1 . Gifts are more than just an economic exchange of goods. They signal things about the giver, receiver and their relationship. It’s a sort of language that lets us communicate without words. Use the following little tricks to make gift-giving perfect.
Aesthetics (美学) of a gift shouldn’t be ignored and neither should presentation be. All the time and energy you spend picking the perfect thing for your receiver will fall short if you do. A gift should delight. It should be unique and easy on the eyes. So receivers often prefer appearance over function. This is why gift stores are filled with such gifts. These items are often low in their usefulness yet they make most gifts.
The price isn’t necessarily a priority. Even costly items can be considered as cheap sometimes. It’s better to pick an item from the top of an inexpensive sort than one at the bottom of an expensive sort. Even if you’re paying the same for both choices, the former will be received well.
A gift that feels heavier tends to be considered as of higher quality. Giving someone a hardcover book is better than giving them a paperback as a gift. You may also package it in a relatively heavy box. Anyway, pick items that aren’t too light.
Don’t present your gift without the wrapping (包装). It shows effort and devotion. Presentation expresses special thought on behalf of the giver. When they receive a gift, receivers process the exchange and analyze the giver in terms of thoughtfulness, which is communicated through gift presentation. If you want your receiver to think of you as thoughtful, make sure you wrap it in a good wrapping paper. Bad presentation can ruin a great gift. So it matters making a present more attractive to your receiver.
1. What kind of gifts are mostly sold in shops?| A．Strange objects. | B．Eye-catching items. |
| C．Useful things. | D．High-cost pieces. |
| A．Never choose any expensive gif. |
| B．The more expensive a gift is, the better. |
| C．Two gifts at a time are always better than one. |
| D．The best gift in the cheap kind is a better choice. |
| A．A hardcover book. | B．A paperback. |
| C．One in a light box. | D．One without wrapping. |
| A．The giver is generous. | B．The receiver is special. |
| C．The giver is thoughtful. | D．The receiver is attractive. |
2 . How Using A Mood Tracker App Could Help Your Mental Health
You track your nutrition and your workouts, but why wouldn’t you track your mood?
Many of them allow you to record factors that may be affecting your mental health, such as sleep, nutrition, and exercise. You can also see how changes are affecting your mental health. Mood trackers can also keep you honest about your self-reporting bias.
How Does a Mood Tracker App Work?
Firstly, research shows that mood tracker apps can help people better identify their moods and in turn, understand them. Awareness of one’s mood has been linked to better mental health outcome.
Who Should Use Them?
Generally speaking, a mood tracker app can be helpful to most people.
Mood tracker apps are one of the most popular categories or smartphones app stores, so you have no lack of choices with a simple search for mood tracker.
| A．Why Use a Mood Tracker App? |
| B．Mood tracker apps are gaining in popularity. |
| C．And those who are dealing with mood disorders will benefit most from it. |
| D．Research on apps using predictive technology is incredibly encouraging. |
| E．Mood tracker apps are often more than just a place to record your emotions. |
| F．Additionally, apps can help people better communicate with mental health professionals. |
| G．If you don’t have a phone or don’t want to download an app, there are web-based trackers to consult. |
How is everything going? I have been in Leeds for more than 3 months. I miss you all so much during this time, especially at this turning of the year. I still remember the Christmas and New Year party we had together last year. It is a pity that I cannot celebrate this great festival with you this year, but I hope I can share my happiness with you through this letter.
After I entered in the British University, I realized that the foundation course I have taken is extremely important and helpful. Actually, most of the content of my present module has already been covered by IFY. Therefore, it is not difficult to follow the lectures and tutorials. Compared to the other Chinese students who took the foundation course in Britain, we are in a better stage in terms of both academic English and the knowledge of re levant subjects. More importantly, the IFY course has fully prepared us for the new style of study here. I would like to thank Juliet, Paul, Net, Scott and Chris with all my heart, because without your help, I wouldn’t be able to cope with the study in Britain.
I would also like to thank Cynthia, Sophia, Cathy and all the other staff in Qingdao ACE Programme. Thanks for your help in the last year, and thanks for your advice on my choice of university. It is you who make studying abroad possible for me.
The last one year’s study in IFY course was one of my most pleasant memories. While coping with the challenges of life in Britain, I always think back to the time when I was with you. I cannot forget every lectures and tutorials, and I cannot forget the times that we played together. You are not only my teachers, but also my good friends . I will miss you all. Hope I can see you when I go back to Chin a in summer.
