Maybe you think the richer the happier. As the richest countries in the world, you’d expect that Qatar and Japanese people would also be the happiest. Seeing as though they have the highest life expectancy (平均寿命).
But clearly wealth and good health do not guarantee happiness after both countries failed to make the top ten most positive countries.
The survey of nearly 150, 000 people around the world found that seven of the world’s 10 countries with the happiest attitudes are in Latin America.
Gallup asked about 1,000 people in each of 148 countries if they were well-rested, had been treated with respect, smiled or laughed a lot, learned or did something interesting and felt feelings of enjoyment the previous day.
In Panama and Paraguay, 85 percent of those surveyed said yes to all five, putting those countries at the top of the list. They were followed closely by El Salvador, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Thailand. Guatemala, the Philippines, Ecuador and Costa Rica.
The people least likely to report positive emotions lived in Singapore, the wealthy and orderly city-state that ranks among the most developed in the world. Other wealthy countries also sat surprisingly low on the list. Germany and France tied with the poor African state of Somaliland for 47th place.
Many of the seven countries which were most positive do poorly in traditional measures of well-being, like Guatemala, a country torn by decades of civil war followed by waves of gang-driven criminality that give it one of the highest murder rates in the world. “In Guatemala, it’s a culture of friendly people who are always smiling,” said Luz Castillo, a 30-year-old surfing instructor. “Despite all the problems that we’re facing, we’re surrounded by natural beauty that lets us get away from it all.”
The poll (民意测验) shows that wealthy nations can also be deeply unhappy ones. And poverty-stricken ones are often full of positivity, or at least a close approximation of it.
1. Which of the following country is the happiest one according to the passage?| A．Qatar. | B．Panama. | C．Japan. | D．Singapore. |
| A．wealth | B．good order | C．health | D．positive emotions |
| A．The richest countries are in Asia |
| B．People in poor countries are unhappy |
| C．The happiest countries have good social order |
| D．People in Guatemala face the difficulty positively because of its beautiful nature |
| A．The World Countries | B．The World Happiest Region |
| C．The World Happiness Index | D．The Wealthy Countries in the World |
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【推荐1】The men glanced around the living room which Hana had taken great pains to decorate properly. A new flowered rug lay on the floor, and fresh white curtains that Kiku had helped Hana sew hung at the windows. The first tight buds of the flowering peach in their yard had begun to bloom, and knowing there would be callers, Hana had arranged a bunch on the table.
“We’ ll come right to the point,” a tall red-headed man said without bothering to sit down.
“There’ve been some complaints from the neighbourhood about having Japanese on this block,”
Taro caught his breath. “I see. Can you tell me who it was that complained?”
“Just some of the neighbours.”
“What is it that we have done to offend them?”
“Well, nothing specific.”
Taro looked at each of the men in turn and tried to keep his voice steady. “Gentlemen,” he began. “My wife and I looked many, many months to find a home where we might raise our daughter. When the owner said there would be no objection to our moving in here, we trusted him. It was a dream come true for us. We have already spent much time and money to make this house our home. And now, you would ask us to leave?”
Taro dared not stop before he finished all he wanted to say: “I should like to meet those neighbours who object to us,” he said. “Is it any of you gentlemen?”
The men looked uncomfortable. “We’re just here to represent them.”
“Then please invite them to come talk to me. If they can tell me why we aren’t desirable or why we do not deserve their respect, I shall consider their request. I am the proprietor of Takeda Dry Goods and Grocers on Seventh Street and I would be happy to have them visit my shop as well.”
The men glanced uneasily at one another and had nothing more to say.
1. The main purpose of the gentlemen’s visit was to ________.| A．arrange a meeting for Taro to talk with the angry neighbours |
| B．make Taro aware of the complaints about the family’s decorations |
| C．tell Taro that his family was not welcome in the neighbourhood |
| D．extend their welcome to the family to settle in the neighbourhood |
| A．owner | B．newcomer | C．customer | D．caller |
| A．He was eager to avoid conflicts. | B．He was brave to defend his rights. |
| C．He was offensive and disrespectful. | D．He was considerate of others’ feelings. |
| A．Unsafe neighbourhood. | B．Illegal Immigration. |
| C．Housing shortage. | D．Racial prejudice. |
【推荐2】People have probably observed that stress level can rise due to a lack of typical psychological breaks they get in workplaces. Walking to the tea room to make a cup of coffee, stopping for a chat with one of your colleagues or discussing your plan with your leaders will help you. All of those actions are actually giving our brains an opportunity to recharge.
