1 . Being outgoing is good for your life. Outgoing people meet lots of interesting people and things in life. In fact, being outgoing is not so hard as you think. Even the shy people can be outgoing.

You can start becoming outgoing with your best friend or a group of friends. But the real challenge comes when you meet strange people or new friends. Smile more, and usually they will return your smile.In this way, you may have some talks.

Start a talk. Just a simple “Hello” or “How is it going” is a good start. If you want to make interesting talks, you should read the news and get ready for your talks. The easiest way to become more outgoing is to go out. This is also the most important step. Go to a park, club, party or any other place that you think can be fun, and you may make new friends there.

1. You should start to be outgoing with________ .

A．your parents	B．your teachers
C．your best friends	D．your new friends

2. When you start a talk with a stranger,you should say________ .

A．What’s the matter?	B．What’s your name?
C．How is it going?	D．Are you healthy?

3. The easiest way to be outgoing is to________ .

A．talk	B．smile
C．Play	D．go out

4. Making new friends can make us________.

A．more outgoing

B．healthier

C．more serious

D．quieter

2 . We are the products of our learning environments — you’re not born to be tidy or messy.     1     There are good reasons to try to become more organized, too, given that living with messiness can cause stress. Here are manageable ways to tidy up your act.

Think about why you want to be tidier

Maybe you want to be able to have friends over at a moment’s notice. Maybe you’re tired of feeling stressed and overwhelmed by mess in your living space or maybe you’re sick of spending time looking for things you should be able to get your hands on quickly.     2    

Decrease the amount of stuff in your home

Most people have too much stuff to manage. You should cut down the amount of your stuff.     3     To make a decision, ask yourself: Is this item worth the space it’s taking up in my home? Does it add value or mess to my daily life?

Create a holding box

While it’s easy to part with things that are broken, outdated, or that you simply don’t use, items connected with your emotion are a tougher call.     4     Use the holding box to offer yourself some time to make the harder choices. Let the items sit there for 24 to 48 hours so you can process your feelings of ambivalence (矛盾) and decide whether you want to save them.

    5    

You may think that putting the mail in a designated basket or hanging up your purse can prevent messes from building up. Actually, what you really need is a mind-set shift, rather than letting your belongings land where they may.

With these efforts, you can maintain your newly tidier, better organized environment.

A．Change your habit

B．Adopt a new attitude

C．Tidiness is a skill that can be learned.

D．It’s a good idea to become better organized or tidier.

E．This is where a holding box or basket can come in handy.

F．Once you desire for tidiness, you’ll have the wish to make it happen.

G．It’s important to decide what you want to keep and what you can give up.

3 . 阅读下列短文，然后根据短文内容回答问题。

The Importance of Time Management

Effective time management is essential for success in both personal and professional life. By managing time efficiently, individuals can prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and reduce stress. Time management skills involve setting goals, creating schedules, and allocating time for specific activities. With good time management, individuals can achieve a better work-life balance and have more time for leisure activities. It also enables them to make the most of their time and increase productivity.

Questions:
1. Why is time management important?
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. What are some benefits of effective time management?
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. What skills are involved in time management?
_______________________________________________________________________________

4 . There are few things more comforting than a hug. It’s a gesture that makes you feel loved, supported, and safe.    1    In fact, for some, even a simple touch on the shoulder can cause them great discomfort. In the event that this is a person close to you, you may have even felt rejected by their attitude. Knowing the reasons behind their behavior will help you understand them. Let’s take a look at some of the possible causes.

    2    

A study has discovered that the degree to which we show physical affection and are comfortable with it depends on how we were raised.    3    However,as a matter of fact, some people who grew up with a lack of physical affection may later try to makeup for it. They’re the ones who always take the initiative and kiss and hug those close to them.

Low self-esteem and insecurity

    4    In fact, it’s been proven that the most insecure people generally feel threatened by being close to others. By marking and keeping their distance, they feel more in control of the situation. In fact, it means they avoid feeling vulnerable. Furthermore, they feel like it saves them from rejection or an emotional bond that’s too intimate.

