【推荐1】The secret to happiness is keeping busy, research has found.

Keeping the mind occupied with tasks — no matter how meaningless — keeps off negative emotions, the study found.

However, the bad news is that humans are seemingly born to be lazy in order to save energy, according to Professor Christoper Hsee, a behavioral scientist at Chicago University.

In a study, 98 students were asked to complete two surveys. After they had completed the first, they were made to wait 15 minutes to receive the next one. They were given a choice of either handing in the first survey nearby or at a more distant location they had to walk to. Whichever option they chose, they received a chocolate bar. It turned out that approximately two-thirds (68 students) chose the lazy option. Those who had taken the walk reported feeling happier than those who had stayed put.

Prof. Hsee concluded that keeping busy helped keep people happy. He said the findings, reported in the journal Psychological Science, had policy implications.

“Governments may increase the happiness of idle citizens by having them build bridges that are actually useless,” he proposed.

At the individual level, he advised, “Get up and do something. Anything. Even if there really is no point to what you are doing, you will feel better for it.” He added, “Incidentally, thinking deeply or engaging in self-reflection counts as keeping busy, too.”

“You do not need to be running around. You just need to be engaged, either physically or mentally.”

1. Keeping busy can make people happy because ______.

A．it can help people get rid of laziness	B．it can make people sleep better
C．it can help get rid of negative emotions	D．it can give people a sense of achievement

2. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Everybody is born to be happy.

B．Only by keeping working all the time can you gain happiness.

C．Prof. Hsee’s findings were reported in Psychological Science.

D．Keeping busy goes against human nature.

3. What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?

A．To explain what happiness is.	B．To advise people not to sit around.
C．To advise people to do what they like to.	D．To show people how to take life correctly.

【推荐2】At some time in your life, have you ever said “I have butterflies in my stomach”? Maybe you haven’t because you don’t use that idiom but for sure you have already experienced being shy, avoiding eye contact, sweaty palms (手掌), a racing heart and a red face.

Being shy is indeed one of the feelings that you don’t want to constantly (经常地) feel. Shyness is normal and it isn’t considered as a mental problem. All people have been shy at one time or another. Studies show that around 20% of people in the whole world are shy. And this number continues to increase. Therefore, if you’re feeling shy, don’t worry, because you are not alone. However, if your shyness has become too much to deal with and it is affecting your life, then maybe there is really something wrong.

You probably are wondering why you are shy. It may be because of the environment you were used to or the way you were brought up. Certain events in the past may also contribute to your shyness now. But in most cases, shyness proves to be hereditary. If one person has shy parents and relatives, then it isn’t surprising that he has become a shy person.

One of the negative (负面的) sides of being shy is having the tendency to be passive (消极的). Most of the time shy people can’t stand up for what they believe is right; thus they just sit in a corner and let everything happen even if it is against their will.

Shy people are also too shy to have the confidence to let themselves shine and show other people what they can do. Shy people have a tendency to avoid crowds and stay away from social communications. This negatively influences their social life, work, family and other aspects of their life.

While shyness has negative aspects, it also has a positive side. Shy people are naturally good observers and don’t get themselves into too much trouble because they try to observe and examine their situation before taking some actions. They are not impulsive (冲动的) and think twice before making any decision.

Shy people can be great friends. Because they have difficulty in the social scene and making friends seems to be quite a task for them, they value their friends wholeheartedly and will try hard to build up the relationship.

Although shyness is hereditary, it can be improved over time. Some shy people who have shy parents have successfully overcome their shyness by developing their self-respect and trying to expose (暴露) themselves to new environments. Overcoming shyness isn’t about suddenly thinking you’re great. It’s more about forgetting yourself and focusing on the outside world. The point here is that by focusing on putting other people at their ease, you’ll find that you feel much more comfortable. In addition, notice who seems a little more shy or anxious and work to help them, and you will feel more relaxed.

1. By saying “I have butterflies in my stomach”, one feels _____ .

A．lonely	B．nervous
C．hungry	D．sick

2. What can be learned from Paragraph 2?

A．There is nothing wrong with shyness.

B．Not all people have been shy in life.

C．People usually don’t like to be shy.

D．Shy people may have mental problems.

