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 . 假定你是李华，即将结束在新西兰的学习，在这段学习期间，你的老师Mr Smith对你的帮助很大。请用英文给他写封邮件，感谢他对你的帮助，内容包括：
1. 感谢帮助；
2. 学习收获；
3. 期待保持联系。
注意：写作词数应为80左右。
Dear Mr Smith,

I’m writing to express

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sincerely yours,

Li Hua

4 . Staying in on a Friday might feel like a good idea—you could really use the “alone time” after a busy week—until you get on Instagram. You see your friends eating at that new restaurant you have been wanting to try, and then you start watching another friend’s story before they set out on an exciting road trip.

Suddenly, that alone time you chose doesn’t feel so good anymore. You feel like it’s boring to stay at home—you may even question the purpose of your very existence. Don’t worry, that anxiety is common—and not that new. You are experiencing FOMO, or the fear of missing out.

We are always comparing ourselves to people around us, but sometimes that self-comparison can lead to some pretty bad feelings. “FOMO” is about having thoughts on missing out on opportunities which might increase our happiness,” says Dr. Aarti Gupta. “Humans are social beings and depend on each other to survive, and being left out or not being in the know could have, once upon a time, been a matter of life or death.”

If you find yourself comparing yourself to others in a way that doesn’t feel productive, Gupta recommends practicing an abundance mindset: “This means remembering that there are plenty of opportunities to go around for everyone, and just because someone else found success doesn’t mean that you won’t.” So next time you see someone else win, try congratulating them instead of feeling unhappy.

So the next Friday night you decide to stay in, keep in mind that we are always missing out on something. Choosing one activity or path simply means you’ll miss out on others.

“I think the irony of all of it is that it’s called FOMO, the fear of missing out. But actually, what it is doing is that it’s making you miss out on today and that comfortable bed that you are in right now, or the job that you’re in right now or the relationship that you are in right now because you are so worried about what else is out there,” says Gupta. You can fight FOMO simply by being more fully present and invested in the life you have today.

1. What would make you experience FOMO when staying at home?

A．Having dinner alone.	B．Having nothing to do.
C．Hearing friends’ bad news.	D．Seeing friends’ colorful life.

2. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The effect of FOMO.	B．How to avoid FOMO.
C．The reason for FOMO.	D．How to deal with FOMO.

3. What does the underlined part “practicing an abundance mindset” in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Being more creative.	B．Being less competitive.
C．Being less self-doubting.	D．Being more self-dependent.

4. What might be Gupta’s suggestion for those trying to fight FOMO?

A．Making more new friends.	B．Living in the here and now.
C．Following your own feelings.	D．Taking part in more activities.

5 . Birthday depression (沮丧), also known as the birthday blues, is being not interested in celebrating your birthday. It might occur to you, especially if you are fearful of getting older. Symptoms (症状) can include feeling low, crying more than usual, a lack of energy and a desire to avoid birthday celebrations.     1    .

●Allow your feelings to appear. We tend to connect birthdays with celebrations and positive experiences, but that may not be the case for everyone.     2    , allow yourself permission to sit with the sadness. This can help you understand your feelings better and may reduce some of the sadness.

●Practice awareness and self-compassion (自我同情). Pay attention to your thoughts and feelings and be kind to yourself during the process.     3    , you can deal with them with compassion and find ways to comfort yourself.

●Talk about your experience with someone you trust. Share your feelings with a friend or family member who has similar experiences.     4    .

●Celebrate in your own way. You don’t have to follow traditional ways of celebrating. Do what feels right for you, whether that’s a quiet day at home or a small gathering with close friends. Remember it’s your day.

    5    . It’s very common and normal for people to feel sad around their birthday. However, if your birthday depression leads to extreme feelings of sadness, anxiety, or isolation, you may need to consult a mental health professional for help.

A．Talking openly can provide comfort

B．Having them doesn’t make you lonely

C．If you increase your awareness about your feelings

D．You prepare for your birthday with healthy activities

E．If you are not feeling excited or happy during this time

F．Don’t feel shame if you experience birthday depression

G．Luckily, there are several tips you can try to deal with it

6 . If your stress-response is always on, your immune system suffers and your blood pressure increases.     1    . So what are some ways to quiet your body’s stress response and gain some much-needed calm?

    2    

The first way to start your relaxation mode is to breathe. Now, you may be saying, “I breathe all day. If I didn’t, I’d be dead.”    3     . But many of us go through our days without breathing deeply. There’s a difference between stressed-out shallow breathing and slow, deep breaths. This kind of deep breathing leads to all sorts of health benefits such as decreased oxygen consumption, decreased blood pressure, and increased carefulness.

Practice Imagination

You can experience that relaxation mode by trying imagination. My favorite is to imagine I’m on a beach. I use all five senses to try to bury myself in the imagined experience of relaxation on a beach. I try to smell the ocean air and see and hear the waves.     4    .

Play Pretend

    5    . I find that if I pretend I’m a professional California surfer, it’s much easier to decrease stress and get into my relaxation mode. A simple “No problem” can go a really long way.

A．That’s kind of true

B．Breathing Exercises

C．Focus On Your Senses

D．And you will easily get into anxiety and depression

E．A little physical exercise could help you better yourself fast

F．I’ve also created another exercise that requires me to play pretend

G．Practice imagination can help us decrease stress by shifting our focus

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。

When the final school bell rang, Eli walked home as usual. His trip took him across the playground, past the T-shirt factory, and across the main street. From there, Eli often cut through a blank lot (空地) where a house used to be. The house burned down years ago, but there were still flowers and trees to show that people used to live there. Everything was usual, but everything was immersed (沉浸在) in Eli’s sadness.

