Are you truly happy? Do you ever know what it means to be happy and what it takes to achieve happiness? The following are a few tips that I follow to create happiness in my life.
Make a plan for achieving goals that you believe will make you happy. Your moods will very likely increase if you are going after something you value.
Surround yourself with happy people. It is easy to begin to think negatively(消极地) when you are surrounded by people who think that way.
When something goes wrong, try to figure out a solution instead of being absorbed in self pity. Truly happy people don’t allow setbacks(挫折) to affect their mood because they know that with a little thought they can turn the things back to their favor.These few minutes will give you the opportunity to focus on the positive things in your life and will lead you to continuous happiness.
Whether you treat yourself to lunch, take a long, relaxing bath or simply spend a few extra minutes on your appearance, you will be subconsciously(下意识地) putting yourself in a better mood.
Finding the humor in situations can also lead to happiness. Find a way to make light of a situation that would otherwise make you happy.
Keeping healthy is another way to achieve happiness.
| A．What makes one person happy may be very different from what makes someone else happy. |
| B．On the contrary, if you are around people who are happy，their emotional state will be easily passed to you. |
| C．Being overweight or not eating foods containing nutrition have a negative effect on your mood. |
| D．These are important questions for anyone who is seeking happiness to ask themselves. |
E. Spend a few minutes each day thinking about the things that make you happy.
F. There are some tips in life that lead to happiness.
G. It’s also important to take some time each day to do something nice for yourself.
Many famous painters worked in Antwerp during the city’s period of greatest power but Peter Paul Rubens 
is undoubtedly the most famous one of them. Known as Rubens House, the palace-like residence(大宅) and studio where Rubens worked and lived from 1616 until his death in 1640 is now one of Antwerp’s most visited museums.
Almost all of the works Rubens and his students created in the Rubens House have been dispersed (分散) over major museums across the whole world, but there is still an impressive collection well worth the visit. Besides paintings form the master himself you will find other works of art and furniture of the 17th century as well as paintings from his students, including works by Jacob Jordaens and Anthony Van Dyck.
The Rubens House was not only a studio but also a meeting place for the rich and famous. His clients(委托人) included wealthy merchants, diplomats, and there were also many noblemen who often visited his studio to see how work progressed. The Rubens House even had a special viewing area which allo
wed visitors to see the artists at work.
Ruben bought the house at the beginning of the 17th century after his eight-year-long stay in Italy. Influenced by Italian architecture, he rebuilt the building into an Italian-styled palace with a beautiful garden and moved in the house in 1616.
After his death the building was sold. New owners modified the building greatly and by 1937, when the building was purchased by the city of Antwerp, it hardly resembled the original structure.
The impressive entrance hall, which connected the studio and the residence, is one of the few parts that survived. Other parts have been carefully restored and reconstructed after original plans and paintings of the house.As a museum, the Rubens House is popular because ________.
| A．it lies in the famous city of Antwerp |
| B．it holds all the works by Rubens and his students |
| C．there are many people who enjoy visiting it |
| D．Rubens, a great artist, lived and worked there |
We can learn from the third paragraph that ________.
| A．the Rubens House was popular with upper-class people |
| B．the Rubens House was the best studio in its time |
| C．Rubens’s students included noblemen and diplomats |
| D．people were not allowed to view the artists working |
What can be inferred from the text?
| A．Thanks to its great painters, Antwerp became a rich city. |
| B．Ruben possibly showed strong interest in Italian buildings. |
| C．Antwerp must be a historical city in Italy. |
| D．The Rubens House was completely rebuilt before 1937. |
Which of the following is TRUE, according to the text?
A．Rubens created his works by worki ng with his students. |
| B．A beautiful garden was added to the Rubens House by new owners. |
| C．Today’s Rubens House looks like its original structure. |
| D．The Rubens House is decorated with furniture of the 17th century. |
The first time Luca heard the Island of Inventions, he was very young, but the wonders he heard about sounded so unbelievable to him that they were forever kept in his memory. Since then, he never stopped searching clues which might lead him to that place of wonder. He read widely to collect information.