The workplace banter (打趣) could be worn out when you’re employed from home. The psychological breaks, however, are vital to maintain your stress at the lowest level, so attempt to copy these mini-breaks at home. Besides, you need a proper schedule for yourself. Otherwise, things go against your wishes. For example, one of my friends devoted herself to her business, ignoring her family and her own health. Though she has achieved a lot in her business, now she is in poor health and has a broken home and good-for-nothing children.
One of the toughest issues about working from home is setting boundaries. People tend to overwork at home because they often confuse work and home life. You can moderately end working at a fixed time and have time to get along with your family members. If you begin the day by bearing this in your thoughts, it's completely possible for you to stick to it. At home, you can do a bit of gardening or take a slow relaxing walk within your yard to help increase your memory and overcome depression. Even doing some arts and crafts, reading an e-book or baking a cake may also help. Anyway, you need to take yourself away from the computer screen for a superb couple of hours every day.
As the saying puts it, “Sharpening your knife won’t waste your time for cutting your firewood”. If you have good psychological breaks while working from home, your working efficiency will be improved. Besides, you’ll manage and lessen your stress and create a good family relationship.
1. What cannot reduce people’s stress according to paragraph 1?| A．Making a cup of coffee or tea. | B．Recharging your brain with new ideas. |
| C．Discussing your plan with your leaders. | D．Chatting with one of your colleagues. |
| A．They cannot fix their working time. | B．The working efficiency is improved. |
| C．They want to devote themselves to their business. | D．It is hard to balance work and home life. |
| A．Baking a cake for your family. | B．Taking a long walk in your garden. |
| C．Going to the library to read a book. | D．Doing a lot of gardening and handcrafts. |
| A．Ways to improve working efficiency. | B．Ways to reduce stress in workplaces. |
| C．Ways to lessen stress when working at home. | D．Ways to create a good family relationship. |
【推荐3】BEIJING — A bullying incident at a primary school in Beijing should not be bushed off as “a joke that went too far”; rather, faces should be dug out and action should be taken to prevent similar events from happening on campus again, according to experts.
Huang Zifang, a psychologist specializing in children's growth issues, said schools should be careful about taking bullying incidents as mere pranks.
“Instead, they should work to find out the root cause of the incident in a timely manner, guide the children involved to face and handle the incident in a correct way and teach them to behave properly to avoid-similar situations,” Huang said.
She made the comments after a mother in Beijing posted a description online on Thursday of how her 10-year-old son was bullied at Zhongguancun No 2 Primary School, a top school in Haidian district.
The mother wrote that her fourth-grade son was the target of bullies who threw a toilet wastepaper basket at him, striking him in the head. The boy was also mocked by his classmates, she said, bringing on acute stress disorder — a mental illness triggered by severe anxiety.
The mother also wrote that the school described the incident as “a joke that went too far” and that the parents of the boy who threw the basket believed their son was “just being naughty”.
The article went viral, with many internet users recalling being bullied at school.
Shen Xua, a volunteer from Beijing who has traveled the country for several years to work with schools to reduce bullying, said schools should take responsibility for such incidents and try to make the bullies understand that their behavior is “vicious and harmful” and “not allowed”.
“In the long run, a reporting system should be established to root out bullying on campus. Students should be given specific channels to report what they experience to teachers before further measures are taken to deal with incidents,” Shen said.
Huang, the psychologist, said that schools and parents must pay more attention to the ethical development and mental health of children, rather than just looking at their academic performance.
On Saturday, Zhongguancun No 2 Primary School released a statement on its social media account saying that it had talked to the parents on both sides and would make further efforts to achieve an outcome satisfactory to all parties.
