Sometimes you’ll hear people say that you can’t love others until you love yourself. Sometimes you’ll hear people say that you can’t expect someone else to love you until you love yourself. Either way, you’ve got to love yourself first and this can be tricky. Sure we all know that we’re the apple of our parents’ eyes, and that our Grandmas think we’re great talents and our Uncle Roberts think that we will go to the Olympics, but sometimes it’s a lot harder to think such nice thoughts about ourselves. If you find that believing in yourself is a challenge, it is time you build a positive self-image and learn to love yourself.
Self-image is your own mind’s picture of yourself. This image includes the way you look, the way you act, the way you talk and the way you think. Interestingly, our self-images are often quite different from the images others hold about us. Unfortunately, most of these images are more negative than they should be. Thus changing the way you think about yourself is the key to changing your self-image and your whole world.
The best way to defeat a passive self-image is to step back and decide to stress your successes. That is, make a list if you need to, but write down all of the great things you do every day. Don’t allow doubts to occur in it.
It very well might be that you are experiencing a negative self-image because you can’t move past one flaw or weakness that you see about yourself. Well, roll up your sleeves and make a change of it as your primary task. If you think you’re silly because you aren’t good at math, find a tutor. If you think you’re weak because you can’t run a mile, get to the track and practice. If you think you’re dull because you don’t wear the latest trends, buy a few new clothes. But remember, just because you think it doesn’t mean it’s true.
The best way to get rid of a negative self-image is to realize that your image is far from objective, and to actively convince yourself of your positive qualities. Changing the way you think and working on those you need to improve will go a long way towards promoting a positive self-image. When you can pat(拍) yourself on the back, you’ll know you’re well on your way. Good luck!You need to build a positive self-image when you.
| A．dare to challenge yourself |
| B．feel it hard to change yourself |
| C．are unconfident about yourself |
| D．have a high opinion of yourself |
According to the passage, our self-images .
| A．have positive effects | B．are probably untrue |
| C．are often changeable | D．have different functions |
How should you change your self-image according to the passage?
| A．To keep a different image of others. |
| B．To make your life successful. |
| C．To understand your own world. |
| D．To change the way you think. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．How to prepare for your success. |
| B．How to face challenges in your life. |
| C．How to build a positive self-image. |
| D．How to develop you good qualities. |
Who are the intended readers of the passage?
| A．Parents. | B．Adolescents. | C．Educators. | D．People in general. |
How to Study Smarter, Not Harder
Here are some of our favorite study tips that will help any student study smarter, not harder:
Recite As You Study
Reciting—saying things out loud should first take place as you read through each paragraph or section. Test yourself. This will help you to understand as well as learn faster because it is more active than reading or listening. It will also help you to notice your mistakes and the topics you have trouble understanding.
Take Fuller Notes
Notes should be in your own words, brief and clear. They should be tidy and easy to read. Writing notes will help you better than just underlining as you read, since it forces you to rewrite ideas in your own words.
Study the Middle
The best time to review is soon after you’ve learned something. You are more likely to remember the material at the beginning and the end of the lesson, so make sure you focus on the middle when you review.
Sleep On It
Study before going to bed, unless you are very tired. It’s easier to remember material you’ve just learned after sleeping than after an equal period of daytime activity, because your brain continues to think even after you’ve fallen asleep.
Combine Memory and Understanding
There are two ways to remember: by memorizing and by understanding. Multiplication tables(乘法表), telephone numbers, and math formulas(公式)are better learned by memorizing(记忆). Ideas are best learned by understanding.
