Finland is the happiest place on Earth, according to the 2018 World Happiness Report of 156 nations.
The report, released Wednesday by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Solutions Network, ranks the countries of the world based on six different categories of well-being: income, freedom, trust, life expectancy, generosity and social support. This year's report also pays special attention to the happiness of each country's immigrants.
The U.S. dropped four spots from 2017 and landed in the 18th place, and last year's winner, Norway, came in second place — followed by Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland.
'' The top five countries all have almost equally high values for the six factors found to support happiness, and four of these countries—Denmark, Switzerland, Norway and now Finland — have been in first place in the six World Happiness Report rankings since the first report" in 2012, '' co-editor John Helliwell told CNN. '' In a division with such excellent teams, changes in the top spot are to be expected."
Rounding out the top 10 happiest countries was Canada in sixth place, then New Zealand, Sweden and Australia. The order of the top 10 nations changed from the 2017 list but the countries did not, according to the report. They were also 10 of the 11 top spots in the immigrant happiness category (including Mexico — 24th overall, but 10th in immigration).
'' The most striking finding of the report is the remarkable consistency between the happiness of immigrants and the locally born, '' Helliwell said in a statement. '' Although immigrants come from countries with very different levels of happiness, their reported life evaluations resemble those of other residents in their new countries. Those who move to happier countries gain, while those who move to less happy countries lose. ''
Other major world powers placed in significantly low spots on the list. Germany came in 15th, the UK was 19th — followed by Japan in 54th place, Russia in 59th and China in 86th.
The report, based on surveys completed by citizen volunteers, came just under a week before World Happiness Day on March 20, when the UN declared to recognize '' the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals and aspirations inthe lives of human beings around the world and the importance of their recognition in public policy objectives''
1.What is the most significant finding of the report?
A.That immigrants are different from residents in the country.
B.That immigrants and locals feel the similar level of happiness.
C.That immigrants become happy when they leave the country.
D.That immigrants come from countries with different levels of happiness.
2.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A.Happiness is no less important than any other aspect in life.
B.People’s happiness and well-being should be considered when it comes to policy-making.
C.The happiness report came under a week before World Happiness Day.
D.What the UN declared was beneficial to all human beings.
3.What is the best title of the passage?
A.World Happiness Day. B.Happiness — forever pursuit.
C.The 2018 World Happiness Report. D.What's your happiness index?
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
If you rent an apartment in Beijing, you also rent the landlord or landlady for at least a year. It's important you find a good match because you have to deal with them in the long term. For me, it was love at first sight with the elderly couple who owns my apartment.
It was quite a tough trying to find the right apartment when I first arrived in Beijing. The apartments were either unsuitable or I find fault with the owners who looked indifferent at best and unfriendly at worst. But that all changed when the renting agent's car stopped in front of a hutong house in the heart of the capital.
I saw an elderly couple, in their 70s perhaps, waving to me. They were warm and welcoming at first glance, and when I saw them attentively hanging up the curtains in what would become my bedroom, I was just sold on the place and the owners!
Chinese people talk about yuanfen, meaning fate that brings people together. Before I met my current landlords, I thought the concept of yuanfen was overrated. A generous landlady who liked me and wanted me to move into her apartment had used the term in reference to me. But it was this lovely couple that changed my mind about the concept.
We have become accustomed to visiting each other at home. The couple's apartment is lovingly decorated, boasting a recent wedding photo of themselves taken in bridal wear. The landlord likes to smoke and sip tea, while the landlady takes great pride in her appearance.
After three years, I dare say they treat me a bit like a "daughter", despite having two grown sons, one of them close by. They give me gifts of tea or clothes, and I bring them souvenirs from my trips. A match made in heaven, indeed!
1.How did the author feel about renting an apartment in Beijing?
A.It was a piece of cake.
B.There were lots of unfriendly owners.
C.It was worth trying different apartments.
D.It was not so easy to find a suitable apartment.
2.What did the elderly couple do when they first met the author?
