1 . What if a simple practice could greatly enhance your happiness, promote your physical health, improve your relationships, and even help you deal with life’s toughest challenges?     1     However, countless studies and personal stories show this powerful secret: gratitude.

Gratitude is a powerful emotion and a transformative habit.     2     It’s also about acknowledging the goodness in our lives and recognizing that the source of the goodness often comes from the outside of ourselves. It’s a celebration of the positive aspects of life, both big and small.

Practicing gratitude encourages us to change our viewpoint from scarcity (缺乏) to abundance. It prevents us from focusing on what we lack or what we want, directing our attention instead to the happiness we already have.     3     By encouraging positive emotions, gratitude can help reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. Moreover, it can enhance overall mood and emotional resilience, enabling us to better cope with stress and life’s challenges.

    4     Research has suggested that individuals who regularly practice gratitude report fewer physical problems, experience less pain, and generally feel healthier than others. They’re also more likely to engage in health-promoting behavior, such as regular exercise and routine check-ups.

Gratitude plays an important role in developing strong relationships. It helps to strengthen bonds, reduce aggression (挑衅), and promote feelings of social satisfaction.     5    .

A．It may sound too good to be true.

B．How can gratitude change your life?

C．It’s more than just saying “thank you”.

D．Gratitude can also contribute to personal growth.

E．The benefits of gratitude extend to our physical health as well.

F．People who express gratitude often report better relationships.

G．This change in viewpoint can greatly increase our life satisfaction.

2 . Have you ever wondered about the significance of emotions in our life?     1    In order to grow and be better than before, you must learn to be emotionally intelligent. Let’s explore some powerful strategies to help you become emotionally mature!

Try using “I” statements.

Whenever your feelings are disrupted or you get hurt, it is good to tell others how you really feel.     2     You need to tell others how you feel about the situation but do so in a non-aggressive way. The best way to do this is by using “I” statements instead of “You” statements. Here is an example: “I feel miserable and heartbroken”. You should use this statement instead of, “You make me feel miserable and heartbroken”.

    3    

In some situations, your loved ones could be hurting you through their words or their actions, and you could also be wrong. You must not let negative thoughts question your judgment. What happens in more than 70% of situations is that we let negative thoughts take hold of us, which is completely wrong. Whenever the other person is behaving in an upsetting manner, ask yourself if you have done anything to make them feel like that.

Take responsibility for your actions.

Just like your words, you need to take full responsibility for your actions. If you don’t own whatever you say or do, how can you become emotionally strong? Many people make silly excuses and don’t take responsibility for their actions, and that is where they hurt others and themselves. If you have made a mistake and hurt others in the process, apologize immediately.     4    

Avoid negative people.

    5     If you are surrounded by happy and motivated people, you will always be happy. If you are surrounded by negative people that only bring others down then you will always feel miserable. In order to be emotionally intelligent, you must have a good and supporting company by your side.

A．Always question your thoughts.

B．Pay attention to emotional value.

C．It won’t bring your self-respect down.

D．You are known by the company you keep.

E．Emotions play a critical part in our lives.

F．Taking care of yourself should be prioritized over anything else.

G．Masking your feelings or trying to be emotionless will only harm you.

3 . How We Talk about Fear Matters

Lately, there seems to be plenty to fear in the world. How we talk about what we fear might offer clues to how we perceive that emotion socially and culturally.

Get the root of fear.

    1    . In Anglo Saxon times, “fear” primarily referred to sudden danger. The root of the word dates back to “pēr” from Indo-European about 6,000 years ago. This root suggests that fear developed from a sudden (frightening) experience you passed through.

Figure out the emotional meaning of fear.

Whether emotions are viewed positively or negatively varies from culture to culture.    2     . For instance, in English, the word “anxious” can be used to mean “worried” or “eager”. But the word meaning “anxious” just means “regret” in Dargwa. Therefore, many English speakers may not view anxiety as negatively as Dargwa speakers.

Find out a fearful pattern.

In looking at such patterns across the major language families, researchers found that the word “fear” was often associated with anxiety, envy and grief in Indo-European languages. But in Austronesian languages, “fear” more often was associated with surprise.     3     .

    4    

How we talk about fear changes how we react to it. When we talk about what frightens us, it may be useful to disrupt associated meanings. In addition, how our language categorizes an emotion seems to impact whether we perceive those emotions negatively or positively.

In conclusion, fear is something that can be changed by cultural and linguistic experience.    5     . Perhaps Roosevelt was right when he in famously said “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

A．Talk more about fears

B．Change our perception of fear

C．The word fear has a long history in English

D．There seemed a fearful pattern across the major language families

E．This is based on what people have learned to associate with emotion words

F．It opens the door to potential ways to change how we talk about and react to it

G．This makes speakers of the latter languages associate this emotion with a less negative sense

4 . As the college entrance examination approaches, you will feel that you lack the ability to control the emotions.     1    . The following methods teach you how to control your emotions well before an exam.

