All parents have sky-high hopes for their children. We want them to be confident and content. What can parents do to help their kids grow up to lead happy lives? Experts advise:

Helping them find their talents. In order to succeed, children need to feel they’re good at something. So expose your children to as many interests as possible; then let them choose those they like best.

Applauding their achievements. A study found that students whose parents paid attention to their abilities were far more likely to do well in school—and in life—than students whose parents didn’t show such support. So celebrate your kids’ achievements, no matter how small they are.

Praising their efforts. Kids won’t always come out on top. Still, they deserve kudos for trying their best. Ten-year-old April Cutler, for example, has had trouble with math since the second grade. “She usually gets C’s on her report card, but last year she was determined to get A’s and worked hard at it, ” says her mom. “When the first grading period ended, April was disappointed when she got a B minus in math, ” Lueille continues. “But my husband and I told her we were very proud that she’d improved. That inspired her to try even harder. She got a B plus for the next period!”

Letting them make decisions and mistakes. Making his/her own decisions increases a child’s sense of control and builds his/her self-esteem. And allowing kids to make wrong decisions—so long as doing so won’t harm them—helps kids learn from their mistakes.

Encouraging them to solve their own problems. As they grow, children need practice in communicating, standing up for themselves and compromising. One of the best places to learn these skills is at home. So the next time your child runs to you complaining that her brother is blaming her, step back and let them work it out.

1. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To encourage parents to admire their kids.	B．To show how to praise kids.
C．To help kids study harder.	D．To give advice on how to help kids become mature.

2. What can we learn from the example of April Cutler?

A．Praising kids’ efforts can help them make greater progress.

B．Setting a high goal makes kids feel discouraged.

C．Solving problems by themselves helps kids feel confident.

D．Interest is the best teacher.

3. Why should parents allow kids to make mistakes?

A．Making mistakes is a normal thing for a kid.

B．Adults also make mistakes now and then.

C．Kids can learn something valuable from their mistakes.

D．Making mistakes won’t harm kids.

Yesterday night, over a dinner with my elder brother’s family, a topic of happiness came up. My wife, Marla, a psychologist, was sharing Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of “flow” with us. Marla explained that according to the research on flow, people are happiest when they are absorbed in a task that is just challenging enough for them to experience a sense of mastery.

A few moments later my brother, Yuri, offered the following opinions: “The first and only, necessary and sufficient factor for happiness is to stop associating happiness with pleasure. The two—happiness and pleasure—have nothing to do with each other. ”

This morning, with my cup of coffee, I searched through a pile of books on my bedside table and at the bottom found a book by Bertrand Russell, I started reading but didn’t finish. In it, I found the following thought:

“The human animal, like others, is adapted to a certain amount of struggle for life, and when he is satisfied with his whims without effort, the mere absence of effort from his life removes an essential ingredient of happiness.”

The conversation came full circle: people are happiest when they are in a state of flow (Csikszentmihalyi’s language), which is the effortful devotion in a moment, which has nothing to do with pleasure.

Indeed, as Yuri insisted: happiness-as-pleasure is a myth; the association between happiness and pleasure is nothing but a semantic habit; psychologically, the two—happiness and pleasure—are arguably different; and breaking up this association between pleasure and happiness might, in fact, be a powerfully first step in pursuit of happiness.

As I look back on the exchange, I recall that there was an effort, a struggle to find a common understanding about this seemingly difficult idea—a struggle that made me happy.

4. What is the purpose of writing this passage?

A．To tell readers how to be happiest.	B．To advise readers to read Bertrand Russell.
C．To look back on the happy night.	D．To show different opinions on family gathering.

5. According to Marla, people feel happiest when they ________.

A．get what they want without effort	B．involve themselves in a challenging task
C．master the happiest around them	D．experience things that can bring pleasure

6. What writing style is used by the author to explain happiness?

A．Giving examples.	B．Offering arguments.
C．Making comparisons.	D．Using quotes.

