Even the hardest days contain lessons that will help you be a better person.Feeling down? Consider these things to remember when you’re having a bad day.
No one promised life would be perfect.If you look for perfection,you’11 never be content.Don’t condition your happiness on meeting every expectation you set for yourself.It is good to be ambitious,but you’11 never be perfect.If you expect otherwise,your life will be filled with disappointments.
Success doesn’t happen overnight.Trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.Don’t kid yourself into thinking success will come quickly.It isn’t easy to be patient,but anything worth doing requires time.If you get frustrated,remind yourself why your goal is important.
There is a lesson in every struggle.And once the storm is over,you won’t remember how you made it through or how you managed to survive.But one thing is certain.When you come out of the storm.you won’t be the same person who walked in.That’s what this storm’s all about.Don’t complain about how terrible your life is.If you search for the lesson in your present struggle,you’11 be able to make positive changes that would prevent similar situations in the future.
Without hard times,you wouldn’t appreciate the good ones.Strength does not come from winning.Your struggles develop your strengths.When you go through hardships and decide not to give in,that is strength.It is hard to find much to smile about when you fail,but how else would you improve yourself? If you look at failure as a part of your evolutionary process,you’11 stay positive and pursue your goals for as long as it takes.
Which of the following is the best title of this passage?
A.Every person has to go through hard times |
B.We can learn a lot from our struggles |
C.We should accept the fact that life is not perfect |
D.Things to remember when you are having a bad day |
What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 mean?
A.Success will come quickly. |
B.Hard work leads to success. |
C.Success calls for patience. |
D.Confidence is the first step to success. |
We can learn from Paragraph 4 that____________.
A.1essons from struggles make us stronger |
B.all things are difficult before they are easy |
C.we should forget how we managed to survive |
D.similar situations in the future will never appear |
What can we infer from Paragraph 5?
A.Hard times make us lose heart and be short of courage. |
B.Perseverance in time of hardships develops our strengths. |
C.Smiles when you fail will not help to improve yourself. |
D.We should try to avoid failures in the evolutionary process. |
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 cope? Should I have brought another little person into the world? Can I provide for it? Heeelp! I think nearly every sensitive about-to-be-parent must have these occasional feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy 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 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 truer that men often behave like little boys.But nearly all people, at some moments in their lives, are capable 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 Advice
According to the passage, Miss Advice thinks David’s self-doubt is _______.
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 opinion that _______.
A.all men behave like little boys |
B.people tend to laugh at the subject |
C.men with a baby feel more grown-up |
D.people enjoy talking about their immaturity |
Miss Advice wrote the letter to _______.
A.offer suggestions to a future father |
B.teach people how to grow up |
C.encourage people to be responsible |
D.solve problems of the less grown-up |
You may be able to deliver killer speeches, wonderful presentations and professions and professional talks on topics of your choice. But can you make small talk? There are times in life when you need to make casual conversation. And in business, the social aspect of a business relationship is often as important as the professional one. Here are our top tips for making small talk.
Listen
The number-one rule when making small talk is to listen. Make a conscious effort to remember what the other person is saying. Then you can use this information to generate more conversation.
Interest
While you’re talking to someone, focus exclusively on that person. And use your body language to show that you’re interested: face the person, use eye contact and nod your head at appropriate moments. Also, use conversational fillers such as “ah ha/ really? /amazing!” to show that you’re interested in what they’re saying…even if you aren’t.
Ego check
Try to avoid always turning the attention of the conversation back on yourself. For example, if someone mentions that they’ve just been to Italy, don’t respond with, “Oh, I’ve been there. We went there last year.” Instead, use this information as an opportunity to ask lots of questions about the other person’s trip: where did you go? Who did you go with? What was it like? What did you see?
Watch out!
Avoid saying anything that could be interpreted as criticism or judgment; and above all, keep away from potentially controversial topics such as religion and politics.
Write it down
Write down any interesting stories you hear, or details of funny things that have happened to you. Later, you can use these anecdotes to brighten up a dull conversation.
Think “situation”!
