Comparative thinking and behavior is quite typical among teenagers, but it is the responsibility of the parent to set limits and hold firmly to them. Frequently, a parent will tell me in frustration about how their child has complained about not having the very best in fashion design like their friends, or the latest electronic gadgetry that all the other kids own.
Parents need to teach their children selfconfidence. Those who are selfconfident resist the urge to compare themselves to other people, and do not overestimate others' experience while diminishing their own. But some people may have a mantra signified by the slogan, if only. “If only I had the money of my brother; if only I was smart like my classmates; if only I was as goodlooking as my friends.”
Comparing oneself with others is a trap. People who compare themselves with other individuals tend to feel that they are not good enough. They tend to perseverate(表现执拗)about their shortcomings. Even if they try their best，it is not good enough because they can always find someone who performs at a higher level. When people compare, they generally focus on their negative traits. They ignore all that is going right in their life. They also tend to minimize their success and dismiss positive gestures and compliments.
Those who are confident listen to their own inner voice. They are not influenced by other people's view of events. They are not overly impressed by others' success, money, health，and material possessions. They do not believe that others have a greater sense of emotional wellbeing than they do.
Recently, The Harvard Mental Health Letter published an article which indicated that people with chronic(慢性的)pain had as significant a sense of wellbeing as those without chronic pain. However, those with chronic pain tended to overestimate the emotional wellbeing of physically healthy people. The study confirmed that it is how we view events that is important, not the nature of our circumstances which may include making comparisons.
1. It seems that those who make comparisons don't________.
A. care about their success
B. have selfconfidence
C. overestimate others' experience
D. understand others' success
2.The third paragraph mainly tells us________.
A. people tend to compare themselves to other individuals
B. those who make comparisons focus on their strengths
C. those who make comparisons don't deserve compliments
D. making comparisons can cause many negative effects
3.The article published in The Harvard Mental Health Letter indicates________.
A. chronic pain actually doesn't affect people's sense of happiness
B. physically healthy people have a higher sense of happiness
C. emotional health has nothing to do with physical health
D. what is important is the nature of events rather than our viewpoints
4. What is the author's attitude towards “making comparisons”？
A. Favorable. B. Unconcerned.
C. Disapproving. D. Doubtful.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
“Is it possible for Brownie not to be glad to be back after a happy stay at my uncle's？”Miss Gauss asked Dad.“It'll be all right. Give her a bit more to eat，” he said in a low voice, without tearing his eyes from Brownie while his wife was busy packing Brownie's belongings, saying，“Brownie is not so cute as her younger brother, Spotty. Take care of the little thing when walking him.”
It happened on the night of July 10th, 2013 before the Gausses took a trip to Hawaii. They entrusted their pet to me because they thought I was the first person they'd confide in. And another intention of theirs was that I had already trained Spotty into a wellknown pet in my community, which can act many tricks, such as “Sit down！” “Stand up！” “Give me your right hand！” “Turn around！” She can even sing, and, of course, that's just a strange sharp noise. Having seen them off, I took beautiful Brownie home in my arms, for fear that he would slip away.
Brownie_was_the_kind_of_gogo_but_unsocial_baby,_so I tried many ways to be his friend, which made Spotty rather unhappy. They often fought a battle, seemingly to break my roof loose. Soon, Brownie turned out to be an agreeable family member. He was an endearing pet, often begging for comforts in my arms. I seized the chance to train him and he achieved a lot, which I texted Mr.Gauss. They were so overjoyed and decided to fly home ahead of time to see Brownie's qualitative change.
But，all this was thoroughly destroyed because of Brownie's death in a traffic accident. What a poor little creature！He was really dogged(紧随) by bad luck, and he was saved from death shortly after his birth. For whatever reason，therefore, I was overwhelmed by feelings of guilt, which seemed to run most deeply in me.
The best way to cheer ourselves up is to try first to cheer somebody else up. That will be an everlasting pain in my heart, a wound that does not heal.
1. What is suggested in the first paragraph?
A. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
B. Honesty is the best policy.
C. A sign of tragedy.
D. Background of the accident.
2. Brownie went to the writer's home mainly because________.
A. his owners would go on a trip
B. he was just saved from death
C. he would be Spotty's husband
D. he would be trained
3. When the writer says“Brownie was the kind of gogo but unsociable baby”， he means________.
A. Brownie was active but unfriendly
B. Brownie was easygoing but unfriendly
C. Brownie was a pet that runs fast
D. Brownie was active but homeless
4. How did the writer feel after the accident?
A. Regretful. B. Guilty.
C. Sympathetic. D. Embarrassed.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
“Hey, do you know what? Today is May Day！” my sister announced. “Do you remember the May Day baskets we used to make with colored paper and paste？”
I recalled that my sisters and I would run around our neighborhood delivering the baskets brimming with spring flowers. We would place them on a doorstep, knock on the door, then run away. It was delightful to look around a bush and watch our friends open their doors and pick up the colorful gift，wondering who had left it out for them.
