1 . We all want to know what happiness means and try to find ways to help make our life better. Happiness — you know it when you see it, but it’s hard to define. You might call it a sense of well-being, optimism or meaningfulness in life, although those could also be treated separately.     1     we know that we want it, and that is just somehow good.

We also know that we don’t always have control over our happiness. Research suggests that genetics may play a big role in our level of happiness, so some of us may start out at a disadvantage. On top of that, environmental factors can bring down mood and dry up our thirst for living.     2    . Many studies have found a connection between psychological and physical well-being.

A 2022 review of more than 200 studies found a connection between positive psychological features, such as happiness, optimism and life satisfaction, and a lowered risk of heart disease.

    3    . If you have a good sense of well-being, it’s easier to maintain good habits: exercising, eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep.

    4    , and they do not provide hard evidence of cause and effect. But some researchers believe that positive mental states do have a direct effect on the body, perhaps by reducing damaging physical processes. For instance, they found that optimism is associated with lower levels of inflammation (炎症).

If what you mean by happiness is specifically “enjoyment of life”, there’s newer evidence to support that, too. A study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that people aged 60 and over who said they enjoyed life less were more likely to develop disability over an 8-year period.     5    . This study does not prove that physical problems are caused by less enjoyment of life, but suggests a relationship.

A．But whatever happiness really is.

B．It might take more work if your mood is low.

C．For now these studies can only show associations.

D．That refers to the person, and the situation he or she is in.

E．Being able to travel around was also related to enjoyment of life.

F．To manage our emotions is important for both our body and mind.

G．It’s not as simple as “you must be happy to prevent heart attacks”, though.

2 . The voice within can guide you toward development and optimism. But sometimes, that inner dialogue also presents a critical voice.     1     Having control of your inner voice can be a powerful tool for creating cycles of positive thinking. Here are some good ideas that help control your thoughts in a healthy way.

    2     People who don’t believe in themselves can go through life allowing negative thoughts to guide them. So, have you ever realized that negative chatter is filling your head? For example, “I’m not worthy” or “I have no skills to take on this challenge”. Write down all negative thoughts that may be coming to your mind so that you may begin to replace these with healthy ones as you begin to change your way of thinking.

Choose your friend circle wisely. If you want to live a happy life, it’s important to surround yourself with people who want to see you do good.     3     Well, science backs this up! So surround yourself with friends who express healthy thoughts and a positive mindset.

Shift your mindset toward growth. A growth mindset is a belief that your talents are developable over time. A person with a growth mindset tends to be less likely to suffer mental health problems. So do develop a growth mindset!     4    

Choose to respond rather than react. Often, when someone feels triggered (激怒), they react without thinking.     5     However, by choosing to respond carefully rather than react, you’re exercising control over your thoughts in healthy ways. So next time you notice a strong thought coming up, do reflect before responding.

A．Identify negative thoughts.

B．Learn from negative thoughts.

C．It points out shortcomings, limitations and worries.

D．As a result, they usually end up saying something they may regret.

E．Are you feeling there are repetitive thoughts circling around your head?

F．In this way, you’ll be more determined to achieve happiness and success.

G．A saying goes that you’re the average of the five people you spend time with.

3 . While socializing comes naturally for some, it can be a struggle for others. Shyness is a normal, common personality trait (特征).     1    . If you’re often hesitant to engage in social situations, you may interact with those around you in a more comfortable way. We outline four strategies for overcoming shyness in life.

Get Excited About A New Adventure

You may have been shy most of your life.     2    . Working through shyness and developing increased confidence may seem like a discouraging task for you, but viewing the journey as an exciting adventure to parts unknown can be exciting and, in turn, may boost your self-esteem.

Pay Attention To Your Words

    3    . Talking to yourself in a negative way when describing yourself can damage your self-confidence. Consider replacing phrases like “I am shy” with “I am learning to be more comfortable” in social situations. This can go a long way toward moving from shyness to confidence.

Practice Mindfulness (正念)

Mindfulness involves drawing your attention to the present and being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings.     4    . In one study, participants in a mindfulness program experienced an improved view of their self-worth.

Take Small Steps

Getting started can be the hardest part of learning how to be more social for those who are shy.     5    . You can start out small. Try chatting with the teller at the bank or the person ahead of you in the checkout line. This can help you build confidence and work your way up to more difficult challenges.

A．If so, that’s a part of you that you’re used to

B．Sometimes the best path toward addressing a fear is exposure

C．Mindfulness can help reduce symptoms of social anxiety disorder

D．Taking time to tend to your appearance can make a big difference

E．How we communicate and characterize ourselves can be powerful

F．However, shyness can make it hard for people to connect with others and achieve their goals

G．But engaging with people doesn’t have to be practiced as an important work presentation

4 . Reasons Why Emotions (情绪) Are Important

Emotions can play an important role in how you think and behave.     1    ? Let me tell you the reasons.

