1 . An apology tells someone that we’re sorry for the hurt we caused — even if we didn’t do it on purpose. It’s a way of saying we’re aware of what we did and we’ll try to do better in future.

    1    . Sometimes we hurt people’s feelings without wanting to. Sometimes, we do it on purpose and feel bad later on. So we apologize.

Apologies are one of the tools that we use to get along better with other people. Saying that you’re sorry is more than just words.     2    . Apologizing shows you can understand the other person’s feelings as if they were your own. What’s more, after apologizing, you might feel a little better. The other person probably will, too.     3    , you can feel good because you are trying to make things right again.

Everyone needs to apologize when they do something wrong. For example, if someone is irritated because of something you did, you need to apologize. If you say something that hurts someone, even if you don’t mean it, then you should apologize.     4    .

When someone apologizes to you, you may welcome it and be ready to forgive.     5    . If a person keeps hurting you and apologizing without making an effort to change, you might not want to hang out with that person anymore. However, it’s always good to accept an apology.

A．When you apologize in a caring way

B．When you accept an apology in a desirable way

C．It’s difficult to mend a relationship if we don’t apologize

D．Or you might not feel like being friendly again right away

E．It isn’t always easy for us to get along well with everyone all the time

F．If you lose or break something belonging to someone else, you should say sorry

G．You’re also saying that you respect and care about the other person’s feelings

2 . One of the cores of emotional intelligence is self-regulation, an important skill in the workplace. Like any skill, mastery of emotional self-control requires intentionality and practice.     1    .

Pause to Mentally Distance

When you notice your typical physiological experiences associated with strong negative emotion, what should you do? Mentally step out of your immediate experience. Asking yourself any question, or imagining what you might look like to others right now, will do the trick. At that point, although still physiologically keyed up, you will be able to ask yourself, “What is the best course of action right now?” or “What advice would I give someone else who is in my shoes?”     2    .

Take Control of Your Self-Talk

We’re frequently unaware of how much self-chatter is going on in the background of our minds. Such self-talk might not be in fully articulated (铰接式的) words or phrases, but instead little flashes of thought. Becoming aware of your self-talk can be difficult. Why is this an important skill to develop?     3    . To genuinely ease a strong negative emotion requires tackling the source by examining the underlying belief and how accurate, reasonable, or useful it is.

Seek Support from Partners

Ask others you trust to help you recognize when your emotions seem to be getting the best of you.     4    . Agree on a gesture or word that might serve as a signal that your trusted individual wonders whether you’re riding the led-by-your-limbic-system train. Of course, there will be times they’re wrong. So, it’s important not to respond defensively when you get that signal. Reacting with anything other than gratitude ensures that your partner won’t take that risk again.

Cultivate (培养) Curiosity

Our brains are wired to draw conclusions and form judgments at lightning speed, and those are frequently the cause of our negative emotions.     5    , but we tend to run with them, sparking the self-talk that follows. Generally working to be more curious about other people’s experiences, including their self-identified motives for their behavior, helps avoid making hasty judgments.

A．They are comfortable with all emotions

B．Those judgments are not necessarily accurate

C．Doing so provides you with choices as to how to act

D．Explain your developmental goals and sincerely ask for help

E．Stay focused on coming up with an answer and following through on it

F．Because it is those background beliefs that fuel our emotional responses

G．Here are four ways you can develop greater emotional self-management

3 . Ways to Embrace Solitude (独处)

For many, being alone is something they shy away from because it’s like loneliness. But loneliness and solitude are not the same.    1    . The latter offers a chance to direct attention to self-care and self-discovery without outside influences or expectations from others. It sharpens your concentration and helps you focus on your tasks and also boosts your creativity regularly.

Psychologists even consider solitude as important as relationships and view the ability to be alone as a sign of healthy emotional development.    2    , just as people learn social skills to guide themselves in the world of relationships successfully. And some specific strategies may make it a constructive, enjoyable experience.

Enjoy solitary activities

People who enjoy solitude find satisfaction and meaning when getting absorbed in a hobby, reading for pleasure, or getting out in nature. They rarely experience boredom when they’re alone and genuinely enjoy themselves while doing something interesting.

