【推荐2】Laughing is essential to keep your stress levels under control ，it's not only necessary, but also essential to have a good sense of humor just to help us get through each and every day of our lives.    1     , as the saying goes, makes me feel good and warms my heart.   How would you feel if you could not joke around with your wife, husband, child, co-worker neighbor, close friend, or even just someone that you are standing in line with at your comer store? I am always saying things that make others smile or laugh, even if I don't know the person I'm joking around with.     2    , even if it was the hardest job anyone could imagine. This not only relieves stress in any situation, but also is common courtesy (礼貌) to speak to others that are around you. I know of a few people that don‟t have a funny bone in their bodies, as they say. Everyone around them could be rolling on the floor after hearing a great joke and they would sit there without the slightest smile on their face. They don't get the joke that makes others laugh. I am busting a gut while they just sit there, looking at me    3     How can people not get a really funny joke?     4     Without humor we would find ourselves with a lot of psychological problems, or on a lot of medications to keep us from going crazy. There is too much sadness in this present world.     

    5     We all need to find a way to bypass the sadness and bring a little light into our lives. So, I believe our best medicine is to get together and tell some jokes and have some fun laughing together.

A．It drives people crazy

B．It drives people excited

C．Putting a smile on someone's face when you know they are feeling down in the dumps

D．With all the wars, fighting and sadness in the world today

E．Laughing is essential to make your stress levels out of control

F．as if I were from outer space.

G．My Grandma always found humor in everything she did

【推荐3】If you are human, you can’t help but experience times when everything seems to be going wrong and you feel as if your life is completely out of control. It is during those “down times” that words of encouragement from family, friends, co-workers or even strangers can lighten your spirits. It is also during those times that destructive(有害的) words can sink you deeper and deeper into depression(沮丧).

For example, consider this story about a group of frogs who were traveling through the woods when two of them fell into a deep pit（坑）. All of the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two unfortunate frogs they would never get out.

The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump out of the pit. The other frogs kept telling them to stop. Finally, one of the frogs took heed of what the other frogs were saying and simply gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again the crowd of frogs shouted at him to stop the pain. The more they shouted, the harder he jumped and finally he made it to safety.

When he got out, the other frogs asked him why he continued to jump when they were all shouting at him to simply quit. The frog explained to them that he was a little bit deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

Every time you have a chance to say either something positive or negative to another human being, do choose the chance to say something positive! Don’t let those opportunities get away from you. Your words have a large amount of power. Use them wisely. You really never know just how much they can mean to someone else.

1. The first paragraph tells us that words play an important part especially when           .               .

A．we stay with our family, friends and co-workers

B．we hear strangers say something to us

C．we get through hard times in life

D．we make some big mistakes

2. The underlined phrase “took heed of” had the similar meaning with “             ”.

A．acted according to

B．had some doubt

C．held on to

D．got used to

3. The more they shouted, the harder he jumped and finally he made it to safety. That’s because           .

A．he struggled to prove that they were wrong

B．he thought they were encouraging him

C．he was angry with what they said

D．he didn’t want to let them down

4. After reading the passage, readers should learn a lesson that                  .

A．we can use encouraging words to help others out

B．having a positive attitude is important in life

C．never give up until we win

D．we must believe in ourselves rather than others

【推荐1】Each time I see a balloon, my mind flies back to a memory of when I was a six-year-old girl. It was a rainy Sunday and my father had recently died. I asked my mom if Dad had gone to heaven. "Yes, honey. Of course." she said.

"Can we write him a letter?"

She paused, the longest pause of my short life, and answered, "Yes."

My heart jumped. "How? Does the mailman go there?" I asked.

"No, but I have an idea." Mom drove to a party store and returned with a red balloon. I asked her what it was for.

"Just wait, honey. You'll see." Mom told me to write my letter. Eagerly, I got my favorite pen, and poured out my six-year-old heart in the form of blue ink. I wrote about my day, what I learned at school, how Mom was doing, and even about what happened in a story I had read. For a few minutes it was as if Dad were still alive. I gave the letter to Mom. She read it over, and a smile crossed her face.

