I believe we can create our own happiness. I believe the real magic in the world is done by humans.
I was sitting in my ______ at a stoplight listening to the radio, thinking how happy and warm I was in it. It was ______ outside, and I thought, “Life is good."
Now, this was a long line. As I ______ , I noticed two people huddled (挤在一起) together at the bus stop. The couple seemed to be doing their best to keep ________To my eyes, they were unhappy and uncomfortable. They looked ________Their coats looked like they came from a bargain store.
But then I saw their ______.Yes, they were huddling, but they were also laughing. They seemed to be sharing a good ______, and suddenly, instead of pitying them, I envied them. I thought, "Huh, what's so funny?" They didn't notice the wind. They weren't looking at my car thinking, "I ______ I had that."
You know ______ a single moment feels like an hour? Well, in that moment, I realized I had ______ things were all bad for them, but they weren't. And I understood we all have the ______to make moments of ______ happen.
Now, maybe that's easy for me to say. I feel lucky to have a house with a roof and a wife who ______ me. I felt this ______ even when I was working at Long John Silver's. In the beginning, it didn’t seem like a promising job. But ______ I had a job. And frankly, it was ______. After two weeks, I knew all I needed to know, and it freed my mind. The job allowed me to ______ about what my life could become.
The first year I worked there, we got robbed. I thought I was going to die. But everything ______ out all right. A lot of people ______ life as a series of miserable tasks, but after that, I didn't.
I believe this is _____ all of us can do: Try to be happy within the context of the life we are actually living. Happiness is not a situation to be longed for or a convergence of luck. Through the power of our own minds, we can help ourselves.
1.A.store B.office C.house D.car
2.A.bright B.cold C.warm D.dark
3.A.walked B.returned C.complained D.waited
4.A.warm B.calm C.close D.active
5.A.innocent B.helpless C.poor D.strange
6.A.coats B.faces C.bags D.backs
7.A.joke B.speech C.offer D.idea
8.A.regret B.promise C.wish D.hope
9.A.when B.how C.why D.what
10.A.worried B.found C.admitted D.reckoned
11.A.power B.promise C.demand D.chance
12.A.excitement B.satisfaction C.happiness D.trouble
13.A.makes up for B.puts up with C.breaks up with D.keeps up with
14.A.way B.case C.point D.sense
15.A.at first B.at least C.in fact D.in brief
16.A.funny B.fine C.precious D.easy
17.A.come B.care C.bring D.dream
18.A.proved B.helped C.turned D.got
19.A.think B.look C.regard D.act
20.A.anything B.something C.everything D.nothing
How to Find Something You Like to Do
Finding something you enjoy doing can improve the quality of your life and reduce your stress levels.1. It can also help you make friends or even provide a purpose in your life. Then how can you find something you like to do?
2.Some hobbies, such as albums and gardening, can take up a lot of time. Other hobbies, such as video games or reading, can be done at your own pace and do not require any extended time.
Research the hobby or activity you would like to get involved in. Find out how much time and money you will need to devote to starting and continuing the activity. For example, some sports—related interests might require special equipment.3.Your local library or phone book should also have information on hobbies and activities in your area.
Talk with other people who are involved in some of the activities you are interested in.4. Ask if you could tag along(跟随) to a meeting or spend some time with this person while he is involved in his hobby to see if it is something you would enjoy.
5.Challenge yourself to try a new activity you are interested in for a week or so. Allow yourself to learn about the hobby and determine whether you will enjoy the activity or not.
A.Think about how a hobby benefits you.
B.A hobby can connect you with other people.
C.Take a chance on a hobby and see how it turns out.
D.Think about how much free time you can devote to a hobby.
E.You can find information about hobbies and interests on Find My Hobby’s website.
F.You can get first—hand knowledge by interviewing someone about a particular hobby.
G.It takes a long time and energy to decide whether a particular hobby is right for you.
The English language is changing, and you are responsible! Whether we consider changes in grammar, spelling, pronunciation, or the very vocabulary of the language, you have played your part and continue to do so.