Wish you every success in your life and keep good mood every day!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Love,
Phoebe
1. This letter was written by ________.| A．a Chinese student now in China |
| B．a Chinese student now in Britain |
| C．a Britain student now in China |
| D．a Britain student in Britain |
| A．a course opened in British universities |
| B．a course opened only in summer |
| C．a foundation course taken before going to British universities |
| D．a foundation course taken while in British universities |
| A．start with | B．deal with | C．go on with | D．go with |
| A．happy | B．thankful | C．sorry | D．respectful |
4 . While often seen as a negative (消极的) emotion, anger can also be a powerful motivator (促进因素) for people to achieve challenging goals in their lives, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
“People often believe that a state of happiness is perfect,” said lead author Heather Lench, PhD, a professor in the department of psychologcal and brain sciences at Texas A & M University, “but previous research suggests that a mix of emotions, including negative emotions like anger, results in good outcomes.”
The functionalist theory of emotion suggests that all emotions, good or bad, are reactions to events within a person’s environment and help that person to make proper actions, according to Lench. For example, sadness may suggest that a person needs to seek help or emotional support, while anger may indicate a person needs to take action to overcome an obstacle (障碍).
To better understand the role of anger in achieving goals, researchers conducted a series of experiments involving more than 1,000 participants and analyzed survey data from more than 1,400 respondents. In each experiment, participants either had an emotional response (such as anger, amusement, desire or sadness) or a neutral (中性的) emotional state, and then were presented with a challenging goal. Across all the experiments, anger improved people’s ability to reach their goals compared with a neutral condition in a variety of challenging situations.
“Our research adds to the growing evidence that a mix of positive and negative emotions promotes well-being, and that using negative emotions as tools can be particularly effective in some situations,” Lench said.
1. What is commonly believed concerning people’s emotions?| A．It is believed that a state of joy is great. |
| B．A feeling of sadness leads to poor effect. |
| C．Anger is actually a positive emotion. |
| D．Pride acts as an obstacle to success. |
| A．They hoped to overturn the previous findings. |
| B．They hoped to prove that a state of happiness is ideal. |
| C．They hoped to find the relationship between positive and negative emotions. |
| D．They hoped to have a better understanding of the role of anger in attaining goals. |
| A．The problem of the research. | B．The background of the research. |
| C．The process of the research. | D．The significance of the research. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Favorable. | C．Uncaring. | D．Critical. |
Today I was at the shopping centre and I spent a lot of time reading the Father’s Day cards. But as I chose and read, and chose and read again, it seemed that not a single card said what I really wanted to say to you.
You’ll soon be 84 years old, Dad, and you and I will have had 56 Father’s Days together. I didn’t think that you were too old. But the sad thing happened last week. I watched as you turned at the corner in your car. I didn’t realize at once that it was you because the man who was driving looked so elderly.
Fifty years ago this spring, we planted carrots together in a garden in Charles City, Iowa. This week, we’ll plant carrots together again, perhaps for the last time but I hope not. I don’t understand why planting carrots with you is so important to me. Well, I don’t quite know how to tell you this, dad…I don’t like carrots…but I like planting them with you.
I guess what I am trying to say, Dad, is what every son and daughter wants to say to their dad today. Praising a father on Father’s Day is about more than a dad who brings home money or shares a dinner. It’s more about a dad deeply loving children who know everything and won’t listen to anyone. It’s about sharing. It’s about loving someone more than words can say, and I wish that it would never end.
Lover,
Jenny
1. Where did Jenny go today?| A．A garden. | B．A shopping center. | C．A cinema. | D．A hospital. |
| A．An old man. | B．A car driver. | C．Jenny’s father. | D．Jenny’s husband. |
| A．It’s the last time for Jenny to plant carrots with her father. |
| B．Jenny and her father plant carrots together every year. |
| C．Both Jenny and her father like eating carrots. |
| D．Jenny would like to stay with her father. |
| A．Deep love for Dad. | B．Best wishes for Dad. |
| C．The importance of Dad. | D．The beginning of Father’s Day. |
6 . Test anxiety is a form of performance anxiety. Wanting to perform well can be a strong encouraging factor that helps you prepare for success.
Get a good night’s sleep. Since your brain is responsible for taking all the information you’ve studied and storing it for test day, getting seven to nine hours of sleep will help you remember what you’ve learned. Proper rest is also important for calming yourself.
Try to do some exercise. The importance of exercise goes far beyond (超出) its physical benefits. Exercise can also help you to calm your mind and relax. You can lift weights and practice yoga in the gym.
Form a picture of success in your mind. When you imagine success, you create a mental image (心理意象) of yourself performing well on the test and achieving your goal.
| A．Take time to master what you’ve learned. |
| B．Feeling rushed will only increase the anxiety. |
| C．Don’t pay attention to what other people are doing. |
| D．You can also go for a walk with your family outside. |
| E．Therefore, have a good sleep when preparing for a big test. |
| F．This can help prepare your mind and body for the test experience. |
| G．However, the pressure to get a good grade may cause you to experience anxiety. |
7 . Do you ever worry about your study? Your health? These kinds of worries are quite common. However, for some people, worrying may become constant (连续发生的).
