story about it.
For a few years I was 39 with the opportunity to teach disabled students.One of my most 40 students was a five-year-old girl called Vanessa，who had difficulty walking，and could not speak.We 41 sat on the floor for our music lessons and Vanessa liked to 42 on my lap．One of her favorite songs was John the Rabbit.It was a call and response song where I sang the call and the students 43 twice while singing the repeating phrase，“Oh，yes！” Vanessa liked to 44 her hands together with mine and clap with me.We probably performed that song during every class，Vanessa and I clapping together.But she 45 said or sang a word.
One day，when the song was finished，Vanessa turned around， 46 me in the eyes，clapped her tiny hands twice and said the words“Oh，yes！” I opened my mouth in 47 and for that moment I was the one who could not speak.When my heart 48 started beating again，I looked over at the assistant teacher to find her also 49 .Through music，we had made an awesome connection.
Several years later，I met Vanessa on the street in town.She waved with a big 50 on her face and then clapped her hands twice，imitating the song we had 51 so many times in our music class.The little girl， 52 her connection with music，left an impression on me that will last forever. Every child has the 53 to learn and grow. It is up to us to 54 the way to reach each and every one of our students.We all must find each child's 55 .
A．get across B．put away C．take over D．break through
A．means B．direction C．process D．effort
A．add B．talk C．share D．write
A．blessed B．tired C．covered D．filled
A．troublesome B．Hardworking C．memorable D．sensitive
A．most B．almost C．nearly D．mostly
A．stand B．sit C．lie D．jump
A．sang B．said C．followed D．clapped
A．strike B．put C．give D．shake
A．ever B．never C．still D．even
A．looked B．saw C．glared D．noticed
A．horror B．delight C．astonishment D．embarrassment
A．immediately B．fortunately C．slowly D．finally
A．happy B．grateful C．speechless D．hopeless
A．greeting B．smile C．expression D．sign
A．performed B．operated C．trained D．organized
A．upon B．through C．from D．beyond
A．standard B．ability C．plan D．freedom
A．discover B．invent C．test D．make
A．strength B．dream C．light D．weakness
My brother and I were alone in our apartment. My parents had gone for a party and had left me in 36.I was doing my homework while my younger brother was watching television. 37 the doorbell rang. My younger brother rushed to the door thinking that our parents had come home; he unlocked the door and 38 it.
Outside, stood a tall man wearing a black raincoat. He said that he was a salesman and asked 39 if our mother or father was at home.
Without 40 , my brother said, “No.” He asked if we would like to 41 some comic books, which he was selling. I quickly explained that we were not 42 to buy anything without our parents’ 43 .
Then, as I was about to close the door, he 44 his way into our house. He took out a 45 and forced me to 46 up my brother’s hands with some rope. I tied up his hands but I tied it in a 47 way so my brother could untie himself. The man then tied my hands up and 48 both of us in the kitchen
49 , he went upstairs to search the bedroom for 50 . I managed to teach my brother to untie the rope. He then united me. I 51 to the telephone to call the police， but the line was 52 . The doors were all locked from the outside .Luckily, the robber 53 to lock the kitchen window. My brother managed to get out of the house 54 the window.
My brother brought the police to our house and the robber was caught. The police 55 us for our good work.
A．danger B．charge C．surprise D．mess
A．Carefully B．Quietly C．Loudly D．Suddenly
A．opened B．shut C．fastened D．held
A．nervously B．rudely C．politely D．anxiously
A．thinking B．watching C．waiting D．questioning
A．read B．keep C．sell D．buy
A．planned B．supposed C．determined D．pleased
A．purpose B．money C．permission D．absence
A．forced B．fought C．felt D．doll
A．rope B．knife C．stick D．doll
A．break B．cover C．dress D．tie
A．fine B．careless C．special D．possible
A．locked B．left C．stationed D．beat
A．Anyway B．Soon C．Still D．Otherwise
A．Saving B．belongings C．nobles D．valuables
A．moved B．headed C．rushed D．knocked
A．dead B．stolen C．off D．short
A．tried B．forgot C．delayed D．preferred
A．over B．by C．through D．in
A．admitted B．rewarded C．admired D．thanked
粤公网安备 44130202000953号