1 . We live in a society that judges our happiness by how much we have achieved and how successful we are. We are often told, “Work hard, become successful, and then you`ll be happy.” Is it true?

Can Success Bring Happiness?

Happiness helps you get success; it’s not the other way around. Studies show happier people are more likely to be successful, but successful people are predictably not more cheerful. When you are happier, you feel more hopeful, thankful, and strong-minded, which are important for success. As a result, you have a better chance of getting better jobs and even building stronger relationships.

Success can cause a short-term increase in happiness, but it cannot guarantee a lasting one. Shortly after achieving success, you return to your usual level of happiness. Moreover, depending on success for happiness often adds pressure, stress and negativity to every part of our lives. In conclusion, chasing (追求) happiness and well-being is better than running after success.

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Positive psychology says that happiness is both how good we feel in the present moment and how good we feel when we look at our lived lives. Trying to lead a happy life is not always about refusing our negative emotions or acting as if we feel happy all the time. We all experience difficult periods, and it’s natural for us to feel sad, angry, and other negative emotions. Happiness is about being able to embrace (接受) the good times, but it’s also about dealing with the unavoidable bad times.

Is Happiness Being Satisfied With What You Have?

Does the thought of “not having enough” trouble you all the time? Are you always chasing something bigger and better? At the end of the day, that kind of chase can undoubtedly leave anyone empty and tired. And in that process, you are missing out on getting happiness from plenty of things you have right now. Instead of focusing on getting more, you need to focus on all you have in your life at the present moment. When you start sharing what you have, you find your happiness continuously increasing.

Sure, you can work hard for success. But success won’t necessarily lead to happiness. True happiness is in the climb itself. So, focus on being happy right now. Be proud of where you are in life and who you are. Be happy first, and embrace the journey to success. Then you’ll be able to achieve more and perform better in many areas of your life, and you’ll also enjoy the journey to your goals.

1. The word “guarantee” in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ________.

A．influence

B．require

C．promise

D．prevent

2. Which of the following would be the best heading for Paragraph 4?

A．When Do You Feel Truly Happy?

B．What Does Happiness Really Mean to You?

C．How Can You Fully Embrace Your Happiness?

D．Why Is Refusing Negative Emotions Key to Happiness?

3. The writer probably agrees that ________.

A．the more you achieve, the happier you will be

B．one can’t succeed without giving up some happiness

C．chasing great achievement s is necessary for happiness

D．true happiness comes from enjoying the journey to success

4. What is the writer’s main purpose in writing this passage?

A．To help people balance happiness and success.

B．To explain why success brings happiness to people.

C．To stress the importance of both happiness and success.

D．To guide people to value happiness above achieving success.

3 . Why do people fall for bad information? Scientists are trying to find that out. They are also trying to find out what we can do about it.

People on social media sometimes share questionable claims (言论). Maybe they think the claim is surprising or interesting. But how the claim is presented can influence how many people believe it.

People are likely to think that video is the most believable, noted S. Shyam Sundar. He works at Pennsylvania State University. Sundar and his team showed fake (假的) news stories to 180 people. One fake story claimed plastic was used to make rice. One version (版本) of the rice story was sent as text only. One version was a sound recording. The third had a video. It showed a man feeding plastic sheets into a machine. The tested people graded the video story as the most believable.

“Seeing is believing. People are more likely to accept misinformation when they see something in a video,” Sundar said. That’s especially true with the rise of deepfake technologies, which create fake but visually (视觉上) believable videos.

Another big problem with fake news is how easily it gets into our brains. We often find claims believable that go along with the values we hold. Some people are unlikely to question things that fit with what they already believe. Why? Because our values can influence how we process information.

So how can we slow the spread of fake news? It might just require getting people to stop and think. Two scientists, Gordon Pennycook and David Rand, worked together on a study. They showed both real news headlines and fake ones to 3,500 people. They tested these people’s analytical reasoning (分析推理). People who scored higher on the analytical tests were less likely to mistake fake news headlines as being correct. In other words, lazy thinking helps drive someone’s acceptance of fake news.

When we recognize something untrue, we should debunk (揭穿) it. Researchers have some tips:

·Check the information from trustworthy sources (来源). Look at different sources to see if they agree.

·Once you correct misinformation with a true fact, explain why the misinformation is wrong.

·Speak up as soon as possible when you see misinformation being shared on social media.

Not paying attention can help fake news spread. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution—stop shutting off our brains so much. By thinking carefully and sharing real information, we can help everyone stay informed with facts.

1. The purpose of Sundar and his team’s study is to find out ________.

A．what ways can be used to spread news

B．how fake news spreads through different media

C．what kind of people are likely to believe fake news

D．how the presentation of news influences its believability

2. What can we learn from the passage?

A．People are likely to believe information that matches their values.

B．Debunking bad information depends heavily on technology.

C．The brain has a weak ability to recognize misinformation.

D．Lazy thinkers often slow down the spread of fake news.

