Fear can be fun. Many young people queue up to ride very fast and scary roller coasters, screaming but enjoying themselves. Other people like to read “goose bumps (鸡皮疙瘩)” books or watch horror movies at night, scared to death but feeling excited. Why do people like being scared?
Fear is an ancient way of surviving. Being scared makes animals, including humans escape from danger and save themselves. It is because of fear that we have lived through millions of years of evolution. Those who lacked a strong fear response were more likely to be killed, leaving the more fearful and careful to pass their genes onto the next generation.
How do scientists explain why shaking over such scary things is fun? “Some kids will go to a scary movie and love it and laugh over it, others will feel anxious and hide their faces and some won’t even set foot in the cinema,” said Ned Kalin, a US scientist. “Which kind of person you are depends partly on experiences you’ve had and partly on your genes.”
What happens in the brain when something frightens you? Nerves that begin at the eyes and ears lead to a part of the brain called the amygdale. When you suddenly see a snake, for example, the amygdale makes you freeze, sweat, have a quickened heartbeat, or run very fast. However, seeing the snake also uses another part of the brain, the cortex. It analyzes the situation, and if it finds that the snake is only made of rubber it tells your heart and the rest of your body to calm down. Think of the amygdale as the engine and the cortex as the brake.
Back to the first question: Why do some people like to make themselves scared? “One reason is that we can play games with fear, find ways to reduce the scariness by looking away or thinking of something else,” Kalin said. “To believe we have control over a situation gives us a feeling of power.” “Scary movies or novels are good practice to prepare young people for the real thing. Thrills such as roller coaster rides also go to the brain’s pleasure centre.”
And there might be some evolutionary advantage to being able to adjust this system that is there to protect people.
72. How many questions are answered in the passage?
A. 2. B. 3. C. 4. D. 5.
73. Some people like to be scared because______.
A. they are afraid that the fear genes will be passed onto their children
B. it’s a good practice to get prepared for the real frightening situation
C. it can help them show their own personalities
D. they will feel powerful after getting rid of fear
74. Which of the following is true about the people who are not easily scared?
A. Their cortex is better at analyzing the situations.
B. They are more likely to suffer from potential danger.
C. They are born unaffected by anything horrible.
D. They lack a strong response towards threat.
75. What is the best title of the passage?
A. Ready to scream? B. How to be scared?
C. Willing to shake? D. Why to be scared?
Remembering names is an important social skill.Here are some ways to master it.
Recite and repeat in conversation.
When you hear a person’s name,repeat it.Immediately say it to yourself several times without moving your lips.You could also repeat the name in a way that does not sound forced or artificial.
Ask the other person to recite and repeat.
You can let other people help you remember their names.After you’ve been introduced to someone,ask that person to spell the name and pronounce it correctly for you.Most people will be pleased by the effort you’re making to learn their names.
Admit you don’t know.
Admitting that you can’t remember someone’s name can actually make people relaxed.Most of them will feel sympathy if you say.“I’m working to remember names better.Yours is right on the tip of my tongue.What is it again?”
Use associations.
Link each person yon meet with one thing you find interesting or unusual.For example,you could make a mental note: "Vicki Cheng -- tall, black hair. " To reinforce (加强) your associations, write them on a small card as soon as possible.
Limit the number of new names you learn at one time.
When meeting a group of people, concentrate on remembering just two or three names. Free yourself from remembering every one. Few of the people in mass introductions expect you to remember their names. Another way is to limit yourself to learning just first names. Last names can come later.
Go early.
Consider going early to conferences, parties and classes. Sometimes just a few people show up on time. That's fewer names for you to remember. And as more people arrive, you can hear them being introduced to others -- an automatic review for you.
How will most people feel when you try hard to remember their names?
A.They will be moved. | B.They will be annoyed. |
C.They will be delighted. | D.They will be discouraged. |
If you can’t remember someone’s name, you may _____
A.tell him the truth | B.tell him a white lie |
C.ask him for pity | D.ask others to help you |
When you meet a group of people, it is better to remember _____
A.all their names | B.a couple of names first |
C.just their last names | D.as many names as possible |
What does the text mainly tell us?
A.Tips on an important social skill. | B.Importance of attending parties. |
C.How to make use of associations. | D.How to recite and repeat names. |
The year 2009 is the Year of Ox. The ox is a representative of the fanning culture of China. In the farming economy (经济), oxen are the major animals pulling plows (犁).