1. What does Shen Xua stress according to the passage?| A．A reporting system should be set up to root out bullying on campus |
| B．Schools should pay more attention to children’s academic performance |
| C．parents should make the bullies understand their behavior is harmful |
| D．Police should be often involved in dealing with bulling incidents at schools |
| A．They didn’t take it seriously. | B．They blamed the bullies quickly. |
| C．They reported it to the police station at once. | D．They called the parents on both sides immediately. |
| A．Taught the skills for an activity. | B．Laughed at in an unfriendly way. |
| C．Made healthy again after an illness. | D．Inspired to do something new or unusual. |
| A．Try to care about children’s ethical development |
| B．How a 10-year-old child was bullied on campus |
| C．Mental health of children should be paid attention to |
| D．School bullying must not be treated as a joke |
【推荐1】Learning a foreign language can be interesting.
The main disadvantage of learning by yourself is that there is no one available to answer your questions. One way to deal with this is to make a list of your questions and ask for the help of a native speaker of the language regularly.
Learning a foreign language in a classroom is probably the most popular choice. The regularity(规律性) of the lessons will encourage you to attend classes.
Online learning is the newest method of learning a foreign language. It suits both the students who prefer to learn alone and the students who may prefer to attend a class but are unable to do so.
Whichever method you choose, keep in mind the reasons why you are learning the language.
| A．Many students prefer to learn by themselves. |
| B．But it can also be difficult, frustrating and boring. |
| C．You should also make sure you will benefit from it. |
| D．You will be able to ask the teacher questions face to face. |
| E．You may even decide to ask others sometimes to help your selfstudy. |
| F．Online learning makes the whole process more interesting and fun. |
| G．Your personality should be considered when deciding which method of learning to use. |
【推荐2】Currently, the ability to speak English fluently has become a necessity for individuals and countries to participate in the global economy. This is particularly true for countries that heavily rely on international trade and investment. Singapore is a perfect example of such a country.
Singapore is a small city-state located in Southeast Asia. Despite its small size, it has become one of the most prosperous and innovative economies in the world, This nation has gained a reputation for having a good quality of life, well-developed infrastructure (基础设施), and a favorable climate for businesses. While there are four official languages in Singapore, English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil, English is the most commonly used language in business, education, and government.
English has played a crucial role in Singapore’s economic development. The country’s founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, acknowledged the significance of English in the international business environment and made it a priority to promote English learning in Singapore. He saw English as a tool to connect Singapore to the world and attract foreign investment. The government carried out policies to promote English learning, such as making English the medium of instruction in schools and providing financial support for teachers to teach English.
As a result of these policies, Singaporeans have become proficient in English, and this has given them a competitive edge in the global economy. Singapore is home to many multinational corporations, and English proficiency is a critical factor for these companies when selecting employees. Singaporeans’ proficiency in English has also made it easier for them to conduct business with other countries, particularly those in the Western world. As a consequence, the country started marching forward steadily towards prosperity.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 1?| A．English proficiency is a must for every person. |
| B．English is highly important in the world of business. |
| C．English is the official language of all countries. |
| D．English is the only language spoken in the global economy. |
| A．It has a favorable climate to live in. |
| B．Its government officials speak English best. |
| C．Its economy rarely relies on international trade. |
| D．Its mainly-used official language is English. |
| A．He supported schools to include more English classes. |
| B．He was committed to attracting foreign investment. |
| C．He attached great importance to English learning in Singapore. |
| D．He made policies to protect the business environment in Singapore. |
| A．English, the Global Language |
| B．The Road to a Prosperous Country |
| C．English Learning Promotes Singapore’s Development |
| D．Reasonable Policies Lead to the Prosperity of Singapore |
【推荐3】It’s raining microchips. One day, they could float gently through the air while gathering environmental data, land on the ground and then disappear when their work is done. That’s the future a team of engineers see for what they’re calling “microflier”, a tiny winged microchip with designs inspired by nature.
The accomplishment belongs to a team of scientists at the Northwestern University in Illinois, who developed the microflier, a flying microchip that spins like a helicopter. It is the size of a grain of sand but with small wings and an aerodynamic design that allows it to fall in a controlled manner thanks to its barely visible propellers. The engineers used nature’s “manual” to get their inspiration for the microflier, analyzing the behavior of various types of wind-spread seeds.
