When asked about happiness, we usually think of something extraordinary, an absolute delight, which seems to get rarer the older we get.
For kids, happiness has a magical quality. Their delight at winning a race or getting a new bike is unreserved (毫无掩饰的).
In the teenage years the concept of happiness changes. Suddenly it’s conditional on such things as excitement, love and popularity. I can still recall the excitement of being invited to dance with the most attractive boy at the school party.
In adulthood the things that bring deep joy—love, marriage, birth—also bring responsibility and the risk of loss. For adults, happiness is complicated (复杂的).
My definition of happiness is “the capacity for enjoyment”. The more we can enjoy what we have, the happier we are. It’s easy to overlook the pleasure we get from the company of friends, the freedom to live where we please, and even good health.
I experienced my little moments of pleasure yesterday. First I was overjoyed when I shut the last lunch-box and had the house to myself. Then I spent an uninterrupted morning writing, which I love. When the kids and my husband come home, I enjoyed their noise after the quiet of the day.
Psychologists tell us that to be happy we need a mix of enjoyable leisure time and satisfying work. I don’t think that my grandmother, who raised 14 children, had much of either. She did have a network of close friends and family, and maybe this what satisfied her.
We, however, with so many choices and such pressure to succeed in every area, have turned happiness into one more thing we’ve got to have. We’re so self-conscious about our “right” to it that it’s making us miserable. So we chase it and equal it with wealth and success, without noticing that the people who have those things aren’t necessarily happier.
Happiness isn’t about what happens to—it’s about how we see what happens to us. It’s the skillful way of finding a positive for every negative. It’s not wishing for what we don’t have , but enjoying what we do possess.
小题1:As people grow older, they ____.| A．feel it harder to experience happiness | | B．associate their happiness less with others | | C．will take fewer risks in pursuing happiness | | D．tend to believe responsibility means happiness |
小题2:What can we learn about the author from Paragraphs 5 and 6?| A．She cares little about her own health. | | B．She enjoys the freedom of traveling. | | C．She is easily pleased by things in daily life. | | D．She prefers getting pleasure from housework. |
小题3:What can be inferred from Paragraph 7?| A．Psychologists think satisfying work is key to happiness. | | B．Psychologists’ opinion is well proved by Grandma’s case. | | C．Grandma often found time for social gatherings. | | D．Grandma’s happiness came from modest expectations of life. |
小题4:People who equal happiness with wealth and success ______.| A．consider pressure something blocking their way | | B．stress their right to happiness too much | | C．are at a loss to make correct choices | | D．are more likely to be happy |
小题5:What can be concluded from the passage?| A．Happiness lies between the positive and the negative | | B．Each man is the master of his own fate. | | C．Success leads to happiness. | | D．Happy is he who is content. |
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小题1:A
小题2:C
小题3:D
小题4:B
小题5:D |
【文章大意】文章介绍了什么是幸福以及如何获得幸福。文章最后一段提出了获得幸福的方法。
小题1:文中第一段的“…which seems to get rarer the older we get”意思是“随着年龄的增大，幸福越来越少”，结合选项，只能填A。B错在less with others，是自己；C错在文中没有提及fewer risks；D项中的意思，第一段根本没有表达。
小题2:第五段介绍了幸福的定义，第六段作者举了一个有幸福感的例子：作者那天一个人在家里静静地写作，她感到很幸福，孩子回来之后的吵闹声她也很喜欢（First I was overjoyed when I shut the last lunch-box and had the house to myself. Then I spent an uninterrupted morning writing, which I love. When the kids and my husband come home, I enjoyed their noise after the quiet of the day.）。只有C概括了作者在文中所表达的意思。
小题3:A选项错在只提到了satisfying work，而没有提到enjoyable leisure time；作者用了“I don’t think that my grandmother…had much of either.”否认了心理学家的看法，排除B和C。
小题4:答案在第八段（We’re so self-conscious about our “right” to it that it’s making us miserable. So we chase it and equal it with wealth and success, without noticing that the people who have those things aren’t necessarily happier.），选项B和D中提到了文中所出现的单词，结合原文，发现D和第八段中的最后一句话意思相反，故选B。
小题5:最后一段就阐述了如何获得幸福：在逆境中找到积极的因素(It’s the skillful way of finding a positive for every negative.)以及知足常乐(enjoying what we do possess)。符合这个意思的只有D：知足者常乐，这是倒装句。B的意思是每个人都是自己命运的主人。 |
核心考点
试题【When asked about happiness, we usually think of something extraordinary, an abso】；主要考察你对
题材分类等知识点的理解。
[详细]举一反三
There is a virtue (美德)in China－Respecting the 36 and care for the young”. About the above two aspects, we will discuss the former one in this passage.
