1 . Being highly critical or talking down to yourself are examples of self-criticism that highlight your own weaknesses. You may feel you don’t meet your own personal standards or expectations. Fortunately, you can improve this pattern of self-criticism by changing your thought patterns and practicing positive affirmations (情感上的支持或鼓励).

●What is self-criticism?

Self-criticism is the act of thinking negatively about yourself. Individuals with self-critical tendencies face self-created problems due to their tough standards and internalized social values for self-evaluation.     1     For some individuals, self-criticism can have a negative effect on day-to-day mood and may be a factor for depression and other forms of mental illness.

● Can self-criticism be good?

    2     If people use personal criticism in a way that’s useful to complete tasks and achieve goals, it can be beneficial. They can use it as a way to examine their decisions and behaviors and evaluate whether they need to make any changes.

●     3    

People with avoidant (回避反应的) attachment styles avoid closeness. This may prevent them from developing relationships for how to show compassion (同情) for themselves and others. Self-criticism is also likely to arise from shame, insecure attachments, and having low self-esteem.

● Examples of self-Criticism

When individuals engage in negative self-assessment, they create an inner dialogue that uses demeaning (贬低的) and demotivating language.     4     They may say, “I am easily disappointed with myself.” “I can’t accept failures and setbacks without feeling inadequate,” and “I stop caring about myself.”

● How can self-criticism be overcome?

To overcome self-criticism, it’s helpful to be honest with yourself about the role you play. You can start to identify how your self-criticism impacts your mood and daily routine.     5    

A．Self-criticism isn’t always bad.

B．Where does self-criticism come from?

C．If so, please step outside your comfort zone.

D．Self-criticism is associated with little progress.

E．It’s also important to seek professional help as needed.

F．Examples of self-criticism include phrases and negative self-talk.

G．As a result, they’re unsure of their thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

2 . It’s normal for us to feel nervous in some social situations.     1     But for people suffering from social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia (恐惧症), even everyday communication causes significant anxiety, self-consciousness and embarrassment. It’s because they fear to be judged negatively by others.

Feelings of shyness or discomfort in certain situations aren’t necessarily signs of social anxiety disorder, particularly in children. Comfort levels in social situations vary, depending on individual personality. Some people are naturally reserved (矜持的).     2    

In contrast to everyday nervousness, social anxiety disorder includes fear, anxiety and avoidance that affect relationships, daily routines, work, school and other activities.     3     However, it can sometimes start in younger children or in adults.

    4     Children who experience teasing, bullying, rejection or humiliation (羞辱) may be more prone (易于遭受的) to social anxiety disorder. In addition, other negative events in life, such as family conflict, trauma, or abuse, may be associated with this disorder.

There’s no way to predict what will cause someone to develop social anxiety disorder, but you can take steps to reduce its impact. One approach is to get help early. Anxiety, like many other mental health conditions, can be harder to treat if you wait.     5     Continually tracking and recording your personal life can help you and doctors identify what’s causing your stress and what helps you feel better.

A．And you can also keep a journal.

B．And others can be more outgoing.

C．Left untreated, social anxiety disorder can control your life.

D．Social anxiety disorder typically begins in the early to mid-teens.

E．There are some typical signs appearing on your body or in your mind.

F．Several factors can increase the risk of developing social anxiety disorder.

G．For example, going on a date or giving a speech may make you feel uneasy.

3 . Every fall, like clockwork, Linda Krentz of Beaverton, Oregon, felt her brain go on strike. “I just couldn’t get going in the morning,” she says. “I’d get depressed and gain 10 pounds every winter and lose them again in the spring.” Then she read about seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression that occurs in fall and winter, and she saw the light literally. Every morning now she turns on a specially constructed light box for half an hour and sits in front of it to trick her brain into thinking it’s still enjoying those long summer days. It seems to work.

Krentz is not alone. Scientists estimate that 10 million Americans suffer from seasonal depression and 25 million more develop milder versions. But there’s never been definitive proof that treatment with very bright lights makes a difference. After all, it’s hard to do a double-blind test when the subjects can see for themselves whether or not the light is on. That’s why nobody has ever separated the real effects of light therapy from placebo (安慰剂) effects.

