In Daniel Gilbert’s 2006 book "Stumbling(跌撞) on Happiness," the Harvard professor of psychology looks at several studies and concludes that marital(婚姻的) satisfaction decreases after the birth of the first child and increases only when the last child has left home. He also declares that parents are happier grocery shopping and even sleeping than spending time with their kids.
The most recent comprehensive study on the emotional state of those with kids shows us that the term "bundle of joy" may not be the most accurate way to describe our kids. "Parents experience lower levels of emotional well-being, less frequent positive emotions and more frequent negative emotions than their childless peers," says Florida State University’s Robin Simon, a sociology professor.
Simon received plenty of hate mail in response to her research，which isn’t surprising. Her findings shake the very foundation of what we’ve been raised to believe is true. In a recent NEWSWEEK Poll, 50 percent of Americans said that adding new children to the family tends to increase happiness levels. But which parent is willing to admit that the greatest gift life has to offer has in fact made his or her life less enjoyable?
Is it possible that American parents have always been this disillusioned(有幻觉的)? In pre-industrial America, parents certainly loved their children, but their kids also served a purpose—to work the farm, contribute to the household. Today, we have kids more for emotional reasons, but an increasingly complicated work and social environment has made finding satisfaction far more difficult. Raising children has not only become more complicated, it has become more expensive as well. The National Marriage Project’s 2006 report says that parents have significantly lower marital satisfaction than nonparents because they experienced more single and child-free years than previous generations.
As for those of us with kids, all the news isn’t bad. Parents still report feeling a greater sense of purpose and meaning in their lives than those who’ve never had kids. And there are other rewarding aspects of parenting that are impossible to quantify..
What’s the main idea of the book Stumbling on Happiness?
| A．Parents are happier shopping than looking after their children. |
| B．Once they have children, the couples can never be as happy as before. |
| C．Compared with their childless peers, parents are leading a sad life. |
| D．The adding of children at home brings down marital satisfaction. |
.
. What can we infer from Para.3?
| A．The Newsweek Poll shows that people think Prof. Simon’s finding is right. |
| B．Many people can’t accept the fact that they are not happy with their children. |
| C．It isn’t surprising that Professor Simon’s controversial research made her famous. |
| D．Simon’s findings are based on the belief passed down from generation to generation. |
.
What can we learn about American’s families in the past?
| A．People had very good parents-children relationship in the family. |
| B．Having children could be partly out of some practical purposes. |
| C．Parents loved their children but they still asked them to work a lot. |
| D．Children had to work very hard to make their parents love them. |
.
What’s the author’s opinion about having children?
| A．The author doesn’t think having children is a good thing to the family. |
| B．The author feels children make the life of a family happy. |
| C．The author thinks parenting can still be rewarding in a certain way. |
| D．The author believes that parents sacrifice a lot for having children. |
People who are outdoors in cold weather should avoid actions like suddenly lifting a heavy basket full of snow. Even walking through heavy, wet snow can strain a person’s heart.
Many people aren’t conditioned to the physical stress of outdoor activities and don’t know the dangers of being outdoors in cold weather. Those who like winter sports can suffer accidental hypothermia if they don’t make certain preparations.
Hypothermia means the body temperature has fallen below normal. It occurs when your body can’t produce enough energy to keep the internal (内部的) body temperature warm enough. It can kill you. Heart failure causes most deaths in hypothermia.
Children, the elderly and those with heart disease are at special risk. As people age, their ability to keep a normal internal body temperature often decreases. Elderly people can suffer hypothermia without knowing they’re in danger because they can’t notice the cold conditions as quickly as the young.
Besides cold temperatures, high winds, snow and rain can also steal body heat. Wind is especially dangerous because it removes the layer of heated air from around your body. At 30 degrees Fahrenheit in a 20-mile-per-hour wind, the cooling effect is equal to calm air at four degrees. Similarly dampness (湿气) causes the body to lose heat faster than it would at the same temperature in drier conditions.
To keep warm, wear more clothes. This traps air between layers. Also, wear a hat or head scarf. Much of your body’s heat can be lost through your head. Keep your hands and feet warm, too, as they tend to lose heat rapidly.
Don’t drink alcohol before going outdoors or when outside. Alcohol makes you feel warm at first because blood vessels in the skin expand. But heat is then drawn away from the body’s important organs.