Realize your styles of thinking
Another step you can take to reduce your worries is to consider what aspects (方面) of a situation you can control. Once you have considered this, focus on what you can control, For example, if you are worried about your health, focus on lifestyle changes that you can make. If you are worried that you may fail an exam, focus on studying well.
Practice mindfulness (正念)
When we worry a lot, it often means that we are caught up in our past or our future.
Exercise more to help you stop worrying
Exercise such as running or going to the gym can help give you a break from your thoughts and worries.
| A．Are you one of them? |
| B．Why do I worry too much? |
| C．Talk to someone about your worries. |
| D．It also has many useful effects on the brain. |
| E．Focus on changes you can make to worry less. |
| F．Mindfulness is a practice of focusing on the present moment. |
| G．You now need to have some understanding of your styles of thinking. |
8 . There’s no single best way to cheer someone up when they are feeling down.
Write them a handwritten note. If you want to cheer someone up, you don’t have to write a six-page letter detailing every happy thing you can think of.
Have a movie night. Perhaps you won’t be talking a lot during the movie, but it’s an excuse to come together with the person you’re trying to support. Sometimes they just need a little company when they’re feeling down.
Bring them their favorite food. Surprising someone with their favorite meal is an act of kindness that many like. They’re called our “comfort foods” for a reason, and sharing them will help your friends feel better.
| A．Try something new together. |
| B．Talk about interesting things. |
| C．It shows them that you value them. |
| D．Often, it just depends on the person. |
| E．Being close to someone can help them feel less alone. |
| F．A simple note with a supportive sentence or a little card will be OK. |
| G．Plus, sharing a meal together is a good chance to chat about whatever they want. |
9 . Everyone feels a little jealous (妒忌的) once in a while. But when the feeling begins to ruin your relationship and cause you stress, it’s probably time to start looking for ways to get rid of it. Here are some tips to help you along the way.
Sometimes there are deeper underlying (潜在的) issues that fuel jealousy. Once you admit that you’re struggling with jealousy, it’s time to start looking into why you’re feeling that way.
Use your jealousy to motivate yourself
Sometimes jealousy is rooted in feelings of insecurity and a lack of self-confidence.
Constantly comparing yourself to others can fuel feelings of insecurity. It can be tempting to compare yourself to others and want to compete against them. However, constantly setting yourself up against others can just make your jealousy and feelings of insecurity worse. Stop doing that.
| A．Find the root of your jealousy |
| B．Engage yourself in meaningful activities |
| C．Focus on yourself and how you’re doing instead |
| D．They are able to help you with increasing your confidence |
| E．However, it’s important to find your own unique strengths |
| F．For example, low self-confidence is often a cause of jealousy |
| G．Your jealousy might be just what you need to seek what you want |
10 . Music affects our emotions. We tend to listen to music that reflects our mood. When we’re happy we may listen to upbeat (愉快的) music; when we’re sad we may listen to slower and more moving songs; when we’re angry we may listen to darker music with heavy guitar, drums and songs that reflect our level of anger. We may not know why we prefer the artists we listen to, but we can learn a lot about ourselves through our musical tastes.
Consider John, a pleasant man in his mid-40s who describes his mid-20s as a time when he was figuring out his place in life. At the time, he considered himself to be cold, nervous, shy, well-mannered and sensitive. But the music he preferred to listen to was dark, heavy and aggressive. After some time in therapy (治疗), John realized he’d been repressing (抑制) anger and aggression due to years of childhood abuse, and music had become his voice. Now John has been able to unlock his previously hidden emotions and begin to work through the issues.
Cindy, a woman in her mid-30s, has struggled through years of depression. While depressed, she often listened to music that reflected sadness and emotional pain. However, Cindy also noted that she had a passion for upbeat music that made her want to dance and feel free from emotional struggle. But she rarely felt this energy and freedom without the music encouraging. It turned out that Cindy was an energetic and happy child. However, Cindy’s struggle with depression began after her mother’s death when she was 11 years old. With the help of therapy, Cindy is now in the process of breaking through the layer of depression that has covered her since her mother died.
In summary, while music can move us in an intense emotional moment, it also can be used to teach us about unconscious elements of our emotional structure. If we notice a pattern of emotional music that raises questions about our current feelings or about who we are, it could be an important opportunity for self-exploration.
1. What kind of music do people probably listen to when they are delighted?| A．Music with drums. | B．Slower songs. |
| C．Upbeat music. | D．Dark music |
| A．He was passionate. | B．He was aggressive. |
| C．He was dark inside. | D．He was polite. |
| A．Her mother passed away when she was 11 years old. |
| B．She rarely felt energetic and free. |
| C．She always listened to sad music. |
| D．She had experienced childhood abuse. |
| A．How to Be Happy |
| B．Music Impacts Our Emotions |
| C．People Change While Growing up |
| D．Different People Listen to Different Music |
