Have you ever noticed that the more you have the more you want? Let’s face it. Thinking our life is good enough doesn’t come naturally to many people. When we have high expectations of everything in life we will run into disappointment. Only when we are aware that needs are different from desires can we live with satisfaction. Here are a few ideas to help you be happier with what you have and who you are.
Focus on what you are thankful for. Most people want things to be better than they are, or when things are going well, we forget to appreciate what we have. Learn to reflect on how much better things are than they could be. Focus on what you are thankful for. Write down 5 things you are grateful for right now.
When we hold onto regrets from decisions we have made, it can really poison our well-being. Many people regret something they can no longer change, which ends up holding them back from moving forward in a more positive manner. What happened in the past is done and gone, so work to stay present and be mindful of the current moment to find more joy and fulfillment.
When we use other people as the measuring stick for our personal success and quality of life we are likely to be less satisfied. Social comparisons can provide useful information when we try to learn from others, but they also hold our perspective in a discontented position. Compare yourself less with others so you can be satisfied more.
When you are focused on your big ambitions and future goals you might elide the daily pleasures that surround you. Learn to slow down and absorb the wonder and beauty around you. Stay present and focus on the task you’re undertaking at the moment. Don’t let the life pass you by because you’re always on the go and distracted by ambition.
Practice looking at life through the lens of contentment and it will become more natural.How can we live with contentment?
| A．To change our lifestyle. |
| B．To have a motivation in life. |
| C．To give less attention to what we are grateful for. |
| D．To realize the difference between needs and desires. |
What’s the main idea of Paragraph 3?
| A．Make wise decisions. |
| B．Know the present situation |
| C．Let go of regrets. |
| D．Remember the past. |
The underlined word “elide”(in Paragraph 5) probably means “_ ”.
| A．enjoy | B．change |
| C．create | D．neglect |
What should you do to put yourself in a good mood?
| A．Make time for simple pleasures. |
| B．Learn from successful people. |
| C．Focus on your future goals. |
| D．Create chance to learn more. |
I am a Chinese. I’ve always been making drams from time to time. Those dreams made by each average Chinese like me are certainly Chinese dreams. Dreams vary from person to person, an d also from time to time. But in a certain time, people share the similar dreams here I’d like to share my Chinese dreams with you.
When I was a child in 1970s, poverty kept hovering (盘旋) over my family, just as it did with other average families in the countryside. The unfit(不合身的) second-hand clothes, rain leaking roof of old adobe(土坯) house became part of my memory. However, the worse impression is that I was feeling hungry all the time. Sometimes hunger bit me so severely that I regarded dried sweet potato slices as a delicious snack. The sharp cracks of chewing are still echoing (回响) in my dream. At that time, my dram was getting enough to fill my cooing empty belly.
In the early years of 1980s, as the reform and opening-up policy was carried out, the child dream came true. And then another dream became clearer and clearer in my mind. I must try my best to escape out of my poor and backward hometown. I worked harder at my study than most of my classmates, and, after luckily succeeding in the national college entrance examination, my dream became reality again: after graduation, I became a citizen working in a city. As the first college graduate out of a remote (偏远的) village, my success set an example for my folks. They came to realize that schooling is a good way to change one’s fate(命运). In the following years, there were less drop-outs and more college graduates in my village, of which I am proud even today.
Afterwards, I got accustomed to the life of citizens and I began to dream the same things as other peers: a comfortable home, my own car and a big house. Based on my hard-work, more than ten years passed, all of these dreams have been fulfilled. Of course, new dreams will come true sooner or later only if my motherland keeps advancing with current(当前的，现在的)pace.
My Chinese dreams are also ones of other Chinese people. If every individual’s dreams come true, the dream of the great rejuvenation(复兴) of the Chinese nation will be sure to come true. “The Chinese dream, after all, is the dream of the people,” as the Chairman Xi Jingping said.What is it that made the author’s child dream come true?
| A．Selling the dried sweet potato slices. |
| B．The country’s reform and opening-up policy. |
| C．Escaping from his poor hometown. |
| D．Working harder than any other classmates. |
When the author was young, his family ______.
| A．was as poor as many other families |
| B．was richer than other average families |
| C．didn’t like the second-hand clothes |
| D．never get the author’s belly cooing |
Which of the following statements about the author is WRONG?