1. The underlined word “strain” in Paragraph 1 means ________.
A. injure B. warm C. control D. burn
2. What is implied in the passage about hypothermia?
| A. |
It means the body temperature falls rapidly. |
| B. |
Most heart attacks are caused by it. |
| C. |
It is not as scary as people think. |
| D. |
It can threaten a person’s life. |
3. Based on the passage, one of the reasons why the elderly are at special risk of suffering from hypothermia is that _______.
| A. |
they like exercising outside in cold mornings |
| B. |
they can’t notice cold conditions if they are not told |
| C. |
their body temperature is generally lower than young people’s |
| D. |
their ability to keep a normal internal body temperature is not so good |
4.What is Paragraph 5 mainly about?
| A. |
What causes the body to lose heat faster. |
| B. |
The advantages of drier conditions. |
| C. |
What else can steal body heat. |
| D. |
Dangers of high winds. |
5. Which of the following is NOT a result of drinking alcohol before going outdoors?
| A. |
Feeling warm at first |
| B. |
The body’s heat is taken away |
| C. |
Blood vessels in the skin expand |
| D. |
The risk of hypothermia is reduced |
Don’t be surprised when strangers talk to you in Canada! You will find that many Canadians will smile at you as they pass in the street, or say something to you like “Hi!” or “How’s it going?” Just reply with something similar. In the UK the reply would be “I’m fine”, but in Canada they say “I’m good”.
In company, when someone is offering you a second helping of food or more wine, if you don’t want any more, use the same expression— “I’m good”. In this case, it means “No, thank you. I’ve had enough”. Most Canadians don't press you to eat more than you want.
In restaurant, your plate will be cleared away almost immediately you have finished eating. When you go into a shop or store, the shop assistant asks you how you are or if they can help you, it is their way of being friendly and making conversation with the customers.
Canadians eat early and go home early. When you are invited to a Canadian’s home, you may be asked to arrive at 5:30 pm or 6 pm. But guests in Europe don’t expect to arrive until 7:30 pm or 8 pm. Remember to take off your shoes and leave them inside the door without being asked. It’s not a religious custom, but it’s practical. In winter, there can be a lot of snow and dirt on your shoes, once you are in the warm house it melts and falls off, making a mess. Canadians tend to have light colored carpets or hardwood floors.
If you’re invited for dinner, it will be a full sit- down meal. Meat is usually barbecued in the freezing cold of winter. Do take something with you, like a bottle of wine. Arrive on time and don’t stay over 10 pm.
1. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A. |
“I’m good” can mean you do not need more food in Canada. |
| B. |
In Canada, you will meet strangers in the street saying “Hi” to you. |
| C. |
In a Canadian restaurant, the plates will stay at the table until you leave. |
| D. |
Canadians usually say “I’m good” to answer the greeting of “How’s it going?” |
2. If you are invited for dinner in your Canadian friend’s home, ________.
| A. |
you will have a full sit-down meal |
| B. |
you don’t have to bring any gift for the host |
| C. |
you are expected to arrive at 7:30 or 8 pm |
| D. |
you don’t have to take off your shoes when you enter the room |
3. When a Canadian shop assistant says “How are you?” to you, it suggests that _______.
| A. |
they hope to make friends with you |
| B. |
they want to ask you for help |
| C. |
they are very friendly to customers |
| D. |
they are your good friends |
4. What can we learn from the passage?
| A. |
Canadians like dark colored carpets. |
| B. |
In Canada, meat will not be barbecued even in the cold winter. |
| C. |
You will always be asked to eat more food than you want in Canada. |
| D. |
It is usually rude to stay over 10 pm in your Canadian friend’s home. |
5.What would be the best title for this passage?
| A. |
Some customs in Canada |
| B. |
Dinner party rules in Canada |
| C. |
Studying in Canada |
| D. |
Doing business in Canada |
IV. 阅读理解：（共20题，每小题2分，共40分）
A long time ago, before there was any money (coins or paper money), people got the things that they needed by trading or exchanging. Salt was one of the first items used to exchange for other items. Later, some of the common things that were used for exchanging were tea leaves, shells, feathers, animal teeth, tobacco, and blankets. Around 3000 BC, barley, a type of grain, was used for exchanging.
The world’s first metal money was developed by the Sumerians who melted silver into small bars all weighing the same. This was around 1000 BC. About three hundred years later, people started using coins as official money.
Around 640 BC, people in the ancient kingdom of Lydia ( which was in Turkey) created special coins of exact with and purity (纯度). They were made of gold and silver and were stamped with a lion’s head.
Later, other empires such as Greece, Persia, and Rome adopted the concept of coins and started developing their own in many different shapes and different metals.
Around the year 1000, the Chinese started using paper money. The Chinese were the first to use paper money. The Europeans discovered this thanks to Marco Polo who went to China in 1295. the Chinese had different values for the paper notes which were made by the Chinese government.
Around 1661, Sweden became the first European country to make paper money. Until 1850, the Spanish dollar was the coin most widely used throughout the world.
