My grandmother was from a town in Michigan. Summer after summer, I enjoyed staying with my grandparents as a young child. I was from the city and loved the small town they lived in. People knew everyone, their kids, their pets, their ancestors. The bond with them continued to grow as I grew and they got older. Grandma was always using her hands for something exciting. She would make little sandwiches and we’d have tea parties. She’d make beautiful quilts for each one. I remember the small thimble(顶针) she would use while doing her needle work.
A few years ago, when Grandma left this earth, I bid farewell to a loving grandmother. How quickly our lives can change. We had just had tea together a couple of months earlier, on her 91st birthday.
I missed her very much. On one particular birthday, when I was feeling a little low, something happened to make me feel like she was sharing that special day with me. I was arranging some colorful pillows that she had made, and suddenly I felt something inside one pillow. It was small and hard. I moved the object to a seam(接缝) that I carefully opened, and to my delight out came a tiny silver thimble! How happy I was to find something that had been a part of her. Not realizing it had fallen off her finger, I pictured her sewing it in that little pillow that I just happened to place on my bedspead that day. I carefully laid the thimble alongside the others I’ve collected over the years, where I could continue to see the gift God chose to reveal to me. What a precious memory of a very special lady who somehow, I knew, was laughing in delight at sewing her thimble inside my pillow.
I made some tea, using my best china, as Grandma always did, and enjoyed my tea and Grandma’s thimble. What a wonderful birthday that was!
60.The author liked staying with her grandparents because________.
A.they often bought her some gifts
B.she was curious about people and things there
C.she could have tea parties and eat sandwiches
D.she could learn to sew quilts
61.How did the author feel when she found the silver thimble?
A.Sad B.Proud C.Lucky D.Cheerful
62.It can be inferred from the passage that the silver thimble________.
A.was the item the author had been trying to find
B.was the most treasured possession of Grandma
C.was very precious to the author
D.was a birthday gift Grandma had given the author
63.What is the best title for the passage?
A.A little pillow B.Grandma’s silver thimble
C.My grandparents D.My childhood
Over the last 70 years, researchers have been studying happy and unhappy people and finally found out ten factors that make a difference. Our feelings of well-being at any moment are determined to a certain degree by genes. However, of all the factors, wealth and age are the top two.
Money can buy a degree of happiness. But once you can afford to feed, clothe and house yourself, each extra dollar makes less and less difference.
Researchers find that, on average, wealthier people are happier. But the link between money and happiness is complex. In the past half-century, average income has sharply increased in developed countries, yet happiness levels have remained almost the same. Once your basic needs are met, money only seems to increase happiness if you have more than your friends, neighbors and colleagues.
"Dollars buy status, and status makes people feel better," conclude some experts, which helps explain why people who can seek status in other ways－scientists or actors, for example－may happily accept relatively poorly-paid jobs.
In a research, Professor Alex Michalos found that the people whose desire－not just for money, but for friends, family, job, health－rose furthest beyond what they already had, tended to be less happy than those who felt a smaller gap(差距). Indeed, the size of the gap predicted happiness about five times better than income alone. "The gap measures just blow away the only measures of income." Says Michalos.
Another factor that has to do with happiness is age. Old age may not be so bad. "Given all the problems of aging, how could the elderly be more satisfied?" asks Professor Laura Carstensen.
In one survey, Carstensen interviewed 184 people between the ages of 18 and 94, and asked them to fill out an emotions questionnaire. She found that old people reported positive emotions just as often as young people, but negative emotions much less often.
Why are old people happier? Some scientists suggest older people may expect life to be harder and learn to live with it, or they're more realistic about their goals, only setting ones that they know they can achieve. But Carstensen thinks that with times running out, older people have learned to focus on things that make them happy and let go of those that don't.
"People realize not only what they have, but also that what they have cannot last forever," she says. "A goodbye kiss to a husband or wife at the age of 85, for example, may bring far more complex emotional responses than a similar kiss to a boy or girl friend at the age of 20."
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According to the passage, the feeling of happiness.
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| 2． |
Some actors would like to accept poorly-paid jobs because the jobs.