Taking a little from here and there, he got quite a clear idea of what the Island was really like. It was a secret place, where all the great men learn and invent together. To be able to join that select club, you had to have created great inventions. Only then could you receive the invitation.
To get a chance, Luca spend the years studying and inventing. Every new idea he got, he made it into an invention, and if there were anything he didn’t understand, he would seek help. Soon he met other brilliant inventors too, and he told them of the secrets of the Island. These young inventors would likewise dream of being sent “the letter”.
As time passed, the disappointment of not being sent the letter gave rise to even greater cooperation and help between them. Their inventions soon became known throughout the world.
But no invention came.
They didn’t lose heart. They continued learning and inventing, trying to come up with better ideas. Fresh talent was added to their group. One day, Luca, already very old, was speaking with a brilliant young man who had written to join their group. Luca told the young man the secrets of the Island, and of how he was sure that they would receive an invitation. Surprised, the young inventor said: “What? You mean this isn’t really the Island of Inventions?”
It inspired Luca and he realized that his dream had become true.Luca read widely to ________.
| A．get information about the great inventions |
| B．get clear ideas about the island for vacations |
| C．seek massages about the secret club of inventions |
| D．get more knowledge for the benefit of his inventions |
Luca and other brilliant inventors around him shared a dream of _______.
| A．being great inventors of worldwide fame |
| B．being accepted as members of the Island of Inventions |
| C．being inventors envied by members of the Island of Inventions |
| D．being remembered for the contribution to scientific development |
What is the effect of their not being given “the letter”?
| A．They were disappointed, while it encouraged them to work harder. |
| B．They became desperate and decided to have another way of living. |
| C．They changed their strategy and promote their inventions publicly. |
| D．They gave up their dream while continued their inventions together. |
The apartments for sales,40 minutes’ walk to the gold coast beach, on the ground floor is a private patio(天井), fully fitted kitchen, resting room with feature fireplace and a second reception room which could be used as a dinning room or third downstairs bedroom. On the first floor are two double bedrooms, one of which leads onto a sunny terrace(阳台), fully tiled bathroom with bath and shower. The property is in excellent condition throughout and is ready to move straight into Sky TV, telephone and broadband are connected.
Status: Available Price: EUR￠115,000
Telephone: 00351-981888988 Location: Mollina Malaga Province Spain
Apartment furnished for sale at an unbelievable price. The apartment is part of a small complex with swimming pool and a public resting-room with TV, relaxing area, changing areas, etc. The apartment is on the market fully furnished, air conditioning, with good environment to all divisions of the apartment. If you are thinking tapping into the rental market while the property is empty during the year, this property could be your best bet at the best possible price.
Number of Bedrooms: 2
Status: Available Price: EUR￠147,000
Telephone: 00331-961777017 Location: Sao Leiria Portugal
Nice villa for sale. The villa has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Beach at walking distance. Outside there is a swimming pool. The villa is just outside inland coast in a small villa of 20 houses.
Status: Available Price: EUR￠340,000
Telephone: 04811-961999018 Location: Inland Costal AreaThe apartments in the first advertisement have the following advantages Except ________.
| A．the rest room has a fire fireplace |
| B．the bathroom has bath and shower |
| C．the apartments are ready to move straight into |
| D．it has a public resting-room with TV |
If you want to buy an apartment with a public relaxing area, you should dial ________.
| A．00351-981888988 | B．00331-961777017 |
| C．04811-961999018 | D．05355-941445535 |
What’s the meaning of the underlined part in the second advertisement?
| A．Knocking into. | B．Putting into. | C．Taking advantages of. | D．Getting into. |
From the advertisements we can know the apartments ________.
| A．are in different areas | B．are in the same developing area |
| C．are of the same price | D．belong to the same developing company |
As a music teacher for twenty-seven years, I have always known that music touches the soul. It can break through all kinds of barriers 
to reach students in a very special way. It can b
e the means for each child to find their light.
