After working an inhuman 8-hour shift at a factory unloading (卸货) parts for cheap furniture, I got on the bus, dirty, tired and hot. I ______ that place every day looking like I worked in a coal mine. _____, I still felt a bit proud of myself as I had held this tiring job for 3months, which was extremely rare. So when I took my seat on the bus going home, I decided my ______ life would not lower my spirits today.
I was dreaming about a better and new life when I was ______ by our new passenger. She was a middle-aged woman with worn-out clothes and messy hair. She got on, aggressively and ______ pushed her way into a front seat, and then turned her glare and ______ on whoever dared to look her way.
All I could feel for this woman was ______. There was no disgust. Only pity and the familiar knowledge of being faceless, nameless, and ______ to no one. Suddenly, she turned her threatening eyes towards me and very loudly yelled, “Why you so ______ man?”
With a smile, I said, “I just came from work.” She then loudly asked if I worked in hell and broke out in laughter, so I laughed too﹣______ her and told her that was funny. Then I asked her her name as I ______ why I was so dirty. Her name was Karen.
In front of all of us on the bus that day, the power of ______ showed its beauty. In front of all of us this woman ______. Her language, her posture, and her voice, even the way she tilted (倾斜) her head when I spoke to her as a ______ changed.
As Karen was getting off the bus, she touched me ______ on the arm. With tear-filled eyes, she asked whether I’d be riding the bus the next day. I promised I ______. We waved to each other and then I got what my life had needed all along: affirmation (认可).
Everyone on the bus had been watching us and then an old woman spoke to me, “Sir, you just changed that woman with your heart. She will never forget how you ______ her. You are great.” Other passengers gave me thumbs-up signs showing their ______.
That day was the first day when I realized I am ______. People say I gave Karen something that day but actually she ______ me so much more. I now work in the field of mental health. I often tell the story of the power of kindness, and I talk about Karen and unlimited possibilities.
1.A.reached B.left C.visited D.found
2.A.However B.Besides C.Therefore D.Otherwise
3.A.strange B.interesting C.unhappy D.brave
4.A.recognized B.stopped C.challenged D.followed
5.A.rudely B.quietly C.slowly D.gently
6.A.puzzle B.fear C.surprise D.anger
7.A.satisfaction B.pity C.disappointment D.amazement
8.A.demanding B.controlling C.mattering D.appealing
9.A.sad B.dirty C.nervous D.crazy
10.A.with B.at C.about D.off
11.A.checked B.regretted C.admitted D.explained
12.A.teamwork B.determination C.kindness D.honesty
13.A.hesitated B.changed C.cheered D.agreed
14.A.family B.stranger C.friend D.teacher
15.A.unwillingly B.hopelessly C.patiently D.softly
16.A.might B.could C.would D.should
17.A.treated B.remembered C.persuaded D.missed
18.A.humor B.politeness C.confidence D.admiration
19.A.helped B.needed C.understood D.respected
20.A.owed B.paid C.gave D.lent
Live Long and Prosper
You can't avoid getting old. But the decisions you make now about how you spend your day will have a great impact on the quality of your life.
We collected the latest research and talked to health, financial, and wellness experts to uncover the most important things you can do to keep the spring in your step and a healthy balance in your bank account through the years. 1.
Be grateful
Write down three things you're grateful for each day. 2. Studies show that people who are grateful report better sleep, stronger relationships, fewer aches and pains, and lower blood pressure. Shawn Achor and Michelle Gielan, happiness researchers who are married to each other, share positive things about their days with one another. "It's a simple two-minute habit that allows us to learn about high moments and feel more connected," Gielan says.
3.
Going outside, especially into a green space, is an easy way to improve your well-being and mental state, says Lori Gottlieb, a psychotherapist and the author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. "I actually make it a point to go outside every day," she says. "I'll walk around the block, breathe, and look at the sky. It's like pushing the reset button. "4. Researchers from University of Alabama found that spending just 20 minutes in a park led to a 64 percent increase in life satisfaction——even if you just sit on a bench.