Of course, the good of oxen is not limited to plowing. In fact, they are seen as “boats on land” for their ability to carry loads. Besides, the whole body of an ox is full of treasures. Their meat and milk are food full of nutrition, and their skin can be used to make clothes and shoes. With all these qualities, oxen are regarded as generous creatures.
In the past, oxen played an important role in the spiritual life of the Chinese. Even today, oxen still play a special part in some folk activities. For example, some people who1ive in southwest China will cook cattle bone soup and share it among family members when holding the ceremony for children who reach 13. They believe that the cattle bone soup represents the blood relationship among family members. In order to express their love for oxen, people in some other areas will run to shake off diseases on the 16th day of the first month by the lunar calendar (农历), and during their run they will take their oxen along, which indicates they regard the creature as human.
Because of the contribution of oxen in their lives, the Chinese people are very grateful to the animal. In addition, the use of oxen in ceremonies and the thanks people owe to oxen help to develop various traditional customs, which becomes an important part of the folk culture of the Chinese nation.
The words “boats an land” underlined in Paragraph 2 refer to __
A.animals for taking goods | B.creatures for pulling plows |
C.treasures of the folk culture | D.tools in the farming economy |
From the third paragraph, we know that __
A.oxen are no more important today than in the past |
B.ceremonies are held when people cook cattle bone soup |
C.oxen are treated as human in some areas of China |
D.people run with oxen to shake off diseases every month |
Which of the following helps to develop traditional customs?
A.The special role of oxen in farming. |
B.People’s respect and love for oxen. |
C.The practical value of an ox’s body. |
D.The contribution of oxen to the economy. |
Why does the author write the text?
A.To stress the importance of oxen in farming. |
B.To introduce the Chinese folk culture. |
C.To describe how to celebrate the Year of Ox. |
D.To explain how to develop agriculture with oxen. |
Sometimes, the simplest ideas are the best. For example, to absorb heat from the sun to heat water, you need large, flat, black surfaces. One way to do that is to build those surfaces specially, on the roofs of buildings. But why go to all that trouble when cities are full of black surfaces already, in the form of asphalt (柏油) roads?
Ten years ago, this thought came into the mind of Arian de Bondt, a Dutch engineer. He finally persuaded his boss to follow it up. The result is that their building is now heated in winter and cooled in summer by a system that relies on the surface of the road outside.
The heat-collector is a system of connected water pipes. Most of them ran from one side of the street to the other, just under the asphalt road. Some, however, dive deep into the ground.
When the street surface gets hot in summer, water pumped through the pipes picks up this heat and takes it underground through one of the diving pipes. At a depth of 100 metres lies a natural aquifer (蓄水层) into which several heat exchangers (交换器) have been built. The hot water from the street runs through these exchangers, warning the ground-water, before returning to the surface through another pipe. The aquifer is thus used as a heat store.
In winter, the working system is changed slightly. Water is pumped through the heat exchangers to pick up the heat stored during summer. This water goes into the building and is used to warm the place up. After performing that task, it is pumped under the asphalt and its remaining heat keeps the road free of snow and ice.
Which of the following is true according to the first two paragraphs?
A.Arian de Bondt got his idea from his boss. |
B.Large, flat, black surfaces need to be built in cities. |
C.The Dutch engineer’s system has been widely used. |
D.Heat can also be collected from asphalt roads. |
For what purpose are the diving pipes used?
A.To absorb heat from the sun. | B.To store heat for future use. |
C.To turn solar energy into heat energy. | D.To carry heat down below the surface. |
From the last paragraph we can learn that __
A.some pipes have to be re-arranged in winter |
B.the system can do more than warming up the building |
C.the exchangers will pick up heat from the street surface |
D.less heat may be collected in winter than in summer |
What is most likely to be discussed in the paragraph that follows?
A.What we shall do if the system goes wrong. |
B.What we shall do if there are no asphalt roads. |
C.How the system cools the building in summer. |
D.How the system collects heat in spring and autumn |
Timetable
Which of the following is true of the membership card?
A.Its number is l0865 305305. | B.It belongs to Mr.E.M.Driscoll. |
C.It is valid through the year of 2010. | D.It gets the owner a discount when used. |
If one wants to attend a business lunch in London at l2:00, the latest train that he should take at Oxford leaves at .
