Perhaps you have ever heard the saying: Change is the only constant. Everyone, without doubt, goes through changes in their life, whether it is a physical state of aging or a mental state of emotional maturity. However, some are afraid to make the conscious decision to move or they think it’s too late to have a fresh start.
I have a friend named Jack. At the age of 37, he is a Senior Manager at one of the Big Four. He has a great salary, owns his own apartment and enjoys the fine things in life, but not without the heavy burdens that his job brings. On the surface, it looks like he has got life figured out. Yet when I once asked if he was happy with his work, he answered that he sometimes wished to quit his job to do something less stressful. But he’d become accustomed to this lifestyle and felt that it would be too late to give it up to achieve a new ambition.
For him, the risks are too high, so whether he can’t abide his present job or not, he has to choose to suck it up. You might have come to a similar situation as Jack’s or you might be a Jack. You’re now facing a wall. No matter what it is-the stress of your job or the terrible feeling, it’s time that you had to decide whether you’ll tear down that wall or continue to let it enclose you. I suggest pushing back the boundaries and breaking the fixed patterns. Why do you feel it’s too late to start over?That is simply because you’re comparing yourself with others-younger or more successful individuals. In fact, you should compare yourself with the older version of you.
Don’t become that person who lets life pass by only to regret it when you are making your way into old age. Don’t let your life plateau (停滞不前) and waste away in the daily chores. Don’t give up the potential you still have hidden and be locked away by your current state. Now, you’d better bravely start going after the things you want to do, without abandoning your dreams, ambitions and responsibilities.
1. What kind of people does Jack represent according to the author?| A．Those leading a happy life. | B．Those having an easeful career. |
| C．Those thinking it’s too late to change. | D．Those having a high ambition to work. |
| A．Value. | B．Recommend. | C．Understand. | D．Tolerate. |
| A．Let life stand still. | B．Enjoy the present job. |
| C．Have a small goal in life. | D．Consider ourselves as a failure. |
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【推荐1】I was diagnosed at the age of 14 with a disease, which the doctors said would leave me in a wheelchair at 25 and dead at 40. Luckily, it didn’t happen as predicted. The disease never spread to my legs, for which I am very grateful.
Still, everything I did hurt, from opening a door to putting on my clothes. I no longer had the ability to move my thumbs, and my left hand was functionally paralyzed (功能性瘫痪). I was in constant pain because I lacked the muscle strength required to do these simple tasks.
After undergoing 40 years of this disease, I decided to step into the world of alternative (可替代的/非传统的) healing. I learned to allow the flow of grace to heal and care for me.
Healing is having the courage to love yourself, and trusting you deserve a better life and healthier existence. When I adopted that new belief system, my entire being started to shift into wellness.
Slowly and steadily, I was unlocking myself from the only existence I had known. I began to imagine a new life filled with joy and acceptance. If my heart healed, my body would heal.
As I became more in touch with the energy around me, I learned the incredible power of words and how we receive exactly what we ask for. I came to understand that everything in life is an offering, an opportunity to grow.
We always have a choice. We can remain trapped in past belief patterns and behaviors that no longer serve us, or we can create a new story, one that is truer to ourselves.
I learned that “forgiveness + compassion = healing”. When we forgive ourselves, and others, we heal the hurt and discomfort. When we are compassionate (有同情心的) and graceful, we attract the same. As a result of my efforts, I now live each day in joy and gratitude.
Since I can heal, anyone can heal. We are here to be in our heart’s desire and live our purpose.
1. How is the 2nd paragraph developed?| A．By giving examples. | B．By listing statistics. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By classifying facts. |
| A．She used to move in a wheelchair. |
| B．She was rescued by a doctor at 40. |
| C．She was in constant pain for a heart attack. |
| D．She has changed her mindset toward positivity. |
| A．Uncertain. | B．Ridiculous. | C．Beneficial. | D．ineffective. |
| A．Learning to forgive others. | B．Shifting into wellness. |
| C．Meeting a big challenge. | D．Healing the world. |
【推荐2】Stephen Covey's book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is very popular among business people who want to improve their careers.
Covey begins by discussing habits and effectiveness,and why they are both important to success.According to Covey,for an action,such as listening to others,to become a habit,you must know what to do and why you should do it.However,you also must want to do.On the other hand,effectiveness means having a balance between success and a good relationship with the people around you.
