Happiness is a journey We always convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, than another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with1.
We always tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together. when we get a nice car, and are able to go on a nice vocation when we retire.2. If not now, when? Our life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to ourselves and decide to be happy anyway.
One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred Souza. He said."for a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin, real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid.3._ At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life." This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment that you have.
4.So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school; until you get married, until you get divorced; until you have kids; until you retire; until you get a new car or home; until spring; until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy….
5.So, work like you don't need money, love like you've never been hurt, And dance like no one's watching.
A． Looking back, we may think it’s really an extraordinary journey.
B． The truth is, there's no better time than right now.
C． And remember that time waits for no one.
D． we will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.
E．The more you have a sense of belonging, the happier you will be.
F．Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
G．Then life would begin.
London’s newest skyscraper(摩天大楼) is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build. At a height of almost 310 metres，it is the tallest building in Europe. The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However，not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better.
The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London，Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire(尖顶)．He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren’t regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin，sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name：the Shard.Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts(桅杆) of the ships that were once on the river Thames.
The Shard has 87 floors. At the top，there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty，but eventually there will be a fivestar hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants，apartments and offices.
Before building work began，a lot of people didn’t want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York，but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration，only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city.
Other critics don’t like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor.
The Shard now dominates the London skyline. It is not certain，however，that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city.
1.London’s newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of .
A． its cost
B． its size
C． its shape
D． its height
2.When he designed the Shard，Piano wanted it to .
A． change London’s skyline
B． inherit London’s tradition
C． imitate the Egyptian style
D． attract potential visitors
3.The critics who refer to social division think the Shard .
A． is only preferred by the rich
B． is intended for wealthy people
C． is far away from the poor area
D． is popular only with Londoners
4.Which would be the best title for the passage?
A． The Shard：Cheers and Claps
B． The Shard：Work of a Great Architect
C． The Shard：New Symbol of London?
D． The Shard：A Change for the Better?
Here is some mustknow information from a handbook on how people behave in doing business in some countries.
In Brazil
Brazilians are warm and friendly. They often stand close when talking and it is common for them to touch the person on the shoulder. People often greet each other (particularly women) with light cheek kisses. Schedules tend to be flexible，with business meetings sometimes starting later than planned. But to be safe，be on time. Meals can stretch for hours—there’s no such thing as rushing a meal in Brazil. Lunches also can start in the mid to late afternoon. Brazilians are social，preferring facetoface communication over emails or phone calls.
In Singapore
Singaporeans shake hands when they meet and often also greet each other with a small，polite bow. Business cards should be offered and received with two hands. Arriving late is considered disrespectful. So be on time. Efficiency(效率) is the goal，so meetings and dealings often are fastpaced. Singaporeans are direct in their discussions，even when the subject is about money. Rank is important and authority is respected. This determines how people interact in meetings. For example，people avoid disagreeing outright with someone of a higher rank.
In the United Arab Emirates
In the UAE，status is important，so the most senior or oldest should be greeted first with their titles. The handshake seems to be longer than elsewhere. So do not pull away from the handshake. Women should cover themselves when it comes to dress. Men also tend to be covered from neck to elbows(肘部) and down to the knees. People do not avoid entertaining in their homes，but they also hold business meals at restaurants. Touching or passing food or eating with your left hand is to be avoided. When meetings are onetoone，if your host offers you coffee，you should refuse. It might seem odd，but it is a cultural tradition. Coffee should only be accepted if it is already set out or presented.
In Switzerland
The Swiss tend to be formal and address each other by last name. They also are respectful of private lives. You should be careful not to ask about personal topics. Punctuality(守时) is vital，something that comes from a deep respect for others’ time. Arrive at any meeting or event a few minutes early to be safe. They also have clear structure in their companies. Higherups make the final decisions，even if others might disagree. Neat，clean dress is expected. The Swiss follow formal table manners. They also keep their hands visible at the table and their elbows off the table. It is polite to finish the food on your plate.
1.The passage is mainly about___________
A． communication types
B． the workplace atmosphere
C． customs and social manners
D． living conditions and standards
2.Why do Singaporeans avoid arguing with their boss?
A． They put efficiency in the first place.
B． They dislike facetoface communication.
C． They want to finish meetings as quickly as possible.
D． They are supposed to obey the person of a higher rank.
3.In the UAE，when should you refuse the coffee if it is offered?
A． When greeting seniors.
B． When meeting the host alone.
C． When attending a presentation.
D． When dining with business partners.
4.In which country do people care about where to put their hands at the dinner table?
A． In Brazil.
B． In Singapore.
C． In the United Arab Emirates.
D． In Switzerland.
It is amazing to note that the Internet is still such a new device，and yet it is one of the fastest and most powerful media tools. But think about it for a moment. On the Internet，a big online company can be run by only two guys in their garage. So it is only reasonable then，that people shopping online would be a little leery of the security levels.
Internet giants such as Microsoft knew consumer confidence was the key to getting virtual(虚拟的) shopping off the ground，and they work hard to make people feel safe to shop online.
Credit card companies，too，quickly saw the potential for online shopping，and have installed things like online shopping insurance for people. If you ever have a problem with your online credit purchases，many credit card companies will happily refund(退还) your money and then set their claws on the company that wronged you. Now that’s buying power!
There are other bonuses for online shoppers，of course. No lineups，for one. No annoying mall shopping carts with broken wheels and kids crying because their parents won’t get them what they want.
When shopping online，consumers can sit down，have a coffee，and wear their slippers，not having to worry about their hair or parking，and just clicking through sale after sale. Comparison shopping couldn’t be any easier. And thanks to courier companies(快递公司) getting in on the act，you never need to wait longer than a day or two to get those all important purchases delivered right to your door.
