Years ago, a cigarette commercial asked if you were smoking more, but enjoying it less. That describes the way many of us live today. We are doing more, but enjoying it less. And when that doesn’t work, we compound the problem. In our frantic search for satisfaction, we try stuffing still more into our days, never realizing that we are taking the wrong approach.
The truth is simple; so simple it is hard to believe. Satisfaction lies with less, not with more. Yet, we pursue the myth that this thing, or that activity, will somehow provide the satisfaction we so desperately seek.
Arthur Lindman, in his devastating book, “The Harried Leisure Class,” described the futility of pursuing more. His research focused on what people did with their leisure time. He found that as income rose, people bought more things to occupy their leisure time. But, ironically, the more things they bought, the less they valued any one of them. Carried to an extreme, he predicted massive boredom in the midst of tremendous variety. That was more than twenty years ago, and his prediction seems more accurate every year.
Lindman, of course, is not the first to discover this. The writer of Ecclesiastes expressed the same thought thousands of years ago. It is better, he wrote, to have less, but enjoy it more.
If you would like to enjoy life more, I challenge you to experiment with me. How could you simplify your life? What could you drop? What could you do without? What could you stop pursuing? What few things could you concentrate on?
The more I learn, the more I realize that fullness of life does not depend on things. The more I give up, the more I seem to gain. But words will never convince you. You must try it for yourself.
1．Arthur Lindman predicted twenty years ago that ______.
A. more things brought more value B. the more people had, the less they valued them
C. people didn’t like to pursue more D. massive boredom came from less variety
2．What does the article suggest to make our life happier?
A. To enjoy more things. B. To buy more things.
C. To sell things we do not need. D. To get rid of useless things.
3．The passage is probably written to ___________.
A. introduce Arthur Lindman and his book B. tell the readers what is satisfaction
C. introduce how to simplify people’s life D. persuade people to simplify their life
I’ve cheated in school when I thought that I could get away with it. I’m not proud of it and I don’t usually feel very good about myself afterwards, but sometimes it’s the only way possible to survive in a pressure cooker. My parents are really set on my getting good grades. They study my report card the same way they examine the newspaper’s stock market page. And they make me feel that I’ve got to live up to their expectations.
But often it’s like each teacher acts as if his is the only subject we have. They think nothing of piling on our homework or giving surprise quizzes. Sometimes we have to take two or three tests in different subjects on the same day. I’d like to see a lot of adults I know preparing for that.
When the pressure becomes too high, some kids may resort to (诉诸于) cheating. If you have three or four subjects to study for, you’re not going to be able to devote enough time to each subject in order to be well prepared for each class. Besides, it may be the only way left to live up to your parents’ expectations and compete with the top students in the class.
Everybody knows that if you cheat, it’s important not to get caught. Few things can cause more of chaos. Once, my elder brother got caught cheating on a math final. My parents acted as though he’d committed a federal crime. The assistant principal called them to school, but although the incident caused several conferences, I don’t think that anybody ever really understood what my brother was going through. We’re just supposed to perform outstandingly as well as always act honestly, but how many adults can actually live up to the standards they set for us?
My father has gotten countless traffic tickets for parking in no parking zones or for not coming to a full stop at stop signs. And you’ve always hearing about people who don’t file their incomes tax honestly. How about all the corruption in government? Successful adults often accept dishonesty in order to achieve their business goals. Are kids the only ones who are supposed to be perfect?
Most of my friends have cheated on tests in school at one time or another. The kids who never cheated are usually either afraid of getting caught or just don’t know how to do it safely. Nobody wants to cheat. But if it’s a choice of being honest or of getting a better grade, most kids will try for the latter. That may sound wrong, but we didn’t make the rules, we’re just trying to get by.What is the best title of this passage?
| A．Everyone can fight a cheat! |
| B．Everyone likes to cheat! |
| C．Cheating is reasonable! |
| D．No one wants to cheat! |
The author owes children’s cheat to the following EXPECT __________.
| A．parents | B．children | C．teacher | D．examinations |
In the fifth paragraph, the author mainly wants to say ____________.
| A．some adults can not live up to the standards they set for the children |
| B．kids are always supposed to be perfect |
| C．his father always cheats in his life |
| D．children shouldn’t learn from successful adults |
Which of the following is true according to this passage?
| A．The author thinks it is children’s right to cheat in school. |
| B．Most of the author’s friends like cheating on the tests in school. |
| C．The author thinks it wrong to cheat in school. |
| D．The author shows a positive attitude towards a surprise quiz in school. |
This Teaching Assistant Level 3 course is designed for people who either are, or wish to become a teaching assistant. Teaching assistants carry out their tasks under the direction of the class teacher. This is a fully supported home study course, and the help is available whenever you need it—either online or over the phone. There is a huge demand for teaching assistants around the country but also many thousands of applicants for these positions. Having this Teaching Assistant Level 3 qualification will help you have an obvious advantage over other applicants. Our Level 3 Teaching Assistant course is similar to the NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) Level 3 because it is an equivalent (同等的) level of learning.
