1 . The Power of Insensitivity

Highly sensitive(敏感的)person, or HSP, is a term invented by psychologist Elaine Aron. HSPs can come with many challenges. They may find it hard to adapt to new surroundings, and easily become uncomfortable in response to certain feelings or others’ opinions.     1    

The power of insensitivity can be explained as “slow power”. Usually, people connect “insensitivity” with something bad, but indeed, it stresses the ability to keep doing something difficult without complaining.     2     It is not a weakness but an approach to winning a better life.

    3     Knowing yourself is difficult, and knowing yourself correctly is undoubtedly an excellent ability. The successful people clearly know where their strengths are, what they can do and what direction to go.

There are some ways to practice “insensitivity”: Don’t pay too much attention to the ups and downs of life at the moment.     4     Don’t get involved in other people’s lives and don’t let others affect yours. Regarding relationships, learn to view problems as two parts: One part is what you need to face and solve. The other part is the responsibility of others, which is not your business.

Everyone can gain the ability to be insensitive.     5     And the world will also be a better one if we focus on major goals and stay insensitive to something else.

A．Insensitivity plays a significant role.

B．Rather, you should be looking forward.

C．That’s where the need to be insensitive comes from.

D．Once you slow down the pace, you will feel more comfortable.

E．Those not easily affected are the people who care less about others.

F．That is, calmly facing the downtime in life and moving towards one’s own direction.

G．One reason why insensitivity allows people to better survive is the strong self-awareness.

2 . 假如你是学生会主席李华，最近青少年学生心理健康引起了公众关注，请围绕这一主题，写一份倡议书，内容包括：
1. 简述现状；
2. 表示理解；
3. 发出倡议。
注意：
1. 词数80字左右，可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
2. 开头已给出，不计入总字数。请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear fellow students,

I’m Li Hua, president of the Students’ Union.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Students’ Union

November 17^th , 2023

3 . I had been saying goodbye to my mom for ten years. That was how ______ she had breast cancer. At first, there was the fear that she would die. But as she ______ series of treatments, life took ______ a new normal. But cancer is an unrelenting (冷酷无情的) foe. It was a journey from ______ to hope again and again, and only painkillers could keep her ______ . At 66, my mom was dying, but we could do nothing. I ______ praying for God to heal her but rather to take her. I learned that dying is the ______ healing. How brokenhearted when a patient or family is ______ a death.

My mother showed me how to fight her foe with knowledge, humor and ______ . And when the time came, she showed me how to die with grace, dignity, humor and wisdom. ______ , while it is hard to escape from the ______ , I want to anticipate the joy of the day when all the pain and hurt of this world will be over. One day, I will die and ______ those I love. One day, those I love will die as well. I don’t want it to envelop me to the point where I cannot enjoy life and make ______ that will last not only in this life, but hopefully into the next.

In those ten years watching my mother die, I learned that we cannot ______ avoid grief in this life. But we can seek out and remind ourselves to anticipate the joy, no matter how ______ things are.

We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy.

1.

A．soon

B．long

C．often

D．many

2.

A．survived

B．suffered

C．sustained

D．strengthened

3.

A．in

B．out

C．on

D．up

4.

A．decrease

B．demand

C．despair

D．desire

5.

A．comfortable

B．suitable

C．bearable

D．adjustable

6.

A．stopped

B．suggested

C．sought

D．searched

7.

A．unacceptable

B．unintentional

C．ultimate

D．unselfish

8.

A．experiencing

B．explaining

C．exploring

D．expecting

9.

A．drugs

B．exercises

C．strength

D．faith

10.

A．Instead

B．So

C．However

D．Moreover

11.

A．sorry

B．sorrow

C．scene

D．sob

12.

A．leave

B．abandon

C．forget

D．remember

13.

A．progress

B．memories

C．fortunes

D．influence

14.

A．initially

B．similarly

C．totally

D．gradually

15.

A．optimistic

B．cruel

C．positive

D．bad

4 . How to practise emotional awareness?

What is emotional awareness? Emotional awareness is being able to identify and make sense of not only our own emotions but those of others. It’s absolutely essential in understanding our behaviors and changing our way of dealing with the problems. With emotional awareness, we can understand how this influences our behaviors.    1    

Of course, describing exactly how we feel can often prove difficult.    2    It’s not always easy to put a finger on exactly what’s wrong, without digging a little deeper. This is often because on some level we don’t want to know how we really feel.

