When it rains, my mother and I like to sit in the car, neither of us wanting to brave the rain to get to the house. We always have our best_______in her little blue Honda,_______raindrops race down the windscreen and listening to the rain _______ the car roof. I don't know why, but sitting in the car, we always talk more than_______.
There was one rainy day when my mom told me something that is going to _______me forever. Earlier that day she and my dad had been _______about something. I can't remember what. So, she said, “Don't spend your life looking for Prince Charming._______,find yourself a really good frog.” At the time, I found this thought really _______Who wants to think that you never find Prince Charming? Another thought that _______ my mind: if my mom says there's no Prince Charming, then what's my dad? A frog? I asked her, and she replied with, “________ ！If he were Prince Charming, he wouldn't snore(打鼾), would be able to cook, and we would never argue. But you know what? He’s a damn good frag.” Being young, I didn't think of the meaning________what she was saying.
But a few years later, I understand the________of my mom's words. You can't expect everything to be ________. Let's be completely honest; if you ________your whole life for your prince with flowing hair, attractive ________,and a white horse, you’re going to be lonely. I think that the________of finding a good frog is that you accept something that's great, imperfect and all. In life, we can't afford to wait years for perfection ________So I think that the best frog you can ________ is what we're really looking for in this world. Don’t laze(懒散度日) through life waiting to live ________ever after, because I don't think you'll be very happy with the ________
1.A.debates B.conversations C.memories D.comments
2.A.noticing B.admiring C.watching D.scanning
3.A.strike B.surround C.cover D.attack
4.A.necessary B.accessible C.reasonable D.normal
5.A.depend on B.reflect on C.stick with D.communicate with
6.A.arguing B.thinking C.worrying D.dreaming
7.A.However B.Anyway C.Therefore D.Instead
8.A.discouraging B.exhausting C.amazing D.inspiring
9.A.escaped B.crossed C.changed D.searched
10.A.Forget it B.Never mind C.Of course D.No trouble
11.A.about B.over C.within D.behind
12.A.value B.effect C.concern D.weight
13.A.realistic B.perfect C.mature D.reliable
14.A.wait B.advocate C.devote D.challenge
15.A.power B.alternative C.appearance D.belief
16.A.approach B.difficulty C.potential D.point
17.A.in time B.in return C.in vain D.in general
18.A.catch B.find C.lose D.miss
19.A.regretfully B.happily C.peacefully D.casually
20.A.reply B.relationship C.intention D.outcome
Studies show that people who are happy — truly happy— have deep connections with those around them. 1. They actively try hard to improve these relationships and build quality relationships with others.
Those connections and relationships that we build and that we attempt to develop, create experiences in our lives. Some experiences will be poor, but it is possible for us to create meaningful experiences — experiences that allow us to just be. Studies show that when we create meaningful experiences, we allow ourselves time to relax, to build connections, and to become our best selves 2.
If we want to create meaningful experiences, we need to learn how to create these moments in our lives. Instead of taking many classes and workshops to teach us how to build connections with others, we should experience beSHOPs, which means we learn by being, by observing, and by becoming.
3. It helps define us and motivates us to do good, to step outside of our comfort zone, and to be better. A few of these values that we need to create meaningful experiences include:
● Compassion (同情): Compassion has been thoroughly studied and proven to be a natural human response. 4. When you are compassionate, you don't have to think twice about helping others.
● Gratitude: Showing sincere appreciation to others helps establish strong feelings of gratitude, and build strong connections. You should express appreciation for all the things in your life and make gratefulness just a part of who you are.
● Willingness to learn: 5. Many individuals will find themselves stuck in their own world and never take a step outside of their comfort zones. When we have that desire to learn, to explore, and our curiosity is continually peaked, then we are more likely to have these meaningful experiences.
Remember, true happiness, and meaningful experiences are not things you can learn from a series of worksheets and lectures. It is about being.
A.There is so much in the world around us.
B.“To be” requires key values that shape us.
C.It means service, kindness and love for others.
D.Within the communities, you can work on developing these values.
E.Working with others will help you experience many aspects of life.
F.Creating these experiences is a vital step in the process to achieve full happiness.
G.They value their relationships with family, friends, colleagues and even strangers.
Now,a new study led by Mason,a behavioral biologist at the University of Guelph in Canada,shows that people who can consistently read cats' expressions belong to a special group:that of the cat whisperer, mostly young and female.
