The most important lesson I learned in high school had nothing to do with math or American history. It came at graduation, several minutes before I left Miramonte High School.
I was rather shy at that time, _________to hang around with my few friends and to concentrate on my _______. I was doing so well that by the end of senior year, I had _________scores and enough credits to go to college.
But my good record soon became a _________to my well-being. In early June of senior year, the headmaster called me into his office. He asked me to give a leave-taking speech at graduation. I looked at him, my heart _______fast. This was the _________ for my hard work? I said something, but not very clearly, and hurried away from the office.
I was _________about the decision for several days, but finally agreed. I wasn't the only speaker - I would _______ the honor with five other students. Still, it was doubtful whether the task was _________ my power. How would I give a speech to hundreds of people?
Graduation Day soon arrived and, as__________, I was nervous. I'd been practicing my speech for days, and I had it __________. But I had never been so____________in my life. The first half hour of the ceremony passed, and then my __________came. My name was announced. I managed to reach the platform without falling down. But within minutes, I accomplished my speech, __________ back to my seat.
Now I still have the____________of that speech. My voice trembled a little, but ________it was clear and strong. I'm proud of that tape. I achieved something I'd never ________- I spoke in front of hundreds of people. I didn't realize it at the time;__________, the successful completion of that speech gave me the __________to participate in class at college, to give oral reports, and to eventually break free of my __________.
1.A.sad B.surprised C.content D.frightened
2.A.characters B.subjects C.interests D.games
3.A.perfect B.bad C.low D.terrible
4.A.luck B.benefit C.solution D.fear
5.A.breaking B.beating C.aching D.burning
6.A.punishment B.blame C.reward D.arrangement
7.A.uncertain B.optimistic C.generous D.determined
8.A.spare B.bring C.hand D.share
9.A.about B.beyond C.upon D.for
10.A.hoped B.expected C.known D.planned
11.A.memorized B.printed C.allowed D.completed
12.A.interested B.terrified C.excited D.disappointed
13.A.moment B.day C.chance D.decision
14.A.sending B.giving C.taking D.heading
15.A.picture B.word C.paper D.tape
16.A.mildly B.briefly C.mostly D.firmly
17.A.made B.dreamed C.decided D.requested
18.A.however B.therefore C.besides D.unless
19.A.respect B.freedom C.confidence D.excuse
20.A.shyness B.pride C.stupidity D.courage
Everyone experiences unhappy times on occasion, but there is a big difference between experiencing a short time of sadness and living an unhappy life. Here are some of the things that lead to an unhappy life and how to deal with them.
Only being a dreamer
Dream your dream, but also realize that you are more than just a dreamer. 1. But to achieve it, you must break out of your present comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar.
Continuous self doubt
Don’t spend all your time saying, “I’m not smart enough, thin enough or rich enough.” 2.
Obsession (迷恋) with control
Learn to let go of control, relax and ride the path that life takes you. Try something new, take a chance, but above all, smile and enjoy the scenery.
Setting unrealistic expectations
You’re going to make mistakes every now and then. You’re a human being. 3. But making them is also how you grow.
Slacking (松懈) on exercise
4. The truth is you don’t have time not to, or sooner or later you’ll be making time for illness.
Overindulgence (过分放纵) of a good thing
Eating too much makes you fat. 5. Playing too much leaves important work undone and so on.
A. One should work hard to get more knowledge.
B. You should try to avoid making mistakes of course.
C. Your dream is your creative goal for your future life.
D. Working too much leaves your family at home missing you.
E. Actually you can be what you want if you take positive steps.
F. If you say you haven’t time to exercise, you’re lying to yourself.
G. People always put too much interest in trying to control everything in their life.
Poets,songwriters and left—wing politicians hate the idea,but for decades,opinion—poll evidence has been clear: money buys happiness and the richer you are,the more likely you are to express satisfaction with your life.Until now,a survey of 43 countries published on October 30th by the Pew Research Centre shows that people in emerging markets are within a whisker of(一步之遥)expressing the same level of satisfaction as people in rich countries.It is in line with the standard view of happiness and income seen so far.
