There was a woman, about 30 years old, married with two children. She had grown up in a home where she was constantly criticized and often treated unfairly by her parents. As a result, she was negative and fearful, and had no confidence at all.
One day, she was hit by a car. When she awoke, she found herself in a hospital. She could still speak, but had no recollection of any part of her past life. She was a total amnesiac! Her husband and children visited her daily, but she did not know them.
Determined to understand what had happened to her, she began reading medical textbooks and studying in the specialized area of amnesia and memory loss. She met and discussed with specialists in this field. Eventually she wrote a paper on her condition. Not long afterward, she was invited to address a medical conference to deliver her paper, answer questions about her amnesia, and share her experiences and ideas. During this period, something amazing happened. She became a genuinely positive, confident, outgoing woman, well informed, and very much in demand as a speaker and authority in the medical profession. All memory of her negative childhood had been wiped out. She changed her thinking and changed her life.
Each person comes into the world with no thoughts or ideas at all, and everything that a person thinks and feels is learned from babyhood onward. The adult becomes the sum total of everything he or she learns, feels, and experiences while growing up.
Everyone is born with no self-concept at all. Every idea, opinion, feeling, attitude, or value you have as an adult is the result of an idea or impression you took in and accepted as true. When you believe something to be true, it becomes true for you, whatever the fact may be. You are not what you think you are, but what you think, you are.What happened to the woman after the accident?
| A．She believed she was not talented. |
| B．She didn't love her husband any more. |
| C．She refused to recall her past life. |
| D．She was in complete memory loss. |
Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?
Which statement agrees with the last paragraph?
| A．Great minds think alike. |
| B．Thinking is to man what water is to fish. |
| C．Confidence in you is the first step on the road to success. |
| D．You are not what you believe, but what others believe you are. |
An estimated eight million people in Britain enjoy walking in the Peak District every year. But what many who enjoy outdoor hobbies don’t know is that their “right to walk” was won by men who sacrificed their own freedom to gain access to the countryside for all.
In 1932 wealthy landowners had private use of large areas of uplands for hunting. Walkers were kept out by guards, until a group of 400 people from Manchester and Yorkshire, led by Benny Rothman, engaged on a mass trespass（侵入）. The campaigner was put into prison with four other men.
The event is supported by many with starting a movement that paved the way for the establishment of national parks. Mr Rothman died in 2002 but he is now being honoured for his contribution with the revealing of a blue plaque(匾额) on his former home in Crofton Avenue, Timperley, Greater Manchester.
Retired professor, Harry, who followed in his father’s footsteps by specialising in environmental issues, says: “He was a very optimistic man and he made the best of it when he went to prison. It did’'t put him off campaigning, he went on campaigning on environmental issues most of his life." Mr Rothman did live to see the Countryside Rights of Way Act passed by Parliament in 2000, ensuring the freedom of the countryside for future generations.
Roly Smith, a friend of Mr Rothman and an author of walking guidebooks, said: “It is because of them that we have got what we have today.”
Councillor Jonathan Coupe, of Trafford Council, said: “The honour of having a blue plaque attributed(归因于) to you means you have really made an impression on society.”
“Mr Rothman contributed to the changing of history and it is because of him that we are able to enjoy the local countryside as often and freely as we can today.”What do we know about people in Britain according to Para. 1?
| A．They value freedom. |
| B．They have wide interests. |
| C．They are fond of hiking. |
| D．They tend to live in the countryside. |
A blue plaque was revealed on Mr. Rothman’s former home .
| A．to support his campaign |
| B．to honor his contribution |
| C．to remind people of the past |
| D．to celebrate the establishment of national parks |
Besides “optimistic”, which of the following best describes Mr. Rothman?
| A．Cautious | B．Determined |
| C．Considerate | D．Ambitious |
From the last three paragraphs we learn that Mr. Rothman .
| A．has served as a councilor |
| B．has made achievements in different fields |
| C．has been highly thought of for his contributions |
| D．has devoted his life to environment protection |
In the gym of Croxteth Community School, Liverpool, 50 boys have completed a course on boxing that is seen as a pilot for its return to state schools.
The Schools Amateur Boxing Association (SABA) has developed the Kid Gloves scheme (方 案），a -non-contact (非接触)version of the sport where outside coaches teach a range of basic skills.
Chris Andrews, assistant secretary of the SABA, said the scheme was regarded as a way of changing the decline in boxing in state schools which began 25 years ago.
Safety fears and the poor image of professional boxing had accelerated the sport’s decline. Concern was worsened by incidents such as the death of the professional boxer Bradley Stone. But the Croxteth example was winning more supporters. Mr. Andrews said the idea was particularly well received in the north-east of England.
“The interest shown so far has been enormous,” he said. “I believe that boxing will come back into schools. A video has been produced to promote boxing in schools, and a bid has been made for a Sports Council grant (拨款）.”
