I once heard someone say, “We don’t remember days; we remember moments.” However, in today’s busy life we often forget to enjoy small pleasures while we make big plans.
In the race to be better or best, we sometimes lose sight of “just being”. And just being and enjoying a beautiful moment can provide some of life’s greatest pleasures. A fire on a cold winter night, a good book, an impressive sunset, a great meal, or a timeless moment with your child or a friend ... these moments, if we stop long enough to enjoy, are the essence (本质) of life.
I love to fish, especially for large-mouth bass (鲈鱼). About three years ago I was watching television late at night and got this crazy idea to go fishing in the lake behind my house. Of course, my wife thought I was nuts. It was almost midnight! I told her I was fine and took off.
I walked out to a warm summer breeze and looked up at the starry sky and breathtaking full moon. I allowed my senses to soak (浸泡) in every second — the sweet smell of flowers, the sound of every cricket (蟋蟀), the moon’s reflection dancing off the water — it was a perfect night.
After walking across a small field, I took out a flashlight, and selected a lure (饵). On my first cast I got a bass weighing over five pounds, one of the largest I had ever caught. I gently put it back into the water and continued my midnight adventure. During the next two hours I caught seventeen bass, all between two and five pounds. Although I’ve fished for almost fifty years, no fishing memory can top that night.
But that night provided far more than a fishing memory. It was a life memory. It provided me a picture of what life could be like if I just slowed down enough to enjoy the moments. On my way back to the house, as I walked through the tall grass, I took one last look at the sky and stopped to say, “Thank you, God, for giving me this night.”
The purpose of the passage is to ______.
A.suggest people should make big plans |
B.tell people to do what they like |
C.advise people to enjoy beautiful moments |
D.encourage people to follow their dreams |
What does the underlined word “nuts” in Paragraph 3 mean?
A.Determined. | B.Ill. | C.Tired. | D.Crazy. |
The fourth paragraph is mainly about ______.
A.the description of the night |
B.the author’s fishing experience |
C.the author’s attitude towards life |
D.what the author did that night |
We can learn from the passage that night the author ______.
A.caught fewer fish than before |
B.enjoyed real small pleasures |
C.went to bed around 1:00 am |
D.went fishing with his wife |
It is a hot summer day,and you feel thirsty.A friend gives you a glass of cold lemonade.How do you feel when you see the glass? Will you describe your feeling as happiness or as pleasure? I believe you will say it is a feeling of pleasure.There is a connection between these two kinds of feelings,and sometimes one causes the other,but they are not the same.Pleasure is a more dependent on the five senses while happiness is independent of them.
When you are happy,little unpleasant events usuallv do not disturb you.When you are unhappy,you feel as if everything is against you.You may compensate for it by eating chocolate and sweets because this gives you pleasure,yet you stay unhappy.A person may smoke cigarettes because it gives him pleasure,yet this does not make him happier,especiallv if he knows the fact that it is not good for his heahh.
The physical world is always in a changing state.At each moment a new thing is being created,changed,transformed and then destroyed.This is the normal state of things and no one can change it.If we stay still in a certain state,we are sure to experience unhappiness sooner or later.0n the other hand, if
we adjust to the environment,nothing can influence our moods.Then outer events have nothing to do with our inner joy of mind.
The room of the mind is filled with worry or fear.If you are free of thinking about them,the room has been emptied,and then you will see what is happening and experience it.When your mind stays quiet,you will see that happiness comes from the inside.
What does t
he underlined phrase”compensate for“in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?
A.to make a suitable payment for |
B.to let out your anger for |
C.to provide with a balancing effect for![]() |
D.to solve the problems for |
According to the passage,in which of the following situations can you feel happy?
