You don’t need millions to be happy. In fact, at The Happiness Institute in Australia, a couple of hundred dollars may be enough.
The institute opened its door last year, and, since then, men and women of all ages have been paying $ 200 an hour for lessons on how to feel great.
“You can actually increase your happiness levels. That’s what we teach,” said Timothy Sharp, founder of the institute.
Experts say that only about 15 percent of happiness comes from income, assets (财产)and other financial factors. As much as 85 percent comes from things such as attitude, life control and relationships.
Most of us are significantly better off financially than our parents and grandparents, but happiness levels haven’t changed to reflect that.
Studies show that once the basic needs of shelter and food are met, additional wealth adds very little to happiness.
Many decades ago, the sage (圣人、哲人)of Baltimore, Maryland”, editor HL Mencken, defined wealth as earning $100 more than your “wife’s sister’s husband”.
Behavioral economists now say part of the reason we are richer but not happier is that we compare ourselves to people better off materially.
“The argument is that if you want to be happy there’s a very simple thing you can do:
Compare yourself to people who are less welloff than you---poorer, smaller house and
car,” said Sharp.
The Happiness Institute aims to show you how to overcome these unhappiness factors by focusing on “more than just your bank account”.
“If I compare myself to Bill Gates then I’m always going to be down,” said Sharp.
A better thing to compare with, he said, might be Kerry Packer, Australia’s richest person who has had a kidney (肾脏) transplant and heart surgery in recent years.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．You may increase your happiness levels after attending the classes at The Happiness Institute. |
| B．Most of us are happier than our parents or grandparents since we earn more. |
| C．Earn $100 more than your wife’s sister’s husband if you want to be happy. |
| D．Both Bill Gates and Kerry Packer are examples of those who are extremely rich but obviously unhappy. |
The underlined phrase has the same meaning as the word______.
| A．healthy | B．unhealthy | C．free | D．wealthy |
The author wrote the passage to tell us_____.
| A．happiness is everything |
| B．wealth is the foundation of happiness |
| C．we can’t have fun at The Happiness Institute |
| D．money doesn’t always mean happiness |
According to the passage, happiness mainly depends on_____.
| A．income, assets and other financial factors |
| B．additional wealth apart from the satisfaction of the basic needs of shelter and food |
| C．things like attitude, life control and relationships |
| D．society development |
Le Havre (2011)
Time: Oct.21, 23-25
Venue: China National Film Museum
Price: 40 yuan
Le Havre is a comedy-drama. It centers on a shoeshiner who takes pity on an immigrant child in the French port city Le Havre. He tries to save him by inviting him to his home. The film premiered(初次公演) in competition at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, where it received the FIPRESCI Prize.
Mia et le Migou (2008)
Time: Oct. 29
Venue: China Film Archive
Price: to be announced
Also known as Mia and the Migoo, this animated film describes the adventure of a young girl named Mia. Motivated by a premonition, Mia sets out on a journey across mountains and jungles to search for her father. The film won the European Film Award for Best Animated Feature. Director Jacques-Remy Girerd will also show up at China Film Archive.
Le Voyage dans la Lune (1902)
Time: Oct. 22, 24-25
Venue: China National Film Museum
Price: 20 yuan
Also known as A Trip to the Moon, this silent movie was inspired by the French novels From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon, by Jules Verne. It follows a group of astronomers who travel to the moon and explore it. They meet lunar inhabitants and capture one before returning to Earth.
Find schedule and ticket information about the French movie panorama at http://www. gewara.com/
The China Film Archive will also present a short lecture before each French movie on how to understand it.If you are free on Oct.29, which venue would you like to visit?
| A．China Film Archive | B．China National Film Museum |
| C．China Film Museum | D．International Cinema |
On which day can you see the film whose theme is about adventure ?
| A．Oct.21 | B．Oct.23 |
| C．Oct.25 | D．Oct. 29 |
Where can you find the passage most likely?
| A．Newspaper | B．Magazine |
| C．Textbook | D．Science fiction |
Everything has a name. All people, places and things have names. For example, Jenny is the name of a student from England. England is the name of her country. Cities and towns have names, too. Schools and office building also have names. All things have names. Names are important. Names are different all over the world. In Jenny’s class, Jenny must learn the names of students from all over the world. This is very difficult because the names are different.
In the USA, most people have a first name, a middle name, and a last name. Parents choose the first and middle names for their baby. There are names for boys and names for girls. For example, John, Peter, Tom and Mike are all names for boys. Elizabeth, Betty, Susan, and Mary are all names for girls. The last name is the family name. Usually it is the father’s family name. In a family, the mother, the father, and the children usually have the same last name.
