Comfort is comforting, but it might narrow our experience at work — and beyond.
In our modern world, discomfort is considered a terrible thing. If not terrible, at least a thing of the past. Dishwashers, washing machines, computers, remote controls—yes, they add convenience, but also a level of comfort our forefathers did not enjoy.
As pain of any kind discourages happiness, we tend to reason, anything that compromises our ability to feel good must be bad. And that’s also particularly true for our careers. Success makes us feel great, not terrible. Such a view, however, is a matter of personal opinion. And it may blind us to hidden opportunities.
Artists throughout history have tried to experience suffering, instinctively if not consciously, to produce works that explore the darker hidden sides of the human condition. This was done, in part, because pain is a reality of life for everybody in some form at some time. Pain is something everybody can relate to. And pain makes a person very present. For such artists, to relieve or to deny pain would be to block the creative thinking, which drives them to explore and express. In fact, Germans have a term for this melancholia, “Weltschmerz”, which means “suffering from the world.” Writers, from Lord Byron to Kurt Vonnegut, have used the term to describe the psychological pain encountered along life’s roller-coaster journey. It was not to be avoided; it was to be understood, investigated and employed.
So I propose that discomfort is good for us. Or, put another way, it tells us that something needs to be addressed. It stretches us by forcing us to view our circumstances through a wholly different lens. Because we’re drawn to safety and security, we do our best to create pleasant comfort zones for ourselves and our loved ones through the cars we drive, the homes we live in, and the places we work. But by resisting discomfort, we deny ourselves an important opportunity: the chance to shake ourselves out of our predictable perspectives and allow ourselves to make knowledgeable observations we could not possibly have made before. Discomfort gives us fresh eyes.
1.Which of the following is NOT a reason why artists throughout history have been exploring sufferings?
A. Pain is a mirror that can reflect the life of everybody.
B. Pain is something that no one can escape from.
C. Pain can help them to avoid the creative thinking.
D. Pain can strengthen the feeling of existence of a person.
2.The term “Weltschmerz” couldn’t be used to describe something like __________.
A. social inequality B. mass killings
C. racial discrimination D. great achievements
3.The author believes that by challenging discomfort, one may _________.
A. lose an important chance to make a big fortune
B. feel upset and fail to think calmly
C. judge and think about the world in a new particular way
D. control the situation properly when things go unsteady
4.By writing this passage, the author tries to __________.
A. criticize a world full of comfort
B. explain why discomfort is good for us
C. persuade people to lead a life full of discomfort
D. blame those who enjoy an easy life
If you need glasses to read this, you are among the majority of Chinese students. That’s because most students in China are short-sighted which means they can only see things close up and distant things will be blurry. Four-fifths of high school students wear glasses and now more and more children in primary school need glasses, too.
This epidemic of poor eyesight has two very simple causes: too much time spent indoors studying and too little time spent outdoors playing. Reading and writing for hours and hours, sometimes in poorly lighted rooms, causes eyesight to weaken. But students have to do this because there is so much pressure on them to succeed in school. And because they spend so much time indoors at school and at home, they have less time to spend outdoors enjoying the sun.
The sun, as a consequence, is important in developing good eyesight. Exposure to daylight releases a chemical in the eyes that prevents, or at least delays, short-sightedness. According to a study by Ian Morgan of Australian National University, Australian children and Chinese children have the same level of eyesight before they start school, but once they enter primary school, Chinese children only spend about an hour a day outside, while Australian children spend three to four hours each day in the sunshine. The result is that while about 40 percent of Chinese primary school students need glasses, only three percent of Australian children do.
Wearing glasses may not seem like a big deal. For some, wearing glasses can even be an opportunity to make a fashion statement. But poor eyesight at a young age can have serious long term consequences. As you get older, your eyesight can worsen and lead to things like macular degeneration(黄斑变性), a condition of the eyes for which there is no cure and which can eventually lead to blindness.
With all that in mind, don’t you think it’s time to give your eyes a break? Try spending a little less time inside and go for a walk in the park, instead. It’s the healthy thing to do and your eyes will thank you for it.
1.What does the underlined word “blurry” mean?
A. unpopular. B. unpleasant.
C. unclear. D. unconscious.
2.How should the students protect their eyesight according to the passage?
A. They should study less and less.
B. They should stay longer outdoors.
C. They should wear sun-glasses.
D. They should have a longer rest in bed.
3.It can be inferred from the passage that __________ is to blame for the poor eyesight of Chinese children.
A. the ever-worsening bad weather
B. the ever-increasing burden of study
C. the ever-decreasing sunny days
D. the ever-decreasing period of study time
4.What is the purpose of this article?
A. To explain why Chinese students are poor-sighted.
B. To admire Australian children’s good eyesight.
C. To criticize the present education system.
D. To call on people to protect Chinese children’s eyesight
Alice’s mother died when Alice was five years old. Alice, who grew up to be my mother, told me that after her mother’s death her family was too poor to even afford to give her a doll.
