Being busy can become a way of life. Our lives are always filled with emails and text messages. They make us feel wanted and important, but in a tiring and empty way. Being busy has a dangerous allure（诱惑）. If you are busy all the time, it’s hard to sit quietly with your thoughts or to really feel what you’re feeling. Why not let everything become a choice — how we spend time, who we reply to and how much or little we write?
Many of us are busy because our self-worth goes up when people make demands（需求）on our time. Why don’t we free ourselves from needing, or even wanting? Why don’t we make the best use of the time and space to be productive in a way that it best serves us? That may be consciously（主动地）keeping ourselves not busy. In fact many great discoveries were made by people who built white space into their day.
Imagine asking “How are you?” to one of the most successful people you know like Warren Buffet. I’ve never heard anyone at that level answer “busy” though most people believe they are.
What are they doing differently?
First, they aim to project an image that things are under control. Second, they actually have things under control. They’ve had excellent staff, implemented（实施）thoughtful processes and they spend time only on critical tasks that require their attention. They make high-level strategic decisions with a large effect.
It’s time to end the glory of being busy and spend time setting up processes that make sense, rather than simply working more hours. To do this, you need to change your way of thinking. It’s cool to say you’re busy, but it’s better to be busy helping someone carry a stroller up the subway stairs or busy finishing a book．
How to free us from the trend of being busy? Start with small steps. For one day, be mindful of every daily activity. Consider each thing a choice and decide proactively（预先）if it’s necessary or simply a habit you can get rid of or do in half the time. Next, stop saying how busy you are. Then, figure out what you want to achieve with your day and begin doing it. Put your time and energy where you want it to be．
1.What are many of us busy doing every day?
A.Sitting quietly and think actively．
B.Meeting people’s demands on our time．
C.Making great discoveries．
D.Takinghigh-level decisions．
2.Why don’t successful people like Warren Buffet answer “busy”?
A.Because they value working abilities and attitude．
B.Because they focus on attracting excellent workers．
C.Because they pay more attention to learning management．
D.Because they think well and spend more time on critical tasks．
3.The writer probably agrees that we should ______．
A.stop considering each thing a choice
B.work more hours to achieve our goals
C.answer emails and messages as soon as possible
D.be mindful where we want our time and energy to be
4.What is the writer’s purpose in writing the passage?
A.To advise us to be freed from the trend of being busy．
B.To warn us about the danger of leading a busy life．
C.To show us ways to feel good about being busy．
D.To tell us how to fit into the busy modern life．
Jane Addams was born into a rich American family with a long history of public service on September 6, 1860. She was the eighth child of John Huy Addams, a successful businessman, banker, and landowner. Learning from her father, Jane wanted to know what she could do to help others. Jane remembered the Chicago poor areas she had seen as a child, and she thought she might want to open a place and it would provide education and recreation (娱乐) to the poor people there.
In 1889, Jane and her friend Ellen Gates made Jane's dream come true. They opened Hull House in Chicago. Among its many activities, Hull House provided a place for poor immigrant (移民) families to play games, listen to poem readings or take music or painting classes.
Jane Addams' public service didn't stop with Hull House. Jane worked for laws to end child labor (劳动力) and fought for women's rights. She worked as president of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and was chairman of the Women's Peace Party. Jane Addams won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931. She died on May 21, 1935. All these years later, people still celebrate the service and life of Jane Addams.
1.Hull House was opened in ________.
A.1889 B.1931 C.1935 D.1860
2.Why is Jane Addams an important person in history according to the passage?
A.She fought against providing education and recreation for the poor.
B.She set up the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.
C.She was a poor immigrant who gave her life to helping others in Chicago.
D.She worked hard to make life easier for the poor and she fought for women's rights.
3.What is the best title for the passage?
A.Jane Addams' family B.A Life of Service
C.The Nobel Peace Prize D.Women's Peace Party
Best Ways to Improve Online Experience
Zhao Yuchen, Beijing To me, the biggest headache about studying online is my poor internet connection. During one online class, I couldn't hear my English teacher's voice and I had to reconnect. It wasted lots of time. Since then, I have checked my network before class every day and asked other family members not to use the internet while I'm in class. |
Qiu Ziyin, Shenzhen During the first day of studying online, I was excited and listened carefully. But I soon realized that my self-discipline (自律) was weak. I've set screen time for all of my electronic devices. At night, I do preview (预习) work for the next day instead of playing with my mobile phone. |
Zhang Penghui, Heilongjiang Online learning takes strong self-discipline and willpower. There are lots of distractions (分心) while studying at home. My mom likes to offer me snacks and drinks, which sometimes distracts me from listening during my classes. A quiet room and clean desk can help us stay focused. |
Zhao Jiawen, Shanghai It's important to know how to choose wisely when we pick online courses. For example, I had difficulty understanding certain English grammar points, so I searched for key words on our national cloud learning platform and watched several videos from teachers across China. It's good for us to get different teachers. |
1.Who does preview work for the next day at night?
A.Qiu Ziyin. B.Zhao Yuchen. C.Zhao Jiawen. D.Zhang Penghui.
2.Zhao Yuchen ________while having class online.
A.has asked other family members not to use the internet
B.watches several videos from teachers
C.likes to have snacks and drinks
D.plays with the mobile phone
3.Zhang Penghui thinks that ________.
A.students' self-discipline is weak
B.a quiet room and clean desk can help students stay focused
C.it's good for students to get different teachers from China
D.the biggest problem about studying online is the poor internet connection
Changing Makes You More Confident
I used to hate being called upon in class mainly because I didn't like attention drawn to myself. And unless otherwise assigned (指定) a seat by the teacher, I always ______ to sit at the back of the classroom.
All this changed after I joined a sports team. It began when a teacher suggested I try out for the basketball team. At first I thought it was a ______ idea because I didn't have a good sense of balance, nor did I have the ______ to keep pace with the others on the team and they would laugh at me. But for the teacher who kept insisting on my "going for it", I wouldn't have decided to give it a try.
When I first started ______ the practice sessions, I didn't even know the rules of the game, much less what I was doing. Sometimes I'd get confused and take a shot at the wrong ______ —which made me feel really stupid. Fortunately, I wasn't the only one "new" at the game, so I decided to focus on learning the game, do my best at each practice session, and not be too hard on myself for the things I didn't know "just yet".
I practiced and practiced. Soon I knew the ______ and the "moves". Being part of a team was fun and motivating (激励, 动力). With time, I learned how to play and made friends in the process — friends who respected my efforts to work hard and be a team player. I never had so much fun!
With my improved self-confidence comes more ______ from teachers and classmates. I have gone from " ______ " in the back of the classroom and not wanting to call attention to myself, to raising my hand— even when I sometimes wasn't 100 percent sure I had the right answer. Now I have more self-confidence in myself.
1.A.hoped B.chose C.meant D.agreed
2.A.good B.crazy C.common D.bright
3.A.patience B.right C.chance D.ability
4.A.attending B.preparing C.enjoying D.watching
5.A.discussion B.decision C.competition D.direction
6.A.steps B.orders C.rules D.games
7.A.praise B.advice C.comfort D.courage
8.A.dreaming B.talking C.fighting D.hiding
—Could you tell me ________?
—Because the scenery attracts me.
A.why do you go to Tibet B.when are you going to Tibet
C.why you are going to Tibet D.when you go to Tibet
I haven't heard from Mr. Smith ________ he moved to Shanghai.
A.since B.for C.in D.so
