1 . Ask most people which day of the week they fear the most and the answer is likely to be Monday. The first day of the working week can make us experience a sense of tiredness or fatigue.     1              

    2     It’s the time of year when we’re supposedly feeling at our lowest and most “blue”. We’re thought to be more likely to feel down because the weather’s cold and we’re back at work. We’ve got to make up all the money we spent at Christmas and we’re feeling guilty for already breaking our New Year’s resolutions.

Some consider the term, pseudo-science, saying that there is no such thing as a 24-hour depression.     3     The decreasing motivation to work, the lack of interest in everything and the regret for what is not finished can be clearly felt on the first day of the week.     4     Someone who misses the deadline and cannot meet the standard at work affects the overall efficiency and teamwork within a project.

Fortunately, we don’t have to suffer that on Monday, not if we remember: we all have our good days and our bad days, and those aren’t for the calendar (日历) to decide.     5     Rather than automatically thinking we feel blue on Blue Monday, reflect on the well being of our mind, practice self-care and seek support when needed. In this way, we can weather the Monday blues and any other challenges that come our way.

A．The most depressing day of the year is the third Monday in January.

B．Actually it’s common to feel a bit depressed for several times in a year.

C．But most people know that the Monday blues can be very real.

D．That’s why the feeling is described as the Monday blues.

E．The term is not even scientifically true, with basically no evidence.

F．These can have a negative impact on our performance, productivity and the people around.

G．In fact, it’s actually a good opportunity to check in on our mental health.

2 . Steps to happiness

Life is full of happiness and sadness. The following skills can help improve your state of happiness.

Be kind to yourself

It is not always easy as we are often not confident. But those little troubles, such as when we make a mistake, and when we judge ourselves as “stupid” or such like, can actually have quite an impact on our mental well-being.     1    

Find your happiness

For some people, watching 90 minutes of man running around and kicking a ball brings great joy and passion.     2     We are all different, and knowing what bring you peace and happiness helps. Explore more and find what you really like.

Move

    3     Humans weren’t designed to sit all day long. Apart from getting fat, and increasing the risk of diseases, sitting all day leads to boredom. And the more you sit doing nothing, the worse it gets. So, make a start now and take a walk.

Improve your relationships

We all need others.     4     Again, humans are social creatures, so getting out to see friends is important, even taking time to talk to those you live with is important. Put down your device and actually have a chat. It can really boost your mood.

Eat properly

Eat the right foods and you’ll feel an obvious change in your attitude and mental well-being in a few weeks.     5     Avoid lots of processed food.

A few simple steps can improve your mental status. Give it a try, a few minor changes can make all the difference to your happiness.

A．Challenge yourself.

B．Get up and walk, or go jogging.

C．It’s hard to be an island, entire of itself.

D．Being kind to others is also important.

E．Instead of being negative on yourself, try being positive.

F．For others, this is similar to a trip to the dentist for root treatment.

G．Aim for a well-balanced diet and one that is as close to nature as possible.

3 . Bad thoughts can trouble you for days, weeks, or months. While you should always seek help if you constantly suffer from bad thoughts, you can work through them on your own in many cases.

    1     This is possibly the easiest way to start addressing your problems. Too often you believe you are the only one with problems, or that no one understands what you are going through. But bad thoughts are part of life and, most importantly, they will go away.

Think about what makes the thought “bad”. Why are you upset about it?     2     Bad thoughts exist because you feel ashamed, angry, or unsure, so thinking about why you are caught on the same thought can help address the problem.

    3     Getting your bad thoughts into the open is a great way to work through what makes them so bad. It helps you realize that the thought is not as bad as it seemed.     4     Simply telling your thoughts in a comfortable setting may be enough to remove them.

Literally “throw your problem away”. This may sound strange and unusual, but people who write down their bad thoughts and throw the paper away have a better self-image than people who keep the paper. By doing this, you can tell your body that it is time to move on.     5    

A．What is making it stick in your head?

B．How can you solve it as quickly as possible?

C．Remember that occasional bad thoughts are normal.

D．Talk through your bad thoughts with someone you trust.

E．Even if a situation isn’t ideal or is difficult, you can still be okay.

F．Also, someone with similar anxieties may offer you valuable advice.

G．Just emptying your computer’s trash bin (垃圾箱) has the same effect.

4 . Self-criticism (自我批评) is a mental habit of negatively analyzing and judging ourselves and our actions. If we don’t find a way to overcome self-criticism, we won’t be able to live a happy and satisfying life.     1    .

