If practicing an attitude of gratitude(感激) during the storms of life is too much for you right now, that’s OK. When things are tough, most people have a hard time being thankful. They’re so caught up in what’s wrong in the present moment that they simply can’t see some things are still right.
If that’s true for you, then accept it. You’re going through a particularly difficult or unhappy period of time, and you don’t like it one bit. Very normal, very human. But remember this: there is always something to be grateful for. It maybe only a small comfort right now, but it is a start. Make a list of some of the terrible things that didn’t happen. For example:
●You’re in debt...but you’re not homeless.
●You lost your job...but you didn’t lose your health.
●You broke your leg...but you didn’t break your neck.
●Your mother has Alzheimer’s disease...but your father doesn’t.
No matter how bad things are, they could always be worse. Start finding gratitude for what might have happened, but didn’t. It does help a lot. Of course, you may not be thankful for everything— but you can always be thankful for something.
小題1:The passage is intended for those who ________.

A．have done a lot for others	B．have met with difficulties in life
C．have something to do in return	D．don’t know how to be thankful

小題2:The writer thinks it ______ for people to feel unhappy in time of difficulty.

A．understandable

B．necessary

C．impossible

D．helpful

小題3:How many “terrible things that didn’t happen” are listed in this passage?

A．Two.

B．Three.

C．Four.

D．Five.

小題4:What is the purpose of this passage?

A．To discuss ways to make a list of terrible things.

B．To explain what is gratitude towards the storms of life.

C．To persuade people to be thankful for what didn’t happen.

D．To show people different ways to consider their tough situations.

小題5:How is the passage organized?

A．Explanation—Comparison—Topic

B．Argument—Opinion—Discussion

C．Comparison—Argument—Explanation

D．Introduction—Discussion—Conclusion

TOKYO (Reuters) – “Who played the father in the movie ‘Kramer versus Kramer’?” That’s one of the 50 questions Japanese men could face in a “daddy exam”, meant to raise awareness about fatherhood in a country where men tend to work long hours and leave their wives in charge of childcare and household work.
Even men who remember Dustin Hoffman struggling as a father in the movie may have a hard time answering questions ranging from baby food to politics.
Tetsuya Ando, director of Fathering Japan, a Tokyo non-profit organization that came up with the test and will offer it to eager dads from next March, said the exam was an attracting way to get fathers into parenting. “There just isn't enough information about parenting for fathers. Through the exam, we want men to realize that they don't know anything about bringing up kids,” he said.
For the price of 3,900 yen ($34), fathers can find out whether they qualify as a “Super Dad,” or are in need of more effort as a “Challenge Dad.”
“We have received inquiries(咨詢) from fathers, single men, to-be-dads, grandfathers ... even an aunt who was concerned that her nephew is too busy with work to notice the fun of parenting,” Ando said. The image of fathers is gradually changing in Japan as younger men eschew their own dads’ hands-off way in favor of closer involvement, and a wave of new parenting magazines for male readers has been hitting newsstands. But it is still hard for Japanese fathers to cut down on their work hours and spend more time with their families. Only 0.5 percent of employed men in Japan took parental leave in 2011, compared with 14 percent in the United States and 12 percent in Britain in 2000.
小題1:The “daddy exam” is intended to          .

A．test to – be – dads’ fatherhood knowledge

B．test Challenge Dad’s parenting knowledge

C．a(chǎn)ttract the whole society’s attention to parenting

D．have fathers realize their responsibility for their families

小題2:In the exam, the Japanese fathers may find that         .

A．they almost know nothing about the questions

B．the questions only make sense to to – be – dads

C．there is ample information about parenting

D．it’s not a good way to get them into parenting

小題3:The underlined word “eschew” in the last paragraph can be replaced by the word “       ”.

A．a(chǎn)void

B．a(chǎn)dopt

C．improve

D．a(chǎn)dmire

小題4:The magazines for male readers are popular most probably because many men        .

