What is the definition of “happiness?” Is it material wealth filled with fancy cars, a dream house or jewelry? Or does happiness simply mean having a roof over your head? Food in the fridge? Having a swimming pool? A designer Gucci bag? Love? Money? A perfect job?
Do you recall a time----let’s say when you were about 5 years old-----what defined happiness back then? Was it getting a puppy for Christmas? Or maybe, you were a child of divorce; and all you wanted was for Mom and Dad to get back together again? Then as you got older, you were hoping that someone would ask you to the party that would have made your day. During college, good grades made you happy, but it was short-lived. Because in the real world, you had to look for a job, and competition was fierce. But then, you got a perfect job, could you be happy?
We like having and accumulating things. We work so we can pay our rents, credit card debts, school loans, car payments… The list goes on and on. And at some point, we realize that apart from having most of what we want, we still aren’t happy. Now since we’ve learned to adapt to new standards which we’ve created for ourselves, we find that we have less time, less patience, less sleep, which leads to more stress and more anxiety. Therefore, don’t stupidly make a conclusion that happiness is just based on “things”.
Sometimes, we trade our lives for not only basic necessities, but for excessive items and services as well. Certainly, you’ve heard of individuals trying to “find themselves”, or to “rediscover themselves”. But the point has been missed: happiness is already there.
Disappointments and tragedies in life will come and go, but happiness never leaves you. We can lose our jobs, but be grateful for those who love us. We can lose our homes to nature, but be thankful to be alive. If we think we are happy, we are indeed happy. Happiness is merely a perception of each individual.
Happiness is part of love, and love is an ocean. Go dive in and get some, and then share it with everyone, which can be an endless supply. But sharing happiness with people around demands skilful techniques.
1.The author puts forward a lot of questions to__________.
A. ask readers for information
B. compare answers from readers
C. expect positive answers from readers
D. draw readers’ attention to the topic
2.It can be inferred from Para.3 that___________.
A. accumulating things is not a good habit.
B. pressure and worry should be ridded of.
C. people have to work hard to pay for daily necessities
D. some aren’t satisfied with what they have possessed
3.Individuals trying to “rediscover themselves ” fail to realize that___________.
A. they haven’t got lost in the material life
B. each individual has different opinions on happiness
C. there has existed something worth making them happy
D. it is not necessary for them to bear heavy financial burden
4.People will feel happy if__________.
A. they think of the positive aspects of life
B. they seek excessive items and services
C. they have no disappointments in life
D. they can get a puppy for Christmas in their childhood
5.The paragraph following the last will probably talk about___________.
A. the definition of happiness
B. how to share happiness with others
C. the ways to rediscover happiness
D. where to seek happiness in our daily life
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw Kyle from my class walking home from school. It looked like he was carrying all of his books.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running towards him knocking all his books out of his arms so he landed in the dirt. I saw terrible sadness in his eyes.
Handing him his books, I said, "Those guys are fools. They really should get punished." He smiled at me gratefully. It was the smile that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. We talked all the way home, and I carried his books. I invited him to play football on Saturday with me. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.
Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years: your parents, your teachers, maybe a coach, but mostly your friends. I am here to tell you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them."
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp(倒吸气) go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and Dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize its depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person’s life. God puts us all in each other’s lives to impact one another in some way. Each day is a gift from God! Don’t forget to say, “Thank you!”
1.When I first met Kyle, he ______.
A. ran with a bunch of kids
B. felt very sorrowful
C. got hurt landing in the dirt
D. was tired from walking
2.The reason why Kyle and I become friends is all the following EXCEPT that _____.
A. I helped him pick up his book
B. I talked with him all the way home
C. I helped him punish the kids chasing him
D. I asked him to play football on weekend
3.In Paragraph4, the underline word “them” refers to _____.
A. your coaches B. your teachers
C. your parents D. your friends
4.What can we infer from Paragraph5?
A. My kindness helped Kyle through his hard time.
B. It was Kyle’s weakest time after he met me.
C. Kyle experienced his hardest time when speaking.
D. Kyle’s parents managed to stop him from killing himself.
5.What is the purpose of the passage?
A. To tell us a story about friendship.
B. To show us the impact of kindness.
C. To advise us to be grateful for God.
D. To help us get through the hard time.
Death Valley is one of the most famous deserts in the United States, covering a wide area with its alkali sand. Almost 20 percent of this area is well below sea level, and Badwater, a salt water pool, is about 280 feet below sea level and the lowest point in the United States.