The teaching assistant is able to contribute in four main areas:
Supporting the teacher
Supporting the pupil
Supporting the school
Supporting the curriculum
The salary a teaching assistant is expected to earn a year:
London fringe (外围):￡16,856 - ￡26,052
Outer London: ￡18,789 - ￡27,992
Inner London: ￡19,893 - ￡29,088
Rest of England and Wales: ￡15,817 - ￡25,016
The fee and the time of enrolment (入学)
Enroll for only a ￡35 deposit. Teaching Assistant Level 3 is only ￡345. To help you on your way towards achieving your qualification, we are offering all of our potential students a ￡115 reduction in their enrolment fees for June. The normal fee for this course is ￡460 but for this month it has been reduced to only ￡345. There has never been a better time to start learning and take that first step towards a brighter future!
100% money back guarantee, if you are not satisfied. That’s why we’ll happily give you your money back on any course returned within 7 days. It’s easy for you to enroll now by telephone 01223 923 913. You can get free friendly help and advice from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, on Monday to Friday. Call 01223 923 915.How can people study this Teaching Assistant Level 3 course?
| A．Go to the night school. |
| B．Go to the full-time school. |
| C．Study at home at any time. |
| D．Study at weekends or vacations. |
What’s the teaching assistant’s task?
| A．Listening to the teacher’s lecture all the time. |
| B．Only helping teachers prepare their lessons. |
| C．Helping promote effective learning and teaching. |
| D．Often giving lessons in place of the formal teacher. |
If a teacher assistant earns ￡28,000 a year , he probably works in ______.
| A．downtown Wales | B．the fringe of London |
| C．outer London | D．downtown London |
How much should you pay in June if you have paid the deposit?
| A．￡310 | B．￡35 | C．￡345 | D．￡460 |
Today we bring you an old tale. It’s the story of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf that blew down a house made of straw and one made of sticks. The only house left standing was the one made of bricks. Now there is new evidence to suggest that houses built with bales of straw can be very strong. They are also very environmental.
Pete Walker is a professor at the University of Bath in Britain. He and a team of researchers there have built a house made out of straw bales and hemp material. During the next twelve months the team will study the effectiveness of these materials in home building. Professor Walker says there are many good reasons for using straw.
Professor Walker: “One of the benefits is it’s a relatively inexpensive renewable material that’s readily available.” He also agrees that straw takes in carbon dioxide as it grows and helps the environment in other ways. So it can be seen as having no harmful effects on the environment.
Professor Walker: “The straw bale walls are relatively thick and so all that straw provides very good thermal insulation. So we make buildings that require very little heating in the winter or indeed very little cooling in the summer. So they require very little additional energy.”
Professor Walker says this reduces home operating expenses. It also reduces the effect on the environment. He says the current interest in straw bale houses is a direct response to the problem of climate change.
David Lanfear owns an eco-friendly home building service in the United States called Bale on Bale Construction. He says he laughed when some friends first told him about houses built of straw. But after doing his own research, he learned that building with straw bales made a lot of sense. He has now helped to build more than ten straw bale houses and says the building material is becoming more widely accepted.
To build the houses, he fills a wood frame with tightly packed bales of straw. Next he coats the walls inside and out with layers of clay plaster. He says the common ideas about straw houses continue, including stories about the threat of fire. Mr. Lanfear says straw bale houses have done well when tested for fire resistance. And he says his builders use the same building methods as traditional builders to keep out rain.
David Lanfear: “We use what we call good shoes and a good hat, and that would be a solid foundation and a really good roof.”What’s David Lanfear’s attitude towards the straw houses at last?
| A．Ridiculous. | B．Approving. |
| C．Defensive. | D．Unbelievable. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Using straw to build houses is dearer than using bricks. |
| B．The houses built with bales of straw are stronger than those built with bricks. |
| C．Straw which is convenient to get is much cheaper than thick bricks. |
| D．Houses made of bricks are no better than those made of straw. |
According to the passage, we know that ________________.
| A．there is some experience in building the straw houses |
| B．the house made of straw bales is the same as the traditional one |
| C．the house made of straw bales is still under research |
| D．it’s uncertain that the straw house can be very strong |
As We Speak
by Peter Meyers, Shann Nix
The world is full of brilliant people whose ideas are never heard. This book is designed to make sure that you’re not one of them. Whether you are speaking to a large audience or in a one-on-one conversation, the way in which you communicate ideas, as much as the ideas themselves, can determine success or failure. In this invaluable guide, you’ll learn to master principles that you can apply in a wide variety of situations.