A．long to know how to do household chores

B．become more concerned about parenting

C．want to get high scores in the 50 – question test

D．like to know whether they are Challenge Dads

小題5:From the whole report, it can be inferred that        .

A．Japanese fathers show no interest in parenting

B．young Japanese men tend to set about parenting

C．young fathers value parenting less than their fathers

D．Japanese fathers value parenting more than British fathers

We may have hosted some difficult house guests once or on even more occasions. Are you still worrying about how to deal with them? Here below are some tips on how to deal with those difficult house guests.
You’ve been waiting an hour to eat breakfast but your guests are still sleeping.
“Unless you adjusted a time for breakfast the evening before, let your guests sleep-in and enjoy your breakfast without them. If possible, keep their breakfast warm. Or better yet, when entertaining it’s always a good idea to have cold breakfast (as well as lunch, dinner and snack) food on-hand.”
——Pamela Eyring，president and director of The Protocol School of Washington
Your guest’s teenage son is a Facebook addict and hogs your computer all day long.
“If you have a guest whose fingers are fixated to your keyboard, kindly let him know that you are expecting work email and give him enough time to finish using it.”
——Ummu Bradley Thomas, founder of the Freddie Bell Jones Modeling and Finishing School, Inc.
Your couch surfing, unemployed nephew has been here a month and is showing no sign of leaving.
“There is nothing wrong with saying ‘John, you have been here a month and have not put in any applications. What can I do to help you get your resume together? I would like to make a plan that will assist you in getting back on your feet and allow me to eventually have my extra room back for guests that will soon be arriving.’”
——Diane Gottsman, owner of The Protocol School of Texas
Your guests expect you to accompany them to every single tourist attraction in your city. It’s tiring and expensive.
“If your guests didn’t offer to treat you, politely decline and offer to meet them afterwards for dinner or drinks. That way they know you enjoy their company.”
——Pamela Eyring, president and director of The Protocol School of Washington
You gave your friend a closet shelf for her stuff but her clothes are thrown all over the place.
“You should simply say ‘I am happy to have you use my closet but your clothes seem to have a mind of their own. Would you mind keeping your clothes on the top shelf? It would make it easier for me to find my things when I am in a rush and looking for them. Thank you.’”
——Diane Gottsman, owner of The Protocol School of Texas
小題1:According to Ummu Bradley Thomas, which of the following is the best way to deal with the guests?

A．Kindly explaining to him you need to use the computer.

B．Politely asking him to stop using the computer at once.

C．Introducing other toys to him to play with.

D．Simply letting him keep using the computer as he likes.

小題2:The passage gives the following tips EXCEPT that _______.

A．declining the guests’ requests if you hate to accompany them everywhere

B．reminding them to keep their clothes on the top shelf

C．trying to offer at least one dish based on his or her preferences

D．keeping their breakfast warm or having cold breakfast food on-hand

小題3:Which of the following is the best title for this passage?

A．How to Entertain Your Guests

B．How to Keep Good Personal Relations

C．How to Find the Best Solution

D．How to Deal with Difficult House Guests

小題4:In which section of a magazine can we most probably see this passage?

A．Science

B．Society

C．Economy

D．Education

Americans are thinking about national education standards recently developed by teachers and other education experts. The National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) led the effort.
　　The United States, unlike other nations, has never had the same school standards across the country. What is the reason? Education is not discussed in the Constitution. That document limits the responsibilities of the federal government. Other responsibilities, like education, fall to each state.
Local control of education probably was a good idea two hundred years ago. People stayed in the same place and schools knew what students needed to learn. But today, people move to different cities. And some people work at jobs that did not exist even twenty years ago.
Many American educators say that getting a good education should not depend on where you live. They say that some states have lowered their standards in order to increase student scores on tests required by the No Child Left behind Act.
　　Kara Schlosser is communications director for the CCSSO. She says the new standards clearly state what a student should be able to do to be successful in college and work.
　　Forty--eight states have already shown approval for the standards. Two states refuse to accept the idea. Critics say that working toward the same standards in every state will not guarantee excellence for all. Some educators in Massachusetts say adopting the national standards will hurt their students because the state standards are even higher. Others say the change will be too costly, requiring new textbooks and different kinds of training for teachers. Still others fear federal control.
　　Supporters say the standards are goals and do not tell states or teachers how to teach. They also say the federal government is not forcing acceptance. However, approving the standards will help states qualify (取得資格) for some federal grant money.
小題1:What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Local Control of Education Standards out of Date

B．American National Education Standards under Consideration

C．Education Standards in Each State--Good or Bad.