Until now, in three separate studies published last month, researchers report not only that light therapy works better than a placebo but that treatment is usually more effective in the early morning than in the evening. In two of the groups, the placebo problem was resolved by telling patients they were comparing light boxes to a new anti-depressant device that gives off negatively charged ions (离子). The third used the timing of light therapy as the control.

Why does light therapy work? No one really knows. “Our research suggests it has something to do with shifting the body’s internal clock,” says psychiatrist Dr. Lewey. The body is programmed to start the day with sunrise, he explains, and this gets later as the days get shorter. But why such subtle shifts make some people depressed and not others is a mystery.

That hasn’t stopped thousands of winter depressives from trying to heal themselves. Light boxes for that purpose are available without a doctor’s prescription. That bothers psychologist Michael Terman of Columbia University. He is worried that the boxes may be tried by patients who suffer from mental illness that can’t be treated with light. Terman has developed a questionnaire to help determine whether expert care is needed.

In any event, you should choose a reputable manufacturer. Whatever product you use should give off only visible light, because ultraviolet light damages the eyes. If you are photosensitive (对光敏感的), you may develop a rash. Otherwise, the main drawback is having to sit in front of the light for 30 to 60 minutes in the morning. That’s an inconvenience many winter depressives can live with.

1. What is the probable cause of Krentz’s problem?

A．An unexpected gain in body weight.

B．Unexplained impairment of her nervous system.

C．Weakening of her eyesight with the setting in of winter.

D．Poor adjustment of her body clock to seasonal changes.

2. What is the CURRENT view concerning the treatment of seasonal depression with bright lights?

A．There is definitive proof of its effect.

B．It serves as a kind of placebo.

C．It is considered as a relatively effective therapy.

D．It hardly produces any effects.

3. What is psychologist Michael Terman’s major concern?

A．Winter depressives will be addicted to using light boxes.

B．No mental patients would bother to consult psychiatrists.

C．Inferior light boxes will give off harmful ultraviolet lights.

D．Light therapy could be misused by certain mental patients.

4. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Winter depressives prefer light therapy in spite of its inconvenience.

B．Light therapy increases the patient’s photosensitivity.

C．Eye damage is a side effect of light therapy.

D．Light boxes can be programmed to correspond to shifts in the body clock.

4 . Your emotion helps you make sense of the world. At the core of an emotion is a subjective experience of the valence of it — what emotion scientists call “affect” (情感). Generally speaking, affect is what we are most focused on. Do you have chocolate cake in front of you? That’s good! Do you see a spider on the table! That’s bad!

Your affective reactions tell you which experiences are desirable, and which aren’t, but the total emotional experience includes all you do and think. You can learn a lot by observing and describing them. You can also learn a lot by appreciating their secret life.

The problem is: the affective features of emotions tend to dominate. Our subjective valence of emotion is almost all we can see. When emotions are only about what is pleasant or unpleasant in subjective experience right now, the more important features of emotion disappear.

If you can slow down and expand; if you stop running or clinging (沉浸其中) and adopt a sense of curiosity, emotions become more subtle and different. When fear comes up, don’t walk away so that fear dissipates. Instead, stay. Allow yourself to feel the nervousness, the sweating, and everything else that comes along with it. It is one of the hardest things to do in life, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. If you run, you are telling basic parts of your brain, “I guess this threat really was real. I better stay away from it.” You are training yourself to fear, regardless of that situation. If you cling, you are saying, “Escape from this emotion is a threat”, and since it is not a happy experience, happiness slips through your hands like sand.

Note that you can not fool yourself. Just allow the full emotion. You will never enter into their secret life until you stop running or clinging. To control your life, you need to actively train your emotions to be your ally (同盟). Observe. Describe. Appreciate. Do that and you may find you have allies for healthy living that were there all along.

1. Why does the author mention “chocolate cake” and “spider” in paragraph 1?

A．To explain the complex response of emotions.

B．To show the subjective experience of emotions.

C．To indicate the goodness and badness of the world.

D．To emphasize the significance of emotions in life.

2. What is the consequence if you just focus on your present feelings?

A．The present feelings are less obvious.

B．The subjective emotions are less powerful.

C．The overall picture of emotions is easier to ignore.

