Happiness is important for everyone. Most people want to be happy but few know how to find happiness. Money and success don’t bring lasting happiness. Happiness depends on ourselves. In other words, we make our own happiness.
Some people believe that if they are wealthy, they will be able to do anything they want, which means happiness. On the other hand, some people believe that holding a high position in the government is happiness. In this way, you have not only money, but also many other things which can’t be bought by money. However, other people believe that having lots of money is not happiness, nor is holding a high position in the government. These people value(重视) their beliefs, or their intelligence, or their health. They think these can make them happy.
Here are a few ways to help you be happier.
The first secret of happiness is to enjoy the simple things in life. Too often, we spend so much time thinking about the future, for example, getting into college or getting a good job, that we don’t enjoy the present. You should enjoy life’s simple pleasures, such as reading a good book, listening to your favorite music, or spending time with close friends. People who have close friends usually enjoy happier and healthier lives.
The second secret of happiness is to be active. Many people go dancing or play sports. People can forget about their problems and only think about the activities.
Finally, many people find happiness in helping others. According to studies, people feel good when they volunteer their time to do many meaningful things for other people. If you want to feel happier, do something nice for someone. You can help a friend with his or her studies, go shopping to get food for an old neighbor, or simply help around the house.
Now maybe you know how to find happiness!The underlined word “wealthy” means “__________” in the article.
| A．pleased | B．healthy |
| C．excited | D．rich |
Some people who hold a high position in the government think they can _________.
| A．get money and something they can’t buy with money |
| B．do what they want to do at any time |
| C．enjoy health which makes them work hard |
| D．take an active part in all kinds of activities every day |
The writer thinks the secret of happiness is that people ___________.
| A．think about getting a good job |
| B．think of presents they don’t like |
| C．often spend time with close friends |
| D．often spend time on entering the college |
Many people find it happy to ___________.
| A．remember the old days and troubles |
| B．do some meaningful things for others |
| C．go shopping to buy some food |
| D．make much money and little success |
The passage mainly tells us __________.
| A．how to find happiness |
| B．how to save happiness |
| C．to do something good for others |
| D．to value our beliefs or health |
Many scientists find that colours can change people’s feelings. It’s very interesting. Some colours can make people feel relaxed，and some colours can make people feel nervous. Now，this kind of knowledge is being used in many places. For example, school walls are always painted green because green makes students feel relaxed. It is also good for the students’ eyes. Some books are also green or light blue for the same reason. Restaurant owners not only have to know how to make food，but also have to know how to make money. Here are some things they’ve learned from scientific studies. The colour red makes people hungry. Many fast food restaurants have red furniture or walls. Soft colours like pink and light blue make people feel relaxed，so they spend more time eating. Loud music may be nice at first，but it soon makes people want to leave. Hard seats also make customers want to eat quickly and leave. Many restaurants，especially fast food restaurants，use this knowledge to make customers eat faster...How does the colour green make the students feel？
| A．Hungry. | B．Nervous. | C．Angry. | D．Relaxed. |
How does the colour red make most people feel？
| A．Hungry. | B．Comfortable. |
| C．Excited. | D．Worried. |
Which colour isn’t mentioned in this passage？
| A．Green. | B．White. | C．Light blue. | D．Red. |
What do many fast food restaurants do？
①Play loud music. ②Play soft music.
③Have hard seats. ④Paint their walls red.
| A．①②③ | B．①③④ | C．①②④ | D．②③④ |
What’s the best title for this passage？
| A．Colour and restaurant. |
| B．Use colours to make money. |
| C．Colours and science |
| D．Use colours to change feelings. |
Do you know why different animals or pests have their special colours? Colours in them seem to be used mainly to protect themselves.
Some birds like eating locusts，but birds cannot easily catch them. Why? It is because locusts change their colours together with the change of the coloursof crops. When crops are green, locusts look green. But as the harvest time comes, locusts change to the same brown colour as crops have. Some other pests with different colours from plants are easily found and eaten by others. So they have to hide themselves for lives and appear only at night.
If you study the animal life, you’ll find the main use of colours is protecting themselves. bears, lions and other animals move quietly through forests. They cannot be seen by hunters. This is because they have the colours much like the tree.
Have you ever noticed an even more strange act? A kind of fish in the sea can send out a kind of very black liquid when it faces danger. While the liquid spread over, the enemies cannot find it. And it immediately swims away. So it has lived up to now though it isn’t strong at all.From the passage we can learn that locusts.
| A．are small animals |
| B．are easily found by birds |
| C．are dangerous to their enemies |
| D．change their colours to protect themselves |
How can pests with different colours from plants keep out of danger?
| A．They run away quickly. |
| B．Their colours are much like their enemies. |
| C．They hide themselves in the day and appear at night. |
| D．They have to move quietly. |
Bears and lions can keep safe because they.
| A．have the colours much like the trees | B．move quickly |
| C．like brown and grey colours | D．live in forests |
The kind of fish can live up to now because .
| A．it is very big and strong |
| B．the liquid it sends out can help it escape from its enemies |
| C．the liquid it sends out can kill its enemies |
| D．it swims faster than any other fish |
Which is the best title for this passage?
| A．The Change of Colours for Animals and Pests |
| B．Colours of Different Animals and Pests |
| C．The Main Use of Colours for Animals and Pests |
| D．Some Animals and Pests |
When someone walks into a room wearing bright colours, everyone seems to take notice. Beautiful bright colours can easily draw our attention. Fresh roses can cheer us up when we’re feeling blue. Dressing up in colourful clothing can bring us into a more positive mood.