For the research,Mason and his colleagues created an online survey and invited Internet users to take part.The 6,329 participants from 85 countries watched between 2 to 20 short videos of cats' expressions, and then responded if they thought the cats were distressed or happy.These random users got an average of 11.85 out of 20 ratings correct-better than chance,but not by much.But about 13 percent of the survey takers were unusually skilled at reading cats' emotions,scoring at least 15 out of 20 correct-the so-called cat whisperers.Those who self-reported being young,female,and having professional veterinary （MEW)experience were most likely to score well.Surprisingly to Mason,cat ownership had no impact on the ability to interpret cat emotion.
＂In humans,facial expressions are a major-if underappreciated- form of human communication," says Mason."And recent research shows that a variety of animals,from rats to dogs to horses,also make facial expressions that clearly communicate how they're feeling,"she says.A study published earlier this year found that cats were no exception,while also suggesting that humans could comprehend subtle(微妙的）forms of cat communication,especially facial expressions.
Mikel Delgado,a cat-behavior expert,says that this study is a"great start"to cracking cat communication,but cautions against identifying a cat's emotional state based on one piece of information.＂There's still a lot for us to understand about cats' body language,"says Delgado.For instance,tail and ear position are also relevant signals to how a cat is feeling.
1.What do we know about the cat whisperers?
A.They often go into profession related to animals.
B.They are good at understanding cats' feelings.
C.They like making videos of cats' expressions.
D.They are most likely to own and raise cats.
2.What does the author mean by"cats were no exception"in Paragraph 3?
A.Cats share a variety of characteristics with rats and dogs.
B.Cats can make out facial expressions like human beings.
C.Cats take an interest in communicating with other animals.
D.Cats can convey their feelings through facial expressions.
3.What can we infer from Mikel Delgado's words?
A.We should be very cautious when we deal with cats.
B.Cats have better communication skills than other animals.
C.We shouldn't tell cats' feelings only through their facial expressions.
D.Cats are used to showing how they feel through their body language.
4.What is the authors purpose in writing the text?
A.To convince people of benefits of keeping pets.
B.To introduce a study of reading cats 'expressions.
C.To compare cats 'and human's facial expressions.
D.To clarify some misconceptions about communication.
For several months, Cara has been working up the courage to approach her mom about what she saw on Instagram. Not long ago, the 11-year-old girl discovered that her mom had been posting her photos for much of her life. “I’ve wanted to bring it up. It’s strange to see myself up there, and sometimes there are pictures I don’t like of myself,” she said.
Like most other modern kids, Cara grew up under the influence of social media. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube were all founded before she was born. Instagram has been around since she was a toddler. While many kids may not yet have accounts themselves, their parents, schools, sports teams have been organizing an online presence for them since birth. It is a shock to know that details about their lives have been shared online without their permission or knowledge. And this has become a common experience for many teenagers.
Recently a parenting blogger said that despite her 14-year-old daughter’s horror at discovering that her mother had shared years of highly personal stories and information about her online, she simply could not stop doing it.
But it’s not just crazy mommy bloggers who share their children’s information on social media. Plenty of average parents do the same. There’s even a special word for it: sharenting (晒娃). Almost a quarter of children begin their digital lives when parents upload their prenatal sonogram scans (产前超声波扫描) to the Internet, according to a study conducted by the Internet-security firm AVG. The study also found that 92 percent of kids under the age of 2 already have their own unique digital identity.
1.How does Cara feel about her mom’s behavior?
A.It's supportive.
B.It's appropriate.
C.It's annoying.
D.It's favorable.
2.What does the underlined word “toddler” in the second paragraph probably mean?
A.Teenage girl.
B.School student.
C.Daughter.
D.Very young child.
3.What can we learn from Paragraph 4?
A.Fathers don’t like to share their kids’ information on social media.
B.25% of children begin their digital lives before they are born.
C.The word “sharenting” can be found 10 years ago.
D.AVG is the name of an internet company.
4.What can be a suitable title for the article?
A.Growing up on the Internet
B.A New Term Born
C.Parents Addicted to Blogging
D.The Children’s Horror
In ancient Egypt, the pharaoh(法老) treated the message runner like a prince when he arrived at the palace, if he brought good news.However, if the exhausted runner had the misfortune to bring the pharaoh unhappy news, his head was cut off.
