Living a life with meaning and purpose is the key to improving your psychological well-being.Your purpose doesn't
Thinking positively
2 . When Rebecca Saxon was diagnosed with cancer at the young age of 27，she thought her life was over. But in her darkest hour，inspiration struck and she found a way of turning her misfortune into advantage.
Following her cancer treatment， Rebecca launched a successful business “Something Blue Bridal Shoes”—a unique range of wedding footwear，which came out of the fashion pictures she drew while recovering in her hospital bed.
Rebecca，from London，says，“I started designing wedding shoes with blue soles (鞋底) when I was halfway through my cancer treatment. I had a hit when I was diagnosed with cancer but I decided that I was going to pick myself up and fight this cancer. The pictures were my release and the way I got through the many hours spent in a hospital room. I had no idea what was going to happen to me， but I knew I had to be positive if I was going to overcome this treatment. I told myself this was not going to be the end for me. I decided to fight with my negative feelings and start drawing.”
Rebecca had always loved fashion since she was younger. Several of her friends were getting married at the time when she was ill. “So at first，I would be drawing designs for wedding dresses and other clothes. But then I started drawing wedding footwear—designing shoes with blue soles which were very comfortable too. I thought it would be a lovely way of combining the ‘something old，something new，something borrowed，something blue’ tradition. Drawing really helped me deal with my treatment，” said the brave girl.
With the encouragement of her boyfriend，she turned her dreams into her reality and set up “Something Blue Bridal Shoes” ． Each beautiful shoe has a blue sole ， combining the age-old tradition of what a bride should wear at her wedding for good luck.
1. What did Rebecca Saxon do when she was recovering in the hospital?| A．Draw fashion pictures. |
| B．Prepare for her marriage. |
| C．Donate money to charities. |
| D．Found a company. |
| A．She has designed several wedding dresses for her friends. |
| B．Drawing designs helped her fight with her negative feelings. |
| C．Her boyfriend invested all of his savings in her business. |
| D．She started making shoes before she was diagnosed with cancer. |
| A．make the shoes more colorful |
| B．express good wishes to the bride |
| C．let the bride feel comfortable |
| D．show her preference for blue |
| A．face difficulties bravely | B．treasure what they have |
| C．hold fast to their dreams | D．help those in need selflessly |
3 . At first glance, the business world is no place for young women. as my cofounders and I have been told on many occasions. In spite of this pessimistic view of women's opportunity in business, We three college-age girl with zero experience in business started off with a highly ambitious goal: to start a seaweed farm in North Carolina, and grow as much seaweed as possible to help reduce carbon emissions（排放）and nutrient pollution from agricultural sources.
In the beginning, our ideas were either ignored or scoffed by the researchers from whom we sought help and advice. But we carried on with our research-if others wouldn`t provide us answers, we weren't afraid to try to work them out ourselves. We discovered which species could grow in warmer waters, and we'd identified potential markets into which we planned to sell the product. We've spent the last two years setting up the first seaweed farm in NC, applying for a patent（专利）and competing with five final teams in front of the United Nations for $ 1million.
Despite all of our efforts, many industry experts remained unwilling to take us seriously. But as often happens in business, the same characteristics we were ignored for were, in reality, our biggest competitive advantage. Our age gave us the strength to bounce back from failure, and our background as environmental scientists, rather than businesswomen, helped us find new marketing opportunities. For every 10 farmers who claimed nobody would ever want to feed their cows seaweed, we found one who was interested. For every 15 cosmetics producers who refused to answer our cold calls, we stuck to the one with an interesting idea for a seaweed lotion.
Over the course of our early business development efforts, we have had access to a wealth of resources, programs, and individuals who work constantly to help us succeed. By staying focused on bringing our ideas to light, our team has demonstrated that entrepreneurship（创业）is exactly the right place for the hopeful.
