Long ago the Emperor decided 1. (hold) a swimming race among 13 different animals. The order in2.they finished would decide the order of their 3.（appear）in the Chinese calendar. All the animals lined up on the river bank and were given4.task of getting to the opposite shore. The cat wondered 5.he would get across because he was afraid of water. The ox worried how he would cross 6.his poor eyesight. The calculating rat suggested that he and the cat should jump onto the ox's back and guide him across. The ox, steady and hard-working, did not notice the two animals on his back. In the meanwhile, the rat7._(run)behind the cat and pushed him into the water. As the ox came ashore, the rat jumped off and finished the race first,8.the rat got the first year 9.（name）after him and the ox got the second year. When the lazy pig reached the finish line in 12th place the race was over and he 10.(award) the final place on the calendar. From that day on, the cat, who never finished and lost his place on the calendar, became the enemy of the rat.
The new science of spending comes to a surprising conclusion: How we use our money may ________as much or more than how much we’ve got.
Money spent on experiences, rather than material goods, _______ more happiness. Imagine that you wake up tomorrow morning to _________ ＄1 million under your bed . What would you do ________ that cash?
The money will probably make you think about one thing _______ all else—yourself. A large amount of research reveals that money ________ our selfish sides. We will _________ much on what that money can do for us alone, Perhaps you are imagining buying a faster car, or even a new house,
But studies show that _______ goods often fail to deliver ________ happiness, Fortunately ,our ongoing research _______ many ways to get more happiness from every dollar you spend, Changing how you spend money can increase your happiness.
But making these _______needs to challenge some of our ideas of spending. It’s hard not to ________ buying a house as a wise investment（投资）, But new research shows it brings very little happiness, A study in the United States found that homeowners, on average , were no happier than ________ .
So, working hard to save money for a house might not be such a good idea _______ it means spending less time with your families and friends.
And dozens of studies show that people get more happiness from buying ______ than material things. Experiential purchases --- such as trips, concerts and special meals--- are more _________connected to our sense of self.
And experiences come with one more _________ -- they tend to bring us _______ to other people, but more often, material things are enjoyed_________ . So social contacts are important to ________ mental and physical health.
1.A. present B. equal C. appear D. matter
2.A. carries along B. breaks out C. holds on D. brings along
3.A. keep B. own C. discover D. count[
4.A. with B. to C. about D. for
5.A. above B. below C. before D. after
6.A. shows B. explains C. affects D. designs
7.A. depend B. concentrate C. take D. look
8.A. mental B. beautiful C. material D. clever
9.A. outgoing B. exciting C. willing D. lasting
10.A. invites B. offers C. prefers D. follows
11.A. plans B. changes C. decisions D. mistakes
12.A. know B. view C. dream D. judge
13.A. buyers B. sellers C. builders D. renters
14.A. if B. how C. unless D. though
15.A. houses B. cars C. experiences D. health
16.A. clearly B. rarely C. generally D. closely
17.A. benefit B. conclusion C. purpose D. identify
18.A. familiar B. close C. proper D. native
19.A. completely B. worldwide C. secretly D. alone
20.A. gain B. improve C. damage D. cover
Things You Should Stop Doing to Be Successful
Are you a happy person? How often do you think of reasons why everyone around you is successful though they are not better than you in general? What do you do wrong? Here are some things you should stop doing to be successful.
1.1.
Different people may interpret “success” in different ways: some of them measure it in money, other ones in positive changes to people around them and the world in general. 2.Don’t worry about what other people think but come after what makes you happy.
2. Do not believe anything without questioning it.
3.They are critical thinkers, and they understand that we all are ruled by our prejudices(偏见), so they will always question new information.
3. Do not worry about all unpredictable things that may happen to you.
If you want to be successful, stop thinking about everything that MAY happen to you. 4.Be ready to improve and change your deeds and decisions when things suddenly don’t go according to your plan.
4. Do not care about what other people think of you.
5.Your attempts to become “good” for everyone will turn into nothing but new worries, stresses, and problems. Successful people do not concentrate on the quantity of people to please, but worry about their quality and focus on developing friendships with people they really care about.
A. Do not wait for the “right time” to do anything.
B. Do not let others decide what “success” is for you.
C. Successful people do not just accept any new information to be true.
D. As far as we all know, it’s impossible to please all the people who surround us.
E. Try to feel comfortable with the reality and accept the fact your future can’t be predicted.
F. If you want to be successful, do not let others force their interpretation of success on you.
G. Successful people never ignore or avoid problems，no matter how big and awful they seem.
One of the main challenges facing many countries is how to maintain their identity in the face of globalization and the growing multi-language trend. "One of the main reasons for economic failure in many African countries is the fact that, with a few important exceptions, mother-tongue education is not practiced in any of the independent African states." said Neville Alexander, Director of the Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa at the University of Cape Town.
In response to the spread of English and the increased multi-language trends arising from immigration, many countries have introduced language laws in the last decade. In some, the use of languages other than the national language is banned in public spaces such as advertising posters. One of the first such legal provisions(规定) was the 1994 "Toubon law" in France, and the idea has been copied in many countries since then. Such efforts to govern language use are often considered as futile by language experts, who are well aware of the difficulty in controlling fashions in speech and know from research that language switching among bilinguals is a natural process.
