1 . Deo had grown up barefoot in Burundi, but for a peasant boy he had done well. He was twenty-four. Until recently he had been a medical student, for three years at or near the top of his class. But he had spent the past six months on the run.
He had one friend who had seen more of the world than East Central Africa, a fellow medical student named Jean. And it was Jean who had decided that New York was where he should go. Deo was traveling on a commercial visa. Jean’s French father had written a letter identifying Deo as an employee on a mission to America. He was supposed to be going to New York to sell coffee. Deo had read up on coffee beans in case he was questioned. Jean’s father had also paid for the plane tickets. A fat book let of tickets.
He had heard of French soldiers behaving badly in Rwanda, and had even caught glimpses of them training militiamen(民兵) in the camps, but waking up and seeing a white person in the next seat wasn’t alarming. No one called him a cockroach (蟑螂). No one held a machete (大砍刀).
A voice was speaking to him. He turned and saw a policeman who seemed friendly. Deo spoke to him in French, but the man shook his head and smiled. He asked a question in what Deo guessed was English. Then a woman who had been sitting nearby got up and walked over French, at long last French, coming out of her mouth. Perhaps she could help, the woman said in French. Deo thought: “God. I’m still in your hands.” She arranged to sit next to him on the flight to New York and asked him lots of questions. Deo wanted to pay her back for helping him. So he tried to answer her questions. They talked most of the way to New York. After such long solitude (独处), it felt wonderful to talk.
When he reached Immigration the agent stared at Deo’s documents, then started asking questions in what had to be English. There was nothing to do except smile. The agent went off and came back with another man. He introduced himself to Deo in French. His name was Muhammad. He said he came from Senegal. Muhammad asked Deo the agents’ questions and also some questions of his own. For the agents, he asked Deo, “Where are you coming from?” When Deo said he had come from Burundi, Muhammad made a pained face and said to him in French, “How did you get out?”
There was no time even to attempt an answer. The agents were asking another question: Deo’s visa said he was here on business. What business?
Selling coffee beans, Deo told them through Muhammad. Just keep smiling, Deo told himself.
How much money did he have?
Two hundred dollars, Deo said with pride. The cash had been a gift from Jean. Exchanged for Burundian francs, it could have bought a lot of cows. But neither Muhammad nor the agents looked impressed.
Where was he staying?
Jean had told him he’d be asked this. A hotel, he said.
The agents laughed. A week in a hotel on two hundred dollars?
In 1994, airport security wasn’t what it soon would be. Muhammad said something in English to the agents. His words must have been the right ones, because after a few more questions, the agents shrugged at each other and let him through, into America.
He had no idea what he’d do next. After six months on the run, he was in the habit of not looking ahead. And what was there to fear? What could the man in the booth up ahead do to him? Whatever it might be, he’d already seen worse. God had taken care of him so far. And still was taking care of him, it seemed. As this serious-looking stranger, Muhammad, walked him out of Customs, he said that Deo could stay with him in New York City. But Deo would have to wait here for three hours. Muhammad worked at the airport as a baggage handler. He had to finish his shift. Could Deo wait three hours?
Only three hours? said Deo. Of course!
1. Which of the following is the reason why Deo left his hometown?A.Jean persuaded him to go to New York. |
B.Jean’s father paid for the plane tickets for him. |
C.He was an employee on a business mission to America. |
D.He wanted to flee his home town to seek shelter in New York. |
A.God is toying with him. | B.God is taking him under his wing. |
C.He is at the mercy of God. | D.He can’t break away from God. |
A.Selling coffee beans in New York. |
B.Turning to Jean’s father for help. |
C.Being reduced to a beggar in the street. |
D.Making a living in New York with Muhammad’s help. |
2 . Four Qualities That Make You Attractive to Others
There is something many people gets wrong about attraction.
Have control over your emotions(情绪). It’s not easy to always have control over your emotions. And people who do are extremely attractive. Have control over your emotions so that your emotions don’t control you. Allow yourself to think about what you’re going to say.
Laugh at yourself. It’s not what happens to us that makes us feel stressed.
Give plenty of space. The secret to long-lasting relationships is space, because time apart helps each partner recharge and bring positive energy into the relationship.