Trauma (创伤)and abuse

Lastly, if individuals suffered physical abuse in their past, it is highly likely that they may reject any forms of physicaI contact. This rejection is often a result of the deep-seated fear and distrust that has developed within them due to their previous experiences. Indeed,traumatic events and negative experiences, such as physical violence or abuse, can generate a great fear of establishing physical closeness with others    5    

A．Parenting style

B．Fears and panic

C．However, not everyone experiences these pleasant sensations.

D．Those who dislike physical contact may not have strong and healthy self-esteem.

E．For instance, growing up in a loving family encourages children to be open and caring.

F．They may avoid getting close to others due to a panic of dirt, or the spread of certain diseases.

G．Thus, they may adopt a defensive gesture, keeping others at a distance to avoid potential harm.

5 . Can you recall last night’s dream? Were you on an adventure? Did you encounter inspiring people or achieve great things? Are you now feeling energized? Or has a dream left you feeling confused — why were you in the middle of the school football field wearing your pyjamas (睡衣)? And why did no one else seem to notice?

Experts claim that people dream around four to six times every night. While you’re lying in bed sleeping, the brain processes memories, emotions and information that you’ve absorbed throughout the waking day. Sometimes you recall good dreams in the morning; now and again more negative images stay in your mind — something Native Americans were all too aware of, hence their invention of dreamcatchers.

Made from a circular hoop to look like a spider’s web (蜘蛛网), they were thought to bring good luck, especially when placed by a window in a room used for sleeping. Believing the night air to be filled with both positive and negative dreams, tribes (部落) claimed that pleasant ones would easily pass through the hoop, gently going down the attached feathers to comfort the person in bed. Anything upsetting would be trapped by the dreamcatcher’s web, disappearing in the first ray of early light.

Dreamcatchers are thought to be from the Ojibwa and Lakota tribes of America. One legend has it that a mystical female in the tribe was so worried when her children went to various new destinations that she created the dreamcatcher and placed her trust in it to protect them. Only then could she relax, knowing that wherever these children lived, and whatever happened to them, the dreamcatcher would ensure that all the children would sleep soundly. They’d be happy and content, dreaming only sweet dreams.

Dreamcatchers don’t only have to hang in a bedroom window. You could place one in a study where it could help you sift (筛选) your way through future aspirations (抱负). Focus on a dreamcatcher catching the light while thinking about a goal you want to achieve, and if you believe only positive messages can pass through its web, inspiration may strike.

1. Where can you find the reason why people dream?

A．In paragraph 1.

B．In paragraph 2.

C．In paragraph 3.

D．In paragraph 4.

2. What did Native Americans think of dreamcatchers?

A．They helped create positive dreams.

B．They should be used during sleep.

C．They should be made of spider silk.

D．They kept dreamers from bad dreams.

3. What is the last but one paragraph mainly about?

A．The origin of dreamcatchers.

B．The popularity of dreamcatchers.

C．The application of dreamcatchers.

D．The importance of dreamcatchers.

4. What message does the author intend to give in the last paragraph?

A．Goal setting leads to future success.

B．Dreamcatchers are things of the past.

C．Dreamcatchers are more effective than you expect.

D．Positive thinking could help your dream come true.

6 . How to Make Wise Decisions

We make decisions every day; everything we say and do is the result of a decision.     1     However, there are some steps you can follow.

List your options (选择). It may appear that there is only one course of action, but that is not necessarily true. No matter how limited your situation seems, try to make a list of options. Brainstorm, and write down every idea that comes to your mind, as crazy as it may seem. You can always cross it off the list later, but crazy ideas can bring creative solutions. Once you have your list, ask others for suggestions.     2    

Weigh the possible results. For every option, list every possible result, and label (标签) it as positive or negative.     3     You can put a plus sign next to each positive result and a minus sign next to each negative one. Give two pluses or minuses to the best and the worst.