D．The observation and description of emotions are easier.

3. What does the underlined word “dissipates” in Paragraph 4 probably refer to?

A．Deepens.

B．Spreads.

C．Disappears.

D．Sticks.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The secret of emotions.	B．The subjective experience.
C．The importance of allies in life.	D．Magical functions of emotions.

5 . A couple of weeks back, my darling wife had been asking me to come over to my son’s school (where she teaches) and teach the pupils “Origami”, a Japanese art of ________paper into different objects. My 7-year-old son had no ________of my coming and that makes it ________for me.

We were about to take the ________when I got my first “starring moment”. “Who is this daddy? Why is he walking in a funny way? How is he going to climb the stairs?” ________these, my wife helped me with one of my crutches(拐杖).

Little did I know that the first class she’s taking me to ________to be my son’s. On opening the door, with no warning, and to the ________of his classmates, came that unique but ________ scream “Daada!!!”and he practically ran out of his classroom to give me a bear hug. His mates couldn’t help staring with envy and ________!

I sat down, made my introduction and gave   ________on paper-folding. They all clapped and ________their thanks even as I made my way to the next class.

I left that school feeling ________.What more do I want but to continually be ________to God for everything? My wife has always seen me as a physically fit person who can ________any task and now I find my 7-year old boy is actually ________ of me!

1.

A．recycling

B．folding

C．wrapping

D．tearing

2.

A．attempt

B．responsibility

C．honour

D．knowledge

3.

A．fantastic

B．worrying

C．changeable

D．impressive

4.

A．stairs

B．objects

C．chances

D．classes

5.

A．Tracking

B．Answering

C．Ignoring

D．Watching

6.

A．seemed

B．used

C．intended

D．happened

7.

A．satisfaction

B．disappointment

C．amazement

D．embarrassment

8.

A．angry

B．familiar

C．painful

D．constant

9.

A．admiration

B．anxiety

C．caution

D．discrimination

10.

A．conferences

B．impressions

C．arguments

D．instructions

11.

A．clarified

B．expressed

C．stressed

D．controlled

12.

A．disappointed

B．concerned

C．satisfied

D．refreshed

13.

A．grateful

B．useful

C．thoughtful

D．helpful

14.

A．take on

B．care about

C．apply for

D．approve of

15.

A．afraid

B．certain

C．ashamed

D．proud

6 . I was cleaning out a cupboard the other day when I made an amazing discovery. Inside I _________ the manuscript (手稿) for a novel. It included an outline of the _________ and a pile of typed pages telling a story. It was written, to my _________, by my father who has been dead for more than 50 years. It isn’t _________, as novels go, perhaps fifty or sixty typed pages, but without my _________ it has somehow accompanied me through my years of _________, several jobs, a marriage, the birth of my children and grandchildren, retirement and even a relocation across the country where I live.

Yet there it was, resting under a lot of paper to be recycled. I might have _________ my father’s legacy (遗产). I was truly _________ by my discovery.

I’m in the middle of reading another book _________ my dad’s novel has a place on my bed-side table. I want to have some __________ time for it so I haven’t __________ examined it yet. I’m going to spend a whole afternoon to give it the __________ it deserves. As yet I don’t know what the story line is about and I don’t even know if it is complete but I __________ a highly emotional process of finding out.

I find it fascinating to think that this could happen; that after more than fifty years my father could __________ his only son through the mists of time. It’s one of those things that we don’t see coming and that make life so __________.

1.

A．locked

B．found

C．placed

D．hid

2.

A．notes

B．reviews

C．chapters

D．references

3.

A．regret

B．relief

C．satisfaction

D．amazement

4.

A．long

B．fun

C．popular

D．romantic

5.

A．support

B．knowledge

C．approval

D．reach

6.

A．life

B．writing

C．reflection

D．education

7.

A．cleared away

B．passed down

C．counted on

D．handed out

8.

A．bothered

B．caught

C．shaken

D．disturbed

9.

A．or

B．so

C．but

D．for

10.

A．easy

B．quick

C．rough

D．clear

11.

A．briefly

B．closely

C．happily

D．calmly

12.

A．honor

B．comment

C．reward

D．attention

13.

