(2013·天津，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 informed 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. |
“Enough” with the multivitamins already. That’s the message from experts behind three new studies that tackled an often debated question: Do daily multivitamins多种维生素make you healthier?
“We believe that the case is closed - supplementing(补充) the diet of well-nourished adults with (most) mineral or vitamin supplements has no clear benefit and might even be harmful,” concluded the authors of the editorial summarizing the new research papers. They urge consumers to not ‘waste’ their money on multivitamins. “The ‘stop wasting your money’ means that perhaps you’re spending money on things that won’t protect you long term,” editorial co-author, Dr. Edgar Miller said, “What will protect you is if you spend the money on fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, low fat dairy, and things like that. Exercising would probably be a better use of the money.”
The strong message was based on a review of the findings from three studies that tracked multivitamins link to cancer protection, heart health, and brain and cognitive(认知的) measures. The first study looked at vitamin supplementation’s role in preventing chronic(慢性的) disease. The next study looked at whether long-term use of multivitamins would have any effect on slowing cognitive decline. The third study looked specifically at multivitamins and minerals role in preventing heart attack. “The three studies found no difference in rates of chronic disease, heart attack and the need for hospitalization between vitamin-takers and placebo(安慰剂)-takers.” Dr. Edgar Miller stated.
One expert agreed some nutrient-deficient people may still benefit from multivitamins. “There might be an argument to continue taking a multi(vitamin) to replace or supplement your not healthy diet,” Dr. Edgar Miller added. He also notes that vitamins can benefit people with celiac disease and those who are pregnant.This text is likely to be selected from a book of .
| A．medicine | B．education | C．food | D．business |
Which of the following is NOT Dr. Edgar Miller’s opinion according to the passage?
| A．Vitamins should not be used for chronic disease prevention. Enough is enough. |
| B．Having a balanced diet and exercising would probably be a better way to keep healthy. |
| C．The three studies do not provide support for use of multivitamin supplements. |
| D．Taking vitamins to replace or supplement your healthy diet is necessary. |
What can be inferred from the text?
| A．Vitamin supplements have proved harmful to the health of adults. |
| B．Vitamin supplements are beneficial in certain conditions. |
| C．Nowadays taking vitamin supplements is common to most people. |
| D．Daily multivitamins will make you healthier. |
The author’s purpose of writing the text is most likely to___________. .
| A．persuade | B．describe | C．inform | D．instruct |
This place was darker than I expected, and, in spite of the rain, dirtier. Used to the life of rural Puerto Rico(波多黎各), I had to adjust to the similarly arranged, aggressive two-dimensionality of New York. Everywhere I looked, my eyes met gray and brown straight-edged buildings with sharp corners and deep shadows. Every few blocks there was a cement(水泥) playground surrounded by chain-link fence.
A girl came out of the building next door, a jump rope in her hand, and she hopped over. “Are you Hispanic?” she asked. “No, I’m Puerto Rican.” “Same thing. Puerto Rican, Hispanic. That’s what we are here.” She skipped a tight circle, stopped abruptly, and shoved the rope in my direction. “Want a turn?”
“Sure.” I hopped on one leg, then the other. “So, if you’re Puerto Rican, they call you Hispanic?”
“Yeah. Anybody who speaks Spanish.”
I jumped a circle, as she had done, but faster. “You mean, if you speak Spanish, you’re Hispanic?”
“Well, yeah. No . . . I mean your parents have to be Puerto Rican or Cuban or something.”
“Okay, your parents are Cuban, let’s say, and you’re born here, but you don’t speak Spanish. Are you Hispanic?”
“I guess so,” she finally said. “It has to do with being from a Spanish country. I mean, you or your parents, like, even if you don’t speak Spanish, you’re Hispanic, you know?” She looked at me uncertainly. But I didn’t know. I’d always been Puerto Rican, and it hadn’t occurred to me that in New York I’d be someone else.