Why should we 37 the old? because they are ahead of us in age, in wisdom and in experience. Our elders have done a lot for us, directly or indirectly and most of us 38 everything to their kindness and love.
When we show them respect, whether it is by bowing to them, or 39 them with a smile, or offering them any help they need, it is one way of 40 our own love and gratitude to them. 41 , elders have also been through all the years you are 42 and know a little more about the world than you do.
It is 43 that you do not agree with the belief of your elders, but this is nothing new. All younger generations have always 44 with their elders and it is these differences that bring changes in human 45 . However much you disagree with them, give them credit for their 46 .
With changing times and 47 influences, youngsters no longer know what is interpreted as disrespect to elders. Youngsters should 48 express their views and if there are arguments, they should not 49 their voices.
If there is no space on sofas or chairs, children will immediately 50 their places, and sit on the carpet. In buses and trains, youngsters are 51 to give up their places to older people. This is not a 52 of who has more rights. It is simply that those who are younger have the strength to bear 53 , or tolerate unpleasantness, so it is natural to show consideration to those who are older and perhaps at a 54 disadvantage.
When you do simple things as a mark of respect, elders become 55 that youngsters care for them, and they respond with affection and kindness.
| 小题1: | | A．grandpas | B．friends | C．fathers | D．old |
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| 小题2: | | A．look forward | B．contribute | C．loved | D．respect |
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| 小题3: | | A．exhibit | B．owe | C．explain | D．point |
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| 小题4: | | A．accepting | B．showing | C．devoting | D．greeting |
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| 小题5: | | A．describing | B．expressing | C．sending | D．suggesting |
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| 小题6: | | A．Though | B．Besides | C．Therefore | D．However |
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| 小题7: | | A．going through | B．experiencing with | C．suffering from | D．worrying out |
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| 小题8: | | A．possibly | B．maybe | C．likely | D．probably |
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| 小题9: | | A．disagreed | B．quarreled | C．liked | D．dealt |
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| 小题10: | | A．society | B．company | C．community | D．school |
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| 小题11: | | A．fact | B．experience | C．emotion | D．information |
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| 小题12: | | A．environmental | B．especially | C．cultural | D．good |
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| 小题13: | | A．indifferently | B．quickly | C．silently | D．quietly |
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| 小题14: | | A．raise | B．rise | C．rouse | D．arise |
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| 小题15: | | A．give in | B．get out | C．send out | D．give up |
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| 小题16: | | A．forced | B．expected | C．needed | D．reminded |
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| 小题17: | | A．question | B．doubt | C．wonder | D．challenge |
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| 小题18: | | A．suffering | B．discomfort | C．trouble | D．upset |
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| 小题19: | | A．slight | B．light | C．heavy | D．serious |
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| 小题20: | | A．wander | B．living | C．aware | D．sensitive |
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This Mother’s Day will be the 8th year I have spent without my own mother. She passed away less than a month before Mother’s Day in the year 2000. She had been ill for almost two years, and I didn’t cry when she died, or at her funeral, but on that first Mother’s Day without her. On that day, I realized that this person I loved and depended on was gone forever.
She still lives in family memories, in the thoughts of her friends and co-workers, in the values she had instilled(灌输) in her children, and in the lovely flower gardens that she had so carefully tended.
She loved her gladioli and irises. Each fall she would dig the bulbs out of the soil and carefully wrap them in paper. The bulbs would be stored until the following spring when they would be replanted. It seemed like a lot of effort to me, but each year her flower garden was more glorious than the year before. She put the same hard work into caring for her family, instilling in her children a sense of justice and fair play, compassion, and strong moral values so that we blossomed.
Share anecdotes about your mother’s life at your Mother’s Day party. Too often, we avoid speaking of those loved ones who have passed away, fearful that we will unearth sad feelings. It doesn’t have to be that way. Sharing fond memories and stories of the life we shared with her can be a healing process that binds（捆绑）the family together.
My mother passed away when her oldest grandchild was only eight years old. Children will enjoy sharing pictures and stories of the grandmother they may have never known or have little memory of. Sharing anecdotes to pass on to the next generation will give children a feeling of family history and continuity, and may be one of the best ways to honor our mothers and grandmothers who have gone before us.
