1 . When I was a young man, I had a big ego (自负) and very little empathy (同理心). I thought I knew everything. I looked forward to fame and success. I can even remember proudly telling one of my friends in college: “If only everyone listened to me, they would all be happy.” I finally left school, ready to take on the world. Little did I know the world was about to take on me.
In the years following college, instead of success, I found struggles. I had trouble finding work. The jobs I did work at were either temporary or back-breaking and none of them paid well. When my wife and I had children, we were shocked to learn that not one but both of our sons had autis (自闭症) and would need to be taken care of for the rest of their lives. I had no idea why this had happened to us and I was very angry with the world.
In time, however, I began to change. My formerly massive ego was shrinking fast and my empathy was beginning to grow. Instead of finding joy in success, I found it in moments of love. Playing and laughing with my sons brought me so much happiness. My boys taught me more about peace, patience, kindness, joy, and unconditional love than I could have ever learned on my own. I began to share the lessons I learned through my writing and my life.
I finally realized that my purpose in this world had nothing to do with fame or success but everything to do with allowing love and light into my life and sharing it with everyone I could.
1. What was the author like when he was young?| A．He was popular. |
| B．He was a top student. |
| C．He was overconfident about his abilities. |
| D．He was warm-hearted to others. |
| A．found a tiring but well-paid job |
| B．wanted to live a challenging life |
| C．didn’t want to have children early |
| D．suffered many difficulties in life |
| A．The time with his family. |
| B．The books he wrote. |
| C．The difficulties in his work. |
| D．The improvement in his life. |
| A．Life can be very hard for some people. |
| B．Parents need to be patient with their kids. |
| C．It’s important to learn how to be a father. |
| D．The purpose of life is to share love. |
2 . I was recently told by someone that I am a people-pleaser, a person who works hard on satisfying other people. However, this person wasn't saying it in a nice way. So what's wrong with that? What's wrong with making sure others are happy with me? Moreover, what exactly are the negative results of being a people-pleaser?
People-pleasers bum their fingers because of their "others-focused" mindset, which puts them at a disadvantage. When others are not happy, people-pleasers cannot think of anything else, nor can they enjoy the moment, because they are often disturbed with the fact that there is someone on the planet who is not satisfied with them at the moment.
People-pleasers often make promises they can't keep—they write checks they can't cash. This is the situation I found myself in recently. I made a promise to someone that I would do something for him. But it was a bit unrealistic and would take more efforts than I was willing to put in. As a result, that promise was empty. The act of making the promise made them happy, and that, in turn, made me feel satisfied.
Now that we've got an idea of the negative aspects of people-pleasers, what can we do to get rid of those aspects? Where can we start? The biggest challenge people-pleasers must overcome is to get used to saying "no". I find that it is a struggle, indeed. However, if I want to change my ways, then I must learn to overcome that discomfort
Are you a people-pleaser too? Don't worry. It doesn't make you a bad person, or a dishonest person. But it can sometimes leave you open to unneeded anxiety or be cheated by truly selfish people who only wish to take advantage of your kindness. Keep the good intentions and the good-heartedness in your heart. Just work on how you express your real feelings and hold on to your position through your actions.
1. What does the underlined phrase 'burn their fingers” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Hurt their fingers. |
| B．Suffer some losses. |
| C．Get slightly burned. |
| D．Feel angry with people. |
| A．Breaking his word. | B．Behaving selfishly. |
| C．Saying no to others. | D．Cashing his checks. |
| A．To instruct people to express true feelings. |
| B．To stop people-pleasers from being cheated. |
| C．To sum up negative aspects of pleasing others. |
| D．To put forward suggestions for people-pleasers. |
| A.challenge B.teenagers C.suitable D. quit E.actually P .debate |
As
Andrew Matthews, an Australian writer, tells us that making our dreams come true is the biggest
4 . Cassidy and his friends were waiting for other members of their running group. They met
The first
“Running at such a fast pace,” Cassidy said to his friends in
Cassidy
At that, they ran, tracking the
No
“Running is typically a useless sport where you turn fat cells into heat, but occasionally it can be
| A．roughly | B．eventually | C．regularly | D．curiously |
| A．exhausting | B．flexible | C．normal | D．safe |
| A．clue | B．sight | C．risk | D．decision |
| A．slowly | B．desperately | C．steadily | D．aimlessly |
| A．panic | B．admiration | C．relief | D．anger |
| A．tried out | B．let out | C．picked out | D．figured out |
| A．adding | B．complaining | C．whispering | D．screaming |
| A．member | B．athlete | C．suspect | D．colleague |
| A．after | B．until | C．as | D．whether |
| A．searched | B．served | C．warned | D．harmed |
| A．luck | B．doubt | C．way | D．wonder |
| A．sorrow | B．surprise | C．embarrassment | D．disappointment |
| A．over | B．through | C．off | D．into |
| A．useful | B．useless | C．tiring | D．tough |
| A．purposes | B．opportunities | C．plans | D．tricks |
5 . Trees have always held much attraction for people. They are the