No wonder so many companies are shaking their heads at traditional advertising and instead looking to the“virtual” world to attract online shoppers.
1.What’s the meaning of the underlined word “leery” in the first paragraph?
A． confident
B． doubtful
C． hopeful
D． disappointed
2.Consumer confidence in online shopping mainly relies on .
A． freedom of shopping
B． shopping convenience
C． security in shopping
D． Internet access
3.The following have made contributions to the popularity of online shopping EXCEPT .
A． Internet giants
B． traditional advertisers
C． courier companies
D． credit card companies
4.What does the author think of the current online shopping?
A． Safe，fast but unrealistic.
B． Cheap，convenient but unsafe.
C． Reliable，popular but slow.
D． Safe，convenient and fast.
The Brown Bear
My wife Laura and I were on the beach，with three of our children，taking pictures of shore birds near our home in Alaska when we spotted a bear. The bear was thin and small，moving aimlessly.
Just a few minutes later，I heard my daughter shouting，“Dad！The bear is right behind us！” An aggressive bear will usually rush forward to frighten away its enemy but would suddenly stop at the last minute. This one was silent and its ears pinned back—the sign(迹象) of an animal that is going in for the kill. And it was a cold April day. The bear behaved abnormally，probably because of hunger.
I held my camera tripod(三脚架) in both hands to form a barrier as the bear rushed into me. Its huge head was level with my chest and shoulders，and the tripod stuck across its mouth. It bit down and I found myself supporting its weight. I knew I would not be able to hold it for long.
Even so，this was a fight I had to win：I was all that stood between the bear and my family，who would stand little chance of running faster than a brown bear.
The bear hit at the camera，cutting it off the tripod. I raised my left arm to protect my face；the beast held tightly on the tripod and pressed it into my side. My arm could not move，and I sensed that my bones were going to break.
Drawing back my free hand，I struck the bear as hard as I could for five or six times. The bear opened its mouth and I grasped its fur，trying to push it away. I was actually wrestling(扭打) with the bear at this point. Then，as suddenly as it had begun，the fight ended. The bear moved back towards the forest，before returning for another attack—the first time I felt panic.
Apparently satisfied that we caused no further threat，the bear moved off，destroying a fence as it went. My arm was injured，but the outcome for us could hardly have been better. I’m proud that my family remained clearheaded when panic could have led to a very different outcome.
1.The brown bear approached the family in order to .
A． catch shore birds
B． start an attack
C． protect the children
D． set up a barrier for itself
2.The bear finally went away after it .
A． felt safe
B． got injured
C． found some food
D． took away the camera
3.The writer and his family survived mainly due to their .
A． pride
B． patience
C． calmness
D． cautiousness
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A. B. C和D）中，选出可以填入的空白处的最佳选项。
“Mum，can I invite my classmate Brett over to stay tomorrow night，please？It’s Friday，and we don’t have any .Can I，please？”Mum was sitting at the kitchen table.Dad was next to her，resting his head on his arms.Mum could that James wanted so badly to have his friend over.
“I’m so sorry，James，” she said.
“I’m never allowed to have friends come to the house？Why，Mum？” James asked sadly，almost in .
“I know it’s for you，” Mum said softly.“But I’m just worried other people might think we’re a little...strange.And then they would make fun of you.”
“No，they wouldn’t，Mum，” James protested.“We’re not at all.We’re just ordinary people.”
Mum sighed heavily.“To tell you the truth，James，my neck has been so painful that it’s given me a heavy .And your poor father—he doesn’t feel .He really needs a rest.”
“I can help，Mum！” James said.“ I can make you and Dad feel better，can Brett come over？Please？”
“Well...” Mum began.
“Great！Thanks，Mum！” James almost shouted.“Just sit there，don’t move.” He rushed over to the kitchen drawer and what he needed—two spanners(扳手)．“Hang on，Mum，” he said.“This won’t take a second.” After some ，James was finished.With a smile of on his face he said，“There！How does that feel？” “Oh，James，” Mum said.“That’s much better！How did you do it？”
“Easy，” James said .“Dad had tightened your neck bolts(螺栓) too much！I just them slightly！I learned that in robotic science at school.”
“What about your father？Can you him？” asked Mum.
“I’ll try，” James replied.He up Dad’s hair at the back of his neck，and plugged the electric wire into Dad’s head.Then he turned the on.Dad opened his eyes and immediately.“He just let his run too low，that’s all，” James said.“Shall I tell Brett to come over straight after school tomorrow？”
“I guess so，” replied Mum.“Your friends will just have to that we are a very unusual family.Thanks，son！”
1.A． chance B． message C． homework D． difficulty
2.A． asleep B． reading C． alone D． standing
3.A． explain B． see C． agree D． doubt
4.A． terror B． tears C． surprise D． silence
5.A． fair B． easy C． good D． hard
6.A． strange B． normal C． popular D． anxious
7.A． headache B． loss C． task D． day
8.A． ill B． funny C． sorry D． well
9.A． As B． If C． Since D． Before
10.A． kept B． controlled C． found D． returned
11.A． requests B． thoughts C． repairs D． instructions
12.A． sympathy B． satisfaction C． bitterness D． politeness
13.A． embarrassedly B． gratefully C． impatiently D． proudly
14.A． adjusted B． collected C． produced D． covered
15.A． greet B． accompany C． help D． ask
16.A． lifted B． caught C． gave D． filled
17.A． television B． power C． light D． gas
18.A． grew up B． lay down C． broke down D． sat up
19.A． food B． temperature C． battery D． blood
20.A． prove B． expect C． suspect D． accept