Get moving
Yes, you've heard it before, but decades of research show that exercise improves your health, lifts your mood, and lengthens your life. In fact, Harvard researchers found that as little as 15 minutes of moderate physical activity a day can increase your life span by three years. 5. Ball State University researchers found that people in their 70s who were lifelong exercisers were indistinguishable in many ways from healthy people 30 years younger.
Simple as these tips are, they have proven to be very useful if carried out on a regular basis. To live long and prosper, you always have a choice.
A. This simple practice helps rewire your brain for greater happiness.
B. Do some indoor activities.
C. Read on for some great advice.
D. It also appears to keep your body young.
E. Be grateful to those who have been there for you through thick and thin.
F. Get fresh air every day
G. Spending time in nature has been proved to lower stress and blood pressure.
Human demands for natural resources have doubled in less than 50 years and are now beyond what the earth can provide, a report warned. If humans carry on like this, we will need two earths by 2030. The population of wildlife has fallen by 60% in thirty years.
The report said British people are consuming (消耗) far more than the earth can deal with. If everyone lived such a lifestyle, humans would need 2.75 planets to survive. People are now living lifestyles which would require 1.5 planets, though there are great differences between rich and poor nations.
Researchers studied the global change in land use and water consumption. The UK comes 31st in a list of countries based on “ecological footprint (生态足迹)” that measures how much land and sea each person needs to produce the resources they consume and to absorb (吸收) the wastes. The UK has fallen down from 15th place in the last report two years ago to 3lst place, but the WWF believes it is an increase in other countries’ efforts rather than a reduction in the UK’s use of resources.
Ireland has the 10th highest ecological footprint, while the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Denmark, Belgium and the US are the five worst countries for over-consumption of resources. The study suggests if the expected global population of 9.2 billion in 2050 were to eat a Malaysian diet, 1.3 planets would be needed but if everyone were to eat an Italian diet, humans would need almost two planets. Those countries that can provide the highest quality of life using the lowest amount of resources will not only serve the global interest, but will be the leaders in a resource-limited world.
1.We will probably need __________earths if we follow the British lifestyle.
A.1.3 B.2.75
C.2 D.1.5
2.What do we know about “ecological footprint ”?
A.It has something to do with human demands for resources and their wastes.
B.It is used to produce the resources and absorb the wastes.
C.We can know the total amount of resources on the earth through it.
D.It is about changes in land use and water consumption across the globe.
3.The WWF believes that_________.
A.the earth won’t be able to meet human needs after 50 years.
B.the UK has possibly not reduced the use of resources over the past two years.
C.Ireland has a lower ecological footprint than the UK.
D.there are no big differences in lifestyle between rich and poor nations.
4.It can be learned from the text that Malaysia_________
A.has a larger population than Italy.
B.consumes fewer resources than Italy.
C.would need almost two planets.
D.has the highest quality of life.
Crying is the sign of the rawest of human emotions. We cry when we can't hold inside what we feel any more. We cry when we're at our best, and when we're at our worst. I mean all of us, men included.
But we never see other men cry. In no western culture has it ever been acceptable for men to shed (流泪) more than a single tear, and even when it's reserved for grand victories, defeats and deaths. Dutch research suggests that women cry between three and five times more than men. Generally men and women cry over the same things—deaths, break-ups and homesickness, primarily, but researchers believe that men cry more often than women when it comes to positive events.
I want to admit I'm a bit of a cryer. However, having never really experienced deaths in my life, a few weeks ago I experienced what it means to really, truly, pour my heart out in tears.
See, my dog was killed by a car right outside my house. Being a witness to this painful event left me in shock for a good hour, but then the floodgates opened. Over the next 48 hours, I might have cried 20 times. Once or twice I crouched on the floor with my head in my hands and tears were the only outlet.
It is suggested in the book Adult Crying: A Biopsychosocial Approach that there's certain pleasure in crying. It helps ease stress when there is no other way to express ourselves.
