1 . Now that my children are grown, I have resumed (中断后继续) a habit: solo travel. The seed was planted when I was 17 and went on a class trip to Spain. The experience was similar to reading my first book. I remember when I separated from the group and went through the busy streets of Madrid on my own, looking at the architecture gawkingly, trying unfamiliar foods, and gathering the courage to engage the natives with my high school Spanish. After that adventure I sought every opportunity to explore on my own, because I wanted to move according to my ideas.
I recall, many years ago, before I became a dad, arranging to work for a summer on an Icelandic farm in exchange for room and board. The driver stopped at the appointed place, but no one was there to meet me. And so I put my backpack down and read a book, knowing that when one travels one is never lost.
I tell this story to calm the fears of friends and others who have occasionally raised their hands to their faces upon hearing what I was up to. Some are specialists in outlining for me all the things that can go wrong when one launches oneself into the unknown. But for me, that’s the whole point of travel: to go where I haven’t gone before, to discover friendships waiting to be made, to interface with unfamiliar scents (气味) and tastes, to enter a new and, for me, undiscovered environment where being pleasantly surprised is the reward.
A few years back I went to Greenland. I spent a week hiking its mountains, interacting with the natives, and sailing the bays. It was inspiring. I hopped (登上) my flight back to Iceland feeling well satisfied. But when I got off the plane and saw the line of passengers waiting for their flight to Greenland, all I wanted to do was turn around and join them. Once again it was proved for me that I would never get travel out of my system.
1. How did the class trip to Spain affect the writer?| A．He discovered the magic of solo travel. |
| B．He realized the pleasure of reading books. |
| C．He became interested in learning Spanish. |
| D．He formed a habit of collecting plant seeds. |
| A．Curiously. | B．Randomly. | C．Casually. | D．Anxiously. |
| A．Going wherever you would like to. | B．Going in the unknown environment. |
| C．Exploring something new all the way. | D．Getting a reward from challenging fear. |
| A．His impatient personality. | B．His crazy desire for travelling. |
| C．His quickness to follow others. | D．His tendency to be easily satisfied. |
2 . Simple Tips to Increase Self-Confidence
Having confidence begins with having a mind full of confident thoughts. A mind is controlled by you, therefore believing only the things that will bring you things you desire. Almost anyone in the world can have confidence.
Set goals
It’s a great idea to keep a “Goals Book” and every time something enters your mind you’d like to achieve, list it in the book. Soon you’ll see a pattern among all your goals.
People usually can’t tell you how you should live your life when it’s just an expression of their own shortcomings. Don’ allow the shortcomings of others to affect your life negatively. No one but you knows your interests and ambitions. Work in the direction of your true loves and ignore everything that enters your mind going against your own desires.
Challenge your beliefs
Get started
Don’t expect changes right away and have patience in knowing that it takes time to be the person you wish to be. The wonderful thing about becoming a more self-confident person is that little benefits start taking shape almost immediately.
As you achieve confidence, and find little moments of confidence coming closer and closer, all the things you desire will come to you easier than you ever imagined.
| A．Follow your heart |
| B．They keep coming one after the other |
| C．Believe in a power greater than yourself |
| D．When you make conclusions about your goals |
| E．If you maintain a confident position long enough |
| F．And, it is entirely easier than you may have once believed |
| G．Examine all of your beliefs and determine if they are in line with the life you desire |
3 . Happiness is the most sought-after emotion. It is the reason for the existence of all beings. Happiness is not confined to the human world alone.
A young child is happy when it is well fed and becomes sad when it is hungry. Even adults cannot resist the pleasures of food and associate this with happiness. A bar of chocolate, an ice cream treat, or a fancy spread at a buffet all bring happiness.
Then, there is the house and the car, holidays abroad, a simple picnic, or even a movie that evokes happiness. Happiness is found in obtaining material things or indulging in recreational activities.
Many have sought it in ashrams and from wise men, but all it takes is an act of kindness and sharing. True happiness is eventually not in the receiving, possessing, and getting but in the giving. Giving time, things, labor to those around us, loved ones or strangers is the true happiness that lives on in our lives.
| A．Clothing and accessories bring happiness. |
| B．Making others happy is the core of being happy. |
| C．Animals and even plants seem to display happiness. |
| D．People are happiest when they are having a meal and some drink. |
| E．Everything we do is aimed at letting other people live more happily. |
| F．Different individuals have different definitions of happiness, though. |
| G．However, many are still not happy with all these trappings of luxury. |
4 . According to the latest study in the United States, 14% of children don't have any physical activity at least once a week, while 27% of children are physically active for at least 60 minutes every day. The results of this study clearly suggest that taking up sports makes a great difference. It is highly recommended that children should exercise regularly.
Being on a sports team provides children with a new social circle outside of school and a chance to build up new friendships, some of which may last a lifetime.
Learning to accept and deal with defeat is also an important lesson in life. The nature of sports is that there is always a winner and a loser, and there are ups and downs in life.
