【推荐1】Many scholars agree that a meaningful existence comes down to three factors: the coherence of one’s life, the possession of clear long-term goals and the belief that one’s life matters. But we believe there is another element to consider.

Imagine the first butterfly you stop to admire after a long winter or the scenery atop a hill after a fresh hike. Sometimes existence delivers us small moments of beauty. When people are open to appreciating such experiences, these moments may enhance how they view their life. We call this element experiential appreciation, an ability to detect and admire life’s inner beauty as events happen.

To better understand this appreciation, we conducted a series of studies involving over 3,000 participants. Initially, we had participants rate their coping strategies to relieve their stress. Those managing stress by focusing on their appreciation for life’s beauty reported experiencing life as highly meaningful. In the follow-ups, we asked them to rate the extent to which they agreed with various statements, such as “I have a great appreciation for the beauty of life” and other statements related to coherence, purpose, existential mattering. Our results showed that the more people indicated that they were “appreciating life”, the more they felt their existence valuable. In the subsequent experiment, we further explored the phenomenon by asking participants to watch an awe-inspiring video, they also reported having a greater sense of experiential appreciation and meaning in life in these moments, compared with those watching more neutral videos.

The final results confirmed our original theory: appreciating small things can make life feel more meaningful. But applying that insight can be difficult. Our modern, fast-paced, project-oriented lifestyles fill the day with targets. We are on the go, attempting to maximize our output. This makes it easy to miss what is happening right now. Yet life happens in the present moment. We should slow down, let life surprise us and embrace the significance every day.

1. What is the author’s belief in meaningful life?

A．Owning the coherence of life.

B．Setting a long-term career goal.

C．Valuing what matters just to us.

D．Enjoying present beauty of life.

2. What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．The approach to conducting the studies.

B．The analysis of the specific objectives.

C．The necessity of a long-term goal in life.

D．The logic behind experiential appreciation.

3. What challenges us to feel more meaningful life according to the text?

A．Our fast-paced modern lifestyle.

B．The lack of employment chances.

C．Our focus on individual feelings.

D．The ignorance of future outcomes.

4. What can be the best title of the passage?

A．Appreciating the past.

B．Living in the moment.

C．Finding yourself back.

D．Embracing the future.

【推荐2】At 27, after serving in World War II, I dreamed of owning a piece of land. So I moved from central Illinois to Shelbina, Missouri, and bought 236 acres for $6,000. The plot of land was situated on a dirt road and was half farmland and half trees, with an old house that had no running water or electricity. Obviously, it was not what you’d call prime real estate. But it was mine.

I was alone for the first time in my life, and I found it liberating. My days were filled from dawn until dusk with plowing and planting corn. Dinnertime came and went, and I barely remembered to eat.

I wouldn’t say I was a great success at farming in Missouri. However, when I went to the store to buy some plowshares, I met a nice woman named Claudette working behind the counter. I also ran into her at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Shelbina each week. I found out later that her manager kept asking her about “that tall boy (and eligible bachelor) from Illinois living out in the country in an old house with no water, no electricity and no housekeeper.”

Claudette and her sister soon visited my farm and put up some curtains. To show my appreciation, I took Claudette out for a ride in my 2½-ton Studebaker truck. We married in 1954 and have now been together for more than 62 years!

I later sold the Missouri farm for a $3,500 profit and bought 40 acres in Illinois. For many reasons, buying the Missouri farm was a good idea. I will always cherish memories of owning the farm and meeting my beloved.

1. When the author bought the plot of land in Shelbina, ________.

A．it was well equipped	B．he was unsatisfied with it
C．it was not a real estate	D．he worked very hard on it

2. The underlined word “liberating” in paragraph 2 can be replaced by the word ________.

A．upset	B．interesting
C．free	D．boring

3. The author regards buying the Missouri farm as a good idea because _______.

A．he was able to sell it at the price of $3,500

B．he could recall plenty of experiences in his own farm

C．he got the chance to meet his wife working at a church in Shelbina then

D．he could purchase another house in Illinois as a result of successful farming

【推荐3】The American book Who Moved My Cheese has been a bestseller all over the world. It teaches people how to face changes in their lives. Now its author Spence Johnson has written a book just for teens. The book tells us that when facing changes in our lives, like a new school or new friends, don't be afraid. Instead, use this change to make a better life. The book gives an example of a change at school. A school is changing from having two terms to three terms because there are too many students.
Several teens are talking about this. Most of them are unhappy and worried. But Chris is not. He laughs and tells a story about two mice, two "little people" and some cheese.
The four are in a maze (迷宫) looking for the cheese. Here, cheese means something important in life, likemoving to a new class or getting into college. But they find the cheese is gone. The mice realize that they can't change what has happened and have to find more cheese. This means finding different dreams. The little people,however, can't do this. They are afraid of changes so they find no cheese.
After Chris finishes the story, the friends understand one thing: to get more cheese, move m a new direction quickly. His friends understand how this can be used in the changes all teens face, such as doing well at school or having good relationships or just feeling good about yourself.
1. The book Who Moved My Cheese is _____.