小题1:What does the underlined words “passed away” ( in Paragraph 1)mean?| A．died | B．continued | C．started | D．lasted |
小题2:On the first Mother’s Day after mum died the author realized_______ .| A．mum had been dead for a long time | B．mum had suffered a lot from the illness | | C．it was true that mum had been dead | D．it was impossible to depend on mum |
小题3:From the third paragraph we can infer that mum_______ .| A．loved her gladioli and irises | B．showed kindness to all her children | | C．taught the children to plant patiently | D．had a good influence on the author |
小题4:At the Mother’s Day party people don’t mention their lost mums only because_______ .| A．they are simply afraid of causing sad feelings | | B．they have forgotten their mums completely | | C．they don’t love their mums any longer | | D．they think their mums have passed away |
小题5:In order to show honor to our mothers and grandmothers we can _____ .| A．spend the Mother’s Day with our children | | B．share the stories of them with the children | | C．hold the Mother’s Day party every year | | D．plant beautiful flowers in the family garden |
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I dreamed I had an interview with God.
“So you would like to interview me?” God asked. “If you have the time,” I said. “My time is eternity(永恒),” God smiled, “What questions do you have（1）_________for me?” “What surprises you most about humankind?” God answered, “That they (2)__________ bored with childhood, they rush to grow up, and then long to be children（3）_________. That they lost their health to make money… and then lost their money to restore their (4)__________. Then by thinking anxiously （5）__________ the future, they forget the (6)___________, so that they live in neither the present nor future. That they live as if they will never die, and die （7）__________ they had never lived.” God’s hand took mine and we were silent for a while.
And then I asked, “(8)__________ a parent, what are some of life’s lessons you want your children to(9) ___________?” He answered, “To learn they （10）__________make anyone love them. All they can do is to let themselves love（11）____________. To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others. To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness. To learn that it only（12）___________ a few seconds to open profound（深的） wounds in those they love, and it can take many years to heal （13）__________. To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most, but is the one who need the （14）___________. To learn that there are people who love them（15）____________, but simply have not yet learned how to express or show their(16)___________. To learn that two people can look at the same thing and （17）___________ it differently. To learn that it is not enough that they forgive one（18）____________, but they must also forgive themselves.”
“Thank you for your（19）___________,” I said humbly. “Is there anything else you would like（20）_____________ to know?” God smiled and said, “Just to know that I am always here.”
| 小题1: | | A．in life | B．by heart | C．at hand | D．in mind |
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| 小题3: | | A．either | B．too | C．further | D．again |
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| 小题4: | | A．life | B．health | C．lives | D．spirits |
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| 小题6: | | A．children | B．living | C．time | D．present |
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| 小题7: | | A．so that | B．in order that | C．as though | D．in case |
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| 小题9: | | A．listen | B．study | C．learn | D．attend |
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| 小题10: | | A．can’t | B．won’t | C．needn’t | D．mustn’t |
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| 小题11: | | A．others | B．anyone | C．everyone | D．someone |
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| 小题12: | | A．gets | B．has | C．spends | D．takes |
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| 小题13: | | A．it | B．them | C．themselves | D．these |
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| 小题14: | | A．best | B．least | C．last | D．health |
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| 小题15: | | A．mainly | B．lovely | C．dearly | D．fairly |
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| 小题16: | | A．words | B．expressions | C．ideas | D．feelings |
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| 小题17: | | A．see | B．watch | C．regard | D．treat |
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| 小题18: | | A．other | B．another | C．of them | D．itself |
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| 小题19: | | A．time | B．word | C．belief | D．kindness |
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| 小题20: | | A．me | B．your humankind | C．your life | D．your children |
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She had been shopping with her Mom in WalMart. She must have been 6 years old. It was 31 outside. We all stood just 32 the door of the WalMart.
Her voice was so sweet for the 33 waiting.“Mom, let’s run through the rain,” she said.
“What？” Mom asked.
“Let’s run through the rain！” She 34 .
“No, honey. We’ll wait until it 35 down a bit,” Mom replied.
This young child waited about 36 minute and repeated,“Mom, let’s run through the rain.”
“We’ll get soaked if we do,” Mom said.
“No,we won’t, Mom. That’s not what you said this morning,” the young girl said as she
37 her Mom’s arm.
“This morning？When did I say we could run through the rain and not get 38 ？”
“Don’t you remember？When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said,‘If God can get us 39 this, he can get us through anything！’”
The entire crowd became dead silent. I 40 you couldn’t hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. Mom 41 and thought for a moment about what she would say.