Think carefully about where you are. For example, if you’re at a wedding, think of all the relevant things you could ask: How do you know the bride? How long have you been friends with the groom? How did you get there? Where are you staying? Or, if you’re visiting a new company, you could ask the following: What’s it like working here? How easy is it to get into the city centre? Where’s a good place to get lunch round here? Etc.
Top topics
If you’re ever running out of conversation, use one of these fail-safe conversation topics:
the news, film, football, sport, music, the weather, fashion, literature, cars hobbies, the weekend, videogames, the theatre, family, local topics(shops, clubs, etc.), TV, celebrities, entertainment, your home town, food, traditions, customs.
Small talk can be a lot of fun, but you need to prepare for it and practice. And remember, small talk can lead to big business!
The passage is mainly about_______.
A.customs and social manners |
B.casual conversation tricks |
C.communication types |
D.business strategies |
When making small talks, you’d better avoid _______.
A.asking some open questions |
B.using some body languages |
C.talking about something that can arouse conflict |
D.asking some questions relevant to the situation |
In order to make your small talk go smoothly, you can do the following things except that ________.
A.you can talk some topics about yourself all the time |
B.you can pay attention to what others are saying and listen carefully |
C.you can choose a topic that is suitable to everyone |
D.you can say something funny that you have written down |
When you are attending a party held by your friend, which is the most suitable question to start a conversation with a stranger?
A.How often do you get to play? |
B.How old are you? |
C.What are you doing this weekend? |
D.How do you know the host, my friend David? |
Please excuse me if I’m a little sad today because Mark is leaving.You probably don’t know Mark,but you might be lucky enough to know someone just like him.He’s been the heart and soul of the office for a couple of years combining professional skills with a sweet and gentle nature.He’s never been all that interested in getting credit for the terrific work he does.He just wants to do his job,and to do it extremely well.
And now he’s moving on to an exciting new professional opportunity.It sounds like it could be the chance of a lifetime,and we’re sincerely pleased for him.But that doesn’t make it any easier to say goodbye to a dear friend and trusted colleague.
Life has a way of throwing these curve(曲线的) balls at us.Just when we start to get comfortable with a person,a place or a situation,something comes along to change the recipe.A terrific neighbor moves away.Someone in the family graduates.A child finds new love and loyalties through marriage.The family’s bread-winner is laid off.Our ability to cope with change and disruption(混乱) determines our peace,happiness and contentment in life.
But how do we do that? According to the author of Ecclesiastes,comfort can be found in remembering that “to everything there is a season,and a time to every purpose under heaven.Let today embrace the past with remembrance,and the future with longing.’’
“Change,indeed,is painful,yet ever needful,”said philosopher Thomas Carlyle.“And if memory has its force and worth,so also has hope.”
We’re going to miss Mark.But rather than lose ourselves in the sadness of our parting,we’ll focus on our hopes for a brighter future——for him,and for us.And then we’ll go out and do everything we can to make that future happen.Until our plans change——again.
What will happen to Mark soon?
A.He will pass away. | B.He will leave for a new job. |
C.He will get married. | D.He will stay with us forever. |
The underlined word “credit” in Para.1 probably means __________ .
A.praise | B.criticism |
C.opportunity | D.job |
From the passage,we can learn that __________ .
A.any change will make us upset any time |
B.it is easy to say goodbye to a dear friend and trusted colleague |
C.our happiness depends on our ability to deal with change |
D.comfort can be found in remembering the sadness |
The best title of the passage may be __________ .
A.My Friend Mark | B.Focusing on Future |
C.Always Changing | D.A Sad Story |
You may not pay much attention to your daily elevator ride. Many of us use a lift several times during the day without really thinking about it. But Lee Gray, PhD, of the University of North Carolina, US, has made it his business to examine this overlooked form of public transport. He is known as the Elevator Guy.
“The lift becomes this interesting social space where etiquette (礼仪) is sort of odd (奇怪的),” Gray told the BBC. “They [elevators] are socially very interesting but often very awkward places.”
We walk in and usually turn around to face the door. If someone else comes in, we may have to move. And here, according to Gray, lift users unthinkingly go through a set pattern of movements. He told the BBC what he had observed.
He explained that when you are the only one inside a lift, you can do whatever you want – it’s your own little box.
If there are two of you, you go into different corners, standing diagonally (对角线地) across from each other to create distance.
