Researchers found that people become happier and experience less worry after they reach the age of fifty. In fact, they say by the age of eighty-five, people are happier with their life than they were when they were eighteen years old.
The findings came from a survey of more than 340,000 adults in the United States. The Gallup(民意调查) Organization questioned them by telephone in 2010. At that time, the people were between the ages of eighteen and eighty-five.
The researchers asked questions about emotions like happiness, sadness and worry. They also asked about mental or emotional stress.
Arthur Stone at Stony Brook University in New York led the study. His team found that levels of stress were highest among adults between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-five. The findings showed that stress levels dropped sharply after people reached their fifties. Happiness was highest among the youngest adults and those in their early seventies. The people least likely to report feeling negative emotions were those in their seventies and eighties.
Researchers say they do not know why happiness increases as people get older. One theory is that, as people grow older, they grow more thankful for what they have and have better control of their emotions. They also spend less time thinking about bad experiences.
Professor Stone says the emotional patterns could be linked to changes in how people see the world, or maybe even changes in brain chemistry.
The researchers also considered possible influences like having young children, being unemployed or being single. But they found that influences like these did not affect the levels of happiness and well-being related to age.
The study also showed that men and women have similar emotional patterns as they grow older. However, women at all ages reported more sadness, stress and worry than men.
1.
What can be the best title of the text?
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A．Happiness Varies with Ages |
B．Experience More, Worry Less |
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C．The Older, the Wiser |
D．Being Young, Being Happy |
2.
We can learn from the research that _________.
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A．only when people get older will they feel happier |
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B．stress levels among the youngest are the highest |
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C．older people tend to be grateful |
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D．older people usually have no worries |
3.
According to the research, when people get older, _________.
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A．they miss the old days |
B．they are physically weak |
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C．they have better self-control |
D．they are more emotional |
4.
What would the author probably talk about next?
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A．What influences happiness. |
B．How to live better. |
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C．How to keep happier. |
D．Why women are less happier. |
5.
The purpose of the passage is to _________.
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A．advise how to reduce stress |
B．introduce a scientific finding |
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C．describe how to do research |
D．talk about human emotions |
A woman renewing her driver’s license at the County Clerk’s office was asked to state her occupation．She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself．
“What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “do you have a job, or are you just a …”
“Of course I have a job,” said Emily．“I’m a mother.”
“We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation… ‘housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder.
One day I found myself in the same situation．The clerk was obviously a career woman, confident and possessed of a high sounding title．“What is your occupation?” she asked．
The words simply popped out．“I’m a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”
The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair.
I repeated the title slowly, and then I stared with wonder as my statement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
“Might I ask, ” said the clerk with new interest, “Just what you do in this field?”
Coolly, without any trace of panic in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn’t）, in the lab and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out)．Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?), and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it)．But the job is more challenging than most careers and rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and showed me out．
As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up (依托) by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants---ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (a 6 month old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern．
I felt proud! I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable (不可缺少的) to mankind than “just another mother.”
Motherhood…What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title on the door.
1.
What can we infer from the conversation between the woman and the recorder at the beginning of the passage?
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A．The woman felt ashamed to admit what her job was. |
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B．The recorder was impatient and rude. |
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C．The author was upset about the situation that mothers faced. |
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D．Motherhood was not recognized and respected as a job by society. |
2.
How did the female clerk feel at first when the author told her occupation?
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A．curious |
B．indifferent |
C．puzzled |
D．interested |
3.
How did the author feel when describing her job to the clerk?
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A．calm |
B．panic-stricken |
C．confident |
D．cool |
4.
Why did the woman clerk show more respect for the author?
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A．Because the author cared little about rewards. |
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B．Because she admired the author’s research work in the lab. |
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C．Because she thought the author did admirable work. |
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D．Because the writer did something she had little knowledge of. |
5.
What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?
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A．To show how you describe your job affects your feelings toward it. |
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B．To argue that motherhood is a worthy career and deserves respect. |
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C．To show that the author had a grander job than Emily. |
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D．To show that being a mother is hard and boring work． |
Four years ago,an accident took my wife away and I had to take care of our youny child . There was one particular night, when I had an __36__ at work. Therefore, I __37_ cooked an egg and left my sleepy child alone at home.
It was very late when I __38__. With just a brief hug and kiss for my child, I went stright into the room, without having dinner. __39__, when I jumped into my bed , all I heard and felt was broken sounds and __40__ liquid. I opened my blanket, and there _41__ the source of the “problem”—a broken bowl with noodels and a mess on the bed.
I was so _42_ that I rushed into Loe’s room and gave him a good spanking. He __43__ cried but didn’t ask for mercy, except a short explanation.