A.11:45 | B.11:15 | C.10:35 | D.10:05 |
If you would like to have some vegetable beef, what may be your choice?
A.French Slam® | B.Chicken-Fried Steak® |
C.The Super Bird® | D.Sandwich with Salad or Soup® |
The chart shows that from 2005 to 2008, .
A.the percentage of the Spanish families with a computer rose 35 points |
B.the percentage of the White families with a computer remained unchanged |
C.the number of the Black families with a computer was on the decrease |
D.the number of the Asian families with a computer showed the sharpest increase |
A rainforest is an area covered by tall trees with the total high rainfall spreading quite equally through the year and the temperature rarely dipping below l6℃.Rainforests have a great effect on the world environment because they can take in heat from the sun and adjust the climate.Without the forest cover,these areas would reflect more heat into the atmosphere,warming the rest of the world. Losing the rainforests may also influence wind and rainfall patterns,potentially causing certain natural disasters all over the world.
In the past hundred years,humans have begun destroying rainforests in search of three major resources(资源): land for crops,wood for paper and other products,land for raising farm animals.This action affects the environment as a whole.For example,a lot of carbon dioxide(二氧化碳) in the air comes from burning the rainforests.People obviously have a need for the resources we gain from cutting trees but we will suffer much more than we will benefit.
There are two main reasons for this.Firstly,when people cut down trees,generally they can only use the land for a year or two.Secondly,cutting large sections of rainforests may provide a good supply of wood right now,but in the long run it actually reduces the world’s wood supply.
Rainforests are often called the world’s drug store.More than 25% of the medicines we use today come from plants in rainforests.However,fewer than l%of rainforest plants have been examined for their medical value.It is extremely likely that our best chance to cure diseases lies somewhere in the world’s shrinking rainforests.
Rainforests can help to adjust the climate because they .
A.reflect more heat into the atmosphere |
B.bring about high rainfall throughout the world |
C.rarely cause the temperature to drop lower than l6℃ |
D.reduce the effect of heat from the sun on the earth |
What does the word “this” underlined in the third paragraph refer to?
A.We will lose much more than we can gain. |
B.Humans have begun destroying rainforests. |
C.People have a strong desire for resources. |
D.Much carbon dioxide comes from burning rainforests. |
It can be inferred from the text that .
A.we can get enough resources without rainforests |
B.there is great medicine potential in rainforests |
C.we will grow fewer kinds of crops in the gained land |
D.the level of annual rainfall affects wind patterns |
What might be the best title for the text?
A.How to Save Rainforests | B.How to Protect Nature |
C.Rainforests and the Environment | D.Rainforests and Medical Development |
“The pen is more powerful than the sword(剑).” There have been many writers who used their pens to fight things that were wrong. Mrs Harriet Beecher Stowe was one of them. She was born in the U.S.A. in 1811.One of her books not only made her famous but has been described as one that excited the world, and was helpful in causing a civil war and freeing the enslaved race. The civil war was the American Civil War of 1861,in which the Northern States fought the Southern States and finally won.
This book that shook the world was called Uncle Tom’s Cabin. There was a time when every English-speaking man, woman, and child has read this novel that did so much to stop slavery. Not many people read it today, but it is still very interesting. The book has shown us how a warm-hearted writer can arouse(唤起) people’s sympathies. The author herself had neither been to the Southern States nor been a slave. The Southern Americans were very angry at the book, which they said did not at all represent true state of affairs, but the Northern Americans were wildly excited over it and were so inspired by it that they were ready to go to war to set the slaves free.
41.According to the passage______.
A.every English-speaking person has read Uncle Tom's Cabin
B.Uncle Tom's Cabin was not very interesting
C.those who don't speak English cannot have read Uncle Tom's Cabin
D.the book Uncle Tom's Cabin did a great deal in the American Civil War
42.How old was Mrs Harriet Beecher Stowe when her world famous book was published?
A.About sixty years old. B.Over fifty years old.
C.In her forties. D.Around twenty years old. 43.What do you learn about Mrs Harriet Beecher Stowe from the passage?
A.She had been living in the north of America before the American Civil War
broke out.
B.She herself encouraged the Northern Americans to go to war to set the slaves free.
