Old age may not sound _1._______ (excite).But recent findings provide good news for older people and for people_2._______ (worry) about getting older.
The findings came from _____3.___ survey of more than 340,000 adults in the United States.The Gallup Organization questioned __4._____ by telephone in 2008.At that time, the people were between the ages of eighteen and eighty-five.
The researchers asked questions about emotions like happiness, ____5.____(sad) and worry.They also asked about mental or emotional stress.The research team found that levels of stress were ____6._____ (high) among adults between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-five. Stress levels dropped ______7.__ (sharp) after people reached their fifties.
Happiness ___8._____ highest among the youngest adults and those__9.______ their early seventies.The study also showed that men and women have similar emotional patterns as they grow older. __10.______ , woman at all ages reported more sadness, stress and worry than men.
Three months before graduating from university, my son started to hunt for a job. the financial crisis, fewer companies would like to new staff. My son targeted a company that was 43 to hire only one person there were more than twenty people filling their resumes（简历）.
After the interview, there would only be three who could enter the final round, which would later one person to be employed. Everything seemed to go quite and my son passed the first round and entered the final round in a week.
On the day of the final interview, my son and other two arrived at the interview place on time, the test. Unexpectedly, the interview was unbelievably . The interviewer only said to them," All of you are very super. Please go home and wait for our . We will tell you the in three days. Good luck to all of you!" On the morning of the third day, my son received a text from the company shortly after breakfast that he was not employed. We all felt very .
In nightfall that day, my son suddenly told me on the phone,"Dad, I have been employed!" Greatly surprised, I could not wait to ask him,"What's the whole ?"My son told me that he received another text saying that he was employed. Actually the first text sent to my son was also of the test in the interview. Three men received the same text this morning and only my son's was "Thank you" while the others said "Goodbye".
Only then did I know that my son's "hope" in that way.That is,when you feel disappointed, do not to say "thank you" to the one who disappoints you.Saying "thank you" shows respect for others' work and shows your grand . Therefore, while under the same condition, you will get the upper hand in terms of compared with others!
1.A. Owing to B. As to C. Instead of D. Contrary to
2.A. promote B.train C. discover D. employ
3.A. encouraged B. allowed C. intended D. supposed
4.A. since B. while C. as D. if
5.A. meet B. attract C. represent D. decide
6.A. smoothly B. slowly C. secretly D. silently
7.A. members B. staff C. candidates D. friends
8.A. watching over B. waiting for C. thinking about D. looking into
9.A. simple B. formal C. funny D. strange
10.A. notice B. information C. order D. return
11.A. mark B. choice C. result D. idea
12.A. annoyed B. puzzled C. disappointed D. shocked
13.A. excitedly B. doubtfully C. calmly D. worriedly
14.A. cause B. matter C. conclusion D. interview
15.A. middle B. ending C. part D. course
16.A. way B. reply C. problem D. question
17.A. changed B. grew C. developed D. came
18.A. expect B. forget C. dislike D. regret
19.A. generosity B. curiosity C. dignity D. personality
20.A. abilities B. strengths C. challenges D. opportunities
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为
选项。
1.They provide him wood and other products; they give him shade;and they help to prevent drought and floods.
2. In his eagerness to draw quick profit from the trees, he has cut them down in large numbers.
Two thousand years ago, a rich and powerful country cut down its trees to build warships, with which to gain itself an empire. It gained the empire but, without its trees, its soil became bare and poor. When the empire fell to pieces, the country found itself faced by floods and starvation.
Even where a government realizes the importance of a plentiful supply of trees, it is difficult sometimes to make the people realize this. 3. So unless the government has a good system of control, or can educate the people, the forests slowly disappear.
4. The results are even more serious: for where there are trees, their roots break the soil up, allowing the rain to sink in, and also hold the soil. 5. But where there are no trees, the rainfalls on hard ground and flows away on the surface, and this causes floods and the rain carries away the rich topsoil in which crops grow. When all the topsoil is gone, nothing remains but worthless desert．
A. This does not only mean that there will be fewer trees.
B. However, a lot of trees are being cut down.
C. Unfortunately, in many parts of the world, man has not realized that the third of these services is the most important.
D. This prevents the soil from being washed away.
E. If there were no more trees, something terrible would happen.
F. Trees are useful to man in three very important ways.
G. They cut down the trees but are too careless to plant and look after new trees.
Why was Bastille important to the citizens of Paris? The building of the Bastille had been started in 1370 under Charles V. By the seventeenth century, it had stopped to be important for defense. Cardinal Richelieu turned it into a prison. It was not an ordinary prison to punish common crimes. Its huge doors closed only on enemies of the King. The Bastille's workings were secret. Prisoners were taken to it in closed vehicles. Soldiers on guard duty had to stand with their faces to the wall. No talking was allowed. Worst of all, a prisoner never knew if he would be there a day, a week, a year, or forever. Only the King's letter could set him free.
Over the years, the number of arrests by King's letter had become fewer. By the time of its fall, most of the prisoners were writers who had written against the corruptions(贪污腐败)of the government. Voltaire, the famous French writer, spent a year there in 1717-1718, and another 12 days in 1726.
