1 . While socializing comes naturally for some, it can be a struggle for others. Shyness is a normal, common personality trait (特征).     1    . If you’re often hesitant to engage in social situations, you may interact with those around you in a more comfortable way. We outline four strategies for overcoming shyness in life.

Get Excited About A New Adventure

You may have been shy most of your life.     2    . Working through shyness and developing increased confidence may seem like a discouraging task for you, but viewing the journey as an exciting adventure to parts unknown can be exciting and, in turn, may boost your self-esteem.

Pay Attention To Your Words

    3    . Talking to yourself in a negative way when describing yourself can damage your self-confidence. Consider replacing phrases like “I am shy” with “I am learning to be more comfortable” in social situations. This can go a long way toward moving from shyness to confidence.

Practice Mindfulness (正念)

Mindfulness involves drawing your attention to the present and being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings.     4    . In one study, participants in a mindfulness program experienced an improved view of their self-worth.

Take Small Steps

Getting started can be the hardest part of learning how to be more social for those who are shy.     5    . You can start out small. Try chatting with the teller at the bank or the person ahead of you in the checkout line. This can help you build confidence and work your way up to more difficult challenges.

A．If so, that’s a part of you that you’re used to

B．Sometimes the best path toward addressing a fear is exposure

C．Mindfulness can help reduce symptoms of social anxiety disorder

D．Taking time to tend to your appearance can make a big difference

E．How we communicate and characterize ourselves can be powerful

F．However, shyness can make it hard for people to connect with others and achieve their goals

G．But engaging with people doesn’t have to be practiced as an important work presentation

2 . Many would consider emotions to be a barrier to decision-making and, therefore, think that they would be better off without them. However, the latest research has proved that our emotions will drive the conclusions we make, and that our well-being may depend upon our ability to understand and interpret them.     1     Here are some suggestions.

Start by understanding your emotions.     2     This mindful process of self-examination is important for healthy decisions, since emotions can influence our views and judgments.

Emotions can act as a compass (指南针), pointing you toward what matters most to you. However, strong emotions can affect our judgment and make it challenging to think objectively and critically.     3     You should be aware that emotions that arise from past experiences might cloud your judgment. Separate the present situation from the past and focus on the relevant factors.

    4     However, they should be connected with factual information. Take your time to gather crucial information before making important decisions. Analyse the pros and cons (利弊) of your options to make the best possible decisions.

It’s beneficial to expand your viewpoint. When you see the big picture and are focused on your highest purpose, you are not distracted by smaller issues. Figuring out your deepest long-term goals and pursuing them will channel your emotions toward peace and harmony.     5    

To sum up, emotions play a significant role in decision-making and, when used properly, they can improve the effectiveness of the decision-making process.

A．Emotions can provide valuable insights.

B．All this information can serve your goal in the long run.

C．You’ll recognize that a decision driven by your values is the best.

D．Actually, we can effectively use emotions for successful decision-making.

E．Take a moment to recognize how you are feeling and why you are feeling so.

F．Therefore, it is essential to balance emotional insights with logical reasoning.

G．You should try to understand how critical thinking contributes to great decisions.

3 . Do you think you need to shout at yourself to force yourself to finish your homework? If so, think again.    1     Research shows that practicing self-compassion (自我关怀) improves our mental and physical well-being and supports long-term success.

Self-compassion is the practice of being kind and supportive to ourselves. The opposite is being self-critical and mean to ourselves when we make a mistake.     2     These negative responses are related to depression, stress and reduced quality of life.

A 2017 study found people who practice self-compassion tend to handle stress better. Their bodies have less of a stress response when, for example, they meet with difficulties at work or school.     3     Let’s say they do poorly on a geometry test. Self-compassion helps them use the experience to make changes going forward, like seeking out a math tutor.

    4     We can start with mindfulness. First of all, practice observing our thoughts — are they understanding or critical? Don’t judge ourselves too severely then. Rather than getting caught up in how we could have done better, forgive ourselves and think about what to change while remaining respectful, and loving to ourselves.     5     We can read a novel, play a musical instrument or kick around a soccer ball with friends.

With practice, we can learn to treat ourselves with kindness and unconditional love — not tough love.

A．So how do we develop self-compassion?

B．It may be more effective to be kind to yourself.

C．It includes letting go of your strict self-criticism.

D．Mindfulness is the key to practicing self-compassion.

E．But this approach does not make us feel or perform better.

F．They have more confidence to look for areas where they can improve.

G．Also, show ourselves kindness in ways that nourish (滋养) our spirit and body.

4 . John is a barber, running a very successful business. He has a large group of regulars, some of whom enjoy a daily shave in his shop, while others just come for the occasional haircut. They keep coming because John loves to laugh, and 30 minutes spent in his shop is a medicine that cheers everyone up. His loud, booming laugh is a trademark around his town.

But John wasn’t always a barrel of laughs. In his teens and early adulthood, he suffered from depression. He often had a long face and found it hard to even smile. It was his neighbor, Mrs. Lee, who was a psychologist, that helped him out. She showed him funny videos or read light-hearted books for him, guided him to focus on things he was grateful for, rather than on things that had been bothering him. Following her advice, he forced himself to laugh as wild as possible, even if it felt fake (假的). To his surprise, after a while, he turned his life around, and real laughter came back into his life again.

Researchers say that we’re all born with the ability to laugh and that finding more ways to bring laughter into our lives does not have to be complicated. In fact, the best advice they offer is “Fake it till you make it.” If you focus on finding ways to laugh and enjoy life and try to smile and laugh even when not feeling like it, you can genuinely change your mood and laugh happily.

