【推荐1】You are given many opportunities in life to choose to be a victim or a creator. When you choose to be a victim, the world is a cold and difficult place. “They” did things to you which caused all of your pain and suffering. “They” are wrong and bad, and life is terrible as long as “they” are around. Or you may blame yourself for all your problems, thus internalizing (内化) your victimization. The truth is, your life is likely to stay that way as long as you feel a need to blame yourself or others.

Those who choose to be creators look at life quite differently. They know there are individuals who might like to control their lives, but they don’t let this get in the way. They know they have their weaknesses, yet they don’t blame themselves when they fail. Whatever happens, they have choice in the matter. They believe their dance with each sacred (神圣的) moment of life is a gift and that storms are a natural part of life which can bring the rain needed for emotional and spiritual growth.

Victims and creators live in the same physical world and deal with many of the same physical realities, yet their experience of life is worlds apart. Victims relish (沉溺) in anger, guilt, and other emotions that cause others -and even themselves -to feel like victims, too. Creators consciously choose love, inspiration, and other qualities which inspire not only themselves, but all around them. Both victims and creators always have choice to determine the direction of their lives.

In reality, all of us play the victim or the creator at various points in our lives. One person, on losing a job or a special relationship, may feel as if it is the end of the world and sink into terrible suffering for months, years, or even a lifetime. Another with the same experience may choose to first experience the grief, then accept the loss and soon move on to be a powerful creative force in his/her life.

In every moment and every circumstance, you can choose to have a fuller, richer life by setting a clear intention to transform the victim within, and by inviting into your life the powerful creator that you are.

1. What does the word “they” in Paragraph 1 probably refer to?

A．People and things around you.	B．Opportunities and problems.
C．Creators and their choices.	D．Victims and their sufferings.

2. According to Paragraph 2, creators ______.

A．handle ups and downs of life wisely	B．possess the ability to predict future life
C．have the potential to create something new	D．seem willing to experience failures in life

3. The examples mentioned in Paragraph 4 show that ______.

A．strong attachment to sufferings in life pulls people into victims

B．people need family support to deal with challenges in life

C．it takes creators quite a long time to get rid of their pains

D．one’s experiences determine his/her attitude toward life

4. The passage is organized by ______.

A．giving definitions	B．making a contrast
C．giving examples	D．telling stories

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

A．To define victims and creators.

B．To evaluate victims against creators.

C．To explain the relationship between victims and creators.

D．To suggest the transformation from victims to creators.

【推荐2】The two roads

It was New Year’s Night. An aged man was standing at a window. He raised his mournful eyes towards the deep blue sky, where the stars were floating like white lilies on the surface of a clear calm lake. When he cast them on the earth, where a few more hopeless people besides himself now moved towards their certain goal--- the tomb. He had already passed sixty of the stages leading to it, and he had brought from his journey nothing but errors and regrets. Now his health was poor, his mind vacant, his heart sorrowful, and his old age short of comforts.

The days of his youth appeared like dreams before him, and he recalled the serious moment when his father placed him at the entrance of the two roads---one leading to a peaceful, sunny place, covered with flowers, fruits and resounding with soft, sweet songs; the other leading to a deep, dark cave, which was endless, where poison flowed instead of water and where devils and poisonous snake hissed and crawled.

He looked towards the sky and cried painfully, “O, my father, place me once more at the entrance to life, and I’ll choose the better way!” But both his father and the days of his youth had passed away.

He saw the lights flowing away in the darkness. These were the days of his wasted life; he saw a star fall from the sky and disappeared, and this was the symbol of himself. His regret, which was like a sharp arrow, struck deeply into his heart. Then he remembered his friends in his childhood, who entered on life with him. But they had made their way to success and were now honored and happy on this New Year’s night.

The clock in the church tower struck and the sound made him remember his parents’ early love for him. They had taught him and prayed to God for his good. But he chose the wrong way. With shame and grief he dared no longer look towards the heaven where his father lived. His darkened eyes were full of tears, and with a despairing effort, he burst out a cry: “Come back, my early days! Come back”

And his youth did return, for all this was only a dream which he had on New Year Night. He was still young though his faults were real; he had not yet entered the deep, dark cave, and he was still free to walk on the road which leads to the peaceful and sunny land.

