Staying silent can be just as powerful as the words you mean to say, like when the act of hugging will be more comforting than saying, “Sorry for your loss.”
Another time when silence is golden is when you are unsure of what to say. If you are confused about your own feelings concerning a matter, it’s best to stay quiet until you are more certain because more harm can be done by revealing false or exaggerated feelings
Choose silence instead of blurting out ‘in-the-moment’ feelings that are hurtful and not really how you feel in the grand scheme of things. When you feel the urge to say an unkind thing, take a few breaths and think of the possible consequences of your words.
Silence can be your best friend during negotiations. Say your piece, then close your mouth, and let the other person come to their own conclusions. Your silence shows that one, you are confident in what you just said, and two, you respect the other person enough to hear what they have to say.
Sometimes silence is the best and most timely solution because the other person is not in a position to hear what you have to say. For example, when a friend needs for you to listen to her problems, but she is unable to accept your advice at that moment.
Practice being silent at work when you don’t have anything meaningful to contribute. Unless you can elevate the conversation by pointing out something interesting, missing, or beneficial, it’s best to just observe and learn.
Finally, silence is golden when you don’t want to engage in a fool’s argument. As some squabbles will never be resolved, one must agree to disagree.
Hower,there will be times in your life where you will need the power of your voice,the voice within you that wants and needs to be respected and apprecitsed.The passage mainly tells us about ___
| A．when to stay silent | B．why to stay silent |
| C．how to stay silent | D．whether or not to stay silent |
What is the best to do during negotiation?
| A．Grasp every chance to say more than the other |
| B．Close your mouth and just listen to the other |
| C．Say what you chould and draw a conclusion |
| D．Speak out your own points and let the other speak out theirs |
What does the undedined word “elevate” most probably mean?
| A．start | B．conclude | C．interrupt | D．cancel |
To follow this passage,the writer is likelhy to continue telling about___
| A．the power of your voice |
| B．the occasions when you should speak up |
| C．the advantages of speaking up |
| D．the dissdantages of staying silent |
David’s Haircut
When David steps out of the front door he is blinded for a moment by the white, strong sunlight and reaches for his dad’s hand automatically. It’s the first really warm day of the year, an unexpected heat that bridges the gap between spring and summer. Father and son are on their way to the barbershop, something they have always done together.
Always, the routine is the same. “It’s about time we got that mop of yours cut,” David’s dad will say, pointing at him with two fingers, a cigarette caught between them. “Perhaps I should do it. Where are those scissors, Janet?” Sometimes his dad runs after him round the living room, pretending to cut off his ears. When he was young, David used to get too excited and start crying, scared that maybe he really would lose his ears, but he has long since grown out of that.
Mr Samuels’ barbershop is in a long room above the chip shop, reached by a steep and worn flight of stairs. David follows his father. He loves the barbershop — it’s like nowhere else he goes. It smells of cigarettes and men and hair oil. Sometimes the smell of chips will climb the stairs along with a customer and when the door opens the waiting men lift their noses together. Black and white photographs of men with various out-of-fashion hairstyles hang above a picture rail at the end of the room, where two barber’s chairs are fixed to the floor. They are heavy, old-fashioned chairs with foot pumps that screams as Mr Samuels adjusts the height of the seat. In front of the chairs are deep sinks with a showerhead and long metal pipe attached to the taps, not that anyone seems to use them. Behind the sinks are mirrors and on either side of these, shelves overflowing with all types of plastic combs, shaving mugs, scissors, cut throat razors, hair brushes and, 10 bright red bottles of Brylcreem(男士发油), piled neatly in a pyramid. At the back of the room sit the customers, silent for most of the time, except when Mr Samuels breaks off from cutting and smoke his cigarette, sending a stream of grey-blue smoke like the tail of kite twisting into the air.
When it is David’s turn for a cut, Mr Samuels places a wooden board covered with a piece of red leather across the arms of the chair, so that the barber doesn’t have to bend to cut the boy’s hair. David scrambles up onto the bench.
“Hey, young man, you’re shooting up, you won’t need this soon, you’ll be able to sit in the chair,” the barber says.
“Wow,” says David, turning round to look at his dad, forgetting that he can see him through the mirror. “Dad, Mr Samuels said I could be sitting in the chair soon, not just on the board!”
“So I hear,” his father replies, not looking up from the paper. “I expect Mr Samuels will start charging me more for your hair then.”
“At least double the price,” said Mr Samuels, winking at David.
Finally David’s dad looks up from his newspaper and glances into the mirror, seeing his son looking back at him. He smiles.
“Wasn’t so long ago when I had to lift you onto that board because you couldn’t climb up there yourself,” he says.