    3    

In solitude, buried feelings, memories, or problems can surface. Rather than avoid being discouraged by them, you can learn to engage in the regulation with curiosity, using the private time to explore your feelings without judgment. Accepting and expressing them safely helps you self-regulate and release stress.

Be self-reflective

People who enjoy solitude are willing to self-reflect.    4    , reflecting on their values, or considering the bigger picture. Instead of going round about situations you can’t control, self-reflection invites self- awareness, bringing you closer to insight about who you are.

Know when to exit solitude

    5    , if you begin to feel lonely or your thoughts turn to self-harm. It is equally important to know when it’s time to leave solitude and seek the company of others.

A．Protect your privacy

B．Feel and regulate your emotions

C．They prefer listening to solitude signals

D．Break your solitude and turn for support

E．The former is marked by negative feelings

F．There are skills associated with its capacity

G．They spend time considering behavior patterns

4 . ●Teenagers are looking for identity.

As we search for belonging, teenagers are looking for their identity. They are making the physical and emotional transition to independence and they are constantly looking for the thing that will define their lives. They are asking     1     in order to understand their personhood, eager for the identity that will give them meaning. they want to look to romance. School, friends, popularity, money, technology, or their bodies for that meaning.

●Teenagers want to belong.

We want acceptance, which is what we so often search for online. We fear missing out. because we never want to be the one who doesn’t fit in. Teenagers also want to be known truly and loved deeply.     2    

●Teenagers can think.

Some people may have the stereotype(成见)that teenagers are strictly shallow thinkers.     3     That means the teens in your Sunday school class or youth group can understand much more than just listening to simple stories.

●     4    

The teen years are a time full of trouble and fear can go into almost every area of life-school work, friendships, church, family members, and, perhaps biggest of all, the future. Life feels very much unknown to teenagers. So even though they may feel confident, or promise you they have everything planned out, they are anxious about life.

●Teenagers want their lives to matter.

    5     They have studied history and now they’re ready to take their place in it. They’re ready to make their mark. They want to change the world. Finally, they want their lives to matter forever. And for that to happen, they need the belief.

A．“Who am I?”

B．Teenagers are afraid.

C．They long to belong.

D．Teenagers worries about their future.

E．Sometimes our parents may also make mistakes.

F．And one of their greatest fears is that their lives won’t matter.

G．But teenagers can actually think about serious topics like death and philosophy.

5 . Life is like a book, from which we can find happiness and sorrow, success and failure, hope and despair (绝望), and love. Life is a learning process.     1    .

Happiness and sorrow

Materialistic happiness is short-lived, but happiness achieved by bringing a smile to others gives a certain level of fulfilment. Peace of mind is the main link with happiness.     2    . We realise the true worth of happiness when we are in sorrow.

    3    

Failure is the path to success. It helps us to touch the sky, teaches us to survive and shows us a specific way.

Hope and despair

       4    . Hope makes us dream. Hope builds up patience. Life teaches us not to despair even in the darkest hour, because after every night there is a day. Nothing remains the same. We have only one choice— keep moving on in life and be hopeful.

Love

Love plays a key role in our life.     5    . In the early stages of our life, our parents are the ones who show us unconditional love and care. They tell us what is right or wrong, good or bad. But we always tend to take these for granted. It is only after marriage and having kids that a person understands and becomes sensitive to the feelings of others.

A．Success and failure

B．Failure leads to success

C．Hope is what keeps life going

D．No mind is happy without peace

E．Life teaches us not to regret forever

F．Without love, a person could become cruel and violent

G．Experiences in life teach us new lessons and make us better people

6 . Two managers in the same organization were coming into conflict when having disagreements in their work. After thinking about a particularly troubling issue throughout the night, the first manager wrote a letter to the other one, outlining his thoughts as reasonably as possible. He gave it to the other person and asked him to read it later and suggested that after working through their anger, they discuss it again.

The following day the first manager stopped by the office of the other and asked how it would go. The second one admitted that he was very upset at first, but after thinking it over he realized that most of their disagreements were for a lack of understanding. He stated that he felt if they could discuss it without losing their tempers, they could work things out. That is exactly what they did later and got the issue settled with flying colors (成功地).

