Do you want to live with a strong sense of peacefulness, happiness, goodness, and self- respect? The collection of happiness actions broadly categorized as "honor" help you create
this life of good feelings.
Here's an example to show how honorable actions create happiness.
Say a store clerk fails to charge us for an item. If we keep silent, and profit from the clerk's mistake, we would drive home with a sense of sneaky excitement. Later we might tell our family or friends about our good fortune. On the other hand, if we tell the clerk about the uncharged item, the clerk would be grateful and thank us for our honesty. We would leave the store with a quiet sense of honor that we might never share with another soul.
Then, what is it to do with our sense of happiness?
In the first case, where we don't tell the clerk, a couple of things would happen. Deep down inside we would know ourselves as a type of thief. In the process, we would lose some peace of mind and self-respect. We would also demonstrate that we cannot lie trusted, since we advertise our dishonor by telling our family and friends. We damage our own reputations by telling others. In contrast, bringing the error to the clerk's attention causes different things to happen. Immediately the clerk knows us to be honorable. Upon leaving the store, we feel honorable and our self-respect is increased. Whenever we take honorable action we gain the deep internal rewards of goodness and a sense of nobility.
There is a beautiful positive cycle that is created by living a life of honorable actions. Honorable thoughts lead to honorable actions. Honorable actions lead us to a happier existence. And it's easy to think and act honorably again when we're happy. While the positive cycle can be difficult to start, once it's started, it's easy to continue. Keeping on doing good deeds brings us peace of mind, which is important for our happiness.
1.According to the passage, the positive action in the example contributes to our___.
A.friendly relationship B. financial rewards
C. advertising ability D. self-respect
2.The author thinks that keeping silent about the uncharged item is equal to___.
A. lying B.cheating C. stealing D. advertising
3.The phrase "bringing the error to the clerk's attention" (in para. 5) means___.
A. asking the clerk to be more attentive
B. offering advice to the clerk
C. telling the truth to the clerk
D. reminding the clerk of the charged item
4.Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?
A. How to Live Truthfully
B. Importance of Peacefulness
C. Ways of Gaining Self-respect
D. Happiness through Honorable Actions
Dogs wag(摇摆) their tails in different directions depending on whether they are excited and wanting to move forward or threatened and thinking of moving back, a study has found.
Researchers in Italy examined the tail wagging behaviour of 30 dogs, catching their responses to a range of stimuli(刺激物) with video camems. To conduct the study, they chose 15 male dogs and 15 female ones aged between one and six years. The dogs were all family pets whose owners had allowed them to take part in the experiment at Bari University. The dogs were placed in a large wooden box with an opening at the front to allow for them to view various stimuli. They were tested one at a time.
The researchers led by Professor Giorgio Vallortigara of the University of Trieste found that when the dogs were shown their owners —a positive
experience— their tails wagged energetically to the right side. When they were shown an unfamiliar human they wagged to the right, but with somewhat less enthusiasm. The appearance of a cat again caused a right-hand side wag, although with less intensity again. The appearance of a large unfamiliar dog, similar to a German shepherd, changed the direction of tail wagging to the left. Researchers supposed the dog was thinking of moving back. When the dogs were not shown any stimuli, they tended to wag their tails to the left, suggesting they preferred company. While the changes in the tail wagging were not easily noticed without the aid of video, it was thought that the findings could help people judge the mood (心情) of dogs. Computer and video systems, for example, could be used by professional dog trainers to determine the mood of dogs that they were required to approach.
1.The video cameras were used to catch the dogs’ response because______.
A. The dogs wagged their tails in different directions when they were in different moods
B. they enabled the dogs’ owners to know about their dogs’ habit
C. It was easier to catch the dogs’ response change in tail wagging
D. The dog were put in the wooden boxes and tested one at a time
2.The underlined word “intensity”in the passage means_______.
A. surprise B. worry C. excitment D. interest
3.The underlined word “they” refers to _______.