3. According to the passage, which of the following may cause shyness?

A．Family size.	B．Past experiences.
C．People’s birthplace.	D．Social relationship.

4. The underlined word “hereditary” in Paragraph 3 probably means “_____” .

A．taught by teachers

B．made up by brothers

C．passed down from parents

D．learned from friends

5. Shy people are most likely to _____.

A．accept whatever happens to them

B．refuse to believe what is right

C．avoid any communication

D．hide their confidence

6. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?

A．How to comfort others.

B．How to overcome shyness.

C．How to make self-improvement.

D．How to get away from shy parents.

【推荐3】It’s rare that you see the words “shyness” and “leader” in the same sentence. After all, the common opinion is that those outgoing and sociable guys make great public speakers and excellent net-workers and that those shy people are not.

A survey conducted by USA Today referred to 65 percent of managers who believed shyness to be a barrier to leadership. Interestingly, the same article stresses that roughly 40 percent of leaders actually are quite shy — they’re just better at adapting themselves to situational demands. Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and Charles Schwab are just a few “innies”.

Shy people take a cautious approach to chance. They listen attentively to what others say and absorb it before they speak. They’re listening so they can learn what to say. Along the same lines, shy people share a common love of learning. They are intrinsically (内在地) motivated and therefore seek content regardless of achieving an outside standard.

Being shy can also bring other benefits. Remember being in school and hearing the same kids contribute, until shy little Johnny, who almost never said a word, cut in? Then what happened? Everyone turned around to look with great respect at little Johnny actually talking. This is how shy people made good use of their power of presence: they “own” the moment by speaking calmly and purposefully, which translate to a positive image.

Shyness is often related to modesty. Not to say that limelight-seekers (引人注目的人) aren’t modest, but shy people tend to have an accurate sense of their abilities and achievements. As a result, they are able to recognize mistakes, imperfections, knowledge gaps and limitations.

Since shy people have a lower desire for outside rewards than outgoing ones, they’re more comfortable working with little information and sticking to their inner desires. Shy people are also more likely to insist on finding solutions that aren’t primarily apparent. Albert Einstein once said, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s that I stay with problems longer.” Obviously, finding certainty where uncertainty is typically popular is a huge plus for any successful person.

1. What is the traditional belief to the shy people?

A．They are good at making friends.

B．They are not popular with people.

C．They like making speeches in public.

D．They are unlikely to become leaders.

2. What does the underlined words refer to?

A．Shy people.	B．Public speakers.
C．Net-workers.	D．Survey conductor.

3. What makes shy people succeed more easily according to the author?

A．They focus on achieving themselves outside rewards.

B．They make the best of the power of presence actively.

C．They realize their abilities and imperfections clearly.

D．They perform more confidently than outgoing people.

4. How does the author support his ideas?

A．By making contrasts and giving examples.

B．By quoting authorities and making evaluations.

C．By explaining problems and providing solutions.

D．By giving definitions and presenting research results.

【推荐2】Your gift today will provide an innovative solution to end hunger

Three years of drought in Zimbabwe have left fields too dry to grow crops. Poor rural farmers are desperate to feed their hungry children. They rely on emergency food aid to survive--just enough food for one meal a day.

Solar gardens help families thrive

Your gift to Practical Action today will help us work with struggling farming families in two of the poorest regions of Zimbabwe: Bulilima and Gwanda. You'll help provide a life-changing solution so farmers can grow plenty to feed their families, making hunger and poverty a thing of the past. With your help, these small changes can transform lives:

1. What does Planting for Progress appeal do for the struggling farmers?

A．It trains farmers to research new varieties of seeds.

B．It uses green technology to ensure water supply.

C．It transforms the soil to prevent failed harvest.

D．It teaches farmers marketing skills to boost crop sales.

2. If Jenny would like to be update about the work done by Practical Action, she should send her personal contact information by_______

A．calling 08003891624 in person

B．visiting practicalaction.org/thrive

C．emailing myprivacy@practicalaction.org.uk

D．mailing to a given address

3. The Purpose of the leaflet is to _____

A．encourage public donations to charity

B．introduce the various charity work done

C．outline procedures of donating to charity

D．raise awareness of ending world hunger