1 . How to Live a Fulfilling Life

How awesome would it be to get out of bed each morning feeling purposeful and happy about your day? What about going to sleep each night with a grin(露齿的笑)of satisfaction on your lips?     1    Here are some tips that may help you.

●    2            

To lead a more fulfilling life, you first need to know what part of your current life is troubling or unsatisfactory. Reflect on different aspects of your life to figure out which are upsetting you the most. Try closing your eyes and questioning “What part of my life dissatisfies me the most?” Whatever comes to mind first is probably where you’ll want to start.

● Building good habits.

One of the best ways to build good habits that support a fulfilling life is by doing something each day that challenges you. Identify one thing you can take action on that pushes you beyond your comfort zone and do it. This might be sharing ideas with your boss when you typically stay quiet.    3    For example, if you’ve been trying to lose weight, but you spend too much time on the couch, reduce your time on TV or do an exercise while you watch.

● Having good health and well-being.

    4    You’ll have trouble feeling fulfilled if your energy only goes out. Just as you pour love and support into others, you must return that love and support to yourself. Take time to improve your own self with passions or self-care. Fulfillment also translates to perfect mental and physical health, so make time to exercise regularly. Schedule it into your day.     5    

A．Addressing your dissatisfaction.

B．Learning to avoid dissatisfaction.

C．It’s important to set aside “me” time.

D．End each day by reflecting on your daily challenge.

E．Replacing your bad habits with good ones is also suggested.

F．That way, it will be just like any other task on your to-do list.

G．This may seem difficult, but leading a more fulfilling life is entirely possible.

2 . Tips for you to overcome comparison

Identify your triggers (诱因) and avoid them. To stop comparing yourself to others, pay attention to the people or events that cause your behavior. Do you feel discontent with your life after looking at luxury goods?     1     Write down your comparative thoughts as soon as they happen so you can limit your exposure to these situations or avoid them altogether.

    2     When you minimize your abilities, it becomes easier to compare yourself to others. To avoid this negative behavior, make a list of your strengths and talents. By acknowledging your best qualities, you can learn to love yourself.

Keep a gratitude journal. To start journaling, reflect on the little things that bring you joy and write down why you’re grateful for them. Keeping a gratitude journal can increase your chances of overcoming comparison, but you may forget about it if you have a busy schedule.     3    

Work on improving your abilities. Instead of focusing on your “weaknesses”, reflect on the areas you can improve.     4     Besides, don’t be afraid to ask other people for help along the way. By prioritizing yourself, you can boost your self-confidence and find your place and value.

Appreciate others instead of envying them.     5     If you have friends who are highly achieving people, you might consider that their networks are full of people who might be able to help you become more successful in your life. Instead of envying their success, be supportive and use their success to your advantage.

A．Write down your positive qualities.

B．Do you set goals to achieve your dream?

C．Consider the advantage that others can bring you.

D．Recognize everyone’s circumstances are entirely unique.

E．Take classes or workshops to develop your skills and techniques.

F．Is there someone who constantly makes you feel bad about yourself?

G．Set a reminder to write at least once a week so you can actively express appreciation.

3 . Last Friday, Emma, my 11-year-old, decided to thank our local mailman Doug, for the service he provides for us.

Usually, a letter from her is likely to _________ some art, a joke or two, a mention of her younger brother, her cat… So, in her note to Doug, she _________ nothing out. “Dear sir, I’m Emma… Thank you for taking my letters and _________ them. You are very _________ to me. I make people happy with my letters, but you do, too.” Emma wrote. That afternoon, Doug took it when she smiling _________ it which was enough to him.

Saturday, Doug _________ at our house with a thank-you note. Then two days later, an unexpected package, full of _________ and letters from Doug’s colleagues in USPS _________ with him again.

To our amazement, these letters are so deeply human, filled with family _________, pets… and an overwhelming sense of __________. A Tracy wrote “Your letter __________ made a difference! Not many understand how hard we work…” Another, “I work alone here. And you __________ me of my son of your age…” Some Michael, to inspire Emma to start collecting stamps, even sent two special ones from his __________ while the rest were mailed for her to write back or to others.