C.She was better as writing as swinging(挥舞)a sword.
D.She had once been a slave.
44.What can we learn from the passage?
A.We needn’t use weapons to fight things that are wrong.
B.A writer is more helpful in a war than a soldier.
C.We must understand the importance of literature and art.
D.No war can be won without such a book as Uncle Tom's Cabin .
“The pen is more powerful than the sword(剑).” There have been many writers who used their pens to fight things that were wrong. Mrs Harriet Beecher Stowe was one of them. She was born in the U.S.A. in 1811.One of her books not only made her famous but has been described as one that excited the world, and was helpful in causing a civil war and freeing the enslaved race. The civil war was the American Civil War of 1861,in which the Northern States fought the Southern States and finally won.
This book that shook the world was called Uncle Tom’s Cabin. There was a time when every English-speaking man, woman, and child has read this novel that did so much to stop slavery. Not many people read it today, but it is still very interesting. The book has shown us how a warm-hearted writer can arouse(唤起) people’s sympathies. The author herself had neither been to the Southern States nor been a slave. The Southern Americans were very angry at the book, which they said did not at all represent true state of affairs, but the Northern Americans were wildly excited over it and were so inspired by it that they were ready to go to war to set the slaves free.
41.According to the passage______.
A.every English-speaking person has read Uncle Tom's Cabin
B.Uncle Tom's Cabin was not very interesting
C.those who don't speak English cannot have read Uncle Tom's Cabin
D.the book Uncle Tom's Cabin did a great deal in the American Civil War
42.How old was Mrs Harriet Beecher Stowe when her world famous book was published?
A.About sixty years old. B.Over fifty years old.
C.In her forties. D.Around twenty years old. 43.What do you learn about Mrs Harriet Beecher Stowe from the passage?
A.She had been living in the north of America before the American Civil War
broke out.
B.She herself encouraged the Northern Americans to go to war to set the slaves free.
C.She was better as writing as swinging(挥舞)a sword.
D.She had once been a slave.
44.What can we learn from the passage?
A.We needn’t use weapons to fight things that are wrong.
B.A writer is more helpful in a war than a soldier.
C.We must understand the importance of literature and art.
D.No war can be won without such a book as Uncle Tom's Cabin .
Every night for a year, Neil Simmons quietly went out of his house. He wanted to “talk” to an owl settling for the night at the end of his garden. He made owl cries like a real wild owl (猫头鹰)and was happy to hear the bird “hooting (大声叫嚣)” back to him.
Last year Fred Cornes moved in next door. He heard an owl hooting and answered back. For 12 months the neighbors got into the back gardens of their homes, thinking they were talking with nature. Mr. Simmons kept a diary of all his talks with his bird friend. They would both be out again tonight if it wasn’t for a chance talk between their wives.
Mr. Simmons said. “My wife Kim was telling Fred’s wife Wendy about my owl watching and described how I got the birds to boot back. She said, ‘That’s funny — that’s just what Fred has been doing.’ Then the penny dropped, I felt such a fool when I found out. The trouble is that owl calls aren’t exactly the same and it’s easy to make a mistake.”
Mr. Cornes said, “I’m really flattered (过奖). I didn’t know I sounded so real. I love nature and I couldn’t resist hooting at the owls. I was very excited when they hooted back. I’m sorry that I was fooling my neighbor who was fooling me.”
45.After the talk between the wives, the two men would probably _________ .
A.stop observing owls B.not stay up hooting again
C.not enter the back garden again D.make no mistakes about wild owl cries
46.“Then the penny dropped.” most probably means “Then __________.”
A.I understood B.everybody knew about it
C.I heard the noise D.no money was paid
47.Mr. Simmons felt upset about the whole thing because __________.
A.all his efforts seemed to be meaningless
B.his wife let out his secret by chance
C.garden owls hooted so differently
D.Fred had been doing the same
48.The text suggests that __________.
A.Nail seldom heard natural owl calls
B.the owl never hooted back to Neil
C.Fred was always good at pleasing owls
D.owl watching is no longer interesting to Fred
Societies all over the world name places in similar ways. Quite often there is no official naming ceremony but places tend to be called names as points of reference by people. Then an organized body steps in and gives the place a name. Frequently it happens that a place has two names: One is named by the people and the other by the government. As in many areas, old habitsdied hard, and the place continues to be called by its unofficial name long after the meaning is lost.