By working hard at every practice and staying focused on their goal, children build persistence (坚持) and learn the importance of patience.
Finally, playing sports can have a positive impact on bone health, especially among girls. And physically active children usually grow up to be physically active adults.
| A．Taking part in sports can be good for children's confidence. |
| B．Here are usual ways children take up sports. |
| C．Here are important reasons why children should take up sports. |
| D．They win together, lose and deal with defeat together. |
| E．Learning to stand up when you are down is a lesson that sports can teach us. |
| F．When they reach their goal, they realize all their hard work pays off. |
| G．Being in sports makes children feel energetic even when they are in low spirit. |
5 . On the 15th June I set foot off the airplane and into Calgary, Canada. I've never been to this side of the world before and I had some strange expectations when I could only see fields and no cityscape in view from my plane window during landing. However, as we got closer and closer to the airport the city came into view... phew (I sighed of relief as I'm a real city-goer).
We were greeted by my girlfriend's parents and whisked away to the main city. The large amount of greenery in Calgary's city makes it a completely different city to visit and I advise if anybody is around this side of the world, it's surely an interesting visit.
Despite all the things we've done here, the thing that blew me away the most was the Canadian woodlands and mountains just a few hours outside of Calgary. The highlight for me was risking travelling to the small town of Fernie and hiking into the woods up to a small waterfall where the water was so clear we could just drink straight from the stream. The time away from the main city had a great holiday feel and gave me time to recover after a busy university year.
It's been a great experience being in the Canadian mountains and woodlands and it's taught me the importance of just having some time for yourself! So whatever you guys are doing this summer, make sure you take some time out to relax, rest and recharge.
1. Which of the following best describes the author's feeling while landing?| A．Embarrassed. | B．Disappointed. | C．Hopeful. | D．Amazed. |
| A．Greetings from girlfriend's parents. | B．Natural beauty of the city. |
| C．Woodlands outside the city. | D．Clear water from the stream. |
| A．moved me away | B．beat me off | C．encouraged me | D．impressed me |
| A．He needs relaxation from his busy life. | B．He hates the city's busy life. |
| C．He is in great love with his girlfriend. | D．He is enthusiastic about work. |
6 . Why I Always Travel With a Paper Map in Hand
The first thing I do when I arrive in a foreign city is find a paper map. To me, it's the single most important task I have to accomplish upon arrival.
Then I use that paper map to figure out which sights are closest to each other and how I can use my time most efficiently.
No doubt you may wonder why I don5t just pull out my phone. I do own a smartphone with GPS.
My trusty map, on the other hand, is all about context. Ask me the nearest bridge, major market or landmark, and I'll be able to tell you in an instant. Besides, a paper map does not run out of battery.
For a traveler like myself, that paper map is like an entrance into another world. Staring at it transports me into a dreamlike state. I imagine all the places I'll go and the things I will do.
| A．It never has a poor connection. |
| B．But I don't have the habit of using GPS. |
| C．And all these makes me become a responsible tourist. |
| D．That map, you see, is my key to getting around the city. |
| E．However, I think my phone's GPS robs me of something. |
| F．And it enables me to begin planning how I'll make it happen. |
| G．I put dots where the bookstores, restaurants and museums are. |
7 . Nowadays, more people feel depressed because they do not see themselves as happy. Instead, they feel guilty that they aren't as happy as everyone says they should be.
The books, blogs, You Tube videos and advice columns will tell you if you imagine, exercise write journals, stay busy, help others, eat healthy, read every day, then you too can be happy.
The simple truth is that no one can be happy all the time.
I find contentment in walks, writing and talking with my partner and reminding each other that our life is good, despite difficult or scary moment. I can soften my reactions and respond differently.
Even though things around me now are a little out of control, I understand such is life.
| A．I still carry on no matter what |
| B．Thus I'm still feeling pretty good |
| C．They are easily found in low spirits |
| D．This is really a sad state of emotional affairs |
| E．But you can find a middle ground called contentment |
| F．Contentment is some place between satisfied and peaceful |
| G．Doing this takes away stress and will keep my state of contentment |
8 . People will spend a large amount of time to save a few dollars. There’s often a lightbulb moment that happens when you ask them to calculate their time-dollar value, because it reveals that they’re spending more in soft costs than they’re accounting for.
Take a second to think about it. If you spend 3 hours avoiding paying $12 for something, you’ve saved money, but you’ve also been working at $4 per hour. If you’re an entrepreneur（企业家）, your time is worth more than $4 per hour, and while your choice has saved a “hard” cost, you’ve spent more in your time. Energy and attention are two other soft resources we need to be thinking about, too. Soft costs are just as real as hard costs. In that 3 hours, you could have been doing $300 worth of income-generating, high-value activities.
It’s a bit different when you’re employed by someone else, as you’ll make the same whether you spend 3 hours or 30 minutes to get something done. However, the people who actively add more value to their organization before being paid to do so are the ones most likely to get a promotion or advancement that honors their contributions.