| A．The author has many dreams in his life. |
| B．The author accepted his college education. |
| C．there are more drop-outs in the author’s village. |
| D．The author realized all of his dreams by hard-working. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．The author’s dreams are different from other Chinese people’s dreams. |
| B．The Chinese dream is based on every Chinese individual’s dreams. |
| C．Only if the Chinese dream comes true, can the author’s dreams come true. |
| D．The author and his family live a happy life in the countryside. |
Chocolate is good for your heart, skin and brain. Usually, people think that chocolate is bad for their health. They describe chocolate as “something to die for” or say “death by chocolate”. Now they should bite their tongues! Evidence is showing that some kinds of chocolate are actually good for you in the following ways:
A happier heart
Scientists at Harvard University recently examined 136 studies on cocoa— the main ingredient in chocolate— and found that it does seem to strengthen the heart. Studies have shown heart benefits from increased blood flow. These benefits are the result of cocoa’s chemicals, which seem to prevent both cell damage and inflammation(炎症)。
Better blood pressure
If yours is high, chocolate may help. Jeffrey Blumberg from Tufts University recently found that people with high blood pressure who ate 3.5ounces of dark chocolate per day for two weeks saw their blood pressure drop quickly.
Muscle magic
Chocolate milk may help you recover after a hard workout(锻炼). In a small study at Indiana University, people who drank chocolate milk between workouts did better on a tiredness test than those who had some sports drinks.
Better for your skin
German researchers gave 24 women a half-cup of special cocoa every day. After three months, the women’s skin was moister(润滑的) and smoother. The research shows that chocolate helps protect and increase blood flow to the skin, improving its appearance.
Brain gains.
It sounds almost too good to be true, but research suggests that chocolate may improve your memory, attention span, reaction time, and problem-solving skills by increasing blood flow to the brain.What’s the meaning of “bite their tongues” in the first paragraph?
| A．Stop talking. | B．Speak up. |
| C．Think of it. | D．Listen to it. |
What’s the meaning of the underlined sentence in the fourth paragraph?
| A．Sports drinks are better than chocolate milk. |
| B．sports drinks can make people easy to be tired. |
| C．Drinking milk can keep you energetic at work. |
| D．we should drink chocolate milk between times when we work hard. |
What’s the best title for this passage?
| A．Chocolate, a Healthy Food |
| B．More Chocolate, Less Health |
| C．Chocolate and Blood Pressure |
| D．Advice on Eating Chocolate |
The earliest historical record of the Diaoyu Islands can date back to China’s Ming Dynasty about 650 years ago in a book titled "Voyage With a Tail Wind," published in 1403. The book records the first usage of "Diaoyu Islet" and "Chiwei Islet". The names refer to the current Diaoyu Islands and Chiwei Islet. Hu Zongxian, the Zhejiang governor of the Ming Dynasty, placed the Diaoyu Islands and surrounding islets within China’s maritime defense system. It demonstrates that the islands have been within China’s maritime defense region since the Ming Dynasty.
Japan claimed sovereignty（主权） during the Sino-Japanese War of 1895, seizing the islands by illegal means.
The Cairo Declaration issued after World War II stipulated(规定) that all territory taken by Japan illegally, including China’s northeast, Taiwan and Penghu islets, must be returned to China.
In August 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender under the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. The declaration laid out that Japan must return Taiwan, the Diaoyu Islands and surrounding islets to China.
But the islands came under US control after 1945. In 1951, Japan and the US signed an illegal treaty in San Francisco without inviting China. The islands were then "entrusted" to Japan according to the treaty.
On September 18th, 1951, then Chinese Premier and Foreign Minister Zhou Enlai made a solemn(庄严的) statement on behalf of the Chinese government that the Treaty of Peace with Japan signed in San Francisco was illegal , and would not be recognized without the participation and signing of the People’s Republic of China.
In June 1971, Japan and the United States signed an agreement to hand over Okinawa to Japan. The Diaoyu Islands were mapped into the handover area.
China’s Foreign Ministry announced on December 30th 1971 that such a move was "totally illegal" and reiterated(重申) that the Diaoyu Islands and surrounding islets were "an integral part of the Chinese territory".The underlined word"maritime"in Paragraph 1 probably means _____.
| A．referring to sea | B．referring to many time |
| C．referring to marriage | D．referring to hard life |
In what order is the article written ?
| A．The order of importance |
| B．The order of time |
| C．The order of place or direction |
| D．The order of advantages and disadvantages |
According of the text, what statemetn is NOT TRUE?