A.A friend gives you a glass of cold lemonade when you feel thirsty. |
B.You eat chocolate and sweets when you feel as if everything is against you. |
C.Smoke cigarettes even though you know the fact that it is not good for your health. |
D.You are free from worry or fear when your mind stays quiet. |
We call learn from the passage
A.happiness is more dependent on the five senses |
B.pleasure sometimes arouses happiness |
C.you feel happy when nothing around you changes in a certain state |
D.you feel unhappy because you have to adjust to the environment |
Which can be the best title for the passage? ]
A.Pleasure Leads to Happiness |
B.Happiness Changes Us |
C.Happiness Is Within Us |
D.Stay a Quiet Mind |
Unlike Britain, the US does not have a national health care service. Most people buy medical insurance to help pay for medical care. The government only helps pay for some medical care for the old and the people who are on low incomes. The problems of those who cannot afford insurance have become an important political subject.
In Britain, when people are ill, they usually go to a family doctor first. However, people in America sometimes go straight to an expert. Children are usually taken to a doctor who is an expert in the treatment of children. In Britain, if a patient needs to see a specialist doctor, their family doctor will usually recommend a specialist, which will save more time and money both for the patients and the public fund(基金).
In Britain, doctors do not go to people’s homes when they are ill. People always make appointments to see the doctor in the doctor’s office. In a serious situation, people call for an ambulance. In America, hospitals must treat all seriously ill patients, even if they do not have medical insurance. The gov-ernment will then help pay for some of
the cost of the medical care.
The majority of Americans pay for medical care.
A.through the national health care service | B.by buying medical insurance |
C.with the help of the government | |
D.by increasing their income |
The author implies in Paragraph 2 that.
A.Americans don’t trust family doctors |
B.family doctors are helpless to the patients |
C.he is more in favor of the British medical care service |
D.sick children should go to family doctors first |
In the States, seriously ill patients will.
A.be treated if they have an insurance |
B.go to see the doctor by making an appointment |
C.receive treatment even without insurance |
D.normally go to see an expert for treatment |
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A.Health Care in the United States and Britain |
B.Types of Doctors in the United States |
C.Treatment of Sick Children in the United States |
D.Medical Insurance in the United States and Britain |
How to make friends with people from a different culture? The rules are as follows:
Appreciate the Person.
Most Americans like to be recognized as individuals as someone special with unique personalities. Therefore, never say, “You’re from America so I want to be your friend.” Also don’t imply that the reason why you approached them is that you wanted someone to practice your English with. That turns people off.
Instead try saying,” You seem like a real nice and interesting person and I would like to get to know you better.” This way, they are much more inclined to be friendly because you see them as a three dim
ensional person and appreciate them for who they are in the inside. And by doing so, you not only learn about Americans and practice your English, but also gain a r
eal friend in the process.
Quit Calling Us Foreigners.
Please avoid calling a foreigner a foreigner especially in his face. The word makes people feel like an outsider, and even unwelcome, suggesting separation and insurmountable differences, widening an already existing gap in the situation. When Americans travel, they rarely say, “ I’m foreign to your place.” They tend to say, “ I’m new in town. I’m new here.” The reason is because new and unfamiliar things can become old and familiar. But can foreign things become native? Aha? You catch my drift.
Just Do It.
Some students like to be told about American culture but are less interested in spending the time and the effort to actually experience it. As Americans always say, “ Get your hands dirty.” You should have first hand and hands on experience, or you’ll never really know anything.
Find that Common Language.
Now I must stress the importance of finding a common language. By that I don’t mean English, Chinese, German, French, etc. I mean finding something you have in common with another person on a spiritual and philosophical level: likes, dislikes, worldviews, ways of thinking , and attitudes toward life. And to start, you must first enhance your knowledge of the particular culture from which your potential new friend comes form.
The underlined sentence “ Get your hands dirty” means.
A.get involved | B.start with dirty work |
C.talk about American culture | D.don’t wash your hands too often |
Americans prefer to make friends with those who.
A.avoid talking about their homeland |
B.recognize their personalities |
C.obey rules of communicating with friends |
D.needn’t practice English while playing together |
According to the passage, which of the following is friendly?
