A couple from Miami, Bill and Simone Butler, spent sixty –six days in a life-raft (救生艇) in the seas of Central America after their boat sank.
Twenty-one days after they left Panama in their boat, Simony, they met some whales (鲸鱼). “They started to hit the side of the boat,” said Bill, “and then suddenly we heard water.” Two minutes later, the boat was sinking. They jumped into the life-raft and watched the boat go under the water.
For twenty days they had tins of food, biscuits, and bottles of water. They also had a fishing-line and a machine to make salt water into drinking water— two things which saved their lives. They caught eight to ten fish a day and ate them raw (生的). Then the line broke. “So we had no more fish until something very strange happened. Some sharks (鲨鱼) came to feed, and the fish under the raft were afraid and came to the surface. I caught them with my hands.”
About twenty ships passed them, but no one saw them. After fifty days at sea their life-raft was beginning to break up. Then suddenly it was all over. A fishing boat saw them and picked them up. They couldn’t stand up. So the captain carried them onto his boat and took them to Costa Rica. Their two months at sea was over.
1. Bill and Simone were traveling ______ when they met some whales.
A. in a life-raft B. in Miami C. in Simony D. in Panama
2.During their days at sea, ______ saved their lives.
A. tins of food and bottles of water B. a fishing-line and a machine
C. whales and sharks D. Twenty passing ships
3.After their boat sank, the couple ______.
A. jumped into the life-raft B. heard water
C. watched the boat go under water D. stayed in the life-raft
You have the ability to decide whether you are happy or not. Happiness is a choice.
You can’t depend on someone else to make you happy. That is a lesson I learned early in my marriage. I realized that I couldn’t rely on my husband as my source of happiness. I learned that my happiness depended on myself and not my husband’s actions. I learned that you have to choose to be happy.
You can choose your emotions. True happiness comes from within, and it can’t be forced by outside force. So how do you choose happiness? The same way, you choose to smile or choose to wear a certain outfit（一套衣服）. You choose it because that’s what you want to experience in you life.
You want to buy a new pair of shoes so you choose a pair that you like and feels good. You wouldn’t buy a pair of shoes that you don’t like or that doesn’t fit well, right? So why do we keep choosing emotions and feelings that don’t make us feel good?
Choosing to be happy after you realize your anger has shown up (or even choosing to be calm) can be beneficial. We choose our feelings; no one else can do that for us. If we let others get to us, influence our emotions — we are giving them power over us. When others cause us anger or pain, we are giving them our power.
We need to keep our feelings in check and not to react（反应） automatically to what is thrown at us. We need to think our actions out instead of just reacting to what someone says or does.
Remember that we can always choose happiness. At first it will be difficult to just switch（使转变）your thoughts and feelings from anger, self-doubt, or fear to joy and happiness. But it is only a thought away. Don’t dwell on（细想） what happens to you unnecessarily but realize what is causing you to feel that way. Realize that thoughts, feelings and emotions can change. Then move on and choose to be happy.
1. What’s the best title of this passage?
A. Pretend to Be Happy
B. Choose Your Emotions
C. Choose to Be Happy
D. Find Happiness
2. The lesson the writer learned in her marriage is .
A. one can’t depend on someone else to make himself or herself happy
B. balancing the relationship between husband and wife is an art
C. she can depend on her husband to find happiness
D. happiness can be influenced by outside force
3.Why did the writer mention buying shoes?
A. To offer advice on how to choose comfortable shoes.
B. To use it as an example to illustrate（阐述）her point of view.
C. To compare choosing shoes and choosing an outfit.
D. To help move to the next paragraph easily.
4.The writer suggests that we should .
A. let others control our feelings
B. respond immediately to others’ words
C. hold back our feelings properly
D. pay more attention to words than actions
Maupassant（居·莫泊桑）was born in 1850 in northern France. His early life was not happy. His parents separated when he was 11. Most of his education came informally from Gustave Flaubert—his mother’s friend and his godfather, a journalist and novelist. Often Flaubert would let him take a walk and then ask him to write 100 lines about what he saw. This type of training developed in Maupassant a sense of observation, which he later put to use in his writing. Flaubert also allowed Maupassant to attend his Sunday gatherings with others in his literary circle
For a few years, Maupassant was connected with the Ministry of Public Instruction. It is interesting to note that Monsieur Loisel, a poor man character in The Necklace, worked there. He also served in the French army during the Franco-Prussian War. His favorite writing subjects were peasants, servants, in the city, and the Francd-Prussian War.
At an early age, Maupassant started writing short stories. In 1880, some of his works were published and he received a wide reputation for Boule de Suif (Ball of Tallow). With this success, he began to work full-time on writing. During the next ten years, he wrote over 300 stories, including six novels, three travel books, and a book of verse. Through them, he earn a lot of money.
His writing was classical and simple, avoiding social comments and dirty details. His works often showed a real world and an accurate knowledge of the subject. Although Maupassant wrote in many forms, he received widest recognition for his short stories. By 1890, Maupassant was suffering from the latter staged of syphilis（梅毒）. He died in 1893 in Paris.