“They don’t stay young for long do they, kids”, Mr Samuels declares. All the men in the shop nod in agreement. David nods too.
In the mirror he sees a little head sticking out of a long nylon cape. Occasionally he steals glances at the barber as he works. He smells a mixture of smelly sweat and aftershave as the barber moves around him, combing and cutting, combing and cutting.
David feels like he is in another world, noiseless except for the sound of the barber’s shoes rubbing on the plastic carpet and the click of his scissors. In the reflection from the window he could see through the window, a few small clouds moved slowly through the frame, moving to the sound of the scissors’ click.
Sleepily, his eyes dropping to the front of the cape where his hair falls softly as snow and he imagines sitting in the chair just like the men and older boys, the special bench left leaning against the wall in the corner. He thinks about the picture book of Bible stories his aunt gave him for Christmas, the one of Samson having his hair cut by Delilah. David wonders if his strength will go like Samson’s.
When Mr Samuels has finished, David hops down from the seat, rubbing the itchy hair from his face. Looking down he sees his own thick, blonde hair mixed among the browns, greys and blacks of the men who have sat in the chair before him. For a moment he wants to reach down and gather up the broken blonde hair, to separate them from the others, but he does not have time.
They reach the pavement outside the shop. “I tell you what, boy, let’s get some fish and chips to take home, save your mum from cooking tea,” says David’s dad and turns up the street.
The youngster is excited and catches his dad’s hand. The thick-skinned fingers close gently around his and David is surprised to find, warming in his father’s palm, a handful of his own hair.How old is David most probably age according to the context?
| A．2 | B．4 | C．10 | D．17 |
Why does the author describe the barbershop detailedly in David’s eyes in Paragraph 3?
| A．Because David is not familiar with this place and tries to remember it. |
| B．Because David develops great friendfish with the shop owner. |
| C．Because the barbershop is a place that attracts him greatly. |
| D．Because the barbershop is very traditional and David can see one nowhere else. |
Saying “I expect Mr Samuels will start charging me more for your hair then”, David’s dad is ________.
| A．showing his proudness of his son’s growth |
| B．complaining about the price of the haircut |
| C．expressing his thanks to the shopowner’s kindness |
| D．counting his expense on his son’s haircut |
The underlined sentence sugests that David ________.
| A．looks down upon those old, grey-haired men |
| B．feels extremely excited about becoming a bigger boy |
| C．thinks blond hair is much more precious than other color |
| D．is quite curious about his broken blonde hair |
Which detail from the story best shows the deep love that father gives son?
| A．Dad runs after his son round the living room. |
| B．Dad buys his son some fish and chips. |
| C．Dad sees his son through the mirror. |
| D．Dad holds some of his son’s hair in his palm. |
What is the author’s tone of writing this passage?
| A．serious | B．light-hearted | C．critical | D．persuasive |
A scientist turns out to be able to see the future by offering each of some four-year-olds a piece of candy and watching how he or she deals with it. Some children reach eagerly for the treat they see. Some last a few minutes before they give in. But others are determined to wait until the last moment.
By the time the children reach high school, something remarkable has happened. A survey found that those who as four-year-olds had enough self-control to hold out generally grew up to be more popular, adventurous, confident and dependable. The children who gave in to temptation(诱惑) early were more likely to be lonely, easily frustrated and inflexible(顽固的)．
Actually, the ability to delay reward is a sign of emotional intelligence which doesn't show up on an IQ test.
The hardware of the brain and the software of the mind have long been scientists' concerns. But brain theory can't explain what we wonder about most, like the question why some people remain upbeat in the face of troubles that would sink a less resistant soul.
Here comes the theory of Daniel Goleman, writer of Emotional Intelligence: when it comes to predicting people's success, brain ability measured by IQ may actually matter less than the qualities of mind once thought of as “character”．
EQ is not the opposite of IQ. What researchers have been trying to understand is how they work together; how one's ability to handle stress, for instance, affects the ability to concentrate and put intelligence to use. Among the ingredients (要素) for success, researchers now generally agree that IQ counts for about 20%; the rest depends on everything from social class to luck.