3. What is the passage mainly about?

A．The causes of fake news and its bad influences.

B．The spread of fake news and people’s complaints about it.

C．The reasons for believing fake news and ways to deal with it.

D．The problems caused by fake news and the necessity to recognize it.

4 .

Are you avoiding pain or living with purpose?

There are two paths we can take in any given situation: one is the path of avoiding pain in the moment, and the other is the more difficult path of delaying (推迟) pleasure for a bigger purpose.

Some people don’t see the value in having patience during difficult times or working toward a goal; they want to lose the weight now and would rather buy the latest, greatest cell phone than save for retirement (退休). We often make our life choices according to how we can avoid pain in the moment and, in doing so, fail to see that the path of delayed gratification (满足) is sometimes where the real solutions to our problems lie.

Studies show that delayed gratification is one of the most effective personal qualities of successful people. People who learn how to manage their need to be satisfied in the moment thrive (蓬勃发展) more in their careers, relationships and health than people who give in to it.

A well-known study conducted at Stanford University in the 1960s explains a lot about why it’s beneficial to delay gratification. In the study, children were placed in a room with one marshmallow on a plate. The lead researcher gave the children an easy instruction: You can eat the marshmallow now, or wait 15 minutes and receive two marshmallows. The researchers found that the children who were able to wait for the second marshmallow without eating the first one scored higher on standardized tests, had better health, and were less likely to have behavior problems.

Consider the results of this study, and think about yourself and your actions. Are you able to wait for things you really want, even if it involves giving up pleasure and satisfaction now? Do you make decisions based on your life purpose or on what feels good now? Do you sometimes give up too soon? Can you think of a time when you successfully completed a difficult task? How did it make you feel about yourself? What were the results of waiting?

Delaying gratification isn’t a new concept. Back in 300 B.C., Aristotle saw that the reason why so many people were unhappy was that they confused pleasure for true happiness.

True happiness, according to Aristotle, is about developing habits and surrounding yourself with people who grow your soul (灵魂). This allows you to move toward your greatest natural ability. True happiness needs delaying pleasure, and putting in the time, discipline and patience required to achieve a goal instead of feeling good now.

A life of purpose, aligned (保持一致) with the seeking of true happiness, creates real joy. It keeps your happiness meter pretty steady (稳定的) throughout your life. So, which path would you like to take?

1. People who delay gratification will probably ________.

A．avoid pain and give up in the moment

B．work hard patiently for a bigger goal

C．fail to see where the real solutions to their problems lie

D．succeed easily in their careers, relationships and health

2. Why does the writer mention the well-known study in Paragraph 5?

A．To show children’s different choices.

B．To tell readers the study was very scientific.

C．To prove the value of putting off gratification.

D．To explain why some children were more successful.

3. The writer probably agrees that ________.

A．a purposeful life can bring us real joy

B．pleasure helps us to make correct decisions

C．pleasure plays a key role in a life of purpose

D．true happiness is about avoiding pain in the moment

4. What is the writer’s main purpose in writing this passage?

A．To encourage us to delay pleasure for a bigger purpose.

B．To explain the meanings of pleasure and true happiness.

C．To compare two different paths to a life of purpose.

D．To discuss the good effects of delayed gratification.

6 . A 14-year-old Girl Made an APP for Alzheimer’s (阿尔茨海默症) Patients

Emma is a 14-year-old student. Her grandma has Alzheimer’s Disease which has caused her to forget things that were very important to her. Emma’s family stay connected by sending her photos through her iPad, in hopes that she would remember them for as long as possible. Her caregiver would give her the iPad and she would look at the photos. Sometimes she remembers the people in the photos, sometimes she doesn’t, because recognizing people is becoming increasingly difficult. She also needs her caregiver to help her remember to do everyday tasks such as taking medicine or making phone calls. Her illness is making it difficult for her to stay connected with others.

As time went by, Emma started to wonder, is there a simple mobile app that could help her grandmother and other Alzheimer’s patients remember events, stay connected with friends and family, and recognize people around them?

Emma’s family hunted widely for such an app. But they were disappointed because in fact, the app they wanted didn’t exist (存在). There are many tools in the market but none of them help patients improve their daily lives. They also found that there were very few apps developed for the elderly, due to the stereotype (刻板印象) that old people cannot use technology. They are the under-served people. Right at around that time, Emma started learning how to code in Swift, an iOS programming (编程) language. So she took the matter into her own hands and developed the app Timeless.

Emma spent two years working on the app that uses AI-powered facial recognition to help Alzheimer’s patients identify people in their life. Patients take a photo of a person and the app helps them identify who that is, whether it is a loved one or a caregiver. The app also works as a daily planner and helps patients to remember events and stay connected to their social support system.

Emma is now working with an international team of developers to improve the app. With a design expert and a software developer, she believes she can make Timeless a convenient and user-friendly app for Alzheimer’s patients.