A．written all over the world

B．read across the world

C．sold only in America

D．loved only by teens

2. What does the text mainly discuss?

A．Never change in our lives.

B．Change when you like to do.

C．Change with the changes.

D．Pay attention to the changes.

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．The author is British.

B．There are three terms in every school.

C．Most teens don't understand Chris' story.

D．The book tells teens how to face changes in their lives.

【推荐1】You don’t have to be a superhero to help the environment. Even small, simple actions can add up to big changes. People around the world, including kids, can work to help the earth at any time. Here are two stories about how kids are protecting the planet. Let them inspire you!

Raising Her Voice

Mari, 10, lives in Flint, Michigan. Since 2014, Flint residents have been without clean drinking water. That is when the water became polluted with lead (铅). As a result of lead poisoning, children in Flint have suffered from health problems.

“We knew that the water wasn’t good,” Mari said, “but we had no idea how bad it was and that it was making us sick.” Mari has worked hard to spread the awareness of Flint’s water crisis by organizing fundraisers (筹款人) and other events. In 2016, she inspired the president Barack Obama to visit her hometown. “Never let anyone tell you that your voice doesn’t matter,” Mari says. “It may not always be easy, but you will find adults who support you and want to hear what you have to say.”

Ryan Recycles

At the age of 3, Ryan Hickman began an activity to clean up the environment — one can and bottle at a time. That was in 2012, when Ryan went with his dad to a recycling center near his home in California; the experience motivated Ryan. The next day, he began collecting recyclables from neighbors. Soon, Ryan’s Recycling Company was born. “Recycling keeps bottles and cans out of the ocean,” Ryan, now 8, said, “so animals don’t get sick from them and die.”

So far, Ryan has helped customers recycle 320,000 plastic and glass bottles and aluminum (铝) cans. He has also donated nearly $6,000 to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center.

1. How is the text mainly developed?

A．By analyzing causes.

B．By making comparisons.

C．By following the order of time.

D．By providing different examples.

2. Why is Barack Obama’s visiting Mari’s hometown mentioned?

A．To show Mari’s effort paid off.

B．To prove Obama was very kind.

C．To explain Obama was Mari’s friend.

D．To show Mari’s hometown was beautiful.

3. What motivated Ryan Hickman to clean up the environment?

A．His love for sea life.

B．His desire to make money.

C．His visit to a recycling center.

D．His parents’ effective education.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Kid Heroes for the Planet

B．How to Protect Our Planet

C．Go Ahead with Your Dream

D．Becoming An Environmental Volunteer

【推荐3】In my living room, there is a plaque (匾 ) that advises me to “Bloom(开花)where you are planted.” It reminds me of Dorothy. I got to know Dorothy in the early 1980s, when I was teaching Early Childhood Development through a program with Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky.The job responsibilities required occasional visits to the classroom of each teacher in the program.

Dorothy stands out in my memory as one who “bloomed” in her remote area.Dorothy taught in a school In Harlan County, Kentucky,Appalachian Mountain area.To get to her school from the town of Harlan, I followed a road winding around the mountain. In the eight-mile journey, I crossed the same railroad track five times, giving the possibility of getting caught by the same train five times.Rather than feeling excited by this drive through the mountains,l found it depressing. The poverty level was shocking and the small shabby houses gave me the greatest feeling of hopelessness.

From the moment of my arrival at the little school, all gloom(忧郁)disappeared. Upon arriving at Dorothy's classroom. I was greeted with smiling faces and treated like a queen. The children had been prepared to show me their latest projects.Dorothy told me with a big smile that they were serving poke greens salad and cornbread for “dinner”(lunch). In case you don't know, poke greens are a weed-type plant that grows wild, especially on poor ground.

