1 . How to prevent stress from turning into depression

A few years ago, I had a bad day at work. My boss and I disagreed on a major financial investment and the conversation escalated.     1     And I took those comments personally. The good news is that there are ways to prevent feelings of discomfort from turning into depression.

Change the scene

Go outside, go to the bathroom, call a friend, take a few deep breaths. I didn’t realize I had done this after my fight with my boss.     2     Just noticing the trees and the birds around me got me out of my head.

Recount what happened

    3     This can help discover what is exactly giving you depression and remember the details you may have overlooked that can add to the situation. Do this with a friend, a family member, a therapist, or even yourself. You can also talk out loud as you walk your dog.

Name your emotions

As you describe what happened, name your emotions. For example, instead of saying you simply feel “bad,” maybe you actually feel “indifferent.” I turned to a therapist to help me unpack my fight with my boss. She helped me realize that it wasn’t my boss or the argument that was making me upset, but the feeling of being dismissed and made to feel small.     4    

Identify your causes

Examine what gives you discomfort. For example, if you have terrible road rage, you may have a conversation with yourself about it. You might ask yourself. Why am I prone to being so angry on the road? Is it because I am in a rush? Or is it because I hate sitting in traffic?     5     To avoid being rushed, maybe leave the house a half hour early. To avoid traffic, ask your boss if you can work from home a couple times a week.

So now, when I find myself in this circumstance, I tell the other person that I need time and space to consider their feedback. And that I’ll come back to them when I’m ready. This helps me feel more in control of my feelings.

A．Then, find ways to improve the situation.

B．Go over your situation again and create a narrative.

C．That allowed me to see a different perspective on the issue.

D．I had trouble sleeping and focusing, and I felt like I was on high alert.

E．They criticized me and said that I just didn’t have enough experience.

F．When you are not feeling good, your body is trying to tell you something.

G．After our argument, I left the office immediately and went for a long walk.

2 . Getting the best deal

Bargaining is a difficult process. The buyer wants to purchase a product at its minimum price while the seller wants to maximize the potential for profit.     1    , and thus it is in the best interest of buyers to strategize exactly how they will convince sellers to lower their prices.

First, buyers should assume that the price tag represents the starting point of negotiations, not the final word on the matter. Buyers should begin by asking the salesperson whether any sales or discounts will soon be advertised.     2    , the salesperson probably will not volunteer to give one to them. Salespeople often work on commission, so it is frequently to their advantage to hide this information from their customers.

Second, buyers need to find out whether the seller has lowered prices in the past and, if SO, by how much.     3    , he or she can request a similar price. This step in the bargaining 2 process requires perseverance, but it can pay off financially. Also, it is important that buyers never let sellers know that they need their products because the seller is then less likely to lower the price.

Finally, buyers must be patient     4    , as buyers must collect a good deal of information about the product. Sometimes buyers might need to purchase a product at a more expensive price sim ply because they do not have the time necessary to shop further. The buyer’s time is important, too, and sometimes it is worth spending extra money if he or she needs the item immediately. However, sometimes simply by waiting for two weeks or two months, the buyer will save a considerable amount of money.     5    .

A．Even if customers really want the item

B．If customers do not request a special deal

C．Looking for bargains takes time and energy

D．It can be worthwhile to wait under these circumstances

E．The desires of the buyer and the seller oppose each other

F．Buyers must be prepared to walk away from an item when bargaining

G．If the buyer learns that the seller has offered discounts to other customers

3 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

I live in a happy family. My parents love me and they never let me     1     (do) any chores. My dad is a good     2    , so he does all the cooking in our family. My mom does the other chores like     3     (sweep) the floor and washing clothes.

Last weekend my parents were out, so I had to look after     4     (I). In the afternoon, I was hungry,     5     I decided to cook a meal. I never cooked before, but how hard would it be? My father is a good cook, and then I must take after him in some ways. I thought I could cook a meal well.     6     (final), I decided to cook chicken     7    I like best. I took out the chicken     8     the fridge. When the oil     9     (become) very hot, I threw the chicken into the pot. Quickly the pot was on fire. I didn’t know     10    to stop it before I threw the flaming pot into the water. Then I noticed the white table next to the stove and the ceiling became black. I spent the next hour trying to clean up the kitchen.

4 . 根据情景内容，在空白处填入1个适当的单词。
A: Hello, Lucy, welcome to our Sports Talk. Nice to see you.
B:     1     to see you, too.
A: Lucy, would you share the secret of your success with us?
B: All     2    . That’s because I always put 100% energy into what I do.
A: Have you got any difficulties?
B: Of     3    . But I like challenging myself.
A: By the way,     4     else do you like to do in your spare time?
B: I love fashionable clothes, so I am also a model.
A: Wow, it seems that you are able to do everything well.     5     you for your coming.
B: You’re welcome.

5 . Is nearby neighbor better than a faraway cousin? An American lady, Anna Lane, believes it’s true. Her kind neighbors once helped her out when she was in a big trouble.

Mrs. Lane was living alone in a city in Texas, US. The woman is 75 and still could do a lot of housework herself. However, she was too old to cut the grass in her garden. Then a big trouble found her. The grass in her garden grew more than 18 inches high and it broke the law in her city. As a result, she was in danger of paying lots of money!

Luckily, her neighbors, the Adams brothers, heard the news about her on TV. They decided to do something to help her. “We haven’t met her yet, but she’s 75 years old and she needs some help,” said Sam Adams, one of the boys. “That’s the least we could do.”

The Adams brothers took their machines and came to Mrs. Lane’s house to help cut the grass without telling her. Once they got started, other neighbors saw what was going on and joined them.

Together they worked hard in the sun and finished cutting all the grass in about two hours. When Mrs. Lane saw what her neighbors did for her, she was surprised and moved to tears. “I cannot believe this,” she said “They were so kind to spend two hours helping me and I didn’t even know their names.” As for the Adams brothers, they said they would always be ready to help her.

1. What can we know about Mrs. Lane?

A．She was 70 years old.	B．She could do little housework.
C．She was living with her children.	D．She could not cut her grass by herself.

2. Why was Mrs. Lane in danger of paying lots of money?

A．She broke the education law in her city.

B．The grass in her garden was more than 18 inches high.

C．The news about her on TV was made by her.

D．She didn’t pay enough money to her neighbors.

3. Who cut the grass?

A．The Adams brothers.	B．Sam Adams and Mrs. Lane.
C．The Adams brothers and Mrs. Lane.	D．The Adams brothers and other neighbors.

4. How long did it take them to finish mowing the whole lawn?

A．For about two hours.

B．For about 18 hours.

C．For about 70 hours.

D．For about 75 hours.

5. What do you think of Mrs. Lane’s neighbors?

A．Warm-hearted.

B．Cold-blooded.

C．Well-educated.

D．Bad-tempered.

7 . According to the invitation card, which statement is true?

Invitation Card Mr. Wang Peng and Ms. Li Mei Requests the honour of the presence of Mr. John Smith at the wedding ceremony At Zhuoyue Grand Hotel At 11:00 a. m. on December 12th, 2023

A．Mr. Smith and Li Mei will be married.

B．Mr. Smith is invited to the wedding ceremony.

C．The wedding will be held on December 10th.

D．The wedding will be held at Zhuoyun Grand Hotel.

10 . How much does it cost to have one-year dancing class?

Feitian Dancing Centre Would you like to master a special skill? Come here and join us! ¥50 / class (¥2,300 / year) Every Sunday (2:00 p. m. —5:00 p. m.) No. 123 on Liufu North Road

A．¥50.

B．¥1,300.

C．¥123.

D．￥2,300.