    3     Unhealthy thoughts, behaviors and coping mechanisms that are hidden from our view. Perhaps you lash out(猛击)or withdraw when you feel overwhelmed or go into a flood of criticism and self-doubt when you receive negative feedback.

Mindfulness is the process of bringing our attention to the present moment and becoming more aware of our thoughts. It’s a state of calm, non-judgmental reflection.    4     We can quiet the mental chatter that often accompanies difficult emotions and instead sit with the physical sensation of the emotion in our body. Doing this regularly allows us to be more aware of the source of our emotions and enables us to carry out strategies to manage them more effectively.

Self-reflection develops emotional awareness and is key to understanding why you feel the way you do. Activities such as journaling can be really beneficial in learning about your thought processes.    5    It can be difficult to feel heard by others if we don’t have the language to describe how we’re feeling.

A．And in turn, change the way we respond to challenging situations.

B．Without emotional awareness, we may develop emotional blind spots.

C．It’s the very reason we turn to general phrases like “I’m not myself today”.

D．Sometimes what we really struggle with is putting our emotions into words.

E．There are many ways to be mindful, from practising breathwork to sitting in silence.

F．And for many of us, that means understanding how we feel and why can be incredibly difficult.

G．Research shows that being aware of your emotions is hugely beneficial to social and emotional functioning.

5 . “Don’t worry; be happy” is more than just song lyrics (歌词). A growing body of evidence supports an association between optimism and healthy aging, but it is unclear how optimism impacts health. When it comes to dealing with day-to-day stressors, such as household chores or arguments with others, a new study has found that being more or less optimistic did not make a difference in how older men emotionally reacted to or recovered from these stressors. However, optimism appeared to promote emotional well-being by limiting how often older men experience stressful situations or changing the way they interpret situations as stressful.

“This study tests one possible explanation, assessing if more optimistic people handle daily stress more constructively and therefore enjoy better emotional well-being,” said corresponding author Lewina Lee. PhD, clinical psychologist at the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder at the VA Boston Healthcare System and assistant professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine.

The researchers followed 233 older men who first finished an optimism questionnaire; 14 years later, they reported daily stressors along with positive and negative moods on eight consecutive (连续不断的) evenings up to three times over an eight-year span. The researchers found more optimistic men reported not only lower negative mood but also more positive mood. They also reported having fewer stressors which was unrelated to their higher positive mood but explained their lower levels of negative mood.

While studies have sustained the idea of optimism as a resource that may promote good health and longevity, we know very little about the underlying mechanisms (机制). “Stress, on the other hand. is known to have a negative impact on our health. By looking at whether optimistic people handle day-to-day stressors differently, our findings add to knowledge about how optimism may promote good health as people age,” says Lee.

1. What may be affected by optimism according to the first paragraph?

A．People’s emotional well-being.	B．Older men’s ability to react.
C．The way people treat daily stress.	D．The way that optimism will be researched.

2. How is the third paragraph developed?

A．By making comparisons.	B．By analyzing possible results.
C．By presenting different opinions.	D．By showing the course and result.

3. What does the underlined word “sustained” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Changed.

B．Supported.

C．Expected.

D．Repeated.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A course plan.	B．A travel brochure.
C．A health magazine.	D．A news report.

6 . Soothe the Sunday scaries

Most of us look forward to the weekend as a time to relax, connect with friends and family, and deal with tasks from a to-do list that gets neglected during the workweek. But as the weekend comes to an end, many are missing out on Sunday Funday and instead experiencing an overwhelming sense of anxiety and even dread about the upcoming week.     1     Some people describe it as a heaviness they can feel in their body, while others feel so unsettled that they could jump out of their skin.

Even though the Sunday scaries are common, they are manageable. Here’s how experts say you can ease your end-of-weekend anxiety.

Structure your Sunday.     2     You might still go through that sense of dread, but that feeling is harder to hold on to when you’ re engaging in something that makes you feel good.

Don’t forget to relax. If you’re feeling more stress, it’s important to make space for relaxing activities to ground yourself. Maybe a midafternoon shower or bath, maybe an engaging movie or show, whatever feels like a helpful distraction to reground from the scaries.

Identify your anxiety sources. Try to figure out what’s really causing you to dread the week.     3     Even if there’s not a single reason behind your Sunday anxiety, organizing the stress into small parts can help make it all more manageable.