A. the dogs B. the trainers C. the systems D.the researchers
4.The purpose of doing the experiment is ________.
A. to train dogs for their owners
B. to help dogs find company
C. to help people judge the mood of dogs
D. to help people choose their pet dogs
For a while, my neighborhood was taken over by an army of joggers (慢跑者). They were there all the time: early morning, noon, and evening. There were little old ladies in gray sweats, young couples in Adidas shoes, middle-aged men with red faces. "Come on!" My friend Alex encouraged me to join him as he jogged by my house every evening. "You'll feel great."
Well, I had nothing against feeling great and if
Alex could jog every day, anyone could. So I took up jogging seriously and gave it a good two months of my life, and not a day more. Based on my experience, jogging is the most overvalued form of exercise around, and judging from the number of the people who left our neighborhood jogging army. I'm not alone in my opinion.
First of all, jogging is very hard on the body. Your legs and feet have a real pounding (追击) ruining down a road for two or three miles. I developed foot, leg, and back problems. Then I read about a nationally famous jogger who died of a heart attack while jogging, and I had something else to worry about. Jogging doesn't kill hundreds of people, but if you have any physical weaknesses, jogging will surely bring them out, as they did with me.
Secondly, I got no enjoyment out of jogging. Putting one foot in front of the other for forty-five minutes isn't my idea of fun. Jogging is also a lonely pastime. Some joggers say, "I love being out there with just my thoughts" Well, my thoughts began to bore me, and most of them were on how much my legs hurt.
And how could I enjoy something that brought me pain? And that wasn't just the first week: it was practically every day for two months. I never got past the pain level, and pain isn't fun. What a cruel way to do it! So many other exercises, including walking, lead to almost the same results painlessly, so why jog?
I don't jog any more, and I don't think I ever will. I'm walking two miles three times a week at a fast pace, and that feels good. I bicycle to work when the weather is good. I'm getting exercise, and I'm enjoying it at the same time. I could never say the same for joggi
ng, and I've found a lot of better ways to stay in shape.
1.From the first paragraph, we learn that in the writer's neighborhood _____.
A. people jogged only during the daytime
B. jogging became very popular
C. Alex organized an army of joggers
D. jogging provided a chance to get together
2.What was the writer's attitude towards jogging in the beginning?
A. He felt it was worth a try.
B. He was very fond of it.
C. He was strongly against it.
D. He thought it must be painful.
3.Why did the writer give up jogging two months later?
A. He found it neither healthy nor interesting.
B. He disliked doing ecercise outside.
C. He was afraid of having a heart attack.
D. He was worried about being left alone.
4.From the writer's experience, we can conclude that _____.
A. not everyone enjoys jogging
B. he is the only person who hates jogging
C. nothing other than jogging can help people keep fit
D. jogging makes people feel greater than any other sport.
Teens don’t understand the big fuss (小题大做). As the first generation to grow up in a wired world, they hardly know a time when computers weren’t around, and they eagerly catch the chance to spend hours online, chatti
ng with friends. So what?
But researchers nationwide are increasingly worried that teens are becoming isolated (孤寂), less skillful at person-to-person relationships , and perhaps numb (麻木) to the cheatings that are so much a part of the e-mail world . “And a teen’s sense of self and values may be changed in a world where personal connections can be limitless,” said Sherry Turkle .
Another researcher , Robert Kraut , said he’s worried about the “opportunity costs” (机会成本)of so much online time for youths . He found that teens who used computers, even just a few hours a week, showed increased signs of loneliness and social isolation. “Chatting online may be better than watching television , but it’s worse than hanging out (闲逛) with real friends,” he said .
Today’s teens, however, don’t see anything strange in the fact that the computer takes up a central place in their social lives. “School is busy and full of pressure. There’s almost no time to just hang out,” said Parker Rice, 17. “Talking online is just catch-up time.”