Many roads and places in Singapore(新加坡) are named in order that the pioneers will be remembered by future generations. Thus we have names such as Stamford Road and Raffles Place. This is in keeping with traditions in many countries ---- in both the West and the East.
Another way of naming places is naming them after other places. Perhaps they were named to promote friendships between the two places or it could be that the people who used to live there were originally from the places that the roads were named after. The mystery is clearer when we see some of the roads named in former British bases. If you step into Selector Airbase you will see Piccadilly Circus ----obviously named by some homesick Royal Air Force personnel.
Sine places were named after the activities that used to go on at those places. Bras Basah Road is an interesting example, “Base Basah” means “wet rice” in Malay(马来语). Now why would anyone want to name a road “Wet Rice Road”? The reason is simple. During the pioneering days, wet rice was laid out to dry along this road.
A few roads in Singapore are named by their shapes. There is “Circular Road” for one. Other roads may have part of their names to describe their shapes, like “Paya Lebar Crescent”. This road is called a crescent(月牙) because it begins on the main road, makes a crescent and comes back to join the main road again.
We learn from Paragraph 1 that _____.
A.the government is usually the first to name a place |
B.many places tend to have more than one name |
C.a ceremony will be held when a place is named |
D.people prefer the place names given by the government |
What does the underlined phrase “die hard” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
A.Change suddenly. | B.Change significantly. |
C.Disappear mysteriously. | D.Disappear very slowly. |
Which of the following places is named after a person?
A.Raffles Place. | B.Selector Airbase. |
C.Piccadilly Circus. | D.Paya Lebar Crescent. |
Bras Basah Road is named _______.
A.after a person | B.after a place | C.after an activity | D.by its shape |
What can be inferred from the passage?
A.Some place names in Singapore are the same as in Britain. |
B.Some places in Singapore are named for military purposes. |
C.The way Singaporeans name their places is unique. |
D.Young Singaporeans have forgotten the pioneers. |
I am a writer. I spend a great deal of my time thinking about the power of language-the way it can evoke(唤起) an emotion, a visual image, a complex idea, or a simple truth. Language is the tool of my trade. And I use them all-all the Englishes I grew up with.
Born into a Chinese family that had recently arrived in California, I've been giving more thought to the kind of English my mother speaks. Like others, I have described it to people as "broken" English. But feel embarrassed to say that. It has always bothered me that I can think of no way to describe it other than "broken", as if it were damaged and needed to be fixed, as if it lacked a certain wholeness. I've heard other terms used, "limited English," for example. But they seem just as bad, as if everything is limited, including people's perceptions(认识)of the limited English speaker.
I know this for a fact, because when I was growing up, my mother's "limited" English limited my perception of her. I was ashamed of her English. I believed that her English reflected the quality of what she had to say. That is ,because she expressed them imperfectly her thoughts were imperfect. And I had plenty of evidence to support me: the fact that people in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.
I started writing fiction in 1985. And for reasons I won't get into today, I began to write stories using all the Englishes I grew up with: the English she used with me, which for lack of a better term might be described as "broken", and what I imagine to be her translation of her Chinese, her internal(内在的) language, and for that I sought to preserve the essence, but neither an English nor a Chinese structure: I wanted to catch what language ability tests can never show; her intention, her feelings, the rhythms of her speech and the nature of her thoughts.
1. |
By saying "Language is the tool of my trade", the author means that.
|
2. |
The author used to think of her mother's English as.
|
3. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to Paragraph 3?
|
4. |
The author gradually realizes her mother's English is.
|
5. |
What is the passage mainly about?
|
Tens of thousands of theatre tickets will be given away to young people next year as part of a government campaign to inspire a lifelong love for theatre.
The plan to offer free seats to people aged between 18 to 26—funded with £2.5 million of taxpayers’ money—was announced yesterday by Andy Burnham, the Culture Secretary. It received a cautious welcome from some in the arts world, who expressed concern that the tickets may not reach the most underprivileged.
The plan comes as West End theatres are enjoying record audiences, thanks largely to musicals teaming up with television talent shows. Attendances reached. 13.6 million in 2007, up 10 percent on 2006, itself a record year. Total sales were up 18 percent on 2006 to almost £470 million.