A few years ago, I was blessed with the opportunity to teach pre-school students one afternoon a week. One of my most memorable students was Vanessa. She was five years old, 
had difficulty walking, and could not speak. We mostly sat on the floor for our music lessons and Vanessa liked to sit on my lap. One of her favorite songs was John the Rabbit. It was a call and response song where I sang the call and the students clapped two times while singing the repeating phrase, “Oh, yes!” Vanessa liked to put her hands together with mine and clap with me. We performed that song during every class, Vanessa and I clapping together. She never said or sang a word.
One day late in the school year, when the song was finished, Vanessa turned around, looked me in the eye, clapped her tiny hands two times and said the words “Oh, yes!” I opened my mouth and could not speak. Through music, we had made a connection.
Several years later, I came across Vanessa on the street in town. I stopped my car and waved to say hello. She waved back with a big smile on her face and then clapped her hands two times, mimicking(模仿) the song we had performed in our music class. This precious little girl, through her connection with music, left an impression on me that will last forever.
Every child has the ability to learn and grow. It is up to us educators to discover the way to reach each and every one of our students. We all must find each child’s light.The author thinks music ________.
| A．can make children calm down | B．can connect heart to heart |
| C．is difficult for pre-school students | D．is a good means to find a job |
According to the second paragraph, V
anessa ________.
| A．got used to singing songs | B．was too shy to speak |
| C．was the youngest in the class | D．enjoyed the author’s classes |
When Vanes
sa spoke the words “Oh, yes!”, the author felt ________.
| A．surprised | B．happy | C．frightened | D．satisfied |
What can we infer from the last two paragraphs?
| A．The author has been in touch with Vanessa for several years. |
B．Vanessa became as healthy as  other children. |
| C．The song made a deep impression on Vanessa. |
| D．Being a good educator became Vanessa’s dream.[ |
Birds don’t need lessons in building nests. Fish don’t need coaching to learn how to swim. All animals have instincts. They’re born with natural abilities to do certain things. Wild animals also learn by copying their parents and practicing. And pets learn through training.
But instincts and training aren’t the only keys to animals’ behavior. Scientists say animals’ thoughts and feelings also influence their actions. Animals often make choices, plans, and sensible changes. The
y can help others a
nd solve problems. Some even make and use tools!
If animals could talk, what would they say about their thoughts and feelings? A gorilla (大猩猩) born in captivity (关在笼子里) has helped answer that question. Koko, a gorilla, was taught to use sign language. She has l
earned hundreds of words!
Koko once had a pet cat she named All Ball. “Koko love Ball,” she signed. “Soft good cat.” One time, she blamed the cat for biting her by signing “You bad dirty toilet!” When her pet died, Koko cried. “Sad for sleeping cat,” she signed.
Koko calls herself “fine animal gorilla”. She uses sign language to argue, joke, and ask and answer q
uestions.
“Most animals can’t use words to tell us their thoughts,” says Dr. Jonathan Balcombe. “But Koko shows us that animals have their own ideas and feelings.” Dr. Balcombe is a scientist at the Humane Society of the United States. He says there’s even more to discover about animals through field studies. In field studies, people watch animals in their natural environment.
“Scientists who study animals’ natural behaviors learn how animals live and think,” Balcombe says. “That knowledge can help others respect every animal who shares the planet with us.”The underlined word “instincts” in Paragraph 1 probably refers to the ability that ________.
| A．animals copy their parents | B．animals learn by practicing |
| C．animals are born with | D．animals learn through training |
The example of Koko shows that ________.
| A．an animal likes to have its own pet | B．an animal can learn to speak through training |
| C．an animal has the natural ability to speak | D．an animal can speak its mind |
According to Balcombe, learning how animals live and think can ________.
| A．help people care for animals | B．teach animals to use words |
| C．train animals to use tools | D．train animals to be cleverer |
What might be the best title for the passage?
| A．Raising animals as pets | B．Understanding animals |
| C．Training animals to speak | D．Protecting animals from danger |