    4     This is the hardest step, but there will hopefully be a decision on your list that is supported by both logic and intuition (直觉). If you still can’t decide, ask for advice from people you trust. If need be, let them be the tie-breakers. It’s better than flipping (掷) a coin.

Carry it out wholeheartedly once you have made a decision. At this stage, don’t let yourself be confused by thinking about all the choices you didn’t pick.

In the end, remember to evaluate your decision afterward.     5     By drawing wisdom from every decision you make, you can ensure that every choice has at least one positive result.

A．Make a choice.

B．Think about who is affected.

C．There is a simple way to do this.

D．Sometimes they can offer the most creative ideas.

E．You should hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

F．There are no easy formulas (公式) for making the right decision.

G．If you don’t evaluate your decision afterward, you won’t learn anything from it.

7 . Travelling is undoubtedly one of the most valuable learning experiences one can have. Whether it’s the people you meet or the things you see, travelling provides more valuable life lessons than school.     1    . Here are four reasons why travelling is such a valuable learning experience:

Travelling forces you out of your comfort zone.

School provides a safe environment where you feel comfortable with people who share similar cultures and backgrounds. Meanwhile, travelling means new foods, cultures, languages, people, and places to explore.     2     And it is a good thing, because it will help you grow as a person.

Travelling allows you to see and experience new ways of life.

    3     Reading about it in a textbook is not the same as living it. Travelling gives you a new perspective(观点) on how you live and helps you understand and appreciate different cultures.

    4    

Moving to a new place far away from home requires you to adapt to a new culture, language, and customs. Overcoming these challenges and accomplishing things you never thought possible will build your confidence and self-esteem(自尊心).

Travelling helps you be comfortable with uncertainty and the unexpected.

If there’s only one thing you can be sure of while travelling, it’s that trips don’t always go according to plans. There are plenty of things that can go wrong and that can force you to change your plans. Travel teaches you to be flexible, go with the flow, and accept uncertainty.     5    

In conclusion, travelling is an enriching experience that provides valuable life lessons that cannot be learned in a classroom. It helps you grow as a person, build confidence, appreciate different cultures, and become more adaptable to change.

A．Travel with an open mind.

B．Travelling helps you build confidence.

C．It pushes you out of your comfort zone.

D．Instead of being told something, you experience it.

E．Travellers love to make plans, but they also like to break them.

F．This skill is necessary in life as plans often change unexpectedly.

G．Nothing compares to experiencing a different way of life firsthand

8 . Rising costs mean many of us are having to cut back on our spending.     1    However, like any food diet, it’s easy to fall back into the previous condition. Then all that work and sacrifice may go down the drain. So how do you avoid messing up all your good work?

●Plan for some treats

The less you have of something, the more you’re likely to desire it, give in and layout a large fortune. And often these treats can be costly.     2    Say it could be a piece of cake rather than a coat, or an off-peak cinema trip rather than a big meal out.

●    3    

We often spend in isolation. What I mean here is that we look at the cost of something and compare it with prices of similar products on the shopping list. For example, £3 on a coffee each day might seem insignificant. But if you work out what the money spent could provide elsewhere, you might rethink your choices. Let’s say you need £300 for a holiday, and six months of not buying a coffee could save you the money for your trip. Will you change your mind?

●Take away the temptation

    4    A takeaway is the perfect example. All you need to do is switch on your cellphone and tapa few buttons. But it is so expensive. Yet the opposite of this isn’t necessarily cooking from scratch. You can prepare for those lazy evenings by cooking in advance and freezing the leftovers. You only need to defrost a few portions when it’s time to eat.

●Cancel your Amazon Prime (付费会员)

Many think of Amazon’s membership scheme as a money saver—and it does sometimes offer extra discounts. But don’t forget you have paid for this already with the £79 annual fee and the “free” delivery can actually remove an important barrier when shopping     5    .

A．Compare your priorities

B．Keep an account of small items

C．Many people find it hard to change consumption habits.