When a third person enters, you will unconsciously form a triangle. And when there is a fourth person it becomes a square, with someone in every corner. A fifth person is probably going to have to stand in the middle.
New entrants to the lift will need to size up the situation when the doors slide open and then act decisively. Once in, for most people the rule is simple – look down, or look at your phone.
Why are we so awkward in lifts?
“You don’t have enough space,” Professor Babette Renneberg, a clinical psychologist at the Free University of Berlin, told the BBC. “Usually when we meet other people we have about an arm’s length of distance between us. And that’s not possible in most elevators.”
In such a small, enclosed space it becomes very important to act in a way that cannot be construed (理解) as threatening or odd. “The easiest way to do this is to avoid eye contact, she said.
The main purpose of the article is to _____.
A.remind us to enjoy ourselves in the elevator |
B.tell us some unwritten rules of elevator etiquette |
C.share an interesting but awkward elevator ride |
D.analyze what makes people feel awkward in an elevator |
According to Gray, when people enter an elevator, they usually _____.
A.turn around and greet one another |
B.look around or examine their phone |
C.make eye contact with those in the elevator |
D.try to keep a distance from other people |
Which of the following describes how people usually stand when there are at least two people in an elevator? ________
The underlined phrase size up in Paragraph 7 is closest in meaning to _____.
A.judge | B.ignore |
C.put up with | D.make the best of |
According to the article, people feel awkward in lifts because of _____.
A.someones odd behaviors |
B.the lack of space |
C.their unfamiliarity with one another |
D.their eye contact with one another |
Im a real book lover. Every time my friends visit me, my nose is buried in a book. Wherever I go, I always have a book with me. Novels, history books, stories about people, journals and news—I read them all and I’ve learnt a lot, too. For example, many things in life happen for the best even if we don’t like or understand them.
Why is reading such an enjoyable pastime for me? I probably first learned about it from my parents. My mother read to me at night in my childhood and bought me picture books. The greatest gift she has given me is a love for reading. And it will be a life-long habit.
No one ever asked me why I liked to read. They just saw me and asked, “Oh? Is that for school work?” And I just shook my head, “No. It’s just for fun.” While reading a good book, I can totally forget myself and fly to another world. It’s like exploring through someone’s eyes, which is just as exciting as watching a movie.
Reading is also necessary in order to learn about writing, to improve my use of words and phrases and broaden my knowledge. What a pity to see our imagination disappear, for we don’t exercise it often. Reading can even be good for one’s health, I think. Everyone should read sad stories that make us cry and also books with humor that make us laugh out loud!
Among the gifts my parents have given me, which is the most valuable one?
A.A love for reading. | B.Picture books. |
C.Good health. | D.A lovable pastime. |
In the fourth paragraph, the author thinks reading can ____.
A.make his parents happy |
B.finish his school work |
C.improve writing and broaden knowledge |
D.help him understand some movies |
If we dont use our imagination often, ____.
A.it is bad for our health |
B.we will soon learn how to write |
C.it will help us to have a good rest |
D.it will soon disappear |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
A.Why do I have few friends? |
B.What are my life habits? |
C.Why do I love reading? |
D.Why do things happen for the best? |
Part-time jobs for 15 and 16 years olds
Waiter / Waitress A job as a waiter or waitress is a good choice for 16-year-olds. Not only can one earn $9-$12 an hour, but they can also get the tips (小费). Most people that visit a restaurant don’t just have good food. They come here to relax and have a good time. Besides serving food quickly, a young waiter who talks to them politely with a smile on his face will make the diners enjoy their time at the restaurant. |
Work in a library If one is fond of books, working in a library is another suitable choice. Besides the pay is good, it offers a lot of free time when students can actually sit down and finish their homework. So on returning home, they would have time to hang around with friends or just relax. So working in a library is an excellent part-time job for teens, especially for school students. |
Internet jobs There are many ways of making money through online jobs like clicking on advertisements, visiting sites and signing up with them. However, such online jobs don’t pay well. A better Internet job for teens is to complete online surveys. These are quite simple surveys that usually ask one about his/ her opinions and ideas. Many companies use these ideas to make products designed for teenagers. |
A student who is busy with his research paper will probably choose to work ______.
