Your living room
Feng shui is all about balance. Try to arrange sofas and chairs in a square around a circular table. Avoid an L-shaped arrangement as this leaves a missing corner. The centre of the living room should be left clear. Make sure there is a lot of light, which will promote good energy.
Put plants in the corners of the room, as they attract good energy and will energize your health, but not ones with sharp leaves such as yuccas or cactus. Fresh flowers also bring good energy, but throw them away as soon as they begin to die, and don’t have dried flowers.
Mirrors are vital because they reflect energy. Round or oval ones are best, but they should not be opposite each other, nor should they reflect a door, otherwise your good fortune will go out of it.
To promote harmony between the members of your family, have photos of them around the room, preferably smiling. If you want to find a partner, energize the south-west corner of your living room or bedroom by placing a floor light at least 1.75m high there, and turn it on every evening. Surround yourself with decorations and objects in pairs, such as ducks or birds.
To avoid blocking the positive energy in the room, keep everything tidy. Don’t accumulate too many unnecessary things. Take a look at every object, and ask yourself, “Do I really need it? Do I really like it?” If the answer is no, get rid of it.
Your bedroom
You should have the head of your bed placed against a wall, as this gives you a sense of security. Avoid having a bed under a window, as you are exposed to danger and bad energy from outside. If this is impossible, use blinds or heavy curtains to cover the window. Never sleep in a place where you can’t see the door—you should always be able to see someone who’s coming in.
Avoid hanging pictures or lights above your bed, as this leads to a subconscious feeling of threat. Don’t put mirrors opposite the bed either, as they “break up” the image, and therefore the relationship reflected in them.
Keep lighting low and soft, and decorate preferably with dark colors. Do not hang paintings of fierce animals, abstract subjects, or water in the bedroom. Water is very good elsewhere, but in the bedroom it suggests financial loss. Make sure you never put plants in the bedroom, and don’t have a TV facing the bed, or at least cover it when it is not in use.
Your study
Don’t use the same room for your bedroom and your study, as the different energies will be in conflict. If you have to do this, try to separate the areas either symbolically with plants, or with a screen. Put away piles of files or unfinished work—don’t leave them on your desk. Being tidy promotes positive energy. Wherever you study make sure your desk is in the north-east corner, especially if you are preparing for exams, as this area symbolizes education.
A bookcase is bad feng shui, as its sharp corners generate negative “arrows”, and if you have one you ought to put a climbing plant on it to avoid this effect. Cupboards are better than open shelves.
1. As for lights, which of the following statements is false?
A.A partner may come with a tall burning floor light in the south-west corner of your room.
B.Good energy can be promoted if there is a lot of light in the living room.
C.Bright lighting in the bedroom can light your mood.
D.It is not a good idea to hang lights above your bed.
2.A bed should be put according to the following rules EXCEPT .
A.the head of your bed should be placed against a wall
B.having a bed under a window should be avoided
C.mirrors should not be opposite the bed
D.your bed can’t face the door for the sake of privacy
3.To avoid bad luck, the author will probably agree with the statement that .
A.it is economical to sleep and study in the same room
B.fresh flowers ought to be put on the bookcase with sharp corners
C.blinds or heavy curtains can be used to cover the window if your bed is under a window
D.you can accumulate items as you please
4. Which do you think is the best title for the passage?
A.Feng shui—a magical power.
B.How does positive and negative energy come to you?
C.Change your room to change your life.
D.How to reorganize your furniture.
The teacher was leaving the village, and everybody seemed sorry. The miller lent him the small cart and horse to carry his goods to Christminster, the city of his destination. Such a vehicle proved of quite enough size of the teacher’s belongings, for his only article, in addition to the packing-case of books, was a piano that he had bought when he thought of learning instrumental music. But the eagerness having faded, he had never acquired the skill of playing, and the purchased article had been a permanent trouble to him.
The headmaster had gone away for the day, being a man who disliked the sight of changes. He didn’t mean to return till the evening, when the new teacher would have arrived, and everything would be smooth again.
The blacksmith, the carpenter and the teacher were standing in confused attitudes in the sitting room before the instrument. The teacher had remarked that even if he got it into the cart he should not know what to do with it on his arrival at Christminster, since he was only going into a temporary place just at first.
A little boy of eleven, who had been assisting in the packing, joined the group of men, and said, “Aunt has got a fuel-house, and it could be put there, perhaps, till you’ve found a place to settle in, sir.”
“Good idea,” said the blacksmith. The smith and the carpenter started to see about possibility of the suggested shelter, and the boy and the teacher were left standing alone.
“Sorry I am going, Jude?” asked the latter kindly.
Tears rose into the boy’s eyes. He admitted that he was sorry.
“So am I,” said the teacher. He continued, “Well---don’t speak of this everywhere. You know what a university is, and a university degree? It is the necessary hallmark(标志) of a man who want to do anything in teaching. My plan, or dream, is to be a university graduate. By going to Christminster, I shall be at headquarters(总部), so to speak, and if my plan is practical at all, I consider that being on the spot will afford me a better chance.”
