(2013·高考天津卷，D)When asked about happiness，we usually think of something extraordinary，an absolute delight，which seems to get rarer the older we get.
For kids，happiness has a magical quality.Their delight at winning a race or getting a new bike is unreserved (毫不掩饰的)．
In the teenage years the concept of happiness changes.Suddenly it’s conditional on such things as excitement，love and popularity.I can still recall the excitement of being invited to dance with the most attractive boy at the school party.
In adulthood the things that bring deep joy－love，marriage，birth－also bring responsibility and the risk of loss.For adults，happiness is complicated (复杂的)．
My definition of happiness is “the capacity for enjoyment”．The more we can enjoy what we have，the happier we are.It’s easy to overlook the pleasure we get from the company of friends，the freedom to live where we please，and even good health.
I experienced my little moments of pleasure yesterday.First I was overjoyed when I shut the last lunchbox and had the house to myself.Then I spent an uninterrupted morning writing，which I love.When the kids and my husband came home，I enjoyed their noise after the quiet of the day.
Psychologists tell us that to be happy we need a mix of enjoyable leisure time and satisfying work.I don’t think that my grandmother，who raised 14 children，had much of either.She did have a network of close friends and family，and maybe this is what satisfied her.
We，however，with so many choices and such pressure to succeed in every area，have turned happiness into one more thing we’ve got to have.We’re so selfconscious about our “right” to it that it’s making us miserable.So we chase it and equal it with wealth and success，without noticing that the people who have those things aren’t necessarily happier.
Happiness isn’t about what happens to us－it’s about how we see what happens to us.It’s the skillful way of finding a positive for every negative.It’s not wishing for what we don’t have，but enjoying what we do possess.As people grow older，they________.
| A．feel it harder to experience happiness |
| B．associate their happiness less with others |
| C．will take fewer risks in pursuing happiness |
| D．tend to believe responsibility means happiness |
What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 5 and 6?
| A．She cares little about her own health. |
| B．She enjoys the freedom of traveling. |
| C．She is easily pleased by things in daily life. |
| D．She prefers getting pleasure from housework. |
What can be inferred from Paragraph 7?
| A．Psychologists think satisfying work is key to happiness. |
| B．Psychologists’ opinion is well proved by Grandma’ case. |
| C．Grandma often found time for social gatherings. |
| D．Grandma’s happiness came from modest expectations of life. |
People who equal happiness with wealth and success________.
| A．consider pressure something blocking their way |
| B．stress their right to happiness too much |
| C．are at a loss to make correct choices |
| D．are more likely to be happy |
What can be concluded from the passage?
| A．Happiness lies between the positive and the negative. |
| B．Each man is the master of his own fate. |
| C．Success leads to happiness. |
| D．Happy is he who is content. |
Nothing could stop Dad. After he was put on disability for a bad back, he bought a small farm in the country, just enough to grow food for the family. He planted vegetables, fruit trees and even kept bees for honey.
And every week he cleaned Old Man McColgin's chicken house in exchange for manure(肥料). The Smell really burned the inside of your nose. When we complained about the terrible smell, Dad said the stronger the manure, the healthier the crops, and he was right. For example, just one of his cantaloupes filled the entire house with its sweet smell, and the taste was even sweeter.
As the vegetables started coming in, Dad threw himself into cooking. One day, armed with a basket of vegetables, he announced he was going to make stew(炖菜).Dad pulled out a pressure cooker and filled it up with cabbages, eggplants, potatoes, corns, onions and carrots. For about half an hour. the pressure built and the vegetables cooked. Finally, Dad turned off the stove, the pot began to cool and the pressure relief valve sprayed out a cloud of steam. If we thought Dad's pile of chicken manure was bad, this was 10 times worse. When Dad took off the lid, the smell nearly knocked us out.
Dad carried the pot out and we opened doors and windows to air out the house. Just how bad was it? The neighbors came out of their houses to see if we had a gas leak!
Determined, Dad filled our plates with steaming stew and passed them around. It didn’t look that bad, and after the first wave had shut down my ability to smell, it didn’t offend the nose so much, either. I took a taste. It would never win a prize in a cooking competition, but it was surprisingly edible and we drank up every last drop of soup.Why did Dad clean Old Man Mocolgin’s chicken house regularly?
| A．To earn some money for the family. |
| B．To collect manure for his crops. |
| C．To get rid of the terrible smell. |
| D．To set a good example to us. |
What can we infer about Dad’s stew?
| A．It is popular among the neighbors. |
| B．It contains honey and vegetables. |
| C．It looks very wonderful. |
| D．It tastes quite delicious. |
What does the underlined word “offend” in the last paragraph mean?
| A．To attract | B．To upset |
| C．To air | D．To shut |
What can we learn about Dad form the text?
| A．He is an experienced cook. |
| B．He is a troublesome father. |
| C．He has a positive attitude to life. |
| D．He suffers a lot from his disability. |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项。
The card above is_________
| A．a ticket | B．a postcard |
| C．an invitation | D．an advertisement |
The party is for_________
| A．a birthday |
| B．the Queen |
| C．bee watching |
| D．the National Day |
According to the card ,if you are unable to go ,you can .
| A．return the card |
| B．visit the Museum |
| C．ignore the message |
| D．contact Alice's mother |
Mobile phone has become a problem for middle schools. Some middle schools in Australia have banned (禁止) students from carrying mobile phones during school hours.