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| 3． |
Aged people are more likely to feel happy because they are more.
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| 4． |
Professor Alex Michalos found that people feel less happy if.
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Almost every child is scared of something, from monsters in the cupboard to dogs in the park. But the fact that such fears are common and normal doesn’t mean they can be taken lightly. Kids experience fears and phobias(恐惧症) much more strongly than adults. And the influence of the fear can be physical as well as psychological(心理的). It can build up so they almost seem scared of everything－a kind of childhood anxiety. Dr. Creswell says: “Your child may always seem to expect the worst to happen and lack confidence in his or her ability to deal with any challenge.” So don’t make the same old mistake of treating them as if they’re silly for being a “scaredy cat”. Handling the fears is essential.
Children can be born nervous and, if you have such a baby, you’ll tend to prevent them from getting worried. So if they fear dogs, you’ll keep them away from dogs, but in fact that can just confirm to the child that dogs are scary. What is worse, keeping your child away from what they fear can turn that feeling into a phobia. Instead, you should encourage them to get in touch with the thing they fear, in a safe and supportive environment. Dr. Andy Field, a researcher of childhood fears, says: “You shouldn’t force, for example, a dog anxious child to go up to a dog. But you can approach it yourself, show them there is nothing to be afraid of, stroke(抚摸) it, and talk about the dog being friendly. Once your child dares to stroke a dog－one that’s good with children, of course－then you should encourage them to carry on until they feel calmer, and reward them for ‘being brave’.”Children’s fears are usually taken lightly because __________.
| A．they will not develop into phobias |
| B．their influence is psychological |
| C．they exist widely in the world |
| D．they will disappear gradually |
If we fail to help children to overcome fears, they will ___________.
| A．make the same old mistake |
| B．overcome them by themselves |
| C．experience the worst of things |
| D．grow up lacking self confidence |
According to Dr. Andy Field, if a child is afraid of a cat, parents should __________.
| A．tell the child not to be afraid of it |
| B．show the child how to approach it |
| C．keep the child away from it |
| D．ask the child to stroke it |
How can a creature weighing over 5 tons and normally taking 150 kilograms of food and 120 liters of water per day survive in a desert environment?
In the southwest African country of Namibia, and the Sahara lands of Mali further north, the desert elephant does just that.
Although not regarded as a separate species from the African elephant, the desert cousin differs in many ways. Their bodies are smaller, to absorb less heat, and their feet are larger for easier walking across sandy surfaces, They are taller, to reach higher branches. They have shorter tusks（象牙）, and most importantly, longer trunks to dig for water in riverbeds.
Desert elephants can travel over 70 kilometers in search for feeding grounds and waterholes, and have a larger group of families. They drink only every 3 –4 days, and can store water in a “bag” at the back of their throat, which is only used when badly needed. Desert elephants are careful feeders – they seldom root up trees and break fewer branches, and thus maintain what little food sources are available. Young elephants may even eat the dung（粪便）of the female leader of a group when facing food shortage.
During drought they are unlikely to give birth to their young but with good rains the birthrate will increase greatly. Desert elephants have sand baths, sometimes adding their own urine（尿液）to make them muddy!
As we continue to overheat our weak planet, it can only be hoped that other animal species will adapt as extraordinarily well to change as the desert elephant.The underlined part in Paragraph 2 means “”.
| A．remains in the African countries |
| B．drinks 120 liters of water a day |
| C．manages to live in desert areas |
| D．eats 150 kilograms of food daily |
Desert elephants are called careful feeders because they _________.
| A．rarely ruin trees |
| B．drink only every 3-4 days |
| C．search for food in large groups |
| D．protect food sources for their young |
The author answers the question raised in the first paragraph with __________.
| A．stories and explanation |
| B．facts and descriptions |
| C．examples and conclusion |
| D．evidence and argument |
What can be inferred from the last sentence in the passage?
| A．Overheating the earth can be stopped. |
| B．Not all animal species are so adaptable. |
| C．The planet will become hotter and hotter. |
| D．Not all animals are as smart as desert elephants. |
Karen, grown up in a very traditional family in the western United States, maintained high moral（道德的）standards throughout her youth. In 1984, at the age of 23, she married Bill. They
were blessed with two children, a boy and a girl.