The more ways you have to think about an idea, the more meaning it will have; the more meaningful the learning, the better you can remember it. Pay attention to similarities in ideas and concepts, and then try to understand how they fit in with things you already know. Never be satisfied with anything less than a completely clear understanding of what you are reading. If you are not able to follow the thought, go back to the place where you first got confused and try again.You can notice your mistakes by _______.
| A．saying things out aloud | B．taking notes |
| C．studying the middle | D．sleeping on it |
When taking notes, you should _______ to better help you with reading.
| A．underline important notes |
| B．write notes in your own words |
| C．take down every detail |
| D．write as quickly as possible |
The writer advises you to _______ as it is easier for you to remember material.
| A．study after a period of activity |
| B．do some exercise after studying |
| C．study as soon as you get up |
| D．study before going to sleep |
Which of the following is NOT helpful for your understanding?
| A．Thinking about an idea in different ways. |
| B．Relating ideas and concepts with what you already know. |
| C．Reading from the beginning to the end without stop. |
| D．Going back to what first made you confused and start again. |
Why is pink or purple a color for girls and blue or brown for boys?
The answer depends largely on cultural values as well as personal experiences. To the Egyptians, green was a color that represented the hope and joy of spring, while for Muslims, it means heaven. Red is a symbol of good luck in many cultures. In China, children are given money in a red envelope to bring good fortune in the New Year. For many nations, blue is a symbol of protection and religious beliefs. Greek people often wear a blue necklace hoping to protect themselves against evils (灾祸).
People’s choice of colors is also influenced by their bodies’ reactions (反应) toward them. Green is said to be the most restful color. It has the ability to reduce pain and relax people both mentally and physically. People who work in green environment have been found to have fewer stomachaches.
Red can cause a person’s blood pressure to rise and increase people’s appetites (食欲). Many decorators will include different shades of red in the restaurant. Similarly, many commercial websites will have a red “Buy Now” button because red is a color that easily catches a person’s eye.
Blue is another calming color. Unlike red, blue can cause people to lose appetite. So if you want to eat less, some suggest that eating from blue plates can help.
The next time you are deciding on what to wear or what color to decorate your room, think about the color carefully.Muslims regard green as a symbol of heaven mainly because of their .
| A．cultural values | B．commercial purposes |
| C．personal experiences | D．physical reactions to the color |
Why will many commercial websites have a red “Buy Now” button?
| A．To relax people physically. |
| B．To increase people’s appetites. |
| C．To encourage people to buy the goods. |
| D．To cause a person’s blood pressure to rise. |
What color might help lose weight according to the text?
| A．Red. | B．Green. | C．Blue. | D．Purple. |
Which of the following would be the most proper title for the text?
| A．Colors and Human Beings |
| B．The Cultural Meaning of Color |
| C．Colors and Personal Experiences |
| D．The Meaning and Function of Color |
“A very disruptive(调皮捣蛋的) six-year-old child kicked my legs and clawed at my hand,” said one teacher. “ I broke up a fight and was kicked between my legs,” said another. Many people have heard stories like this. But the situation is more worrying still and it involves parents.
Every child, regardless of the circumstances into which they are born, has the right to achieve their potential, regardless of their parents’ wealth and class. And we recognize that, as a nation, it is a long way to achieve this goal. But with rights come responsibilities and what worries people is that we are in danger of ignoring the latter.
Far too many children are behaving badly at school, even to the point of being violent to staff. This is terrible enough, but it is hard to be surprised since many children are just mirroring the behaviour of their parents.
My members tell me that parents also come into school often and threaten staff and some staff have been attacked by a pupil’s parents. One father encouraged his child to start a fight on the playground before school started. A primary teacher reported that a parent shouted at him. We need to have a serious and sensible debate about the roles and responsibilities of parents and the support that they can reasonably expect of schools and teachers.
Children will not learn how to behave as social beings if they are stuck in front of the TV for hours every day. They need their parents to show an interest in them and to spend time with them, helping them to play with their peers(同龄人) and to learn the rules of social behavior.
Children are now arriving at school socially undeveloped, increasingly unable to dress themselves, unable to use the toilet properly, unable to hold a knife and fork and unused to eating at a table, Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, writes in today’s Observer. Instead of taking responsibility themselves, too many parents expect teachers to control their children’s behavior and wellbeing, she adds. Bousted says one mother blamed staff when she discovered that her 16-year-old son was smoking.