According to the survey,in 2007,57%of respondents in rich countries regarded themselves as happy;in emerging markets the share was 33%; in poor countries only 16%—a classic expression of the standard view. But in 2017, 54% of rich—country respondents counted themselves as happy,whereas in emerging markets the percentage jumped to 51%.
The sharp increase happened thanks to huge improvements in countries such as Indonesia (+35)and Pakistan(+22).In 12 of the 24 emerging markets,half or more people rate their life satisfaction in the top of the ladder.
This is not to say the link between income and satisfaction has been snapped. Poor countries still lag behind:only a quarter of the people there count themselves as happy—half the level of the other two groups.There is also a clear link between happiness and income growth.China's GDP rose at an annual average rate of 10% in 2007—2017 and its happiness level rose 26 points.
Within countries,richer people express more satisfaction than their poorer neighbors.The study divided respondents into categories with higher and lower incomes and fewer and more household goods.In every country in every group, richer folk with more goods expressed higher levels of happiness.So at a personal level,money does buy happiness.And if you ask people about different aspects of their lives—health,family life,religion,standard of living—it turns out that satisfaction with living standards still has the biggest influence on happiness.
1.What's the standard view of happiness and income?
A. Income is not closely related to happiness.
B. Happiness does not depend on how much you earn.
C. The higher your income is, the more likely you will feel satisfied.
D. The more you are satisfied, the more you can earn every month.
2.What contributed to the increase of happiness in emerging markets?
A. Their rapid development. B. Investment in emerging markets.
C. Economic downturn. D. More cooperation with rich countries.
3.What's the purpose of the writer by mentioning China's GDP?
A. To prove that China's GDP growth led to the happiness of people in Asia.
B. To remind readers of the progress that China has made.
C. To express the author's concern about the development of emerging markets.
D. To show that there is a link between happiness and income growth.
4.What is the author's attitude to the standard view of happiness and income?
A. Disappointed. B. Skeptical
C. Supportive. D. Indifferent.
When an ice cube melts, it creates a puddle (水坑). When an ice sheet (冰盖)melts, it raises sea levels. It sounds simple, but scientists have debated for decades whether both the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets actually were shrinking, and how much that melting contributed to rising sea levels.
Now, a new study has provided the best evidence of how the polar ice sheets are responding to our warming world. In the study, an international team of scientists looked at 20 years of' data in the ice sheets collected by 10 satellite missions. The team's conclusion: The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets both are losing ice overall. The researchers also found that between 1992 and 2011, melt water from those shrinking ice sheets caused sea levels to rise by about 11 millimeters.
Over the 19 years studied, the Greenland ice sheet lost 2.7 trillion metric tons of ice. The Antarctic ice sheet also shrank by about l.3 trillion metric tons. Previously, some scientists disagreed whether the Antarctic sheet, the largest mass of ice in the world, was shrinking or growing or neither.
While the Earth is warming overall, the effect of climate change varies from region to region. Over the last 15 years, for example, scientists have something disagreed over how climate change has affected the polar ice sheets. Many studies found that the sheets lost a lot of ice and that not enough snow fell on the sheets to compensate for the loss. But other studies found that the loss of ice was balanced by the gain in snowfall.
Richard Alley, a glacier scientist at Penn State University, said that many of those studies looked at different areas, and over different time periods. In addition, the studies didn't all use the satellite data in the same way. Those differences made, it difficult to compare the results.
The data in the new study matched time periods and areas. The study also combined measurements from kinds of satellites.
1.Why does the author use a common-sense phenomenon as the beginning?
A.To present the reason for ice sheet melting.
B.To show us the result of a scientific experiment.
C.To give a simple example to introduce the topic.
D.To present a common daily finding obvious to the readers.
2.The researchers reached their conclusion by_____.
A.analyzing the findings of former studies
B.observing the Antarctic and Greenland
C.referring to the data from satellites
D.making measurements in the Antarctic and Greenland
3.What does the underlined phrase "compensate for" in paragraph 4 refer to?
A.Cut down.
B.Lead to．
C.Bring about.
D.Make up for.
4.Which of the following might be the best conclusion for the passage?
A.Ice sheets are shrinking due to global warming.
B.People are suffering from climate change.
C.Rising sea levels makes people live in danger.
