1 . Helping others is not only good for them but a good thing to do. It also makes us happier and healthier too. Giving also connects us to others, creating stronger communities and helping to build a happier society for everyone. So if you want to feel good, do good!
Doing things for others-whether small, unplanned acts or regular volunteering—is a powerful way to increase our own happiness as well of those around us. The people we help may be strangers, family, friends, colleagues or neighbors. They can be old or young, nearby or far away.
Giving isn’t just about money, so you don’t need to be rich. Giving to others can be as simple as a single kind word, smile or a thoughtful gesture. It can include giving time, energy, care, skills, thought or attention. Sometimes these mean as much, if not more, than financial gifts.
Scientific studies show that helping others boosts happiness. It increases life satisfaction, provides a sense of meaning, increases feelings of ability, improves our mood and reduces stress. It can help to take our minds off our own troubles too.
Kindness towards others is the glue which connects individual happiness with wider community and social wellbeing. Giving to others helps us connect with people and meets one of our basic human needs-relatedness.
Kindness seems to be contagious (传染性的). When we see someone do something kind or thoughtful, or we are on the receiving end of kindness, it inspires us to be kinder ourselves. In this way, kindness spreads from one person to the next, influencing the behavior of people who never saw the original act. Kindness really is the key to creating a happier, more trusting local community.
1. Why can giving help to build a happier society?A.It can bring confidence. | B.It can connect us to others. |
C.It can make us healthy. | D.It can make us rich. |
A.Helping others makes our trouble disappear forever. |
B.We feel more content with life by helping others. |
C.Helping others removes a sense of meaning. |
D.We feel no stress by helping others. |
A.Kindness. | B.Health. | C.Happiness. | D.Wealth. |
A.Helping others is good for ourselves. | B.We should learn to give. |
C.Helping others matters. | D.Kindness is a good virtue. |
2 . Tips to help you overcome people-pleasing
Considering other people’s feelings and treating them with kindness is something we strive to do.
When this happens, people-pleasing has crossed the line from kind and generous to self-abandonment — not being the authentic self because we’re afraid others will disapprove, criticize, or reject us. Here are tips for you to overcome such behaviors.
Self-care is a necessity, not a luxury. It’s not something you do if you have time or if you deserve it. Taking care of your emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical needs keeps you healthy. Without it, you’ll get sick, stressed, and irritable. Try putting self-care activities (exercise, socializing, hobbies, etc.) on your calendar to ensure that self-care is a priority.
Not everyone’s opinion matters.One big mistake people-pleasers make is acting as if everyone’s opinion matters equally. You don’t differentiate whose opinion matters more. Generally, the closer the relationship, the more you’ll value their opinion and want to please them. Thus, it’s natural to want to do things to make your loved ones happy.
Most people worry that painful conflicts will destroy relationships.
A.Be aware of your inner needs. |
B.Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish. |
C.This indicates that we’re People-Pleasers. |
D.It’s understandable and common to want to avoid them. |
E.But sacrificing our wellbeing to make others happy is not. |
F.However, you don’t need to please acquaintances in the same way. |
G.It results in greater understanding and ultimately strengthens the relationship. |
3 . Everyone, at one time or another, has experienced some challenges in friendships and relationships with family members. We might find ourselves frustrated(懊恼的) or angry with other people, or even find that we argue with them. The reality is that nobody is perfect and we need to realise that we should find ways to live happier and less stressful lives. Here are some tips on how to make relationships happier and healthier.
Respect other people and accept themThis is the most important point. If we want to show someone we love them, we need to first respect who they are and show them we accept them for who they are: Everyone is unique with different experiences and lives. By always remembering this, we will be able to develop and maintain strong relationships.