A.in a restaurant | B.in a library |
C.on the Internet | D.in an IT company |
The writer wrote this text to ______.
A.tell us the importance of doing part-time jobs |
B.advise teenagers how to choose a part-time job |
C.teach young people how to make lots of money |
D.introduce his/her experience of doing part-time jobs |
Why do some companies ask the teens to do surveys?
A.The teens have more free time. |
B.They can pay less to the teens. |
C.They need advice to make products for teens. |
D.The teens usually express their true opinions. |
The other day when I was passing a clothing store, I fell in love with a skirt. I knew it would suit me best at first sight. But when I looked at the price tag (标签), I knew I had to give it up.
The love for beautiful clothes has been planted in my heart the day when I was born to be a woman. Several years ago I read an article in a magazine. The article stated that when a woman is at her best time, she is usually poor or tasteless, so she can’t get the right clothes; when she can afford to buy the clothes she likes, she often finds that they do not suit her anymore.
On the way home, I was quite disturbed by such thoughts. It was just a pity, like many other pities. I thought to myself this way. But when I was about to enter the building where I was living, I saw the big mirror placed in the entrance. I saw a girl in it who was in cheap but cleanly washed sweater and jeans. She was rather young, healthy and energetic. For quite a while I was touched by what I had seen in the mirror.
Then I almost forgot the tale: A person without shoes cried until he saw a man without feet. Being young without good clothes is like the person without shoes. I should have felt grateful that I haven’t lost my feet.
How did the author feel when she decided not to buy the skirt?
A.Embarrassed. | B.Wise. |
C.Regretful. | D.Relieved. |
The underlined word “She” in Paragraph 3 refers to .
A.the author’s friend | B.a stranger |
C.the author’s roommate | D.the author |
Why was the author touched by what she saw in the mirror?
A.She came to realize what she really possessed. |
B.She was reminded of her devotion to beauty. |
C.She didn’t feel at ease when looking into a mirror. |
D.She never thought over the other side of a person. |
We can learn from the text that the author considered her love for beautiful clothes as .
A.funny | B.natural | C.silly | D.Simple |
For those who make journeys across the world, the speed of travel today has turned the countries into a series of villages. Distances between them appear no greater to a modern traveler than those which once faced men as they walked from village to village. Jet plane fly people from one end of the earth to the other, allowing them a freedom of movement undreamt of a hundred years ago.
Yet some people wonder if the revolution in travel has gone too far. A price has been paid, they say, for the conquest (征服) of time and distance. Travel is something to be enjoyed, not endured . The boat offers leisure and time enough to appreciate the ever-changing sights and sounds of a journey. A journey by train also has a special charm about it. Lakes and forests and wild, open plains sweeping past your carriage window create a grand view in which time and distance mean nothing. On board a plane, however, there is just the blank blue of the sky filling the narrow window of the airplane. The soft lighting, in-flight films and gentle music make up the only world you know, and the hours progress slowly.
Then there is the time spent being “processed” at a modern airport. People are conveyed like robots along walkways; baggage is weighed, tickets produced, examined and produced yet again before the passengers move again to another waiting area. Journeys by rail and sea take longer, yes, but the hours devoted to being “processed” at departure and arrival in airports are luckily absent. No wonder, then, that the modern high-speed trains are winning back passengers from the airlines.
Man, however, is now a world traveler and can not turn his back on the airplane. The working lives of too many people depend upon it; whole new industries have been built around its design and operation. The holiday maker, too, with limited time to spend, patiently endures the busy airports and limited space of the flight to gain those extra hours and even days, relaxing in the sun. Speed controls people’s lives; time saved, in work or play, is the important thing—or so we are told. Perhaps those first horsemen, riding free across the wild, open plains, were enjoying a better world than the one we know today. They could travel at will, and the clock was not their master.
What does the writer try to express in Paragraph1?
A.Travel by plane has speeded up the growth of villages. |
B.The speed of modern travel has made distances relatively short. |
C.The freedom of movement has helped people realize their dreams. |
D.Man has been fond of travelling rather than staying in one place. |
How does the writer support the underlined statement in Paragraph2?