In December 2012, I had a job at a local bank. One afternoon, we were decorating the tree in the bank lobby(大厅). One of my customers approached me with her beautiful handmade dolls. I decided to get one for my daughter, Katie, who was almost five years old. Then I had an idea. I asked my customer if she could make me a special doll for my mother—one with gray hair and spectacles(眼镜): a grandmother doll. And she gladly agreed.
A friend had told me that his dad who played Santa Claus would be willing to make a visit on Christmas morning to our home to deliver my Katie her presents, so I made some special arrangements.
Christmas Day arrived and at the planned time; so did Santa Claus. Katie was surprised that Santa had come to see her at her own house. As Santa turned to leave, he looked once more into his bag and found one more gift. As he asked who Alice was, my mother, surprised at her name being called, indicated that she in fact was Alice. Santa handed her the gift, with a message card that read:
For Alice:
I was cleaning out my sleigh(雪橇) before my trip this year and came across this package that was supposed to be delivered on December 25,1953. The present inside has aged, but I felt that you might still wish to have it. Many apologies for the lateness of the gift.
Love,
Santa Claus
My mother’s reaction was one of the most deeply emotional scenes I have ever seen. She couldn’t speak but only held the doll she had waited fifty-nine years to receive as tears of joy ran down her cheeks. That doll, given by “Santa”, made my mother the happiest “child” that Christmas.
1.The reason why the writer’s mother couldn’t have a doll when young was that_________.
A. Santa Clause forgot to deliver the doll to her
B. her daughter couldn’t make a doll by herself
C. her parents left the doll in the Santa Clause’s sleigh
D. her family was badly off when she was a child
2.It can be inferred from the passage that __________.
A. the writer’s father played the Father Christmas
B. the writer’s mother was already in her sixties when she received the doll
C. the writer asked one of her friends to make the doll for her mother
D. the Santa Clause was too careless to deliver the doll on time
3.When the writer’s mother received the doll that she had waited so long, she was __________.
A. pleased and inspired B. puzzled and angry
C. happy and excited D. curious and grateful
4.The best title for this passage could be __________.
A. A Doll from Santa B. An unforgettable Christmas
C. A considerate daughter D. A help from Santa Claus
I still remember it was in the winter of 1990 that, together with the help of my older sister, I down my wishes for Christmas onto a piece of paper. How I wished on Christmas Eve my grandest wish would be and placed under the Christmas tree — a puppy. When we were done, our wish-lists were collected by our parents with the promise to be to Santa's hard- working helpers.
The next day, our parents sat us down in the living-room, with expressions on their faces. As it , they had seen our wishes, now wanting to talk to us about one wish — the puppy. For a moment, I held my breath, but was when they told us that they weren't against a puppy. What they against was putting it under the Christmas tree. That was not a good idea.
They taught us that an animal was not a gift that belonged to the same as our toys. Animals were creatures with that we should decide to have one, and it would be a(n) to our family. An animal a lot of responsibilities. It wasn’t anything one bought out of a mood. An animal could not be exchanged or when we didn't feel like it. An animal wasn’t a toy. An animal was a family member that needed lots of love and attention. An animal was not a , but a family decision. A serious decision. And a big decision.
, my parents share my love for animals, so the decision came reasonably . After our grandparents had given their up for taking care of the dog, while we were on future vacations, the answer was yes. Yes, we would get a puppy.
The following days and weeks, there was only one : our new family member! Yes, a family member, because animals have their rights. They are not simply food or gifts. We humans must attend, love and protect them.
1.A. left B. got C. set D. pulled
2.A. rejected B. declined C. challenged D. fulfilled
3.A. given away B. passed on C. taken on D. put up
4.A. dangerous B. curious C.serious D. mysterious
5.A. turned out B. taken out C. run out D. held out
6.A. in peace B. in order C. in particular D. in return
7.A. pardoned B. frightened C. inspired D. relieved
8.A. protested B. objected C. opposed D. resisted
9.A. patiently B. hurriedly C. anxiously D. roughly
10.A. arrangement B. routine C. schedule D. category
11.A. feelings B. secrets C. stains D. sufferings
12.A. convenience B. facility C. extension D. heritage
13.A. signed B. meant C. attained D. guaranteed
14.A. put forward B. put up C. put aside D. put off
15.A. native B. original C. responsible D. precious
16.A. riddle B. gift C. servant D. victim
17.A. Negatively B.Ridiculously C. Particularly D. Luckily
18.A. difficult B. easy C. contradictory D. concrete
19.A. thumbs B. toes C. noses D. eyes
20.A. theme B. argument C. prejudice D. topic
Finally, I made the choice to withdraw from college to care for my grandma __________ the fact that she had developed cancer.
A. In favor of B. in possession of
C. in view of D. in charge of
While Peking Opera is widely regarded as a symbol of Chinese culture, it has been losing young audiences due to its __________ outdated style and slow rhythm.
A. responsibly B. relatively
C. plainly D. deliberately
