The way people hold to the belief that a fun-filled，pain-free life equals happiness actually reduces their chances of ever attaining real happiness．If fun and pleasure are equal to happiness then pain must be equal to unhappiness．But in fact，the opposite is true：more often than not things that lead to happiness involve some pain．
As a result，many people avoid the very attempts that are the source of true happiness．They fear the pain inevitably brought by such things as marriage， raising children， professional achievement，religious commitment，self improvement．
Ask a bachelor （单身汉）why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying．If he is honest he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment．For commitment is in fact quite painful．The single life is filled with fun，adventure，excitement．Marriage has such moments，but they are not its most distinguishing features．
Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three-day vacation．I don’t know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children．But couples who decide not to have children never know the joys of watching a child grow up or of playing with a grandchild．
Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations．It liberates time：now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness．It liberates money：buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless．And it liberates us from envy：we now understand that all those who are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all．According to the author，a bachelor resists marriage chiefly because ．
| A．he finds more fun in dating than in marriage |
| B．he believes that life will be more cheerful if he remains single |
| C．he is reluctant to take on family responsibilities |
| D．he fears it will put an end to all his fun adventure and excitement |
Raising children，in the author’s opinion，is ．
| A．a moral duty | B．a thankless job |
| C．a source of inevitable pain | D．a rewarding task |
From the last paragraph，we learn that envy sometimes stems from ．
| A．hatred | B．misunderstanding | C．prejudice | D．ignorance |
To understand what true happiness is one must ．
| A．be able to distinguish happiness from fun |
| B．make every effort to liberate oneself from pain |
| C．put up with pain under all circumstances |
| D．have as much run as possible during one’s lifetime |
What is the author trying to tell us?
| A．It is important to make commitments． |
| B．One must know how to attain happiness． |
| C．Happiness often goes hand in hand with pain |
| D．It is pain that leads to happiness． |
Most people know that Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize, and the first person to win it twice. However, few people know that she was also the mother of a Nobel Prize winner.
Born in September, 1897, Irene Curie was the first of the Curies’ two daughters. Along with nine other children whose parents were also famous scholars, Irene studied in their own school, and her mother was one of the teachers. She finished her high school education at the College of Sévigné in Paris.
Irene entered the University of Paris in 1914 to prepare for a degree in mathematics and physics. When World War I began, Irene went to help her mother, who was using X-ray facilities（设备）to help save the lives of wounded soldiers. Irene continued the work by developing X-ray facilities in military hospitals in France and Belgium. Her services were recognized in the form of a Military’s Medal by the French government.
In 1918, Irene became her mother’s assistant at the Curie Institute. In December 1924, Frederic Joliot joined the Institute, and Irene taught him the techniques required for his work. They soon fell in love and were married in 1926. Their daughter Helene was born in 1927 and their son Pierre five years later.
Like her mother, Irene combined family and career. Like her mother, Irene was awarded a Nobel Prize, along with her husband, in 1935. Unfortunately, also like her mother, she developed leukemia because of her work with radioactivity（辐射能）. Irene Joliot-Curie died from leukemia on March 17, 1956.Why was Irene Curie awarded a Military Medal?
| A．Because she received a degree in mathematics. |
| B．Because she contributed to saving the wounded. |
| C．Because she won the Nobel Prize with Frederic. |
| D．Because she worked as a helper to her mother. |
Where did Irene Curie meet her husband Frederic Joliot?
| A．At the Curie Institute. |
| B．At the University of Paris. |
| C．At a military hospital. |
| D．At the College of Sevigne. |
When was the second child of Irene Curie and Frederic Joliot born?
| A．In 1932. |
| B．In 1927. |
| C．In 1897. |
| D．In 1926. |
In which of the following aspects was Irene Curie different from her mother?
| A．Irene worked with radioactivity. |
| B．Irene combined family and career. |
| C．Irene won the Nobel Prize once |
| D．Irene died from leukemia. |
A large number of people in the world eat fast food. Whenever you go into a fast food restaurant, you can see lots of people enjoying their meals there. How do you know in which country people like fast food best?
The English people are the world’s biggest fans of fast food, while the French are the least interested in quick meals, according to a survey done last year.
The survey of thirteen countries shows 45% of the English people say they can’t give up fast food because it’s delicious. And 44% of Americans and 37% of Canadians say the same.
The French, proud of their delicious cuisine, don’t like fast food. 81% of them think it is unhealthy, followed by 75% of the Japanese.
How about the Chinese? How often do you have hamburgers or fried chicken? It doesn’t matter whether you like Western fast food or Chinese food. The most important thing is to keep a balanced diet.According to the survey, some people can’t give up fast food because _____.
| A．it’s cheap | B．it’s safe |
| C．it’s delicious | D．it’s healthy From the survey， |
We know _____ like fast food best.
| A．the Chinese | B．the French | C．the Japanese | D．the English |
The survey is about _______.
| A．Western countries | B．fast food |
| C．restaurants in the world | D．Chinese food |
The word “cuisine” in the passage means _______.
| A．food | B．house | C．water | D．country |
The weather is getting hotter. You are thirsty（口渴的） playing basketball or riding home from school. A cold drink may be just the thing. But be careful what you are drinking. Something that looks cool may not be good for your health. There are plenty of “energy drinks” on the market. Most of them have beautiful colors and cool names. The lists on them tell you they are helpful to your health. Sounds great!