1. What was the major cause for their difficultly in starting business?| A．They were women. | B．They were young. |
| C．They lacked experience. | D．They suffered prejudice. |
| A．They expanded their seaweed farms. |
| B．They experimented on seaweed species. |
| C．They got their product officially recognized. |
| D．They consulted the United Nations. |
| A．How they benefited from their weaknesses. |
| B．How they got others interested in seaweed. |
| C．How they made themselves more competitive. |
| D．How they approached potential customers. |
| A．Naive and simple-minded. | B．Ambitious and self-centered. |
| C．Adventurous and persistent. | D．Stubborn and courageous. |
4 . When we are kids, we don’t know what we will overcome. At the age of thirteen, I fell ill. This illness lasted three years and I missed a lot of schooling. Doctors tried their best to help me as much as possible, but in the end this was something I just had to be used to. I felt little hope in life. However, in my junior year of high school, I had a turning point. I discovered my gift for writing and then I realized if I continued to let this problem hold me back, my dream would never come true. So my state of mind changed. Going through the difficulty also gave me the strong desire to write. Writing what mattered most to me helped me overcome what sickened me.
During my freshman and sophomore (高中二年级的) year I did not learn much due to illness. So I became focused and determined and actually completed high school in two years instead of four. At the close of my junior year, I had straight A’s and became an honor roll student. Seeing what I had accomplished, I realized that having disadvantages doesn’t mean it is impossible to achieve success.
By becoming a writer, I’ve become a reader. While performing community service at the library, I read to those who are less fortunate and unable to read. From pre-school children to the elderly, I enjoy my time reading to people of all ages. It is pleasing to see the awesome expressions on their faces as the words become a vision in their minds. Giving back is one of the greatest gifts you could give in life. It inspires me to write something people can learn from.
1. How did the author feel when she got ill?| A．Optimistic. | B．Nervous. |
| C．Hopeless. | D．Calm. |
| A．Her efforts in study. | B．Her talent for writing. |
| C．The change of her dream. | D．The desire to read to others. |
| A．Missing schooling due to illness. | B．Becoming an honor roll student. |
| C．Having a negative state of mind. | D．Failing to take exercise regularly. |
| A．The author enjoys imagining things. |
| B．The author encourages others to read for life. |
| C．The author wants to benefit others by writing. |
| D．The author prefers to be a reader rather than a writer. |
5 . When I was a boy I dreamed of my future. I was going to be a cowboy. Then I dreamed of being a fire fighter and
That dream, of course, didn’t
It is only in the NOW that we can truly live. Our dreams for the future are just that:
| A．liberating | B．carrying | C．rescuing | D．supporting |
| A．wait | B．stop | C．stay | D．rest |
| A．remained | B．matched | C．broke | D．changed |
| A．retired | B．married | C．succeeded | D．divorced |
| A．certain | B．firm | C．promising | D．professional |
| A．silent | B．gentle | C．secure | D．uncertain |
| A．lose | B．happen | C．produce | D．destroy |
| A．recognize | B．appreciate | C．conclude | D．realize |
| A．hope | B．fantasy | C．fable | D．vision |
| A．precious | B．favorite | C．common | D．popular |
| A．activity | B．movement | C．life | D．business |
| A．realities | B．dreams | C．purposes | D．treasures |
| A．famous | B．serious | C．impressive | D．important |
| A．replaced | B．followed | C．recovered | D．reviewed |
| A．picked up | B．broken up | C．made up | D．put up |
6 . I never thought I would go far from home. I was an ordinary high school student from a working-class family，and I didn’t think traveling the world was in the cards for me. For my undergraduate and doctor degree，I only applied to universities within an hour of my hometown in the United Kingdom. Staying at the same university seemed like the safe option. A few years later，as I was considering a postdoc（博士后），I once again wanted to stay close to home，in the comfort of my Ph. D. lab. But I hope to run my own lab one day，and I knew that seeing a different approach to science would be valuable.
I heard about a fellowship program in Japan that sounded like a good fit. The flexibility of the program appealed to me. I could choose how long I would be there-rom as little as a month to as month as a year-long enough to experience a new place, learn and get some msearch done but short enough to make the experience less scary. I thought of it almost as a holiday, somewhat like going to a conference in an interesting far-off place.
But when I was accepted, the head of the group I was going to join wanted me to stay for the full year. I hesitated. After much thought, I worked up my courage and signed on for the year-knowing that, if things went badly. I could come home earlier.
Almost everything was different from what I was used to, but getting used to these differences was easier than I had expected. Eating out with my labmates offers a great communicative opportunity. Talking with my new colleagues about their experiences conducting mearch in other countries helped open my eyes to new ways of doing things.