Covey includes exercises to help you analyse your life.He challenges you to identify what you want to contribute to society in your lifetime.He does this by asking you to think about what people to say about you after you die.
| A．It has the potential to really improve your life. |
| B．In this way,you can challenge yourself to make your dreams and ambitions come true. |
| C．However,its principles can be applied to any area of life. |
| D．In order to be successful,you must have habits that make you able to deal effectively with others and your own personal life. |
| E．For example,a company might focus completely on making a profit. |
| F．Your answer to this question will help you make better decisions about how to spend your time. |
| G．Covey also introduces the seven habits of highly effective people. |
【推荐3】Failure is a word that no one wants to hear. It is human being’s biggest fear yet it is faced by every human being.
Learn from your mistakes. This is the opportunity that you should not let go of. Suppose you are on a football ground, you strike the ball for 9 times in a row and fail.
Never think that you’ve got only one plan. The worst thing you can do after failing in some projects is thinking that it was the only plan you could ever think of. There is always another way.
Keep a positive attitude. This is the most important thing that you need to live a happy life. Always think positive. Never let yourself down.
| A．Never give up. |
| B．Keep confident all the time. |
| C．But at the tenth attempt, you succeed. |
| D．If Plan A fails, turn to Plan B or Plan C. |
| E．Sometimes, people’s fear of it is their biggest barrier to success. |
| F．Positivity is all we need to grow and establish ourselves in this world. |
| G．What if nothing comes to you but missing the kick after you try the last shoot? |
【推荐1】Mark Bertram lost the tips of two fingers at work in 2018 when his hand became trapped in a fan belt. “It’s life-changing but it’s not life-ending,” he says. “Doing work is harder now. Everything is just a little different.”
After two surgeries and occupational therapy, Bertram decided to make light of his condition by asking Eric Catalano，a tattoo（纹身）artist，to create fingernail tattoos. The idea made everyone in the studio laugh—until they saw the final result. “The mood changed,” Catalano recalls from his Eternal Ink Tattoo Studio in Hecker, Illinois.” Everything turned from funny to wow.”
When Catalano posted a photo of the tattoos, a pair of fingernails looking so real that no one could believe their eyes, he had no idea the image would eventually be viewed by millions of people around the world.
The viral photo pushed Catalano, 40, further into the world of paramedical tattooing. Now people with life-altering scars come from as far away as Ireland to visit his shop. Using flesh-toned inks and a needle, Catalano transforms his clients’ view of themselves.
Leslie Pollan, 32, a dog breeder in Oxford, Mississippi, was bitten on the face by a puppy in 2014.After undergoing countless surgeries to correct a scar on her lip but in vain, she ultimately turned to Catalano, who covered her lip scar, giving her back a piece of her confidence. Pollan says,“ It made me have a different outlook on life.”
“Every time I see that emotion from my customers, I’m 100 percent sure this is something that I can’t stop doing.”
1. Initially, the idea of creating the first fingernail tattoos seems to people.| A．inspiring | B．life-changing | C．ridiculous | D．amazing |
| A．No one believed it was real. |
| B．It enjoyed great popularity. |
| C．It brought Catalano fame and money overnight. |
| D．It discouraged Catalano from furthering on in that field. |
| A．To warn people to stay away from puppies. |
| B．To prove that plastic surgeries are not so effective. |
| C．To show Catalano helps change clients’ view of themselves. |
| D．To highlight that tattooing is very important in our daily life. |
| A．Magical Tattoos | B．A Tattoo Artist | C．Start-off of Tattoos | D．Development of Tattoos |
【推荐2】Handmade Canberra Market
Event: 29 / 07 / 2022-31 / 07 / 2022
The Handmade Canberra market is an event which happens 4 times each year and it sells jewellery, clothes, pet treats, foods, stationery, toys, garden sculptures and more! The large market is located in the Budawang Pavilion, Conference Centre and Coorong Pavilion at the EPIC (Exhibition Park in Canberra). It generally attracts about 20, 000 visitors over two days.
It is an enjoyable way to spend the day as you walk through the stalls (摊位) enjoying the creativity of the talented (有才能的) people of Canberra and other parts of Australia. The event has free parking and entry (入场) only costs you a small donation (捐赠) to a local organization for helping the needy. If you get hungry after all the shopping, there are a number of delicious food choices in the Coorong Pavilion to choose from, as well as areas to sit and rest your feet.