    4     Getting rid of the Sunday scaries isn’t just about minimizing the gloom of the week ahead. Have something to look forward to. This gives you the opportunity to shift your thoughts to fun and will help improve your mood.

End your Sunday with the right energy. Sunday night is a proper wind-down time. Maybe you want to journal, do a face mask, read a few pages of a good book. Do your best to honor this time and make Sunday night all about you.     5    

A．Is it a deadline, meeting or presentation?

B．Create some excitement for the week ahead.

C．Experts have referred to this worry as Sunday scaries.

D．Sunday scaries come from tiredness after a really busy weekend.

E．Then you feel empowered and confident that you’ll be ready for the next day.

F．Instead of sitting on the couch and watching the clock, go to do something that you enjoy.

G．Anxiety is a natural response that happens in preparation for anything that causes pain or discomfort.

7 . Tricks To Becoming A Patient Person

Here’s a riddle: What do traffic jams, long lines and waiting for a vacation to start all have in common? There is one answer.     1    .

In the Digital Age, we’re used to having what we need immediately and right at our fingertips. However, research suggests that if we practiced patience, we’d be a whole lot better off. Here are several tricks.

●Practice gratitude (感激)

Thankfulness has a lot of benefits: Research shows it makes us happier, less stressed and even more optimistic.     2    . “Showing thankfulness can foster self-control,” said Ye Li, researcher at the University of California.

● Make yourself wait

Instant gratification (满足) may seem like the most “feel good” option at the time, but psychology research suggests waiting for things actually makes us happier in the long run. And the only way for us to get into the habit of waiting is to practice.     3    . Put off watching your favorite show until the weekend or wait 10 extra minutes before going for that cake. You’ll soon find that the more patience you practice, the more you start to apply it to other, more annoying situations.

●     4    .

So many of us have the belief that being comfortable is the only state we will tolerate, and when we experience something outside of our comfort zone, we get impatient about the circumstances. You should learn to say to yourself, “    5    .” You’ll then gradually become more patient.

A．Find your causes

B．Start with small tasks

C．Accept the uncomfortable

D．All this adds up to a state of hurry

E．It can also help us practice more patience

F．This is merely uncomfortable, not intolerable

G．They’re all situations where we could use a little extra patience

8 . Anger may feel uncomfortable, but it’s also normal and healthy. It is an emotion built into us to signal that something needs to be dealt with. When we take notice of that signal and actually correct the problem instead of ignoring it, we’re usually much better for it.

Start by looking beyond the superficial (表面上的) trigger to your anger. Anger is often precipitated (仓促发生) by underlying feelings of fear, anxiety, disappointment and guilt. Maybe you’re extremely angry that your partner is late, but it’s really because you were afraid that he or she had a car accident in the bad weather.

It helps to take a cool-down period before explaining to someone you’re angry with how he or she rocked your boat. That will allow for the effects of the adrenaline (肾上腺素) to wear off, which in turn allows you to reflect on what’s bothering you. Do some controlled breathing or find some physical activity to take the edge off. “There’s clear evidence that exercise helps with feelings of anger,” says McIntosh.

When you’re ready to approach the other person, focus on the behaviour and why it upsets you, not the person’s characters. Avoid calling the other person names. Don’t say something bad, and don’t make generalizations (泛化), such as “You always do this!” “The idea”, says Keelan, “is to bring up your reasonable points to the other person in a manner that is most likely to get a helpful and non-defensive response. ”

If you’re on the receiving end, remember that there are benefits to acknowledging and trying to under-stand the other person’s anger. Try offering to make a change, if that seems fair to you. If you’re willing to be a partner in working through heated situations, the other person will be much more likely to bring matters up constructively in the future. In the end, you’ll both be healthier for it.

1. What does the underlined word “trigger” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Cause.

B．Solution.

C．Course.

D．Strategy.

2. Which might the author agree to deal with anger?

A．Breathe deeply while angry.	B．Keep off a person you dislike.
C．Accept the lateness out of politeness.	D．Point out the weaknesses in other’s character.

3. What shall we do with an angry partner?

A．Make a change at once.	B．Stand in the other’s shoes.
C．Advise the partner to be calm.	D．Help the partner overcome difficulties.