At that time, Eli watched a blue jay (蓝松鸦) fly into the old maple tree at the blank lot. The bird sat on a low branch and screamed loudly. It was as if the blue jay knew that he was sad, for he had failed his math test again. And he wrote a letter to Aunt Lucy. But Aunt Lucy did not reply to him.

When he got home, there was something in his mailbox. He found it was from Aunt Lucy, who lived in a different town. Upon opening it, his eyes widened with delight. It was a letter he looked forward to and a book! Eli read the letter.

Dear Eli, You told me that you didn’t do well in math. I hope you don’t give up and don’t get discouraged by a few failures. Because you once told me that you wanted to be a math teacher when you grew up and helped more children. I gave you a book. It’s about a great scientist you liked, I hoped you, like him, had been studying hard and sticking to your dream.

Love,

Aunt Lucy

After reading Aunt Lucy’s letter and receiving her encouragement, Eli’s sad mood improved a lot. Eli took the book and rushed to show it to his father, saying that it was the best gift he had ever received. His father smiled, noting Eli’s happy smile. Touched by Aunt Lucy’s thoughtful present, Eli felt an immediate urge (强烈的欲望) to thank Aunt Lucy right away. So with his father’s help, he decided to call Aunt Lucy.

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。

Eli called Aunt Lucy but couldn’t get through.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . How to Handle an Argument with Your Family Members

We’ve all been there. A relaxed evening with our family members. A lot of laughing. And then, as if someone had sat on the TV remote and changed the channel, the mood shifts. No more warmth. Suddenly there’s shouting, a ping-pong of accusations(指责), deadly stares, and hostility(敌意) streaming from eyes like red laser pointers. Having a conflict with your family members is frustrating, and you may feel sad and depressed.     1    

Do remember that as much as it might feel this way, you’re not in a court of law with your family members.     2     .It is to restore kindness and connection. Think of it this way —if somebody wins, both parties lose.

Do try to be an advocate of others’ feelings.     3     try to stand in the shoes of your family members. Try to understand their immature ways.

    4     .This might frighten your family members, making them feel accused and in turn, act defensively. Example: “I was on the phone with my sister and then suddenly you started acting like crazy out of the blue.” Talk about the way you felt instead. Example: “I was on the phone with my sister and then I suddenly felt scared when I saw you looking at me like I was in trouble.”

Don’t try to explain yourself. You often want to explain yourself when having conflicts with your family members, but you don’t have time. You’re being cut off and attacked again.     5     .The more you talk, the less your family members seem to understand and the further away you get from an agreement.

A．If you are looking for a new relationship

B．Don’t attempt to prove yourself in the face of your loved ones

C．The point of an argument isn’t to prove the others guilty or to win

D．Rather than going in circles about what you think and how you feel

E．Each accusation strikes deeper and deeper into your sense of justice

F．Don’t talk about what happened as though you’re simply stating the facts

G．Here are the do’s and don’ts when you are arguing with your family members

9 . Todd was a sadly quiet 11-year-old boy struggling to adjust to the death of his mother. His father had left long ago, and Todd was living with an aunt who made it _______ that she disliked to take responsibility.

On several occasions, his _______ Sheryl heard his aunt tell him, “If it weren’t for my generosity, you’d be a _______ orphan.”

Sheryl took extra pains to make Todd feel _______ in class, and encouraged his interest in making things. Just before Christmas break, Todd shyly _______ her with a small decorated box he’d made.

“It’s beautiful!” Sheryl cried.

Todd replied, “There’s something special _______ that my mom gave me before she died.” She said, “It’s the only thing I can _______you and still have plenty leftover. It helps you feel better when you’re _______ and safe when you’re _______.”

As Sheryl started to open the box,Todd ________ her, “Oh, you can’t see it.”

Sheryl asked ________ , “Well, what is it?”

“It’s ________. You’re the first person since my mom that I love.’

Sheryl hugged Todd tightly and said, “I’ll ________this forever. It’s the best gift I’ve ________ got.”

She kept it on her desk until she ________ , and touched it whenever she was sad or scared. It never ________ to make her heart smile.

Years later, Todd sent her the autograph book (签名簿) he wrote during his graduation from a medical school. It’s been in the ________ ever since.

In truth, love—not diamonds—is the________that keeps on giving. ________ , love generates itself. The more you ________， the more you have left.

1.

A．possible

B．known

C．reasonable

D．secret

2.

A．neighbor

B．grandpa

C．teacher

D．uncle

3.

A．friendless

B．careless

C．hopeless

D．homeless

4.

A．ignored

B．upset

C．separated

D．valued

5.

A．presented

B．awarded

C．traded

D．bothered

6.

A．beyond

B．inside

C．around

D．below

7.

A．give

B．take

C．buy

D．help

8.

A．happy

B．curious

C．sad

D．rich

9.

A．surprised

B．puzzled

C．scared

D．encouraged

10.

A．warned

B．ordered

C．pleased

D．advised

11.

A．nervously

B．favorably

C．differently

D．kindly

12.

A．joy

B．pity

C．love

D．wisdom

13.

A．watch

B．treasure

C．cover

D．hide

14.

A．ever

B．hardly

C．even

D．frequently

15.

A．married

B．graduated

C．deserted

D．retired

16.

A．stopped

B．failed

C．arranged

D．continued

17.

A．desk

B．room

C．heart

D．box

18.

A．gift

B．idea

C．offer

D．sense

19.

A．Therefore

B．However

C．Besides

D．Anyway

20.

A．give away

B．take in

C．set aside

D．pick up

10 . 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