How does that work? Instead of using a motor or engine, the tiny flying microchip uses the power of the wind to catch a flight, spinning through the ground at low speed. It is a stable flight, and the microflier can stay in the air for a long time, which is why it could prove to be useful for a variety of applications.
While nature has designed seeds with very sophisticated aerodynamics, the Northwestern team claims its microflier is better, as it is even smaller and its structure allows it to fall with more stable paths and at slower speeds than equivalent seeds from plants or trees.
The engineers built the flying structure to be used for purposes such as population monitoring, pollution monitoring, disease tracking and so on. And while this might look like a simple, limited device right now, researchers see its potential for becoming a highly functional electronic device. The microflier can be equipped with really sophisticated technology, such as tiny sensors, antennas for wireless communication, or embedded memory for data storage.
1. What gave scientists the inspiration for the microflier?| A．Helicopters. | B．Flying birds. | C．Falling seeds. | D．Raindrops. |
| A．electricity | B．wind power | C．an engine | D．solar energy |
| A．It produces less noise. | B．It carries more weight. |
| C．It can fly in any direction. | D．It can stay longer in the air. |
| A．working principle | B．development process |
| C．potential applications | D．accomplished tasks |
【推荐1】Teenagers love to socialize, and the following websites give them a chance to do that while playing games, exploring virtual(虚拟的)worlds and taking quizzes.
Instagram allows teenagers to upload photos of their daily lives and share them with friends. People say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and that must be true because Instagram has around 300 million users who are active each month. The platform is all about photos with short captions(说明文字).53 percent of its users are aged 18-29, but a big percentage of those may be even younger and simply (list their age as 18 in order to use the platform)
Habbo Hotel
Habbo Hotel is a place for teens to chat/Each teen receives personal room to decorate with virtual objects. They can also dress their avatars(网络头像) in virtual clothes or create games to play with friends. The room might have music, be set up like classroom, or have other features so different avatars can visit one another. Each room has an adult moderator(管理员) to make sure it stays safe.
Fanlala
Fanlala is a social network that gives teens who love celebrities, music and TV shows a place to interact. Through it, users can get the latest news and gossip on their favorite shows, as well as take quizzes to test their knowledge.
Teen Chat
Teen Chat is place for teens to interact with one another through forums(论坛)according to their interests. For example, there are chat rooms for those who love anime(日本动漫) and for those who have just started college. There are also chat rooms for things like music, games, and sports.
1. What makes Instagram different from other site listed in the text?| A．It's a great place for people to share photos. |
| B．The majority of its users are in their early 20s. |
| C．It has the largest number of users. |
| D．Only those above 18 normally use it. |
| A．Instagram. | B．Habbo Hotel. |
| C．Fanlala. | D．Teen Chat. |
| A．Game skills. | B．Sports knowledge. |
| C．Anime videos. | D．Entertainment news. |
【推荐2】The world itself is becoming much smaller by using modern traffic and modern communication means. Life today is much easier than it was hundreds of years ago, but it has brought new problems. One of the biggest problems is pollution. To pollute means to make things dirty. Pollution comes in many ways. We see it, smell it, drink it and even hear it.
Man has been polluting the earth. The more people, the more pollution. Many years ago, the problem was not so serious because there were not so many people. When the land was used up or the river was dirty in one place, man moved to another place. But this is no longer true.
Man is now slowly polluting the whole world. Air pollution is still the most serious. It’s bad for all living things in the world, but it is not the only one kind of pollution. Water pollution kills our fish and pollutes our drinking water. Noise pollution makes us angry more easily.
Many countries are making rules to fight pollution. They stop people from burning coal in houses and factories in the city, and from putting dirty smoke into the air. Pollution by SO 2 is now the most dangerous kind of air pollution. It is caused by heavy traffic. We are sure that if there are fewer people driving, there will be less air pollution.
The earth is our home. We must take care of it. That means keeping the land, water and air clean. And we must take care of the rise in pollution at the same time.
1. ________, our world is becoming much smaller.| A．Because of the rise in pollution |
| B．Thanks to science development |
| C．Because the earth is being polluted day and night |
| D．Because the earth is blown away by the wind every year |
| A．rubbish | B．noise pollution | C．air pollution | D．water pollution |
| A．it makes much noise |
| B．it makes us angry more easily |
| C．it makes our rivers and lakes dirty |
| D．it’s bad for all living things in the world |
【推荐3】I have a neighbor we call “Happy”. I have never seen her angry at anything and never heard her say a harsh word to anyone or about anyone.