After my fellowship, I thought I would leave Japan to do a postdoc elsewhere. But when my fellowship adviser offered me a longer-term position in his lab. I couldn’t say no. This time,though,it wasn’t because I was afraid to go somewhere new. It was because I wanted to take advantage of an exciting opportunity. After the jump I took with fellowship. I now feel I can do anything.
1. What can we infer about the author from paragraph 1?| A．He was a typical in doors man. |
| B．He always worried too much. |
| C．He suffered serious homesickness. |
| D．He liked to stay in familiar places. |
| A．The friendly labmates. |
| B．The fun-filled holiday. |
| C．The handsome starting salary. |
| D．The flexible working schedule. |
| A．slightly different |
| B．very challenging |
| C．easier than thought |
| D．dull and predicable |
| A．Learning Happens in a Comfort Zone-4. |
| B．When in Japan. Do As the Japanese Do |
| C．Leaving Comfort Zone Can Be Rewarding |
| D．The Longest Joumey Begins with the First step |
7 . “Growth requires discomfort．If you stick with what is
—Thomas Oppong．
Many people agree that the magic starts to
For me，one of the most important things we should always keep in mind is that，by no means，can
Five years ago，I decided to move overseas and I haven’t lived in the United States since．All throughout high school，I wanted to live in a Latin American
I currently still live here，and I can personally say that
| A．realistic | B．reasonable | C．sensible | D．comfortable |
| A．giving in | B．bringing out | C．giving up | D．putting off |
| A．face | B．offer | C．solve | D．value |
| A．happen | B．disappear | C．change | D．continue |
| A．into | B．through | C．beyond | D．after |
| A．it | B．what | C．that | D．who |
| A．ever | B．never | C．always | D．already |
| A．failure | B．difficulty | C．pleasure | D．growth |
| A．museum | B．forest | C．country | D．workshop |
| A．easy | B．severe | C．simple | D．full |
| A．slim | B．big | C．pure | D．fair |
| A．trip | B．ticket | C．road | D．course |
| A．when | B．how | C．which | D．where |
| A．started | B．finished | C．quitted | D．wasted |
| A．recognizing | B．designing | C．ignoring | D．commenting |
| A．reality | B．habit | C．desire | D．routine |
| A．doubt | B．satisfaction | C．responsibility | D．discomfort |
| A．freely | B．differently | C．absently | D．safely |
| A．turned over | B．turned up | C．turned out | D．turned down |
| A．experience | B．project | C．appointment | D．lesson |
8 . When we think of leadership, we often think of strength and power. But what are these really, and how do they operate?
Leadership today is not about forcing others to do things. If this is even possible, it is short-term, and tends to backfire. If you order someone to do something against their will, they may do it because they feel they must, but the anger they feel will do more harm in the long-term. They will also experience fear.
Fear causes the thinking brain to shut down, making the person unable to function at his or her best. If they associate you with this emotion of fear, they will become less functional around you, and you will have succeeded in not only shooting yourself in the foot, but possibly making a very good employee or partner unable to perform effectively. Fear has no place in leadership.
The way we influence people in a lasting way is by our own character, and our understanding and use of emotion. We can order someone to do something, which may be part of the work day; or we can employ them at the emotional level, so they became fully devoted to the projects and provide some of their own motivation (积极性). Today’s work place is all about relationships. Anyone works harder in a positive environment in which they’re recognized and valued as a human being as well as a worker. Everyone produces just a bit more for someone they like. Leaders understand the way things work. They know the pay check is not the single most motivating factor (因素) in the work life of most people.
The true strength of leadership is an inner strength that comes from the confidence of emotional intelligence---knowing your own emotions, and how to handle them, and those of others. Developing your emotional intelligence is the single best thing you can do if you want to develop your relationships with people around you, which is the key to the leadership skills.
