Next time you're unhappy or complaining about your life, don't turn to a cheerful comedy. You might find a tear-jerking tragedy(催人泪下的悲剧) is just the thing you need to brighten your day.
A team of researchers at Ohio State University, US, has found sad movies can make people happier, Science Daily reported last month.
Many people find tragedies make them realize how good their own lives are, the study showed.
"People seem to use tragedies as a way to reflect on the important relationships in their own lives," said Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, leader of the study. "Tragic stories often focus on themes of eternal(永恒的) love, and this leads viewers to think about their loved ones and count their good and helpful things."
In the study, researchers gathered 361 college students and showed them the 2007 movie, Alonement. The movie is about two lovers who are separated(分离) and finally die during Worid War II. Before and after the movie, the students were asked questions measuring(衡量) how happy they were with their lives. Researchers also asked them before, afier and three times during the movie to measure various emotions, including sadness.
Researchers found that the sadder students felt while watching the movie, the more likely they were to think about real people they had close relationships with in life. This increased their happiness afier watching the movie. Knobloch-Westerwick explained that negative(消极的) moods make people more thoughtful.
"Positive(积极的) emotions show that everything is fine, you don't have to worry, you don't have to think about problems in your life," she said. "But negative emotions, like sadness, make you think more critically about your situation. So seeing a tragic movie may make you sad, but that will make you to think more about your own close relationships and appreciate them more."
The link between watching a tragic story and feeling better has long been recognized. The ancient Greeks even had a word for the feeling of happiness afier seeing something sad that led to the modern English word "catharsis(宣泄)".
The study also showed that relationships are a very important source of happiness in our lives, so it is no surprise that thinking about your loved ones makes you happier, researchers said.Which of the following about the study of Ohio State University is NOT true?
| A．Students' emotions are measured by asking questions. |
| B．Only sadness is measured in the study. |
| C．The study shows relationships are a source of happiness. |
| D．Those who felt sadder when watching the movie were more likely to be happier after that. |
Why are ancient Greeks mentioned in the passage?
| A．To introduce the meaning of the word "Catharsis". |
| B．To explain the importance of knowing how to become happier. |
| C．To prove that they were of high intelligence and guessed its meaning. |
| D．To tell readers the relationship between tragedies and happiness was found long ago. |
From Knobloch-Westerwick's explaination, we can learn that.
| A．seeing tragedies makes you more thoughtful |
| B．positive emotions make you think more about your relationships |
| C．negative emotions show you have no need to think about your situation |
| D．after seeing comedies, you will appreciate your close relationships more |
Which is the title of the passage?
| A．There is eternal love in the world |
| B．Watching sad films may start smiles |
| C．It's useless to complain about life |
| D．Comedies should make way for tragedies |
Mrs. Black lives on Second Avenue. New Year is coming. She wants to send (寄) a card to her friend in Toronto, but she doesn’t know where the post office is. She asks her neighbor (邻居) Mary, “ Is there a post office near here? I want to send a card.”
“The post office is not near from here,” answers Mary, “but you don’t need to go to the post office to post the card. There is a mailboxin front of the supermarket. You can put your card into the mailbox”Where does Mrs. Black live?
| A．In New York. | B．In Toronto. |
| C．On Second Avenue. | D．On Green Street. |
What does Mrs. Black want to do?
| A．She wants to go to the post office. |
| B．She wants to go to the supermarket. |
| C．She wants to send a card to Mary. |
| D．She wants to visit her friend. |
The post office is ________.
| A．next to Mary’s house |
| B．not near Mrs. Black’s house |
| C．across from the supermarket |
| D．in front of Mary’s house. |
Mrs. Black and Mary are ________.
| A．friends | B．sisters |
| C．mother and daughter | D．neighbors. |
What’s the meaning (意思) of mailbox？
| A．电子邮件 | B．信箱 | C．邮局 | D．信封 |
| Name: Julie Age: 13 I’m a student in Australia. I speak English. I want to find new friends from China. I like reading and listening to music. I want to know more about China. |
| Name: Jodie Age: 14 I’m from Paris. I like dogs, and I have three dogs. I also like playing computer games and watching action movies! I want to write to anyone with the same (相同的) likes. |
| Name: Andrew Age: 12 I want to have pen pals from the USA or Canada. I like painting, singing, and playing baseball. If you are from either (任何一个) of the two countries, please e-mail me. |
| Name: Sam Age: 13 I’m from the USA. I want to make pen pals from any country. I can write in French and English. I like sports and reading. I like history and math best at school. I often play tennis on weekends. Please write to me. Thanks. |
Julie wants to make friends from ________.
| A．Canada | B．the USA | C．China | D．Australia |
What does Jodie like doing?
| A．Singing and dancing. | B．Playing baseball. |
| C．Playing tennis. | D．Playing computer games. |
Andrew is ________ years old.
| A．14 | B．13 | C．12 | D．11 |
Sam comes from ________.
| A．America | B．Australia | C．China | D．Canada |
Sam writes to Andrew. Andrew will be (将会) ________.
| A．sorry | B．happy | C．unhappy | D．sad |
One morning, Wu Liang discovered (发现) that her classroom changed. She found that the desks were no longer in rows, but pushed together to make eight bigger desks. She was too excited about it for the first two days and she couldn’t listen to the teachers carefully. But soon she and her classmates got used to this new classroom arrangement (安排). “Now our class is quieter,” said Wu. “What’s more, we can come up with our own ideas and learn more through discussion. It’s a better way to study.”