When the market first began in 2008, the organizer, Julie Nichols, started with 34 stalls — this has now increased to over 290 stalls at each event. Julie Nichols has won several awards (奖) for business, design and tourism because of the success of the market. Handmade Canberra celebrated its 10th birthday in 2018 and it has been a popular event with locals and visitors every year.
With so many goods in one place, the Handmade Canberra market is a relaxing way to have a quiet shop by yourself or to walk around with friends and make a day of it. You are sure to go home with a piece not seen anywhere else.
1. How often does the market usually open up?| A．Once a month. | B．Twice a month. |
| C．Three times a year. | D．Four times a year. |
| A．Parking their cars. |
| B．Entering the market. |
| C．Learning to make objects. |
| D．Eating at the food tasting area. |
| A．To show the development of the market. |
| B．To explain the reason for opening the market. |
| C．To introduce how the market influences locals’ life. |
| D．To tell us how hard the success of the market comes. |
【推荐3】Stressful situations are sometimes unavoidable. Each of us perceives (理解) challenges in our own way and reaction to them also varies. How stressful our life is depends not only on us.
What if we do not try to change others, but rather try and change our attitude to stress and tension that we often experience at work?
Stretching and doing a short workout
Stretching releases muscle tension that accumulates in your back, shoulders, and neck during the day. Even when your day is extremely busy, do your best and set aside at least 5-10 minutes to do some exercise. There are plenty of exercises you can practise that do not require any special equipment: .yoga, or simple squats (蹲起) - you can pick any kind of workout to your liking.
Drink a cup of herbal tea
Take a stroll (漫步)
Once you find yourself in a different surroundings you will feel much better.
Call someone who you know can understand and support you when you feel stressed. A study shows that communication with close people, such as your friends or pare
nts, produces oxytocin in your body—the hormone that is needed to successfully fight tension and stress.
| A．Drinking herbal tea can effectively relieve tension. |
| B．Have a chat |
| C．Physical activity will boost your energy level and help you calm down. |
| D．Herbs work miracles. |
| E．Other people influence it as well. |
| F．If your office is situated in a busy city center, then you can spend your lunch break in a sidewalk café. |
| G．Find help |
Years ago, the answer certainly would be “Peking or Tsinghua University”. But now no one could give the exact reaction without hesitation. The only sure thing is that HK universities have gradually showed an unusual attraction to a great many mainland students.
It’s no doubt to call this HK craze（狂热）,which is even out of the expectation of those HK universities themselves.
How can HK universities shake the steady foundations of Peking and Tsinghua and attract so many mainland students?
First, Hong Kong universities offer large-amount scholarship, especially for the top students who can receive the sum scholarship as much as 400,000 HK dollars. Since higher education has become a kind of heavy burden of many families, it’s easy to understand why the reaction to the generous offering of HK universities is great.
Second, most HK universities receive professors and students from all over the world and carry out bilingual（双语）education. This kind of excellent language atmosphere is another attraction for mainland students.
Further more, university students in Hong Kong have a better chance to study abroad as exchange students.
Can mainland top universities like Peking or Tsinghua University calm as before when facing the unexpected competition from HK? Will they take relevant measures to win back the top students who once help them set the worldwide reputation? Time will explain it.
The fierce competition brought by HK universities can be a good thing for an entire improvement of education in China. After the awakening and action taking of mainland universities, they can perform better together with HK universities.
At least, it reminded the mainland universities the tuition fees（学费）are among students’ top concern when they are choosing universities. It’s time to move.
1. What is the passage mainly talking about?
| A．Some thought brought by the enrollment of HK universities. |
| B．Higher education in Hong Kong. |
| C．The competition between HK University and Peking University. |
| D．The fall of mainland universities. |
| A．many students now would love to study aboard to get a better experience. |
| B．they concern only about the tuition fees when choosing universities. |
| C．HK universities offer higher scholarship, better environment and more opportunities for their further study. |
| D．Peking university has lost its worldwide reputation. |
| A．The government should take relevant measures to stop this unfair competition. |
| B．Mainland universities had better lower their tuition fees and win back the top students. |
| C．Universities both in mainland and in HK would get an entire improvement during the competition. |
| D．It may probably cause a complete loss both sides in the end. |
| A．didn’t mean to enroll top students from mainland |
| B．didn’t expect their enrollment of mainland students would be so popular |
| C．have strict enrollment rules and only 1 out of 48 students can get the chance to study there |
| D．are proud of their teaching staff and facilities |
| A．Mainland universities should take measures as soon as possible to attract students. |
| B．The opportunities come for top students to study abroad. |
| C．Mainland universities should make full preparations to challenge mainland universities. |
| D．Top students should be offered further education free of charge. |
【推荐2】You can't buy your 10-year-old daughter a smart phone because you are scared of her becoming a social outcast. Sometimes as the parent, you have to make the hard decisions and be the backbone. But you need to be confident in your decision,and to do that you have to think it through and discuss it.