When we first learned basic grammar and spelling, perhaps in elementary school, we might have gotten the impression that these things were sacred. The rules that apply to such things might have been presented as unchanging and unchangeable. While this approach might be beneficial for teaching children, it is far from accurate.
The English language, like many others, is a living, growing, ever-evolving thing. Like it or not, you are involved in this change. These changes take many forms. Grammar and spelling have changed radically over the years and centuries, with the spelling differences in different countries today a reflection of this. While the language of a thousand years ago might be called English, most of us would hardly recognize it today as the same language.
The first involves changes in the pronunciation of words. Many are familiar with the differences between the British and American ways of pronouncing certain words. In addition to these differences, the pronunciation of many words has changed over the years because of how you have decided to pronounce them. For example, consider the word "err." The traditional pronunciation of this word rhymes with the word "her." However in recent years, more and more people have been pronouncing it so that it sounds like "air."
Another change in the language involves the addition and removal of words. The makers of dictionaries decide which words deserve to be officially adopted as part of the English language. Through the centuries, many words have come from other languages. In fact, English has probably done this more than any other language in the world, which is why spelling and pronunciation rules for English have so many exceptions.
Of course many slang words have been just short-lived fads that have died out quickly. Others,though, have been adopted by mainstream society and become respectable, as have many technical terms. So then remember, the next time you repeat the newest expression to hit the street, or make up your own words, you may be contributing to the future of the English language.
1.When we begin to learn English, we think .
A.it is interesting to take up a new language
B.grammar and spelling rules are unchangeable
C.only grown-ups have the ability to affect a language
D.English rules are wrongly presented in fact
2.The pronunciation of words are changing because .
A.people speak in different ways B.the British don’t agree with others
C.people adopted foreign words D.makers of dictionaries created them
3.Which of the following statement about English slang words is True?
A.All the slang words have become standard English.
B.English slang words are popular for a short time.
C.Some slang words have been accepted.
D.English slang words have different meanings actually.
4.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A.You can change the English language.
B.English is changing over years.
C.The British speaks differently from Americans.
D.Foreign words involved in English.
In effect, many people avoid the very attempts that are the source of true happiness. They fear the pain inevitably brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment and self-improvement.
Ask a bachelor (单身汉) why he resists marriage even though he finds dating less and less satisfying. If he is honest he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure and excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features.
Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night's sleep or a three-day vacation. I don't know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children. But couples who decide not to have children never know the joys of watching a child grow up or of playing with a grandchild.
Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations. It liberates time: now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates money: buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those who are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all.
1.According to the author, a bachelor resists marriage chiefly because _______ .
A.he is unwilling to take family responsibilities
B.he believes that life will be more cheerful if he remains single
C.he finds more fun in dating than in marriage
D.he fears it will put an end to all his fun adventure and excitement
2.Raising children, in the author's opinion, is _______ .
A.a moral duty B.a thankless job
C.a rewarding task D.a source of inevitable pain
3.To understand what true happiness is one must _______ .
A.have as much fun as possible during one's lifetime
B.make every effort to liberate oneself from pain
C.put up with pain under all circumstances
D.be able to distinguish happiness from fun
4.What is the author trying to tell us?
A.Happiness often goes hand in hand with pain.
B.One must know how to make money.
C.It is not important to make commitments.
D.It’s pain that leads to happiness.
The Sahara Festival is a celebration of the very recent past. The three-day event is not fixed to the same dates each year, but generally takes place in November or December. It is well attended by tourists, but even better attended by the locals.
During the opening ceremonies, after the official greetings from the government leaders, people who attend the festival begin to march smartly before the viewing stands, and white camels transport their riders across the sands. Horsemen from different nations display their beautiful clothes and their fine horsemanship. One following another, groups of musicians and dancers from all over the Sahara take their turn to show off their wonderful traditional culture. Groups of men in blue and yellow play horns and beat drums as they dance in different designs. On their knees in the sand, a group of women in long dark dresses dance with their hair: their long, dark, shiny hair is thrown back and forth in the wind to the rhythm of their dance.