Long ago the Panamint Indians called this place “Tomesha”— the land of fire. Death Valley’s present name dates back to 1849, when a group of miners coming across from Nevada became lost in its unpleasantness and hugeness and their adventure turned out to be a sad story. Today Death Valley has been declared a National Monument(纪念碑) and is crossed by several well-marked roads where good services can be found easily. Luckily the change created by human settlement has hardly ruined the special beauty of this place.
Here nature created a lot of surprising, almost like the sights on the moon, ever-changing as the frequent wind moves the sand about, showing the most unusual colors. One of the most astonishing and variable parts of Death Valley is the Devil’ s Golf Course, where it seems hard for one to tell reality from terrible dreams. Sand sculptures(沙雕) stand on a frightening ground, as evening shadows move and lengthen.
1._______ is the lowest place in the desert.
A. Tomesha B. Death Valley
C. Nevada D. Badwater
2.The name of the valley comes from _______.
A. an Indian name
B. the death of the miners
C. the local people
D. a National Movement
3.From the passage we can learn that _______.
A. no one had ever known the desert before the miners
B. it’s still not easy to travel across the desert
C. people can find gas-stations, cafes and hotels in the desert
D. people have changed the natural sight of the desert
4.Devil Golf Course is famous for _______.
A. the frequent wind B. the colors of the sand
C. dream-like sights D. the sand sculptures
5.From the passage we can see that the writer _______ the Death Valley.
A. appreciates B. is fearful of
C. dislikes D. is tired of
Larry Belmont worked for a company that made robots. Recently it had begun experimenting with a household robot, ___1.___ was going to be tested out by Larry’s wife, Claire. Claire didn’t want ____2.____ robot in her house, especially as her husband would be ___3.____(absence) for three weeks, but Larry persuaded her that the robot wouldn’t harm her or allow her ____4.___(harm). However when she first saw the robot, named Tony, she felt alarmed because he seemed more like a human than a machine. He was tall and handsome ____5._____ smooth hair and a deep voice although his facial expression never changed.
On the second morning Tony, ___6.____(wear) an apron, brought her breakfast and then asked ___7._____ she needed help dressing. She felt embarrassed and quickly told hem to go. ____8.___ was disturbing and frightening that he looked so human. One day, Claire mentioned that she didn’t think she was clever. Tony said that ____9.__ must feel very unhappy to say that. It was ridiculous to be offered sympathy by a robot. But she __10.____(begin) to trust him.
Galina was born with an illness called Spina Bifida. Because of her disability, she has only had a little ______. Her parents were ______ of her and never allowed their friends and neighbors to see her. Her mother often ______ her because Gailina could not control the things her body did. This made her think that her disability was all her ______ and that she must have done something wrong. She spent the next four years in ______. She liked it better there because she was with others who had disabilities. She did not feel ______ from everyone else. But when she went back to live at home, she realized just how different she was from all her brothers and sisters. She was so ______ that she tried to kill herself. But she did not succeed. Soon after this, she left home and found work in a big city.
One day a group of Christians visited her. They told her about Jesus Christ who loves all people, even those who are ______. She was not interested because when she was a child she was taught another ______. But the Christians did not ______ seeing her. Then she began to realize that their friend, Jesus Christ, loved her. She found a new friend in Jesus. Galina does not feel rejected any more. She feels ______ and loved by God. Her ______ with her parents has changed too. One time when she went to see her parents, her mother asked Galina to forgive her for the many times she beat her when she was a child.
You may have been ______ hurt or treated as a child. You may not have had the education you hoped for like Galina. You may not be able to do the things you want because your family is _____, or one or both of your parents died when you were young. There are many reasons why you might think badly about yourself. What did Galina find out made all the ______ to her life?
1.A. education B. money C. time D. illness
2.A. accused B. informed C. ashamed D. reminded
3.A. knocked B. killed C. kissed D. hit
4.A. fault B. success C. power D. advantage
5.A. school B. factory C. hospital D. home
6.A. important B. better C. advanced D. different
7.A. unhappy B. powerful C. nervous D. glad
8.A. kind B. cruel C. unhealthy D. disabled
9.A. story B. religion C. subject D. skill
10.A. stop B. enjoy C. continue D. avoid
11.A. admired B. rejected C. suspected D. accepted
12.A. respect B. relationship C. responsibility D. research
13.A. suddenly B. partly C. badly D. heavily
14.A. rich B. poor C. nice D. unsafe
15.A. prediction B. safety C. difference D. damage
Could I use your dictionary?
Sorry, it __________.
A. is using B. was using
C. was used D. is being used