4. What’s the best title of the text?

A．Get Benefits out of Anger	B．A New Research about Anger
C．Get Angry the Right Way	D．How to Keep emotions Hidden

9 . Best mothers in literature

Whether loving, cold or extremely funny, some of the greatest characters in literature are mothers. Below are just a few examples of very different mothers from different authors.

The Railway Children     –by Edith Nesbit

When their father is taken away one evening, the lives of Roberta, Peter and Phyliss are broken suddenly into small pieces. They and their mother are forced to move from their comfortable London home to a simple cottage in the country where their mother writes books to make ends meet.

The Dwelling Place       –by Catherine Cookson

In the 1830s, Cissy Brody and her young siblings(兄弟姐妹) are forced to leave their farm cottage when both of their parents die. Determined that they will not enter the frightening workhouse, young Cissy takes on the parental responsibility and moves them to live in a small cave on the wilderness where they will face many hardships before finding a happy ending.

Little Women          –by Louisa May Alcott

The mother, Mrs March, is the glue that holds the family together through the Civil War as we follow the lives of Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth, her daughters. Their father is away serving as a Chaplain(神父). Having lost their fortune, their mother must use all her resources to keep the family together, which she does extremely well.

Pride and Prejudice       –by Jane Austen

Sometimes talkative and materialistic, yet strangely likeable, Mrs Bennet guides her five daughters, Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia towards suitable marriages. Nothing will stand in her way although sometimes her behavior does scare away suitable suitors. Sometimes touching and at other times extremely funny, it never fails to make readers smile.

1. Which book mentions the mother who makes a living by writing?

A．The Railway Children.	B．The Dwelling Place.
C．Little Women.	D．Pride and Prejudice.

2. Who is special as a child in the novels?

A．Roberta.

B．Cissy Brody.

C．Amy March.

D．Elizabeth.

3. What do the listed novels have in common?

A．They were written at the same period.

B．They were set in the same background.

C．They describe children’s life at school.

D．They show greatness of main characters.

10 . Like many writers, I’m a supreme expert at procrastination (拖延症). When I ought to be working on an assignment, with the clock ticking towards my deadline, I’ll sit there watching pointless interviews or cat videos on YouTube.

According to traditional thinking — I, along with my fellow procrastinators, have a time management problem. By this view, I haven’t fully appreciated how long my assignment is going to take and I’m not paying enough attention to how much time I’m currently wasting on videos. With better scheduling, I will stop procrastinating and get on with my work.

Increasingly, however, psychologists are realizing this is wrong. Experts in the UK have proposed that procrastination is an issue with managing our emotions, not our time. The task we’re putting off is making us feel bad — perhaps it’s boring, too difficult or we’re worried about failing — and to make ourselves feel better in the moment, we start doing something else, like watching videos.

One investigation to inspire the emotional view of procrastination was published by researchers at Case Western Reserve University. They first prompted people to feel bad (by asking them to read sad stories) and showed that this increased their tendency to procrastinate by doing puzzles or playing video games instead of preparing for the test they knew was coming. Subsequent studies by the another team also showed low mood only increases procrastination if enjoyable activities are available as a distraction.

This fresh perspective on procrastination is beginning to open up exciting new approaches to reducing the habit. An approach, which is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, seems especially suitable. It argues that prioritizing choices and actions that help you get closer to get things done can keep you away from the unpleasant feelings. So the next time you’re going to procrastinate, make your focus as simple as “What’s the next action?”. Focusing on this one-step question takes your mind off your feelings and onto easily achievable action. “Our research and lived experience show very clearly that once we get started, we’re typically able to keep going. Getting started is everything.”

1. Which is true according to the traditional view of procrastinators?

A．They are usually irresponsible people.

B．They have difficulty in concentrating.

C．They enjoy watching videos while writing.

D．They can get work done with better schedules.

2. What can we know from paragraph 4?

A．Procrastination boosts your moods.

B．Procrastinators prefer puzzles to sad stories.

C．Test-takers can not escape bad emotions.

D．Negative emotions promote procrastination.

3. Why focusing on one simple question is suggested?

A．It shortens the process.	B．It inspires the wildest imagination.
C．It may relieve unpleasant feelings.	D．It can fix time management problem.

4. Which is the most suitable title of the text?

A．Prioritize Your To-do List	B．New Studies on Work Performance
C．Quit Watching Cat Videos	D．Tremendous Damage of Procrastination