Most students, when asked about their ideal graduation gift, would probably reply, “A car”, or “Money for a deposit on a house”. Cai Kaiyuan, 21, made a different choice. As a graduation gift to himself, he decided to work as a volunteer teacher in a remote village in Tibet.
       Cai, a senior majoring in electrical engineering at Huan Railway Professional Technology College, originally planned to cycle from Sichuan to Tibet. During his journey, Cai’s idea for a different graduation gift to himself began to take shape. “I did not know beforehand what the journey would mean to me. I just want to gain a unique experience and have pleasure in appreciating the view there,” he said.
       It turned out cycling on a plateau was extremely challenging. And it has kept changing his outlook on life. Cai’s fingers even became frostbitten while cycling up a 5008-meter-high mountain, where temperatures often dropped to 18 below zero. At night, the ice covered the road and he fell off his bike three times. The lack of oxygen made him feel dizzy and weak. “At the most serious moment, I felt that my life was on the line.” said Cai.
       However, he also gained something unexpected. At Ya’an, a city in Sichuan, he met a group of tourists who are also university students. A girl called Wu Ling told him that she planned to work as a teacher in a primary school in Tibet after her journey. He was impressed by the idea as she looked slender and weak.
       It was not until he reached a family-run hotel in Shigatse that Cai’s spirits began to rise. The hotel manager’s two daughters enjoyed talking with him. The kids asked about his experiences on his trip, and showed him the beautiful local lakes. “They told me that they always liked to talk to guests, as they wanted to improve their Mandarin,” he said, “Their parents and many locals can only speak Tibetan.”
       Cai was touched by the girls’ story. Their situation is tough and the local people have little chance to learn Mandarin because the schools are short of teachers. “I want to do something to improve the situation for kids like them,” said Cai. His parents finally gave their agreement and his teachers also supported him.
7. According to the passage, Cai Kaiyuan’s graduation gift to himself is _________.

A．to have money for a deposit on a house

B．to travel by cycling from Sichuan to Tibet

C．to own a new car and marry a slender girl

D．to work as a volunteer teacher in Tibetan school

8. What words can be used to describe Cai’s journey to Tibet?

A．Unique and pleasant.	B．Challenging but rewarding.
C．Relaxing but unexpected.	D．Freezing cold and boring.

9. The underlined phrase “on the line” in the third paragraph means “ ____________”.

A．in a dilemma	B．making a phone call
C．at risk	D．very painful

10. The purpose of writing this passage is to ____________.

A．tell us about an unusual graduation gift

B．introduce a dangerous journey to us

C．give advice on how to travel to Tibet

D．encourage us to be a teacher in Tibet

11. Which of the followings is NOT the reason for Cai to make his decision?

A．He met Wu Ling and was impressed by her plan.

B．His parents and teachers persuaded him to go to Tibet.

C．He was moved by the kid’s desire to improve their Mandarin.

D．A lack of teachers makes the local people have little chance to learn.

How Can I Fight Laziness?

Lazy people will never gain anything in life. However, laziness can be defeated once a few changes have been made in your mind.

    12    Many people lack sleep constantly, since they stay up too late and get up too early to prepare for work. These people have little motivation once they arrive home. Laziness works hand in hand with a lack of motivation and a tendency to put off things. By adjusting your sleep schedule to provide a few more hours of meaningful rest, you can fight laziness throughout the day.

Another way to fight laziness is to change your mind from passive to active. Some people treat their lives as if they were pushed from task to task. Others take a more positive approach, viewing each task as a challenge they must overcome alone.     13    

Some people fight laziness removing the temptations that surround them. A television in the living room may provide entertainment, but watching too much TV often contributes to laziness.     14    Complete a few tasks and reward yourself with what you enjoy, such as a good dinner or a film.

Laziness can also be a lasting problem at home. Couples and children may all have different energy levels, but laziness can be spread if not deal with immediately.     15     Be the first to collect and wash dishes after a meal. Others in the home may eventually follow your example and perform their own task. It is difficult to practice laziness when you are surrounded by motivated people.

    16     Enough exercise and a balanced diet can help you to develop a healthy lifestyle, thus enabling you to have more energy and help lift your spirits.

A．To fight family laziness, set an example.

B．Knowing how to fight laziness is important.

C．One way to fight laziness is to get enough sleep.

D．Finally, taking exercise regularly can help you fight laziness.

E．With strong determination, you will be able to achieve your goal.

F．Create a reward system for yourself, just as parents do for a child.

G．Laziness appears when you no longer feel in charge of your own mind.