Later, I asked. “Are we Hispanics, Mami?” “Yes, because we speak Spanish.” “But a girl said you don’t have to speak the language to be Hispanic.” “What girl? Where did you meet a girl?” “Outside. She lives in the next building.” “Who said you could go out to the sidewalk? This isn't Puerto Rico. Something could happen to you.”
I listened to Mami’s lecture with depressed eyes and the necessary respect. But inside, I quaked. Two days in New York, and I’d already become someone else. It wasn’t hard to imagine that greater dangers lay ahead.The first paragraph suggests that the author experienced New York as .
| A．mysterious and unknowable |
| B．regular and depressing |
| C．orderly and appealing |
| D．impressive and dangerous |
For the author, being considered Hispanic represents .
| A．a restriction to be overcome |
| B．an opportunity for self-redefinition |
| C．the loss of her former identity |
| D．an unavoidable result of movement to a new place |
The mother refers to “Puerto Rico” in order to impress upon the author that .
| A．she should not miss her birthplace |
| B．New Yorkers may not like newcomers |
| C．different rules apply to life in New York |
| D．life was more restricted in Puerto Rico |
The author’s mood can best be described as
| A．angry and confused | B．fearful and uncertain |
| C．excited but lonely | D．worried and resistant |
OSCAR THEATRE
BOOKING
- in person
The Box Office is open Monday to Saturday, 10 am-8 pm.
- by post
Stating the performance and choice of seats, enclosing a cheque, postal order, or your credit card details to Oscar Theatre Box Office, PO Box 220, Main street. All cheques should be made payable to Oscar Theatre.
- by telephone
Ring 0844 847 2484 to reserve your tickets or to pay by credit card (Visa, MasterCard accepted).
- on-line
Complete the on-line booking form at www.oscartheatre.com.
DISCOUNTS
Saver: $2 off any seat booked any time in advance for performances from Monday to Thursday inclusive, and for all matinees(下午场). Savers are available for children up to 16 years old, over 60s and full-time students.
Supersaver: half-price seats are available for people with disabilities and one companion. It is advisable to book in advance. There is a maximum of eight wheelchair spaces available and one wheelchair space will be held until one hour before the show (subject to availability).
Standby: best available seats are on sale for $6 from one hour before the performance for people eligible(有资格的) for Saver and Supersaver discounts and thirty minutes before for all other customers.
Group Bookings: there is a ten per cent discount for parties of twelve or more.
Schools: school parties of ten or more can book $9 tickets in advance and will get every tenth ticket free.
Please note: we are unable to exchange tickets or refund money unless a performance is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.How can you pay for a ticket when you book by post?
| A．By visiting the website of a post office. |
| B．By going to you local bank in person. |
| C．By enclosing your MasterCard in an envelope. |
| D．By providing your credit card information. |
What benefit can bookers enjoy according to the text?
| A．A group of ten adults going to a performance can claim a discount. |
| B．A school party of 15 persons that book in advance pay $135 in total for a performance. |
| C．Someone accompanying a wheelchair user to a performance receives a discount. |
| D．An 18-year-old teenager is eligible for Saver discounts. |
According to the text, who can get Standby tickets?
| A．Full-time students buying tickets 45 minutes before a performance begins. |
| B．65-year-olds buying tickets an hour and a half before a performance begins. |
| C．Theatre-goers who are unexpectedly unable to be present at a performance. |
| D．Anyone who buys tickets an hour before a performance begins. |
As a professor I have grown accustomed to the opinion regarding American education. We are repeatedly told that American schools are failing, that colleges are not teaching, and that the students of today are not as good as the students of the past.
There are, of course, problems with the education system. Because of economic inequality some schools are significantly better than others and the ideas of equality of education and equality of opportunity are cruel jokes. However, the mere fact that there are some serious problems does not mean that all the dire claims are true.
