【推荐1】Criticism (批评) is harmful to healthy relationships. It’s okay to express disappointment if someone is behaving in a way that hurts you.     1     The following are some ways to catch criticism before it begins.

    2     Before you criticize, pause and consider whether you really need to say anything at all. If someone did something to get on your nerves, would you really need to point it out? Sometimes, it’s best to let small rudeness go Take a few deep breaths and leave the room instead of criticizing.

Be realistic. Critical people often have very high expectations of those around them. Your tendency to criticize may come from expecting too much from others. Sometimes you may find yourself consistently annoyed or disappointed with others.     3    

Separate the individual from their actions. Critical people often focus on the negative aspects of a situation or a person, failing to see good qualities alongside negative ones. If you find yourself making assumptions about a person’s character, stop yourself.     4     We all behave poorly sometimes, but a single action is not a reflection of character.

Focus on positives. Oftentimes, being critical results from how you’re choosing to see a situation.     5     However, the vast majority of people have good qualities that outweigh the bad ones. Try to focus on a person’s positive qualities over their negative ones.

A．Never criticize others.

B．Think before you speak.

C．Everyone has drawbacks and imperfections.

D．It may be a good idea to adjust your expectations.

E．We should focus on other people’s disappointing actions.

F．Try to separate a disappointing action from the person doing the action.

G．Being overly critical, however, can cause tension in a relationship over time.

【推荐3】Listening to happy music at work can help you complete tasks more quickly, especially if you’re doing something repetitive such as checking e-mail or filing documents.     1    . Cornell University researchers also found that upbeat tunes help workers cooperate and make group decisions that contribute to the good of the team.

Music decreases levels of the stress hormone cortisol just as well as massage therapy does, according to a small 2010 study. Scientists randomly assigned anxious patients to listen to music either during massage therapy or while lying in a dim room.    2    .

    3    . After surgery, it helps reduce pain. An analysis of 73 studies published in the Lancet in 2015 confirmed that listening to music before, during, or after surgery improves anxiety and pain levels, which in turn means less pain medication.

People come up with more creative solutions when they listen to happy, upbeat music than when they sit in silence, according to researchers from the Netherlands and Australia. It may be because music improves your brain’s flexibility or because it relaxes you enough for the creative juices to flow.     4    ; research also has found that moderate(适度的) volume provides the creativity sweet spot.

Whether you’re running, biking, or walking, you’ll go farther if you pump up the jams, studies have found.     5    . The effect is so great that the author of a 2012 review examining the psychological effects of music on exercise called music “a type of legal performance-enhancing drug.”

Maybe you’ve heard about Alzheimer’s patients coming alive when they hear a song from their past. Studies show that music helps them retrieve memories, communicate more effectively, and remember who they are.

A．After three months those who just listened to music experienced the same drop in anxiety as those also got massages

B．One study showed that the accuracy and efficiency of surgeons improved when they worked with the music of their choice in the background

C．Music has been used to heal for centuries, and now we’re learning why it works

D．Music distracts you from your discomfort and motivates you to stay with the beat

E．But don’t play the music too loudly

F．Listening to music before surgery has been shown to ease anxiety and limit the need for sedatives(镇静剂)

G．Time does fly when you’re listening to music

【推荐2】Paparazzi, (狗仔队)or “paps”, are photographers who take pictures of famous people when they are not at the center of public attention. Paps are different from professional photographers or journalists because they never take ordinary photos.
The goal for paparazzi is to get pictures that no one else will get and then sell the pictures to the buyer who offers the most money — normainly a small newspaper, magazine or website.
There is no law against paparazzi taking pictures in public places. However, there are laws that protect certain individuals. For example, child protection laws stop improper pictures of anyone under 16 from being published.
There is also no law that stops paparazzi from following celebrities（名人） and taking their pictures either. However, if paps are secretly following them and taking pictures of their faces, they could get into trouble.
Most paparazzihang out on streets and hot spots for celebrities, waiting for the opportunity to take a picture of a star. Many stay on the streets until the early hours of the morning when celebrities are leaving nightclubs and looking a little worse for wear. However, some have other ways to make sure they get pictures. Many paps are in contact with “informers” who know the locations of celebrities at any given time. They then pass the information on to paparazzi. An informer could be anyone — from a restaurant waiter to a salesman.
Most of the time, paparazzi get a bad reputation for following celebrities. But sometimes stars or their managers will contact paps themselves and tell them exactly where and when they will go. What a love-hate relationship between paparazzi and celebrities!
1. Which of the following things paparazzi might do would be against the law?

A．Taking pictures of famous people in public places.

B．Getting unsuitable pictures of a 10-year-old actress published.

C．Following a famous woman singer secretly and taking her pictures.

D．Hanging out at the places where celebrities often appear.

2. In order to earn big money a pap has to ________.

A．make friends with famous people

B．sell the pictures to a big newspaper

C．get the only first-hand pictures

D．know the locations of celebrities

3. The fifth paragraph mainly tells us ________.

A．how much paparazzi pay for the pictures

B．how dangerous paparazzi’s job is

C．how paparazzi contact informers .

D．how paparazzi get the pictures

4. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Paparazzi always take pictures when famous people are tired.

B．Stars hate paparazzi and don’t want to be followed.

C．Informers might get paparazzi into trouble.

D．Paparazzi and famous people rely on each other sometimes.

5. The underlined phrase "hang out" probably means _______.

A．check out

B．keep away

C．wander about

D．leave out

【推荐3】Informal conversation is an important part of any business relationship. Before you start a discussion, however, make sure you understand which topics are suitable and which are considered taboos (禁忌) in a particular culture. Latin Americans enjoy sharing information about their local history, art, and customs. You may expect questions about your family, and are sure to show pictures of their children. Yon may feel free to ask similar questions of your Latin American friends. The French think of conversation as an art form, and they enjoy the value of lively discussions as well as disagreements. For them, arguments can be interesting and they can cover pretty much or any topic－as long as they occur in a respectful and intelligent manner.

In the United States, business people like to discuss a wide range of topics, including opinions about work, family, hobbies, and politics. In Japan, China and Korea, however, people are much more private. They do not share much about their thoughts, feelings or emotions because they feel that doing so might take away from the harmonious business relationship they’re trying to build. Middle Easterners are also private about their personal lives and family matters. It is considered rude, for example, to ask a businessman from Saudi Arabia about his wife or children.

As general rule, it’s best not to talk about politics or religion with your business friends. This can get you into trouble, even in the United States, where people hold different religious views. In addition, discussing one’s salary is usually considered unsuitable. Sports is typically a friendly subject in most parts of the world, although be careful not to criticize a national sport. Instead, be friendly and praise your host’s team.

1. Which is typically a friendly topic in most places according to the author?

A．Sports.

B．Children.

C．Personal feeling.

D．Families.

2. Why are people from Asia more private in their conversation with others?

A．They don’t want to talk much with others.

B．They don’t want to break the harmonious relationship with others.

C．They are afraid to argue with their colleagues.

D．They want to keep their feelings to themselves.

3. The author considers politics and religion         .

A．cheerful topics

B．taboos

C．rude topics

D．boring topics

4. What shouldn’t you do when talking about sports with colleagues from another country?

A．Praise your own country’s sports.

B．Criticize your own country’s sports.

C．Praise the sports of your colleagues’ country.

D．Criticize the sports of your colleagues’ country.