While many researchers in this relatively new field are glad to see emotional issues finally taken seriously, some few fear EQ invites misuse.The experiment with the four-year-olds makes it clear that ________.
| A．the age of 4 is a proper time for scientific experiment |
| B．emotional intelligence won't show up until adolescence |
| C．the ability of self-control plays a role in personal success |
| D．candy can be used to measure a person's emotional intelligence |
Which of the following is TRUE of EQ and IQ according to the text?
| A．There is no link between EQ and IQ. |
| B．The higher a person's IQ is, the higher his or her EQ is. |
| C．Some people can be blessed with lots of both, but some with little of either. |
| D．Scientists are trying to discover the way in which EQ and IQ work together. |
The underlined word “upbeat” in Paragraph 4 probably means “________”．
| A．kind | B．floating | C．excited | D．optimistic |
Why does the author mention the experiment at the beginning of the text?
| A．To amuse both the children and readers. |
| B．To prove the scientist’s wisdom. |
| C．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| D．To show us how to do an IQ test. |
What is most likely to be written in the paragraph that follows?
| A．Information about famous people with high EQ. |
| B．Examples showing the opposite voice about EQ. |
| C．Some reasons why EQ is relatively new field. |
| D．Strong demands for basic emotional education. |
Three astronauts returned to Earth safely on Wednesday after a successful 15-day mission （任务）, marking another step forward towards the country’s goal of building a manned space station by 2020.
Zhang Youxia, commander-in-chief of China’s manned space program, said the Shenzhou X mission was a “complete success”.
The Shenzhou X landed safely in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at about 8:07 a.m. on June 26, 2013. All three astronauts were in good physical condition.
Nie Haisheng, commander of the Shenzhou X crew and a second-time space traveler, was the first to get out of the bowl-like module（舱）, followed by Wang Yaping, the only female astronaut of the mission, and Zhang Xiaoguang. During a brief welcoming ceremony held at the landing area, the astronauts waved happily to a crowd consisting of officers, the search and recovery team, and health personnel.
“It feels really good to be back home,” said astronaut Nie Haisheng.
“We are dreamers, and we have now realized our dream,” said Zhang Xiaoguang. “Our space dream knows no limit, and our hard work will never stop,” he said.
Compared with its previous mission Shenzhou IX last year, the Shenzhou X is no longer experimental but considered an applicable shuttle（航天飞机）system for sending astronauts and supplies to orbiting modules. The mission aims to further test technologies designed for docking（对接）and supporting astronauts’ stay in space, as well as to use new technologies related to the construction of a space station.
In its 15-day journey in space, Shenzhou X docked with the orbiting space lab Tiangong-1 twice, once through automatic operation and the other manual（手控的）.The Tiangong-1 space lab has been in orbit for more than 600 days. It’s designed to work for two years. The module is considered the first step in building a permanent space station in the future. And the astronauts spent 12 days in Tiangong-1, where they conducted space medical experiments, technical tests and gave a science lesson to students on Earth on June 19 about basic physics principles. The lecture was the second video class sent from space, with US astronaut Barbara Morgan’s 25-minute class being the first in 2007.
China is the third country after the United States and Russia to acquire the technologies and skills necessary for space rendezvous（交会）and docking procedures, as well as supply manpower and material for an orbiting module via different docking methods.
Previous docking procedures conducted between Shenzhou-type spacecraft and the orbiting space lab included two automated dockings by the unmanned Shenzhou-8 in 2011 and both an automated and manual docking by the manned Shenzhou-9 in 2012.
Since its first manned space space mission in 2003, China has sent ten astronauts and six spacecrafts into the space.According to the passage, the Shenzhou X ________.
| A．was sent into space on June 11, 2013 |
| B．is still an experimental shuttle system |
| C．sent many supplies to the manned space station |
| D．returned to Earth safely on the afternoon of June 26 |
China sent the Shenzhou X into space to ________.
| A．learn how to make use of a manned space station |
| B．prove the importance of the manned space program |
| C．experiment on how to make astronauts stay in space safely |
| D．test new technologies for the construction of a space station |
We can learn from the passage that ________.
| A．Nie Haisheng is the only male astronaut of the mission |
| B．The Tiangong-1 space lab was founded in 2012 |
| C．China is the second country to give a space class |
| D．the Tiangong-1 was mainly designed to serve Shenzhou X |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．China Prepares for Next Manned Mission |
| B．Shenzhou X Spacecraft Mission Is a Success |
| C．China’s Shenzhou X Is Now in Space |
| D．Astronauts of Shenzhou X Mission Are Meeting Media |
A
This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths.
It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend(超越) it. Once we truly know that life is difficult--once we truly understand and accept it--then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.
Most do not fully see this truth. Instead they complain about their problems and difficulties as if life should be easy. It seems to them that difficulties represent a special kind of suffering especially forced upon them or else upon their families, their class, or even their nation.
What makes life difficult is that the process of facing and solving problems is a painful one. Problems, depending on their nature, cause us sadness, or loneliness or regret or anger or fear. These are uncomfortable feelings, often as painful as any kind of physical pain. And since life causes an endless series of problems, life is always difficult and is full of pain as well as joy.
