How to improve our life? Many people think that they have to accept whatever life throws at them. They’ll say, “This is my destiny(命运). I cannot change it.”
Of course not! You don’t have to suffer needlessly. Your life depends on you, not on other factors.
I know a woman who says she just accepts what life gives her because she has done everything she can to improve it. Guess what her lifestyle is? She wakes up in the morning, goes to work, comes back home, relaxes, chats with people, watches TV, and then goes to sleep. Next day, the same routine cycle follows.
Huh! Is this what she calls “doing her best”? She believes she has tried her best and just accepts it in her heart that this is the life that has been intended for her and that her luck can only change if God wills it. She hasn’t realized that we have to do our share of making the effort to live the life of our dreams.
Remember that you harvest what you sow. You have to get off the sofa, get your eyes off the TV screen, get your hands off the phone (unless it’s helpful to your success), and get your mind and body to work! Don’t expect your luck to change, unless you do something about it. If something goes wrong, don’t just regard it as a temporary(暂时的) problem; Instead, learn your lesson, make the most of the situation, and do something to solve the problem. It’s not enough to think positively; you also have to act positively.
If someone’s life is in trouble, do you just hope and pray that things will turn out fine? Of course not! You get to do anything you can to save the person. So it is with your own life. It is not enough to hope for the best, but you have to do your best. In other words, don’t just stand (or sit) there, do something to improve your life.As for the woman mentioned in Para.3, her life________.
| A．doesn’t need improving | B．couldn’t be improved |
| C．will be better some day | D．will be worse in the future |
What does the author think of the woman’s life?
| A．Positive. | B．Passive. |
| C．Disturbing. | D．Colorful. |
In Para.5, the author emphasized the importance of ________.
| A．positive action | B．positive thinking |
| C．hope for the best | D．intention to succeed |
The text is mainly designed to advise you to _________.
| A．know yourself | B．believe in yourself |
| C．improve your life | D．change your normal way |
Science Daily (May 1S, 2012) - People who rate themselves as having high emotional intelligence (El) tend to overestimate (高估) their ability to detect deception(欺骗) in others. This is the finding of a paper published in the journal Legal and Criminological Psychology on 18 May 2012.
Professor Stephen Porter. director of the Centre for the Advancement of Psychological Science and Law at University of British Columbia Canada along with colleagues Dr. Leanne Brinke and Alysha Baker used a standard questionnaire to measure the EI of 116 participants.
These participants were then asked to view 20 videos from around the world of people pleading （祈求） for the safe return of a missing family member. In half the videos the person making the plea was responsible for the missing person's disappearance or murder.
The participants were asked to judge whether the pleas were honest or deceptive say how much confidence they had in their judgments, report the clues (线索) they had used to make those judgments and rate their emotional response to each plea.
Professor Porter found that higher EI was associated with overconfidence in assessing the sincerity of the pleas and sympathetic feelings towards people in the videos who turned out to be responsible for the disappearance.
Although EI, in general, was not associated with being better or worse at telling the difference between truths and lies. people with a higher ability to notice and express emotion (a component of EI) were not so good at spotting when people were telling lies.
Professor Porter says: "Taken together, these findings suggest findings features of emotional intelligence and the decision-making processes they lead to may nave the paradoxical (适得其反的) effect of weakening people's ability to detect deception."
"These findings are important because El is a well-accepted concept and is used in a variety of fields, including the workplace"Which of the following is true about the study and its findings?
| A．EI has something to do with telling truths and 1ies. |
| B．The participants were asked to identify liars on the spot. |
| C．The participants had to tell reasons for their judgments. |
| D．Those confident participants all made wrong judgments. |
According to Professor Porter's finding, people with higher EI
| A．were actually less confident |
| B．were easy to be cheated for their kindness |
| C．had sympathy for the missing people |
| D．were good at spotting deception |
What does the underlined word "they" refer to?
| A．Features of EI | B．People with high Ef | C．The findings | D．The researchers |
Workplace is specially mentioned in the last paragraph to ______.
| A．indicate that people with high EI are mostly adults |
| B．indicate that EI is very important in the workplace |
| C．warn employers not to trust employees with high EI |
| D．warn people with high EI of deception in the workplace |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．How to detect deception in our daily life. |
| B．The disadvantages of high emotional intelligence. |
| C．The relationship between one's El and recognition. |
| D．Emotionally intelligent people are less good at spotting liars. |
For medical students, real experience begins not in a classroom but at a teaching hospital. These doctors in training are guided. But sometimes accidents happen and the students get injured.
For example, they might stick themselves with a needle while treating patients. Such needle sticks are common. But a recent study found that medical students often fail to report them. Failing to report an injury like this can be dangerous if a patient, or a medical worker, has an infectious disease.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, did the study, which involved a survey answered by almost 700 surgeons in training in the United States.
