How to be happier in life
Create a plan for yourself
1. Sometimes it’s not about realizing the goal, but the hard work you put to get there. Therefore, the harder you work the better you will feel about yourself because you will feel better about going after something you like.
Surround yourself with positive people
This is often the hardest part of being happy, knowing the people you hang around may not be best for you, choose to be with happy and positive people, who support you to realize your goal. 2.
3.When something goes wrong, or you fail at something, don’t give up trying. People who are happy accept the failures as a learning experience and move on. 4. When that happens, you will know all of the efforts you have made are not useless. Never be beaten by failures.
Appreciate what/who you have
Don’t ignore the great things you have in life. Take a few minutes each day to think about the wonderful things, people, children, pets that are part of your life. 5. It also will change your feelings on bad days.
A.If you are around people who are happy with their life, you will have this feeling as well.
B.Failure is certain to happen.
C.You can have a million failures; all you need is one great success moment.
D.Try to be successful and you will be happier.
E.Create a realistic plan for goals that you feel will make you happy.
F.These few minutes will give you the opportunity to focus on the good things in your life.
G.Make a goal easily.
There was once a forest made up of tiny trees that were all growing up together. They had been planted by a very old gardener who took care that they would all grow up to be straight and healthy. However, the area was hit by strong winds, and the little trees preferred to avoid the annoying winds, so they bent(弯) their trunks (树干) and branches to protect themselves.
The old man, knowing they could never grow well like this, decided to straighten them out, and spent many hours tying their tiny trunks to supporting poles(杆), hoping his beloved trees would understand he was doing this for their own good. But those naughty trees disliked all the wind. They always avoided the gardener’s help by bending themselves, hiding from the wind. One of those trees, one standing right in the middle of the forest, forced itself to grow up straight, patiently bearing the annoying wind.
Three years passed, and the old man died. And from then on the trees could grow however they liked, bending from the wind just as they pleased, with no one bothering them about it. All, that was, except the single straight tree in the center of the forest, who decided to grow up just as a tree should.
But as the forest grew, and the trees got thicker and stronger, they began to hear cracks(破裂声) from inside. Their branches and trunks needed to keep growing, but the trees were so twisted that the growth they were experiencing only brought them pain and suffering.
And it was a place with a special beauty since, right in its center, surrounded by thousands of short twisted trees, rose one impressive tree that was long and straight like no others. And that tree, the only one that never cracked, continued growing, without a worry for the changeable wind.
1.Why did the trees bend their trunks and branches?
A.Because the gardener often touched them.
B.Because the wind were not strong.
C.Because they protected themselves from being destroyed.
D.Because they were very shy and afraid to meet the wind.
2.What can we infer from Paragraph 2?
A.The gardener was kind and treated the trees well.
B.The trees disliked the gardener.
C.The gardener was cruel to the trees.
D.The trees were all naughty.
3.How long did the old gardener look after the trees?
A. Two years. B. Three years.
C. Four years. D. Five years.
4. We can learn from the fourth paragraph that .
A. the trees lived happily
B. the trees liked to stay with each other
C. the trees missed the old gardener
D. the trees suffered from their actions
Dear Mr. Smith,
I currently rent (租) APT #832 in the Canyon Crossing apartments. Overall, I am happy with the location. At the beginning I had planned to live here for at least two years. I like here.
However, I am very disappointed in that there seems to be a terrible roach (蟑螂) problem. I can’t invite any guest over because of this problem and I cannot recommend (推荐) Canyon Crossing to any of my classmates either.
I have left two voice mails for you which are concerned with this problem. You have not returned either one. Therefore, this letter is my next step in hoping to solve the problem. I am kindly asking you to ask an exterminator (灭蟑人) by July 15th. If you fail to do so, I will have no choice but to make a complaint to the BBB (Better Business Bureau).
You are welcome to text me anytime at (435) 234-3452. I hope this problem will be solved soon.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely, Unhappy Ursula
Dear Sir,
I am a new resident (居民) at Sunning Court. I have seen the condition of the building becoming worse and worse since I moved here last year.
First of all, the management of the building is really terrible. Sometimes, there is a bad smell when I walk on the road. I see much rubbish there. No cleaners clean the rubbish. Many roaches and rats run around the building.
My second problem is about the security (安全). I always see the guards reading newspapers or smoking when they are on duty. The security room is very dusty too. When I want to use the phone, they say, “We can’t help.”
I am therefore writing to demand your company’s action to improve the situation. Thank you for your consideration.
Yours faithfully,
Chris Wong
1.What’s the major problem that Ursula is facing now?
A. She is being troubled by roaches in her apartment.
B. The exterminator fails to kill the roaches on time.
C. She has become more afraid of roaches than before.
D. She can’t find a cheap and comfortable apartment.
2.The first letter is most probably written by .
A. a student B. an exterminator
C. a housekeeper D. a BBB official
3.How does Chris Wong feel about his living conditions at Sunning Court now? .
A. A bit confused B. Quite frightened
C. Really excited D. Very disappointed
The Pickup
Nadine Gordimer
The book talks about the love between an Arab man and a white South African woman. They come from very different cultures with very different ways of looking at the world.