Happy and her husband Ben, 70, have a huge garden.They spent many happy hours together working on it.Most of the neighbors watched interestingly as Ben doubled the size of their garden.As the cost of food climbed faster than Ben's beans, we all wished we also had such a large garden.As the rest of us spent our dollars at the market, Happy could be seen picking beans in her back yard.
Last month, Happy and Ben invited most of the neighborhood over for an “all day food festival”．We were told to bring gloves and arrive very early in the morning.We didn't know what was about to take place.
By 9：00 am, there were nine of us in the garden picking tomatoes, beans, okra, and squash.By 10：00 am, there was lots of laughter.We shared a lot of stories.By five o'clock, everyone was a little drunk from the wine and beer.After dinner, we played games.As we were leaving, Happy and Ben handed each of us a shopping bag filled with the bounty of the day, already packaged and frozen.What a delightful gift!
Well, the point wasn't so much about the food.The true gift was a day of friends enjoying one another's company.None of it would have happened if it had not been for Happy and Ben's garden.Now they have a blog about gardening in case we decided to plant a garden.And I am so proud of my tomato plants!
1. According to Paragraph 2, people wished they also had a garden so that ________.| A．they could spend happy times together with their family in it |
| B．they could grow vegetables and sell at the market |
| C．they could invite their neighbors and hold parties in it |
| D．they didn't have to spend so much money on food |
| A．To ask them to attend a birthday party. |
| B．To help them get to know each other. |
| C．To let them enjoy what they grew in the garden. |
| D．To ask them to share some interesting stories. |
| A．He thought it was too short but enjoyable. |
| B．He thought it was wonderful. |
| C．He thought it was not as good as he thought. |
| D．He thought it was too terrible. |
| A．Happy and her husband Ben don't like spending time with others |
| B．Happy and her husband Ben sometimes quarrel with each other |
| C．Happy and her husband Ben are a generous and warmhearted couple |
| D．Happy and her husband Ben live on the food they grow in their garden |
【推荐1】According to a recent survey, there are about 7,000 National Parks around the world. Many countries have National Parks. Most of them protect natural environment as well as the plants and animals that live there, but a few are in towns and cities.
There are nine National Parks in England. The first three were the Peak District, the Lake District and Dartmoor, which were all named as National Parks in 1951. Others followed afterwards, such as the North York Moors in 1952, the New Forest in 2005 and the South Downs in 2010.
Many National Parks around the world cover huge areas of land where nobody lives, but in England most of the countryside within them is useful for farming and other activities. As a result, National Parks in England include places where people live and work, as well as wild and beautiful areas where there is little sign of human life.
There are about 110 million visitors to the parks every year, bringing many benefits to the areas but creating problems too. In the parks litter is a particular danger to animals. Broken glass can also cause fires by focusing the rays of the sun. When these start in wild places, they are much harder to control and can damage large areas very quickly.
All National Parks in England promote (倡导) the Countryside Code, which tells people how to take care of their environment. If these rules are followed, the National Parks will be protected and continue to give pleasure to many people for a long time.
1. Which of the following was named the National Park in 1951?| A．The Lake District. | B．The North York Moors. |
| C．The New Forest. | D．The South Downs. |
| A．They cover huge areas of land where nobody lives. |
| B．They are all in towns and cities. |
| C．Most of the countryside within them is useless for farming. |
| D．They also have places where people live and work. |
| A．To bring many people to the areas. | B．To find the causes of some problems. |
| C．To tell how to protect the environment. | D．To study the wild animals and plants |
| A．National Parks around the World | B．National Parks in England |
| C．Disadvantages of National Parks | D．How to Help with National Parks |
【推荐2】A teenage girl is fighting for her life today after being struck by lightning as severe thunderstorms swept across Britain. The girl was one of four teenage girls from London who were hit by lightning in the Parade Ground area of Hyde Park during a storm. Earlier, Joseph Wharton, 14, died as he was struck by lightning while camping in his friend’s backyard in the West Midlands.