Names are different all over the world. They can be long or short, but they are always very important.Why does everything have a name? Because ______.
| A．it is very interesting to have a name |
| B．it is very easy to be remembered |
| C．it is very easy to be told from others |
| D．both B and C |
It is difficult to learn names all over the world because ______.
| A．there are many different languages |
| B．the names in different countries are different |
| C．some names are very short, some are very long |
| D．there are many names all over the world |
Which of the following is true?
| A．It’s difficult to learn the names because they are different |
| B．There is no difference between girls’ names and boys’ names |
| C．Jenny doesn’t want to learn the names very well |
| D．It’s easy for Jenny to learn the names of her classmates. |
What names are for girls?
| A．George, Linda, Susan | B．Tom, Jill, Candy |
| C．Elizabeth, Betty, Mary | D．Peter, Jeff, Jack |
Summer holidays are coming．Here are two posters for members of English Club in the schoolyard：
| Science andTechnologyMuseum Opening hours Sunday—Wednesday 10：00am—5：30pm Charge：$5 What’s on Ancient Technology—the ground floor Modern Technology— the first floor Space —the second floor The silk road：trade and travel — the second floor Please note The museum is closed for 3 days during the Spring Festival every year． Contact us Information desk：73238299 Email：stm99@1,63．com |
To all climbers! Place:Castle PeakIndoor Climbing Centre Date: 8: 30 am, July, 15 Sign in when you come to the centre. Climb with a partner. Wear a hard hat at all times. Wear the correct climbing shoes. Don’t eat or drink anywhere except in the café. Don’t listen to personal music players while climbing. Don’t light fires. Good practice: Use a locker to store your things. Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Wearing jewellery can cause accidents. Talking on a mobile phone while climbing can be dangerous. |
If you want to visit the Museum on weekend, which of the following is the best time?
| A．10:00 am, Saturday. | B．2:30 pm, Saturday. |
| C．2:00 pm, Sunday. | D．8:30 am, Sunday. |
While climbing，you’d better________.
| A．talk on a mobile phone |
| B．stay alone all the time |
| C．1isten to personal music players |
| D．wear the correct climbing shoes |
It is considered good practice to________.
| A．keep your things in a locker |
| B．wear jewellery |
| C．eat something when you feel weak |
| D．wear a soft hat at all times |
Mr. Lang worked in a factory. As a driver, he was busy but he was paid much. His wife was an able woman and did all the housework. When he came back, she took good care of him and he never did anything at home. So he had enough time when he had a holiday. A few friends of his liked gambling(赌博) and he learned it soon. So he was interested in it and hardly forgot anything except gambling. He lost all his money and later he began to sell the television, watches and so on. His wife told him not to do it but he didn’t listen to her. She had to tell the police. He and his friends were punished for it. And he was hardly sent away. After he came out of lockup(拘所),he hated her very much and the woman had to leave him.
It was New Year’s Day. Mr. Lang didn’t go to work. He felt lonely and wanted to gamble again. He called his friends and they came soon. But they were afraid that the police would come. He told his five-year-old son to go to find out if there were the policemen outside. They waited for a long time and didn’t think the police would come and began to gamble. Suddenly a few policemen opened the door and came in. “I saw there weren’t any policemen outside, daddy,” said the boy, “so I went to the crossing and asked some to come.”Mr. Lang was paid much because _______.
| A．he was a worker |
| B．he worked in a factory |
| C．he had a lot of work to do |
| D．he had worked there for a long time |
Mrs. Lang did all housework because _______.
| A．she couldn’t find any work |
| B．she thought her husband was tired |
| C．her husband spent all time in gambling |
| D．she wouldn’t stop her husband gambling |
_______, so he was put into lockup.
| A．Mr. Lang often gambled |
| B．Mr. Lang was late for work |
| C．Mr. Lang didn’t help his wife at home |
| D．Mr. Lang wasn’t polite to the police |
The woman had to leave Mr. Lang because _______.
| A．he didn’t love her any longer |
| B．he wouldn’t stop gambling |
| C．he had been put into lockup |
| D．he was hardly sent away by the factory |
When we don’t understand each other’s language, we can talk with the help of signs.
A Frenchman was once travelling in England. He could not speak English at all. One day he went into a restaurant and sat down at a table. When the waiter came, he opened his mouth, put his fingers in it, and took out again. He wanted to say . “Bring me something to eat.” The waiter soon brought him a cup of tea. The man moved his head from side to side. The waiter understood him and took the tea away. In a moment he came with a cup of coffee. But the man again refused it. He shook his head whenever the waiter brought him something to drink, for drinks are not food. When the man was going away, another man came in. This man saw the waiter , and he put his hand on his stomach. That was enough. In a few minutes there was a large plate of meat and vegetables on the table in front of him.
So you see, we cannot understand the language of signs as well as we can understand the language of words.According to the passage, when people do not understand each other’s language, they can talk with the help of ______.
| A．a waiter |
| B．a teacher |
| C．an Englishman |
| D．their hands, heads and other parts of their bodies. |
A Frenchman signed to the waiter_______.
| A．to give him some medicine | B．to bring him a cup of coffee |
| C．to ask him for food | D．to tell him what he said |
Another man saw the waiter, and put his hand on his stomach. He meant__________.
| A．he had a stomachache | B．he was hungry |
| C．he was very thirsty | D．he was full |
From this story we know_______
| A．people can only understand the language of words |
| B．proper gestures can help to understand each other |
| C．waiters should understand body languages |
| D．it is important to learn foreign languages |