1What is the best title for this passage?
| A. |
The history of money |
| B. |
How people traded in the past |
| C. |
The invention of paper money |
| D. |
The use of coins around the world |
2We learn that before coins and paper money were used, _____.
| A. |
barley had always been used for exchanging |
| B. |
only a few people knew how to trade with others |
| C. |
salt was the most widely used item for exchanging |
| D. |
many kinds of things were used for exchanging |
3According to the passage, when did people start using coins as official money?
| A. |
Around 1300 BC. |
B. |
Around 1000 BC. |
| C. |
Around 700 BC. |
D. |
Around 640 BC. |
4The underlined word “adopted” in Paragraph 4 probably means “____”.
| A. |
replaced |
B. |
changed |
| C. |
accepted |
D. |
invented |
5. Which of the following countries first started to use paper money?
A. Spain B. China C. Sweden D. Lydia
Learning Chinese has been like climbing a steep(陡峭的)mountain.
My mother was born in Tokyo,while my father moved from Shanghai to Hong Kong when he was seven years old. At home we speak English. I know some basic Chinese customs :to use chosticks gracefully (得体地)and what to say on Spring Festival to get a red envelope. But I never truly learned to speak Chinese.
Why should I need to learn the language ,anyway? I live in America where everyone speaks English.
I realized I was wrong in ninth grade when I arrived at Philips Academy,a famous boarding school in Massachusetts.The school encourages a global outlook(视野). There I decided to welcome the opportunity to learn Chinese. I met other American-born Chinese and together we spoke Ching-lish outside of the classroom.
I searched for ways to access Chinese culture through dramas such as Meteor Garden (《流星花园》)and music by singers such as S.H.E,Wilbur Pan and Jasmine Leung（梁静茹）. Listening to Chinese music is where I found my favorite singer in the whole world:Jay Chou. Even if I cannot understand what he is crooning（哼唱）, I do feel more Chinese whenever I listen to his music.
Last summer I spent five weeks in China,four of which were taking a language course at a Beijing high school. I was proud when I could understand the dialogue in Intitial D（《头文字D》） and when I could easily translate Fairy Tale sung by Kong Leung（光良）.
Learning Chinese has been a rocky trek（艰苦跋涉）, and I know it will continue to be that way before I arrive at a relative plateau（高地） of fluency（流利）.I hope that one day I will be able to work and maybe even live in China as a true Chinese.
1、The author wrote the text mainly to___.
A.share her experience of learning Chinese
B.tell us why she is interested in learning Chinese
C.show off(炫耀) the progress she made in learning Chinese
D.give advice on how to learn Chinese
2、The author's attitude to learning Chinese changed because___.
A.she found Chinese was interesting to learn
B.she wanted to take a course to pass easily
C.she realized she should have an open mind to the outside world
D.she made friends with some American___born Chinese at the school she studied
3、The author tried all of the following to learn Chinese EXCEPT___.
A.listening to Chinese music
B.practicing speaking Chinese with her parents
C.enjoying Chinese dramas
D.taking a Chinese course in China
4、We can learn from the text that___.
A.S.H.E.is the author's favorite singer
B.dialogues in Meteor Garden are easy to guess
C.the author enjoys learning Chinese though it is difficult
D.the author can speak fluent Chinese now
There are some special traditions in Hawaii .People are very friendly and always welcome visitors. They give visitors a lei,a long necklace made of beautiful fresh flowers. Men wear bright flowered shirts and women often wear long flowered dresses. There are traditional Chinese ,Japanese and Fillipino holidays and all the holidays from the United States. They call Hawaii the Aloha State. Aloha means both hello and good-bye. It also means “I love you”.
Usually when people from different countries,races and traditions live together,there are serious problems. There are a few problems in Hawaii ,but,in general,people have learned to live together in peace.
Hawaiians get most of their money from travelers,and most of the travelers come from the mainland and from Japan. There are so many peole living in Hawaii now that there are residential（居住的） areas where there used to be farms. Some of the big sugar and apple companies have moved to the Philippines,where they don't have to pay workers as much money. The families of the first people who came from the US mainland own the important banks and companies. Japanese are also buying or starting business.
1、What might be the best title for this text?
A.Hawaii ,the Aloha State B.Living Hard Together
C.The Flower of Hawaii D.The Problems of Hawaii
2、The underlined words “a lei”in the first paragraph here refer to____.
A.a friendly and welcome way
B.a long necklace made of beautiful fresh flowers
C.a bright flowered shirt
D.a long flowered dress
3、The author wants to show that____.
A.we should all go to Hawaii to work
B.it is possible to learn to live together in peace
C.it is not likely to live together in peace
D.Hawaii is the only place where there is peace