A.Be warm. |
B.Controlling people are unattractive. |
C.Don’t be too quick to show warmth. |
D.It’s how we react to it that affects us. |
E.They should develop a sense of humor. |
F.Take your time to cool down and reorganize your thoughts. |
G.They think they have to look beautiful to be accepted by others. |
3 . Giving generously and receiving gratefully make it easier to live happily with others.
Let me start with the idea of giving generously.
The good news is that when we lead our life being nice to others, our life runs more smoothly.
At the same time, we should remember to receive gratefully. I truly believe that you cant say “thank you” enough when you receive.
If you are looking for a way to improve your life, I can give you one: Give generously and receive gratefully.
A.So often we get lazy about expressing gratitude. |
B.Thus,saying “thank you” can bring us good luck. |
C.If you are generous, some people will use you. |
D.In return, we are to help others by giving them our time or money. |
E.I think people are unwilling to be generous to others for fear of being used. |
F.Yet,why do we have such difficulty achieving these things in our relationships? |
G.Words of appreciation make others feel good about themselves like nothing else. |
4 . There are many people out there who want to be “part of the crowd.” If you want to be the leader and stand out from the crowd instead, then this article is for you.
Be yourself and love yourself. In order to be as different as possible, you have to beyou — not a carbon copy of someone else. If you don’t know who you are, that process can seem a bit scary.
Try new things. We are naturally raised as part of a group,
Know the world works in opposites. Nothing is really as it seems. So many people are trying to be different, and it results in them all being the same! Being quiet may mean that when you talk, people hear you louder. When you’re not trying to attract that boy or girl, they become attracted to you.
Know you’ll bump heads. Society isn’t super good at accepting what isn’t trendy. People are praised for being fashionable and pretty—few are praised for expanding our limits and coloring outside the lines.
A.Color outside the lines. |
B.Note your environment. |
C.It’s important to love yourself, too. |
D.So trying to be different may not get you anywhere. |
E.but hose people may not welcome you with open arms. |
F.Criticism is going to happen if you step outside of the box at all. |
G.so we’re constantly being exposed to things others have already approved. |
5 . When I grew up and entered the
A.administration | B.agriculture | C.business | D.government |
A.customers | B.salespeople | C.fishermen | D.fathers |
A.make progress | B.make sense | C.take risks | D.take place |
A.old-style | B.clear-cut | C.small-business | D.long-term |
A.comb | B.imitate | C.establish | D.realize |
6 . Personality is one of the most interesting ways in which people are different from one another. But where does our personality come from? Are we
1. Conscientiousness—how careful, thorough and self-disciplined are you?
2.
3. Neuroticism—how self-conscious and tense are you?
4. Openness—how
5. Extraversion—how sociable and energetic are you?
What they found contradicted long-held assumptions about
The changes in these two traits revealed in the study seem to
The personality traits were
A.born | B.satisfied | C.angry | D.careful |
A.dominant | B.fixed | C.isolated | D.dependable |
A.interested | B.interviewed | C.related | D.convinced |
A.Consideration | B.Agreeableness | C.Willingness | D.Confidence |
A.ambitious | B.efficient | C.curious | D.intelligent |
A.when | B.why | C.how | D.what |
A.relationship | B.success | C.study | D.change |
A.To some degree | B.In the meantime | C.On the contrary | D.With no exception |
A.result from | B.bring about | C.correspond with | D.consist of |
A.approach | B.mature | C.predict | D.appear |
A.explorers | B.leaders | C.learners | D.carers |
A.benefits | B.tendencies | C.influences | D.declines |
A.new | B.young | C.old | D.lonely |
A.scarcely | B.generally | C.invariably | D.respectively |
A.exists | B.widens | C.narrows | D.appears |
7 . How often do you have a conversation with someone, and think you are paying attention to him or her, only to realize shortly afterwards that you can't remember what he said? Or, perhaps you get distracted while he is speaking and miss the message that he is trying to deliver.
But how can we listen more effectively?
First of all, be present. When we listen mindfully, our focus should be on the person we are listening to without distractions. Then develop empathy (共鸣). We often see the world through our own experiences. When we're empathetic, we can understand a situation from someone else's point of view.
In conclusion, the rule is straightforward: simply “Listen”! Listen carefully and attentively. Pay full attention to the other person, and don' t let other thoughts, like what we are going to say next, distract us.
