Are people less happy or happier when they get older? If your answer is“happier”， then you are right，based on a study published seven years ago．It found that people become happier and experience less worry after age fifty．In fact，it found that by the age of eighty-five，people are happier with their life than they were at eighteen．
The finding came from a Gallup survey of more than three hundred and forty thousand adults in the United States in 2008．At that time，people were between the ages of eighteen and eighty-five．
Arthur Stone in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Stony Brook University in New York led the study．His team found that levels of stress were the highest among adults between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-five．Stress levels dropped sharply(急剧)after people reached their fifties．
Levels of happiness were the highest among the kids and those in their early seventies．
The survey also found that men and women have similar emotional patterns(情感模式)as they grow older．However, women at all ages reported more sadness，stress and worry than men did．
So why would happiness increase with age? One theory(推测)is that，as people get older, they become more thankful for what they have and have better control of their emotions．They also spend less time thinking about bad experiences．How many adults were included in the survey?
| A．300 | B．40，000 | C．340，000 | D．103 |
What can you learn from the findings of the survey?
| A．People become happier and feel less worried before age 50． |
| B．People are happier with their life at 18 than they were at 85． |
| C．Adults between the ages of 22 and 25 have the least stress． |
| D．The kids and those in their early seventies feel the happiest． |
Why does happiness increase with age?
| A．People aren’t able to control their emotions better． |
| B．It takes them less time to think about bad experiences． |
| C．People become less thankful for what they have． |
| D．Women feel sadder, more stressed and worried than men． |
Which of the following is the best title of this passage?
| A．Differences Between Stress and Happiness |
| B．Differences Between Age and Happiness |
| C．Relationship Between Stress and Happiness |
| D．Relationship Between Age and Happiness |
A young woman was driving through the country far away from the town. It was dark and raining. Suddenly she saw an old woman by the side of the road, holding her hand out as if (好像) she wanted a lift.
“I can’t leave her out in this weather,” the woman said to herself, so she stopped the car and opened the door.
“Do you want a lift?” she asked. The old woman nodded (点头) and climbed into the car. After a while, she said to the old woman, “Have you been waiting for a long time?” The old woman moved her head from side to side. “Strange,” thought the young woman. She tried again. “Bad weather for the time of year,” she said. The old woman nodded. No matter what the young woman said, the hitchhiker (搭便车的人) gave no answer except for a nod of the head.
Then the young woman noticed the hitchhiker’s hands, which were large and hairy. Suddenly she realized the hitchhiker was in fact a man! She stopped the car. “There is something wrong with the car,” she said, “Would you mind getting off and helping me?” The hitchhiker nodded and opened the door. As soon as the hitchhiker was out of the car, the frightened young woman raced off.
When she got to the next village she stopped her car. She noticed that the hitchhiker had left his handbag behind. She picked it up and opened it. To her surprise, there was a gun (枪) inside the bag.The word “lift” in the passage means _____.
| A．an act of raising something |
| B．a ride in the car |
| C．an offer of cleaning cars |
| D．something run by electricity |
What made the young woman feel strange about the “old woman”?
| A．The fact that the “old woman” kept nodding her head. |
| B．The fact that the “old woman” was unable to speak. |
| C．The fact that the “old woman” gave no answer to her questions. |
| D．The fact that the “old woman” had large and hairy hands. |
The young woman asked the hitchhiker to get off the car because ______.
| A．this was the way she thought of to get rid of (摆脱) him |
| B．there was something wrong with her car |
| C．the hitchhiker had a gun in his handbag |
| D．the hitchhiker knew how to drive her car |
Sam was a fifteen-year-old boy living with his little sister, Julie. Their parents had passed away long ago. Sam had taken care of Julie by himself.
One day, Sam woke up at three in the morning as usual. When Julie was sleeping alone. Sam left their little house to send newspapers. When he found an old man sitting in front of their house. Sam was so surprised that he stopped to look at him closely. It was an icy morning and he looked very old.
The poor old man didn't have anything to cover himself with. Sam went into his house to get the old man a blanket. However, there were no extra blankets, so Sam thought hard and took his father's coat. It was the only thing of his father's that he had left. Sam wrote a short note."Sir, I found you sleeping in front of my house. This is my father's coat. I hope it fits you well."He put the note in a pocket of the coat, and covered the old man with the coat. Then he went to work. When he came back three hours later, both the man and the coat were gone. Sam thought that it was the best thing he could have done with his father's coat.
That afternoon, Sam hurried home after school because Julie was at home alone. However, Julie and the old man were standing in front of the house, and Julie shouted to Sam, "Brother! He's our grandfather!"
