【推荐1】We are the CEOs. We are the head designers. We are the top engineers. We are the senior creators. We are the inventors. We are the only maker of our own happiness.

However, we still have learned that people’s views on happiness often change with many outside things. Some people smile happily beside their new cars and homes. Students feel excited when they get better grades. Babies laugh loudly when they get new toys. Maybe true happiness has been lost in these things.

How could we have allowed ourselves to be cheated for so long? Something outside may give us happiness, but what directs us to real happiness is inner (内在的) spirit.

Our spirit is so easily broken, yet it is the single strongest thing we own. Why do people with terrible diseases still smile? Why do those with a broken heart still find joy? The inner spirit is powerful, and it is the only thing on earth that can be broken into pieces but can perfectly mend itself with time. Think about those who suffer a lot but still feel happy. Their inner spirit is very strong.

Our inner spirit will be the greatest gift that we give ourselves. It is our compass (指南针) to happiness, but we are the tour guides.

1. What is the author’s view about happiness?

A．It can be bought from others.	B．It has been lost.
C．We create it ourselves.	D．It belongs to successful persons.

2. What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about?

A．Babies want to buy more toys.

B．People like smiling beside their new cars.

C．Students feel happy after getting good grades.

D．People’s views on happiness change with outside things.

3. What is the guide to getting happiness according to the author?

A．A compass.	B．People’s inner spirit.
C．Other people’s views.	D．Things people can buy.

4. Why does the author mention those who suffer a lot but still feel happy?

A．To stress the power of inner spirit.

B．To introduce the direction of happiness.

C．To explain the importance of happiness.

D．To tell readers the meaning of the joy.

【推荐2】I was quite angry with my professor last week when he gave us an assignment to “tell someone we love them”. It has to be someone we have never said those words to before or at least haven’t shared those words with for a long time.

But as I began driving home my conscience started talking to me. It was telling me that I knew exactly who I needed to say I love you to. You see, five years ago, my father and I had a disagreement and really never settled it since that time. We avoided seeing each other unless we absolutely had to at Christmas or other family gatherings.

So last Tuesday by the time I got home I had convinced myself I was going to tell my father I loved him. The next morning I was up bright and early. I could hardly sleep with excitement, nor did my wife.

At 9:00, I called my dad to see if I could come over after work. When he answered the phone, I just said, “Dad, can I come over after work tonight? I have something to tell you.” My dad responded with a grumpy face, “Now what?” I assured him it wouldn’t take long, so he finally agreed.

At 5:30, I was at my parents’ house ringing the doorbell, praying that Dad would answer the door. Dad did answer the door. I didn’t waste any time and took one step in the door and said, “Dad, I just came over to tell you that I love you.” His face softened and he began to cry. He reached out and hugged me and said, “I love you too, son.” Mom walked by with tears in her eyes.

Two days after that visit, my dad became unconscious. I don’t know if he’ll make it. What if I had waited to tell my dad? Maybe I will never get the chance again!

1. What problem did the author decide to solve?

A．His heavy office work load.	B．His hardly-finished assignment.
C．His disagreement with his father.	D．His unpleasant family gatherings.

2. What does the underlined phrase “a grumpy face” in Paragraph 4 most probably mean?

A．Soft tone.	B．Bad temper.
C．Good mood.	D．Great doubt.

3. How did the father feel when the author said “I love you” to him?

A．Confused.	B．Shocked.
C．Moved.	D．Indifferent.

4. Which sentence may be the best ending for the text?

A．So don’t wait to do the things that you know ought to be done.

B．So don’t believe there will be a problem without a solution.

C．So don’t complain when your teacher gives you assignments.

D．So don’t forget to visit your family even if you are very busy.