John also says we shouldn’t hold back our urge to laugh, even at silly things. Next time you see a funny advertisement on television, making you laugh inside, focus on letting out that laughter. Laughter can be contagious, so you may help others around you, too.

1. Why do John’s regular customers keep coming to his shop?

A．Because he is a successful barber.

B．Because they want to buy a medicine.

C．Because his laughing can lift their spirits.

D．Because he can offer them best shave and haircut.

2. Who helped John solve the problem of his teens and early adulthood?

A．Himself.

B．Researchers.

C．His neighbor.

D．His customers.

3. What can be inferred from the researchers in the passage?

A．It is difficult to find ways to laugh.

B．Laughter can be faked and finally become real.

C．The ability to laugh should be developed after birth.

D．We can watch funny videos or read light-hearted books.

4. The underlined word “contagious” in the last paragraph probably means ______.

A．spread

B．heard

C．free

D．available

5 . Humans are emotional beings who experience all kinds of emotions. Living a joyful life doesn’t mean refusing painful emotions. Instead, it means developing a mindset (心态) that prefers a positive view of the world. At the same time, it means developing healthy ways to deal with difficult emotions.     1    

Joy strengthens relationships. When you have a positive attitude, you tend to approach the people in your life from a place of gratitude and love.    2     You also tend to appreciate the strengths in others, rather than focus on what you don’t like in that person.

Joy improves physical health.    3     According to a study in BMC Cancer, researchers found that happiness may protect against breast cancer. The same goes for heart disease, with a study from Psychosomatic Medicine suggesting that depression may be linked to coronary (冠状动脉) disease.

    4     According to Scientific American, happy people are open to all sorts of ideas, and people are more likely to come up with new ideas when they are in a good mood. This is because they tend to see the bigger picture, which, in turn, inspires greater imagination.

Joy creates more joy! When you surround yourself with positive people, you experience more happiness in your own life.    5     People who spend more time with cheerful friends are more likely to have a happier behavior. By spending more time with happy people, you may feel happier, which inspires even more joy in those you meet!

A．Joy promotes creativity.

B．Joy makes you more productive.

C．This helps others feel more valued.

D．In recent years, science continues to prove this.

E．Research shows that happiness spreads in social groups.

F．Here are some reasons why joy is a powerful life choice.

G．When you live joyfully, you may create better results in life.

6 . When you left us, it was the end of a long, painful road. Since then, I was_______my favorite memories of you.

I remember us taking our family dog for walks together on the _______ sand dunes (沙丘). I remember sitting on your knee, watching candlelight _______ inside. Once I bought you a gift — a _______ printed on a glass board, titled “Walking With Grandpa.” _______, you wrote me your own poem, too. I imagine how you must have taken time finding the right words, how you printed it out and cut the paper to _______ before placing it in the frame.

However, Alzheimer began its _______ through your life. In your last few days of life, I was _______ when sitting by your bedside silently, feeling very worried and afraid. I didn’t know what to do or how to _______.

Now, I am an adult, I wish I had been ________ — that I had come close to you and told you how deeply I loved you, how you filled the ________ which was the absence of my father in those 10 years of my life, so that I didn’t realize anything was ________. It’s only now that I am aware that when I ________ a relationship with my father, the reason why he fell short of ________ is that he wasn’t you. I really hope you know how much you ________ to me.

1.

A．reflecting on

B．searching for

C．taking over

D．setting up

2.

A．messy

B．rainy

C．towering

D．burning

3.

A．increase

B．dance

C．foil

D．produce

4.

A．story

B．book

C．picture

D．poem

5.

A．After all

B．In return

C．By accident

D．On earth

6.

A．edge

B．length

C．size

D．side

7.

A．direction

B．harm

C．procedure

D．march

8.

A．frightened

B．humble

C．frozen

D．cautious

9.

A．say

B．act

C．do

D．move

10.

A．brave

B．grateful

C．energetic

D．patient

11.

A．room

B．need

C．life

D．hole

12.

A．puzzling

B．boring

C．missing

D．discouraging

13.

A．had

B．sought

C．enjoyed

D．continued

14.

A．performances

B．targets

C．demands

D．expectations

15.

A．mean

B．treasure

C．count

D．value

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。

The telephone rang. Jack answered the call from his mother, “Mr. Richard died last night. The funeral is Wednesday.” Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel (新闻影片) as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days. It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son.   

“Jack, did you hear me?”

“Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It’s been so long since I thought of him.” Jack said.

“Well, he didn’t forget you. Every time I saw him he’d ask how you were doing. He’d reminisced (追忆) about the many days you spent over ‘his side of the fence’ as he put it,” Mom told him.

After Jack’s father died, Mr. Richard stepped in to make sure Jack had a man’s influence in his life and it was Mr. Richard who taught Jack many things. Jack wouldn’t have been in this business if it hadn’t been for Mr. Richard.

Busy as he was, he returned home and attended the funeral, which was small and uneventful. Mr. Richard had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before Jack had to return home, he and his mother stopped by to see the old house next door one more time. Standing in the middle of the room, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture... Jack stopped suddenly.

“What’s wrong, Jack?” Mom asked.

“Where is the watch, the thing he valued most?” he seemed to ask himself.

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

“It was a gold pocket watch that he used to wear every day,” he told his mom.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

One day Jack received a package on his desk.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . 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.

9 . 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.

10 . 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.