With dozens of __________ pen-pals, Emma did what she does best. She wrote the dad. She wrote his son… She shared her time to give others the one thing they need to be well-human __________.

1.

A．enjoy

B．provide

C．include

D．admire

2.

A．gave

B．left

C．work

D．pick

3.

A．delivering

B．reading

C．protecting

D．receiving

4.

A．honest

B．polite

C．important

D．familiar

5.

A．returned

B．handed

C．accepted

D．mailed

6.

A．came out

B．got off

C．slowed down

D．showed up

7.

A．flowers

B．toys

C．notes

D．stamps

8.

A．arrived

B．traveled

C．disappeared

D．went

9.

A．photos

B．hobbies

C．books

D．jokes

10.

A．kindness

B．humor

C．justice

D．duty

11.

A．hardly

B．slightly

C．mildly

D．really

12.

A．inform

B．convince

C．remind

D．warn

13.

A．collections

B．workplaces

C．colleges

D．friends

14.

A．strange

B．familiar

C．new

D．close

15.

A．nature

B．connection

C．life

D．contribution

4 . Feeling upset is a normal part of life. Something stressful may occur everywhere, and make you angry or anxious. We can’t control what is happening around us.     1     Here are some useful ways to keep our cool when we feel frustrated.

    2    

Conflicts with others can be difficult to deal with. Sometimes we need to leave from the unpleasant condition. It is OK to say, “I’m going to take a break” and go for a walk or find a quiet place to sit and cool off. The goal is to give yourself some space to calm down and consider what to do next.

Do breathing exercises to relax

When we’re upset, our nervous system will speed up our heart rate and muscles tense. It prepares the body as if to meet an attack.     3     If possible, find a safe place, sit comfortably and focus on your breath, breathing deeply and evenly. Mindful breathing helps us calm our feelings.

Lift your mood with laughter

Laughter relieves the tension we feel when depressed. We can think of a joke or watch a video that always makes us roar with laughter. Afterward, you may be able to lift the fog of frustration. Make sure what you use is not mean-spirited, though.     4    

Change your language

Once things appear disappointing, many of us might punish ourselves with unkind words. In fact, it doesn’t have to be this way.     5     For example, instead of saying “I always mess things up,” we could say, “I made a mistake, but I’ll do it better next time.”

A．Keep yourself away from the noise

B．Remove yourself from the situation

C．We should turn negative thoughts into positive statements.

D．Those kinds of humor can actually make us feel more down.

E．Thus, we can be physically and mentally entertained from that.

F．You can soften such physical reaction by using practical techniques.

G．However, we can decide how we behave and react to the troubles we face.

5 . Emotions help you communicate and connect with others, and they drive your behaviors or decisions in everyday life as well. However, not all emotions are positive or easy to deal with.     1     Here are four “S-word” life skills you can turn to.

The first “S” goes for self-awareness.     2     Physical sensations can influence your emotional state. Be aware of these feelings associated with different emotions. For example, feeling tension in the chest having butterflies in the stomach or simply getting nervous, can help you better understand how emotions influence your bodies and minds.

The second “S” is self-acceptance. This is often linked to greater well-being, while the experiential avoidance of emotions is linked to more negative emotions and symptoms of depression.     3     But it does mean you acknowledge them without judgment or criticism. Of course, it requires your tolerance and patience.

The third skill comes from self-compassion(自我同情). It is crucial to use this when things just don’t go well.     4     When things go wrong, treating yourself with kindness and calming your nerves with gentleness can bring the lower level of anxiety and depression.

    5     It is helpful to protect your emotional well-being and maintain healthy relationships. As a human being, you should have dignity, principles and the bottom line. You can build your fence by saying “no” when necessary, or saying your needs and feelings out beforehand to prevent situations or people that you would not like to see again.

A．The last one is about setting boundaries.

B．The fourth one refers to personal forgiveness.

C．Remember to practise some self-care activities.

D．Especially, mixed emotions can be challenging to manage.

E．Accepting emotions never means you have to like bad ones.

F．It is the key to fully understanding your own emotions and others’.

G．Self-acceptance means tolerating all emotions, healthy or unhealthy.