Those who still linger at the entrance of life, hesitating to choose the bright road, remember that when years are passed and your feet stumble on the dark mountains, you will cry bitterly, but in vain: “ O youth, return! Oh give me back my early days!”

1. In the 3rd paragraph, the man cried painfully because _________.

A．all the hopeless people were moving towards death

B．He had lost forever the chance to take the right road

C．His parents and the happy days of his youth were gone

D．He refused to take the road leading to a deep dark cave

2. What happened to the man before his sudden realization?

A．He was at his father’s funeral farewell.

B．He was enjoying the New Year’s eve.

C．He was wandering at the entrance to life.

D．He was having a dream of his life in old age.

3. We can infer from the story that _________.

A．The man’s childhood friends led a joyful life like him

B．The man still had the opportunity to chose the right way

C．both the man’s parents passed away when he was young

D．the man’s father was quite strict with his son before death

4. The passage is mainly written for _________.

A．a new driver getting lost on a detour

B．a concerned mother with two children to raise

C．an experienced teacher with a good reputation

D．a hesitating young adult facing a tough life choice

【推荐1】It sometimes feels difficult for some people to find out a proper way to express gratitude in daily life.     1     Christina Costa, a psychologist who has studied the positive effects of gratitude on the brain, offers advice about how to be thankful for the smallest of things—and how to be better at showing gratitude easily.

    2     Make it a habit to put down the things that you’re thankful for. “Set up a timer. I like writing in my journal in the morning because that sets my day up best. Or do it on your phone. Make it as easy as possible,” says Costa.

Write a letter. Think of someone in your life who you have not had the chance to thank, says Costa. “Why are you grateful for that person? Think of a specific example when they helped you. Then send them a letter, an email.     3    ”

If you’re having trouble finding someone to thank, think small. “The smaller you start, the more you will start seeing things you’re grateful for.” says Costa. Say “    4     You think, I’m going to write about this later in my gratitude journal. I’m so grateful to him.”

There’s a difference between saying “thanks to” and “thanks for.” “Make sure you are giving thanks to something and not for something.” says Moore.     5     Being grateful “to” something or someone indicates a direct relationship. It reminds you of your connection with and responsibility to that person or thing.

A．Start a gratitude journal.

B．Use your phone to record gratitude.

C．But experts say it doesn’t have to be so hard.

D．Or even better, deliver the letter in person and read it to them.

E．A bus driver stopped to make way for children to cross the road.

F．Being grateful “for” something can be a little vague (模糊的) or general.

G．A bus driver picks you up and he’s really nice or waits for a minute for you.

【推荐2】How to Become More Confident

Our confidence plays an important role in ability to achieve success and happiness. It affects our mental thought patterns, the way we speak and act, and the decisions we make in all areas of our lives. Confident people take more action, perform better, and are more likely to achieve their goals.    1    Lucky for us, confidence can be built and strengthened until it becomes natural, just as any other habit. It simply takes a little time, some effort, and a bit of attention.

Fail more often. The more challenges you take on, the more failures you’ll have, but learning that you can recover, get up and push forward builds confidence.

    2    Keep a list of successes, big and small. It’ll help you to see your abilities in a more positive and realistic light.

Start a conversation. When you find yourself in a social situation, don’t always turn to those people you’re comfortable with.    3    Eventually getting to know new people will become easier.

Don’t compare. Stop measuring yourself against others.    4    Making comparisons is a damaging and an inaccurate measure of success anyway.

Confidence helps you to be more secure in your abilities and more positive in your attitude. It also encourages you to be more assertive(坚定自信的) to take on more challenges, and to improve your skills.    5    The end result is a better outlook, more success, and a higher quality of life in all areas.

A．List your super abilities

B．It may only do harm to them

C．Track your accomplishments

D．The result you get isn’t always real

E．Talk to someone you don’t know very well

F．As an added benefit, you’ll attract like-minded people

G．What’s more, confident people can take more joy from their accomplishments