The next time you’re thinking of making a decision that involves hard costs, also consider the soft opportunity costs of what you’ re currently doing.
Outside of “work” situations, think about how much time you spend doing things you’d rather not do, say, cleaning your house. Is it worth $100 to not have to spend your weekend cleaning your house? Why should you clean your house any more than you should spend time with your kids?
Keeping costs down is always a great thing to focus on. Just make sure that your focus on keeping costs down isn’t also keeping your income or earning potential down.
1. According to Paragraph 2, which of the following belongs to a “hard” cost?| A．Money. | B．Time. | C．Energy. | D．Attention. |
| A．shows up early every day | B．works efficiently when paid |
| C．spends more time than needed | D．actively makes profit for the company |
| A．Supportive. | B．Disapproving. | C．Sympathetic. | D．Uncertain. |
| A．Opinion—Argument—Explanation. | B．Opinion—Description—Conclusion. |
| C．Introduction—Analysis—Conclusion. | D．Introduction—Comparison—Examples. |
9 . I'd spent decades telling my girls that their bodies were a means to a long and satisfactory life, not objects to be admired because of how they look. I told them that good health and the energy to enjoy life should be their ultimate goals, not fitting into society's preconceived ideas of what is beautiful.
This year I'm sixty years old. I appear much older than before. This aging body of mine is not the one I expected to have. Looking at the old, fat, wrinkled woman in the mirror, I begin to complain about it. I've actually spent a lifetime focusing on my flaws, constantly complaining about my less-than-perfect self. As I was complaining yet again, my younger daughter told me, “Mom, stop. Stop putting yourself down. This is the body you live in now. It's beautiful because it's yours.” If I'm unwilling to accept my aging self with grace and dignity, how can I possibly expect my girls to do the same when they face these same physical changes?
And then, I learned that a friend of mine, the same age as me, died. At her funeral, her three heartbroken daughters spoke of their mother's devotion, wisdom, and compassion. They never said a single word about her appearance though her body had melted away during her last months. It didn't matter. I left that funeral desperate to hold my own girls in my arms, to kiss them and tell them how much they mean to me , and to promise that I will do better, be better—for them as well as for myself.
And so, to honour the memory of my dear friend and to set a good example to my beloved girls, I promise to love my aging body, and celebrate the gift of being alive.
1. What can we learn about the author from the first two paragraphs?| A．She forgot to listen to her own advice. | B．She was more of a talker than a doer. |
| C．She was unaware of her words’ effects. | D．She was unwilling to accept others’ advice. |
| A．Advantages. | B．Imperfections. | C．Appearances. | D．Treasures. |
| A．Action speaks louder than words. | B．Lies can never change facts. |
| C．Beauty comes from the depths of the soul. | D．Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well. |
| A．Running through Life | B．Rebuilding Your Life |
| C．Remembering to Respect Others | D．Finding Beauty in Ourselves |
10 . “What do you want to be when you grow up?” When I was a kid, I was afraid of the question. I never had a good answer. Grown-ups always seemed terribly disappointed that I wasn’t dreaming of becoming something great, like a film-maker or a spaceman.
In college, I finally realized that I didn’t want to be one thing. I wanted to do many things. So I became an organizational psychologist. My job is to fix other people’s jobs. And I think that asking kids what they want to be does harm to them.
First, the question forces kids to define (界定) themselves in terms of work. When you’re asked what you want to be when you grow up, it’s not socially acceptable to say a “father”, or, a “mother”. This might be one of the reasons that while many parents say that what they value most is to care about others, their kids believe that success is more important. When we define ourselves by our jobs, our worth depends on what we achieve.
The second problem is that it tells kids there is one calling out there for everyone. Although having a calling can bring people joy, research shows that searching for one leaves students feeling lost. After the actor Chris Rock heard a teacher tell high schoolers, they could be anything they want to be, he asked, “Lady, why are you lying to these children?” Maybe four of them could be anything they want to be, but the other 2,000 had better learn how to weld (焊接). He added, “Tell the kids the truth. You can be anything you’re good at.”
I’m all for encouraging kids to dream big. But it is no good asking kids what they want to be. Instead, invite them to think about what kind of person they want to be -- and about all the different things they might want to do.
1. How did the author feel when he was asked the question?| A．Angry. | B．Stupid. |
| C．Uneasy. | D．Disappointed |
| A．Kids may put success first. |
| B．Kids may stop dreaming big. |
| C．It makes kids refuse to grow up. |
| D．It makes kids depend more on others. |
| A．Nobody is perfect. |
| B．Not everyone has a calling. |
| C．Nothing is impossible. |
| D．Nobody can succeed without working hard. |
| A．Teach kids some useful skills. |
| B．Let kids know more about society. |
| C．Encourage kids to try to achieve a lot. |
| D．Ask kids to consider different possibilities. |