Shades of that spirit spread over today's conversations.Once a friend and I packed up some peanut butter and sandwiches for an outing.As we walked light－heartedly out of the door, picnic basket in hand, a smiling neighbor looked up at the sky and said, “Oh boy, a bad day for a picnic.The weatherman says it's going to rain.”I wanted to strike him on the face with the peanut butter and sandwiches.Not for his stupid weather report, but for his smile.
Several months ago I was racing to catch a bus.As I breathlessly put my handful of cash across the Greyhound counter, the sales agent said with a broad smile, “Oh, that bus left five minutes ago.” Dreams_of_head－cutting!
It's not the news that makes someone angry.It's the unsympathetic attitude with which it's delivered(传递). Everyone must give bad news from time to time, and big winners do it with the proper attitude.A doctor advising his patient that she needs an operation does it in a caring way.A boss informing an employee he fails to get the job takes on a sympathetic tone.Big winners know, when delivering any bad news, they should share the feeling of the receiver.
Unfortunately, many people are not aware of this.When you're tired from a long flight, has a hotel clerk cheerfully said that your room isn't ready yet? When you had your heart set on the toasted beef, has your waiter merrily told you that he just served the last piece? It makes you as a traveler or diner want to land your fist right on their unsympathetic faces.
Had my neighbor told me of the upcoming rainstorm with sympathy, I would have appreciated his warning.Had the Greyhound salesclerk sympathetically informed me that my bus had already left, I probably would have said, “Oh, that's all right.I'll catch the next one.” Big winners, when they bear bad news, deliver bombs with the emotion the bombarded(被轰炸的) person is sure to have.
1.From “Dreams of head－cutting!” (Paragraph 3 ) , we learn that the writer______.
A.was reminded of the cruel pharaoh
B.was mad at the sales agent
C.wished that the sales agent would have bad dreams
D.dreamed of cutting the sales agent's head that night
2.Which of the following is true?
A.The author really appreciated the neighbor's warning.
B.From the passage we know that it is the bad news that makes someone angry.
C.If the runner brought to the pharaoh unhappy news, he would be treated like a prince.
D.When we want to deliver any bad news, we should share the feeling of the receiver.
3.What is the main idea of the text？
A.Receiving bad news requires great courage.
B.Helping others sincerely is the key to business success.
C.Delivering bad news with sympathy is important in communication.
D.Learning ancient traditions can be useful.
4.In the writer's opinion, his neighbor was______.
A.not helpful B.not considerate
C.friendly D.warmhearted
Coolest Bookstores in the World
Where did you buy your last book? Chances are that you bought it on the Internet. But if you did, you missed the remarkable experience of browsing in a real bookstore. These days bookstores offer lots of great books and plenty more.
Eslite Dunnan Store
Time magazine once named Eslite Dunnan Store in Taiwan province, China "Asia's best bookstore". One visit to the store tells you why. The store, spread across five floors, offers a combination of restaurants, music and over 200,000 books. With its comfortable reading spots, visitors sometimes say it's like a library. Others have called it the "7-Eleven of bookstores" because it's open 24 hours a day.
Book Garden
The world's biggest bookstore is Tehran, Iran's Book Garden with 700,000 square feet of space. In addition to restaurants and a theater, the Book Garden features a park on the roof. Visitors can pick up one of 1,000 free books to read while enjoying the fresh air and sunshine from the Book Garden's rooftop park.
Saraiva Bookstore
Rio de Janeiro's Saraiva Bookstore might be the world's most colorful bookstore. The visible upper level is lined with books arranged by their colors. This rainbow effect provides a color welcoming for shoppers as they arrive. A rainbow path also leads young readers into the children's section.
Liberia Acqua Alta
Venice, Italy, is a city surrounded with water. Its books are displayed in all things related to water such as boats, bathtubs to protect them when the shop floods during high tide. It overlooks one of Venice's many canals, and the smell of old books fills the air.
1.Which bookstore provides a special reading place on the roof?
A.Eslite Dunnan Store. B.Book Garden.
C.Saraiva Bookstore. D.Liberia Acqua Alta.
2.What do we know about Saraiva Bookstore?
A.It is open twenty-four hours a day.
B.Shoppers can paint books with color.
C.It greets people with colorful books.
D.Shoppers can find a rainbow there .
3.Why are the books in Liberia Acqua Alta kept in boats?
A.Because the store is known for floods.
B.Because they match canals in Venice.
C.Because the store is surrounded with water.
D.Because they can be preserved from water.