Dorothy never ran out of reports of exciting activities of her students.Her enthusiasm never cooled down.When it came to time to sit for the acquired testing and interviewing to receive her Child Development Associate Certification(证书),Dorothy was ready.She came to the assessment and passed in all areas. Afterward, she invited me to the one-and-only steak house in the area to celebrate her victory, as if she had received her Ph. D. degree.After the meal,she placed a little box containing an old pen in my hand.She said it was a family heirloom(传家宝), but to me it is a treasured symbol of appreciation and pride that cannot be matched with things.

1. In the journey, the author was most disappointed at seeing________.

A．the long track	B．the poor houses
C．the same train	D．the winding road

2. Upon arriving at the classroom, the author was cheered up by________ .

A．a warm welcome	B．the sight of poke greens
C．Dorothy's latest projects	D．a big dinner made for her

3. What can we know about Dorothy from the last paragraph?

A．She was invited to a celebration at a restaurant.

B．She got a pen as a gift from the author.

C．She passed the necessary assessment.

D．She received her Ph.D.degree.

4. What does the author mainly intend to tell us?

A．Whatever you do, you must do it carefully.

B．Whoever you are, you deserve equal treatment.

C．However poor you are, you have the right to education,

D．Wherever you are, you can accomplish your achievement.

【推荐1】Researchers have just offered evidence in a study that says obesity appears to spread through social ties, much like a virus. When one person gains weight, their close friends often follow. But the finding might also offer hope.

If friends help make obesity acceptable, then might also be influential in losing the fat. The researchers note that support groups are already an effective tool in dealing with other socially influenced problems, like alcoholism.

The findings appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine, The researchers used information collected from 12,000 people. It was collected between 1971 and 2003 as part of the Framingham Heart Study.

The information was highly detailed. There was even contact information for close friends of the people in the study.

The researchers examined more than 40,000 social ties. They found that a person’s chances of becoming severely overweight increased by 57% if a friend had become obese.

A sister or brother of a person who became obese had a 40% increased chance of becoming obese. The risk for a wife or husband was a little less than that.

Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School was a lead investigator in the study. He says there is a direct causal relationship between a person getting fat and being followed in weight gain by a friend.

The study found that the sex of the friends was also an influence. In same-sex friendships a person had a 70% increased risk of becoming obese. Men had a 44% increased risk of becoming obese after weight gain in brother. In sisters, it was 67%.

The researchers also considered the effect of where people lived in relation to each other. James Fowler of the University of California, San Diego, was the other lead investigator. He says a friend who lives a few hundred kilometers away has as much influence as one in the same neighborhood. He says the study demonstrates the need to consider that a major part of people’s health is tied to their social connections.

Both investigators say their research shows that obesity is not just a private medical issue, but a public health problem.

1. What does the underlined sentence in Para. 2 mean?

A．Obesity has a negative influence on a close friend.

B．Friends might also play a part in losing weight.

C．One might have a positive influence on one’s friend.

D．Friends usually don’t follow each other to lose weight.

2. Who is mostly likely to gain weight?

A．A man who has a fat brother	B．A husband who has a fat wife
C．A wife who has a fat husband	D．A woman who has a fat female friend

3. Which of the following statements doesn’t the passage agree with?

A．You are sure to lose weight if you have a skinny friend.

B．If one gains weight, one’s friends are likely to get fat.

C．A person’s health is closely linked with his /her social relationship.

D．Even if the friend lives far away, the influence still remains.

4. The reason why the study involves both family members and friends is that_______.

A．researchers fail to find a more different sample

B．researchers have different ideas for family members and friends

C．researchers can meet these people regularly

D．researchers can compare the results

【推荐2】One night in 1966, Michael Chapman rushed into a folk-music club in Cornwall, England to get out of the rain, and soon found himself onstage playing the guitar.

“They offered me a job to play for the rest of the summer. And I’ve been playing ever since,” Chapman says. “I’ve told that story so many times, but it’s absolutely true. If it hadn’t been raining that night, I wouldn’t be talking to you.”

The British guitar player has spent the 50 years since then on the road. He released some praised albums in the 1970s, but his health went downhill in the 80s and 90s. Like a lot of British artists in the 1960s, Chapman taught himself to play the guitar by listening to American jazz and blues records.

Chapman actually taught photography, but quit when he was 26 to play music full time. When he was starting out, he was often compared to other British acoustic guitar heroes of the time, like John Martyn and Bert Jansch.

