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 . Dear Crystal,

I’m sorry to hear that life is getting you down right now ... I’m not sure there’s any specific advice I can give to cheer you up. It’s sometimes quite annoying to be reminded how much people love you when you don’t love yourself that much.

I’ve found that it’s of some help to compare one’s moods(情绪)about the world to the weather.   Here are some obvious things about the weather:

It’s real.

If it’s dark and rainy, it really is.

It isn’t under one’s control as to when the rain stops, but it will stop one day.

You can’t change it by wishing it away.

It really is the same with one’s moods．The wrong approach is to believe that they are illusions(幻想). Panic, anxiety and anger are as real as weather.

But they will pass; they really will.

In the same way that one has to accept the weather, one has to accept how one feels about life. “Today’s a bad day” is a perfect approach.“Hey-ho, it’s raining inside; it isn’t my mistake, and there’s nothing I can do about it. But when the sun comes out, I shall take full advantage.”

I don’t know if any of that is of any use... I just hope this brings you a little more pleasure and purpose in life.

Best wishes!

Yours,

Stephen Fry

1. How does Crystal feel according to the letter?

A．Ignored.

B．Ashamed.

C．Panicked.

D．Unhappy.

2. Stephen Fry writes to Crystal to________．

A．offer tips on making friends

B．teach skills of writing poems

C．share comfort and encouragement

D．explain ways of observing weather

3. In which column(专栏)of a school website will you find the text?

A．Literature.	B．Watch This.
C．Just Ask.	D．Science Forum.

3 . Higher levels of optimism (乐观主义) are related lo a longer lifetime. People with the highest levels of optimism have 11 % to 15% longer lifetime than those who practice little positive thinking. The optimists may live to age 85 or beyond.

Optimism doesn’t mean ignoring life’s stress. But when negative things happen, optimistic people are less likely to blame themselves.     1    . They also believe they can control their destiny and create opportunities for good things to happen in the future.

    2    . Research has found optimists have a 35% less chance of a heart disease. There’s a direct connection between optimists and healthier diet and exercise behaviors, as well as a stronger immune (免疫) system and better lung function.

Optimism can be improved by training. Studies have found only about 25% of our optimism is programmed by genes (基因).     3    . It turns out you can train your brain to be more positive. One of the most effective ways to increase optimism is called the “Best Possible Self” method. In this period, you imagine yourself in future, and you have achieved all your life aims and all of your problems have been solved.     4    . Another way is to keep a journal only to capture positive experiences you experienced that day.

It’s not easy to carry out optimism exercises. Like exercise, they will need to be practiced regularly to keep the brain positive.     5    . But isn’t a longer, happier, more positive life worth the effort?

A．It may also lengthen your life.

B．The rest is up to your attitude to life.

C．Being optimistic also improves your health.

D．The optimism exercises may be a hard process.

E．The focus on the positive can reshape your brain.

F．Practicing this daily can significantly improve your positive feelings.

G．They are more likely to see the barrier as a good chance to turn positive.

4 . The Post-holiday Blues

The holiday season—from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day—can be a joyful and relaxing time for many people, but once the festivities wind down, sadness and loneliness can creep in.

    1    

After an exciting event like the holidays, there is often a feeling of disappointment or let-down. Looking ahead to something like the holidays can feel exciting.     2     There can almost be a sense of emotional withdrawal from the holiday cheer.

    3     The post-holiday blues refer to the short-term feelings that individuals experience after the upcoming winter months. The holidays offer most people a time to focus their energy on the task of decorating, baking, planning, and gift giving. After the holidays are over, people may feel lost or empty without having a goal-driven activity to help them to focus.     4     The more you talk about this with friends and family, the more you’ll find that you are not alone in the experience of post-holiday blues.

What can cause the Post-Holiday Blues? The reasons for the post-holiday blues can vary from person to person. Some people may have trouble with the holidays themselves—the grand expectations, reminders of lost or estranged loved ones, financial burdens.     5     But when the holiday events end, so does the mood boost. Besides, the change of seasons, reduced daylight, decreased physical activity levels, and increased isolation can all contribute to the post-holiday blues.

If any feelings of post-holiday blues begin impacting your daily functioning, like making it hard to get out of bed, go to work or school, leave the house, spend time with others, or accomplish small tasks. Besides, it may be worth checking in with a healthcare provider.

A．What are the post-holiday blues?

B．Some people may dislike holidays.

C．It’s an idea known as the post-holiday blues.

D．What can we do to deal with the post-holiday blues?

E．It is important to recognize that this phenomenon is not uncommon.

F．But when the event has passed, the loss of that excitement can feel bad.

G．Others may receive a boost of happiness after spending time with friends and family.

5 . Whether someone makes you angry, you’re upset with yourself, or you’re just having a bad day, one of the best ways to direct your angry energy is through exercise. That angry energy can build inside of you.     1     If you’re looking to direct your anger through exercise, there are exercises suitable for it.