1. What disease does Emma’s grandma have?
__________________________________________
2. Why did Emma and her family feel disappointed?
__________________________________________
3. How does the app Timeless help Alzheimer’s patients?
__________________________________________
4. What do you think of Emma? Why do you think so? (Please give two reasons.)
__________________________________________

7 . People who have plenty of positive (积极的) thoughts and emotions in their everyday lives tend to be happier, healthier, and get along better with others. Building habits that encourage you to think and feel more positive can help you be more satisfied and have fewer unwanted feelings. This is especially important if you’re already dealing with a lot of negative emotions like fear, sadness, anger, frustration, or stress. Everyone has negative thoughts and feelings sometimes, but try to look on the bright side as much as you can.

Notice and name any positive emotions you feel during the day. Track (追踪) them in a list to be more aware of positive feelings you experience and situations or activities that cause them. For example, you might feel proud when you answer a question right, joyful when your dog or cat does something funny.

At the end of each day, try to find at least 3 good things that happened to you. This trains you to notice positive things and stimulates you to do more things that cause positive emotions.

Pick a positive emotion and make it stronger. Let’s say you choose confidence. What helps you feel confident? How can you get more of that feeling? You might give yourself a “Yes, I can!” pep talk before a test. Or maybe you stand up straighter and try walking through the halls in a confident way, feeling strong. Think of positive emotions as muscles (肌肉) you should exercise by the way you look at things and what you do.

Be grateful. Make an effort to practice gratitude (感激) every day. This means stopping for a moment to notice and recognize the things you often take for granted (想当然), like having a place to live, food, clean water, friends, family, even computer access. It’s taking a moment to think about how lucky you are when something good happens — whether it’s a small thing or big thing.

Collect reminders of good experiences. Consider making a positivity box filled with things like photos of good times, cards from special people, and favorite song lyrics. If you have trouble thinking or feeling positive some days, the box can lead you back to a happier emotional place.

Positive thoughts and emotions are powerful tools. So, find ways to make time for them in your everyday life. Try to create room in your day for joy, fun, friendship, relaxation, kindness and gratitude.

1. The writer would suggest that we should ________.

A．make a promise to ourselves before a test

B．make full use of things like food and water

C．collect expensive things and put them in a box

D．find several good things that happened to us each day

2. The word “stimulates” in Paragraph 3 probably means “________”.

A．allows

B．warns

C．encourages

D．teaches

3. What is the passage mainly about?

A．The influence of showing gratitude.

B．The importance of having good habits.

C．Why to have positive thoughts and emotions.

D．How to form habits of thinking and feeling positive.

8 . A Visit to a Desert in Mexico

Jose and his family decided to travel to the Sonora Desert in Mexico. They had already visited other deserts in North America including Mojave, Chihuahuan, Painted and Great Basin Deserts. However, it was the first time the family drove out into the Sonora Desert to look at its plants.

They started their trip early morning. They took a tent with them, as well as plenty of water. Jose learned about the cactus plant at school. He wanted to see as many cactuses as he could. He knew that there were more than 2,000 kinds of cactuses. He also knew that Mexico had more kinds of cactuses than anywhere else. He wanted to dig one up and take it home with him.

Even early in the day, it was hot as Jose and his family admired the beautiful cactus flowers. “They don’t look like any other flowers I’ve ever seen,” said his mother. His younger sister added, “Look at the colors of the flowers. I see red, yellow, orange, purple, white and pink.”

Jose remembered his report and explained, “Most cactus flowers do not last long.” Then he said, “Did you know that a cactus plant has fruits? Some people say you can eat all cactus fruit.” Indeed, the birds like the fruit and even the flesh of the plant. If a person was without water in the desert, he could break open a piece of cactus and get the water stored inside.

“Ouch! You must get past those awful spines first,” said his sister. “Farmers sometimes burn the spines off and feed the cactus to their cattle when it is really dry and there is not enough grass for them.” Jose told his family, “The cattle seemed to enjoy it.”

“I’m glad you know about cactus plants,” his father said. “Let’s have a cool drink and then head back to town. Did you find a cactus plant to take home, Jose?”

“No, they are so beautiful here in their natural home. I’m just going to take some pictures. I’d rather remember the cactus the way they are here, with the sand, the blossoms, and the mountains in the distance,” he answered.

1. Jose’s family traveled to the Sonora Desert to ________.

A．have a look at its plants	B．study the cactus flowers
C．taste the cactus fruit	D．dig up different plants

2. What can we know from the passage?

A．Most of the cactus flowers can last long.

B．The cactus flowers have different colors.

C．The cattle and birds enjoy the cactus spines.

D．People often drink the water stored in cactuses.

3. Jose didn’t take a cactus plant home because ________ .

A．he thought the cactus spines were too awful

B．he wanted to leave the cactus fruit to the birds

C．he wanted the cactuses to keep their beauty in the nature

D．he thought he had already taken some beautiful pictures