“Dad, I was _44__, but you were not back yet, so I wanted to cook some noodles.But I remembered that you __45_ me not to touch or use the kitchen without any __46__ around; therefore, I __47__ the shower and used the hot water to cook the noodles.However, I was __48__ that the noodles would turn cold, so I put it under the__49__ to keep it warm __50__ you return. But I forgot to remind you.”
I went towards my son to give him a(n) __51__ hug and asked him to sleep. Then I began to _52__ the mess on the bed. When everthing was done, I passed my son’s room, and saw that he was still __53__ while looking at his mother’s photo.He cried not for the __54__ on his little body. After this _55__, I have tried to give him both the love of dad and mum.
1.
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A．accident |
B．emergency |
C．action |
D．excuse |
2.
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A．easily |
B．slowly |
C．carefully |
D．hurriedly |
3.
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A．returned |
B．left |
C．completed |
D．remembered |
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4. |
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5.
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A．warm |
B．cold |
C．smelly |
D．boiling |
6.
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A．found |
B．lay |
C．formed |
D．linked |
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7. |
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8.
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A．merely |
B．never |
C．hardly |
D．really |
9.
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A．thirsty |
B．hungry |
C．curious |
D．anxious |
10.
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A．threatened |
B．reminded |
C．astonished |
D．suggested |
11.
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A．child |
B．partner |
C．adult |
D．friend |
12.
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A．put on |
B．picked up |
C．set off |
D．turned on |
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13. |
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14.
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A．desk |
B．blanket |
C．chair |
D．bed |
15.
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A．after |
B．if |
C．till |
D．unless |
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16. |
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17.
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A．clear up |
B．put down |
C．take on |
D．send off |
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18. |
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19.
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A．wound |
B．effect |
C．comfort |
D．pain |
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20. |
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Tom hurried to school only to find that there was none because it was Sunday and he _____to school.
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A．couldn’t have gone |
B．needn’t have gone |
C．mustn’t go |
D．needn’t go |
There is little time left, so the chairman asked me to _____my speech to 20 minutes.
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A．make |
B．give |
C．limit |
D．explain |
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Most people have some regret that they just can’t seem to get rid of. But holding on to regret about the past that can’t be changed can have a bad impact on the possibility of a happy future. Regret is a waste of time, emotion and energy. To make sure that your life is a successful one, you need to take action to live in a way that you have no regret holding you back.
Some people make very big decisions with very little consideration at all, and as a result they often regret their decisions. Before choosing a college major, getting married or accepting a job, you must carefully consider all conditions and make a conscious decision rather than a careless one. Big decisions aren’t the only ones that require forethought, though. Before you become angry and say something you will regret later, think about what you’re going to say.
Some of things will be easy to do and some will be hard, but keep your eyes on the prize of living a successful life without regret, and you’ll find that achieving your goals might be easier than you think. But don’t just daydream about those goals — make an actual list, written down in black and white, and refer to it now and then to see what you have left to do.
When you’re feeling happy and full of energy, taking care of yourself isn’t a problem. But in those days when you feel like crawling beneath the bed and never coming out again, you still must take care of yourself. You can do what you want and don’t get angry with yourself about your shortcomings. On the contrary, you just admit them and try to change them and move on. Improving your mental health is just as important as taking care of yourself physically.
Keep those who are important to you very close and be sure to let them know how important they are to you. Family, friends, co-workers and people who are as close as your families are your lifelines that you can depend on whenever you need them to help you remember what’s important in life. You should make sure of repairing your relationships with your friends if something bad happens.
Last but not least, learn to give yourself some relaxation（放松） and not to waste your time regretting things you cannot change. Treat those things properly and move on. Life is hard, but it is precious. Don’t waste time regretting the past, or your future will get here before you know it.
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Title |
Living without regret |
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Theme |
Regret is a normal part of life. What you should do is to take action to make your life a 1.__________ without regret. |
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2.__________ for getting rid of regret |
▲Regret about the past can greatly 3.__________ your possible happy future. ▲Regret wastes time, emotion and energy. |
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4.__________ |
5.__________ twice before you act. |
Take everything into 6.__________ consideration before making decisions or saying something. |
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List the things you want to do. |
▲Focus your eyes on the things which will bring you happiness. ▲Put your7.__________ into practice. |
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Take care of yourself. |
Make sure that you are in good8.__________ both physically and mentally. |
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Keep close relationships. |
Keep close to those who are 9.__________ to you. |
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Don’t care about small things. |
Don’t regret things that cannot be 10.__________ and treasure the present-day life. |