It is especially difficult for native speakers of English to understand the desire to maintain the "purity" of a language by law. Since the time of Shakespeare, English has continually absorbed foreign words into its own language. English is one of the most mixed and rapidly changing languages in the world, but that has not been a barrier to acquiring superiority and power. Another reason for the failure of many native English speakers to understand the role of the state regulation is that it has never been the Anglo-Saxon way of doing things. English has never had a state-controlled authority for the language, similar, for example, to the Academic Francaise in France.
The need to protect national languages is, for most western Europeans, a recent phenomenon-------especially the need to ensure that English does not unnecessarily take over too many fields. Public communication, education and new ways of communication promoted by technology, may be key fields to defend.
1.Neville Alexander believes that __________.
A. mother-tongue education is not practiced in all African countries
B. globalization has resulted in the economic failure of Africa
C. globalization has led to the rise of multi-language trend
D. lack of mother-tongue education can lead to economic failure
2.The underlined word "futile" (in paragraph 2) most probably means " ___________".
A. workable B. practical
C. useless D. unnecessary
3.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A. English has taken over fields like public communication and education.
B. Many aspects of national culture are threatened by the spread of English.
C. Most language experts believe it is important to promote a national language.
D. Europeans have long realized the need to protect a national language.
4.The best title for the passage is __________.
A. Fighting against the rule of English
B. Protecting local languages and identities
C. Globalization and multi-language trend
D. To maintain the purity of language by law
"Oh, my God! Did I really just send that text?" Most people have said something that they wish they could take back. And if they had paused to think about it first, they probably would have acted differently. Pausing doesn't pay off just when you speak. Scientific studies have shown that making a habit of pausing before you do something can actually have a big impact on how your life turns out.
In making decisions we rely on two areas of the brain. One area creates and processes emotions; the other governs logical thought. The type of decision, how we feel about it, and how prepared we are to handle it help determine which brain area has the most influence.
But our age also plays an important role. Thinking through the consequences of one's actions is actually harder for teens because the area controlling logical (逻辑的)thought is not fully developed until around age 25. This is why teens often feel an intense emotional drive to act impulsively(冲动地)---it's how their brains are structured! Though this tendency to act without considering the outcomes can lead to problematic situations, impulsivity during the developmental years evolves because it makes teens more open to new experiences and ideas. This openness helps teens to become independent adults.
The key to making impulsivity work for you instead of against you is to train your brain by practicing pausing. This doesn't mean you stop taking risks or being open to new experiences. But you won't know if the risk is worth it until you think it through. Deciding to take a risk based on logic shows self-control, not impulsivity.
What are different ways to pause? You might take a deep breath, count to 10, or ask "Is this worth it?" different strategies work for different people. Whatever works for you, keep doing it! By practicing pausing, you can actually change your brain. This means that over time, pausing, instead of immediately reacting, becomes your "natural" response.
And with this change, people are on their way to enjoying the life rewards that come with high levels of self-control---even if they weren't natural-born pausers!
1.What challenges teenagers?
A. Giving natural response. B. Making logical decision.
C. Acting before thorough thinking. D. Choosing brain-training strategies.
2.An impulsive person tends to____.
A. consider or accept new ideas B. change ideas frequently
C. think through a risk in advance D. show high level of self-control
3.According to the passage, by training one's brain, one can____.
A. stop taking risks
B. fully develop one's brain
C. become more open to new experience
D. reduce the influence of emotional drive
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A. Push the Pause Button B. Impulsivity Works
C. Discover the Brain Function D. Crying Over the Spilt Milk
As a leading Chinese language school and a cultural exchange institute in China， Global Exchange Education Center has been providing Mandarin (or Putonghua) language courses and cultural exchange programs for over a decade.
How to apply for our programs
■In order to apply for all of our programs, you must be
at least 18 years old.
in good health,
a senior high school graduate.
■Application Procedure for Chinese Language Programs
Step 1. Send us a completed application form by email or fax.
Step 2. Send us $ 60 application fee after receiving our email confirmation.
Step 3. Arrange the payment transfer.
Step 4. Plan the trip to Beijing.
■Application Procedure for Chinese Business Internship (实习）Program
Step 1. Send us a completed application form with your CV and personal statement for the program by email or fax.
Step 2. Send us $ 310, including $60 application fee and $ 250 internship placement deposit, after receiving our letter of acceptance for the program.
Step 3. Arrange final payment transfer after receiving our second confirmation.
Step 4. Plan the trip to Beijing.
■Personal Statement for applicants for Chinese Business Internship Program
You should state why you want to take this program and what your expectations of the program are. How you will make use of this program in your future career.
■ APPLICATION DEADLINES
The applications for most programs are reviewed on a rolling basis. You are encouraged to submit your application ahead of the application deadlines.
■Confirmation
Having received your application, Global Exchange Education Center usually sends out an email confirmation for the booking within 2-5 working days.
1.The text is probably written for ______.
A. junior high graduates B. job seekers
C. international students D. language trainers
2.If you apply for both of the programs, the total application fees will be ______.
A. $ 120 B. $310
C. $25 D. $ 370
3.If you want to apply for Chinese Business Internship program successfully, you'll ______.
A. send the application form by post B. send personal statement and CV only
C. have to get confirmed at least twice D. have to make a travel plan in Beijing
4.Which of the following is not necessarily included in applicants，personal statement?
A. Their purposes of taking the program. B. Their expectations of the program.
C. Their future practice of the program. D. Their feedbacks on the program.