Almost 60% said they had suffered needle stick injuries when they were in medical school. Many said they were stuck more than once. Yet nearly half of those whose most recent incident happened in school did not report it to a health office. If they had, they would have been tested to see if they needed treatment to prevent an infection like HIV or hepatitis.
Most known cases of HIV or hepatitis are reported, but other possible infections often are not. Martin Makary, the lead author of the study, says medical students who are stuck put themselves and others in danger from infectious diseases.
Doctor Makary said, "A needle that goes through the skin needs to be as sharp as possible.” Doctors in training may have to do hundreds of stitches (缝线) in some cases to close the skin after an operation.
Doctor Makary said, “I support using blunt tip needles which are considered safer. This needle is still sharp enough to go through body tissue, but it does have a blunt tip, so that if it accidentally goes into my finger, it's much less likely to hurt me."
How common are needle sticks among health care workers? An estimated 600,000 to 800,000 of these and similar injuries are reported each year in the United States. But Doctor Makary says the real number may be much higher.
The study advises doctors to protect their hands by wearing two sets of gloves. It also urges hospitals to establish a special telephone number for medical workers and students to call if they are injured. The idea is for hospitals to send a clear message that there is no reason not to report this kind of accident.It is dangerous for medical students not to report needle stick injuries because _________.
| A．they don’t know how to treat themselves. |
| B．they may meet more needle sticks |
| C．it may cause some diseases |
| D．it may make patients sad. |
If they report needle stick injuries, medical students will __________.
| A．receive treatment | B．be forbidden to use sharp needles |
| C．spend more time on training | D．receive tests |
The underlined word “blunt” in Paragraph 7 is the closest in meaning to “__________”.
| A．not sharp | B．not safe | C．not long | D．not thick |
What do we know from the passage?
| A．Doctors who don’t report needle stick injuries will be punished. |
| B．Needle sticks among health care workers will reduce sharply in the future. |
| C．Most needle stick injuries happen in the United States. |
| D．Two suggestions are given to protect medical workers and students. |
Where can this passage most probably be found?
| A．In an entertainment magazine | B．In a science magazine |
| C．In a storybook | D．In science fiction |
There is an old Chinese proverb that states "One Generation plants the trees; another gets the shade," and this is how it should be with mothers and daughters. The relationship between a mother and daughter is sometimes confusing. If close, the relationship can be similar to friendship. However, the mother and daughter relationship has unique characteristics that distinguish it from a friendship. These characteristics include a hierarchy (等级) of responsibility and unconditional love, which preclude mothers and daughters from being best friends.
Marina, 27 years old, says, "I love spending time with my mom, but I wouldn't consider her my best friend. Best friends don't pay for your wedding. Best friends don't remind you how they carried you in their body and gave you life! Best friends don't tell you how wise they are because they have been alive at least 20 years longer than you.” This doesn't mean that the mother and daughter relationship can't be very close and satisfying.
While some adult relationships are still troubled, many find them to be extremely rewarding. This generation of mothers and adult daughters has a lot in common which increases the likelihood of shared companionship. Mothers and daughters have always shared the common experience of being homemakers, responsible for maintaining and passing on family values and traditions. Today contemporary mothers and daughters also share the experience of the workforce and technology, which may bring them even closer together.
Best friends may or may not continue to be best friends, but for better or worse, the mother and daughter relationship is permanent, even if for some unfortunate reason they aren't speaking. The mother and child relationship is closer than any other. There is not an equal relationship. Daughters should not feel responsible for their mother's emotional well-being. It isn’t that they don't care deeply about their mothers. It's just that they shouldn't be burdened with their mother's well being.
The mother and daughter relationship is a relationship that is not replaceable by any other. Mothers never stop being mothers, which includes frequently wanting to protect their daughters and often feeling responsible for their happiness. Mother always "trumps" friend.The underlined word “preclude” in Paragraph 1 probably means “_________”.
| A．differ | B．prevent | C．benefit | D．change |
Why do many mothers and adult daughters keep a rewarding relationship?
| A．Because they have a lot in common. |
| B．Because they have common family values. |
| C．Because they have no generation gap. |
| D．Because they keep a constant relationship. |
What do we know from the passage?
| A．The mother and daughter relationship can be replaced by a best friend. |
| B．A mother’s love brings her and her daughter a close friendship. |
| C．The mother and daughter relationship goes beyond best friends’ friendship. |
| D．Marina has a troubled relationship with her mother. |
The author proves his statements mainly by _________.
| A．listing data | B．giving explanations | C．quoting sayings | D．making examples |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．How to be a good mother and daughter |
| B．Who is a mother’s best friend? |
| C．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| D．Can a mother be a daughter’s best friend? |
Regarded as one of the English language’s most gifted poets, John Keats wrote poetry that concentrated on imagery, human nature, and philosophy. Although Keats didn’t receive much formal literary education, his own studies and passion brought him much success. Additionally, his own life situation influenced his poetry greatly.