First, take a deep breath and stay calm. Finding peace and staying relaxed is all about being in the present moment and not bombarding your mind with too many worries about the future. All that you have now is the current moment.    2    .   

Have to accept that how you show your emotions has a very real effect on others. If you find yourself getting angry at your fellow peers at school, there might still be some understanding from those who are going through similar feelings as you are.     3    . Family members and those who generally aren’t as able to empathize (产生共鸣) as well with your current feelings and situation may take your anger as a personal insult (侮辱).

Learn to handle your emotions. When you start feeling boiling anger rising inside you, consider if you really need to convert that negative energy into action or comment.     4     Taking time to think through these emotions and giving yourself 10 seconds to calm down and consider things. Being angry only builds walls between you and others, making it difficult for loved ones to help.

    5    . Talking your feelings over with others will help you realize that there is no reason to be anxious or worried. Also, reach out to your family. I’m sure that when they were students they also went through similar pressures.

A．Connect with your peers.

B．Talk with your family.

C．Because of their experiences, they will understand you.

D．Sometimes you even get angry because of little things.

E．Do you really need to express your anger outwardly?

F．So for right now, just relax.

G．In any case, this still doesn’t excuse you from treating other people poorly

5 . We all know that staying healthy is important. So here is another health tip: Empathy, which refers to the ability to share another person’s feelings and emotions as if they were your own. How can this be? Isn’t empathy about focusing on the other person?     1    ?

Empathy helps you survive

Empathy can save your life, which certainly is good for your health!     2    . If someone is screaming and running for you to follow, or even has a look of terror on their face, you pick up their fear and immediately tune in to the situation. That can be the moment when you run away from a dangerous situation.

Empathy connects you to others

    3    . While it may be centered on figuring out what is going on for others, in that process, you nurture the important human ability to connect better with others, And being connected to others is good for your well-being.

    4    

Stress may be brought on by many different things. Over periods of time, this state of pressure becomes unhealthy. When you fully engage in empathy, you draw on skills for emotion regulation (调节). In doing so, you are also controlling emotions that can be stressful.

Empathy guides your moral code of conduct

Perhaps larger than almost everything is how you treat others and expect to be treated.     5    . When you create rules that make you safe, protect you from those acting badly, and take care of those less fortunate, you are using empathy to guide those codes.

A．Empathy can lower your stress

B．How does practicing empathy benefit you

C．Empathy encourages you to show your emotions

D．How can empathy help you behave well in a connected world

E．The ability to read others helps you make decisions in your favor

F．Empathy connects you to other people in deep and meaningful ways

G．Empathy helps you identify what you consider to be acceptable behavior

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why does Ms. McDaniel talk to Frank?

A．He missed a speech.

B．He failed to pass a test.

C．He wanted to drop a class.

2. How would Ms. McDaniel’s students react if a speaker made a mistake?

A．Laugh at the speaker.

B．Sympathize with the speaker.

C．Persuade the speaker to try again.

3. How does Ms. McDaniel sound?

A．Optimistic.

B．Humorous.

C．Encouraging.

7 . Paul Dirac was one of the greatest physicists of the 20th century. He was a pioneer in quantum(量子) theory, which shaped our modern world. Dirac was also a genius when it came to analytical thinking. But when his colleagues asked him for advice, his secret to success had nothing to do with the traditional scientific method. “Be guided,” Dirac told them, “by your emotions.”

Dirac’s advice, like his physics, ran against the common assumption of psychology in his day: that logical thought primarily drives our behaviors, and that when emotions play a role, they are likely to keep us off our best judgment.

Today, researchers have gained a deeper understanding of emotions and how they can positively influence logical choices. In a study led by Professor Mark Fenton, his team conducted interviews with 118 professional traders at four investment banks. They found that even among the most experienced traders, the lower-performing ones seemed less likely to effectively engage with the emotions guiding their choices—whether to buy or sell a set of securities, for example, with millions of dollars at risk. The most successful traders, however, were particularly likely to acknowledge their emotions and followed their direct feelings about stock options(股票期权) when they had limited information to draw on. They also understood that when emotions become too intense, toning them down can be necessary. The issue for the successful traders was not how to avoid emotions but how to control them.

Welcoming emotions into the decision-making process can help us be more clear-eyed about where our choices come from. Dirac knew that emotions helped him look beyond the beliefs of his contemporaries. Again and again, his controversial ideas proved correct. Dirac passed away in 1984, a couple of decades before the revolution in emotion theory began, but he’d been happy to see that he’d been right again.

1. Why does the author mention Paul Dirac in paragraph 1?

A．To offer a suggestion.	B．To introduce the topic.
C．To describe the scientist.	D．To present a phenomenon.

