1 . When we feel disappointed with what might have been or we wish we could change a choice we made in the past, we have regrets.
Regrets can be harmful when we don’t want to accept them. Too many negative (消极的) thoughts and continuous consideration can lead to stress and anxiety. This kind of spiritual and emotional pain also affects our bodies. For example, maybe you didn’t stand up for your friend when someone attacked him by saying something derogatory. You didn’t speak up at the time to clear his name. You end up feeling disappointed in yourself and don’t want to be reminded of that. Or you may remember the situation all too well, but don’t know how to overcome your regret. Whatever it is, you may suffer from negative thoughts or even sleepless nights, thus putting pressure onto your body and mind.
But as the old saying goes, a coin has two sides. Regrets have advantages too. When we reflect (反思) on regrettable choices we made in the past, that’s a good thing. We grow from self-examination and can learn from our missteps. Inspired to be better, we improve on our decision-making so we don’t repeat our mistakes.
Another positive side of regret is that it can move you closer to being your best self. A study about people’s most long-lasting regrets was published in the journal Emotion, where scientists looked at the connection between regret and an individual’s self-concept (自我认知). The results showed that people were more likely to regret not living up to being that best person and thus try harder to use their full potential (潜力), when regrets about their best selves were not achieved.
If you’re feeling regretful about something from your past, know you’re not alone in feeling this way. Everyone has something (or many things) that they regret. However, there are ways to move forward by showing yourself understanding. If that’s too difficult, get the help of a health professional. He or she can help you manage feelings of regret so they no longer hold you back.
1. What does the underlined word “derogatory” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Confusing. | B．Usual. | C．Informal. | D．Mean. |
| A．Avoidance of stress. | B．Positive self-concept. |
| C．Greater efforts to better oneself. | D．Longer time to reflect on the past. |
| A．Leave those regrets as they are. |
| B．Discuss regrets with the like-minded. |
| C．Stop reflecting on your daily events. |
| D．Turn to experts for help if necessary. |
| A．How to Fight Regrets | B．Get to Know Our Regrets |
| C．Why Regrets Are Harmful | D．The Positive Sides of Regrets |
When I drove my sister Connie from Michigan to Arizona to start her junior year of college, I didn’t realize it’d be the last time that I’d see her alive. Four months later, when she was traveling back to the Midwest for winter break with four of her college friends, the driver of her car fell asleep. The car went off the road and rolled over several times. My sister, unfortunately, was thrown out from the car and died within minutes.
As a nineteen-year-old away at college myself, I was already dealing with my own confusion and uncertainty about where my life was headed. I’d thought I wanted to become an engineer, but the related courses I’d taken left me wholly uninspired. Now, with the struggle from my sister’s sudden death, I knew leaving my family to return to school hours from home would only heighten my confusion. Yet, when my parents expressed their belief that Connie would’ve wanted me to return to college, I knew they were right.
During the first term following her death, I felt like I was sailing through a personal fog in a rudderless(无舵的) boat. I was aimlessly drifting, fearful of what lay beyond the horizon. My grief(悲伤) consumed me as I continually questioned how the college courses I was taking would affect my life. And, more importantly, I missed my sister. Born just ten months apart, she’d always been there for me.
When I began my junior year, I still hadn’t declared my major, but I signed up for one particular class for personal reasons: Death Education and Suicide Prevention. One day, the professor had a guest speaker come to our class. At some point during the presentation, the speaker said, “Joy shared is joy increased. Grief shared is grief decreased.” The speaker explained the saying by breaking it into parts, saying, “Joy shared is joy increased. If you don’t believe it, go into a closet and tell yourself a joke. It isn’t funny unless you share it with others. Or you can try to share your sadness with your beloved one, even in the journals.” I was locked in “Joy shared is joy increased. Grief shared is grief decreased.”
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
I silently repeated this message to myself over and over again, trying to absorb these words into my being.
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After that day in class, I began keeping journals about my sister.
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注意：
1. 写作词数应为100左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Smile
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4 . Feeling tired and stressed? You are not alone.
●Start your day with a short morning workout.
Modest amounts of exercise first thing in the morning can set you up for a good day. You can do some jumping jacks, run for a few minutes, go for a bike ride or take your dog for a walk around the block.
●Remove clutter(杂乱) to reduce stress.
Clutter can easily cause stress-and stress contributes to poor sleep, which can also affect your overall productivity and general health.
●Write down three things that went well today.
What went well? This simple question can help you focus on all the good things that happen in your life every day. At the end of your day, look back and find three things that went well. Reflect on them, and even replay them in your mind, revisiting those good feelings. This exercise focuses your attention on the positive experiences in your day and away from the negative.
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Starting a new project you care about can be the healthy distraction(消遣) you need to improve your mood, reduce stress and increase your sense of accomplishment. You can use your mornings just before your normal work routine or an hour of your evening to accomplish some pretty amazing things.
| A．Work on a passion project . |
| B．Accomplish amazing things early. |
| C．The causes of cluttering are varied. |
| D．It can help you think more positively. |
| E．It’s normal to feel uninspired or unmotivated every now and then. |
| F．Besides, research also shows that clutter can be bad for your mental health. |
| G．Even short exercise sessions of just 10 minutes can do wonders for your mood. |