He said, “I think there is a genuine recognition that there are aspects to boxing, if it is controlled and properly run, that really are very beneficial for children. This scheme takes away the dangers. I hope boxing can be promoted throughout the country in a more coordinated way.” Such an idea horrifies such groups as the British Medical Association (BMA) and the British Safety Council, both critics of the idea.
Dr Jeffrey Cundy, the joint author of a BMA report on boxing, accepted that the scheme in Liverpool was non-contact, but he was still opposed. He said, “We feel that children should still not be introduced to boxing, because they will then be encouraged to take up an activity which is uniquely dangerous when actual contact takes place.”
He added, “There is a whole range of sports which will teach the discipline that comes from boxing without the dangers. We see this reintroduction in schools as an unhealthy development.”
At the 800-pupil Croxteth school, Steve Stewart, head of PE, said boxing had helped to improve self-confidence, self-discipline, self-awareness and self-respect in those taking part. Everybody could get involved and, because all were starting from scratch, the improvements could be quickly seen.
Certificates were presented to the pupils at the end of the course by Paul Hodgkinson, a local boxer who is a former world champion. Next year, the course will be repeated and if possible girls will be allowed to take part following requests from them.
Gerry Thompson and Tony Curry, both 12，have enjoyed the boxing sessions and say they will both join a local boxing club. “I thought it was brilliant,” said Gerry. “I would rather be a professional boxer than a footballer. It’s more enjoyable•”What’s the present situation of the Croxteth school boxing course?
| A．It’s declining due to the safety worries. |
| B．Girls can be admitted as long as they’re willing to. |
| C．It’s becoming increasingly popular among the children. |
| D．Some pupils have been trained to be world champions. |
Dr. Cundy’s attitude towards the return of boxing to schools can be described as__________.
| A．supportive | B．unconcerned |
| C．disapproving | D．objective |
The Kid Gloves scheme is developed by SABA primarily to___________.
| A．provide more fun for students |
| B．encourage students to be better-behaved |
| C．help students gain a sense of achievement |
| D．promote the boxing course in a less dangerous way |
In which section of a newspaper can we most likely to read the passage?
| A．Lifestyle | B．Education |
| C．Science | D． Business |
When people reunite with their loved ones, it’s usually a wildly happy moment. But what is their most common response to seeing them again? It may seem strange, but most of the time they break down in tears.
Now a group of psychologists from Yale University in the US say they have found the reason why, and that crying tears of joy may well be the body’s way of restoring emotional balance.
“They seem to take place when people are unable to tolerate strong positive emotions, and people who do this seem to recover better from those strong emotions,” Oriana Aragon, the lead researcher, told The Telegraph.
Aragon and her fellow psychologists looked at hundreds of participants’ emotional responses to different things, including happy reunions（重逢）and cute babies.
Many participants said they would react in a negative or aggressive way to the positive things — to cry at happy moments and want to pinch（捏）a cute baby’s face or even tell them “I want to eat you up!”
But then researchers found that these people were able to calm down from strong emotions more quickly.
“We want a happy, middle spot. Extreme is not good. It’s hard on our bodies,” Aragon told The Washington Post.
There are many other examples of times when people respond to a positive experience with a negative emotional reaction.
At an exciting concert, fans scream in horror at their idols. People who have just had a big lottery win are often in floods of tears.
“These findings advance our understanding of how people express and control their emotions, which is importantly related to mental and physical health, the quality of relationship with others, and even how well people work together,” said Aragon.
The psychologists then went further and claimed that the reverse（颠倒）was also true. Strong negative feelings may also bring out positive expressions.
For example, people often laugh when they are nervous or they are in a difficult or frightening situation.
Also, have you ever seen a character smiling at a time of extreme sadness in a movie? Their acting is not over the top, as reacting with this type of expression is just human nature, said researchersWhat does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 3 mean?
| A．A group of psychologists. | B．People’s loved ones. |
| C．Strong positive emotions. | D．Crying tears of joy. |
Which of the following words best describes the language style of the passage?
| A．Academic and formal. | B．Cheerful and friendly. |
| C．Humorous and concerned. | D．Serious and boring. |
We can conclude from the first two paragraphs that .
| A．crying in the happy moment can also do good |
| B．a character’s smile in a movie makes no sense |
| C．people reveal their emotions by either crying or laughing |
| D．negative emotional reaction is always harmful |
The writer wrote the passage in order to ______________.
| A．argue that crying is no worse than laughing. |
| B．inform readers about the effect of crying and laughing. |
| C．entertain readers by relating some happy occasions. |
| D．instruct readers how to cry and laugh. |
As we grow old, we realize that we have so little time to read and there are so many great books that we’ve yet to get around to. Yet re-readers are everywhere around us. For certain fans, re-reading The Lord of the Rings is a conventional practice annually. One friend told me that Jane Austen’s Emma can still surprise him, despite his having read it over 50 times.