“The fascinating thing about Michael Chapman is that he doesn’t fit in with those guys of his generation,” says Andrew Male, a music journalist. “He’s always been an outsider. He never moved to London. ”

And while he never became part of the London music scene, Chapman was noticed by those musicians. “The 70s caught up with him in the 80s,” Male says. “He had a huge heart attack at the end of the 80s that nearly finished him off. When he made his way back into the world in the early 90s, people had forgotten about him.” But not everyone. A younger generation of musicians in America, including Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth and a younger singer and guitarist named Steve Gunn, recently rediscovered Chapman.

“We wanted to capture Michael’s voice and character where he is now. You know, it’s a little road-weary, but he still has it,” Gunn says. “For me, it was really important to get that right.” “He’s the right old musician for present times,” Male says. “I think the music he makes seems quite in tune with where we’re at.”

1. Which can best describe Michael Chapman’s first involvement in music?

A．Untrue.

B．Accidental.

C．Unfortunate.

D．Reasonable.

2. What can we learn about Michael Chapman from the text?

A．He has taught photography for 26 years.

B．He taught himself to play the guitar and did far better than John Martyn.

C．To some degree, he is not accepted by other people of his generation.

D．He is one of the best guitar players in the early 90s.

3. Why did Michael Chapman quit his music career once?

A．He lost his special voice.	B．He suffered from a severe heart attack.
C．He got tired of competing with others.	D．He was almost forgotten by everyone.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．The Rise and Fall of Guitar Music	B．The Sad Story of a Guitar Musician
C．A New Generation Helps an Old Guitar Musician	D．A Brief Introduction to a Guitar Musician

【推荐3】A 2-bedroom house for rent in Downham Way, Bromley, BRI

Description

Situated in a center, this surprisingly large 2-bedroom house is a stone's throw from Grove Park station with its array of shops, bars and restaurants. What's more, it is close to local schools-primary and secondary schools.

This property is well presented, full of character and charm, and has many attractive features. It is comprised of an entrance hall, a fully fitted modern kitchen and has central gas heating. To the first floor there is a landing, giving access to two double bedrooms and a bathroom. Outside there is a well-kept garden to the front aspect of the property. Offered unfurnished and earliest viewing advised.

The house is available from 27th Nov. 2019 and it is great for professionals and families. All photographs are provided for guidance only and viewings are allowed. If you are satisfied with the house and want to rent it, 2 weeks' deposit, which is half of a month's rent, will be required.

Summary & Exclusions：

Rent Amount: £ 1,400 per month(Rent is due on 1st of the month.)

Agent Fees: £ 150

Administration Fees: £ 50

Minimum rent term is 12 months/ Maximum number of renters is 5

Bills not included

No Parking Available

Note：

If calling, please quote reference(编号):220540

Phone bookings are available from 9 am to 9 pm, 7 days a week.

1. What can we learn about the house?

A．It has a neat back garden.

B．It is equipped with tailored furniture.

C．It is near primary and secondary schools.

D．It can be booked on the phone after 8:30 am.

2. How much is the deposit if a family of three is to rent the house?

A．£ 350.

B．£ 700.

C．£ 1,050.

D．£ 1,400.

3. Who is qualified for renting the house?

A．A family of four wants to rent the house for two years.

B．A family of five wants to rent the house for half a year.

C．A family of six wants to rent the house for one year.

D．A family of three wants to rent the house for nine months.

【推荐1】PENRICE

COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Cornwall County Counicl

We Need Two

ASSISANT HEADTEACHERS

From January 2006

L13—17(£44,703—£49,314)

Penrice Community College is a highly regarded and successful 11-16 specialist languages college. Following the recent appointment of a new headteacher we’re restructuring the leadership team to create two new roles.

One post will involve leading teaching teams with responsibility for developing curricula(课程) and time-tabling.

The other post will be leading student based teams and responsibility for student learing outcomes and the removal of barriers to student success such as poor attendance or disaffection.

Penrice Community College is:

A school with 1,350 wonderful students

High achieving with results well above average

Mentioned twice in HMCl’s outstanding schools list

A British Council International School

Situated in a beautiful part of mid-Cornwall

All enquires for information and application packs should be made to Danielle Eyres on 01726—72613 or at secretary@penricornmvall .sch.uk

Closing date for applications is Tuesday October 4^th at noon. Interviews will be held on Monday 17^th and Tuesday 18^th October 2015.