The local and visiting Italian dogs are anxious to run after hares. The crowd is on its feet for the camel races. Camels and riders run far into the distance, and then return to the finish Line in front of the cheering people.
Towards the evening, there comes the grand finale of the opening day, an extremely exciting horserace. All the riders run very fast on horseback. Some riders hang off the side of their saddles（马鞍）. Some even ride upside down—their legs and feet straight up in the air—all at full speed. Others rush down the course together, men arm in arm, on different horses. On and on they went. So fast and so wonderful!
1.The Sahara Festival is a festival which _____.
A.has a very long history in North Africa
B.is held in the same place on the same day
C.is attended mainly by the people in the Sahara
D.is celebrated mostly by travelers from different countries
2.Before the races begin, _____ take part in the activities during the opening ceremonies.
A.musicians, dancers, horses and hares
B.camel riders, musicians, dogs and hares
C.horsemen, dancers, camels and dogs
D.musicians, officials, camels and horses
3.The underlined word “finale” in the fourth paragraph most probably means the _____ of the opening day.
A.first part B.last part C.middle D.whole
4.This passage mainly tells readers _____.
A.how animals race on the first and the last days of the Sahara Festival
B.how people celebrate during the three-day Sahara Festival
C.what takes place at the closing ceremonies of the Sahara Festival
D.what happens on the opening day of the Sahara Festival
Riding School:
You can start horse-riding at any age. Choose private or group lessons any weekday between 9 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. on Saturdays). There are 10 kilometers of tracks and paths for leisurely rides across farmland and open country. You will need a riding hat.
Opening Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00 a.m. ~ 8:30 p.m.
Phone: (412) 396-6754 Fax: (412) 396-6752
Sailing Club:
Our Young Sailor’s Course leads to the Stage Sailing qualification. You’ll learn how to sail safely and the course also covers sailing theory and first aid. Have fun with other course members afterwards in the club room. There are 10 weekly two-hour lessons.
Opening Hours: Tuesdays: 6:00 p.m.~ 8:00 p.m.
Phone:( 412)396-6644 Fax: (412) 396-6644
Diving Centre:
Our experienced instructors offer one-month courses in deep-sea diving for beginners. There are two evening lessons a week, in which you learn to breathe underwater and use the equipment safely. You only need a swimming costume and towel. Reduced rates for couples.
Opening Hours: Monday and Friday: 6:30p.m.~ 8:30 p.m.
Phone: (412)396-6312 Fax: (412) 396-6706
Medical Center:
The staff of the Medical Center aim to provide convenient and comprehensive medical care to students and staff of the university. The center is well equipped and the staff here are trained to deal with a broad range of medical problems. Both female and male doctors as well as nursing staff are available for consultation. Also, all kinds of medicines are sold here and are cheaper for students than other drugstores.
Opening Hours: 24 hours from Monday to Sunday
Phone: ( 412)396-6649 Fax: (412) 396-6648
Water-sports club:
We use a two-kilometre length of river for speedboat racing, and water-skiing. A beginners’ course consists of ten 20-minute lessons. You will learn to handle boats safely and confidently but must be able to swim. The club is in a convenient central position and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with lessons all through the day.
Opening Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00 a.m.~ 4:00 p.m.
Phone: (412)396-6899 Fax: (412) 396-6890
1.If you want to swim and enjoy activities which are fast and a bit dangerous, you should join_______ .
A.Sailing Club B.Riding School
C.Water-sports Club D.Diving Centre
2.If you want to experience a new activity in the countryside in the mornings, you may fax________ .
A.(412) 396-6752 B.(412) 396-6706
C.(412) 396-6648 D.(412) 396- 6876
3.If you want to do an activity one evening a week and get a certificate in the end, you can go to_______ .
A.Sailing Club B.Diving Centre
C.Water-sports Club D.Riding School