She made a hole in the corner of the letter where she looped the balloon string. We went outside and she gave me the balloon. It was still raining.

"Okay, on the count of three, let go. One, two, three."

The balloon, carrying my letter, darted upward against the rain. We watched until it was swallowed by the mass of clouds.

Later I realized, like the balloon, that Dad had never let his sickness get him down. He was strong. No matter what he suffered, he'd persevere, hang on, and finally transcend this cold world and his sick body. He rose into sky and became something beautiful. I watched until the balloon disappeared into the gray and white and I prayed that his strength was hereditary. I prayed to be a balloon.

1. When the girl asked her mother if they could write to her father, her mother ______.

A．found it easy to lie

B．thought her a creative girl

C．believed it easy to do so

D．felt it hard to answer

2. When the girl was told that she could send a letter to her father, she ______.

A．became excited

B．jumped with joy

C．started writing immediately

D．was worried that it couldn't be delivered

3. In the eyes of the author, what was the rain like?

A．An incurable disease.

B．An unforgettable memory.

C．The failures her father experienced.

D．The hard time her father had.

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．An unforgettable experience	B．Fly to paradise
C．The strong red balloon	D．A great father

【推荐2】       My father passed away in a nursing home on a September day. I never remembered him telling me he loved me. Upon hearing his death, I didn’t feel the need to cry. I struggled with my lack of strong feelings over his passing, knowing it was not healthy for me to avoid sadness.

On Christmas Day of the year, I was reflecting on as many good memories of my father as I could. I decided to work out my feelings, so I sat down and wrote my father a letter.

Dear Daddy,

I remember something today. I remember when I was 3 years old, mom carried me right before bedtime and you sang “Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep” to me, and I remember your voice like it was just yesterday. I remember the warmth of you lying next to me and how special I felt at that moment. Then my mom carried me off to my own bed to tuck me in.

I remember times when I could sit out on the porch with you and watch an approaching thunderstorm, and you would tell me the scientific facts behind lightning and thunder. I thought you knew everything.

I remember you taking my two brothers and me on trips to a stream out in the country on summer days. We would walk along the stream, picking wildflowers to take home to mother.

I want to thank you for giving me an appreciation of nature and science and of God’s beautiful creation, Earth. I want to thank you for making us take part in “family worship” every evening after dinner. I remember that Bible stories and the Golden Rule on how to treat others, and I learnt how to appreciate music in my life from the hymns we sang. I also learnt to harmonize with my sisters.

And most of all, I want to forgive you. I forgive you for not being able to tell me that I was a special girl and that you loved me. I longed for your spoken affection. But I realize something in your own upbringing would not allow you to express your feelings verbally (口头地）. I realize that you did the best that you could with what you knew.

I signed the letter and put it into my wooden box to join many other cards and letters from my family and loved ones that I cherished. But somehow, it had not brought any relief I desired.

On New Year’s Eve, I remember the letter to my father. I took it outside to the yard. Then I built a fire and dropped it into the flame and watched it burn.

As I thanked my father for giving me life, the tears came. I released all the grief and whispered, “you were my father… and I love you.”

1. Why did the writer struggle with the feelings upon hearing her father’s death?

A．Because she couldn’t accept her father’s death.

B．Because she wanted to hold back her sadness.

C．Because she knew she should have felt sad.

D．Because she had a mixed feeling of love and hatred.

2. The writer spent much happy time doing memorable things with father EXCEPT that ___.

A．father sang songs for her before bedtime.

B．father taught her nature, science, and history.

C．father took her on trips in nature.

D．father read Bible stories for her.

3. It can be inferred from the text that ______.

A．the writer burned the letter directly after finishing writing it.

B．father’s growth influenced his way of expressing himself.

C．the writer never expected father to express his true feelings.

D．the writer didn’t forgive her father completely after his death.

4. Which can be chosen as the best title for the story?

A．Daddy, I miss you.