D．Some of our favorite treats are the ones that require little effort.

E．Travelling less or shipping down a brand seems relatively painless.

F．The extra step of choosing shipping could be enough to make you think twice.

G．But choosing alternative rewards costing less can give you the same spending pleasure.

9 . Life is what you make it. What is more, you only get one, so you do need to make it the very best you can. Here are some tips on how to increase the quality of your life.

    1    

It is great to have something to think about that takes you into another world. Hobbies are perfect for giving you something different to do that you enjoy. If you love to read,   devote time to just sitting with a book and losing yourself in an imaginary world.

Learn a skill.

Learning a new skill is one of the most satisfying things you can do.     2     Whether it’s learning a foreign language or playing a musical instrument, there will be a class near your home.

Look good.

    3     Take a shower, sort out your hair, and put on the clothes that make you feel special. Going into each day feeling clean, and well-dressed is the best rise to your confidence and self-esteem.

Help others.

One of the best ways of creating positivity is to help other people. Not only do you feel good about yourself, but other people will benefit from your joining. You might offer to help to do some gardening for an older person.     4    

Eat healthily.

Diet is important to keep healthy and increase the quality of your life.     5     Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, drink lots of water, and avoid too much red meat.

A．Take up a hobby.

B．Make a reading plan.

C．A great way to learn a skill is to join a class.

D．Aim for a low-fat diet if you are worried about adding weight.

E．Every one of us feels better when we make an effort to look good.

F．Start a day by focusing on what to do, then make a list for that day.

G．Helping others will make you feel that you have something to offer the world.

10 . Nikos was an ordinary man. He went through life accepting the mixture of good things and bad things. He never looked for any explanation or reason about why things happened just the way they did.

One morning Nikos woke up. He started to shave, as he did every morning, but then he noticed that the mirror on the bathroom wall wasn’t quite straight. He tried to adjust it, but as soon as he touched it, the mirror fell off the wall and hit the floor with a huge crash. It broke into a thousand pieces. Nikos knew that some people thought this was unlucky. “Seven years’ bad luck,” they said, “when a mirror broke.” But Nikos didn’t care.

After that he went to make himself a sandwich, which needed some tomato sauce. When he picked up a jar of tomato sauce, it fell from his hand. Tomato sauce was everywhere. Some people, he knew, thought that this was also supposed to bring bad luck. But Nikos didn’t care.

On his way to work, he saw a black cat running away from him. He didn’t care.

Even though Nikos wasn’t superstitious, he thought that something bad was certain to happen to him today. He told everybody at work what had happened. “Something bad will happen to you today,” they all said. But nothing bad happened to him.

That evening, his friend thought Nikos was going to have bad things. However, whatever they played, Nikos won. “Go on then, Nikos,” his friend shouted, “use all the money you have won to buy some lottery tickets!” Nikos did it. The next day, everybody was watching the draw for the lottery on TV. The first number came out, for the third prize. It was Nikos’ number. Then the second number, for the second prize. It was Nikos’ number. Then the first prize. It was Nikos’ number as well.

He WON all three of the big lottery prizes!

1. The following things are thought of as the signs of unluck EXCEPT ________.

A．A black cat	B．A sandwich with tomato sauce
C．A broken mirror	D．Spilt tomato sauce

2. What does the underlined word “superstitious” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．Not studying or looking at things thoroughly.

B．Controlling bad luck to become good fortune.

C．Believing certain events bring good or bad luck.

D．Taking actions to keep bad things from occurring.

3. Why did Nikos’ friend recommend him to buy lottery tickets?

A．To test his luck.	B．To change his fortune.
C．To bring in more money.	D．To use up all the money.

4. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Nikos went to great lengths to know what lay behind all the things.

B．The mirror on the bathroom wall broke into pieces out of no reason.

C．The occasional things failed to convince Nikos of the coming bad luck.

D．Nikos’ story tells what happens in life has nothing to do with the evil signs.