As a listening child,I often heard1.(old) people say:"What dreams I had!"and"If only I had my life to live over."I2.(understand) that these men and women had missed the fullness of life somehow.
But I wasn't going to miss it,I decided at the age of fourteen.In a slightly3.(use) copy book,I made a full list of what I wanted from life.I would be devoted to4.(realize) them one by one.5.,as years went by,I was middle aged and alone.My children had left to make their own full life somewhere.I,too,didn't realize even half the amount 6.what I had planned.One rainy night,I went to the bookstore to get a paperback book to read7.(me) to sleep on.I picked up an Emile Zola book,8.reminded me of something I had read long ago: Zola had said,“To have a child,to plant a tree,to write a book.”That,he said,was a full life!A great stillness grew about me as I realized I had a child,I'd planted a tree,and in fact,I'd even written a book.
Eventually,I came to a clear9.(conclude),and it is10.university one: To live,to struggle,to be in love with life is fulfillment.
I was on vacation with my husband,my brother,his wife and daughter.We were not____with the area and got on a bus,thinking it would be a nice way to see the downtown's old town area.Well,____talking with the bus driver,we didn't find that we were.on the neighborhood route（线路）which____school children and delivers people to various ____places.That was a route of over about two hours.That was a surprise and a concern because we____our vehicle in a____parking area and it was going to end.
We shared this with the bus driver only to let her know we were not from the area and____for getting on her bus by mistake.Then she surprised us____further saying,“I get off shift（换班）after a few more blocks,and if you don't____taking my company car,I'd be happy to take you____to your vehicle before the time end.”The bus driver received permission from her____,so we gratefully said yes to her____.
She went out of her way to take us back to our vehicle____her shift was over and it wasn't on her route to home either.We were____and grateful for her kindness.____,because she shared some of her____about the school-age children she sometimes had on the bus route,I offered her a few____on how to quiet the children with a skill that would make the ride safer for them____for her.She was so____.It was a wonderful____of kindness!
1.A. similar B. familiar C. known D. learnt
2.A. until B. before C. after D. when
3.A. picks out B. puts up C. picks up D. puts off
4.A. downtown B. district C. attraction D. neighborhood
5.A. had stopped B. had parked C. had ridden D. had driven
6.A. timed B. timing C. timely D. timeless
7.A. thanked B. praised C. apologized D. admitted
8.A. on B. in C. with D. by
9.A. mind B. like C. appreciate D. enjoy
10.A. up B. back C. down D. over
11.A. teacher B. children C. passenger D. manager
12.A. instruction B. offer C. invitation D. requirement
13.A. after B. because C. though D. whether
14.A. satisfied B. astonished C. exhausted D. touched
15.A. In fact B. In other words C. In return D. As a result
16.A. concerns B. attitudes C. behaviors D. discipline
17.A. tips B. advice C. ways D. approaches
18.A. disappointed B. amused C. grateful D. excited
19.A. as good as B. as fine as C. as nice as D. as well as
20.A. expression B. exchange C. explanation D. expansion
It is necessary for us to improve our problem-solving abilities.If you don't properly understand the problem, your solutions may be ineffective or fail entirely.1.For example,is there one problem or actually several?Can you restate the problem in your own words?By spending time with the problem you will better understand it and be equipped to generate（产生）solutions.
2.Collect data,ask people or experts connected to the problem,look for resources online,in print,or elsewhere. Once you have data,organize it.Try to do this by rewording or summarizing it.Perhaps you could even map it out in a chart.You may not need to bother with this step for simple problems,but it will be essential for those of a more complex one.
The first step in finding a solution is to look at data that you have gathered about the problem and to analyze its importance.3.Start with the raw data.Sometimes,information will need to be broken into smaller,more manageable parts or to be ranked for its importance.
4..You might do this on a limited,trial scale at first to test the results.Or,you might go all in.Keep in mind that unpredictable problems which you did not plan can arise at this stage.
Keep in mind that problem-solving works in a cycle.It will generate a number of different solutions that each should not be ignored.5.If not,then you must look for another solution and start the process over again.So make small changes if necessary.
A.If you fix the problem,you have found a suitable solution.
B.Once you have chosen the best solution,put it into practice.
C.You should focus on the problem and your problem-solving process.
D.Gather as many acts as you can about the problem to get a clear picture of it.
E.A hobby is another way that you can continue to improve your problem solving skills.
F.To define the problem clearly,you will have to ask questions and look at different angles.
G.When analyzing,you will look for links and relationships for better understanding the overall situation.
Before the invention of hair dryer,vacuum cleaners were being used for the purpose of drying and styling hair. The early vacuum cleaners could draw in air as well as blowing air.So,towards the end of the 19th century,women used to dry their hair by using a vacuum cleaner.
In 1890,a French salon owner Alexander F.Godefroy invented the first hair dryer.It blew warm air.However,it was not widely used,mainly because of its large size.
The first convenient hand-held hair dryer used at home came up in 1920.It weighed over 2 lbs.However,it only produced 100 watts of power,which was not enough to dry the hair.After almost ten years came the gas-heated dryers that were widely used in barber shops.However,these dryers produced heat that was harmful to hair and the air from them made people sick,so they were soon gone.