2. What did people think of emotions’ effect on behaviors in Dirac’s days?

A．It was permanent.	B．It was unfavorable.
C．It was meaningful.	D．It was unavoidable.

3. How did some traders perform better at work according to paragraph 3?

A．By working more intensely.	B．By experiencing more widely.
C．By making decisions more directly.	D．By controlling emotions more efficiently.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．A study on professional traders.

B．A development in emotion theory.

C．The role of emotions in decision-making.

D．The achievements of Paul Dirac as a physicist.

8 . Test anxiety is a form of performance anxiety. Wanting to perform well can be a strong encouraging factor that helps you prepare for success.     1     Here are some tips to help you reduce your test anxiety.

    2    . Proper prepare is one of the best ways to immediately lower anxiety levels. Give yourself enough time to study and develop a study plan that works for you.

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.     3    .

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.     4     These can reduce feelings of anxiety to set you up for success on test day.

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.     5     You begin to believe in your ability to do so in real life. You can stay focused on your goals and avoid getting distracted (注意力分散的).

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.

9 . When I suggested my 13-year-old try tennis, she quickly refused me. “I’m not sporty; stop trying to get me to do sports,” Julianna said. I had suggested it because some of my happiest recent memories were of playing ping-pong with her. Tennis seemed like a natural progression from ping-pong and a great way to work out some of her growing pains on a larger playing field. But my suggestion was always refused by her.

Still, I was undeterred. I believed that doing some sports would help Julianna manage her emotions. I’ve seen how sports help with stress. It worked for me when I was a teenage girl.

Midway into summer, we stayed at home, and Julianna and I felt really bored. “Do you want to play tennis?” I asked her at lunch one afternoon. Sure, she said. At that time, we were both eager to spend as much time as possible out of the house.

Arriving at the court, we set down our bags, picked up our rackets (球拍), and headed to our sides of the court. The net was like the growing divide between us — I desiring connection and my teenage daughter longing for independence.

I started by hitting a ball over the net, and Julianna took a big swing and missed. We repeated this several more times. I didn’t tell her she was holding the racket too close to the neck or she should step more into her forehand. My daughter wanted the chance to figure these things out for herself. We repeated the pattern of me hitting the ball and her missing it a few times before she finally got it back over the net. “This is fun,” she said with a mixture of surprise and delight and then she smiled widely.

Now we always find time to play tennis. We’re both eager for an activity that can ease tensions between us in daily life. It’s nice to have a place where both of us can release our negative moods and let them go.

1. Why did the author persuade her daughter to play tennis?

A．Tennis was as popular as ping-pong.

B．They had a good time playing tennis together.

C．It would help her daughter make more like-minded friends.

D．It would be good for her daughter’s emotional management.

2. What does the underlined word “undeterred” mean in paragraph 2?

A．Not dishonest.

B．Not sure.

C．Not discouraged.

D．Not surprised.

3. What did the author do when her daughter missed the ball?

A．She stood close to the net.	B．She repeated hitting the ball.
C．She changed ends with her daughter.	D．She instructed her daughter immediately.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Mom Coaches Teen Daughter in Tennis

B．Mom Helps Teen Daughter Express Her Emotions

C．Mom Encourages Teen Daughter to Be Independent

D．Mom and Teen Daughter Find Some Peace on the Tennis Court

10 . Confidence is a feeling of trust in your abilities, qualities and judgment. Building confidence is like building a house. You need to start with a solid foundation, then construct everything else from there. It takes time and effort to improve your confidence, especially if you haven’t had the opportunity to prove your skills in the past.     1     Start strengthening your self-confidence with these how-to guides.

    2     It’s easier said than done, but daily, positive thoughts about what you’re able to do can improve your confidence. Everyone has days when staying positive is tough, but force yourself to remember one good thing you like about who you are every morning until it’s a habit.

Do things you’re good at. What happens when you do things that you are good at?     3    Your strengths become even stronger, which helps improve your belief in yourself. Taking this approach also has another benefit: It can increase how satisfied you are with your life.

Spend time with positive people. The people around you greatly impact how you feel about yourself. If judgmental or critical people surround you, it’ll take a toll(产生负面影响)on your mental strength. If, however, you’re interacting with people who can cheer others on and support one another, you’ll feel much better.     4    

Take care of yourself. Focusing on you and what you need sometimes feel like it’s selfish,but it’s not!     5     Taking care of yourself can help you take care of others, but it can also help boost your self-confidence. Easy ways to start include taking a break when you’re overwhelmed(不堪重负的), wearing your favorite outfit, or doing something you love.

A．Act as if you feel confident.

B．Your self-confidence starts to rise.

C．It’s a necessary part of being human.

D．However, it is something that everyone can do!

E．Think positively about yourself and your skills.

F．Actually, it’s hard to feel good about yourself if you overuse your health.

G．So focus on creating healthier relationships with the positive people in your life.