Teens say they feel good about what they say online or taking the time to think about a reply. Some teens admit that asking someone for a date, or breaking up, can be easier in message form, though they don’t want to do so. But they insist there’s no harm.
1.The researchers argue that .
A．nothing is wrong with teens’ chatting online
B．teens may develop a different sense of values
C．teens can manage their social connections
D．spending hours online does much good to teens
2.The text mainly deals with .
A．teens’ pleasant online experience
B．teen’s computer skills and school work
C．different opinions on teen’s chatting online
D. the effects of the computer world on teens
3.Teens think that talking online can help them .
A．use computers properly
B．improve their school work
C．develop an interest in social skills
D．reduce their mental pressures
4.The purpose of the text is to .
A．draw attention to teens’ computer habits
B．describe computer research results
C．suggest ways to deal with problem teens
D．discuss problems teens have at school
Adrian’s “Amazing Race” started early when his parents realized that he, as a baby, couldn’t hear a thing, not even loud noises. In a special school for the hearing-impaired (听觉受损的)，he learned sign language and got to mix with other disabled children. However, the sight of all the disabled children communicating with one another upset his mother. She wanted him to lead a normal life. So after speaking to an advisor, she sent 
him to p
rivate classes where he learned to read lips and pronounce words.
Later on, Adrian’s parents decided to send him to a regular school. But the headmaster tried to prevent them from doing so, saying regular school couldn’t take care of a special needs students. His parents were determined to take the risk and push him hard to go through his work everyday because they wanted to prove that, given the opportunity, he could do anything. Adrian made the grade and got accepted. It was a big challenge. The pace（节奏）was faster so he had to sit at the front of the class and really pay attention to the teacher, which wasn’t always easy. But he stuck to it and did a lot of extra work after school.
The efforts made by Adrian and his parents paid off. Adrian graduated with good grades and got into a top high school. He also achieved a lot in life outside school. He developed a love for the outdoors and went to Nepal to climb mountains. He even entered the World Yacht Race 05/06--- being the first hearing-impaired Asian to do so.
But none of these achievements would have been possible without one of the most important lessons from his mother.” “If you believe in yourself and work hard, you can achieve great results.” She often said.
1.How did Adrian communicate with other children in the special school?
A. By speaking. B. By making loud noises.
C. By reading lips D. By using sign language.
2.Adrian’s parents decided to send him to a regular school because .
A. they wanted to prove the headmaster wrong
B. they wanted him to live a normal life
C. he wouldn’t mix with other disabled children
D. he wasn’t taken good care of in the special school
3.How did Adrian finally succeed in his study?
A. He did a lot of outdoor activities.
B. He was pushed hard to study every day.
C. He worked very hard both in and after class
D. He attended private classes after school.
4.Why is Adrian’s life described as an “Amazing Race”?
A. He did very well in his study
B. He succeeded in entering a regular school
C. He reached his goals in spite of his disability
D. He took part in the World Yacht Race 05/06
It has been argued by some that gifted children should be grouped in special classes. The __ __ has been on the belief that in regular classes these children are held back in their intellectual (智力的) growth by learning situation that has designed for the children.
There can be little doubt that classes can help the gifted children to graduate earlier and take their place in life sooner. However, to take these out of the regular classes may create serious problems.
Many are concerned that gifted children become and lose interest in learning. However this concern is more often from parents and teachers than from students, and some of these simply conclude that special classes should be set up for those who are talented. Some top students do feel bored in class, but why they so goes far beyond the work they have in school. Studies have shown that to be bored is to be anxious. The gifted child who is bored is an child.
1.A. principleB. theoryC. arguementD. classification
2.A. smartB. poorC. matureD. average
3.A. regularB. special C. smallD. creative
4.A. childrenB. programsC. graduatesD. designs
5.A. doubtedB. boredC. worriedD. tired
6.A. studentsB. adultsC. scholarsD. teachers
7.A. believeB. thinkC. sayD. feel
8.A. outstanding B. intelligentC. anxiousD. ordinary