Growing up as a young boy in London in a lower middle-class family, the young John didn’t attend a private school, but went to a public one. His teachers and his family’s friends regarded him as an optimistic boy who favored playing and fighting much more than minding his studies. After his father’s death in the early 1800s, followed by his mother’s passing due to tuberculosis (肺结核), he began viewing life differently. He wanted to escape the world and did so by reading anything he could get his hands on.
At around the age of 16, the teenage John Keats began studying under a surgeon so that he too might become a doctor. However, his literary appetite had taken too much of his fancy, especially with his addiction to the poetry of Ehmund Spenser. He was able to have his first full poem published in the Examiner in 1816, entitled O Solitude! If I Must With Thee Dwell. Within two months in 1817, Keats had written an entire volume of poetry, but was sharply criticized by a magazine. However, the negative response didn’t stop his pursuit of rhythm (韵律).
John Keats’ next work was Endymion, which was published in May 1818. The story involves a shepherd who falls in love with the moon goddess and leads him on an adventure of one boy’s hope to overcome the limitations of being human. Following Engymion, however, he tried something more narrative-based and wrote Isabella. During this time, John Keats began seeing his limitations in poetry due to his own limit in life experiences. He would have to have the “knowledge” associated with his poems. His next work was Hyperion that would attempt to combine all that he learned. However, a bout (发作) with tuberculosis while visiting Italy would keep him from his work and eventually take his life in 1821.John Keats’ attitude towards life changed because of _________.
| A．his early education from school | B．the deaths of his parents |
| C．Edmund Spenser’s poetry | D．the criticism of a magazine |
What is the common thing between John Keats and his mother?
| A．They read many books. |
| B．They had a bad childhood |
| C．They died of the same disease. |
| D．They showed strong interest in poetry |
What do we know from the passage?
| A．Keats received little education at school. |
| B．Keats once had a chance of becoming a doctor. |
| C．In 1816 Keats spent two months writing a poem. |
| D．Endymion was about a real love story. |
While pursuing his dream of becoming a poet at first, John Keats was __________.
| A．determined | B．experienced | C．knowledgeable | D．impatient |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Keats’ family must have been very poor when he was young. |
| B．Edmund Spenser was the greatest poet in Keats’ time. |
| C．It is likely that Keats rewrote his poem Isabella. |
| D．The poem Hyperion wasn’t completed by Keats. |
I decided to go back to school in the fall of 2008 after not being happy with my current job and financial status. I obtained my Associate’s Degree in May 2002 in Commercial Arts. After graduation, I had trouble obtaining a job in that field. For years, I was going from one job to another feeling unfilled, and I was not satisfied with the instability.
I decided to go back to school for either International Business or Psychology. I weighed the pros and cons of both professions and Psychology won. I like helping my friends and family, when they go through hard situations in their life by giving them sound advice and being honest with them. Also, I was interested in “the mind”.
I was searching for online schools because my work schedule at my current job would not allow me to attend a regular class. I was nervous about starting online classes because I heard mixed stories from other friends who were taking online classes. I decided to do it anyway to experience something different. I wanted to find an online school that was affordable and reputable. Through my search, I discovered Walden University, which is specially for working adults who want to obtain a bachelor’s degree or higher. The process of getting accepted was easy, which included writing an essay on why I wanted to attend their school, transferring my previous credits, etc.
I am currently enrolled in the Bachelors program for psychology, and I am paying for college via financial-aid loans and grants. This experience has been interesting yet trying as sometimes it was difficult to balance work, school and home life. I learned a lot about psychology and myself. For example, I like writing about current events, relationships and traveling. I thought my English composition was ordinary, but after taking a few classes at Walden University, I improved my English composition and it made me feel confident enough to start writing professionally so I became a freelance (自由撰稿) writer. Currently, I am only three classes away from obtaining my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology! It was one of the best decisions I made in my life.What did the author study originally when he was in college?
| A．Psychology | B．Commercial Arts | C．International Business | D．English Composition |
What do we know about the author from Paragraph 2?
| A．He decided to study International Business at first. |
| B．He wanted to study two majors. |
| C．He liked Psychology better. |
| D．He chose his major with the help of his friends. |
Why was the author nervous about starting online classes?
| A．Because he heard some negative remarks about it. |
| B．Because he was worried that he didn’t have enough time to study. |
| C．Because he feared he would fail the entrance exam. |
| D．Because he was afraid that he didn’t have enough money. |
Which of the following best describes the author’s learning experience?
| A．Dull and challenging. | B．Interesting and easy. |
| C．Interesting and challenging. | D．Dull and easy |
According to the passage, the author _________.
| A．was not able to find a full-time job |
| B．is most interested in writing |
| C．pays for his schooling with the help of his family |
| D．is satisfied with his achievements. |