6 . Write something about your first day of senior high school. Try to use the words and phrases that you have learnt. (亲爱的同学们，新的学习生活开始了。来到了新的学校、新的班级，认识了新的老师、新的伙伴，你一定有不一样的感受吧。现要求写一篇英语短文，叙述一下开学第一天的感受。)
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.适当增加细节以使行文连贯。
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . My father and I have always had a difficult relationship. He thought I wasn’t what a good daughter should be. Whatever I did was never good enough in his eyes. So when I tried to look for approval, I was _______ disappointed.

My mother was gentler and when my father would _______ me, she’d have my back. Five years ago, she died from a disease and, _______ her there, my relationship with my father became _______. I felt like he was trying to control me and this caused _______ and panic in me. I realized that I couldn’t continue the _______ with him, so I left home eventually and _______ contact with him.

About a year later, I was out campaigning and I saw him alone. I _______ him and asked how he was. He was hesitant, but I could see in his eyes that he was _______ I’d come over. He said he was proud that he had a daughter who went to the House of Lords to talk about women’s rights. I realized that, having decided I didn’t need his ________, I finally had it.

Our relationship isn’t ________ now, but we see each other every few months and I value the time we have together. Last year, on his birthday, I sent him a card and he ________ phoned me to say thank you. I’ve realized that if you want to have somebody in your life, you have to ________ them as who they are. And I’m proud of myself. I don’t need anybody else to give me that sense of ________. And because of that, our relationship is no longer a ________.

1.

A．constantly

B．slightly

C．rarely

D．merely

2.

A．warn

B．lecture

C．instruct

D．threaten

3.

A．unlike

B．without

C．beside

D．despite

4.

A．simpler

B．stronger

C．worse

D．closer

5.

A．anxiety

B．guilt

C．regret

D．shame

6.

A．battle

B．project

C．campaign

D．journey

7.

A．stayed in

B．came into

C．cut off

D．looked for

8.

A．questioned

B．reminded

C．approached

D．interviewed

9.

A．disappointed

B．angry

C．bothered

D．glad

10.

A．suggestion

B．fortune

C．approval

D．apology

11.

A．lasting

B．pure

C．complex

D．perfect

12.

A．only

B．actually

C．nearly

D．hardly

13.

A．define

B．accept

C．change

D．care

14.

A．self-discipline

B．self-control

C．self-pity

D．self-worth

15.

A．suffering

B．blessing

C．gift

D．secret

8 . When I was a little boy, my parents and brothers would often play cards in the afternoons. It was a (n) ________ way to pass the time and after watching countless games, I started to ________. I was only five but I learned________ and was soon winning as often as I lost. When I started school, I found out the hours of playing cards had made me good with ________. I was getting full marks on my math tests until high school when I ________ they had a thing called Algebra   (代数) . I was ________to see letters mixed in with the numbers and I struggled to ________ it. Then one day I opened a Calculus (微积分) book. One look was all to know that I would not major in math.

Instead I found ________ studying literature, history, psychology, and philosophy, which all put me on a path that I am ________on today: it is a journey of learning all I can about life and________ . One thing I did learn was that love has its own unique math that isn’t logical yet makes________. In the Calculus of Love the more love you________, the more love you have. Sharing sorrows means subtracting (减去) them. Sharing________means multiplying them.

Love like life is often more than we can ________. But our soul can. May you choose it, share it, and learn it. Only then will your life add up ________.

1.

A．exact

B．valid

C．stable

D．merry

2.

A．join in

B．mark out

C．get through

D．break away

3.

A．hardly

B．quickly

C．normally

D．apparently

4.

A．dots

B．tests

C．versions

D．numbers

5.

A．discovered

B．indicated

C．observed

D．admitted

6.

A．excited

B．shocked

C．fascinated

D．associated

7.

A．adjust

B．seize

C．learn

D．obtain

8.

A．myself

B．it

C．me

D．itself

9.

A．already

B．yet

C．still

D．ever

10.

A．value

B．love

C．talent

D．skill

11.

A．effort

B．sense

C．progress

D．difference

12.

A．talk about

B．set aside

C．give away

D．hope for

13.

A．joys

B．ideas

C．dreams

D．feelings

14.

A．accept

B．hold

C．govern

D．understand

15.

A．fast

B．much

C．right

D．altogether