D.Shrinking ice has nothing to do with sea levels.
This all started a few months ago, when I had a dull pain in the back of my mouth, around where one of my wisdom teeth was supposed to be coming in. I thought it was a pain that I could live with for a while.
However, during the next few weeks, the pain became more intense, spreading to my teeth, gums and jaw. I was told I had seven wisdom teeth.
Yes, you read that correctly, seven — three more than a normal person. My first reaction when I heard was to laugh. It’s just my luck. My mouth wanted to do more work than it had to.
Focusing on the positive, one of the great things about having extra teeth is watching people’s reactions when they find out. So far, I haven’t grown tired of repeating myself.
The extra teeth are also a good excuse for me being tongue-tied. I can now blame it on my overcrowded mouth rather than my slow brain.
Of course, with wisdom teeth come the intellect jokes. My parents say my intelligence comes from my extra teeth and not my hard work. My friends agree that once the teeth are pulled, my brain will be that of a 5-year-old.
I’ve also thought about how I might profit from this. If only I still believed in the tooth fairy, I could make a lot of cash. Maybe I could sell my extras to someone in need. Advertisement: Seven teeth for sale, unused, in almost perfect condition.
Don’t be fooled by my jokes. I am worried about having surgery. I’m also going to be sad to see the Lucky Seven go. I’ve developed quite an attachment to them over the past two days. Once they’re removed, I’ll just be normal again, and who wants that?
1.When the author found that she had three more wisdom teeth than a normal person, she ________.
A.found it quite funny B.dealt with the pain calmly
C.was confused and anxious D.kept it secret from others
2.The intellect jokes from the author’s family and friends were intended to ________.
A.persuade the author not to remove her wisdom teeth
B.advise the author to work hard to improve her intelligence
C.make fun of the author in a light-hearted way
D.let the author know why she is often tongue-tied
3.When the author brought up the idea of tooth fairy, she ________.
A.thought she could rely on it to make a living
B.had already made up her mind to make money
C.believed that her wisdom teeth were in perfect condition
D.was deeply aware that the idea couldn’t become reality
4.What’s the article mainly about?
A.People’s different reactions to the author’s wisdom teeth.
B.How the author has gotten on with her extra wisdom teeth.
C.The author’s ideas for making use of her wisdom teeth.
D.How the author has decided to remove her wisdom teeth.
BKLYN House Hotel
This hotel features works by Brooklyn artists. The 116 rooms are good value and Manhattan is only 20 minutes away by taxi or subway. The immediate surroundings feel urban — the hotel is by a high-rise public housing project while the nearest commercial street is under elevated (高的) subway tracks — but Bushwick’s best bars and cafes / restaurants are nearby.
Doubles from $99, room only. Tel: 718 388 4433
Archer Hotel
Visitors eager to stay in the heart of Manhattan should try one of the bargain-priced rooms at this hotel. Rates differ from great value to expensive; some start from as low as $179 a night (if prepaying in full). Rooms are small but tasteful, with nice touches such as exposed brick. Some have close-up views of the Empire State Building.
Doubles from $199, room only. Tel: 212 719 4100
CitizenM New York Times Square
This is the first US location for a Netherlands-based concept hotel chain — CitizenM. The hotel features self check-in at its 230 little but comfortable rooms via touch screen “MoodPads”. There’s a rooftop bar, a 24-hour grab-and-go cafeteria and an area with public iMac workspaces. Although New Yorkers avoid nearby Times Square, all the lights, cameras and action can make it a fun tourist experience.
Doubles from $170, room only. Tel: 212 319 7000
1.What can we know about BKLYN House Hotel?
A. It has the most rooms. B. It is located in Manhattan.
C. It is Bushwick’s best hotel. D. It is decorated with some art works.
2.What is the advantage of living in CitizenM New York Times Square?
A. Regulars can enjoy a certain discount.
B. Visitors will get a “MoodPads” as a gift.
C. Visitors can enjoy themselves in a rooftop bar.
D. Visitors can have a good view of the Empire State Building.
3.Which number should you call if you want to live in the heart of Manhattan?
A. 212 319 7000. B. 718 388 4433.
C. 212 865 5700. D. 212 719 4100.