Be interested in others’ interestsWe might have friends who are crazy about sports, while we prefer reading. Or perhaps a parent’s hobby seems boring to us but it is something they love. If we want to keep our relationships strong and positive, we should at least take time to listen to them and talk about what matters to them. By doing this, we show them that we care about them and their interests
Apologise when you make a mistakeThis is the hardest thing for most of us to do, yet a simple “I’m sorry” can undo a lot of tension. By being humble when you make a mistake, you can fix any problem you may have caused and also show that you are a mature person
Stay connected through communicationGood communication is a fundamental part of a healthy relationship. When you experience a positive emotional connection with your partner, you feel safe and happy. When people stop communicating well, they stop relating well, and times of change or stress can really bring out the disconnect. It may sound simplistic, but as long as you are communicating, you can usually work through whatever problems you’re facing.
So, try and follow the advice and you will find that you have happier and stronger relationships with your friends and loved ones
1. What can be concluded from Paragraph 2?A.We need to realise that others are often wrong in our dealings with them. |
B.Our friends and loved ones can cause us stress by being wrong. |
C.Everyone can be right and wrong at times and we need to remember that. |
D.We should accept the people we love and respect them. |
A.be positive and confident |
B.discuss our partner’s concerns |
C.put our friends’ interests first |
D.be familiar with our parents’ hobbies |
A.Ignore our friends’ preferences. |
B.Never apologize for our mistakes. |
C.Check in with our friends regularly. |
D.No need to be mature. |
A.Being mature and admitting our mistakes when we make them. |
B.Respecting the fact that others may not appreciate our hobbies and interests. |
C.Showing our love for others when they hurt us or disrespect us. |
D.Accepting that our friends will eventually grow apart from us. |
A.To offer some tips on making healthier relationships |
B.To remind us about the challenges in friendships and relationships. |
C.To help us maintain relationships with family members. |
D.To share ways to live happier and less stressful lives. |
4 . Politeness is the practical application of good manners, the goal of which is to make all of the parties relaxed and comfortable. It's a flexible management of words and actions, by which we make other people have a better opinion of us and themselves. It seeks to build a positive relationship.
However, in the rush of daily life being polite is social behavior that we find rare nowadays.
Being polite is not just a simple social elegance.
Hope is not lost. There are many ways we can improve our behavior to achieve skills in politeness. There are simple things we can do to be considered as a polite and well-mannered person.
A.As technology progresses |
B.People have become more self-absorbed |
C.As long as you show your politeness for people |
D.Since for many people being polite remains a challenge |
E.Many languages have specific means to show politeness |
F.It aims to respect a person’s need to be liked and understood |
G.It’s also about being kind, caring and respectful to another person |
5 . One-year-old Tallulah turned purple and stopped moving after the sweet became stuck in her throat. Her mum Leigh-Anne said the drama began during a visit to her grandma’s house when her grandparents gave her older kids some sweets.
“Then at about 4:45 pm, Tallulah started to choke—we all went into a panic.”
“It seemed like it went on for ages. Not one of us knew what to do.”
“I rang an ambulance while my grandma and granddad tried to get the sweet to come up.”
“Tallulah was panicking at first but then she started to go purple—she almost had no oxygen left in her.”
With her daughter limp (无力的) and time running out, Leigh—Anne knew she couldn’t afford to wait for the ambulance to arrive.
“The only thing I could think was to go out into the street.” She said.
“I rushed out and screamed for someone to help while my grandma rushed out crying with Tallulah.”
At exactly the moment, Caitlin, who is studying public services at Redcar College, was passing by Queen Street. She said, “I was waiting to go to work when I heard someone screaming for help, so I ran straight over.”
The 17-year-old girl added, “Something just clicked and I went into auto mode. The little girl was completely limp, so I checked her airways and tilted (使倾斜) her over and started hitting her back. I turned her round and tapped on her chest, then after what felt like forever she coughed up the sweet and spat it out.
As soon as she started crying I felt a huge relief. I was just so pleased I was able to help.”
Caitlin was taught her lifesaving skills when she joined the Army Cadets four years ago.