Emotions can make you act. When faced with an exam, you might feel a lot of anxiety about whether you will perform well and how the test will impact your final grade.     2    , since you experience a special emotion.

    3    . Naturalist Charles Darwin was one of the earliest researchers studying emotions. He believed that emotions allow both humans and animals to survive. He suggested that emotional displays could also play an important role in safety and survival. If you met a fierce animal, it would clearly show that the creature was angry and defensive, leading to your being away from possible danger.

Emotions help others understand you better. When you communicate with other people, it is important to give clues to help them understand how you are feeling. The clue might include emotional expressions through body language.     4    .

Emotions allow you to understand others. Just as your own emotions offer valuable information to others, the emotional expressions of those around you also give a wealth of social information.     5    . It allows you to respond appropriately and build deeper and more meaningful relationships with others.

A．Why are they important

B．Emotions help you to avoid danger

C．How can you control your emotion well

D．It might also include directly stating how you feel

E．Getting social information is an important part of your daily life

F．You are giving them important information about taking action

G．You’re driven to take action to improve your chances of getting a good grade

5 . 假如你所在的戏剧社（drama club）在全市高中戏剧大赛中荣获一等奖。现请你写一篇获奖感言。
要点：1. 参加戏剧社的好处；
2. 你们的准备情况；
3. 表示感谢。
注意：
1. 短文必须包括以上所有要点，并适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
2. 词数：100字左右。开头已给出，该部分不计入总词数。

I’m so excited that our drama club won the first prize in this competition.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . A sunny afternoon before Christmas, a little girl was decorating a box with a gold wrapping paper to put it under the Christmas tree. Money was tight, so the girl’s father _________ her for wasting almost all roll of that _________ paper.

However, the next morning the girl _________ the gift to her father. “This is for you, Daddy.” she said. He opened the box and found it _________, so he became angry again. “Don’t you know, that when you give someone a _________ it is supposed that there would be something inside it.” he said _________. The little girl looked at her father with _________ in her eyes. “Daddy, this box is not empty, I _________ it with my kisses, all for you.”

The father was extremely _________. He felt so embarrassed that he could just put his __________ around his little daughter and beg for her __________. For many years of his life the man kept that golden box near his bed. Wherever he felt __________ and downhearted he opened the box and thought of __________ that the little child had put into it.

Each of us have been __________ a present of unconditional love from our children, family, friends and God. It is the most precious __________ that anyone could hold.

1.

A．praised

B．punished

C．admired

D．contacted

2.

A．expensive

B．common

C．cheap

D．lovely

3.

A．emailed

B．sent

C．brought

D．put

4.

A．beautiful

B．full

C．amazing

D．empty

5.

A．box

B．gift

C．paper

D．package

6.

A．anxiously

B．fluently

C．seriously

D．calmly

7.

A．excitement

B．tears

C．fire

D．stars

8.

A．designed

B．exchanged

C．filled

D．arranged

9.

A．surprised

B．proud

C．shy

D．annoyed

10.

A．ears

B．hands

C．eyes

D．arms

11.

A．forgiveness

B．carelessness

C．kindness

D．blindness

12.

A．alone

B．happy

C．sad

D．excited

13.

A．heart

B．love

C．anger

D．stress

14.

A．given

B．requested

C．attracted

D．impressed

15.

A．source

B．topic

C．confidence

D．treasure

7 . Want to live longer?     1    ! Only about 25% of our optimism is programmed by our genes. The rest is up to us and how we respond to life’s lemons. Here are simple mental exercises you can do encourage an optimistic outlook.

Imagine your best possible self

One of the most effective ways to increase optimism is called the “Best Possible Self” method. One technique, for example, is to write for 15 minutes about a future day in your life in which you’ve accomplished everything you wish. Then spend five minutes imagining that reality.     2    

Keep a journal of positives

Many of us can easily recite a lot of negative things that have happened to us each day.     3    . That’s why keeping a daily journal in which you list the positive experiences you had that day can help shape your outlook.

    4    

Taking a few minutes each day to write down what makes you thankful can improve your outlook on life. Studies have shown that practicing gratefulness improves positive coping skills by breaking the typical negative thinking style and substituting optimism. Counting blessings even reduces problem behavior in adolescents.

Practice mindfulness(正念)

Simply bring to mind people that are in our lives from whom we have received some kind of help. You can spend one minute each morning and each evening doing this. The appreciation can foster a sense of optimism about the future. It will need to be practiced on a regular basis to keep the brain’s positive outlook in good shape.     5    .

This is really about nurturing the mind. And there is ample evidence to suggest that there are real psychological and physical health-related benefits.

A．Be grateful

B．Be an optimist

C．Everyone wants to live long

D．But mindfulness itself isn’t easy

E．But the effort is definitely worth it

F．When asked what has gone well, we might hesitate

G．Practicing this daily can significantly improve your positive feelings