One theatre source criticised the Government’s priorities(优先考虑的事) in funding free tickets when pensioners were struggling to buy food and fuel, saying: “I don’t know why the Government’s wasting money on this. The Yong Vic, as The Times reported today, offers excellent performances at cheap prices.”
There was praise for the Government’s plan from Dominic Cooke of the Royal Court Theatre, who said: “I support any move to get young people into theatre, and especially one that aims to do it all over England, not just in London.”
Ninety-five publicly funded theatres could apply for funding under the two-year plan. In return, they will offer free tickets on at least one day each week to 18 to 26-year-olds, first-come, first-served. It is likely to be on Mondays, traditionally a quiet night for the theatre.
Mr. Burnham said: “A young person attending the theatre can find it an exciting experience, and be inspired to explore a new world. But sometimes people miss out on it because they fear it’s ‘not for them’. It’s time to change this perception.”
Jeremy Hunt, the Shadow Culture Secretary, said: “The real issue is not getting enthusiastic children into the theatre, but improving arts education so that more young people want to go in the first place. For too many children theatres are a no-go area.”
Critics of the plan argued that ______.
A.the theatres would be overcrowded |
B.it would be a waste of money |
C.pensioners wouldn’t get free tickets |
D.the government wouldn’t be able to afford it |
According to the supporters, the plan should ______.
A.benefit the television industry |
B.focus on producing better plays |
C.help increase the sales of tickets |
D.involve all the young people in England |
Which of the following is TRUE about the plan?
A.Ninety-five theatres have received funding. |
B.Everyone will get at least one free ticket. |
C.It may not benefit all the young people. |
D.Free tickets are offered once every day. |
We can infer from the passage that in England ______.
A.many plays are not for young people |
B.many young people don’t like theatre |
C.people know little about the plan |
D.children used to receive good arts education |
According to the passage, the issue to offer free tickets to young people seems ______.
A.controversial | B.inspiring | C.exciting | D.unreasonable |
Next time a customer comes to your office, offer him a cup of coffee. And when you're doing your holiday shopping online, make sure you're holding a large glass of iced tea. The physical sensation(感觉) of warmth encourages emotional warmth, while a cold drink in hand prevents you from making unwise decisions-those are the practical lesson being drawn from recent research by psychologist John A. Bargh.
Psychologists have known that one person's perception(感知) of another's "warmth" is a powerful determiner in social relationships. Judging someone to be either "warm" or "cold" is a primary consideration, even trumping evidence that a "cold" person may be more capable. Much of this is rooted in very early childhood experiences, Bargh argues, when babies' conceptual sense of the world around them is shaped by physical sensations, particularly warmth and coldness. Classic studies by Harry Harlow, published in 1958, showed monkeys preferred to stay close to a cloth "mother" rather than one made of wire, even when the wire "mother" carried a food bottle. Harlow's work and later studies have led psychologists to stress the need for warm physical contact from caregivers to help young children grow into healthy adults with normal social skills.
Feelings of "warmth" and "coldness" in social judgments appear to be universal. Although no worldwide study has been done, Bargh says that describing people as "warm" or "cold" is common to many cultures, and studies have found those perceptions influence judgment in dozens of countries.
To test the relationship between physical and psychological warmth, Bargh conducted an experiment which involved 41 college students. A research assistant who was unaware of the study's hypotheses(假设), handed the students either a hot cup of coffee, or a cold drink, to hold while the researcher filled out a short information form: The drink was then handed back. After that, the students were asked to rate the personality of "Person A" based on a particular description. Those who had briefly held the warm drink regarded Person A as warmer than those who had held the iced drink.
"We are grounded in our physical experiences even when we think abstractly," says Bargh.
1. |
According to Paragraph 1, a person's emotion may be affected by.
|
2. |
The author mentions Harlow's experiment to show that.
|
3. |
In Bargh's experiment, the students were asked to.
|
4. |
We can infer from the passage that.
|
5. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
|
A little old couple walked slowly into McDonald’s one cold winter evening. They looked out of place among the young families and young couples eating there that night.
Some of the customers looked admiringly at them. You could tell what the admirers were thinking. “ Look, there is a couple who has been through a lot together, probably for 60 years or more !”