A.By giving instructions. |
B.By analyzing cause and effect. |
C.By following the order of time. |
D.By giving examples. |
According to Paragraph 3, passengers are turning back to modern high-speed trains because______.
A.they pay less for the tickets |
B.they feel safer during the travel |
C.they can enjoy higher speed of travel |
D.they don’t have to be “processed” |
What is the main idea of the passage?
A.Air travel benefits people and industries. |
B.Train Travel has some advantages over air travel. |
C.Great changes have taken place in modern travel. |
D.The high speed of air travel is gained at a cost. |
Michelle Obama, Kate Moss and Samantha Cameron are three of the most stylish﹙时髦的﹚ women on the planet because they have their daughters rather than their style. A new research has shown that women with daughters tend to be more stylish than mothers of sons; a fact partly because of the style advice their daughters offer as they get older.
78 percent of women over the age of 50 say they would be more than happy to let their daughters choose a complete outfit﹙全套衣装﹚ for them. However, just five percent of women say they would turn to their sons for style advice, while 28 percent believe that mothers of boys are less fashionable than women with girls.
“Women who don’t have daughters become less interested in style as they grow older but having a daughter may keep alive her interest in looking great,” comments psychologist Honey Langcaster-James. “And, because of their close relationship, they also have a source of support and encouragement when it comes to their style decisions.”
More than a quarter of women believe that Mums who have sons are less fashion-conscious than Mums with daughters. The most common reasons for this are that daughters are more critical, offer good advice and inspiration, and add an element of competition to look the best while sons don’t seem to care and aren’t as strict as daughters.
Interestingly, although mothers tend to rely on their daughters’ style tips, their confidence isn’t reciprocated﹙互换﹚, with 40 percent of women between the age of 19 and 34 saying they wouldn’t allow their mothers to shop for them as what their mothers would choose for them would not be as good as they expected.
And although they might not appreciate the fashion advice, the research, which was conducted by online retailer Gray & Osbourn, showed that daughters do still need their mothers with 71 percent saying they chat to their female parent every day.
“In short, the research shows just how important relationships are between mothers and daughters,” added Langcaster-James, “and just how much women appreciate an honest and trustworthy opinion.”
The opening paragraph is mainly to show .
A.mothers like to follow their childrens advice |
B.women with children are often less stylish |
C.girls influence their mothers style decision |
D.boys are actually better advisors than girls |
Which of the following may Langcaster-James agree with?
A.Mothers without daughters show less interest in style. |
B.Its hard for boys to get along well with their mothers. |
C.Daughters usually love their mothers more than sons do. |
D.Girls are more independent than boys in some ways. |
It can be inferred from the passage that girls .
A.show more interest in science than boys |
B.are good at encouraging other people |
C.can help a lot to solve family problems |
D.care more about what their mothers wear |
By saying their confidence isnt reciprocatedin Paragraph 5, the author means that .
A.some women dont like to choose clothes for their mothers |
B.some women arent sure what to wear when attending a party |
C.some women would not like to follow their mothers style advice |
D.some women often show no confidence in themselves |
What does the author mainly tell us in the passage?
A.It confuses many parents how to talk with their kids. |
B.Mothers of girls are more fashionable than those of boys |
C.It is important for parents to respect their childrens choice. |
D.Daughters prefer to talk with their mums instead of dads. |
I live in north Celebes which is near Philippines. Since early December 2010 most tropical regions have been frequently hit by rain. Just like my hometown, tropical regions only have two seasons, including the dry season that usually starts from April to September and the wet or rainy season which usually happens from October to March. But, it could be indeterminate. Sometimes the rainy season can come a month earlier or later. It can be prolonged(延长) even more than 4 months and so can the dry season. Even during the dry season, rain can occur several times in certain areas.
The prolonged dry season in tropical areas usually causes a lot of losses. It will be very harmful to local farmers, because most of the tropical areas are regions of the developing countries. Sometimes agricultural and plantation crops will be damaged because of so much dry land and the fact that the river used to flow the water for rice fields are also dry. Rain is very important for plants because rain contains many nutrients that plants are in great need of.