Stop Negative Thoughts

Thought stopping is one of the best secrets of how to overcome self-criticism. Interrupting your thoughts helps you change how you think about yourself, thus helping you feel better.     2    . However, with enough practice, you will make it.

    3    

Another strategy is to replace negative self-critical thoughts with positive realistic statements. For instance, if you set a goal, be realistic about it by giving yourself enough time to achieve it. In fact, having a constant desire to achieve immediate success can ruin your confidence.

Avoid Perfectionism

Another secret is to let go of the need to be perfect. It’s all right to set high standards for yourself.     4    . In addition, desiring to be perfect in everything you pursue can prevent your progress.

Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

    5    . However, it’s important to note that comparing yourself to your peers, friends, or family can increase dissatisfaction and unhappiness. That said, the best tip on how to overcome self-criticism is to practice self-acceptance.

A．Be realistic

B．Focus on strengths

C．It’s normal to feel like that everyone has a better life than you

D．Remember it’s from your mistakes that you get to improve yourself

E．If you’ve been stuck in negative thoughts, here’s what you need to do

F．It’s important to note that changing your negative thought patterns can take time

G．However, falling short of your goals and expectations can make you feel worthless

5 . When you begin to face your fears, you unlock limitless opportunities to live your best life. By conquering your fears, you can finally break free. At first, you may find it difficult to face them. The following steps will help you face them effectively.     1    

● Identify your fears. To face your fears, you must first identify them. Identifying the related factors will help you overcome them. Take a moment to identify the specific sources of your fears. Ask yourself: What are you actually afraid of?     2     Write down the answers and remember to get specific.

● Understand the root cause clearly. After identifying what your fears are, it’s time to explore what causes them. Spend some time exploring the nature of your fears.     3     When you deeply understand the causes, you are in a better position to face them.

●     4     Define the objectives you aim to accomplish by facing your fears. Then set your clear goals. Breaking down your broader goals into smaller and manageable steps is crucial. Besides, creating a structured plan will also help you face your fears by making them much more organized.

● Take action.     5     And gradually work your way up to bigger ones. By taking action. you’ll gain new skills. You can build up your confidence in your ability to learn, handle mistakes, and embrace new experiences. As you go through this journey of action, unexpected opportunities for personal growth will arise. Finally, you’ll strengthen your self-confidence.

A．Accept it as a universal emotion.

B．Establish clear and achievable goals.

C．And thus you can have a brighter future.

D．Handle the least fearful aspect of your fear.

E．Analyze the experiences that lead to these fears.

F．Spend a few moments thinking about your answers.

G．Fighting fear bravely can speed up your personal growth.

6 . Comparison is the thief of joy, which has become more pronounced with the rise of social media. In the past, you may have envied your neighbour when they bought a new car. Today, the rise of social media has had many benefits but also given rise to social media envy when users perceive the perfect lives of others.

Research has shown that social media users post carefully chosen information to present a better image of themselves and social media allows them to do so. This can lead to social comparison, which is where we think about information about other people in relation to ourselves. Our own lives are for the most part ordinary, but social media can make it appear that everyone else’s are not. This can make us feel different emotional responses.

These emotions can be positive or negative. For example, sometimes envy can lead to self-improvement. Researchers have found that students studied for longer, and their academic performance improved, when they were envious of their successful peers.This is referred to as benign envy. But some envy can lead to negative emotions. You might feel low and have negative thoughts towards the envied person who you perceive to be in a better position than you. This is referred to as malicious envy.

As envy is a natural response, it is important to allow yourself to feel the emotion. The real trick is making sure you stop malicious envy and harness benign envy. By accepting that you are envious of someone when you have viewed a post on social media, you have made the first step to adopt a healthier response. You can then make the decision to use this feeling to fuel self improvement.

Therefore, try to identify role models as well as people to avoid or unfollow. Role models can be anyone that encourages a sense of benign envy and promotes wanting to improve. This could be friends, family or a celebrity. Identifying those that you feel malicious envy towards is equally as important. Unfollowing these people may be beneficial.

1. How does the author introduce the topic?

A．By giving a definition.

B．By explaining a theory.

C．By making comparisons.

D．By justifying assumptions.

2. What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Freedom of expression.

B．Selected information online.

C．Social media users' preference.

D．Widespread use of social media.

3. What should you do first in making right response to envy?

A．Post your envy online.

B．Acknowledge your envy.

C．Stop viewing harmful posts.