By 1991 their love had deepened, and they were happy. Later that year, Bill developed a white spot on his tongue. He visited a doctor.
One day shortly after that, Bill called Karen to sit beside him. He said with tears in his eyes that he loved her and wanted to live forever with her. The doctor suspected that he had been infected with HIV, the virus that leads to AIDS.
The family was tested, Bill and Karen's results were positive. Bill had become infected before he met Karen then he passed the virus on to Karen. The children's results were negative. Within three years. Bill was dead, "I don't know how to express what it is like to watch the once handsome man you love and intend to live with forever dying slowly. I cried many nights. He died three months short of ten years of our marriage," says Karen. Though a doctor told Karen that she would soon follow her husband into death, she is still alive. The infection has progressed to the early stages of AIDS.
Karen is hut one of about 30 million people now living with HIV/AIDS, a figure larger than the combined populations of Australia. Ireland and Paraguay. According to one UN report, Africa has 21 million of these victims. By the turn of the century that number could reach 40 million and the disease will bring on the greatest disaster in human history. Of the world's sexually active adults aged 15 to 49. 1 in 100 has already been infected with HIV. Of these, only 1 in 10 realizes that he or she is infected. In some parts of Africa, 25 percent of the adults are infected.
Since the beginning of the spread of AIDS in1981, about 11.7 million people have died of it. It is roughly calculated that in 1997 alone, about 2.3 million people died of it. Nevertheless, there are fresh reasons for optimism in the battle against AIDS. During the past few years, there has been a drop in new AIDS cases in wealthy nations. In addition, promising drugs hold out hope of better health and longer life.
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By telling the story of Karen , the author intends to.
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| 2． |
The underlined part in Paragraph 1 most probably means "".
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| 3． |
Bill was suspected of being infected with HIV after.
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| 4． |
It can be concluded from the passage that.
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When we think of leadership, we often think of strength and power. But what are these really, and how do they operate?
Leadership today is not about forcing others to do things. If this is even possible, it is short-term, and tends to backfire. If you order someone to do something against their will, they may do it because they feel they must, but the anger they feel will do more harm in the long-term, They will also experience fear.
Fear causes the thinking brain to shut down, making the person unable to function at his or her best. If they associate you with this emotion of fear. They will become less functional around you, and you will have succeeded in not only shooting yourself in the foot. but possibly making a very good employee or partner unable to perform effectively. Fear has no place in leadership.
The way we influence people in a lasting way is by our own character, and our understanding and use of emotion. We can order someone to do something, which may be part of the work day; or we can employ them at the emotional level, so they became fully devoted to the projects and provide some of their own motivation (积极性). Today’s work place is all about relationships.
Anyone works harder in a positive environment in which they are recognized and valued as a human being as well as a worker.. Everyone produces just a bit more for someone they like. Leaders understand the way things work. They know the pay check is not the single most motivating factor (因素) in the work life of most people.
The true strength of leadership is an inner strength that comes from the confidence of emotional intelligence—knowing your own emotions, and how to handle them, and those of others. Developing your emotional intelligence is the single best thing you can do if you want to develop your relationships with people around you, which is the key to the leadership skills. An employee may have a feeling of fear in the work place when ________.
| A．he is forced to do things | B．be cannot work at his best |
| C．he feels his brain shut down | D．he thinks of his work as too heavy |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．People tend to associate leadership with fear |
| B．Working conditions affect people’s physical health |
| C．Good relationship is the key to business success |
| D．Smart people are more functional in the work place. |
To positively influence employees a leader should first of all ________.
| A．provide better suggestions | B．develop his own personality |
| C．five his employees a pay raise | D．hide his own emotion of fear |
Good leadership is mainly seen in a leader’s ability to ________.
| A．provide a variety of project for employees |
| B．help raise employee’s living standards |
| C．give employees specific instructions |
| D．deal wisely with employees’ emotions |