What’s more, if the prolonged rainy season arrives and then floods usually occur in certain areas of low lands. Even for the capital city of Jakarta floods have struck several times during the prolonged rainy season. In addition to floods, the rainy season can cause many diseases. During the dry season, diseases are usually caused by mosquitoes such as dengue fever. While in the rainy season, people who have the weak immune will be more easily attacked by some diseases such as flu, fever, diarrhea, and much more.
If you live in the other places and want to travel to the tropical regions, make sure that you have known much about the season and the effect for these months in which you want to travel as tourists. Only in that way, can you at least prepare to deal with tropical weather.
How long does the dry season usually last in the author’s hometown?
A.Four months. | B.Five months. |
C.Six months. | D.Seven months. |
The underlined word “indeterminate” in paragraph 1 can be replaced by “ _____”
A.uncertain | B.unknown |
C.untrue | D.unbelievable |
The second paragraph mainly tells us something about _____.
A.the effects of the dry season. |
B.the benefits of the rainy season. |
C.the growth of dry land |
D.the diseases in the dry season |
We can learn from the passage that in the wet season, _____
A.the capital of Jakarta is flooded every year |
B.more crops will die after being flooded for so long. |
C.mosquitoes will spread more diseases among the crowd. |
D.people with weak immune might be attacked by some diseases |
The main purpose of this passage is to introduce _____.
A.some interesting facts of tropical regions |
B.some knowledge about tropical regions to travelers |
C.some knowledge about how to live well in different regions. |
D.some differences between dry and wet seasons in tropical regions. |
As the pace of life continues to increase, we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through life, being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.
Stress is a natural part of everyday life and there is no way to avoid it. In fact, it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be. A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation and give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.
The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress, and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities, others lose heart at the first sign of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress, in whatever form, we react both chemically and physically. In fact we make choice between "flight or fight" and in more primitive days the choices made the difference between life or death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme, but however little the stress, it involves the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long, through continued exposure to stress, that health becomes endangered. Since we can't remove stress from our lives (it would be unwise to do so even if we could), we need to find ways to deal with it.
People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because_____.
A.they do not know how to enjoy themselves |
B.they do not believe that relaxation is important for health |
C.they are travelling fast all the time |
D.they are becoming busier with their work |
According to the writer ,the most important character for a good manager is his _______.
A.not fearing stress |
B.knowing the art of relaxation |
C.high sense of responsibility |
D.having control over performance |
Which of the following statements is true?
A.Stress is always harmful to people |
B.We can find some ways to avoid stress |
C.It is easy to change the habit of keeping oneself busy with work. |
D.Different people can withstand different amounts of stress |
In the last sentence of the passage, "do so " refers to ______.
A." expose ourselves to stress" |
B."find ways to deal with stress" |
C." remove stress from our lives" |
D."established links between diseases and stress" |
Rainy days don’t have to get you down, a happiness expert has claimed.
Paul Dolan, Professor of Behavioral Science at the London School of Economics, said that people only feel miserable in bad weather because they think about it too much. Studies have shown that people who live in warm, sunny climates are no happier than those in chilly, wet climates, he says.
So the British talking about the weather may be making us gloomier(沮丧的) than the weather itself.
He said: “A study was done that measured the happiness levels of people in California compared to the North West.
“They expected that people in California would be happier because it is more sunny, but they found that levels of happiness were exactly the same.
“If it is sunny every day you get used to it and the sunshine doesn’t make you any happier.
“Most of the time the weather doesn’t affect our well-being at all. But when we think about it, and think that it does, that’s when we get miserable.”
In his new book, Happiness By Design, Dolan argues that we can think ourselves happy by taking our attention away from what makes us sad.
“Most of our anxieties come from what might be,” he argues. “If you want to be happier, pay attention to the things that make you feel good.”
He also claimed that a problem shared was not always a problem halved. He claimed that humans are actually very good at being able to get over tragedy and loss.
Professor Dolan also admitted for the first time that he had a stammer(口吃), which had made his early life miserable. He claimed it only got better when he learned not to pay attention to his speech problem.
“Things are never as bad as you imagine them being,” he said.
What does the underlined word “miserable” in the second paragraph mean?
A.Good. | B.Unhappy. |
C.Cheerful. | D.Confident. |
People in California ___________ compared to people in the North West.