The smith and his companion returned. Old Miss Fawly’s fuel-house was big enough, and she seemed willing to give the instrument standing-room there. So it was left in the school till the evening, when more hands would be available for removing it; and the teacher gave a final glance round.
1.The teacher purchased the instrument to ___________________.
A.teach his students instrumental music
B.better equip the village school
C.learn to play it himself
D.let students appreciate elegant art of music
2. It seemed that the teacher __________________.
A.was not getting on well with the headmaster
B.had lived a rather simple life in the village
C.was likely to continue to practise playing the piano
D.was tired of teaching
3. Why did the teacher leave for Christminster?
A.Because he was admitted to a university there.
B.Because he was offered a temporary job with better pay there.
C.Because he preferred the life in a big city to that in a village.
D.Because he thought he had better chance to attend university there.
4.Which of the following can be inferred from the text?
A.The teacher was torn between the eagerness to go to the city and his love for the village.
B.The teacher was going into a temporary place in Christminster at first.
C.The teacher moved his piano into the fuel-house with the help of some other people.
D.The teacher had so much belongings that he had to borrow a cart.
5.The motivation of the teacher’s moving lay in his ___________.
A.devotion B.admiration C.inspiration D.ambition
完形填空(共20小题;每小题1分;满分20分)
My name is Amy. I’m a 25-year-old graduate student who likes yoga, home-decorating shows and eating spoonfuls of peanut butter 1 from the jar. Oh yeah, and I’m an iPhone addict.
I wasn’t always an addict. In fact, for many years I told myself I didn’t want a 2 cellphone. They seemed like too much work, always beeping, ringing and 3 attention. I was 4 content with my simple antique (古董,此处指旧手机), and I didn’t expect to change my mind any time soon.
However, about a year ago, I found myself envious of all those proud iPhone owners, cradling their shiny new phones and 5 all their friends. I started listening secretly to conversations about “iPhone apps”, feeling like a 6 listening to a language I couldn’t speak.
Eventually I couldn’t 7 my iPhone instinct (本能) any longer, and I welcomed my new iPhone into my life.
To my surprise, I suddenly found myself with a whole new circle of friends. They 8 my iPhone-related inquiries when my other friends couldn’t, and didn’t 9 when I bragged about (吹嘘) all the things little Eloise (yes, I named her) could do.
However, I realized I had a problem when one day I found myself Google-mapping my way to my mailbox, which happens to be right outside my front door.
When I 10 the past few months, I couldn’t believe I didn’t see this coming. All the 11 signs were there. Eloise slept right beside me and was the first thing I 12 in the morning. I 13 my e-mail about 20 times a day. I also experienced 14 when I left poor Eloise in the change room at the gym. 15 she beeped and needed my response?
Okay, so I was addicted to my iPhone.
I decided 16 had to be done. But, as I quickly realized, iPhones are like 17 and not easy to quit.
Then, while taking the bus to work one day, I was 18 forced to quit—at least 19 . When I reached into my purse to grab Eloise, (to refer to my e-mail for only the seventh time that morning), I found her 20 by fever. She was so hot that I dropped her immediately back into my bag. When I picked her up again, she was gone.
1. A.straight B.excitedly C.hurriedly D.randomly
2. A.faithful B.fancy C.fragile D.curious
3. A.demanding B.attempting C.rejecting D.paying
4. A.partly B.frequently C.perfectly D.gradually
5. A.showing them off to B.impressing them on
C.discussing them with D.recommending them to
6. A.farmer B.tourist C.native D.worker
7. A.inspect B.submit C.ignore D.confirm
8. A.turned down B.laughed at C.comment on D.responded to
9. A.roll their eyes B.open their mouths
C.wave their hands D.nod their heads
10. A.rest on B.reflect upon
C.settle down D.concentrate on
11. A.funny B.guilty C.warning D.positive
12. A.dream of B.came across
C.glanced through D.reached for
13. A.checked B.wrote C.delivered D.deleted
14. A.happiness B.anxiety
C.starvation D.disappointment
15. A.How when B.How about C.What if D.In case
16. A.nothing B.anything C.everything D.something
17. A.cigarettes B.coffee C.books D.milk
18. A.instantly B.unexpectedly
C.completely D.surprisingly
19. A.permanently B.unwillingly
C.temporarily D.accidentally
20. A.drowned B.removed C.exploded D.overcome
---Three people got killed by two explosions.
---When was __________?
---________ was on April 15 __________ the 2013 Boston Marathon was being held.
A.that; It; when B.this; This; that
C.this; It; when D.that; It; that
Police have asked witnesses of the accident to ___________, as the victim is critically wounded, unable to give an account of the accident.
A.come by B.come across C.come forward D.come on
I do believe that all the Senior 3 students in our school will do well in the coming college entrance examination, __________?
A.will they B.won't they C.don't I D.do you