B．A regretful letter to father

C．Happy time with daddy

D．The flames of forgiveness

【推荐3】I accidentally heard a father and daughter in their last moments together at an airport. They had announced her plane's departure Standing near the door, he said to his daughter, "I love you. I wish you enough." She said," Daddy, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Daddy." They kissed good-bye and she left.

He walked over toward the window where I was seated. Standing there, I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude （干涉）on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, ''Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?" "Yes, I have," I replied.

Saying that brought back memories of expressing my love and appreciation for all my dad had done for me. Recognizing that his days were limited, I took the time to tell him face to face how much he meant to me. So I knew what this man was experiencing. ''Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?" I asked.

''I am old and she lives much too far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is, her next trip back will be for my funeral," he said.

"When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough.' May I ask what that means?”

He began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." He paused for a moment and looked up as if he were trying to remember it in detail. He smiled even more. "When we said 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with enough good things," he continued and then turned toward me. He then shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory:

"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive…I wish you enough 'Hellos' to get you through the final 'Good-bye…

He then began to sob and walked away.

1. Why did father say it was a forever good-bye?

A．He would wait for his daughter.

B．He thought his days were limited.

C．His daughter wouldn't come back.

D．He had a quarrel with his daughter.

2. What do we know about the author from the third paragraph?

A．He seldom visited his father	B．He was busy working.
C．He was good at chatting,	D．He had the same feeling.

3. What does the underlined sentence probably mean?

A．Treasuring the time together.	B．Keeping your spirit alive.
C．Appreciating the sun more.	D．Making your attitude bright.

4. What should be the best title for this passage?

A．I Have Challenges Ahead	B．A Sad Journey
C．I Wish You Enough	D．A Sad Father

【推荐1】One minute, Peggy Lewis and her husband, Harris Lee, were watching the trees blow in the wind. The next, they were surrounded by flying pieces of glass from the house’s broken windows. The roof was torn off. The walls caved in (塌陷). After the 152-mph tornado (龙卷风) had passed, it took a team of neighbors to pull the couple from the rubble (碎砖) and take them to the hospital.

When the pair returned to their house three days later, it was clear that what remained of the house would need to be torn down, but before Peggy would let that happen, she wanted one thing first—her family Bible.

Peggy had bought the Bible 35 years earlier, at the start of her marriage. Like many people, she’d used it to hold her family’s history — old photos, and a handkerchief from her great-grandmother.

The Bible was the first thing Peggy looked for when she returned to the house. When two volunteers showed up, Peggy had one task for them.

After an hour of searching, one of the volunteers ran up to her. Peggy had tears running down her face. The young woman had found the book while looking through rubble. Surprisingly, while many other books inside the house had been destroyed beyond recognition, the Bible was still complete, even though it had sat in the rain for days. “I completely broke down,” says Peggy. “I thought it was gone forever.” She was extremely grateful.

Peggy and her family were living at a friend’s house until they got back on their feet. But the book already has its well-deserved place of honor, in Peggy’ borrowed dresser. She knows that while every good book tells stories of disastrous (灾难性的) weather and unlikely survival, this one actually lived it.

1. What happened to the couple during the tornado?

A．They were hurt by glass.	B．They were buried in ruins.
C．They were blown to the wall.	D．They were forced to leave their house.

2. What task did Peggy Lewis probably have for the volunteers?

A．To help find her Bible.	B．To get her a new dresser.
C．To dig out all the buried things.	D．To tear down the dangerous house.

3. Why is the Bible important to Peggy Lewis?

A．It’s very expensive.	B．It’s a gift from her husband.
C．It marked her marriage.	D．It held important things.

4. How did Peggy Lewis feel seeing what the young woman had found?

A．Excited but surprised.	B．Sad but thankful.
C．Excited and thankful.	D．Surprised but sad.

5. What did Peggy Lewis lose in the tornado?

A．An important book.	B．All of her books.
C．Her house.	D．Some of her relatives.