Triple(使增至三倍)Your Reading Speed
by Wade E.Cutler
This fourth edition of the book does just that--with tests that make it fun and simple to acquire the skills that will give you an advantage in school and on the job. The method helps you to break old habits that may be slowing you down, and develop strategies for increased comprehension in less time.
The Memory Book
by Harry Lorayne, Jerry Lucas
Unlock the hidden power of your mind through Harry Lorayne and Jerry Lucas’s simple memory system, and you can become more effective and more powerful. Discover how easy it is to remember things; learn foreign words with ease; read with speed and greater understanding; shine in the classroom and shorten study hours.
How to Become a Straight-A student
by Cal Newport
Most college students believe that straight A’s can be achieved only through cramming(突击式学习) and painful all-nighters at the library. But Cal Newport knows that real straight-A students don’t study harder--they study smarter. A breakthrough approach to completing academic tasks very well, How to Become a Straight-A student reveals for the first time the proven study secrets of real straight-A students across the country and turns them into a simple, practical system that anyone can master.According to the first advertisement, some brilliant people’s ideas are never heard
because_____.
| A．they are not well-known enough |
| B．their ideas are not creative enough |
| C．they can’t exchange their ideas well. |
| D．their ideas are rather complex. |
What do Triple Your Reading Speed and The Memory Book have in common?
| A．They help to improve your memory. |
| B．They help you to read much faster. |
| C．They offer you the latest ideas. |
| D．They include many tests. |
How to Become a Straight-A student mainly conveys the message that______.
| A．hard work leads to success |
| B．cramming before exams work |
| C．there are techniques for learning |
| D．anyone can be a college student |
Which of the following books focuses on discovering your unknown potential?
| A．As We Speak |
| B．Triple Your Reading Speed |
| C．The Memory Book |
| D．How to Become a Straight-A student |
The saying “a penny for your thoughts” is an English idiom simply asking people to volunteer their opinions on an issue being discussed. In modern usage, it is often stated as an indirect way of asking what someone is thinking about.
This phrase is basically a proposal (提议), and the speaker is offering to pay to hear the listener’s thoughts. It is an idiom, of course, and not meant literally (字面上的) so no real payment generally takes place.
When the saying originated, a penny was worth a lot more than it is in the 21st century. Therefore, “a penny for your thoughts” likely indicated the thoughts were more valuable to those asking the listener for them than they are by today’s standards. This loss of value can be used ironically(讽刺地), however, through tone(语气) of voice; it can be used to indicate that someone’s idea is bad or worth a penny in modern value.
The phrase is generally credited to a man by the name of John Heywood, who was born sometime just before the 16th century. During his life, he was a writer who penned many plays and a book in 1546, later known as The Proverbs of John Heywood. It is likely Heywood did not actually come up with the phrase “a penny for your thoughts”. Rather, he was simply the first person to have set the phrase down in written form. The actual origins of the term are unknown, and since his book was simply a collection of common idioms and expressions, it was probably familiar to people in the mid 1500s.
Another phrase similar to “a penny for your thoughts” is offering “your two cents” after making a statement. Someone might give his or her opinion and then say, “that’s my two cents,” to indicate the value of his or her idea. While, much like a penny, “two cents” is relatively low in value now, it would have been more valuable at one time and the expression is used in much the same way.When someone says “a penny for your thoughts”, he or she ___________.
| A．wants to ask you for advice |
| B．considers your thoughts unique |
| C．is curious about what’s on your mind |
| D．will pay for what you’re thinking about |
The modern meaning of “a penny for your thoughts” ____________.
| A．is more closely connected to the value of the penny |
| B．can differ greatly according to a speaker’s manner |
| C．can confuse the listener easily |
| D．is more popularly accepted |
In what way is Heywood related to the phrase “a penny for your thoughts”?
| A．He came up with it while he was writing. |
| B．He helps to explain the origins of it. |
| C．He contributed to the wide use of it. |
| D．He was the first person to use it. |
What do we know about the phrase “your two cents”?
| A．It is usually used at the end of a statement. |
| B．It comes from “a penny for your thoughts”. |
| C．It has witnessed some changes since the 16th century. |
| D．It is more familiar to people than “a penny for your thoughts”. |