It's possible for children to have smart phones and not become addicted, which means they can use theirs smartphones reasonably. They can have one and also read a lot and even play outside. It's not black or white. You may ask me what I would do as a parent. I have never been addicted to technology, but I don't refuse it. I haven't and wouldn't buy my daughter a smartphone,but I have given her my old ones with rules attached. And it's important for parent to understand their children's phones and how they work. But parental decisions made with no discussion don't harvest respect and understanding, only hostility. And there will be the seeds of anger later .
It's interesting that you see the smartphone as more of an issue than social media. I am the opposite. A smartphone can be an amazing tool to help your children communicate with others and discover new things , but it can also become a tool that brings school life and its problems home.That's what I would oppose most because we all need switch-off time. Think of some rules for using smartphones, but they need to be discussed and work for you. For example, no phones upstairs, minimal use at home,no social media sites, or only certain, no independent app-buying,etc. A smartphone shouldn't be a byword for"do what you want".
This will be the first of many things your daughter feels passionate(热情的) about and you may not agree with. She needs to listen to you and you also need to listen to her. As an adult,you are in charge and are supposed to build a good relationship with her. And it's your job to take the long view at times when her vision can see only what's right in front of her.
1. As for children's smartphone ownership,many parents .| A．are confident in their decisions | B．have difficulty making a decision |
| C．usually respect their children's ideas | D．often ignore their children's requirements |
| A．White or black smartphones are all practical. |
| B．10-year-old kids can not tell right from wrong. |
| C．Smartphones can be properly owned by children. |
| D．It's unnecessary for children to have smartphones. |
| A．The smartphone is an issue rather than social media. |
| B．Rules for using smartphones are useless for children. |
| C．Children can use smartphones under certain conditions. |
| D．Children can do everything they want with a smart-phone. |
| A．By asking teachers to help persuade their children. |
| B．By communicating with children about their choices. |
| C．By giving children complete freedom to make their own decisions. |
| D．By allowing children to use smartphones and checking their secrets regularly. |
【推荐3】Why do I stand up for animals, and not for all those people who have no homes or no food? A poor child, no matter how hard his life is, is at least a member of the human race. This makes his chances of spending his life in a dark and small cage, or suffering from painful and frightening medical experiments a lot smaller. Should such a fate (命运) fall on him,there's a chance that other people will stand up for him.
But with animals, the situation is difficult. People have the right to use animals in an economically best way, which has resulted in the unscrupulous processing of animals. Producers of medicine are even legally allowed to kill animals and cut them open before a new medicine may be tested on humans. Partly, animal abuse is based on many people's belief that animals are inferior (低等的) to humans, a belief that is also the basis of one of the most unacceptable forms of animal abuse, namely animal testing and factory farming.
I believe that any person may do the most terrible things to other people at some point, if they allow something so defenseless as an animal to be abused. Personally, I think that the public have no idea of the great acts of violence that are being committed in their name. And it is possible to right large-scale (大范围的) wrongs, if enough people learn to see through the lies of a few.
In conclusion, I do think it's possible to live together with animals in a responsible way everywhere in the world, as long as people know about the wrongs that exist and what causes them. What we don't know won't hurt us; even in our country and elsewhere we “know nothing”, and that's why deep-rooted wrongs exist and large profits (利润) can be made at the cost of animals. This is the reason why I stand up for organizations that defend animal rights: Somehow I believe that a society that takes responsibility for its weakest and most dependent members, will also be better for its people.
1. Why does the author mention the poor?| A．To show their living conditions. | B．To call for help from the public. |
| C．To attract people's attention to them. | D．To highlight animals' tough situation. |
| A．Uncertain. | B．Unsatisfying. |
| C．Complex. | D．Shameless. |
| A．People's unawareness. | B．Animals' medical value. |
| C．The absence of animal laws. | D．The irresponsibility of society. |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. |
| C．Indecisive. | D．Unclear. |