After paying for the meal, the couple took a table near the back wall and started taking food off the tray. There was one hamburger, one order of French fries and one drink. The little old man carefully cut the hamburger in half. He placed one half in front of his wife. Then he carefully counted out the French fries, divided them in two piles and neatly placed one pile in front of his wife. He took a sip of the drink, his wife took a sip and then set the cup down between them.
As the man began to eat his few bites of hamburger the crowd began to get restless. Again you could tell what they were thinking, “ That poor old couple. All they can afford is one meal for the two Of them.”
As the man began to eat his French fries one young man stood and came over to the old couple’s table. He politely offered to buy another meal for the old couple to eat. The old man replied that they were just fine. They were used to sharing everything.
Then the crowd noticed that the little old lady hadn’t eaten a bite. She just sat there watching her husband eat and occasionally taking turns sipping the drink.
Again the young man came over and begged them to let him buy them something to eat. This time the lady explained that, no, they were used to sharing everything together.
As the little old man finished eating and was wiping his face neatly the young man could stand it no longer. Again he came over to their table and offered to buy some food.
After being politely refused again, he finally asked a question of the little old lady. “ Ma’am, why aren’t you eating? You said that you shared everything. What is it that you are waiting for?” She answered, “The teeth”.
Why did some of the customers look at them with admiration when the old couple entered the McDonald’s?
A.Because old people were rarely seen eating at McDonald’s. |
B.Because the couple ate out at McDonald’s though they were poor. |
C.Because the couple had been married for so many years. |
D.Because the couple liked to eat at McDonald’s at such an old age. |
The underlined phrase “out of place” is closest in meaning to .
A.in the wrong direction | B.not suitable | C.everywhere | D.very untidy |
What did the old lady mean at the end of the passage?
A.She was growing new teeth. |
B.She was waiting for her husband to finish using the false teeth. |
C.She was waiting for someone to fetch her false teeth from home. |
D.She was suffering from toothache. |
Which word can best describe the young man in the story?
A.impatient | B.rude | C.impolite | D.Warm-hearted |
Happiness, rather than working hard, is the key to success, according to research published yesterday. Cheerfu1 peop1e are more 1ikely to try new things and challenge(wk战)themselves, which strengthens their good emotion and leads to success in work,good relationships and strong health,say psychologists(心理学家).
The findings suggest that happiness is not a “ feel-good” luxury(奢侈品),but is necessary for people’s well-being. What is more, happiness can also reach an entire nation,with people in” happy” nations being more likely to help others.
The link between happiness and success was studied by a team from the University of California Riverside,led by Professor Sonja Lyubomirsky.
First, they examined questionnaires that ask peop1e about their 1ives. “ For example, they show that happy people are likely to earn higher incomes” said Lyubomirsky. Having established the link,they wanted to discover the cause.
“Almost always it has been taken for granted that things that connect closely to happiness are the causes of happiness,but it could be just the opposite that those things are likely to be caused by happiness,” said Professor Ed Diener from the University of Illinois,another author on the paper.
“ There was strong evidence that happiness leads people to be more sociable,more generous and more productive at work,to make more money,and to have stronger immune(免疫)systems,”said Lyubomirsky.
The research shows that while success can put a spring in someone’s step,peop1e need happiness in the first place to achieve success.
According to the study, around 4 out of 5 people in modern industrialized nations arc happy at any one time.
Success was not just about earning lots of money. “ We describe success as having the things that culture or society values,whether it be friends,close family, money and income,or long life,”said Diener.
However,sorrowful people arc not predetermined to lead a life of failure.
In this passage,which of the following viewpoints does Professor Lyubomirsky state?
A.People in less happy countries are more likely to help others. |
B.Things connected to happiness are brought about by happiness. |
C.Happiness results in richer and healthier people. |
D.Success means possessing things that a cu1ture or society thinks highly of. |
The underlined phrase “ put a spring in someone’s step” means .
A.put you in good spirits | B.put spring water on your feet |
C.have a pleasant walk in spring | D.step into a cheerful spring |
According to the passage,which of the following is true?
A.People arc happy because they earn more money. |
B.People earn more money because they are happy. |
C.Working hard is important for being successful. |
D.We can do whatever we like as 1ong as we feel happy. |
We can infer from the passage that .
A.fee1ing good is a cause and not an effect of achievement |
B.our life would be a failure if we were not happy |
C.happiness is just a personal problem |
D.being successful mainly means being wealthy |