Mobile phone use among children has become a problem for schools. Several children have got mobile phones from parents and friends as Christmas gifts, and more students will want them.
Lucy Bluett, an expert, said mobile phone use was a distraction (分心的事) to students during school hours. Teachers were also saying that sometimes students might use phone messages to cheat during exams.
She said some schools had tried to ban mobile phones. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t call up their children.
Many teachers said students should not have mobile phones at school, but if there was a good reason, they could leave their phones at school office.
Many people say that they understand why parents would want their children to have phones, but they think schools should let the students know when they can use their mobile phones.Some middle schools in Australia have banned students from carrying mobile phones ______.
| A．when they are at home | B．when they are free |
| C．when they are at school | D．when they are playing |
We know from the passage that some children get mobile phones from .
| A．the makers and sellers | B．the passers-by and strangers |
| C．their parents and friends | D．their teachers |
What does the underlined word “cheat” mean in the passage?
| A．Behave dishonestly. |
| B．Behave honestly. |
| C．Behave correctly. |
| D．all above |
Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t ______ during school hours.
| A．use their mobile phones |
| B．call up their children |
| C．help the teachers with their work |
| D．see their children |
The passage tells us that ______.
| A．students shouldn’t have mobile phones at school except for some special reasons |
| B．many people can’t understand why parents would want their children to have phones |
| C．all parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t use their phones at school |
| D．mobile phones are important |
The first part of a new science-fiction series （系列剧）was shown on NBC last night. Star Trek is about a spacecraft（宇宙飞船）which travels faster than the speed of light. The show is developed from three ideas about the 22nd century. First, we’ll find other life forms great tools which will make amazing things possible.
Let’s think about these predictions. If we find life forms on other planets, will they be intelligent? I hope so. But we human beings might not be friendly – I don’t think we’ll believe in the idea of peace one hundred years from now. But this is science fiction, so we can be optimistic! And Star Trek’s idea of life in the future is ‘communicators’. And we will be ablt to have conversatins with people who are on because you’ll have an electronic notebook. And if you get ill, the doctor won’t have to examine you – a machine will ‘read’ your body. The strangest manchine includes a ‘teleport’ which will take people to a different placein a second!
The ideas are interesting, and in my opinion there’s only one problem with star trek: the acting. The TV company （公司）will have to get better actors. If they do that, the show might be a success. If the acting doesn’t improve, Star Trek won’t last for more than one series. Of course, my prediction may be wrong. I can’t see into the future!What is Star Trek?
| A．A TV play. | B．A popular song. |
| C．A spacecraft. | D．An alien. |
What does the underlined word “optimistic” mean?
| A．Lucky and happy. | B．Hopeful and confident. |
| C．Helpful and creative. | D．Thankful and popular. |
What’s the writer’s opinion about Star Trek?
| A．The life forms on other planets are stupid. |
| B．Interesting ideas make a new series popular. |
| C．The new series might not be successful without better actors. |
| D．Our life in the future might be different with the help of aliens. |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Aliens on Other Planets. | B．The Idea of Human Life. |
| C．A Science Fiction. | D．A New Series about Future. |
The message was short. I read it three times: “Hey, Mom, can I come to see you guys?” I wrote back: “Yes!” He said he hoped to make it in time for dinner.
I made a quick run to the market, put sheets on the guest bed and set the TV to record the Warriors’ game, so if traffic was awful, he wouldn’t have to miss the first half. Then I began cooking, cleaning, watching the clock and listening for his footsteps coming up the walk.
It’s called waiting. I’m good at it. When he was a newborn, I’d wait for him to go to sleep. Soon then I’d stand by his bed waiting for him to wake up. I waited, as he learned to do things like walking , talking and feeding himself; throwing a ball, riding a bike and reading a book.
I waited for him to start preschool, primary school, middle school and college.
I waited with dread for him to start driving. And I waited up every time he came home late.
I wait for my son to grow up, but that doesn’t mean the waiting game is over. It never really ends.
Mothers wait for all kinds of reasons—good news or bad, happiness or heartache. But the waiting is soon forgotten, usually, the minute a long awaited child walks through the door.
My boy will be here soon. But if he’s late, I can wait. I’m good at it. And he’s worth it. I will always leave a light on for him. After knowing her son would come home, which of the following activities did she do?
a. Shopping. b. Cooking.
c. Cleaning.d. Watching the Warriors’ game.
| A．bc | B．ad | C．abc | D．bcd |
What does the underlined word “dread” mean?
| A．激动 | B．骄傲 | C．厌恶 | D．害怕 |
Which of the following about the writer is TRUE according to the reading?
| A．Luckily, her son never makes her wait long. |
| B．She has experienced all kinds of feelings while waiting for her son to do things. |
| C．When her son went to college, her waiting ended. |
| D．Waiting for her son is often boring, but once her son arrives she forgets about it. |
Which do you think would be the best title for the reading?
| A．Worth waiting for | B．Being patient is difficult |
| C．Learn to be a mother | D．Visit your mother often |