1 . How We Talk about Fear Matters

Lately, there seems to be plenty to fear in the world. How we talk about what we fear might offer clues to how we perceive that emotion socially and culturally.

Get the root of fear.

    1    . In Anglo Saxon times, “fear” primarily referred to sudden danger. The root of the word dates back to “pēr” from Indo-European about 6,000 years ago. This root suggests that fear developed from a sudden (frightening) experience you passed through.

Figure out the emotional meaning of fear.

Whether emotions are viewed positively or negatively varies from culture to culture.    2     . For instance, in English, the word “anxious” can be used to mean “worried” or “eager”. But the word meaning “anxious” just means “regret” in Dargwa. Therefore, many English speakers may not view anxiety as negatively as Dargwa speakers.

Find out a fearful pattern.

In looking at such patterns across the major language families, researchers found that the word “fear” was often associated with anxiety, envy and grief in Indo-European languages. But in Austronesian languages, “fear” more often was associated with surprise.     3     .

    4    

How we talk about fear changes how we react to it. When we talk about what frightens us, it may be useful to disrupt associated meanings. In addition, how our language categorizes an emotion seems to impact whether we perceive those emotions negatively or positively.

In conclusion, fear is something that can be changed by cultural and linguistic experience.    5     . Perhaps Roosevelt was right when he in famously said “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

A．Talk more about fears

B．Change our perception of fear

C．The word fear has a long history in English

D．There seemed a fearful pattern across the major language families

E．This is based on what people have learned to associate with emotion words

F．It opens the door to potential ways to change how we talk about and react to it

G．This makes speakers of the latter languages associate this emotion with a less negative sense

2 . Winter goes and summer comes. The tides_______; the tides withdraw. All nature is a circle of moods and I am a_______of nature. It is one of nature’s_______, little understood, that each day I_______with moods that have changed from yesterday. Inside me is a wheel,_______turning. Like the flowers, today’s full blossom will_______, yet I will remember today’s dead flower carries the seed of tomorrow’s blossom.

And how will I master these emotions so that each day will be_______? Trees and plants depend on the weather to_______, but I make my own weather. I_______it with me. If I bring enthusiasm to my customers, they will________with enthusiasm and my weather will produce a harvest of sales and a lot of gold for me. I will learn this secret: weak is he who permits his thoughts to control his actions; strong is he who________his actions to control his thoughts. Each day I will follow this plan of battle before I am________by the forces of sadness,________and failure. I will know only those with inferior(较次的) ability can always be________, and I am not inferior. If I feel depressed I will sing. If I feel________I will remember my goals.Yet, some emotions approach me with a smile, which can also destroy me. If I become overly proud, I will remember my weaknesses. If I feel my skill is________, I will look at the stars.

With this new knowledge I will make________of a person’s anger of today, for he doesn’t know the secret of controlling his mind. No longer will I judge a man on one________. This secret will be my key to great wealth. From this moment I am________to control whatever personality awakes in me each day. I will control my fate, which is to become the greatest________in the world!

1.

A．advance

B．disappear

C．exist

D．fall

2.

A．native

B．colleague

C．supporter

D．part

3.

A．jokes

B．secrets

C．experiences

D．awards

4.

A．break in

B．wake up

C．take off

D．give out

5.

A．constantly

B．temporarily

C．casually

D．elegantly

6.

A．appear

B．blow

C．fade

D．spread

7.

A．anxious

B．natural

C．additional

D．productive

8.

A．sow

B．grow

C．separate

D．shelter

9.

A．fold

B．follow

C．carry

D．load

10.

A．react

B．review

C．recite

D．repeat

11.

A．obtains

B．regards

C．allows

D．observes

12.

A．chosen

B．seized

C．received

D．witnessed

13.

A．self-awareness

B．self-control

C．self-esteem

D．self-pity

14.

A．behind the scene

B．on the bottom line

C．at the end of the rope

D．out of sight

15.

A．insignificant

B．improper

C．impolite

D．unconscious

16.