1. When did Tallulah get choked?A.While eating sweets. | B.While enjoying a drama. |
C.While having a meal. | D.While taking some medicine. |
A.To buy some needed tools. | B.To search for timely help. |
C.To get a breath of fresh air. | D.To wait for the ambulance to arrive. |
A.Brave and selfless. | B.Kind and energetic. |
C.Determined and generous. | D.Quick-thinking and helpful. |
A.First aid skill sounds important. | B.Screaming for help makes sense. |
C.Eating sweets endangers baby girl. | D.Heroic teenager saves baby girl’s life. |
The Best Response to Criticism
When someone criticizes you, your natural reaction is mostly to feel bad about it or defend yourself. If you lack confidence or if you have no clear opinion about yourself, you may also feel pain and even accept the criticism as true. Living in this world, we have to deal with the opinions of others and keep ourselves safe from their negativity.
Sometimes, you will face genuine criticism from others. If you are too caught up in defensive attitude and not being open minded, you may not receive the criticism well and may not perceive the truth in it. When you are criticized, remember that your opinion of yourself is probably more genuine than the opinion of another who does not know you as much as you know about you.
Yet, we give so much importance to what others say and what they think about us. It is natural because we prefer to be approved and accepted by others, or at least respected and acknowledged for who we are. The truth is, in many respects, criticism is a reflection of the person who indulges in it rather than you. A critic’s criticism reveals more about him and his judgment rather than the object of his criticism.
Criticism is a personal opinion of the critic. It very much depends upon the person, his or her thinking, beliefs, knowledge, attitude and values. It is a product of his worldview, upbringing, values, beliefs, likes and dislikes, knowledge and ignorance. It also depends upon his relationship and attitude towards the person for whom the criticism is intended.
A criticism which is not based upon true discernment(识别能力)and purity of perception and judgment should not be considered true criticism. You can ignore it or use it to know the people who criticize.
Every criticism helps you know about you or those who engage in it. Use it to improve yourself or your relationships. If you understand this truth, you will accept criticism as a blessing and an opportunity to become a better person with better awareness.
1. According to this passage, what is the natural reaction when one gets criticized?2. Why do we give so much importance to what others say and what they think about us?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Since every criticism is a personal opinion of the critic, it is not helpful for us.
4. How do you usually respond to criticism?(In about 40 words)
7 . “Don’t tell anyone”. We hear these words when someone tells a secret to us. But it can be hard to keep a secret. We often tend to “spill the beans”, even if we regret it later.
According to Asim Shah, professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, US, keeping a secret may well “become a burden”. This is because people often have an “obsessive and anxious urge to share it with someone”.
An earlier study, led by Anita E. Kelly, a scientist at the University of Notre Dame, US, suggested that keeping a secret could cause stress. People entrusted (受委托的) with secrets can suffer from depression, anxiety, and body aches, reported the Daily Mail.
But with secrets so often getting out, why do people share them at all?Shah explained that people often feel that it will help them keep a person as a friend. Another reason people share secrets is guilt over keeping it from someone close to them. A sense of distrust can develop when people who are close do not share it with each other. “Keeping or sharing secrets often puts people in a position of either gaining or losing the trust of someone,” according to Shah.
He added that talkative people could let secrets slip out (泄露). But this doesn’t mean that it is a good idea only to share secrets with quiet people. A quiet person may be someone who keeps everything inside. To tell such a person a secret may cause them stress, and make them talk about the secret.
Shah said that to judge whether to tell someone a secret, you’d better put yourself in their position. Think about how you would feel to be told that you mustn’t give the information away. Shah also recommended that if you accidentally give up someone’s secret you should come clean about it. Let the person know that their secret isn’t so secret anymore.
1. What does underlined words “spill the beans” mean?A.Cut up beans. | B.Burst into laughter. |
C.Let out the secret. | D.Keep the words. |
A.It can help promote friendships between people. | B.It can result in mental and physical problems. |
C.It can result in a sense of distrust between friends. | D.It can harm relationships between friends. |
A.It’s not a good idea to share your secrets with others. |
B.It’s better to share your secrets with quiet people. |
C.Quiet people suffer less stress from keeping secrets. |
D.Talkative people are unlikely to keep secrets. |
A.Buy the person a gift as an apology. |
B.Stay away from the person. |
C.Exchange a new secret with the person. |
D.Tell the affected person what happened. |
8 . Social events can be frightening for a woman because they usually involve huge crowds. Some manage to become the life of the party like a natural.