| A．China's sovereignty to Diaoyu Island dates back to the Ming Dynasty. |
| B．The Potsdam Declaration issued that Japan must return Diaoyu Island and surrrounding islets to China. |
| C．In August 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender under the terms of the Cairo Declaration. |
| D．So far as new China's government is concerned, the treaty between Japan and USA about Diaoyu Island and surrounding islets is considered illegal. |
| H.T.B. ARTS CENTRE |
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| FILM Tickets £2.50 / £ 1.50. Performances at 8 pm unless started otherwise. |
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| WILD AT HEART 127mins. Web 6-Fri8 February Director: David Lynch Starring: Nicholas Cage, Laura Dern, Willem Dafoe |
A first-class film. CAGE and his girlfriend DERN are on teh run through the dangerous Deep South. They are hiding from gunmen who have been hired to kill CAGE by DERN's mother. Victims, yes—but they also have fun. It's wild at heart, strange on top. Funny, frightening and brilliant. |
| DICK TRACY 113mins Mon 11-Sat16 February 6pm Tickets on sale 5-6 pm Director: Warren Beatty Starring: Warren Beatty , Madonna |
The famous detective tries to stop Big Boy and the Blank from taking over the city. A colourful and exciting film. Some parts are frightening, so think twice about taking children. |
| BATMAN 126 mins Mon11-Sat16 February 8.30pm Tickets on sale 7.30-8.30pm PIZZA PLUS offer 6-7pm Director: Tim Burton Starring: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson |
A few essential questions must be asked...Is Batman a mad hero? Why does Bruce Wayne spend millions dressing up as a bat? Has Nicholson's Joker stolen the whole movie? Great action and excellent acting, especially by Nicholson. |
| TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 93mins Mon 18- Fri22 February 6pm Tickets on sale 5-6 pm Director: Steve Barron |
If you've eaten Teenage Mutant Hero Turtle pizzas(marshmallow and chocolate on banana) and then cleaned your teeth with a Teenage Mutant Hero Turtle toothbrush we need say no more... If not, then get in on the craze(热衷) and see for yourself. Then man-sized turtles fight their enemy, Shredder in an action-packed story. |
Which film has the shortest running time?
| A．Batman | B．Dick Tracy |
| C．Wild at Heart | D．Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles |
According to the text, we can learn that _____.
| A．tickets on sale for the four films can be bought at 6 pm |
| B．Dick Tracy and Batman can be seen on the same day |
| C．One can buy tickets in advance for all the films |
| D．Both Batman and Wild at Heart are frightening |
Which of the following is TRUE of Batman?
| A．Cage acted the leading role in it. |
| B．One can enjoy pizza at 6:30 pm. |
| C．The pizzas offered contain fruits. |
| D．Most of its scenes are peaceful. |
Where can we most probably read this text?
| A．In a research paper. | B．In a short story. |
| C．In an ad page. | D．In a student's book. |
The British coloney(殖民地)of Bermude is a top summertime escape. Yet, even through October, Bermuda isn't ready to stop for the winter. During this month, world-class festivals on teh island keep things lively and the weather remains comfortable enough for Bermuda shorts and bathing suits.
In October, Bermuda hosts two major festivals—the Bermuda Music Festival and the Bermuda Culinary Arts(厨艺) Festival. The 10th anniversary Bermuda Music Festival begins October 5 and features three days of performances at the Royal Naval Dockyard(皇家海军造船厂)on Bermuda's West End. Featured main stage performers include Joss Stone, Pattie Labelle, and Al Green, and a second stage spotlights local Bermudian artists. General admission tickets start at $60 for on e day or $160 for a three-day pass.
Starting October 21, the Culinary Arts Festival brings some of North America's top chefs to the island for four days of food and wine tastings, conferences and cooking competitions. Participating chefs include Todd English and Michael Lomonaco, among others. Three-day festival passes start at $649 per person, but you can also buy separate tickets for individual events.
Even if you don't attend one of the festivals, there's still plenty to do. With mostly sunny days and temperatures averaging aroung 79 degrees, the weather is just right for participating in Bermuda's two favorite pastimes—golf and tennis. With fewer visitors on the island than during the summer, you may have an easier time getting the best times or a spot on the courts. It's also still warm enough to enjoy the island's pink sand beaches and go swimming, because the water keeps the summer's heat longer than the air. Of course, you can always shop in the city of Hamilton's upscale(质优价高的) small goods arts and crafts shops.The Culinary Arts Festival lasts _____.
| A．from October 5 to 7 | B．from October 5 to 8 |
| C．from October 21 to 24 | D．from October 21 to 25 |
The best time to travel to Bermuda is ______
| A．spring | B．Summer | C．Autumn | D．winter |
This text is most probably a(n) ______
| A．advertisement | B．introduction |
| C．report | D．instruction |
According to the text which of the following statements is true?
| A．In winter travelers can't swim in the sea. |
| B．Bermuda is an island controlled by the UK. |
| C．The two festivals fall on the same period of October. |
| D．Bermuda's two major festivals in October are mainly for the British. |