A.Finally, listen to our own “cues” |
B.What can we do with mindful listening |
C.But how can we apply mindful listening to our life |
D.At last, “cues” helps us understand the speaker's ideas |
E.In today's busy world, modern life is full of distractions |
F.Besides, it allows us to choose not to let them block communication |
G.Professor Jon Kabat - Zinn put forward the idea of mindful listening |
8 . While working as a graduate student in New York City, Vanessa Bohns was given the much
Was it possible, she wondered, that most of us are
Knowing this can help us understand how our requests might
A.appealing | B.exhausting | C.sensitive | D.ashamed |
A.glared | B.approached | C.passed | D.pushed |
A.sympathetic | B.glad | C.annoyed | D.tolerant |
A.upset | B.anxious | C.hesitant | D.willing |
A.expected | B.requested | C.promised | D.recognized |
A.curious | B.skeptical | C.wrong | D.cautious |
A.discovered | B.conducted | C.planned | D.recorded |
A.case | B.circumstance | C.occasion | D.condition |
A.ignore | B.complain | C.refuse | D.cooperate |
A.On the contrary | B.On the whole | C.On the surface | D.On the go |
A.optimistic | B.critical | C.negative | D.neutral |
A.strange | B.great | C.disappointing | D.normal |
A.deny | B.doubt | C.appreciate | D.subscribe |
A.misuse | B.overstate | C.distinguish | D.underestimate |
A.imitate | B.practise | C.measure | D.perform |
A.agree | B.fail | C.claim | D.pretend |
A.angry | B.familiar | C.happy | D.uncomfortable |
A.mislead | B.impress | C.affect | D.puzzle |
A.accurately | B.accordingly | C.smoothly | D.systematically |
A.boundaries | B.assumptions | C.defence | D.intention |
9 . How to be a good neighbour
Do you know your neighbors? Like really know them? Their Orel names, the types of cars they drive, what holidays they celebrate?
According to a 2021Pevv Research study, roughly a quarter of adults under 30 report that they don’t know any of their neighbors.
Get to know your neighbors.
It may seem obvious, but getting to know your neighbors is the first step to becoming a kind neighbor.
It can feel so easy to just go home, close your door and turn on the TV without having to make small talk, but connecting with others is worth the effort. And if you take the first step, your small acts of kindness can encourage others to pay that kindness forward ——making even more people feel good.
Make small kind gestures a daily practice.
Another way to take care of your neighborhood is by making small acts of kindness a daily practice. Use the skills and resources available to you —maybe you aren’t a baker,but you have an amazing garden. You can ask your partner or kids to help you pick flowers from your garden to give your new neighbor a bouquet.
Check your implicit bias (偏见).
Actions speak louder than words, and your attitudes towards marginalized and vulnerable people also set an example for your kids. So be mindful of the different people in your community and actively remind yourself to treat everyone with respect and care.
A.Remember, every small gesture counts. |
B.Meet and engage with different people. |
C.Remind yourself that being connected feels good. |
D.Building a caring community is a valuable way to stay connected to the place you live. |
E.It doesn’t take a lot of money or a grand gesture to be an active neighbor. |
F.Looking out for your neighbors is an important part of being in a community. |
G.Get out of your comfort zone and try to learn their names and what they do for work. |
10 . Dealing with judgment from other people can be tough.
Try not to take any judgmental words personally. Remember that a judgmental person’s words are a reflection of their own beliefs-and not yours. Remind yourself of all the things you do well, and keep a list of your best traits and achievements to boost your confidence.
Be sympathetic.
Ask for clarification.
Judgmental people may not know they’re being rude or unreasonable. Ask this person to explain what they said, and find out their motivation for saying it.
Calm down and respond rationally(理性地).
Being judged is never fun, and it’s natural for you to feel hurt and emotional right after it happens.
A.So you should stay collected. |
B.Separate yourself from the judgment |
C.Judgmental people are just unavoidable. |
D.Try understanding the source of this person’s judgment. |
E.Think of each situation where you feel judged as a learning experience. |
F.Explain why their words have bothered you and make sure this doesn’t happen again. |
G.Some people have good intentions but end up sounding judgmental when they’re trying to help. |