But after a careful check you may find that most energy drinks have lots of caffeine(咖啡碱)in them. These drinks are especially aimed at young people, students, busy people and sports players. Makers sometimes say their drinks make you better at sports and can keep you awake. But be careful not to drink too much. Caffeine makes your heart beat fast. Because of this, the International Olympic Committee(IOC)（国际奥委会） has limited its use. Caffeine in most energy drinks is at least as strong as that in a cup of coffee or tea. Possible health dangers have something to do with energy drinks. Just one box of energy drink can make you nervous, have difficulty sleeping and can even cause heart problems. Scientists say that teenagers should be discouraged from taking drinks with a lot of caffeine in them.Which of the following can be the best title of the passage? ______
| A．What’s the Use of Energy Drinks? |
| B．Who Can Drink Energy Drinks? |
| C．What’s that in Energy Drinks? |
| D．Why Can’t We Buy Energy Drinks? |
The underlined word “discouraged” can be replaced(替换) with ______.
| A．disliked | B．helped | C．stopped | D．encouraged |
From the passage we can know that ______.
| A．energy drinks are especially aimed at teenagers |
| B．energy drinks are helpful to teenagers’ study |
| C．sports players need to drink a lot of energy drinks |
| D．advertisements are important in getting people to buy energy drinks |
Many people like drinking energy drinks because of the following EXCEPT that ______.
| A．they have beautiful colors and cool names |
| B．they have lots of caffeine |
| C．they can keep them awake and better at sports |
| D．they are said to be helpful to health |
February has long been a month of romance（浪漫）. With the sweet smell of roses in the air, romantic films hit cinemas and love stories fill newspapers and magazines.
On the 14th day, it is a custom for a boy to take his girlfriend out to dinner, buy her flowers and chocolates, write poems, sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals! This is what you see on Valentine’s Day, a day named after Valentine who was a priest（牧师） in the third century Rome. When the emperor (皇帝) decided that single men could become better soldiers than those with wives, he didn’t allow marriage. But Valentine continued to perform（主持） marriage ceremonies（典礼） for young lovers in secret. When his actions were discovered, the emperor sentenced him to death. While in prison（监狱）, it is said that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard. Before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed （签名）“From your Valentine”, an expression that is still in use today. Valentine died for what he believed in and so he was made a Saint (圣徒), as well as becoming one of history’s most romantic characters.
Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is also popular among Chinese young people. Some students are planning to make Valentine’s cards for parents, teachers and friends. Others want to hold parties at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heart-shaped（心形的） cakes. The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St. Valentine. Why did the emperor in Rome not allow marriage in his country?
| A．Because there were few women in his country at that time. |
| B．Because he wanted to control the birth rate. |
| C．Because there wasn’t enough food for so many people. |
| D．Because he thought men without wives could be better soldiers. |
Valentine was put into prison because ______.
| A．he killed one of the soldiers |
| B．he didn’t obey the emperor’s order |
| C．he stole a lot of food |
| D．he didn’t want to be a soldier |
The last paragraph mainly tells us ______.
| A．students in China send cards to their teachers |
| B．Valentine’s Day is also popular in China now |
| C．it is interesting to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China |
| D．it is a good idea to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China |
The best title for this passage should be ______.
| A．Valentine’s Day in China | B．A Brave Priest |
| C．Valentine’s Day | D．A Romantic Man |
Several years ago, I worked as a truck driver for a company. On Saturdays I usually spent several hours doing something to keep my truck in good condition.
One Saturday, as I was cleaning my truck, I noticed the boss’s elderly father came out to ask his grandson to take him fishing after work. The grandson told him all about how much he would love to do that, but he just couldn’t because he had other plans already. The old man hobbled (蹒跚) off to the house.
Then I heard the grandson telling his dad, "I’m not taking that old man fishing! It’s worse than taking a kid."
That just broke my heart.
I quit working immediately and went home to fetch my fishing gear (渔具) and a chair. Then I came back and invited the old man to go fishing. He accepted happily.
When we got to the river, I let him sit in the chair at the edge of the water. It wasn’t long before he got a fish. He got one fish after another. His eyes were shining like a child. About half an hour later, he told me he was tired and needed to go home. So I took him and the fish home.
Two weeks later, the old man died. His family told me later that all he talked about during that time was his fishing trip. I am satisfied that I have taken an old man on his last fishing trip, but I am sorry that his family have lost their last chance. Whenever you get the chance, don’t forget about taking Grandpa fishing. Someday, you may be in the same place and you’ll want your family to care about you, too.The writer wrote the passage mainly to ________.
| A．tell us something about his work |
| B．tell us about a fishing experience |
| C．persuade us to take Grandpa fishing |
| D．persuade us to care about the elderly |
The old man’s Grandson refused to fish with him because ______.
| A．he had something more important to do that day |
| B．he didn’t like to fish with an old man |
| C．he was tired of his job and he wanted to rest |
| D．he preferred fishing with a child |
What’s the possible meaning of the underlined word "quit"?
| A．start | B．stop | C．imagine | D．try |
According to the passage, we can infer（推断） that the author is _______.
| A．willing to make his boss happy |
| B．in need of care from his family |
| C．prefers fishing to his work |
| D．kind and warm-hearted |