【推荐2】Emily and her boyfriend had just had a fight. She felt alone and hopeless. Then she went into the kitchen and grabbed what she needed before going back up to her room quietly. She switched on the TV and started eating…and eating…for hours, until it was all gone.
What Emily didn't know at the time was that she was suffering from an illness called binge-eating disorder(BED)(暴饮暴食).
For years, Emily didn't tell anyone what she was doing. She felt ashamed, alone, and out of control. Why don't famous people confess (承认) to BED, as they do to anorexia? It's simple: There's a stigma（污名）involved. “Overeating is seen as very bad, but dieting to be skinny is seen as positive and even associated with determination," says Charles Sophy, a doctor in Beverly Hills , California.
"Some parents or friends may look at a teen with BED and think, 'Oh, a good diet and some will-power will do the trick.' But that's not true," says Dr.Ovidio Bermudez , a baby doctor at the Eating Recovery Center in Denver. "Eating disorders are real physical and mental health issues; it's not about willpower." The focus in treating BED shouldn't be on weight, because as with all eating disorders, the behaviors with food are a symptom of something deeper.
Like most other diseases, genetics may play a big part in who gets BED and who doesn't. If you have a close relative with an eating disorder, that means you're more likely to develop an eating disorder of your own.
Besides, many people with BED have tried at some point or another to control it by going on a diet, but paying more attention to food doesn't help. And it might even make things worse, like it did for Carla, who's 15 now and is recovering from BED. "My parents would always tease me about my weight, so when I was 14, I went on a very restrictive diet," she says. When you can't have something, you only want it more, so every time Carla would have a bite of something that wasn't allowed on her strict diet. She would quickly lose control and binge (狂欢).
1. What does the underlined word "anorexia" in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Eating too much.

B．Eating junk food.

C．Loss of the wish to eat.

D．Always eating in a hurry.

2. According to Dr. Ovidio Bermudez, people with BED_______ .

A．just need a lot of willpower

B．can recover with a good diet

C．can recover with the help of others

D．need to deal with their health problems

3. What can we learn from Carla's story?

A．BED is an incurable disease.

B．BED has something to do with genes.

C．Going on a diet won't help BED patients.

D．BED patients should pay attention to their food.

【推荐3】Wearing high heels, lipstick and trendy dresses, a group of “chic grandmas” with an average age of 68, can still walk the runway as models. However, they are not trained models. They are, in fact, ordinary retirees. They all share a love for fashion, and they come together to add a bit of enjoyment to their lives. These “chic grandmas” share a common goal now but their backgrounds could hardly be more different.

Sang Xiuzhu, 77, is one of them. She used to be an automatic control engineer. She initially intended to journey around the globe with her husband after retirement, but during a literary event, Sang, 1.7 meters tall, was spotted by a modeling coach. In the beginning, she joined the senior model team and attended events organized by her local community. Later, she was invited to participate in Beijing International Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week and her new career just grew.

Sang is learning to compose music, form lines and write scripts. She is so occupied that she really has no time to think about the aging issue. As for the future, Sang doesn’t know how to define (定义) it, as she really enjoys the present. She suggests that after retirement, people should cope with the transition period, and they should enjoy life.

As long as the heart is not old, life is always sweet. All “chic grandmas” are full of enthusiasm for new things and they live to learn. This kind of enthusiasm that is rooted deeply in their heart fills them with energy.

1. What does the underlined word “chic” in the first paragraph mean?

A．Retired.

B．Senior.

C．Fashionable.

D．Traditional.

2. What did Sang plan to do after retirement?

A．To become a senior model.	B．To attend literary events.
C．To learn to compose music.	D．To tour around the world.

3. What can be inferred about chic grandmas?

A．They have a born talent for modeling.	B．They come from similar backgrounds.
C．They willingly experience new things.	D．They care much about the aging issue.

4. Which might be a suitable title for the text?

A．Beauty Has No Age Limit	B．Changes in Fashion Week
C．Rich Life after Retirement	D．How to Be a Senior Model