1 . Faced with setbacks large and small, you feel like your life is always taking a turn for the worse. You aren’t superstitious(迷信), but you begin to wonder—    1     Why does it seem like you can never catch a break?

What is luck?

    2     First, we often use the term luck as synonymous with “chance”; we may call it lucky to win at a slot machine(老虎机), although it’s actually a random event. Another way to frame luck is as a supernatural force that exists in the universe. Third, it can be thought of as a personal feature: It’s just something that you’re born with.

On the other hand, considering yourself lucky or unlucky is a way of seeing yourself which then has impact on how you behave and how you think and becomes a self-fulfilling prediction.     3     And it has “existed” for ages, even with our amount of science and technology, it’s something deep within us that realizes our lives are ruled by chance, and we’re trying to do something to get control over that. When people feel less in control of their lives, then people often search for supernatural explanations.

How to think about luck?

The first thing to understand is that a person’s position in society contributes to their concept of luck. For example, The circumstances you’re born into, the society you’re born into, the genetic makeup you’re handed.     4     Aside from these limits, however, there are steps you can take to improve your luck.

After studying people who consider themselves lucky or unlucky, experts have found that the “lucky” ones maximize chance opportunities and dare to follow their intuition to grasp those moments. If you are relaxed and happy, your world view becomes bigger and you see more opportunities.     5    

A．People define luck in three ways.

B．So, in a sense, it absolutely does exist.

C．Could you just be an unlucky person?

D．Are you the luckiest person in the world?

E．All these things are outside of your control.

F．Good things happen to you because of your own efforts or abilities.

G．If you’re a flexible person, you’ll make the most of those opportunities.

2 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Where does this conversation take place?

A．On the phone.

B．In a cinema.

C．In a hospital.

2. What will Judy do before she visits a doctor on Saturday?

A．Watch a movie.

B．Clean her room.

C．Go boating.

3. When will Judy reach Monica’s house?

A．At 1：00 p. m.

B．At 1：30 p. m.

C．At 2：00 p. m.

3 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Why does the speaker join the gym?

A．To meet new friends.

B．To lose weight.

C．To keep fit.

2. What does the speaker say about the gym?

A．It is owned by the company he works for.

B．It is large and has kinds of machines.

C．It is expensive to join the gym.

3. How long does the speaker usually exercise on the rowing machine?

A．10 minutes.

B．20 minutes.

C．30 minutes.

4. What will the speaker exercise if he wants to exercise more?

A．His arms.

B．His back.

C．His legs.

4 . Minimalism is characterized by extreme simplicity. The essence of it is learning to live with fewer material possessions while still being content land at peace with oneself. Its advantages have been recognized by a wide range of people.    1    Here are a few steps you may take to get going.

Set your minimalist goals.    2    What are your goals? What exactly are you seeking — a cleaner home, mental clarity, or something else? Writing down your ideas and emotions will help you come up with a set of motivations. Even better, make a vision board to describe the result you seek. If you get off track, they can help you get back on track.

    3    If is a crucial step to tidy up your area. Take away anything that is broken, useless, or no longer makes you happy. Get rid of the most obvious clutter. Next, make certain that everything you possess, has a home for. As a result, everything seems neater and you can further reduce your belongings.

Work, room by room. Breaking down the de-cluttering process into small steps is a smart idea.    4    This may be the messiest or the room you spend the most time in the house. Go through everything you have in this area slowly, which will serve as a source of inspiration for the rest of your home once you’ve finished the first room.

Final reflections. Keep in mind, simplicity requires patience and effort. Minimalism had to be born, not out of a short-lived idea or longing for a new lifestyle, but from a sincere desire and strong need to rethink our lives.    5    

A．Remove your belongings.

B．Clean up your own space.

C．Decide why you choose to go on minimalism.

D．Choose the space that gives you the greatest trouble.

E．However, it can be difficult to start living a simple life.

F．Anyway, we must develop our own brand of minimalism.

G．The basic goal is to live a life that is peaceful and stress free.

5 . What is the man doing?

A．Taking a road test.

B．Practicing driving.

C．Learning driving rules.

6 . What time is the man’s meeting?

A．2:10 p.m.

B．2:20 p.m.

C．2:30 p.m.

7 . Budgeting gets a bad reputation. The first image that comes to most people’s mind is dieting or limits. However, it is an inaccurate picture.     1     It might give power to make right decisions about money for you.

Tracking where your money is going is a good first step. And these following tips will help you reduce spending and save more in your life.

Don’t budget just because you think you should.

If you’re budgeting because you think it’s what responsible grown-ups do, that’s not super-concrete or motivational.     2     For example, you will budget in order to pay off student loans or save for a vacation. Now you have a reason to say no to that $50 dinner, because you have something to say yes to now.

    3    

When you get started, try the guidelines that theprofessors helped develop. The largest portion, 50%, of take-home income should go toward basic living expenses such as housing and groceries. Then 30% for discretionary expenses, like entertainment and clothes; and 20% for savings and paying down debt.

Use the power of shortage.

With credit cards and overdraft protections, you’ve gotten really used to the idea that you never run out of money. But having a sense of shortage can be helpful when you’re trying to save. You were probably careful about how you spent that $5 from babysitting when you were a kid.     4     Try setting aside a certain amount of money for each budgeting category every month. Otherwise, when you run out, it’s out.

Find a roommate to share.

    5     Housing, food and transportation are usually the biggest expenses. If you get a considerate roommate, it will save you so much money. In a sense, a roommate is worth a thousand coffees. Though it is obviously a hard decision to make, it gives you more bang for your buck.

A．Follow the 50-30-20 method.

B．Use a budgeting app that works for you.

C．This is because once you did, it was gone.

D．Set a specific goal that has meaning to you.

E．Budgeting is not about being controlled but about being liberated.

F．You are flexible enough to make arrangements like how a team plays.

G．You are unlikely to reach your budget goal just by cutting back on coffees.

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the purpose of the woman’s visit?

A．To purchase electronic equipment.

B．To hire an advertising agency.

C．To rent a recording studio.

2. What do we know about Mr.Crank?

A．He has been relocated to another branch.

B．He has started a new company.

C．He has changed professions.

3. What does the man suggest the woman do in the end?

A．Listen to some music.

B．Talk with Penelope Cage.

C．Leave her contact information.

9 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why does the man go to see the woman?

A．To wake her up.

B．To repair the computer.

C．To repair the clocks.

2. Which clock has the right time?

A．The red one.

B．The black one.

C．The white one.

3. What do we know about the woman’s clocks?

A．There’s something wrong.

B．They show different times.

C．They are quite expensive.

10 . 运用下列写作词汇,自己创设一个语境,形成一个小语段。(3~5句)
fit,slim,diet,work out,athlete,failure,make it,determination,lose heart,give up,make sense,rather than,make a difference,positive,set an example
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