List price: $16.00
Price: $11.30
You save: $4.70(29%)
Publisher: Picador
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right
Atul Gawande
The modern world has given us huge know-how. Yet failures continue to influence us in health care, government, the law, the financial industry and so on. And the reason is simple: there is so much knowledge that it is hard for people to fully command it. Atul Gawande makes an argument that we can do better, using the simplest of methods: the checklist.
List price: $15.00
Price: $ 11.76
You save: $3.24(21%)
Publisher: Picador
Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer
Micheal White
Micheal White tells the colorful life of the world’s first modern scientist. Interesting yet based on fact. Micheal White’s learned yet readable new book offers a true picture of Newton completely different from what people commonly know about him. Newton is shown as a great scientist with very human weaknesses who stood at the point in history where magic ended and science began.
List price: $19.95
Price: $15.01
You save: $4.94(25%)
Publisher: Basic Books
1.Who has written a book that talks about cultural differences?
A. Micheal White. B. Adrian Vickers.
C. Atul Gawande. D. Nadine Gordimer.
2.What do The Pickup and The Checklist Manifesto have in common?
A. They have the same price cut.
B. Their list prices are the same.
C. Their authors are introduced in detail.
D. They share the same publisher.
3. In the book Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer Newton _____.
A. is a great but not perfect man
B. lives a meaningful and colorful life
C. is the same as what we commonly know
D. is an old-time gifted scientist and magician
4.Which of the following books offers the biggest price cut?
A. The pickup.
B. Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer.
C. A History of Modern Indonesia.
D. The Checklist Manifesto : How to Get Things Right
English, as we all know, is considered as the universal language. It is spoken all over the world. However, you will also notice that people all over the world are using different types of English. Let’s take a closer look at these two popular types: UK and US English. Even if both types of English are wildly used, there are some differences that will be worth knowing to find out the type of English that you are using.
US English is what we know as the American English which is wildly used in the United States. UK English, on the other hand, is known as the British English. Some also call it the BBC English since it is the English used by British reporters, and another name for it is the Queen’s English.
In terms of vocabulary, some words in US English may mean something different in the UK English. For example, the word biscuit for the British means baked sweet or salty cake that is hard when baked and softened over time; while in the US it is a quick bread served with salty foods.
With regards to pronunciation, American English is more nasal (鼻音的). Stress (重音) is also another difference to consider. Just like in the word princess, British stress the second syllable (音节) while Americans stress the first.
Spelling is another area of difference. American English spelling is more simple. Example of which includes, color for the US and colour for the UK, same goes with honor and honour. The doubling of letters in words is another good example. It will be traveler in the US and traveller in the UK. The use of “-og” instead of “-ogue” in word such as dialog and dialogue or catalog and catalogue.
1.What can be the best title for the passage?
A.Similarity between US English and UK English
B.Difference between US English and UK English
C.The future of US English and UK English
D.The history of US and UK English
2.What does the underlined word “it” refer to according to Paragraph 2?
A The British English.
B The American English.
C The BBC.
D The Queen of UK.
3.he word biscuit in UK English refers to the cake which may be finally.
A.sweet and hard
B.salty and sweet
C.hard and salty
D.salty and soft
4.Which of the following may belong to UK English?
A. Color. B. Traveler.
C. Dialog. D. Catalogue.
A long time ago there lived a poor slave （奴隶）whose name was Aesop. He was a man with a large head and bright big eyes. When Aesop was about 20, his master (主人) a lot of money and had to sell his slaves. To do this, he to take them to a large where there was a slave market. The city was far away. The slaves must the whole distance and there were a number of bags for them to carry. “ your bags, boys,” said the master. “There is one for each of you.”
Aesop at once chose the one. The other slaves laughed at him and said he was . But he threw it upon his shoulders and seemed very . The next day, the laugh was the other way. For the bag Aesop had chosen was filled with the for the whole party. After all had eaten three meals from it, it was much lighter. And before the end of the journey Aesop had nothing to carry the other slaves were suffering under their heavy bags.
“This is a fellow,” said the master. “The man who will buy him must pay a price.”
A very rich man, named Xanthus, Aesop and took him to his home in Samos. Soon the little slave became known for his . He often told some funny stories that taught some great truth to his master and his master’s friends. They how Aesop could have thought of them.
His master was so much with him that he gave him . Aesop was no longer a slave. Many great men were glad to call him their friend, and kings asked his advice and were amused by his stories.
1.A. small B. strong C. tall D. weak
2.A. spared B. borrowed C. spent D. lost
3.A. happened B. decided C. agreed D. hoped
4.A. community B. country C. city D. village
5.A. cover B. recognize C. finish D. walk
6.A. Find B. Choose C. Check D. Prepare
7.A. largest B. most useful C. most important D. lightest
8.A. strange B. careless C. foolish D. selfish
9.A. worried B. uncomfortable C. angryD. confident
10.A. goods B. food C. water D. clothes
11.A. while B. although C. until D. because
12.A. calm B. grateful C. wise D. dishonest
13.A. low B. fair C. frequent D. high
14.A. saved B. bought C. accepted D. knew
15.A. cleverness B. bravery C. work D. skills
16.A. encourage B. amuse C. change D. help
17.A. ignored B. imagined C. wondered D. guessed
18.A. bored B. impatientC. strict D. pleased
19.A. freedom B. attention C. praise D. expression
20.A. yet B. ever C. even D. still