I clearly remember the May Day of the year that I was in fifth grade. That year I was faced with a challenge involving one of my dearest friends. She lived right across the road from our family, and we had walked together to school nearly every day since first grade.
Her interests were starting to change from the interests that we had shared together. A new family had recently moved into our small town，and Pam was spending more and more time at their house.
When my mother asked me if I was going to take a May Day basket to Pam's house, I responded angrily, “Absolutely not！” My mom told me that I would have many other friends throughout my lifetime. “But Pam was my very best friend ever，” I cried. Mom wiped away my tears and told me that circumstances change and people change. She explained that one of the greatest things friends can do is to give each other a chance to grow, to change and to develop into what we want to be. And sometimes that would mean that friends would choose to spend time with other people. I could express my forgiveness by giving her a May Day basket.
It was a hard decision, but I made an extra special basket of flowers with lots of yellow because that was Pam's favorite color. I asked my two sisters to help me deliver my basket of forgiveness. As we watched from our hiding place, Pam picked up the flowers, and said loudly enough for us to hear, “Thank you, Susie, I hoped you wouldn't forget me！”。
1. According to the passage what did Susie and her sisters do on May Day?
A. They gave their friends a basket of flowers secretly.
B. They sold baskets of spring flowers in neighborhood.
C. They hang a basket of flowers on their friends' doors.
D. They ran around the neighborhood to pick flowers.
2.Why was Susie angry with Pam?
A. Because Pam refused to walk to school.
B. Because she felt left out by Pam.
C. Because Pam didn't give her a May Day basket.
D. Because she challenged Pam for new friends.
3.In the opinion of Susie's mom, friends ________.
A. share the same interest with each other
B. spend most of their time together
C. leave each other enough room to grow
D. find chances to do great things
4.What lesson can we learn from the story?
A. Friends won't forget each other in life.
B. We can grow up even without friends.
C. There is no forgiveness in true friendship.
D. We can't expect too much from our friends.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Most of the females think that they understand their male mate very well when in fact it is not. He is just speaking with you and you are happy. Try to look behind his words and sneak into his mind. What would you find out if he is talking loving words in a boring tone? What if you are hugging him and he wants to sound to be uninterested. These are alarming situations and going to be serious if you do not take it into account. Men are more experienced to hide what they have in their minds. It_is_very_difficult_to_interpret_male_body_language_sometimes.
Male use their body language to express what they feel. They do not want to express in words. They just indicate and deliver signals to let you know whether they are interested, annoyed, bored，excited, happy or sad. When you are worried what to do when accepting a proposal from a man，just start observing his body language. This way would tell you a lot about his feelings and behavior. Men usually have reserved nature and do not want to expose their feelings. Male body would attract you as a man tends to face confrontation on the front end. Keep it remember that men usually upset more than women at last, so do not interpret it for something else.
Here we develop some tips for interested women to interpret or decode male body language. These tips are surely going to help you find the perfect match for you by understanding the male body language. Attention：A male tends to look leading male; Confident body language; Active listening; Eye Catching and Entering the personal bubble.
1. What does the underlined sentence in the 1st paragraph mean in fact?
A. Men are often hiding their real feelings in their minds.
B. Men are good at hiding their real feelings but showing the opposite.
C. Male body language contains many differences in meaning.
D. No one can understand the male body language.
2. When a man wants to express his real feelings，how does he do according to this passage?
A. He can use written language indirectly to express them.
B. He can directly speak out loudly.
C. He can take different steps depending on the facts.
D. He can express his feelings by body language.
3. What does the underlined word in the 2nd paragraph mean?
A. Difficulty. B. Frustration.
C. Coldness. D. Association.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
When you are applying for food jobs in Philadelphia, it's possible that employers will invite you to a restaurant for an interview. _1.__ Often times, it will let you put your guard down and open a significant room for mistakes. __2._
The best way to prepare for your interview is to check out the spot of interview ahead of time. It will also give the impression that you are decisive and you value someone's time. __3.__ On the day of the interview, be at the restaurant at least fifteen minutes before the scheduled interview. The grace period will allow you to go to the bathroom without asking the interviewer to wait. You can also rehearse your job pitch and review your resume._ 4.__ Arriving on time is half way to getting the job. Third, after giving your job pitch and going through the initial introduction, remember to order meals that will allow you to talk comfortably. Selecting messy food may consume your time trying to pick up. _5.__
A. Mastering tips to a successful dining interview is the key to success.
B. More importantly, punctuality is the first thing that any job requires.
C. And it will only allow you to give half of your attention to the conversation.
D. Be sure to express your gratitude for the meal and reaffirm your interest for the job.
E. This will help your facial expression be confident when talking to the potential employer.
F. This is one way of allowing employers assess your personality in a casual manner without your knowing.
G. In addition, knowing in which restaurant the interview is will give you a better idea on how to dress appropriately.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
Just three weeks after landing back in the UK, I was determined to quit my job. Hearing my ________， my family were strongly against it. But I was ________about going back to Ghana to set up more play centres and ________ people to use their local resources.