【推荐1】On a cool November afternoon in Fleming Island, Florida, Melissa Hawkinson, 41, was driving her five-year-old twins home from school when she saw a sudden splash in Doctors Lake just ahead. What was that? She thought. As she drove up to the scene, she saw a half-submerged car sinking about 30 yards offshore. “It was going down pretty quickly,” Hawkinson recalls. She stopped the car near the boat ramp and ran toward the water. Water is going to be cold, she thought.
She took off her vest and leather boots, got into the icy water, and swam to the car, where she found Cameron Dorsey, five, trapped into his car as the swirling water rose around him.
Hawkinson tried to open the door, but it was locked. So she pushed and pulled hard on the partially open window until she could reach through and unlock the door. She pulled the boy free, swam to shore, and handed him off to onlookers who were only watching them on a dock. The driver, the boy’s suicidal father, swam back to land on his own. Afterward, Hawkinson sat on the shore wrapped in a blanket. “For ten or 15 minutes, I couldn’t stop shaking,” she said.
There’s nothing visibly extraordinary about Melissa Hawkinson, an energetic stay-at-home mom with brown hair and a sweet smile. Yet something made her different from the dockside onlookers that day. Why do some people act quickly, willing to take a risk for a stranger? What makes them run toward danger rather than away from it? Hawkinson, the Granite Mountain Hotshots (能手，高手)---19 of whom lost their life this past summer in Arizona--- every hero who puts his or her life on the line to save another: what makes them brave?
Moreover, can bravery be learned, or is it a quality with which you are born? The answer is complex. Bravery taps the mind, brain and heart. It comes from instinct, training and sympathy. Today, neurologists, psychologists and other researchers are studying bravery, trying to uncover the mystery.
1. It can be learned from the passage that _______.

A．Melissa Hawkinson was a 41-year-old nurse

B．it was spring when the accident happened

C．Melissa Hawkinson was picking up her five-year-old son

D．Melissa Hawkinson was kind and courageous.

2. What conclusion can we draw from the third paragraph?

A．Not everyone was ready to risk saving the five-year-old boy..

B．The father committed suicide because of the divorce.

C．The father was saved in the end by Melissa Hawkinson.

D．No one else was available except Melissa Hawkinson.

3. How does the writer find other people on the dockside?

A．Warm and ready to help	B．Thoughtful
C．Kind of cold-blooded	D．Not skillful at swimming

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

A．To set us thinking what makes people brave.

B．To call on us to learn from such people as Hawkinson.

C．To remind people of risk while saving others.

D．To show people bravery can be learned.

【推荐2】Mother’s Day is the time you say “thank you” to your mom. Stop shopping at the store. Flowers and other things in stores are too common to mention. You can choose a special gift for Mother’s Day! Just try staying close to home—and heart —write a Mother’s Day poem for her.
Use your head. Think of special moments when you were a child, times you’ve shared with your mom, things she did for you, and why you love her. Write down how those moments influenced you. Write down everything you can think of. This is your inspiration for the poem.
Look at what you wrote and pick out those things that are connected(有联系的). See if any words rhyme(押韵). It’s fine to write a free poem(one without rhymes), but many people find poems with rhymes are easier to work with, easier to read and quite catchy(容易记住的). If no words rhyme but you want your poem to, try to find connecting words that can help connect memories.
Once you have a few sentences, put them in a good order. For example, you could start with a childhood memory and end with something you remember from last month.
Add a title that shows the feeling of the poem. Even something as simple as “For Mom” can work, although something more personal might be better.
Write it in pen if you have beautiful handwriting. Read the poem over breakfast on Mother’s Day, and then hand it to your mom. Let’s wait and see the smile and tears of happiness on her face.
1. Why does the author suggest writing down everything you think of?

A．Because it will show your mother’s love.

B．Because it will bring you inspiration.

C．Because it can be shared with others.

D．Because it can help answer questions.

2. It’s better to write a poem with rhymes because     .

A．it is easier to read and remember

B．it makes the poem more interesting

C．it shows the unforgettable moments

D．it shows how things are connected

3. The best title for the poem should be one that        .

A．can be read easily and quickly

B．includes a few sentences

C．has some special words.

D．shows the feeling of words.

4. The passage mainly tells us         .

A．what to do on Mother’s Day.

B．what to buy for Mother’s Day.

C．how to write a Mother’s Day poem.

D．how to write good poems for Christmas.

【推荐3】I no longer run for the mail the way I used to. I remember, prior to the e-mail age, the sense of heightened expectation as the hour of mail delivery approached, wondering what slender(微薄的), handwritten treasures would appear in my box. I once received a letter from a long-lost friend and swelled with such joy that I ran the mail carrier down and shook his hand, as if he had done a heroic deed in conveying the missive to me.
I first learned to love the mail as a young boy. The first thing I ever received that was personally addressed to me was from my friend Duane. We had been the closest of 9-year-old boys. Then he moved away, to Massachusetts. The parting was difficult, but boys didn’t cry.
Within the week, however, there was a letter in my mailbox. It was from Duane, and it read, “I’m OK, but I miss you.” That first conveyance to me of a written word from a great distance had all the significance of the first Morse code message: “What hath God wrought.” It was at that moment that I became a letter writer, quickly discovering that the more letters I wrote, the more I received.
I wrote letters through elementary school, high school, college, and beyond. It got to the point where I could comfortably expect to receive a letter a day. The daily mail delivery was for me, like a bacon at sea– something toward which my thoughts began to move upon waking. What quickened my blood, of course, was the element of surprise: From whom would the letter be today? And what would the news be?
And then, seemingly in the blink of an eye, the earth shifted. E-mail had arrived. Despite being fascinated by the new technology, I promised myself that I would never stop writing letters by hand. However, I had no control over the habits of others, and slowly, inexorably(不可阻拦地), and then with quickened pace, the letters disappeared from my mailbox, having been replaced with electronic “messages” , a totally different beast —in contrast to letters, all e-mails look alike.
1. The author used to run for the mail mainly because        .