Being the life of the party means you have to turn heads as soon as you enter the room.
Keep yourself active at the party. Don’t sit in a corner and wait for people to talk to you.
There will be friendly strangers looking to start a conversation with you during the party. If someone approaches you with kind intentions, you may act in return for their effort. Getting to know other people in social events will help improve your confidence.
Some people turn out to be the centre of attention, even if they don’t follow the steps above. The important thing is that you’re having fun, which is better than becoming the life of the party.
A.Pick the perfect dress for a party |
B.When you recognise someone inside the party |
C.When you are within steps away from the front door |
D.Before you go to a party, take your time in preparation |
E.When you decide to do something fun and eye-catching |
F.However, be cautious of strangers who are too aggressive |
G.A lot of people end up making a fool of themselves, though |
9 . Handwritten thank-you letters are such a simple way of making other people feel good, it is strange that so few people write them anymore. At work, a thank-you letter to employees is unbelievably effective. It costs little and has no side effects. The effort involved in writing letters very low. The pleasure on receiving them is very high.
Doug Conant, manager of Campbell’s Soup Company since 2001, knows the power of thank you letters. He said that every day he works with an assistant, searching the company for people deserving thanks.
In these days of such busy schedules and people running all over the place and trying to get ahead, sometimes we forget the simplest things in life are the most powerful and rewarding. You need to think to yourself about a time someone sent you a thank-you and how much it meant to you.
A.He then writes them a thank-you letter. |
B.Why are thank-you letters so important? |
C.You may ask what side effects exactly mean. |
D.This makes them an excellent way to reward and motivate staff. |
E.But if these letters are so inspiring, why don’t more managers write them? |
F.Always remember to “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you!” |
G.Since no one ever writes them thank-you letters they don’t write any themselves. |
10 . We’ve all been there: in a lift, in line at the bank or on an airplane, surrounded by people who are, like us, deeply focused on their smartphones or, worse, struggling with the uncomfortable silence.
What’s the problem? It’s possible that we all don’t have enough conversational ability. It’s more likely that none of us start a conversation because it’s embarrassing and challenging, or we think it’s annoying and unnecessary. But the next time you find yourself among strangers, consider that small talk is worth the trouble. Experts say it’s a valuable social practice that leads to big benefits.
It is easy to consider small talk as unimportant, but we can’t forget that deep relationships wouldn’t even exist if there weren’t casual conversations. Small talk is the grease (润滑剂) for social communication, says Bernardo Carducci, director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast. “Almost every great love story and each big business deal begins with small talk,” he explains. “The secret to successful small talk is learning how to connect with others, not just communicate with them.”
In a 2014 study, Elizabeth Dunn, professor of psychology at UBC, invited people to a coffee shop. One group was asked to interact (互动) with its waiter; the other, to speak only when necessary. The results showed that those who chatted with their server reported significantly higher positive feelings and a better coffee shop experience. “It’s not that talking to the waiter is better than talking to your husband,” says Dunn. “But interactions with peripheral (边缘的) members of our social network is important for our happiness and health.”
Dunn believes that people who reach out to strangers feel a greater sense of belonging, a link with others. Carducci believes developing such a sense of belonging starts with small talk. “Small talk is the basis of good manners,” he says.
1. What phenomenon is described in the first paragraph?A.Addiction to smartphones. |
B.Impatience with slow service. |
C.Improper behaviors in public places. |
D.Absence of communication between strangers. |
A.Keeping in touch with other people. |
B.Showing good manners. |
C.Making business deals |
D.Focusing on a topic |
A.It improves family relationships. |
B.It makes people feel good. |
C.It raises people’s confidence |
D.It matters as much as a formal talk. |
A.Strengths of Small Talk |
B.Ways of Making Small Talk |
C.Conversation Counts |
D.Uncomfortable Silence |