Running is a very effective technique to calm anxieties. The focus it takes to run and the endorphins your body releases will take your mind off whatever is frustrating you. Be sure to adequately warm up and stretch before you run!     2     You can enhance the benefits by running in an area that is free of distractions like around a lake or through a peaceful part of the city.

A challenging yoga practice is a great way to control your anger to help you get through it. You may be so frustrated that getting started in a yoga practice may seem impossible.     3     You can focus on directing your angry energy into each of the movements. It may also help you to have the support of the group to help you get involved.

    4     Conditioning classes are a great opportunity to focus your angry energy into hitting a heavy punching bag while also burning a lot of calories. These classes are often challenging, so you can use your anger to help you get through the difficulty of the workout. Focus on your breathing, your technique, and harnessing your anger to deliver strong punches.

Cycling is a serious cardiovascular (心血管的) workout and you can use your anger to help you push through the difficulty of it. When you go for a ride outdoors, the extra focus it takes to navigate the outside world can provide a helpful distraction from your frustration.     5    

A．It’s advisable to find a scenic route.

B．Be sure to obey traffic laws and wear a helmet.

C．Boxing is a great way to relieve your frustration.

D．Joining a class can help take the thinking out of it.

E．Watch out for any moving cars while you’re running.

F．Breathe deeply while practicing yoga and your anger will fade.

G．Working it out is an effective way to channel your rage into movement.

6 . Kyra Peralte thought keeping a diary during the pandemic (流行病) might help her sort out her feelings. In April 2020, the mother of two in Montclair, New Jersey, now 46, started writing about the challenges of work, marriage and motherhood during a global crisis. She invited women from near and far to fill the notebook with their own pandemic tales.She named the project The Traveling Diary.

Peralte created a website for people to add their names to the queue. Each person gets to keep the diary for three days and fill as many pages as she wishes. Then she is responsible for mailing it to the next person, whose address Peralte provides. So far, more than 2, 000 women from 30 countries have joined in.

The diary reached Colleen Martin in Florham Park, New Jersey, in November 2020. “I had just recently lost my brother. By the time I actually got it and wrote in it, it was much more of a relief,” she says. Adding to the diary, she says, helped her look for meaning and “the growth and development that occurs in terrible times.”

Martin shipped off the diary to the next person, and Dior Sarr, 35, received it at her home in Toronto just before the new year. “I wrote about my ambitions(抱负), my goals and how I wanted to step into the new year, ” she says, “It felt meaningful to pass on something so personal. It felt like these were women that I had known even though I didn’t know them at all.”

Like many of the women who wrote in her diary, Peralte feels a strong bond with the people who filled its pages, none of whom she would have otherwise known. Her idea, Peralte says, has had a great effect on her and, she hopes, the other women who were part of it.

1. Why did Peralte start the project “The Traveling Diary”?

A．To become famous online.

B．To offer women an emotion outlet.

C．To meet more people on the Internet.

D．To popularize medical knowledge of pandemic.

2. What did Colleen Martin get from writing the diary?

A．Achieving her goals.

B．Receiving timely help.

C．Promoting personal growth.

D．Improving her writing skills.

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

A．Connection.	B．Competition.
C．Impression.	D．Need.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．The Power of Unity

B．Warmth in a Global Crisis

C．The Sisterhood of the Traveling Diary

D．Friendship on the Internet

7 . The workplace can be a perfect breeding-ground for “Misergonia”,also called desk rage (愤怒). It's a condition in which a series of noises and disorders cause people distress.

Sounds are often the trigger for Misergonia. The routine fire-alarm test is a case in point.“Attention please, attention please,” shouts a voice that is impossible to ignore.    1    For example, every office has its share of keyboard thumpers-people whose goal seems to be not producing a document but destroying the equipment.

    2    “This is a point that has already been made,” is how weirdly large numbers of people start to make a point. Why not just say "I don't value your time?"

Small IT failures are a fact of office life, but they can still be soul-destroying. The printer just doesn’t work.    3    Your cursor(光标)is just there, but when you move your mouse towards it, nothing happens.“Either your cursor is in a coma or the battery has run out,” offers up a colleague helpfully. Someone else fills the gap.“This is a point that has already been made.”they begin.

    4    It starts innocently enough, with someone asking for help with a problem. In come one or two replies, and then suddenly, a shower, as if nothing else mattered other than answering this one question. There are replies to replies, and replies to replies to replies. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves hugely, but there is always a silent, suffering group.

Individual workers have their own triggers. There is no cure for Misergonia. The workplace is a collection of people keeping in touch in different ways. Their habits and noises turn into something familiar for some colleagues but annoying for others.    5    

A．You'd better ask them for help.

B．And then there is the reply-all email.

C．Other noises are not so loud but just as annoying.

D．Or the mouse that gives up at just the wrong moment.

E．Nowadays, the computer has become an essential tool.

F．The only release is to try to be understanding and get used to it.

G．Verbal phrases(口头禅)are another headache for Misergonia sufferers.

8 . Turn FOMO into JOMO

It’s weekend. You friends are throwing a party while you stay in. Then suddenly you begin to imagine the fun your friends are having in your absence.     1     You can’t help turning to social media to find out. If so, chances are that you are suffering FOMO — the fear of missing out. You have a great desire to stay connected with what others are doing.

