If practicing an attitude of gratitude (感激) during the storms of life is too much for you right now, that’s OK. When things are tough, most people have a hard time being thankful. They’re so caught up in what’s wrong in the present moment that they simply can’t see some things are still right.
If that’s true for you, then accept it. You’re going through a particularly difficult or unhappy period of time, and you don’t like it one bit. Very normal, very human. But remember this: there is always something to be grateful for. It may be only a small comfort right now, but it is a start. Make a list of some of the terrible things that didn’t happen. For example:
You’re in debt ... but you’re not homeless.
You lost your job ... but you didn’t lose your health.
You broke your leg … but you didn’t break your neck.
Your mother has Alzheimer’s disease ... but your father doesn’t.
No matter how bad things are, they could always be worse. Start finding gratitude for what might have happened, but didn’t. It does help a lot. Of course, you may not be thankful for everything — but you can always be thankful for something.
1.How many “terrible things that didn’t happen” are listed in this passage?
A. Two. B. Three. C. Four. D. Five.
2.The writer thinks it ______ for people to feel unhappy in time of difficulty.
A. necessary B. normal
C. great D. helpful
3.What is the purpose of this passage?
A. To discuss ways to make a list of terrible things.
B. To explain what is gratitude towards the storms of life.
C. To persuade people to be thankful for what didn’t happen.
D. To show people different ways to consider their tough situations.
4. How is the passage organized?
A. Explanation—Comparison—Topic
B. Argument—Opinion—Discussion
C. Comparison—Argument—Explanation
D. Introduction—Discussion—Conclusion
Mark Zukerberg is the founder and CEO of Facebook, an extremely popular social working website that started in the United States.
Now, millions of student users visit Facebook daily and the website is one of the top ten most widely visited sites on the internet worldwide. College and high school students use Facebook to communicate with friends and share both information and pictures for free. The company earns money through advertising.
Many other companies have been rumored (谣传) to be interested in buying Facebook. Just a few years after Mark started the company, he was approached by Terry Semel, who was the CEO of Yahoo. Terry offered Mark one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) to sell Facebook to Yahoo. Mark said no, though. He stands behind his dreams at the very beginning. He knows the value of the company could fall down; however, he is in this to build something unbelievable, not be bought out by another company.
Maybe he was smart. Now Facebook is rumored to be worth billions of dollars and bigger companies, like Microsoft or Google, want a share of the company. Some private firms are also interested. Facebook could sell 15 billion dollars if Mark decides to sell it at all. Perhaps Mark will just keep working from his California office to continue his dream of building something cool.
1.Facebook makes money from ______.
A. members B. advertisements
C. pictures D. students
2.Terry Semel was the CEO of ______.
A. Microsoft B. Facebook C. Google D. Yahoo
3.The underlined word “this” (Paragraph 3) most probably refers to ______.
A. buying companies B. managing Facebook
C. sharing information D. fighting rumors
4.Which of the following words best describes Mark Zukerberg according to the passage?
A. Determined. B. Humourous.
C. Gentle. D. Selfless.
In Mexico, girls mark their fifteenth birthday with a celebration called Quinceanera. In the morning, the birthday girl goes to the church with her family and her best friends. She wears a beautiful dress. Later in the day, there is a huge party, with a big cake that matches the girl’s dress, and a night filled with music and dancing.
Becoming an adult is a very important life change, and Japan has a special holiday to celebrate this. The second Sunday in January is Coming-of-Age Day. On that day, everyone who had their twentieth birthday in the last year goes to their Town Hall for a special activity. Everyone dresses up, and many women wear beautiful dresses. The mayor makes a speech and gives presents to all the new adults.
Some kids are afraid to start school, but six-year-olds in Germany can’t wait. For them, Schulanfang is a big holiday. To celebrate a child’s first day of school, parents or friends give the child a Zuckertuete, a big color box filled with candy and little presents. People take pictures of the kids holding their Zuckertuete, and there is a school party later for the parents with cake and coffee.
1.What happens at Quinceanera?
A. The birthday girl buys many gifts.
B. The birthday girl goes to the church.
C. Parents give a Zuckertuete to the child.
D. Parents make speeches in the church.
2.When is Coming-of-Age Day celebrated?
A. On one’s first day of school.
B. On one’s twentieth birthday.
C. On a girl’s fifteenth birthday.
D. On the second Sunday in January.
3.Schulanfang is celebrated when German children ______.
A. start school B. reach the age of 15
C. grow into adults D. are born
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. Celebrating birthdays.
B. Celebrating school holidays.
C. Celebrating life changes.
D. Celebrating national holidays.
We lived in a very quiet neighbourhood. Early one evening, my wife asked me to go to the to get some soft drinks. My daughter Holly had just got her permit, so I asked her to drive my truck for the shopping instead, as a chance of .
While we were waiting for Holly, my son talked about how much he liked my truck, and I told him I enjoyed having it, too. But I was more or less about Holly. Just then, we heard a loud noise outside. My son looked out and , “Daddy! Daddy! Holly … Truck!”
“Oh, my God!” I ran to the door, I found that the truck had been brought to a stop.
The had happened in our own driveway. With experience, Holly had my truck hit our garage wall. , Holly was unhurt, but when I reached her, she was crying and saying, “Oh, Dad, I’m sorry. I know how much you this truck.” I held her in my arms as she cried.
I remember how Holly was the night she had my truck damaged, and how I her. The repaired truck reminds me of what really in my life. One day, when Holly her life, she will certainly know that I love my a thousand times more than anything else.
1.A. office B. kitchen C. store D. restaurant
2.A. building B. driving C. parking D. fishing
3.A. practice B. travel C. play D. experiment
4.A. worried B. eager C. sorry D. angry
5.A. begged B. whispered C. screamed D. warned
6.A. Though B. Because C. Until D. When
7.A. accident B. fight C. noise D. activity
8.A. new B. little C. personal D. previous
9.A. Successfully B. Typically C. Curiously D. Luckily
10.A. expect B. develop C. love D. keep
11.A. fortunate B. smart C. strange D. upset
12.A. praised B. encouraged C. inspired D. comforted
13.A. works B. comes C. matters D. spreads
14.A. looks back on B. looks up to C. looks out for D. looks forward to
15.A. wife B. child C. truck D. garage
— ______, but are you forgetting something?
— Oh, my God. We haven’t fixed our next meeting yet.
A. I’m sure B. I’m afraid so
C. Take care D. Excuse me
______ food is hard to find, few birds remain throughout the year.
A. Where B. Although C. Unless D. When