The grandfather smiled and said, "Sam . Thank you for giving me the coat and letting me know how good my grandson is. This coat was the one I gave my son a long time ago!"How was the weather when Sam saw an old man in front of his house?____.
| A．Hot and sunny | B．Rainy |
| C．Icy and cold | D．Windy |
Sam's morning job was to ____.
| A．take care of his sister | B．go to school |
| C．send newspapers | D．look for his grandfather |
"Their parents passed away long ago" means" Their parents ____ long ago."
| A．died | B．went on |
| C．left home | D．passed by |
Sam covered the old man with his father's coat because ____.
| A．his father's coat fitted the old man well |
| B．the coat was the only thing that his father had left |
| C．he knew the old man was his grandfather then |
| D．he had no extra blanket |
People all over the world write to Big Ben. They even send birthday presents. Big Ben is not a person. It’s a clock. Big Ben is the great clock hanging up in a tower of the parliament building. The people of London like to see Big Ben’s four friendly faces. They like to hear the bell striking (敲)on the hour. Bong! Bong! Bong!
Big Ben’s story started in 1834. In that year the old parliament building was burned down. Its clock tower fell to the ground. There had to be a new building and a new clock. Plans were made. They called for a “King of Clock, the biggest and the best in the world”. So the clock had to be big. And it had to keep very good time. In two years the big clock was made. Five more years went by before the clock tower was last finished. Then the four bells for the chimes (鸣响) were brought into the tower. And at last the big hour bell was put in place. It rang out for the first time on July 11, 1859. This great bell had to have a name. A meeting of parliament was called to pick one. “This clock is the king of clocks,” one man said. “Let’s call the bell the Queen of Bells.” “Then why not Victoria?” said another (Victoria was the British queen (英国女王) at that time). The talk about names went on and on. Then Benjamin Hall got up to speak. He was a big man. By this time they were all tired. Someone shouted, “Why not call it Big Ben and be done with it?” Everybody laughed, and the meeting was over. But it was called Big Ben from then on. Not just the bell but the whole clock.In 1834, what happened to the clock tower?
| A．People finished the clock tower. |
| B．People sold the clock tower. |
| C．People polluted the clock tower. |
| D．The clock tower broke down. |
Big Ben is the name of a _______.
| A．building | B．clock |
| C．beautiful girl | D．city |
In which year might Victoria be the British queen?
| A．1583 | B．1768 | C．1620 | D．1863 |
Which is the best title (标题)for this passage?
| A．Why Big Ben Is So Big |
| B．British Parliament Building |
| C．How Big Ben Got Its Name |
| D．British Queen Victoria |
Bob was only seven years old. One night Bob was at home alone while his parents were out for a party. He had often stayed alone before, so he wasn’t afraid. As he waited for his parents to return home, he watched a film on TV. His eyes became heavier and heavier as time passed by.
Suddenly Bob’s eyes opened wide—what was the sound in the next room? Bob heard the window being opened slowly. For a minute, Bob was so frightened that he could not move, and his body felt like ice. He knew that he couldn’t lose his head（惊慌失措）and began to think of the things he could do. Again he heard the sound of someone trying to climb into his home through the window.
Bob’s drums were standing in the corner near the TV. “Wait, maybe there is something I can do,” thought Bob. He beat on his drums as hard as he could. The sound was so terrible that Bob surprised even himself. He also surprised the man in the window, who ran away as fast as possible. How clever he was！Was Bob afraid of being alone at home?
| A．Yes, he was. | B．No, he wasn’t. |
| C．Sometimes he was. | D．No, he didn’t. |
What did Bob do when he waited for his parents?
| A．He played the drums. | B．He watched TV. |
| C．He fell asleep. | D．He did nothing. |
The person who wanted to come into the room might be _______.
| A．a friend | B．a stranger |
| C．an animal | D．a thief |
How did Bob do to make the man run away?
| A．He turned up the TV. | B．He called the police. |
| C．He beat his drums. | D．He asked his parents for help. |
How often do you change your hairstyle or ask for new clothes? Do you care much about fashion?
A recent survey among high school students in China, Japan, South Korea and the US found that Asian teenagers cared more about their appearance (外表) than teenagers in the US.
The survey was made in 156 high schools in the four countries. South Koreans cared most about their appearance. They were followed by the Chinese and Japanese, while US students showed the least interest in fashion.
“The different results show the differences of cultural backgrounds (文化背景),”said Sun Yunxiao from the China Youth and Children Research Centre.
He explained that in the US there are many different standards (标准) of beauty, so teens are more likely to be confident about their appearance. About 85% of American teens are happy with themselves. Besides, most US students agree that people should follow their own interests rather than those of others.
“According to the survey, Chinese students are happy and disciplined (有纪律的). They have a strong desire to make a difference. But Chinese students depend on their parents too much, so they need to be more independent. Besides, they should learn how to relax,” said Sun.Which country isn’t mentioned?
| A．China. | B．Japan. |
| C．England. | D．America. |
Most _______ think people should follow their own interests rather than those of others.
| A．Chinese students | B．American students |
| C．Japanese students | D．Koreans |
Which of the following is NOT true about Chinese students according to the survey?
| A．They are happy and disciplined. |
| B．They should learn to relax. |
| C．They ask their parents for too much. |
| D．They show the least interest in fashion. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．The survey came from four countries. |
| B．Japanese students cared most about their appearance. |
| C．American students weren’t interested in fashion at all. |
| D．Cultural backgrounds didn’t influence students’ views about fashion. |