Li Yu liked it, too. He said, “Group members first discuss, and then show ourselves in front of the whole class. It makes us believe in ourselves.” It was part of a reform (改革) at Li’s school. The school made this reform because they wanted to provide (提供) students with easier ways to study and more chances to discuss. “Our school hopes it can improve students’ abilities(能力) to study by themselves and work in groups,” said Zhang Ming, an English teacher.
However, the reform has demanded (要求) more from teachers. Now they have only 15 minutes to give the lesson which should be taught in 45 minutes before. It is difficult to teach in such a short time. The teachers have to find better ways to teach more effectively.
“The reform demands more, but I’m sure it is helpful,” added Zhang Ming.After the new classroom arrangement , it was easier for Wu Liang and her classmates to ________ in class.
| A．discuss with each other |
| B．sit in the classroom |
| C．push desks together |
| D．teach a lesson |
The school made the reform in order to provide students with ___________ to study.
| A．noisier classes | B．easier ways |
| C．more seats | D．fewer chances |
The Chinese meaning of the word “effectively” in this passage is ___________.
| A．简单的 | B．明确的 | C．有效的 | D．认真的 |
The best title of this passage may be “____________”.
| A．Students’ Friendship |
| B．Teachers’ Hope |
| C．Discussion in Class |
| D．New Look in Class |
Mike found a job in a bookstore after he finished middle school. He wouldn’t do anything but wanted to get rich.
It was a cold morning. It snowed and there was thin ice on the streets. Few people went to buy books and the young man had nothing to do. He hated to read, so he watched the traffic. Suddenly he saw a bag fall off a truck and it landed by the other side of the street.
“It is full of expensive things.” Mike said to himself. “I have to get it right now, or others will take it away.”
He went out of the bookstore and ran across the street. A driver saw him and began to whistle (鸣笛), but he didn’t hear it and went on running. The man drove to the side, hit a big tree and hurt himself in the accident. Two weeks later, Mike was taken to the court (法庭). A judge asked if he heard the whistle when he was running across the street. He said that something was wrong with his ears and he could hear nothing.
“But you heard me this time,” said the judge.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Now I can hear with one ear.”
“Cover (盖住) the ear with your hand and listen to me with your deaf (聋的) one. Well, can you hear me?”
“No, I can’t , sir.”
“You told a lie. There is nothing wrong with either of your ears,” the judge said.Mike found a job as a _____________ when he left school.
| A．driver | B．judge | C．policeman | D．bookseller |
One day he saw __________ in the street.
| A．an accident | B．a thief | C．a lost bag | D．a lot of money |
The traffic accident happened because _____________.
| A．Mike was running to the street |
| B．the driver was deaf and couldn’t hear anything |
| C．the car hit the bag in the middle of the street |
| D．the driver wanted to pick up the bag |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．Mike didn’t do well in his work. |
| B．The judge believed Mike’s words. |
| C．Mike told a lie. |
| D．The car hit a tree beside the street. |
After a quick breakfast, I went into the lecture(讲座) hall in a hurry. A famous teacher was speaking to the students. He was holding up a $100 bill. Then he said to over 300 students, “ Who would like this $100 bill?” The students put up their hands at once. Then he said, “I am going to give this $100 bill to one of you, but first, let me do this.” He made the bill into a ball. Then he said, “Who wants it now?” The hands went back into the air. “Well,” he said, “What if I do this?” and he dropped it on the floor and stepped on it. He picked up the dirty bill and said, “Who still wants it?” Hands went back again into the air.
“My friends,” he said, “you have learned a valuable lesson today. No matter what I did to the $100 bill, you still want this bill. Many times in our life, we are dropped and stepped on. We feel as if we are worth nothing. But remember, no matter what has happened to you, you will never lose your value. You are always valuable to those people who love you. Your value doesn’t come form what you do or whom you know, but who you are.”The lecture was given _____________.
| A．in the morning | B．at noon | C．in the afternoon | D．in the evening |
How many students went to listen to the lecture?
| A．Sorry, I don’t know | B．Over 100. |
| C．Over 200. | D．Over 300. |
What did the teacher do before he said, “Who still wants it?”
| A．He did nothing. | B．He made the bill dirty. |
| C．He put the bill into a box. | D．He put up his hand. |
The lesson tells us a truth, that is____________.
| A．we should know what we do |
| B．we should know whom we know |
| C．we must know who we are |
| D．how to use money |