A.I am longing to make friends with an American. |
B.This is my friend Tom, who is a foreigner. |
C.There must be a gap between us in many things. |
D.You’ve got a great personality. |
A woman whose sports car was stolen with her dog in it put up notices all over the area that made it clear getting back her pet was more important than her cat.
“Whoever did this can keep my car.Please let Benjerman come home,”the notice said.
It is not known whether the thief showed any pity,but al-most 30 hours after the 1 pm theft Friday,Atkins and Benjerman,a 12-year-old black retriever(猎犬),were reunited after the police located them in Barrington.
“He’s hungry,he’s dirty,but he’s very happy to be home.”Atkins said.
The car was found at about 5 pm Saturday off Route 125 in a swampy area frequented by off-the—road cars and dirt bikes.However,the police couldn’t control Benjerman, and they had to call Atkins to come and get him.
Atkins said the thief cared for Benjerman a little by providing him with some dry cat food.She believed Benjerman ended up drinking some muddy warer in the area.She said they have been together for nearly 1 l years after she took him back from a society shelter in Dallas.Texas.
Before Benjerman was found.Atkins and several friends put up notices all over the city and in Somersworth.They also contacted animal shelters throughout southern New Hampshire and Massachusetts.The notice stated there was a reward and also that the dog needed medication.Any caller could remain anonymous(匿名的).
Atkins had parked the car outside a hardware store with the keys inside and gone in to rent a carpet cleaner.
“It was 10 minutes and I came out and my car was gone along with Benjermma in broad daylight.”Atkins said.The car thief threw Atkins’ wallet and other personal items out of the car before escaping from the scene.Which of the following shows the correct order of what happened?
a.Notices were put up saying there was a reward.
b.Atkins saw Benjerman again.
c.The police found Atkins' car.
d.Atkins took Benjerman back from a society sheher.
e.Atkins hired a carpet cleaner in a hardware store.
A.d,e,a,b,c | B.d,e,a.c.b |
C.e,a,d,b,c | D.e,a,c,d,b |
We can infer from the passage
A.the dog was treated extremely badly by ![]() |
B.car stolen accidents happen frequently nowadays |
C.the dog was found because of the reward |
D.the thief stole the car easily |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Benjerman was sent back immediately after Atkins put up the notices. |
B.Atkins and her friends made a great effort to look for Benjerman. |
C.The thief gave the dog back b![]() |
D.The dog was back at 1 pm on a Friday. |
As late as 1800, women’s only place was in the home. The idea of woman in the business world was unthinkable. Men were certain that no woman could do a good job outside her home. This was such a widely accepted idea that when the well-known Bronte sisters began writing books in 1864, they had to sign their books with men’s names instead.
Teaching was the first profession open to women soon after 1800. But even that was not an easy profession for women to enter because most schools and colleges were open only to men. Oberlin College in Ohio was the first college in America to accept women.
Hospital nursing became respectable work for women only after Nightingale became famous. Seeing that she was not only a nurse but also a rich and well-educated woman, people began to believe it was possible for women to nurse the sick and still be “ladies”. Miss Nightingale opened England’s first training school for nurse in 1860.
The invention of the typewriter in 1867 helped to bring women out of the home and into the business world. By 1900, thousands of women were working at real jobs in schools, hospitals and offices in both England and America. Some women even managed to become doctors or lawyers. The idea that women could work in the business world had been accepted.
Why couldn’t women become teachers easily? Because___________
A.the first profession open to them was writing. |
B.most sch![]() |
C.they wanted to be nurses instead. |
D.they had to work in the business world. |
The article is mainly about __________.
A.women are in the business world |
B.the famous Bronte sisters |
C.schools and colleges in America |
D.rights for American women |
Which fact does the article lead you to believe?
A.The Bronte sisters thought that they were men. |
B.England’s first training school for nurses was in Ohio. |
C.There are more men than women in professional jobs. |
D.Women find it necessary to work harder than before. |