For those who believed in free speech and free thinking, the Bastille stood for everything evil. The day it was captured, only seven prisoners were found inside. Still, the Bastille was hated by the people. It was a symbol of the King's complete power.
1.The Bastille had been a prison ______.
A. since the time of Charles V
B. since the time of Cardinal Richelieu
C. before the seventeenth century
D. since 1370
2.According to the passage, which of the following statements is FALSE?
A. Anyone who did something wrong could find himself suddenly in the Bastille.
B. The Bastille was only for those who were opposed to the King.
C. Things done in the Bastille were hardly known to people outside.
D. Voltaire was twice put in the Bastille.
3.At the time of its fall, the Bastille housed ______.
A. a large number of prisoners
B. a lot of writers who had been against the government
C. some dozens of people who believed in free speech and free thinking
D. only a few prisoners
4.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The King could put people in, or let them go out, as he wanted.
B. Over the years the number of prisoners in the Bastille was getting more and more.
C. All prisoners in the Bastille had to stay there for life.
D. At the time it was captured, there were so few prisoners in it that it meant little to the people.
5.This passage mainly ______.
A. tells how the prisoners were controlled by the King
B. tells how little was known about the Bastille
C. shows the inner workings of the Bastille
D. gives a brief history of the Bastille
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks throughout the world today. In fact, according to some estimates, over 30% of all adults in the world drink coffee at least once a day on the average. Coffee contains a kind of drug called caffeine. Caffeine is a chemical that stimulates (刺激) the nerves of the body. Drinking coffee tends to make people a little bit more awake―at least for a short time―because of this stimulating effect on the nervous system. A cup of coffee has, on the average, about 3% caffeine in it.
One story of the discovery of the coffee plant relates to this effect of caffeine. According to the story, coffee was discovered in East Africa. The story says that coffee was first found by a goat farmer named Kaldi. This was about the year 850. Kaldi was leading his animals through the mountains and the goats were stopping repeatedly to eat the plants near the path. Suddenly, some of the goats started jumping up and down in a very strange way. Kaldi figured out that the goats were acting this way because of the plants they were eating. Kaldi himself tried eating some of the green beans (豆荚) that the goats had been eating. He, too, felt the stimulating effect of the beans. Kaldi wanted to prove what had happened, so he picked some of the beans and took them back to the village, where he told his story.
The green bean got the name "Kaffa" and later "coffee" because the beans were discovered in a place called Kaffa in Africa. Then for years, people used to eat a few of the green Kaffa beans when they were in the mountains and needed extra energy to do their work. It was later found that the coffee beans could be picked and then dried until they turned brown, and then they could be stored. If the beans were dried and stored, they could be used at any time.
1.What is the purpose of drinking coffee?
A. To become more awake. B. To become more healthy.
C. To become more happy. D. To become more clever.
2.How did the goats react after eating the plants?
A. They fell asleep.
B. They could not find their way home.
C. They started jumping up and down.
D. They wanted to eat more.
3.Why did the green bean get the name "Kaffa"?
A. Because Kaldi loved his home village very much.
B. Because Kaldi's goats loved the green bean very much.
C. Because the beans were discovered in a place by this name.
D. Because the beans could be picked and dried.
When Charles Stratton was five, he stopped growing. His mother took him to see the famous showman, P. T. Barnum. Mr. Barnum thought a small person would be the perfect addition to his show. He hired Charles' parents along with him, and they traveled the world together.
He gave the two-foot-tall Charles a name, General Tom Thumb. He taught Tom how to sing, dance, act and tell jokes. When he felt Tom was ready to perform on stage, he made up ads. To stir up great interest, he said that Tom was eleven years old and had come from England.
During the show, Tom fought battles pretendedly with tall people. He also danced upon a wooden plate held by a person who was eight feet tall. Tom's act was very popular and brought in a lot of money. By the time Tom was an adult, he had grown very rich. He had become a billionaire at the age of twenty five.
Fortunately for Tom, Mr. Barnum added more little people to his show, and Tom became lucky in love as well. One of the little people was Lavinia Warren, a schoolteacher. Tom was able to win her love, and they married.
The ceremony and reception were the talk of the town. They were attended by many rich and famous people and by about 2000 guests. Crowds filled the streets of New York to have a look at their tiny wedding marriage. The couple even met with President Abraham Lincoln on their honeymoon just before going to live in Tom's house in Connecticut.
Their wedding, which took place during the Civil War, provided a welcome escape from the sad problems of war. Not willing to let this bit of sunshine fade, communities throughout the country sponsored(发起) "Tom Thumb" weddings. In these weddings, small boys and girls, all dressed up, went through marriage ceremony for fun.
1.The underlined words "Talk of the town" means________.
A. it was in the newspaper
B. it was the most popular topic
C. people spread bad rumors about it
D. it was discussed in a city meeting
2.What does the author think about Tom's wedding?
A.Tom and Lavinia were stupid.
B. People gave it too much of their attention.
C. It was funny and ridiculous.
D. It helped people cheer up in a dark time.
3.What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
A. Weddings always make people feel full of sunshine.
B. People are always disappointed during war time.
C. Entertainment can serve an important purpose.
D. People should be married when they are small children.