Around the 1940s and 1950s,the helmet（头盔）style electric dryers came into being.Curly hairstyles were popular during that time.Therefore,women used curlers and sat under the dryers to set their curls.Later,the curly style began to drop,and so did the popularity of the helmet style electric dryer.
In the late 1950s,the first workable hair dryer was made.It had a hand-held dryer.It used only 300-400 watts. Ever since the 1950s,hand-held dryers have experienced many changes,in order to become quieter,lighter and smaller.However,how it works largely remains the same.The modem technology has made improvements to the hair dryer,reducing the heat damage to a person's hair.For producing shinier,smoother and healthier hair,dryers have been included with negative ion（负离子）technology that dries hair faster and with less heat.
1.What do we learn about the hair dryer invented by Alexander F.Godefroy?
A. It looked like a vacuum cleaner. B. It was once very popular.
C. It was inconvenient to use. D. It blew too hot air.
2.What was the disadvantage of the hair dryer invented in 1920?
A. It needed too much power. B. It couldn't be held by hand.
C. It was not easy to be carried around. D. It couldn't dry hair effectively.
3.What was the main purpose of including negative ion in dryers?
A. To reduce the sizes of hair dryers. B. To make hair dryers more beautiful.
C. To produce better hair in a beautiful way. D. To save more power and time for users.
The human brain remembers negative experiences more easily than positive ones.Our brains have developed in this way because threats,like dangerous animals,have a more immediate effect on people's survival compared to positive things like food or shelter.As a result,you clearly know what makes you unhappy,but do you know what makes you happy?
Research suggests that our level of happiness is partly shaped by the choices we make.If you've been chasing wealth,fame,power and some material things,you may be looking for happiness in the wrong places.Psychologists suggest that the following habits can make people happier.
People who own close relationships tend to be happier than those who do not.The number of our friends is not important.What matters is the quality of our relationships.Relationships that bring happiness usually consist of the sharing of feelings,acceptance,mutual respect and trust.
People who exercise on a regular basis can improve both their physical and mental well-being.Some research has shown that exercise can be as effective as some medicine in treating depression.
If we are so interested in an activity,we may lose track of time,and we can be in a state of flow.The activity could be playing the piano,surfing the Internet or playing a game...People who experience flow in their work or life tend to be happier.
People are more likely to be happy if they know what their strengths are and can use them regularly.People are especially happy when they can set goals and use their strengths to achieve them.
People,who think positively by being grateful,mindful and optimistic,are more likely to be happy.Being grateful means being thankful.Being mindful means considering,focusing on,and enjoying the experiences of the present moment.Being optimistic means being hopeful about the future.
1.Human brain remembers negative things more easily because .
A. negative things tend to affect human survival immediately
B. negative things are easy to remember
C. negative things are much more important than other things
D. negative things can make people live much longer
2.People may find happiness in all the following EXCEPT .
A. making friends
B. doing sports
C. playing the violin
D. chasing power
3.In the last paragraph,the author tries to tell us to .
A. think more about the future
B. be positive in our life and work
C. enjoy our life and work
D. live a happy life every day
4.What does this text mainly tell us about?
A. Why people remember positive things easily.
B. Why people remember negative things easily.
C. Some habits that make people happy.
D. The habits that people form in their life.
I was on my school campus the other day,and there was an ice cream truck parked right in front of the main common areas of the school.I had never thought an ice cream truck would circle our campus and come for us, overgrown kids.I was intrigued and wanted to investigate（调查）further.
I was quite surprised when the man in the truck called out,“Free ice cream!”
I questioned him just to make sure of his words,saying,"I'm sorry,what did you say?"
“Free ice cream.You have your choice of these four frozen treats: the rocket pop,the chocolate Eclair,the strawberry shortcake,or the drumstick.”
After I was certain that the man was just giving away free ice cream,I talked with him for a while.He told me that his dream had always been to travel around giving away ice cream,and that's exactly what he did.And his passion was expressed through using up all his credit cards,sleeping in his truck,and living with his mother in a small flat,so he could continue to follow his dream during hard times.Now,he has sponsorships（赞助）from large companies such as Levi's to do what he loves,and he's gifted 125,000 of his truckload of ice cream treats!
The man said he wanted to encourage people to do exactly what their hearts tell them to do with their lives.I kept asking him with respect,"So your dream was just to drive around and give away ice cream?It seems like a very unusual goal."
"Yes,just meeting people and making them smile,"he replied.
1.From the text we can infer that the ice cream man .
A. had several companies B. had a lot of dreams
C. didn't live a rich life D. was not very happy
2.What's the meaning of the underlined word in paragraph 1?
A. Pleased. B. Interested.
C. Worried. D. Encouraged.
3.What does the author think of the ice cream man?
A. Funny. B. Respectable.
C. Patient. D. Strange.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A. A Great Ice Cream Inventor.
B. The Taste of ice Cream.
C. A Traveling Truck Delivering Sweetness.
D. A Special Way of Selling ice Cream.
