Question

    Do you often feel that you aren’t taking in as much of the joy around you as you could? I recently caught myself feeling this way, and based on a suggestion by John Horton, coauthor (合著者) of The Inner Game of Stress, I put myself on a 30-day life-appreciation course.

The only assignment each day was to go outside and appreciate life.

So I started by taking in the beauty around me. During the first few days, I was able to appreciate my surroundings, although it was an intellectual appreciation, not an emotional one.

After the first week, it was more uncomfortable to lie in bed and think about things than it was to get up and see them for myself.

If you often wake up feeling anxious or depressed, or if you don’t look forward to each day, then you need to try this course for yourself.

It’s an inner workout that you can do anywhere. It may not change your life, but it will adjust your attitude, and that’s pretty helpful in this crazy world.

I have always believed in ending the day on a positive note by writing a word or two in a gratitude journal and saying something sweet to my wife about the day we shared.

Now, I have a new morning habit. It hasn’t changed my routine one bit, but it has changed the way I look at the world.

Creating a new habit isn’t about perfection – it’s about getting what you want by creating a change in your behavior and thinking.

So now, while I’m making my coffee in the morning, I’m also appreciating what I have.

It’s quick, fulfilling, and a much better way to start my day than looking at my phone or computer.

And because of this, my attitude is better, as I’ve already begun my morning on a positive note rather than a problematic one.

The idea here is that if you can appreciate your life, it actually changes the way you feel about it.

Appreciation will give you more energy to live the way you would like to live.

As a means of improving our mood, it’s highly underrated (被低估的). The easy task of appreciating what we have simply makes life better.

1.How did the author feel about seeing things for himself after he started the life-appreciation course?

A. Comfortable. B. Doubtful . C. Anxious. D. Depressed.

2.What does the author think of his new morning habit?

A. It has changed his daily routine.

B. It has increased his desire for perfection.

C. It has improved his physical health.

D. It has changed his way of viewing the world.

3.Which of the following might the author disagree to?

A. Enjoying the beautiful surroundings of your neighborhood.

B. Appreciating a cup of coffee in the morning.

C. Amusing yourself with your phone to start your day.

D. Seeing things from a different angle.

4.What’s the author’s main purpose in writing this article?

A. To recommend a life-appreciation course to readers.

B. To explain why appreciation is often underrated.

C. To encourage readers to be grateful for life.

D. To advise all the readers to change their lifestyle.

Answer

1.A

2.D

3.C

4.C

【解析】

本文是一篇夹叙夹议文，作者讲述了自己参加“感激生活”课程后生活发生的变化，以此来鼓励读者感激生活。

1.推理判断题。根据第四段“After the first week, it was more uncomfortable to lie in bed and think about things than it was to get up and see them for myself.”可知，一周后，躺在床上想事情比去外面看事情更不舒服，由此可知，参加“感激生活”课程后，作者认为自己出去看事情是舒服的，故A项正确。

2.细节理解题。根据第七段“Now, I have a new morning habit. It hasn’t changed my routine one bit, but it has changed the way I look at the world.”可知，作者认为他的新习惯改变了他看世界的方式，故D项正确。

3.推理判断题。根据倒数第五段“It’s quick, fulfilling, and a much better way to start my day than looking at my phone or computer.”可知，作者认为感激生活是比电话或电脑更好的开启一天的方式，由此可知，作者不同意以玩手机娱乐的方式开启新的一天，故C项正确。

4.主旨大意题。通读全文可知，作者讲述了自己参加“感激生活”课程后生活发生的变化，由此可知作者写这篇文章就是鼓励读者对生活充满感激，故C项正确。