A．he took great interest in mail delivery

B．he was looking forward to receiving letters

C．he tried to keep mail delivery from approaching

D．he wanted to thank the mailman for his heroic deed

2. What made the author become a letter writer?

A．A letter from a long –lost friend.

B．The desire to receive more letters.

C．The joy of reading the first letter from Duane.

D．The influence of the first Morse code message.

3. By writing the underlined sentence in Para. 4, the author tells us that the daily mail delivery       .

A．meant a lot to him

B．wasted much of his time

C．quickened his thoughts

D．divided his attention

4. What’s the author’s opinion about e-mails?

A．They completely changed the world.

B．They brought about new technology.

C．They affected human relationship.

D．They lost the unique features of letters.

【推荐1】There is one thing that everyone wants more than anything else.    1    They think that when they have enough money to buy such things as houses, farms, and cars, they will have the thing that everyone wants.

Other people believe that if they know enough they will find this thing.     2    . Still others think that if they have power, they will find this thing. Some people keep telling themselves: “When I'm a boss, I will no longer have to search for this thing.”

What is it that everyone wants more than anything else? What is it that all of us keep working and striving (奋斗) for each day?    3    Happiness is a strange thing.     4    . What will make one man happy may not make another man happy. Some men say that happiness comes from helping others; other men say that happiness comes from making life more pleasant for everyone. What do you mean when you say “That makes me happy.” ?    5    . Perhaps you will learn something that will bring you peace of mind, comfort, money or it may be what you search for — happiness.

A．It is happiness.

B．It does not mean the same to all men.

C．They study all their life in search of it.

D．Happiness means the same to everyone.

E．Some people try to get it by making money.

F．When one man feels happy, another man will feel sad.

G．Read what different people have said about happiness.

【推荐2】I was headed out the door the other day with my two sons.We were going to drive to the local grocery store to pick up a few odds and ends that we had run out of during the week.I shut the door quickly because my dogs were already barking at being left behind in the house.We headed down the hill but when I reached into my pocket for the car keys,they weren't there.Shaking my head,I walked back up the hill and saw my keys still dangling from the hook（挂钩）where I always hang them.

This,of course,isn't the only time I have forgotten something recently.In fact,it seems to be happening more and more.There isn't a week that goes by that I don't forget something and then remember it later in the day or misplace something and have to go looking for it.The medical professionals all reassure（使……安心）me that this is a normal part of getting older.They say not to worry about it and to take it with a smile.I am doing my best to do so.

I think I will be alright with my forgetful mind too as long as I can keep remembering the important things in life.I don't mind misplacing my keys as long as I can remember that God loves me.I don't mind forgetting what I came into a room for as long as I can remember what I am in this life for.I don't mind being a bit absent-minded as long as I am being loving-hearted.

May you always remember the important things in life: You were created in love.You were created to love.You are called to kindness and made for joy.You can make a difference in this world with every choice you make.

1. What do the underlined words refer to ?

A．Small household items.	B．Food for dogs.
C．The car keys.	D．Clothes for children.

2. What can we learn about the author?

A．He has accepted the doctors' advice.

B．He seldom forgets to put things in place.

C．He doesn't like to be troubled by his dogs.

D．He is sure to recover from his forgetful mind.