1. The underlined phrase “shooting oneself in the foot” means _____ in this passage.| A．throw or walk in a specific direction or towards a specific objective |
| B．to injure or harm one's own interests |
| C．to move or pass suddenly or swiftly |
| D．to grow forth from the ground |
| A．People tend to associate leadership with fear. |
| B．Working conditions affect people’s physical health. |
| C．Good relationship is the key to business success. |
| D．Smart people are more functional in the work place. |
| A．hide his own emotion of fear | B．provide better suggestions |
| C．give his employees a pay raise | D．develop his own personality |
| A．provide a variety of project for employees |
| B．help raise employees’ living standards |
| C．deal wisely with employees’ emotions |
| D．give employees’ specific instructions（指导） |
9 . When writing the story of your life, don’t let someone else hold the pen.
Live happily in your own way. You are not in this world to live up to the expectations of others, nor should you feel that others are here to live up to yours. What success means to each of us is totally different. Success to others may mean being a good parent. Success is only about spending your life happily in your own way.
Embrace (信奉) new ideas, lessons, and challenges. Sometimes growing up means growing apart from old habits, relationships, and situations, and finding something new that truly moves you.
Live honorably through kindness. If you live honorably, no matter how old you get, you’ll never lose your beauty.
Spend quality time with people you love.
| A．Lost time is never found again. |
| B．Appreciate the little things in life that mean a lot. |
| C．Change your path when you must, but keep moving forward. |
| D．There is nothing more wonderful than seeing life as an adventure. |
| E．For others, it may mean to simply be happy or it can be all of the above. |
| F．And remember, there is no better thing than reaching out and holding the hand of someone in need. |
| G．Make wise choices every day because the way you live each day is a sentence in the story of your life. |
10 . Would you BET on the future of this man? He is 53 years old. Most of his adult life has been a losing struggle against debt and misfortune. A war injury has made his left hand stop functioning, and he has often been in prison. Driven by heaven-knows-what motives, he determines to write a book.
The book turns out to be one that has appealed to the world for more than 350 years. That former prisoner was Cervantes, and the book was Don Quixote（《堂吉诃德》）. And the story poses an interesting question: why do some people discover new vitality and creativity to the end of their days, while others go to seed long before?
We’ve all known people who run out of steam before they reach life’s halfway mark. I’m not talking about those who fail to get to the top. We can’t all get there. I’m talking about people who have stopped learning on growing because they have adopted the fixed attitudes and opinions that all too often come with passing years.
Most of us, in fact, progressively narrow the variety of our lives. We succeed in our field of specialization and then become trapped in it. Nothing surprises us. We lose our sense of wonder. But, if we are willing to learn, the opportunities are everywhere.
The things we learn in maturity seldom involve information and skills. We learn to bear with the things we can’t change. We learn to avoid self-pity. We learn that however much we try to please, some people are never going to love us—an idea that troubles at first but is eventually relaxing.
With high motivation and enthusiasm, we can keep on learning. Then we will know how important it is to have meaning in our life. However, we can achieve meaning only if we have made a commitment to something larger than our own little egos(自我), whether to loved ones, to fellow humans, to work, or to some moral concept.
Many of us equate(视……等同于) “commitment” with such “caring” occupations as teaching and nursing. But doing any ordinary job as well as one can is in itself an admirable commitment. People who work toward such excellence—whether they are driving a truck, or running a store—make the world better just by being the kind of people they are. They’ve learned life’s most valuable lesson.
1. The passage starts with the story of Cervantes to show that ________.| A．loss of freedom stimulates one’s creativity |
| B．age is not a barrier to achieving one’s goal |
| C．misery inspires a man to fight against his fate |
| D．disability cannot stop a man’s pursuit of success |
| A．End one’s struggle for liberty. |
| B．Waste one’s energy taking risks. |
| C．Miss the opportunity to succeed. |
| D．Lose the interest to continue learning. |
| A．Those who dare to try often get themselves trapped. |
| B．Those who tend to think back can hardly go ahead. |
| C．Opportunity favors those with a curious mind. |
| D．Opportunity awaits those with a cautious mind. |
| A．A tough man can tolerate suffering. |
| B．A wise man can live without self-pity. |
| C．A man should try to satisfy people around him. |
| D．A man should learn suitable ways to deal with life. |
| A．To provide guidance on leading a meaningful adult life. |
| B．To stress the need of shouldering responsibilities at work. |
| C．To state the importance of generating motivation for learning. |
| D．To suggest a way of pursuing excellence in our lifelong career. |