But a few of my friends ________ me－some even ran marathons to raise money for my _________. They also paid to see me sing at a concert I put on to raise funds.
In the months before my ________ Africa trip, I spent all my free time ________ early childhood development－I wanted to know the best way to teach these children. In January 2012, a year after I first ________as a volunteer teacher, having raised $1,000, I ________ to Ghana.
There I met David, a community development worker who ________my play centre idea. He took me to a remote village on his motorbike and introduced me to village elders who helped me organize community meetings to tell ________ about my plans.
I lived in a mud hut with a few ________from a village in northern Ghana. I commissioned(委任) local carpenters to ________ wooden games and asked friends in Tamale to ________cardboard boxes, bottle tops and buttons for them.
It took David and I nearly three months to train teenage volunteers from villages, but this was extremely ________to me, as I wanted the ________ to be running their own communities. At the end of the training we held a graduation ceremony and ________ 120 children at the centre, where toys, puzzles and charts were used as________ to help children learn. The volunteers started using their training to ________teach the children each afternoon.
The kids at the first centre were so ________ to finally learn how to count and identify colours. All three centres were set up using the money I raised in the UK.
1.A. thought B. speech C. decision D. suggestion
2.A. curious B. nervous C. anxious D. serious
3.A. assist B. train C. expect D. require
4.A. supported B. refused C. comforted D. excused
5. A. business B. project C. trip D. group
6.A. first B. second C. last D. fourth
7.A. researching B. investigating C. recording D. monitoring
8.A. remembered B. heard C. visited D. met
9.A. referred B. returned C. held D. left
10.A. loved B. opposed C. ignored D. created
11.A. teachers B. students C. parents D. doctors
12.A. workers B. strangers C. leaders D. volunteers
13.A. purchase B. paint C. make D. take
14.A. collect B. separate C. design D. distribute
15.A. urgent B. amusing C. attractive D. important
16.A. officials B. locals C. companies D. centers
17.A. enrolled B. educated C. demonstrated D. contacted
18.A. systems B. limits C. tools D. materials
19.A. easily B. seriously C. actively D. normally
20.A. confused B. excited C. annoyed D. Shocked
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。
On any collecting trip, obtaining the animals is, as a rule, the simplest part of the job. As soon as the local people discover that you are willing to buy live wild creatures, the stuff comes __1.___(pour) in; ninety percent is, of course, the more common types, but they do bring an occasional rarity. If you want the really rare stuff, you generally have to go out __2.___ find it yourself.
The chief difficulty you __3.___ when you have got a newly caught animal is not so much the shock it might be suffering, but the fact __4.___ being caught forces it to exist close to a creature it regards as an enemy of the worst possible sort: yourself. On many occasions an animal may take beautifully to being in a cage but __5.__ (get) used to the idea of living with people is another matter. This is the difficulty you ___6.___ only deal with by patience and kindness. For month after month ___7.___animal may try to bite you every time you approach its cage, ___8.___you have lost all hope of making a favorable impression on it. Then, one day, sometimes without any ___9.___ (warn), it will trot forward and take food from __10.__ hand, or allow you to tickle it behind the ears. At such moments you feel that all the waiting in the world was worthwhile.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
短文改错
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
In the end of the last term, I got a C in the English examination. When I knew the result, I wouldn't hold back my tear. My mood was terrible and I thought the world was coming to end. So after a while, I found I was wrong for I came to realize “Failure is the mother of success”. What I should do it was to find the reason that I got so bad a result. And I think this was a lesson to me and it helped me to find my shortcomings. Maybe it could help me to improving my English. So my bad mood turned into a better one.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
书面表达
上周日，你们学校组织了一次志愿者活动。假设你是李华，请你根据以下提示给校报写一封信，报道相关情况，要点包括：
1. 活动地点：文化广场；
2. 活动形式：发传单、做演讲；
3. 活动内容：宣传地震常识和防震知识；
4. 参加活动的感受。
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头语和结束语已为你写好，不计入总词数。
参考词汇：leaflet传单
Dear Editor，
We took part in a voluntary activity organized by our school last Sunday.
Best wishes!
难度: 中等查看答案及解析