American president Abraham Lincoln was known for writing two letters when he needed to communicate with someone else who had made him angry. He first wrote a letter that severely conveyed just what he thought. Then he tore up that letter and wrote a second one that was appropriate and reasonable, and sent the letter out.

Effective communication is the key to any relationship. When we allow ourselves to become emotional and react immediately to what we feel without thinking, emotions overwhelm (压倒) the situation and prevent true communication. Step back, think evaluate what happened or what was said, and ask to clarify questions if it is needed. Then, you can respond appropriately.

Don’t let overwhelming emotion control your life. Instead, choose to think and process internally whatever comes your way before externally responding. That is when you can communicate with others effectively and you will be able to keep good relationships with them.

1. What did the first manager do in his letter?

A．He expressed his general ideas reasonably.

B．He explained why the issue was troubling.

C．He apologized to the second manager sincerely.

D．He invited the second manager to discuss the issue.

2. What is the story of Lincoln intended to express?

A．Any great man can get angry.

B．Making plan B is necessary in work.

C．Writing letters was very popular in the past.

D．We should deal with matters after calming down.

3. What will reacting immediately without thinking probably lead to?

A．A bad first impression.	B．Ineffective communication.
C．The high chance of failure.	D．The breakdown of a relationship.

4. What should people do for better communication?

A．Learn to answer questions indirectly.	B．Avoid anger to keep good relationships.
C．Never be overwhelmed by your emotions.	D．Think reasonably before making a decision.

7 . When reading, my mother likes to slice a paragraph or a sentence out and attach it to the wall of her kitchen. She picks boring sentences that puzzle me. But I prefer copying favorite bright lines into a journal in soft, gray No. 2 pencil, word by word.

She doesn’t know any of this. There's nothing shocking: for our chatting. we seldom begin certain conversations though we talk on the phone weekly, sometimes making each other laugh so hard that I choke and she cries. But what we don't say could fill up rooms. Fights with my father. Small failures in school. Anything that really upsets us.

My mother has never told me “I love you, Lisa.”—as if the four-word absence explains who I am—so I carry it with me, like a label on me. The last time she almost spoke the words was two years ago, when she called to tell me a friend had been in hospital. I said, “I love you, Mom.” She stopped for a while and then said, “Thank you.” I haven't said it since, but I've wondered why my mother doesn't until I've found a poem that supplies words for the blank spaces I try to understand in our conversations:

Don’t fill up on bread. I say absent-mindedly. The servings here are huge.

My son, middle-aged, says: Did you really just say that to me?

What he doesn’t know is that when we’re walking together, I desire to reach for his hand.

It's humble, yet heartbreaking. After copying it down in my journal, I emailed it to mom, adding “This poem makes me think of you.” My mother doesn’t read poetry—or at least, she doesn’t tell me, and I felt nervous clicking “Send”.

She never mentioned the poem. But the next time I went home for vacation, I noticed something new in the kitchen fixed to an antique board: the poem. The board hung above the heater, the warmest spot in the kitchen. The poem still hangs there. Neither my mother nor I have ever spoken about it.

1. What's the function of paragraph 1?

A．To stress the theme.	B．To establish the setting.
C．To represent the characters.	D．To create the atmosphere.

2. Which of the following best describes the mother daughter relationship?

A．Shaky.

B．Distant.

C．Reserved.

D．Intense.

3. Why did the author send the poem to her mom?

A．It reminded her of mom's love.

B．She wanted to apologize to mom.

C．It suited mom's taste of literature.

D．She needed an interpretation from mom.

4. What does the poem mean to mom?

A．A memory of golden days.

B．Daughter’s gratefulness to her.

C．A decoration in the plain kitchen.

D．Daughter's understanding of her.

8 . There is a definite link between gratitude and happiness.     1     Let’s take a look at the positive benefits of gratitude and how you can learn to develop gratitude in your daily life.

What happens to our bodies when we’re grateful?

Much scientific evidence has shown that gratitude has far-reaching effects on our health. When people are thankful and are happy with things as they are, their physical health reflects that.     2     Researchers over the years point to lower stress, reduced pain and improved immune systems as a result of being thankful.     3     It increases self-confidence, enhances positive emotions and makes us more optimistic. when we feel deeply grateful, our bodies are producing all sorts of wonderful chemicals.