What shall I wear today? What colour should I choose?
Dressing yourself for the day is quite important whether you know it or not. Our moods often show what our bodies end up wearing. When you look in the mirror after you dress, train yourself to notice how you feel when you see yourself. Notice your mood. If you are not feeling yourself, could the colour of what you are wearing irritate (使不适) your nervous system? Did you never notice that before? We all know that dark colours can tell lies. They can make you look and feel older than you really are. That is why baby clothes never come in dark colours. To the mind, dark colours seem easier to hold power, but to the heart and feeling level, they don’t help your heart to open. Bring happy colours and happiness to go hand in hand. Bright happy colours open your heart, calming your nervous system.
Some advice:
If you work around people who wear black, try to find a happy colour to look at to replace (取代) the picture of dark colours in your mind.
At night, wear soft clothes in light colours to help your nervous system calm down and smooth it out, preparing yourself for sleep.
Don’t dress children in dark colours because their nervous systems are just beginning to feel.
| A．All of the colours. | B．Dark colours. |
| C．Dark red. | D．Bright colours. |
| A．Black. | B．Green. | C．Yellow. | D．Red. |
| A．Some lies. | B．Baby clothes. |
| C．Dark colours. | D．Different moods |
| A．leather clothes in light colours |
| B．soft clothes in dark colours |
| C．soft clothes in light colours |
| D．leather clothes in dark colours |
| A．We should dress children in dark colours. |
| B．Fresh roses can cheer us up when we’re feeling blue. |
| C．Dark colours can tell lies. |
| D．Dressing yourself for the day is quite important. |
Some people have a very poor sense of direction. Unlucky , I am one of them. I have visited a place many times but I may still get lost there the next time.
When I was a little girl, I never dared ask strangers the way. And so I used to walk round in circle and hope that by chance I would get to the place I was going to.
Now , I am no longer too shy to ask people for directions, but I often receive helpless or even wrong information. So I try to avoid giving people wrong directions. If anyone asks me the way somewhere, I would say,"sorry, I am a stranger here."
Once on my way to work I was stopped by a man. He asked me if I could tell him the way to the Friendship Building. I gave him my usual reply. But just as I walked on only a few steps. I realized that he had asked the way to my office building. However, I had no time to turn back and look for him. I was rushing to meet with someone at my office and I didn't want to keep him waiting.
When I just got to my office, the secretary showed in the man who had asked me for directions. Imagine how embarrassed I was and how surprised he was when we saw each other at the first sight!
| A．she's a stranger to the city |
| B．she doesn't know the people |
| C．she has no time to help others |
| D．she's afraid of giving wrong directions. |
| A．sell her something | B．ask for the time |
| C．make friends with her | D．ask for the directions. |
| A．lives | B．studies | C．works | D．teaches |
| A．尴尬 | B．困惑 | C．激动 | D．拮据 |
| A．The writer is too shy to give others directions |
| B．The writer has a very poor sense of direction |
| C．The writer never got lost when she was young. |
| D．The man was quite nervous when he saw the writer. |
My Year Abroad
This month in Travelers Corner there are three teenagers’ experiences in year-abroad programmes.
Mariko Okada – Tokyo
My year abroad in the United States was a fantastic experience. I’m not a shy person, and I was very comfortable speaking to everyone. So I got lots of speaking practice. I also learned lots of interesting things about American culture. When I got home, my friends all said that I had improved so much! I hope to go back again in the future.
Carla Fonseca – Rio de Janeiro
I spent last year studying English in London. I’m from a small town, and London is a very big city. Sometimes I felt it was too big. There were so many people to talk to, but I always felt bad about my English. I missed my family, and I really missed my two cats. My roommate was always using our telephone, so I hardly had the chance for a nice long talk with my parents. I think it was a good experience for me, but I’m glad to be home!
Alvin Chen – Hong Kong
Studying in New Zealand was a fun experience for me, but it was also lots of hard work! I had English classes six hours a day, five days a week——with lots of homework. I also kept a diary of my experience. I like to write, and I wrote two or three pages in my diary every day. On Saturdays, my homestay family took me to lots of interesting places and showed me so many wonderful things about the culture. I’m really glad I went!
| A．to study English | B．to visit friends |
| C．to have a holiday | D．to find a job |
| A．Mariko. | B．Carla. | C．Alvin. | D．None of them. |
| A．a sports club newsletter | B．a science documentary |
| C．a travel magazine | D．a news website |