One stock (陈腐的) claim is that America has fallen behind the world in education in terms of performance on various tests. While the fact that America is behind other countries is a point of concern, there are at least three points worth considering here. The first is the above-mentioned economic inequality which will tend to result in poorer performance when taking the average for America. The second is that many countries have put considerable effort into improving their education systems and hence it is worth considering that America’s decline is also due to the improvement of others. The third is the matter of the measures— do they, in fact, present an accurate picture of the situation? I am not claiming that the data is bad. I am merely raising a reasonable concern about how accurate our picture of education is at this time.
Another stock claim is that American students are doing badly on standardized tests. While there is clearly value in assessment, it is reasonable to consider whether or not such tests are a proper and adequate measure of education. It is also worth considering whether the puzzle with these tests is itself causing damage to education. That is, as teachers teach for the test and students learn for the test, it might be the case that what is being taught is not what should be taught and what is being learned is not what should be learned.According to the professor, many people’s attitude towards American colleges is .
| A．negative | B．positive | C．approving | D．indifferent |
What does the underlined word “dire” in the second paragraph mean?
| A．Exact or precise. | B．Extremely serious or terrible. |
| C．Fair or objective. | D．Long and boring. |
Judging by the text ,the claims are centered on .
| A．what should be taught in the American classroom |
| B．fair judgment of American education |
| C．American students’ performance on tests |
| D．an accurate picture of American colleges |
The passage is written mainly to .
| A．defend American education |
| B．show dissatisfaction with American education |
| C．explain why American students do badly on tests |
| D．offer advice on American education reform |
Matt Haimovitz is 42 and a renowned cellist (大提琴手) in the world. He rushed into the classical music scene at the age of 12 after Itzhak Perlman, the famed violinist, heard him play.
But nothing in his family history explains where Haimovitz got his extraordinary talent. And that’s typical, Ellen Winner, a professor says.
“People are fascinated by these children because they don’t understand where their talent came from. You will see parents who say, ‘I wasn’t like this, and my husband wasn’t like this.’ It seems to sometimes just come out of the blue,” Winner says.
It’s not clear whether a prodigy’s （天才）brain is any different from the brains of other children, in part because there have been no study comparing the brains of prodigies to those of average people.
“But I believe that anything that shows up so early, without training, has got to be either a genetic or some other biological basis,” Winner says. “If a child suddenly at the age of 3 goes to the piano and picks out a tune and does it beautifully, that has to be because that child has a different brain.”
Children who are extremely gifted tend to be socially different, too, Winner says. “They feel like they can’t find other kids like themselves, so they feel strange, maybe even like a freak, and feel like they don’t have anybody to connect with. On the other hand, they also long to connect with other kids, and they can’t find other kids like themselves.”
As Haimovitz got older, he became frustrated. He wanted to play other kinds of music but felt constricted by the image and the expectations of the boy prodigy who played classical music and filled concert halls.
“When you start that early, you suddenly start to grow up in public, and I wanted to experiment,” Haimovitz says.
So he took his cello into punk rock clubs and coffee houses. He played Bach, Haydn and Hendrix. “My teacher was Leonard Rose, and we never played any 20th-century music. He didn’t like it. But once I was exposed to James Marshall “Jimi” Hendrix, Miles Dewey Davis El and others, I couldn’t really turn back. I wanted to know more,” he says.According to some parents, prodigies’ extraordinary talent.
| A．comes unexpectedly | B．is inherited from parents |
| C．results from hard work | D．is trained in early times |
Winner seems to agree to the fact that ____.
| A．average people have their particular brains |
| B．biology is the base of a different brain |
| C．a prodigy’s brain is superior to those of others |
| D．genes play an important role in a prodigy |
According to the text, gifted children are .
| A．lonely | B．easy-going | C．innocent | D．social |
The last paragraph is mainly about how Haimovitz was trying to .
| A．build up his friendship | B．play different kinds of music |
| C．set up the image of a prodigy | D．perform classical music creatively |