D．Reject this negative emotion.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Comparison—the thief of joy

B．Stay away from social media

C．Envy—a barrier to progress

D．Get over social media envy

7 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

What my father wore embarrassed me! I wanted him to dress like a doctor or lawyer, but he always dressed like my father, getting up before dawn every day to make breakfast for my mother and me.

We lived in South Texas, where my father worked as a repairman. He often wore a pair of jeans and a shirt, keeping his pencils, glasses and wrenches (扳手) in his breast pocket. His boots were those with steel toes that made them difficult to pull off his feet, which I sometimes helped him with when he returned from repairing cars — his job that also shamed me.

I blamed the way he dressed. I felt that my classmates laughed at me because they’d seen him mowing lawns (修剪草坪) in cut-off jeans and black boots. My classmates’ families paid men to beautify their lawns, while their fathers travelled in the bay wearing lemon-yellow sweaters and expensive shoes.

He preferred clothes that allowed him the freedom to move under cars. So even when taking part in a school trip with me, he was dressed in his repairman’s suit. On the school bus to the campsite, all students on the bus happily chatted with their parents except me, who lowered the head, avoiding spotting my classmates’ mocking glance (讥笑的眼光) or hearing their jokes, which I thought was about nothing else but what my father wore.

I regretted telling my parents the school trip, and I was very angry why my mother had no spare time while my father happened to have a vacation. But my father failed to read my mind. He was very happy, whistling a tune along the way.

Though my father didn’t sense my bad mood, the school bus seemed as sad as I was. It drove more and more slowly and finally it stopped on the roadside. The driver got out to check the bus but found nothing wrong. Students and parents on the bus began to whisper about what was happening, worried that the delay might spoil the journey.

注意：
1.续写词数应为150 左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卷的相应位置作答。

When others were complaining, my father stood up.

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The school bus restarted and everyone cheered.

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8 . 假设你是李明，暑假期间在美国参加夏令营活动(Summer camp)，现已回国。在美国两周期间，你住在Smith夫妇家中，他们为你提供了吃、住、行及旅游方面的帮助。请给他们写一封大约80字左右的电子邮件。内容包括以下要点：
1.已安全到家，对他们的帮助表示感谢；
2.谈谈在美国期间的感受；
3.希望保持联系。
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Ming

9 . How to cultivate emotional awareness

In school, we learned the periodic table and were told to recite the alphabet, but nobody forced us to take a class on what emotions are and how they work.     1     Yet, research shows that being aware of your emotions is hugely beneficial and people with high emotional awareness have better social and emotional functioning.

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 maintaining good mental health. But if you’ve spent a lifetime masking your real emotions, being honest with yourself for the first time may prove tough.     2    

Turn to mindfulness

Mindfulness is the process of bringing our attention to: the present moment and becoming more aware of our thoughts.     3     There are many ways to be mindful, from practising breathwork to sitting in silence. Where emotional awareness is concerned, meditation which can aid clarity and allow us to view our emotions in a more measured way is strongly recommended.

Practice daily self-reflection

    4     You’d better create a habit of checking with yourself every day. Self-reflection cultivates 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. It may also help you actively choose healthy coping strategies to manage more challenging emotions. Free-writing, where you write out everything that’s on your mind without judgement, can be used to dig deeper into your thoughts and feelings.

Name what you’re feeling

Sometimes what we really struggle with is putting our emotions into words.     5     Instead of employing basic descriptions like angry, happy, frustrated or sad, consult The Emotion Wheel which identifies eight basic emotions at the centre of the wheel, with dozens of corresponding emotions of various intensities stemming out from it. It gives you a specific name for what you’re feeling. By naming them, we can not only find relief from those uncomfortable feelings but bring more joy and fulfilment into our lives too.

A．When was the last time you stopped and truly observed how you feel?

B．Turn into your emotions and honestly reflecting on how you feel is important.

C．It can be difficult to feel heard by others if we don’t have the language to describe how we’re feeling.

D．But it gets easier with practice.

E．It’s not always easy to put a finger on exactly what’s wrong, without digging a little deeper.

F．It’s a state of calm, non-judgmental state of mind.

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

10 . 假定你是李华，你的英国交换生同学John在英语学习上帮助了你，他即将回国，请你用英语给John写封信，内容包括：
1. 你在英语学习上遇见的困难；
2. John对你的帮助和建议；
3. 你对John的感谢和祝福。
注意：词数100左右，行文连贯。
Dear John,
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Yours,

Li Hua