Bad moods can actually be good for you, with an Australian study finding that being sad makes people less gullible (轻信), improves their ability to judge others and also boosts memory.
The study, authored by psychology professor Joseph Forgas at the University of New South Wales, showed that people in a negative mood were more critical of, and paid more attention to, their surroundings than happier people, who were more likely to believe anything they were told.
"Although positive mood seems to promote creativity, flexibility, cooperation, and reliance on mental shortcuts, negative moods trigger (引发) more attentive, careful thinking, paying greater attention to the external world," Forgas wrote.
"Our research suggests that sadness ... promotes information processing strategies best suited to dealing with more demanding situations."
For the study, Forgas and his team conducted several experiments that started with inducing happy or sad moods in their subjects through watching films and recalling positive or negative events.
In one of the experiments, happy and sad participants were asked to judge the truth of urban myths and rumors and found that people in a negative mood were less likely to believe these statements.
People in a bad mood were also less likely to make snap decisions based on racial or religious prejudices, and they were less likely to make mistakes when asked to recall an event that they witnessed.
The study also found that sad people were better at stating their case through written arguments, which Forgas said showed that a "mildly negative mood may actually promote a more concrete, accommodative and ultimately more successful communication style."
"Positive mood is not universally desirable: people in negative mood are less prone to judgmental errors, are more resistant to eyewitness distortions（扭曲）and are better at producing high-quality, effective persuasive messages," Forgas wrote.
The study was published in the November/December edition of the Australian Science journal.
1._ The study suggests that when someone is in a bad mood, he ________ .
A. is particular about everything B. shows less concern about others
C. is willing to believe what he hears D. cares more about his surroundings
2._Which of the following is connected with positive mood?
A. New ideas. B. Being stubborn. C. Being careful. D. Concentration.
3._ How did researcher put the subjects in good or bad moods?
A. By watching sports programs. B. By listening to happy or sad stories.
C. By dealing with demanding situations. D. By thinking back on their past experience.
4._ Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
A. Positive mood leads to better judgement.
B. Sad people remembered what they saw precisely.
C. Cheerful people were less likely to believe rumors.
D. People in bad mood tend to make quick decisions.
5._The author intends to convince(说服) us that __________ .
A. Joseph Forgas made a great discovery B. bad moods can actually be good for us
C. we should think positively and negatively D. the Australian study is of practical value
The easy way out isn't always easiest. I learned that lesson when I decided to treat Doug, my husband of one month, to a special meal. I glanced through my cookbook and chose a menu(菜谱) which included homemade bread. Knowing the bread would take time , I started on it as soon as Doug left for work. As I was not experienced in cooking, I thought if a dozen was good, two dozens would be better, so I doubled（加倍）everything. As Doug loved oranges, I also opened a can of orange and poured it all into the bowl. Soon there was a sticky dough (面团) covered with ugly yellowish marks. Realizing I had been defeated, I put the dough in the rubbish bin outside so I wouldn't have to face Doug laughing at my work. I went on preparing the rest of the meal, and, when Doug got home , we sat down to eat Cornish chicken with rice. He tried to enjoy the meal but seemed disturbed. Twice he got up and went outside , saying he thought he heard a noise. The third time he left, I went to the windows to see what he was doing. Looking out, I saw Doug standing about three feet from the rubbish bin, holding the lid up with a stick and looking into the container. When I came out of the house, he dropped the stick and explained that there was something alive in our rubbish bin. Picking up the stick again, he held the lid up enough for me to see. I felt cold. But I stepped closer and looked harder. Without doubt it was my work. The hot sun had caused the dough to double in size and the fermenting yeast (酵母)made the surface shake and sigh as though it were breathing. It looked like some unknown being from outer space. I could see why Doug was so shaken. I had to admit what the “living thing” was and why it was there. I don't know who was more embarrassed(尴尬)by the whole thing -- Doug or me.
1._The writer's purpose in writing this story is ___________
A. to tell an interesting experience
B. to show the easiest way out of a difficulty
C. to describe the trouble facing a newly married woman
D. to explain the difficulty of learning to cook from books
2._ Why did the woman's attempt at making the bread turn out to be unsuccessful?
A. The canned orange had gone bad. B. She didn't use the right kind of flour.
C. The cookbook was hard to understand. D. She did not follow the directions closely.
3._ Why did the woman put the dough in the rubbish bin?
A. She didn't see the use of keeping it B. She meant to joke with her husband.
C. She didn't want her husband to see it . D. She hoped it would soon dry in the sun.
4._ What made the dough in the rubbish bin look frightening?
A. The rising and falling movement. B. The strange-looking marks.
C. Its shape. D. Its size.
5._ When Doug went out the third time, the woman looked out of the window because she was ____.
A. surprised at his being interested in the bin B. afraid that he would discover her secret
C. unhappy that he didn't enjoy the meal D. curious to know what disturbed him
In 1883, an imaginative engineer named John Roebling decided to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with Long Island. However, bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was a pipe dream. It was not practical. It had never been done before.
But Roebling refused to listen to them. He thought about the bridge day and night and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. After much discussion and persuasion he convinced his son Washington, who was a promising engineer himself, that the bridge in fact could be built.
Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished. With great excitement, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.
The project started well, but several months after it began, a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was so seriously injured that he was never able to walk, talk or even move again.
"We told them so", "Crazy men and their crazy dreams", "It's foolish to chase wild visions", the critics said and most thought the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever.
Washington's wife tried to inspire and pass on her husband's enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. As he lay in his hospital room, an idea suddenly hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this finger and tapping it on his wife's arm, he slowly developed a code to communicate with her. Then he used this method to tell his wife what the engineers should do. It seemed crazy but the project was under way again. For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed.
Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances.
1._ What did most people think about Roebling's idea to build the bridge?
A. It would never become a reality. B. Washington was not experienced enough.
C. It would take a lot of time. D. Finding the money would be impossible.
2._The underlined word `daunted' (para. 6) is closest in meaning to '______'.
A. unpleasant B. scared C. amazed D. determined
3._ Which of the following shows the correct order of the events that happened in the story?
a. Roebling convinced his son.
b. Washington found a new way to communicate.
c. They hired the crew.
d. The bridge was completed.
e. Roebling wanted to build a bridge.
f. There was a tragic accident.
A. e, a, c, f, d, b B. e, a, f, b, c, d C. e, f, a, b, c, d D. e, a, c, f, b, d
4._ What can we learn about Washington's wife?
A. She knew sign language very well.
B. She was devoted to her husband.
C. She developed a code to communicate with her husband.
D. She helped her husband design the plan.
5._ What does the story tell us?
A. Success will come with the passing of time.
B. Struggles are exactly what we need in our lives.
C. Even the most distant dream can be realised with a never-say-die attitude.
D. The people who make a difference in our life should be remembered forever.
语法填空（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）
阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法和上下文连贯的要求，在空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空，并将答案填写在答题卡标号为46～55的相应位置上。
Americans love pets. In America, there are more families with pets 1. those with children. It is common __2.__ U.S. homes have some sort of pets, such as monkeys, snakes and even wolves. But Americans’ all-time favorites are cats and dogs, because dogs can offer protection from thieves and unwelcome visitors and cats can help get rid __3. the home unwanted pests. Beneath keeping pets, there lies a basic American belief: Pets have a right to be treated well. In Houston, Texas, dogs can have their dinner __4.__ (deliver) to their homes, just like pizza. Pets can even go with 5._owners on vacation. Besides, at least 75 animal welfare organizations exist in America which provide care and adoption services for _6.__ (home) and ill-treated animals. To pay for the high-tech health care, people can buy health insurance 7.___ their pets. Pets are _8.___ basic to American culture as hot dogs or apple pie. By now researchers _9.___ (discover) that interacting with animals lowers a person's blood pressure. Pets even encourage social relationships: They give their owners an appearance of friendliness, and they provide _10._ good topic of conversation.
完形填空 (共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从下列各题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
"I am going to have a dance performance tonight." Mary ran towards me with a rare bright smile on her face, saying, “I hope you'll come. ” She left 31 , disappearing in the throngs of people quickly.
I could hardly believe my ears, for Mary was a quite ordinary girl. I had never seen her 32 or wearing attractive clothes, moreover, she always wore her big black-frame glasses.
I arrived at the hall with the ticket, and found my seat. Her performance was the seventh one. I knew I would suffer from a hard time before her 33 , for I had no 34 of art, but her performance was worth 35 , no matter how long I would wait for. Time went slowly, I 36 not to fall asleep.
Finally it came Mary’s turn. I opened my eyes as large as possible, 37 to lose anything. Wearing a golden and shining skirt, Mary appeared on the glorious stage. Her dress went well with the brilliant lights. I could feel all the audience in the hall 38 their eyes on her and it was also 39 for me to remove my sights from her. 40 with a charming smile, she looked like a pretty butterfly flying on the splendid 41 . After all the performances ended, I waited for her at the gate.
"Hi!" She stood in front of me with a bag and her crystal high-heeled shoes in her hands, and dressed as she used to be, but the making-up still could be seen. I expressed 42 to her. "I knew it would be wonderful." She could not hide her 43 , laughing like a child. Her crystal shoes were shinning in the wonderful 44 night. Suddenly I 45 that every girl has a pair of special shoes like the crystal shoes of Cinderella.
1. A. hurriedly B. worriedly C. surprisedly D. contentedly
2. A. taking up B. making up C. coming up D. getting up
3. A. time B. chance C. turn D. occasion
4. A. request B. need C. use D. sense
5. A. watching B. reading C. listening D. looking
6. A. handled B. dealt C. fought D. struggled
7. A. fearing B. wishing C. wondering D. ordering
8. A. attended B. absorbed C. fixed D. pointed
9. A. right B. easy C. wrong D. hard
10. A. Singing B. Practising C. Playing D. Dancing
11.A. stage B. hall C. house D. gate
12. A. thanks B. wishes C. congratulations D. apologies
13. A. sadness B. excitement C. enjoyment D. eagerness
14. A. starry B. rainy C. cloudy D. stormy
15. A. thought B. realized C. expected D. supposed
The food in this restaurant is very good. You can’t find ______ restaurant in this town.
A. the better B. a better C. a best D. the best