3. If the author misplaced his keys again,he       .

A．would get mad

B．would turn to God

C．wouldn't care about it

D．wouldn't forget to smile

4. The author's purpose of writing this passage is       .

A．to tell us it is normal to get old

B．to describe an unforgettable story

C．to encourage us to love and help others

D．to remind us to value the important things

【推荐3】One stormy night many years ago, an elderly man and his wife entered the hall of a small hotel in Philadelphia. Trying to get out of the rain, they came to the front desk hoping to get some shelter for the night.
“Could you possibly give us a room here?” the husband asked.
The clerk, a friendly man with a winning smile, looked at the couple and explained that there were three conventions in town.“All of our rooms are taken,” the clerk said.“But I can’t send a nice couple like you out into the rain at one o'clock in the morning. Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It’s not exactly a suite, but it will be good enough to make you folks comfortable for the night.”
When the couple declined, the young man pressed on.“Don’t worry about me; I’ll make out just fine.” the clerk told them. So the couple agreed.
As he paid his bill the next morning, the elderly man said to the clerk,“You are the kind of manager who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States. Maybe someday I’ll build one for you.” The clerk looked at them and smiled. The three of them had a good laugh. As they drove away, the elderly couple agreed that the helpful clerk was indeed exceptional, as finding people who are both friendly and helpful isn’t easy.
Two years passed. The clerk had almost forgotten the incident when he received a letter from the old man. It recalled that stormy night and enclosed a round—trip ticket to New York, asking the young man to pay them a visit.
The old man met him in New York, and led him to the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th street. He then pointed to a great new building there, a pale reddish stone, with turrets and watchtowers thrusting up to the sky.“That,” said the older man,“is the hotel I have just built for you to manage.”“You must be joking,” the young man said.“I can assure you I am not,” said the older man, a sly smile playing around his mouth.
The older man’s name was William Waldorf Astor, and that magnificent structure was the original Waldorf—Astoria Hotel. The young clerk who became its first manager was George C.Boldt. This young clerk never foresaw the turn of events that would lead him to become the manager of one of the world’s most glamorous hotels.
1. The purpose of the author writing this story is to_______.

A．give people a good laugh	B．cover some facts
C．promote the business of Waldorf—Astoria Hotel	D．deliver a lesson

2. Which of the statements about the story is NOT true?

A．The story took place at about one a.m..

B．The old couple was too poor to afford a luxurious room.

C．The clerk was willing to help those in need.

D．The clerk received an unexpected invitation from the old man.

3. The underlined word “conventions” in Para.3 can be replaced by_______?

A．rooms

B．suites

C．meetings

D．hotels

4. Which of the following proverbs suits the story the best?

A．Every little thing helps.

B．Make hay while the sun shines.

C．Man proposes； God disposes(处理,决定).

D．One good turn deserves another.

【推荐1】Christmas was two days away. Had the packages with a camera in already been placed under the Christmas tree? That was the only thing that I had longed for. A million times I had kept dropping hints to my parents. Taking photos is my favorite. My bedroom walls are covered with photos I had taken with my mom’s old camera. I’m always trying to snap(抓拍) those wonderful moments in which you can hear the laughter or touch the beautiful scene, but my camera has always seemed to fall short.

I knew Mom had put a few presents under the tree this morning, so I went on a hunt in my mom’s room. I opened the door and found my Christmas present was lying unwrapped on the floor --- a big pink cat. My heart sank.

Mom seemed to notice that, and she tried to cheer me up. “Jenny, I got your present today. I am so excited to surprise you!” “I can’t wait,” I said.

The next day I couldn’t wait any longer. I needed to tell her.

“Mom, may I talk to you for a moment?”

“Sure, dear. What do you need to talk about?” she asked.

And so it came ---how upset I was that I was getting a cat!   

“Jenny, that cat is for your sister Julia!” she said with a smile.

“Then what am I getting” I asked.

She just smiled. “You’ll have to wait and see.”

Next morning, I happily got into the living room and sat next to the tree. I pulled out the box with my name on it and opened the wrapping paper to find …

My camera! “Thank you!” I said to both Dad and Mom.

Dad picked up the camera and took a picture of Julia, Mom and me. It has become one of my favorite pictures. Just on that Christmas morning, I took lots of photos with my camera --- my little sister making a face, my parents giving me a soft smile --- and all of these photos have come to mean one thing to me: love.

1. The underlined phrase “fall short” in Paragraph 1 probably means _____.

A．be too expensive	B．be not good enough
C．become short after falling	D．drop to the ground

2. Why did Jenny’s heart sink at first?

A．Her mother refused to talk to her.	B．She mistook her sister’s Christmas gift for hers.
C．Her present was not well wrapped.	D．Her mother forgot to buy her any Christmas gift.