A.are much happier |
B.can’t enjoy sunny days |
C.are more used to sunny days |
D.have lower levels of happiness |
What is Dolan’s suggestion for being happy?
A.Don’t think too much about yourself. |
B.Don’t focus on what makes you sad. |
C.Avoid comparing yourself to others. |
D.Avoid doing many miserable things. |
Where could this passage have been taken from?
A.A report. | B.A notice. |
C.A poster. | D.A questionnaire. |
A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” However, that’s not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn’t matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves– the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.
We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We’re usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. But we really shouldn’t be, because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.
This “self-talk” helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down. Beware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying, “Good job!”
Words possess power because of their lasting effects. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it true? Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn’t pass this test, then it’s better left unsaid.
Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem(自尊) and motive others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.
The author argues in the first paragraph that ________.
A.words will never hurt us at all |
B.positive effects last longer than negative effects |
C.words have lasting effects on us |
D.negative words last longer than positive effects |
Why should we not feel embarrassed when talking to ourselves?
A.Talking to ourselves is believed to be good for our health. |
B.It does harm to have “self-talk” when we are alone. |
C.Talking to ourselves helps us to solve all the problems. |
D.Almost everybody has the habit of talking to oneself. |
The underlined phrase “give ourselves a pat on the back” in Paragraph 3 means _______.
A.blame ourselves | B.punish ourselves |
C.talk to ourselves | D.praise ourselves |
Which of the following statements would the author agree to?
A.It is impossible for unkind words to be forgotten. |
B.It is better to think twice before talking to others. |
C.Words always possess long positive effects. |
D.Kind words are sometimes not needed at all. |
Never go into a supermarket hungry! This is a good piece of advice. If you go shopping for food before lunchtime, you’ll probably buy more than you plan to. Unfortunately, however, just this advice isn’t enough for consumers these days. Modern shoppers need an education in how and how not to buy things at the store. First, you check the weekly newspaper ads. Find out the items that are on sale and decide if you really need these things. In other words, don’t buy anything just because it’s cheaper than usual! “New and Improved!” or “All Natural” on the front of a package influence you. Instead, read the list of contents on the back. Third, compare prices, that is, you should examine the prices of both different brands and different sizes of the same brand.
Another suggestion for consumers is to buy ordinary items instead of famous brands. Ordinary items in supermarkets come in plain packages. These products are cheaper because producers don’t spend much money on packing or advertising. The quality, however, is usually as good as the quality of well-known name brands. In the same way, in buying clothes, you can often find high quality and low prices in brands that are not famous. Shopping in discount clothing stores can help you save a lot of money. Although these stores aren’t very attractive, and they usually do not have individual dressing rooms, not only are the prices low, but you can often find the same famous brands that you find in high-priced department stores.
Wise consumers read magazine ads and watch TV commercials, but they do this with one advantage: knowledge of the psychology behind the ads. In other words, well informed consumers watch for information and check for misinformation. They ask themselves questions: Is the advertiser hiding something in small print at the bottom of the page? Is there any real information in the commercial(商业广告), or is the advertiser simply showing an attractive image? With the answers to these questions, consumers can make a wise choice.
All the following statements are true about the phrase “ordinary items” in Paragraph 2 except ______.
A.ordinary products are usually cheaper than famous brands. |
B.producers spend less money on packaging of ordinary items . |
C.the quality of ordinary items is usually as good as that of famous brands. |
D.ordinary items never say “New and Improved” or “All Natural”. |
What does the writer think about ads?
A.They are believable. | B.They are attractive. |
C.They are helpful. | D.They are harmful. |
One of the author’s suggestions to consumers is ______.
A.to buy any ordinary items instead of famous brands . |
B.to make use of advertisements carefully for shopping. |
C.to buy high quality items such as famous brands after lunch . |
D.not to buy items with words like “New and Improved” or “All Natural”. |
The author implies that ______.
A.advertisements sometimes don’t tell the truth to the consumers. |
B.discount clothing stores are only good places to go to for shopping. |
C.going into the supermarket hungry, you may buy less than you plan to. |
D.the quality of ordinary items is usually high and the prices are relatively low. |