A.They looked indifferent and find fault with the author.
B.They gave a warm welcome and took good care of the house.
C.They liked the author and wanted her to move into their apartment.
D.They were nice and gave her gifts of tea or clothes.
3.Which one is correct about the elderly couple?
A.They are newly married. B.They are nice and easy to get along with.
C.They love drinking tea. D.They live together with their two sons.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Marathon fever is sweeping this country. In recent years, China's ever-growing passion for marathons has been triggered by its economic development and health-conscious middle class. A large number of marathon runners are white-collar workers, civil servants and business people that are keen on leading a healthy lifestyle. Government support, social participation and strong marketing by the sports industry have gradually led to the rapid development of the marathon industry, which is currently valued at 70 billion yuan ($10.77 billion). Due to its large participation and nationwide media report, marathons are considered by local governments an important part of marketing their cities. Thus, many cities list unique routes across local scenic spots and historical attractions, not only to boost people's fitness, but also to promote local tourism.
For many runners, marathons are a way of life." As we get older, the places and opportunities to meet new people decrease. I find that participating in marathons is a simple way to make friends," said Wu, who made many friends in the Xstop Running Community, a running club with 48,000 members established by Xtep, one of the leading distributors of sports merchandise in China.
"The sense of belonging and the mutual encouragement that exists within the running community are very attractive to many people. We easily befriend one another, since we have the same goal: to keep running and never stop," Wu said. Besides, a marathon can be a great way to explore new places. For a runner who also loves traveling, marathons are a solid choice. "Competing in an international marathon is a chance to experience a city or a country you've never visited before," said Meng, an experienced runner from north China's Tianjin Municipality, who often runs in London, New York and Melbourne.
There's a unique perspective that people get running through the streets of a city, distinct ancient buildings or amazing natural settings, he explained, things that somehow just can't be seen by rushing in a car. In addition, during a race, streets are often closed off so you don't have to battle traffic.
1.Which word has the closest meaning to the underlined word "triggered" in the first paragraph？___
A.motivated B.solved C.battled D.increased
2.Who is most likely to take part in the marathons___
A.John，a company manager
B.Jack，a middle-aged farmer
C.Rose，a high school student
D.Maria，a retired teacher
3.According to paragraph 3&4，which of the following statement is NOT true？___
A.A marathon can be a great way to explore new places
B.There is few traffic in the streets during a marathon race.
C.You see common sights by running through the streets of a city
D.Many people are attracted to mutual encouragement of the running community.
4.Why do local governments support the marathons？___
A.Because nationwide media coverage can make them famous.
B.Because they realize the benefits for their citizens.
C.Because local scenic spots and historical attractions can have unique routes.
D.Because they want to make people healthier and boost tourism.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
How To Be Green?
What does “green” mean? “Green” is more than just a color. 1. Why green? Plants are green, and without them the Earth wouldn't be such a lovely home for us human beings. What can we do? Here's a four-step guide to being green.
Reduce It!
2. For instance, a shorter shower means you use less water and less fuel since your house uses fuel to run the water heater that warms up the water.
Reuse It!
Sometimes people call our society a “throwaway society”. It means that we're a little too willing to throw away old stuff(东西) and buy new stuff. 3. . For instance, if your baby brother becomes older and loses interest in his plastic basketball hoop(篮圈), why not give it to another family who has a little kid?
Recycle It!
Recycling has never been easier. Many communities(社区) will pick it up right in front of your house and some towns even require it. Recycled goods go to a recycling center, where they can be turned into new cans, bottles, and paper.
Enjoy It!
It's true that rubbish and pollution are problems, but the Earth remains a huge and beautiful place that's ready for you to explore. 4. Go for a hike, visit local nature centers and gardens, and climb up mountains.
But before you travel around the world, take a look at your own backyard. Find a place where you could plant a tree or put in a little fruit or vegetable garden. 5.
A.Get out there and get your hands dirty.
B.Turn off the water when you're brushing your teeth.
C.It also means taking special steps to protect the environment.