In those days after my dog's death, I remember thinking, “I've got to stop this crying”. It felt unmanly. It felt like a sign of weakness. But since then, I've realized that tears are for everybody. They show we have sympathy, allow us to get rid of stress and just feel.
1.What's the difference between men and women in crying according to Dutch research?
A.They cry over different matters.
B.They cry at different times of life.
C.Men are more likely to have tears of joy.
D.Women cry more often over deaths.
2.What did the author think of his crying over his dog's death?
A.A sign of strength. B.A sign of weakness.
C.A way of reducing emotional stress. D.Behavior of being womanish.
3.What's the best title for the text ？
A.Men, it's OK to cry sometimes
B.Men, never cry like women
C.Crying solves psychological problems
D.Crying explains differences between men and women
Everyone's at it, even my neighbors. I thought I might be the only person left in the world who hadn't done an eBay deal. So, I decided to try my hand at online auction（网上拍卖）.
Buying for Beginners
Sign up on www.eBay.co.uk. Most items (e.g. tables, computers and books) ready for auction will come with a picture and a short description; others may be marked with “Buy It Now” and have a fixed price. You can buy these right away.
If the item is being auctioned, you offer the highest price you are prepared to pay and eBay bids（出价）for you. The bid will be increased little by little until it goes beyond your highest bid, then you are emailed and asked if you would like to bid again. Auctions last up to 10 days and when they finish, you get an email telling you whether you have won the item.
How to Pay
Sellers decide how they would like to be paid and you need to check this before placing a bid as you might not want to post a check or postal order （邮政汇票）. The easiest way is through PayPal, an online payment system that takes the money away from your credit card.
Selling Made Sample
If you plan to sell on eBay, it helps to include a picture of the item. I followed my friend’s advice and put up the items I wanted to sell for a 10-day auction, starting on a Thursday. This way buyers had two weekends to bid.
The Big Things in Life
It's easy to post a small item, but furniture is a big part of eBay and this has to be collectively sent by deliverymen. Check the ways of delivery before you bid.
1.What is the passage mainly about?
A.How to make payment online.
B.Ways of making delivery online.
C.How to use an online auction system.
D.Advantages of an online auction system.
2.You should if the item is being auctioned.
A.make loud noises B.get the others not to bid
C.ask the other people’s price D.offer the highest price you are ready to pay
3.After bidding for an item, a buyer .
A.has chances to make higher bids
B.will get what he wants in ten days
C.should make payment immediately
D.may check its picture and description
4.The easiest way of making payment mentioned in the passage is .
A.through a local banking system
B.by sending the money to the seller
C.through an online payment system
D.by paying the deliveryman directly
Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table, reading his book. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to copy him in every way he could.
One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa, I try to read the book just like you, but I don’t understand it, and I forget what I understand as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the book do?”
The grandpa quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.”
The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandpa laughed and said, “You’ll have to move a little faster next time,” and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned. Out of breath, he told his grandpa that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, so he went to get a bucket instead. The grandpa said, “I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You’re just not trying hard enough.” The boy again dipped the basket into the river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandpa the basket was empty again. Out of breath, he said, “Grandpa, it’s useless!”
“So, you think it is useless?” the grandpa said, “Look at the basket.”
The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean.
“Grandson, that’s what happens when you read the book. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you’ll be changed, inside and out.”
1.What puzzled the grandson most was _________.
A.why he forgot what he read soon B.whether it was useful to read books
C.what kind of book he could understand D.how he could read books like his grandpa
2.Why did Grandpa ask his grandson to fetch a basket of water?
A.To get him to realize the use of reading books. B.To punish him for not reading carefully.
C.To clean the dirty basket in the river. D.To train him to run faster.
3.What lesson can we learn from the story?
A.The old are always wiser than the young. B.It is foolish to carry water with a basket.
C.You can’t expect to remember all you read. D.Reading books can change a person gradually.
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A.Grandpa and Grandson B.Carrying Water in a Basket
C.Baskets and Books D.Reading for Total Changing