A spokesman for Scotland Yard said the girl remained in serious condition at St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington. She had stopped breathing by the time the first paramedic(护理人员) arrived on the scene just two minutes after the strike at 5:40 p.m. yesterday.
The other three girls hit by the bolt all had injuries, and were taken to University College Hospital. Their conditions were not serious, the spokesman added.
The strike lifted the girls into the air and then dropped them to the ground, a witness reported.
A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said paramedics risked their lives to treat the girls. “The storm was still overhead and lightning was still coming down while they were treating the patients,” he said. “All staff involved acted very professionally in providing fast treatment to these patients in very difficult circumstances.” Scotland Yard said the incident was being looked into by officers from the Royal Parks’ Operational Command Unit.
Joseph Wharton of Byland Way, Bloxwich, was hit during the extended thunderstorm which struck the region yesterday morning. He was pronounced dead at Walsall Manor Hospital.
He had been sleeping in a tent while staying with school friend Michael Lees at a house on nearby Cresswell Crescent.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said paramedics were called at 7:50 a.m. and unsuccessful attempts were made to revive(使苏醒) the sports-mad teenager. A spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said four or five people die each year as a result of lightning strikes in the UK.
1. All four girls________.| A．were killed by the lightning | B．were seriously injured |
| C．were being treated at the same hospital | D．were lifted up and dropped to the ground |
| A．thunder | B．rain |
| C．storm | D．lightning |
| A．The boy was killed after the four girls had been hit. |
| B．The paramedics began to treat the girls after taking them to the hospital. |
| C．First-aid was given to the girls during the storm. |
| D．The boy was hit by lightning in the Parade Ground area of Hyde Park. |
| A．many British people die from lightning strikes every year |
| B．the writer blames the government for the accident |
| C．the paramedics could also have been hit by lightning while aiding the girls |
| D．Joseph had been playing in the open air before the strike |
| A．magazine | B．newspaper |
| C．science fiction | D．weather report |
【推荐3】How Much to Tip
You’re out to dinner. The food is delicious and the service is fine. You decide to leave a big fat tip. Why? The answer may not be as simple as you think. Tipping, psychologists have found, is not just about service. Instead, studies have shown that tipping can be affected by psychological reactions to a series of different factors from the waiter’s choice of words, to how they carry themselves while taking orders, to the bill’s total. Even how much waiters remind customers of themselves can determine how much change they pocket by the end of the night. “Studies before have shown that mimicry brings into positive feelings for the mimicker,” wrote Rick van Barren, a social psychology professor. “There studies show that people who are being mimicked become more generous toward the person who mimics thorn.”
So, Rick van Barren divided 59 waiters into two groups. He requested that half serve with a phrase such as “Coming up!” Those in the other half were instructed to repeat to orders and preferences back to the customers. Rick van Barren then compared their take home. The results were clear－it plays to mimic your customers . The copycat waiters earned almost double the number of tips to the other group.
Leonard Green and Joe Myerson, psychologists at Washington University in St. Louis found the generosity of a tipper may be limited by his bill. After research on the 1,000 tips left for waiters, cab drivers, hair stylists, they found tip percentages in these three areas dropped as customers ‘bills went up. In fact , tip percentages appear to plateau when bills topped ＄100 and a bill for ＄200 made the worker gain no bigger percentage tip than a hill for ＄100 .
“That’s also a point of tipping,” Green says. “You have to give a little extra to the cab driver for being there to pack you up and something to the waiter for being there to serve you. If they weren’t there, you’d never get any service. So, part of the idea of a tip is for just being there .”
1. How many factors affecting the customers’ tipping are mentioned in the passage?| A．1 | B．2 | C．3 | D．4 |
| A．tipping can be affected by physical reactions to many different waiter’s factors |
| B．people who are being mimicked usually tip less to the person who mimics them |
| C．the mimic waiters can get almost twice as much money as the other group |
| D．mimicry makes the mimicker feel bad |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
| A．object to Mr. Green’s idea about tipping |
| B．think part of Mr. Green’s explanation is reasonable |
| C．give his generous tip to waiters very often |
| D．support the opinions of Mr. Green and Rick van Barren about tipping |