Yet, it is in this whole process of solving problems that life has its meaning. Problems are the serious test that tells us success from failure. When we desire to encourage the growth of human spirit, we encourage the human ability to solve problems, just as in school we set problems for our children to solve. It is through the pain of meeting and working out problems that we learn. As Benjamin Franklin said, those things that hurt, instruct. It is for this reason that wise people learn not to fear but to welcome the pain of problems. From the passage, it can be inferred that ______.
| A．everybody has problems |
| B．we become stronger by meeting and solving the problems of life |
| C．life is difficult because our problems bring us pain |
| D．people like to complain about their problems |
The writer probably used just one short sentence in the first paragraph to ______.
| A．save space | B．persuade readers |
| C．make readers laugh | D．get readers’ attention |
The main idea of Paragraph 3 is that ______.
| A．most people feel life is easy |
| B．the writer feels life is easy |
| C．the writer likes to complain about his problems |
| D．most people complain about how hard their lives are |
According to the passage, we give school children difficult problems to solve in order to______.
| A．encourage them to learn |
| B．teach them to fear the pain of solving the problem |
| C．help them learn to deal with pain |
| D．teach them how to respect from problems |
The saying from Benjamin Franklin “Those things that hurt, instruct” suggests that ______.
| A．we do not learn from experience |
| B．we do not learn when we are in pain |
| C．pain teaches us important lessons |
| D．pain cannot be avoided |
The opening scene of The King’s Speech was, in a word, terrifying. The moment King George VI—wonderfully played by Colin Firth—stepped up to the microphone at Wembley Stadium, a rush of nervousness came over me. It took me back to my school days, standing at my desk, having to read aloud to the class. I whispered to my wife, Jill, “A stutterer(口吃者) wrote this screenplay(剧本).
I grew up with a stutter, really afraid of trying to get through simple sentences—knowing that I would then, or later, be laughed at. I still remember the reading when I was in 7th grade at St. Helena’s: “Sir Walter Raleigh was a gentlemen…” I remember reciting, “Sir Walter Raleigh was a gentlemen.” The school teacher said, “Master B-B-B-Biden! What’s that word?” She wanted me to say gentlemen. But by then, I had learned to put my sentences into bite-size pieces and I was reading it: “gentle”｜breath｜“man”.
Ninety-nine percent of the time, the teachers were great. I never had professional treatment but a couple of teachers taught me to put a regular rise and fall in my tone of speaking, and that’s why I spent so much time reading poetry. But even in my small, boys’ prep school, I got nailed in my class with the nickname Joe Stutterer. You get so desperate, you’re so embarrassed. I actually went and stood by the side of my house once, with a small round stone in my mouth, and tried to talk. Jill always thought I was kidding until she saw the movie and saw King George did the same thing.
King George relied on the support his wife and the help of Lionel Longue, who, in describing working with other stutterers, said, “My job was to give them confidence in their voices and let them know that a friend was listening.” I was lucky enough to have more than a couple of Lionels in my life. Nobody in my family ever—ever—made fun of me or tried to finish my sentences. My mother would say, “Joey, you cannot let stuttering define you.” And because of her and others, I made sure it didn’t.
Through hard work and determination, I beat my stutter in high school. I even spoke briefly at my graduation ceremony in 1961—the most difficult speech of my life. My fight against shyness and embarrassment at my early age has developed my ability to understand others’ feelings as Vice President of the country in public life. I still mark up all of my speeches the say way Firth’s character does in the movie, pencil-marking every line to remind myself to stop, to breathe, to pause—to beat back my stuttering as best as I can. I don’t stutter anymore, and most people who know me only late in my life are shocked that I ever did.
By capturing exactly how a stutter feels, The King’s Speech has shown millions of people how much courage it takes for a stutterer to stand up and speak. Equally important, it has shown millions who suffer from the pain that it can be overcome, we are not alone, and with the support of those around us, our deepest fears can be conquered. The writer whispered to his wife, “A stutterer wrote this screenplay”, because __________.
| A．he desired to release his secret to his wife |
| B．he was reminded how it was as a stutterer on such occasions |
| C．he thought Colin Firth had a wonderful performance in the film |
| D．he wanted to make his wife realize why the film was so popular |
What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 imply?
| A．The writer would have a good fortune to get help from many people. |
| B．The writer should realize he had to stand up from his pain and defeat it |
| C．The writer could get enough confidence under his mother’s help |
| D．The writer must be happy that everyone in his family did not laugh at him. |
What message is conveyed in the passage?
| A．Whatever pain and fear we have, we can defeat them if we try hard. |
| B．The similar stories of the writer and King George VI gains great admiration. |
| C．The suffer we had at our early age will have a heavy influence on our future life. |
| D．Stuttering is such a pain for children that we should give help and encourage them. |