A．concrete

B．inadequate

C．abstract

D．unmatched

17.

A．use

B．fun

C．sure

D．sense

18.

A．view

B．meeting

C．experiment

D．idiom

19.

A．limited

B．reserved

C．prepared

D．afraid

20.

A．salesman

B．player

C．architect

D．designer

3 . Your emotion helps you make sense of the world. At the core of an emotion is a subjective experience of the valence of it — what emotion scientists call “affect” (情感). Generally speaking, affect is what we are most focused on. Do you have chocolate cake in front of you? That’s good! Do you see a spider on the table! That’s bad!

Your affective reactions tell you which experiences are desirable, and which aren’t, but the total emotional experience includes all you do and think. You can learn a lot by observing and describing them. You can also learn a lot by appreciating their secret life.

The problem is: the affective features of emotions tend to dominate. Our subjective valence of emotion is almost all we can see. When emotions are only about what is pleasant or unpleasant in subjective experience right now, the more important features of emotion disappear.

If you can slow down and expand; if you stop running or clinging (沉浸其中) and adopt a sense of curiosity, emotions become more subtle and different. When fear comes up, don’t walk away so that fear dissipates. Instead, stay. Allow yourself to feel the nervousness, the sweating, and everything else that comes along with it. It is one of the hardest things to do in life, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. If you run, you are telling basic parts of your brain, “I guess this threat really was real. I better stay away from it.” You are training yourself to fear, regardless of that situation. If you cling, you are saying, “Escape from this emotion is a threat”, and since it is not a happy experience, happiness slips through your hands like sand.

Note that you can not fool yourself. Just allow the full emotion. You will never enter into their secret life until you stop running or clinging. To control your life, you need to actively train your emotions to be your ally (同盟). Observe. Describe. Appreciate. Do that and you may find you have allies for healthy living that were there all along.

1. Why does the author mention “chocolate cake” and “spider” in paragraph 1?

A．To explain the complex response of emotions.

B．To show the subjective experience of emotions.

C．To indicate the goodness and badness of the world.

D．To emphasize the significance of emotions in life.

2. What is the consequence if you just focus on your present feelings?

A．The present feelings are less obvious.

B．The subjective emotions are less powerful.

C．The overall picture of emotions is easier to ignore.

D．The observation and description of emotions are easier.

3. What does the underlined word “dissipates” in Paragraph 4 probably refer to?

A．Deepens.

B．Spreads.

C．Disappears.

D．Sticks.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The secret of emotions.	B．The subjective experience.
C．The importance of allies in life.	D．Magical functions of emotions.

4 . Shyness is normal and it is not considered as a mental problem. All people have been shy at one time or another. Even the most confident people experienced being shy.     1    .

You probably are wondering why you are shy. It may be because of the environment you were used to or the way you were brought up. Certain events or incidents in the past may also lead to the reason why you are shy now.     2     Most shy people have shy parents and relatives and it is not surprising to find out that they too have become shy persons.

One of the negative sides of being shy is having the tendency to be passive. Most of the time shy people can’t stand up for themselves and what they believe is right.     3    This apparently influences their social life as well as work, family and other aspects of their life.

While shyness has negative aspects, it has positive sides. Shy people are usually good observers and do not get themselves into too much trouble because they try to observe their environment or any situation before they act.     4     They can also make great friends. Since they have difficulties in social scenes, making friends seems to be a must. Therefore, they value their friends wholeheartedly and have proven to be loyal and thoughtful friends.

    5     Some of them born with shy parents have successfully battled against being shy. This contributes to their constant self-improvement, developing self-esteem and trying to be exposed to new environments.

A．But in most cases, shyness proves to be genetic.

B．They are sensitive and accustomed to getting suspicious.

C．Because some people are born to be shy, they let it go hang.

D．So if you’re feeling shy, don’t worry because you are not alone.

E．They are not hot-headed and think twice before making any decisions.

F．Although shyness is something from birth, it can be improved over time.

G．They avoid crowds by nature and stay away from groups and social interactions.