When I was a child I
Trees
We all acknowledge that trees are
| A．kindest | B．oldest | C．heaviest | D．fittest |
| A．link | B．league | C．culture | D．agreement |
| A．governed | B．sponsored | C．inspired | D．tricked |
| A．took in | B．came across | C．set aside | D．kept up |
| A．workers | B．researchers | C．visitors | D．invaders |
| A．lands | B．drops | C．flies | D．shoots |
| A．translation | B．word | C．cooperation | D．conversation |
| A．curious | B．happy | C．desperate | D．grateful |
| A．get | B．know | C．afford | D．send |
| A．regulations | B．management | C．competition | D．construction |
| A．learns | B．ends | C．grows | D．works |
| A．position | B．manner | C．rank | D．model |
| A．lower | B．slower | C．weaker | D．cheaper |
| A．pulling back | B．bringing up | C．fighting back | D．teaming up |
| A．branches | B．fruits | C．leaves | D．roots |
| A．holding | B．clapping | C．waving | D．raising |
| A．nearly | B．really | C．only | D．merely |
| A．popular | B．suitable | C．vital | D．normal |
| A．city | B．country | C．continent | D．planet |
| A．offer | B．take | C．pay | D．study |
I recently heard a story about a famous scientist. When he
Instead of
This famous scientist then remarked that it was at that moment that he
to be afraid to make mistakes
7 . I received a private message on Facebook. It began harmlessly enough: “Hey, girl. Wanted to invite you to join my next challenge group—we’ll be focusing on fitting in 30 minutes of exercise and balanced nutrition.”
It was all becoming too much. Facebook was running my life, not me.
But what killed Facebook for me was when I posted a photo, and five minutes later my son asked me how many “likes” it had got. His question was a wake-up call.
“Likes” are signs of acceptance and approval. I had forgotten that acceptance and approval need to come from within and had unknowingly set him a bad example.
Before Facebook, surfing the internet was an occasional distraction and I spent a lot more time reading books and magazines. I checked in with friends through texts, emails and phone calls.
To recreate the simplicity of those days and set a healthier example to my son, I deactivated my Facebook account.
I’d been in the habit of checking Facebook many times a day, so I had to come up with some new habits. I carried a novel and a crossword puzzle book around with me. I rediscovered knitting. I started taking yoga classes.
I started to remember a few things. My body is fine just the way it is. I have friends who will help me out when I’m in trouble, and I will help them out. I do my best to be a good mother, and our son is happy and healthy. We are very lucky to be able to afford two vacations a year.
I stopped looking at the world through my cellphone. I felt completely present in the moment.
The break left me feeling better about myself, my family, my home and my life.
After a few weeks, I returned to Facebook. Now I look at the photos of my friends’ kids growing up and treasure how social media allows me to keep in touch with family far and wide. I look in on a daily basis, but no longer with the desire constantly to post updates.
It is not an addiction any more.
1. What was the author’s life like before her break from Facebook?| A．She enjoyed reading in her free time. |
| B．She spent much time on social media. |
| C．She didn’t get along well with her son. |
| D．She didn’t care what others thought of her. |
| A．close | B．update | C．keep | D．check |
| A．She went to the gym as often as she could. |
| B．She developed some healthy habits. |
| C．She tried to make money for her holidays. |
| D．She traveled around a lot for a year. |
| A．Critical. | B．Supportive. | C．Objective. | D．Indifferent. |
8 . I'll never forget the day when Mary came into my office and said, I am too old to learn how to use a computer. I shook my head. Here was a woman who had raised 6 children and who had made great progress in her career telling me that she was too old to learn something new. I told her that I always believed people were never too old to learn.
Mary followed my advice and did learn how to use the computer. Now, she is retired and leading a very active life volunteering in her community( 社区 ),using her computer skills and helping anyone that needs help.
When she was in her sixties, one day she called me and said she had played the piano for others all her life, and now she was going to make a CD of her own. My mind flashed back to the day when she told me she was too old to learn. You can imagine my surprise and delight.
To produce the CD, she had a lot of things to learn. It was not just sitting at the piano and playing. She had to research the songs, learn about copyright(版权),and learn about marketing. It was pretty amazing for someone who once said she was too old to learn. And finally she made it. Now she has her own CD-Mixed Blessings.
Most of you probably have heard about some people who have gone back to university in their seventies and have also graduated. They are on their way again to charging themselves with a new skill and a new attitude towards life. The point is you are unable to learn anything at any age if you believe you are too old. On the contrary, you can achieve anything at any age if you believe you can.
1. When Mary said she was too old to learn, the author________.| A．did not agree with her |
| B．felt sad and decided to help her |
| C．became disappointed with her |
| D．thought what she had said was true |
| A．To ask him for some help. | B．To tell him about her plan |
| C．To ask him to make a CD. | D．To talk about her new CD |
| A．impossible | B．interesting |
| C．unnecessary | D．difficult |
| A．We should always learn new skills. |
| B．We're never too old to learn. |
| C．Interest is the best teacher. |
| D．Some people succeed for a reason |