    2     They don’t feel the need to attend everything. Instead, they find comfort in sticking to their own plans. They focus not on what they lack but on what they have. Rather than feeling FOMO, such people enjoy JOMO — the joy of missing out. JOMO is the emotionally intelligent solution to FOMO. And it is the secret to finding happiness. Then how can we turn FOMO into JOMO?

Enjoy your own company (陪伴).     3     It means abandoning (放弃) the need to catch up, keep up and measure up in exchange for a chance to engage in your own life. Watching movies, getting a workout or taking up a new hobby are all fun ways to spend your time.

Keep a journal. If you always post the fun things you do on social media, you may find yourself caring too much about whether people are validating (确认) your experiences online. To make a change, you might as well keep a personal journal on paper.     4     And this can also help keep your secrets to yourself.

Switch off. We usually keep our devices on in case someone needs to reach us. But when your minds are always on your phone, you simply cannot be present. You are very likely to be distracted and unaware of what matters to you. So try to reduce your screen time and live in the moment.     5    

A．But some people feel the opposite.

B．FOMO signals a lack of engagement.

C．And your initial calm turns into anxiety.

D．JOMO is the enjoyment of time spent alone.

E．You will find you are actually not missing out on anything.

F．Feeling left out indicates we want to increase our sense of belonging.

G．Thus you can turn your focus from public attention to private appreciation.

9 . All of us are afraid of something in life: moving to a new school, thunderstorms, or even a trip to the dentist. There are many scary things out there, and we should know how to overcome them.Here are some necessary steps which will help you overcome your fear and anxiety.

Notice How You Feel

You need to be able to talk about your emotions, no matter how hard it is.     1    Do you experience trouble breathing, a sweaty body, or even a stomachache? You need to practice reading these physical clues, and don’t let them carry you away!

    2    

When your fear and anxiety kick in, you often hear people say,“Take a deep breath”. Although you may not want to hear it, this strategy actually works. Mindfulness, meditation, breathing, and any other relaxation techniques help us calm down.

Challenge Your Negative Thoughts

You need to be able to challenge your negative thoughts. Ask yourself:“What am I afraid of really?” Make time to talk about your negative thoughts and write about what happened.     3    

Find Value In Pain

Pain is the most effective teacher that you will come across.     4     If you accept that your life and the efforts you make toward your goals will be painful and unbearable at times, then these painful experiences will allow you to grow to exponential heights. When we let go of pain as a threat to our survival, it loses its destructive power and becomes another helpful tool for us.     5     .When we are able to manage our anxiety and fears, we will end up being happy and become the best of ourselves.

A．Breathe Properly

B．Own Your Fears

C．No one likes it but pain is necessary.

D．Being afraid is totally okay but we must learn to overcome it.

E．After all this, you need to develop a response that will make you feel better.

F．You need to be able to identify the feelings that clue you into your emotional state.

G．Once you do this, you will know whether you are creating a goal for yourself or not.

10 . Math is a necessary skill that people use throughout their lives. Unfortunately, many children and adults feel stressed and anxious when they have to do math. They may be experiencing what is called “math anxiety”. Because of this, many people believe that they are bad at math and don’t like math.

A recent research has shown that some children as young as 6 years old may feel anxious about math. A team of researchers asked 154 children in grades 1 and 2 questions like “How do you feel when taking a big test in your math class?” The children expressed how nervous they felt by pointing to a position on a scale (刻度), where there were different faces from a very nervous face on the left to a calm face on the right. After answering these questions, the children took a math test. These researchers found that almost half of the children who participated in the study said that they were at least somewhat nervous about doing math. Also, children with higher math anxiety got worse scores on the math test.

Scientists have also found that math anxiety develops in children who experience certain kinds of social situations that influence their thoughts or feelings. This means that the child’s emotions, opinions, or behaviors are affected by things that other people say or do. For example, teachers with high math anxiety were more likely to have students with poorer math achievements at the end of the school year.

Good news is that researchers have found tools to help people with math anxiety. These tools are called interventions (干预). For example, researchers did an intervention where they asked children with math anxiety to write about their math-related worries. Then they found that children’s math test scores improved. Therefore, it is advised to talk to classmates and teachers about math anxiety. This is the first step toward helping to reduce the possibly harmful effects of math anxiety.

1. What does the underlined word “this” refer to in Paragraph 1?

A．Math ability.	B．Stressful life.
C．Math anxiety.	D．Painful memory.

2. How did the researchers measure kids’ anxiety?

A．By making a math project.

B．By recording math scores.

C．By asking kids questions.

D．By showing teaching problems.

3. What can be learned from Paragraph 3?

A．Anxiety determines math ability.

B．One’s math anxiety can affect others.

C．Students are born with math anxiety.

D．Children should avoid social situations.

4. What is suggested for students with math anxiety?

A．Talking about it.	B．Working harder.
C．Using math tools.	D．Attending lectures.