D.When you use less of something, you do a good thing for the Earth.
E.You can start locally by visiting the naturally beautiful spots in your city.
F.Many times, even if you no longer need something, someone else just might.
G.Then you can watch with pride as your tree takes root and your garden plants grow.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Everyday on the way to work I drive down a street lined with pine trees. One tree in particular_______my attention. It must have suffered some _______ Part of its trunk grew nearly parallel to the ground, and then in an effort to _______ its own course of life. The trunk took a 90-degree turn _______ to stand tall and stretch toward the sun.
This tree became a_______for me. Each day as I drove by, I saw this bent but determined tree and I would be _______. It was a reminder to me that _______I may not have had the best start in life, I could change_______in the parts of my life at any time.
I was planning to stop one day to get a perfect _______of my kindred-spirit (志趣相同) tree. But that week I was________. After that busy week, I still didn't take any action. Every time I drove by the tree I would________myself, "Tomorrow, I'll stop tomorrow to take one. " Then one day, as I ________ by "my" tree, I glanced over, and much to my________,I found a sawed-off stump (树桩) where that symbolic tree had stood. Gone. I had________my plan until "tomorrow" and tomorrow proved to be too ________ .
A picture of a tree is not of great ________. But my lesson rang through clearly ________ I found out one of my colleagues had been________with stage-four cancer. He may no longer have many ________.
What have you been putting off? What would you do today if you knew you would ________ have the opportunity to do it again? Why not do those things now that you have been putting off until tomorrow?
1.A.paid B.caught C.fixed D.escaped
2.A.damage B.sadness C.experience D.influence
3.A.change B.design C.continue D.imagine
4.A.applying B.learning C.happening D.attempting
5.A.symbol B.sign C.signal D.shelter
6.A.interested B.satisfied C.encouraged D.educated
7.A.as if B.even if C.in case D.if only
8.A.purpose B.plan C.habit D.direction
9.A.look B.view C.picture D.knowledge
10.A.busy B.free C.worried D.bored
11.A.call B.help C.tell D.see
12.A.walked B.drove C.rode D.ran
13.A.happiness B.pleasure C.regret D.astonishment
14.A.taken off B.cut off C.put off D.called off
15.A.cold B.far C.long D.late
16.A.value B.achievement C.fun D.disappointment
17.A.before B.when C.because D.unless
18.A.linked B.combined C.provided D.diagnosed
19.A.lives B.tomorrows C.lessons D.opportunities
20.A.ever B.almost C.never D.surely
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。
Most students experience a lot of stress while preparing for exams，as both their parents and teachers expect them to get high scores. Students who feel anxious are likely to experience problems like difficulty in concentrating while studying，confusion，feeling stressed while looking at difficult questions，feeling blank，sweating，sleepless，etc. Under such circumstances they end up scoring less than they could have. Therefore，it's extremely important for students to learn about how to overcome fear，so that they can take their examination confidently，finally earning good grades. Here are a few tips on ways to overcome exam fear.
There are many students who take studies lightly，leaving everything to be studied at the last minute. As a result，when exams are around the corner，they feel scared，as they don't know where to start，and what to study. So the easiest way of overcoming this problem is to start studying much before the exam. Another common mistake that many students make is that they don't make an effort to understand the subject. When they have memorized without understanding，the chances of forgetting are more. Therefore，it is vital to understand the concept before memorizing it. In this way, you will never forget any important point. Besides，that the exams are coming does not mean that you have to sit with your books for the entire day，and students should take regular breaks to relax and refresh their mind. However，they should avoid watching too much TV and addicting themselves to the Internet，in which way，they are more likely to waste time.
Apart from the tips above，here are some points that will help students cope with exam-related anxiety. For example，before the exam，avoid studying anything new or having conversations with your classmates about what they have studied and how much they have studied，both of which will make you more nervous. During the exam, if you get blank after seeing difficult questions，ignore them for the time being，and attempt those you find easier. Once you have completed them，go back to the difficult ones.
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析