Activate gratitude regularly

The best way to make gratitude a habit is not to wait for special moments. Some people have been told by their specialists they can keep stress and anxiety at bay by keeping a gratitude journal, journaling every day is also correlated with an increase in happiness.

    4     Just pay attention. Start identifying things you might value too lightly. Then, take a moment to be thankful for then. Be sure to consider positive actions and events that might seem small. For example, be thankful for the warm cup of tea you are enjoying,

Do gratitude exercises

During busy workdays when we are pressed for time, there are doable ways to fit gratitude into your schedule.     5     Take a walk and be thankful for each item you see: trees, flowers, the sky, birds. Get a magazine or old photos and make a collection of everything you’re grateful for.

A．They’re more likely to exercise, eat better, and take care of their health.

B．Your goal is to add this science-backed habit to increase your happiness.

C．Gratitude has a strong positive impact on psychological well-being as well.

D．Happiness is about how good you feel and how satisfied you are with your life.

E．Choosing to be thankful may well be an accessible way to boost your happiness.

F．Apart from journaling, here are other possible activities to help you stay on track.

G．But if you’re not ready for that kind of commitment, there’s an easy way to begin on the road to being grateful.

9 . How to Develop a Positive Attitude towards Life

Negative attitudes bring about negative results and positive attitudes can bring positive changes. For those who want to develop a positive attitude towards life, here are some simple steps.

Stop complaining.     1    Wear a bracelet(手镯) or a rubber band around one wrist. Whenever you find yourself complaining, switch the bracelet to the other wrist. Your goal should be to have the bracelet stay on the original wrist as long as possible.

    2    We all have negative thoughts from time to time, either about ourselves or our situation. While it is impossible to stop negative thoughts from forming, it is possible to change the negative thought to something positive.

Be grateful.    3    Even if it is just gratitude for being alive, for breathing, for the beautiful weather, there is truly something positive occurring. Make the effort to recognize all that is right in your life instead of always focusing on what is wrong.

Love yourself. Contrary to what many people think, loving yourself is really a wise decision.    4    If you have problems with this, positive affirmation(肯定) and self-esteem-building exercises may help.

    5    This doesn't mean you should accept bad behavior or allow others to treat you poorly, but realizing that acting lovingly towards others will go much further than acting selfishly. Not only that but also doing nice things for others can help you feel good as well.

A．It is hard for many of us to forget the wrongdoings of our past.

B．Turn negative thoughts to positive ones.

C．Decide to love others, no matter what.

D．Adopt the motto “Everything happens for a reason.”

E．Too many of us focus on our faults instead of recognizing how truly special we are.

F．This is easier said than done, but a simple trick may help.

G．No matter how difficult your life seems, there is always something to thank for.

10 . Ask most people which day of the week they fear the most and the answer is likely to be Monday. The first day of the working week can make us depressed.     1    

The most depressing day of the year is the third Monday in January, when it’s cold and dark outside. This day was named “Blue Monday” by psychologist Cliff Arnall. Even if there was little science behind Blue Monday, it’s probably true that the sound of our alarm clock on any Monday morning means the coming of a new working week and possibly the end of our weekend of fun.     2     It’s what psychologists call an emotional shift, and no other part of the week has a transition(过渡) like it.

Apparently, Monday means the end of weekend lie-ins.     3     According to a website, “If you can’t stand your job, then the Monday blues can be very real.” And it can be especially difficult to start another seemingly endless workweek. Your case of the Mondays can have a negative impact on your performance, productivity and the people around you.

    4     Feeling a bit low shouldn’t be confused with more serious depression, caused by other factors. Claudia Hammond, an author and presenter, argues that this low feeling might be untrue.     5     She mentions an Australian study of how people reflected on their mood and found the day that scored the lowest was in fact Wednesdays. So, when Monday comes, maybe we should give it a second chance!

A．But is Monday as bad as we like to think it is?

B．What exactly makes us feel down remains unknown.

C．Weekends are definitely happy days in all countries.

D．That’s why the feeling is described as the Monday blues.

E．There is a strong cultural idea that we don’t like Mondays.

F．Our Monday mood can be based on a direct comparison to the day before.

G．It’s back to the routine and the realization that there are five days of working ahead.