New sudden clear understandings can be gained from the process of re-reading. Journalist Rebacca Mead, a long-time Englishwoman in New York, first came across George Eliot’s Middlemarch at 17. Since then, she has read it again every five years. With each re-reading, it has opened up further; in each chapter of her life, it has resonated (引起共鸣) differently. Mead evidenced the large number of ways in which really good books not only stand the test of repeat reads, but also offer fresh gifts each time we crack their spines. These kinds of books grow with us.
Scientists have also recognized the mental health benefits of re-reading. Research conducted with readers in the US found that on our first reading, we are concerned with the “what” and the “why”. Second time round, we’re able to better appreciate the emotions that the plot continues to express. As researcher Cristel Russell of the American University explained, returning to a book “brings new or renewed appreciation of both the great book and its readers.”
It’s true that we often find former selves on the pages of old books (if we’re fond of making notes on the pages). These texts can carry us back to a time and place, and remind us of the kind of person that we were then. We’re changed not only by lived experience but also by read experience – by the books that we’ve discovered since last reading the one in our hand.
More so than the movie director or the musician, the writer calls upon our imaginations, using words to lead us to picture this declaration of love or that unfaithfulness in life. A book is a joint project between writers and readers, and we must pour so much of ourselves into reading that our own life story can become connected with the story in the book.
Perhaps what’s really strange is that we don’t re-read more often. After all, we watch our favorite films again and we wouldn’t think of listening to an album only once. We treasure messy old paintings as objects, yet of all art forms, literature alone is a largely one-time delight. A book, of course, takes up more time, but as Mead confirms, the rewards make it adequately worthwhile.The two books are mentioned in Paragraph 1 mainly to __________.
| A．attract the attention of readers |
| B．introduce the topic of the passage |
| C．provide some background information |
| D．show the similarity between re-readers |
The underlined expression “crack their spines” in Paragraph 2 refers to ________.
| A．recite them | B．re-read them |
| C．recall them | D．retell them |
It can be learned from the passage that __________.
| A．reading benefits people both mentally and physically |
| B．readers mainly focus on feelings on their first reading |
| C．we know ourselves better through re-reading experience |
| D．writers inspire the same imaginations as film directors do |
The purpose of the passage is to __________.
| A．call on different understandings of old books |
| B．focus on the mental health benefits of reading |
| C．bring awareness to the significance of re-reading |
| D．introduce the effective ways of re-reading old books |
As you move around your home, take a good look at the things you have. It is likely that your living room will have a television set and a video, and your kitchen a washing machine and a microwave oven. Your bedroom drawers will be filled with almost three times as many clothes as yon need. You almost certainly own a car and possibly a home computer, holiday abroad at least once a year and eat out at least once a week.
Now, perhaps, more than ever before, people are wondering what life is all about, and what it is for. Seeking material success is beginning to trouble large numbers of people around the world. They feel that the long-hours work culture to make more money to buy more things is eating up their lives, leaving them very little time or energy for family or pastimes. Many are turning to other ways of living and downshifting is one of them.
Six percent of workers in Britain took the decision to downshift last year. One couple who downshifted is Daniel and Liz. They used to work in central London. He was a newspaper reporter and she used to work for an international bank. They would go to work by train every day from their large house in the suburbs, leaving their two children with a nanny. Most evenings Daniel wouldn't get home until eight or nine o'clock and nearly twice a month he would have to fly to New York for meetings. They both earned a large amount of money but began to feel that life was passing them by.
Nowadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales. "I always wanted to have a farm hen," says Daniel, "and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshift. It's taken some getting used to, but it's been worth it. We have to think twice now about spending money on car repairs and we no longer have any holidays. However, I think it's made us stronger as a family, and the children are a lot happier.
Liz, however, is not quite sure. "I used to enjoy my job, even though it was hard work and long hours. I'm not really a country girl, but I suppose I'm gradually getting used to looking after the animals. One thing I do like, though, is being able to see more of my children. My advice for other people wanting to do the same is not to think about it too much or you might not do it at all."What do the first two paragraphs tell us?
| A．People seldom work long hours to make money. |
| B．People hardly buy more things than necessary. |
| C．People are sure everything they own is in the right place. |
| D．People realize there is more to life than just making money. |
When Daniel was a reporter he _________________.
| A．lived in central London | B．disliked his job |
| C．missed his children | D．was well paid |
People who downshifts probably means the ones _________.
| A．repairing their car by themselves |
| B．spending money carefully |
| C．moving out to the countryside to live a simpler and better life |
| D．living in a big house in the suburbs and dining out once a week. |
According to the last paragraph, Liz thinks the downshifting__________.
| A．disapproving | B．comfortable |
| C．acceptable | D．Discouraging |