1. Which of the following is TRUE about Gustave Flaubert?
A. He often went out for a walk with Maupassant.
B. He was a journalist and novelist working for church.
C. He had a great influence on Maupassant’s writing..
D. He often helped Maupassant with his writing homework.
2. From text we know Monsieur Loisel is _______.
A. a man selling necklaces
B. a character in one of Maupassant’s works.
C. a short story written by Maupassant
D. a friend of Maupassant the Ministry of Public Instruction
3. What are the characteristics of Maupassant’s stories?
A. They have few social comments.
B. They are simple and humorous.
C. They only focus on the lives of peasants.
D. They are full of imagination.
4.What can we learn about Maupassant from the text?
A. Only in his 30s did he begin to write stories.
B. He did not received any formal education.
C. He spent his last years happily.
D. Boule de Suif was his first success.
Life is too short to waste a moment, so while you still have time, let your hair down, remove that “boring” tag in your so-called life and start making it worthwhile. Below are some tips that will help you live a wonderful life.
1. Keep a Positive Attitude. Enjoy what you have and work on getting the things you desire. Psychologists believe that optimism (乐观主义) is a good defense against unhappiness, so it is better to keep your optimism alive. Feeling sad about your life will only make you sadder, so be happy.
2. Don’t Be Afraid to Take Risks. Life is all about taking risks, and that’s the exciting part of it. Challenges and failure are part of life. Once you learn how to take risks, you’ll soon realize how good it feels not to let moments pass you by.
3. ... You only have one life, so make it worthwhile. Being unwilling to let the past go just keeps you away from the things you should be enjoying at the present.
4. List the Things You Want to Do. Stop lazing around and give yourself something to be busy with. Write down a list of all the things you want to do and make a timeline, not to stress you out, but to remind you of your goals. So don’t put limits to yourself because you’ll never know what may happen.]
5. Try Out Something New. Getting into something or trying something unfamiliar to you may seem scary, but nothing can make you feel happier than being able to overcome your fear. Who knows? You might enjoy it! The world is a big place and there are still lots of things waiting to be explored by you. Go to a foreign place where you know no one.
1. From Tip One we know that we should .
A. never be afraid to take risks
B. try something new every day
C. focus on the good things in life
D. get rid of all our former habits
2.What’s the best title for the third tip?
A. Enjoy Today and Let Go of the Past.
B. Never Think of Tomorrow.
C. Remember You Are the Best.
D. Never Change Your Mind.
3.The writer may NOT agree that .
A. feeling sad about your life does you no good
B. it’s good to keep yourself busy doing something
C. you shouldn’t go to a new place where you have no friends
D. you should enjoy the present instead of always thinking of the past
4. What is the writer’s attitude toward life?
A. Positive. B. Negative.
C. Doubtful. D. Indifferent.
A long time ago there lived a farmer in a village. One day, while 36 in the fields, the farmer’s son 37 and broke his leg. The villagers went to the __ 38 __ and said，“My goodness, what great misfortune! Your son has broken his leg; now he can’t 39 you in the fields.”One day later, government troop (军队) went to the village 40 young men to join the __ 41 _. They had to leave the boy ___42 because his leg was broken. Again, the villagers came and said，“My goodness, what great __ 43 __!” The farmer replied, “It is neither fortune __ 44 __ misfortune.”
Then one day the farmer’s 45 horse jumped the fence and ran away. The villagers came and said，“What great misfortune that your horse has run away.” Two or three days later, the horse __ 46 __ with a dozen wild horses ___47 it. The villagers came and said，“What great misfortune that your horse came back with twelve_ 48 __.”
The farmer was __49 __ enough to know that nothing was either fortune or misfortune. Everything that happens has a ___50 __ and meaning beyond 51 appearances of the events. So many times, we are __ 52 by the feelings we have about the events in our lives. Remember: “Nothing is long or short, hot or cold, good or bad.” There is no 53 in thinking of something as good or bad, because we __ 54 know what will happen next. The best thing we can do is__ 55 it.
1.A. playing B. walking C. living D. working
2.A. came up B. fell down
C. broken down D. ended up
3. A. ground B. son C. farmer D. village
4. A. supply B. help C. teach D. move
5. A. looking for B. thanking for
C. asking for D. waiting for
6.A. club B. group C. army D. government
7. A. up B. down C. away D. behind
8. A. pleasure B. success C. fortune D. fun
9. A. or B. nor C. and D. but
10.A. only B. next C. same D. first
11.A. provided B. rose C. ran D. returned
12. A. watching B. following C. begging D. crossing
13.A. ones B. others C. those D. another
14. A. wiser B. confident C. quick D. honest
15. A. use B. dream C. purpose D. goal
16. A. usual B. strange C. real D. simple
17. A. left B. kept C. surprised D. cheated
18. A. point B. luck C. chance D. way
19.A. always B. never C. often D. seldom
20.A. use B. change C. accept D. enjoy
A poet and artist _____ coming to speak to us about Chinese literature and painting tomorrow afternoon.
A. is B. are C. was D. were