A．design

B．anticipate

C．evaluate

D．record

14.

A．touch

B．raise

C．help

D．protect

15.

A．peaceful

B．successful

C．interesting

D．smooth

7 . We are all social emotional beings and throughout our lives, we all continue to shape our behaviours and relationships. However, for lifelong well-being, the development of social emotional skills should be shaped wisely as a child opens its eyes to this world. Here are some strategic actions that will help you guide your child in improving their social emotional learning skills.

    1     If they are crying, tell them ‌“You look sad” or ‌“It looks like you are mad right now.” This way you can reflect their emotions to them with words and help them understand and express their emotions too.

Approve your children’s feelings. Instead of saying ‌“Stop shouting and calm down, it’s not a big deal” try to say ‌“I know you are really angry right now but we can talk about it.”     2    

Give your kid some space and let them experience uncomfortable feelings. Everyone feels alone or bored sometimes.     3     This will help them tolerate disturbing feelings and situations going forward.

Accept emotions & correct behaviors. It’s okay to feel angry sometimes. Eventually, we need to feel that anger in some specific situations.     4     Teach your children that the feeling is normal, but they shouldn’t be screaming loudly in a public area just because they are feeling an emotion as this may make other people uncomfortable.

Support other cognitive skills.     5     Scientific educational brain games apps developed by academicians like those at MentaIUP are reliable and beneficial sources to improve cognitive(认知的)skills.

Every parent should keep in mind that all kids can shape and develop their social and emotional skills differently. Trying to find ways that suit your kids’ needs, interests and according to learning styles is always a better solution than blaming yourself or the kids.

A．Cognitive skills can only be acquired from classroom learning.

B．Define and put into words your children’s emotions.

C．However, it is never acceptable to show aggressive behaviors.

D．Teach them how to handle those feelings instead of avoiding them.

E．This way you can show them that it’s sometimes okay to have big feelings.

F．Social emotional learning also improves students’ attitudes towards school.

G．Improving mathematical and problem-solving skills will also support children’s social emotional development.

8 . “Heavy hearts, like heavy clouds in the sky, are best relieved by the letting of a little water, the French writer Antoine de Rivarol wrote. This love letter to the cleansing beauty of a good cry is a comforting thought at a time when the continuing stress of the COVID-19 has added heaviness to each of our lives.

Scientifically, de Rivarol's poetic image doesn't, if you'll forgive the words used in the poem, hold water. There's limited research on crying, partly because of the difficulty of copying the behavior of real crying in a lab. But even within the previous studies, there's little evidence to suggest that crying provides a physiological cleansing of poisons in people's body.

Psychologists believe the relief of a good cry connects with a different emotional process. “It seems that crying occurs just after the peak of the emotional experience, and crying is associated with this return to homeostasis: the process of maintaining a stable psychological state,” said Lauren Bylsma. He also said holding back tears can have negative physical consequences, including headaches and muscle tension. Such restriction can also limit our experiences of joy, gratitude and other positive emotions if we avoid acknowledging our feelings.

For me crying has been easier said than done during the COVID-19. Psychologists say it's normal to feel stopped up by the stresses of the past year. We should find opportunities to release and process our emotions.

Watching a tear-jerking movie, having an emotional conversation with a close friend, and writing in a journal are healthy ways to elicit a cry. Physical activity like light-footed walking or even dancing can also signal our bodies to release some emotional tightness. We can then open up to the flow of feelings that leave us feeling lighter and refreshed—like a clear                                               sky after a soaking rain.

1. What is the weakness of the studies ever clone on crying?

A．They were clone in a laboratory setting.

B．They cared little about different forms of crying.

C．They were always concentrated on people's daily life.

D．They showed little about the positive physical effect of crying.

2. What is the function of crying according to Lauren Bylsma?

A．Curing people of their diseases.	B．Keeping emotionally balanced.
C．Producing negative mental results.	D．Expanding people's experience of joy.

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

A．Produce.

B．Postpone.

C．Control.

D．Repeat.

4. What are people advised to do according to the text?

A．Learn to hold back their tears wisely.	B．Share their emotion with their colleagues.
C．Have a good cry when necessary.	D．Try to avoid admitting our feelings.