3. We can learn form the passage that ________.

A．Jenny was happy to accept the pink cat

B．Jenny’s mother bought her a camera after discovering her disappointment

C．Jenny thought it was OK to have an old camera

D．Jenny’s mother knew what she wanted as a Christmas gift

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

A．Love can not be bought	B．Love is more important than gifts
C．A Christmas wish that came true	D．My Mother is always in my heart

【推荐2】The power of humor and laughter is numerous. They entertain us and make us feel good. But, above all, we have discovered that humor and laughter are the best medicine. They relieve pain, reduce stress and anxiety, and are anti-aging and longevity facilitators.
They are extremely necessary for helping us to find and maintain a balance between life and work. However, they are slipping away from us. We have become far too serious. The only ones who still enjoy humor, laughter, fun and play to the fullest are young children. Children tend to laugh an average of 200 times a day. For adults, however, it is a totally different story.
In the 1950s people laughed on average 18 times a day. Today, we are lucky if we average between 4-6 times a day.
As a matter of fact, a recent study found that people laugh 6 more times in the presence of one person but 30 more times in a group of people. You can get a chuckle(咯咯笑) from jokes you get on the Internet, but it is not the same as belly jiggling laughter (a deep laugh) you get when you interact with others.
Socializing with friends and relatives was much looked forward to. However, this is no longer the case. In fact, the majority of people can hardly find time, nor do they have the inclination towards socializing outside home. They turn to electronic media such as television, computers, the Internet, videos, CDs, and audio equipment, which can provide them with instant self-entertainment at the push of a button.
The workplace does not fare(进展) much better. Due to the pressures to produce more in the same or fewer hours available and to compete, for example, in a manufacturing field with cheaper labor elsewhere in the world, humor and laughter in the workplace have gradually eroded（逐渐毁坏） away.
I have developed a real appreciation, perhaps closer to a strong desire for the power of humor and laughter. This encouraged me to write my first book titled “The Power of Humor” and subsequently my second book titled “Kids Say the Goggonest Things” based on the natural humor, laughter, play and fun that kids experience and they freely share with parents, grandparents and teachers.
From writing about humor and laughter, people start to ask me to speak up for them. To date, I have developed a number of humor-laughter topics that I use in my keynote presentations. You are invited to subscribe to my free monthly e-magazine “The Humormeister’s Forum” by clicking on the Free Humor E-zine navigation button on the website.
1. According to the author, laughter is leaving us partly because ________.

A．we treat everything in a serious way

B．it relieves pain, reduces stress and anxiety

C．we fail to maintain balance between life and work

D．the pace of change in our lives is becoming faster

2. The fourth paragraph mainly tells us that ________.

A．getting a deep laugh nowadays is difficult

B．we can entertain ourselves with the help of the Internet

C．people laugh more heartily when spending time with others

D．researchers have made a new discovery about the effect of laughter

3. The underlined word “inclination” in Paragraph 5 most probably means “________”.

A．destination	B．tendency
C．attitude	D．approach

4. Which of the following articles can we most probably find in “The Humormeister’s Forum”?

A．The power of honesty.

B．Don’t be your own worst enemy.

C．Live life purposefully: The relationship within.

D．Funny Christmas stories to share with your loved ones.

【推荐3】You are entering a world far different from the one my generation entered.My generation grew up with no MTV, no college loan,no $175 sneakers,no underwear worn in public and very little jewelry worn on the tongue.Yet somehow we broke through and,achieved all these things,and more.I believe that your generation is far more elegant and caring than my own.You ask questions: "What is the meaning of life?" "How can I make a fortune with almost no money down?" "Why do we have to sit round in the hot sun listening to an opening speech? "

I do not recall who it was that spoke at my own graduation.Whoever it was,I know I looked to him for wisdom and guidance,just as you now look to me.I suppose if there is one single suggestion I'd like to leave with you,it is like this: concentrate on what you are doing.If you have decided to do it well,you will be successful,no matter how hard your situation is.

Act bravely.Do not fear making mistakes; if you make one,look out.

Make a contribution to our society.Even though 70 percent of you will be lawyers,still I say to you: Try to do something useful with your life,if only in your spare time.

In a very real sense,your graduation here today is not an ending but a commencement.If I may say so,this is,in fact,the first day of the rest of your lives.I realize it is a bit shocking to look at graduation this way,but I believe we must.Thank you,and lots of luck.You'll need it.

1. The underlined word "commencement"in the last paragraph might mean       .

A．beginning	B．ending
C．contribution	D．graduation

2. Where and how are the students listening to the speaker?

A．They are standing in the open air.

B．They are sitting in the open air.

C．They are sitting in a classroom.

D．They are sitting in an auditorium.

3. The speech is given to       .

A．praise the graduates for what they have done

B．tell the graduates how to make a fortune

C．offer the graduates some useful advice

D．guide the graduates how to become good lawyers

4. The speaker encourages the graduates to do the following EXCEPT       .

A．concentrate on what they are doing

B．face and avoid their possible mistakes

C．do something useful for the society

D．try their best to seek a good fortune