1. The underlined word “restructuring’ probably means ________.

A．formally telling sb to do	B．Joining the two parts together
C．rebuilding sth and making it work again	D．extending the size of sth

2. The purpose of the above passage is to ________

A．introduce the advantages of a school	B．report the appointment of a new head teacher
C．call on more students to go to school	D．advertise for new assistant headteachers

3. The two new posts are required to do all the following EXCEPT ________.

A．stop students missing classes	B．get students interested in learning
C．lead students-based teams	D．arrange new curricula

4. HMCI is probably the name of ________.

A．an educational organization	B．a school leader
C．a political party	D．a news reporter

【推荐2】The DC Library offers a variety of book clubs for people to gather and discuss their love for books. Please note that sometimes book club events will be canceled on put off due to unexpected situations. Here are some of the book clubs.

Captain Hill Reads

This group meets at 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month to discuss recent literary fiction titles. We have many meeting places throughout the Capitol Hill neighborhood including the Southeast and Northeast libraries, community centers, restaurants, and coffee shops. To find out what we are reading and where the next month's meeting will be held, send an email to David.quick2@dc.gov.

Books & Bars Book Club

Join us at Gordon Biersch at 9th and F streets NW on the third Wednesday of each month. Books&Bars is a book club that provides delicious food, fresh drink, a comfortable atmosphere and great discussion on today’s most interesting books. For more information, Please contact KariMitchell at Kari.mitchell@dc.gov.

A Song of Ice and Fire Book Club

This club reads the series by George R. R. Martin. The popular HBO show, Game of Thrones, is based on his series. We meet on the last Wednesday of every month at Petworth Citizen at 829 Upshur Street NW. Write to Lisa at Warwick@dc.gov if you have any questions.

Cleveland Park Library Mystery Book Club

This club meets on the first Thursday of each month at Teaism, 400 8th Street, NW, downstairs. The group chooses the books each month or two to three months in advance. All types of crime writing are considered. Monthly notices are sent by emails. You can call us at 202-282-3023 for more information.

1. What do we learn about Capitol Hill Reads?

A．It reads all types of crime writing.

B．Its events are held in the early morning.

C．Its events take place in different places.

D．It provides food for members for free.

2. Who will go to the club on the last Wednesday of every month?

A．Fans of HBO shows.

B．Fans of George R. R. Martin’s books.

C．People who are fond of literary fiction titles.

D．People interested in different types of novels.

3. What’s the purpose of the writer’s writing this passage?

A．To introduce some book clubs.

B．To introduce some fantastic books.

C．To give advice on reading.

D．To give advice on choosing book clubs.

【推荐3】Is dark chocolate healthy? Yes，dark chocolate has compounds (化合物)that offer health benefits and can be enjoyed without guilt，even on a daily basis.But the amount matters，since too many bites can contribute to extra fat，sugar and calories and get rid of its health benefits.

Dark chocolate is rich in cocoa，which contains compounds known as flavanols(黄烷醇)．At high levels，cocoa flavanols have been shown to help lower blood pressure and the risk of diabetes. Dark chocolate has the highest amount of cocoa flavanols：milk chocolate has lens，and white chocolate has none.

But while cocoa flavanols in dark chocolate make it a healthful treat，they give it a biter flavor. Producers may process chocolate to make it more delicious，but doing so can remove some of these beneficial compounds，said Matt Hartings，an American professor. In spite of this，dark chocolate is still a healthier choice than milk chocolate，which tends to have more sugar. Additionally，cocoa powder contains minerals. So you can enjoy a piece of dark chocolate even after a meal. Just keep the following in mind.

First ，buy chocolate that has at least 60% cocoa.“Generally speaking，the higher the percentage，the more flavanols. These higherpercentage chocolates have the added benefit over the lower percentages and milk and white chocolates because they contain less sugar and less fat，” Hartings said.

Second，if possible，choose natural cocoa over Dutch processed cocoa，which is treated with an alkali (碱)．This gives chocolate a milder flavor but removes healthful flavanols.
And finally，to keep weight in check，limit to 30 grams of dark chocolate daily，or about 150 calories，
1. Dark chocolate is healthy mainly because of the existence of ．

A．rich minerals	B．less sugar
C．cocoa flavanols	D．fewer calories

2. What does the underlined word “treat” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Something enjoyable.

B．A salt­free diet.

C．Food paid by others.

D．A cure for an illness.

3. What can we learn from the text?

A．Cocoa flavanols leads to high blood pressure.

B．White chocolate is good for health.

C．One can feel free to eat dark chocolate.

D．Alkali can affect flavanols' content.

4. What's the author's purpose in writing the text?

A．To show his love for dark chocolate.

B．To promote the sales of chocolate.

C．To provide facts about dark chocolate.

D．To make a distinction among chocolates.