We are in danger of becoming a nation of families living separate lives under one roof. The bedroom, once a place to sleep, has become the living space for the young. Spending hours in front of computer screens, on social networking sites or being immersed(沉迷于) in computer games, children and young people spend little time with their parents. Parents are unable to monitor just what their children are watching.
Schools cannot right the wrongs of society and teachers cannot become substitute parents. Both parties need to work together. Parents must be helped and given confidence to take bake control. They are responsible for setting boundaries for their children’s behaviour and sticking to those boundaries. They are responsible for setting a good example to their children and for devoting that most precious of resource------time------- so that children come to school ready and willing to learn.In the opinion of the writer, what problem do people ignore?
| A．The violence in the school. |
| B．The study pressure of students. |
| C．The responsibilities of the students. |
| D．The right to achieve students’ potential. |
The underlined part in Paragraph 7 means _____.
| A．parents care little about children’s life at home |
| B．parents and children live in their separate rooms |
| C．children don’t live with their parents in the same house |
| D．children live a different life from that of parents at home |
The author’s attitude to the behaviour of parents may be ______.
| A．dissatisfied | B．indifferent | C．understanding | D．tolerant |
From the last paragraph, we can infer that ______.
| A．teachers have no responsibility for playing the role of parents |
| B．schools can’t correct the wrongs that society does to teachers |
| C．students are responsible for making themselves known in society |
| D．parents should spend time with children to make them ready to learn |
In today’s world of cell phones, mini laptops and MP5 players, most people have at least one time-telling tool with them. Since these devices are so common, is time running out for the 500-year-old watch? According to some consumers, yes. New Jersey teenager Charlie Wollman says a watch is “an extra piece of equipment with no necessary function”. Many young adults agree and use their cell phones to tell time. It is said that fewer young people wear watches today than five years ago. As a result, some people claim that the watch industry is at a crossroads.
However, watchmakers optimistically say that watches redeem popularity when consumers reach their 20s and 30s. By then, they are willing to spend money on a quality watch that doesn’t just keep good time. Fifty years ago, watchmakers boasted about their products’ accuracy. But in recent years, the watch industry has transformed itself into an accessory（饰品）business. And for many today, the image a watch communicates has become more important than the time it tells.
“Complications” --- features that go beyond simple timekeeping--- are an important part of a watch’s image. Today’s watches offer lots of features that meet almost any personality. These features include compasses, lunar calendars, USB drives, and even devices that measure the effectiveness of golf swings（挥棒方式）!
Creativity is also a key element in today’s watches. For example, Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash makes watches that don’t even look like watches. The company’s popular Shinshoku model uses different color lights to tell the time. It looks more like a fashionable bracelet (手镯) than a watch.
Whether a watch communicates fashion sense, creative flair or a love of sports, consumers want their timepieces to stand out. Nowadays, everyone has the same kind of gadget(小玩意儿) in their bags, so people want to make a statement with what’s on their wrists. Will this interest in wrist fashion last? Only time will tell! The underlined word “redeem” in Paragraph 2 can be best replaced by “__________”.
| A．enlarge | B．regain | C．prove | D．lose |
According to the passage, a multi-function watch can _________.
| A．store the list of phone numbers | B．remind you of your daily affairs |
| C．be used as a calculator | D．show the direction |
In Paragraph 4, Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash is mentioned to _________.
| A．prove today’s watches are fashionable |
| B．compare a watch with a cool bracelet |
| C．show how popular Shinshoku watches are. |
| D．stress it’s Tokyoflash that makes Shinshoku watches |
What might be the most suitable title for the passage?
| A．Japanese watches stand out |
| B．Watches tell more than time |
| C．Watch industry is in a bad situation |
| D．Watches are becoming less popular |
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| A．rent a beautiful flat of her own in Happy Valley |
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If you want to buy some old furniture, you should ______.
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| C．do it before you move to another place |
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