“Honey, you are absolutely right. Let’s run through the rain. If we get wet, maybe we just need 42 ,” Mom said. Then off they ran.
We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they 43 past the cars. They held their shopping 44 over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were 45 by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the 46 to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing. Circumstances or people can take away your 47 possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your 48 .But no one can ever take away your precious 49 . So, don’t forget to 50 time and take the opportunities to make memories every day!
| 小题1: | | A．quarrelling | B．pouring | C．snowing | D．trembling |
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| 小题2: | | A．beside | B．behind | C．inside | D．outside |
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| 小题3: | | A．annoying | B．interesting | C．appreciating | D．expecting |
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| 小题4: | | A．answered | B．declared | C．repeated | D．announced |
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| 小题5: | | A．brings | B．comes | C．cuts | D．slows |
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| 小题6: | | A．a more | B．other | C．an another | D．another |
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| 小题7: | | A．pulled | B．hit | C．pushed | D．dragged |
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| 小题8: | | A．hurt | B．wet | C．wounded | D．slipped |
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| 小题9: | | A．off | B．over | C．through | D．in |
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| 小题10: | | A．recalled | B．swore | C．promised | D．observed |
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| 小题11: | | A．suffered | B．walked | C．wept | D．paused |
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| 小题12: | | A．washing | B．bathing | C．showering | D．watering |
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| 小题13: | | A．rushed | B．flew | C．walked | D．drove |
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| 小题14: | | A．goods | B．supplies | C．bags | D．packages |
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| 小题15: | | A．suspected | B．challenged | C．ordered | D．followed |
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| 小题16: | | A．route | B．way | C．path | D．direction |
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| 小题17: | | A．physical | B．mental | C．spiritual | D．material |
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| 小题18: | | A．health | B．relative | C．friendship | D．happiness |
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| 小题19: | | A．presents | B．prizes | C．memories | D．chances |
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| 小题20: | | A．take | B．gain | C．kill | D．keep |
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Attitude is an internal(内在的) state that influences the choices of personal action made by the individual(个人). Some researchers consider that attitudes come from differences between beliefs and ideas; others believe that attitudes come from emotional states. Here, we focus on the effects of attitudes upon behavior, that is, upon the choices of action made by the individual.
The kinds of actions taken by human beings are obviously influenced greatly by attitudes. Whether one listens to classical music or rock, whether one obeys the speed limit while driving, whether one encourages one’s husband or wife to express his or her own ideas-all are influenced by attitudes. These internal states are acquired(获得) throughout life from situations one is faced with in the home, in the streets, and in the school.
Of course, the course of action chosen by an individual in any situation will be largely determined by the particulars of that situation. An individual who has a strong attitude of obeying laws may drive too fast when he is in a hurry and no police cars in sight. A child who has a strong attitude of honesty may steal a penny when she thinks no one will notice. But the internal state which remains unchanged over a period of time, and which makes the individual behave regularly in a variety of situations, is what is meant by an attitude.
Attitudes are learned in a variety of ways. They can result from single events, as when an attitude toward snakes is acquired by an experience in childhood at the sudden movement of a snake. They can result from the individual’s experiences of success and pleasure, as when someone acquires a positive attitude toward doing crossword puzzles by being able to complete some of them. And frequently, they are learned by copying other people’s behavior, as when a child learns how to behave toward foreigners by observing the actions of his parents. Regardless of these differences, there is something in common in the learning and modification(修正) of attitudes.
小题1:According to the passage, attitudes .| A．come from different situations in one’s life | | B．are largely affected by one’s behavior | | C．remain unchanged in one’s daily life | | D．could be chosen according to one’s will |
小题2:The author uses the examples in Paragraph 3 to show .| A．people often make mistakes when they are not noticed | | B．people with good attitudes may sometimes do bad deeds | | C．particulars of a situation may influence an individual’s action | | D．an individual may change his or her attitude fairly easily |
小题3:Which of the following is TRUE about the learning of attitudes?| A．Attitudes are only learned through one’s success. | | B．Attitudes learned in danger will last no more. | | C．Copying others’ behavior is not a good idea. | | D．Attitudes can be learned from one’s parents. |
小题4:What would be the best title for the passage?| A．Differences of Attitudes. | B．Nature(本质) of Attitude. | | C．Choices of Attitudes. | D．Changes of Attitude. |
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