【推荐1】Directions: Complete the following passage by using the sentences given below. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.

In business, there is a speed difference: It’s the difference between how important firm leaders say speed is to their competitive strategy and how fast the company actually moves. The difference is important regardless of industry and company size.     1    

In our study of 343 businesses, the companies that choose to go, go, go to try to gain an edge ended up with lower sales and operating incomes than those that paused at key moments to make sure they were on the right track. What’s more, the firms that “slowed down to speed up “improved their top and bottom lines, averaging 40% higher sales and 52% higher operating incomes over a three-year period.

    2     They thought differently about what “slower” and “faster” mean. Firms sometimes fail to understand the difference between operation speed (moving quickly )and strategic speed (reducing the time it takes to deliver value ).Simply increasing the speed of production, for example ,may be one way to try to reduce the speed difference .But that often leads to reduced value over time, in the form of lower-quality products and services.

In our study, higher-performing companies with strategic speed always made changes when necessary. They became more open to ideas and discussion.     3     And they allowed time to look back and learn. By contrast, performance suffered at firms that moved fast all the time, paid too much attention to improving efficiency, stuck to tested methods, didn’t develop team spirit among their employees, and had little time thinking about changes.

Strategic speed serves as a kind of leadership.     4     That kind of strategy must come from the top.

A．How did they disobey the laws of business physics, taking more time than competitors yet performing better?

B．Teams that regularly take time to get things right, rather than plough ahead full bore, are more successful in meeting their business goals.

C．More haste, less speed, which in the study proves wrong.

D．Companies fearful of losing their competitive advantage spend much time and money looking for ways to pick up the speed.

E．They valued efficiency rather than consideration.

F．They encouraged new ways of thinking.

【推荐2】When you get stressful about something that happens in your life, you are experiencing stress.

    1     The following are simple ways that can be used to deal with stress.

Be Kind to Yourself

There are times when you are not fair to yourself. Often you are harder on yourself than you are of other people.     2    This would reduce the pressure you apply to yourself.

Exercise

If you are tired out from doing housework and haven't left your workstation, have a stretch(伸展). You can also join a local walk, swim or jog team.     3    

Stop Comparing Yourself with Others

    4     You says, ''if only I had a big house like she was…'', ''if only my husband were as rich as hers…'' The comparison is endless. The only comparison that counts is the comparison between where you were and where you are now . By all means, admire others, congratulate them and be proud of their achievements, but remind yourself that only you can decide the standard(标准) you want to set for yourself.

Talk the Stress Out

Sometimes it helps to share or talk about your stress to close friends or family members.    5    

A．If you can learn to accept yourself just the way you are.

B．Their suggestions will be of help to you.

C．Change your environment for an hour or so.

D．A great deal of unhappiness is caused by constant comparisons you make.

E．There are many differences between you and others.

F．The other person's active listening can help.

G．Too much stress can cause anger, depression and other related symptoms.