D．Acceptance of the New Standards in the United States

小題2:Why is local control of education no 1onger a good idea today?

A．Because local standards are limited.

B．Because it is required by the federal government.

C．Because people today moves among states more often than before.

D．Because America has never had the same school standards throughout the country.

小題3:Some people are against the nationa1 education standards because__________

A．the standards are higher than those of each state

B．they are not yet prepared for the new standards

C．the standards may prevent some students gaining excellence

D．they don't want the federal government to train their teachers

小題4:If a state agrees to accept the national standards, it will probably get ________.

A．more students	B．a(chǎn)dvice on how to improve teaching
C．better textbooks	D．money from the federal government

Memory, they say, is a matter of practice and exercise. If you have the wish and really made a conscious（自覺(jué)的）effort, then you can quite easily improve your ability to remember things. But even if you are successful, there are times when your memory seems to play tricks on you.
Sometimes you remember things that really did not happen. One morning last week, for example, I got up and found that I had left the front door unlocked all night, yet I clearly remember locking it carefully the night before.
Memory “trick” work the other way as well. Once in a while you remember not doing something, and then find out that you did. One day last month, for example, I was sitting in a barber（理發(fā)師）shop waiting for my turn to get a haircut, and suddenly I realized that I had got a haircut two days before at the barber shop across the street from my office.
We always seem to find something funny and amusing（有趣的）in incidents caused by people’s forgetfulness or absent-mindedness. Stories about absent-minded professors have been told for years, and we never got tired of hearing new ones. Unfortunately, however, absent-mindedness is not always funny. There are times when “trick” of our memory can cause us great trouble.
小題1:If you want to have a good memory, .

A．you should force yourself to remember things

B．you should make a conscious effort of practice and exercise

C．you should never stop learning

D．you should try hard to remember tings

小題2:Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．One night the writer forgot to lock the front door.

B．One night the writer forgot having locked the front door.

C．The writer remembered to lock the door.

D．the writer remembered unlocking the front door.

小題3:In the passage, the writer seems to tell you .

A．forgetting things is serious and dangerous

B．a(chǎn)lways forgetting things is understandable

C．forgetting things at times is natural

D．the way to protect yourself from memory “tricks”

小題4:The best title for this passage is .

A．How to Get a Good Memory

B．“Tricks” Of Memory

C．Forgetfulness and Absent-mindedness is Dangerous

D．Get Rid of Absent-mindedness

The malls were filled with people seeking gifts for their loved ones. Some of the malls remained open around the clock, partly to satisfy our needs to buy gifts.
Behind the materialistic aspect of shopping for gifts lies the idea of caring, being attentive to the desires of special people in our lives. However, to use a well-worn play on words: it is our presence, not our presents, that truly counts. Many of us, unfortunately, can be so inattentive, even in the presence of our loved ones, that we might as well not be there at all.
Attention is one of the greatest gifts we can give each other. Companies around the globe spend billions every year on advertising to catch our attention for just a short moment at a time. Whole industries – media, entertainment, education – rely on the precious gift of our attention for their continued existence. A baby lacking attention for a long time is likely to he psychologically unhealthy.
In earlier times, both diet and attention could be left unregulated without major cause for concern. There were natural checks and balances: limited availability of food meant few got fat, for example. Similarly, in bygone times we might have spent a few hours communicating with the village storyteller, today, watching an entire TV series, while speaking to nobody, is common. In traditional societies, with smaller population, everyone would get a fair deal of attention. On many issues we might go to see Grandma or Grandpa; now we have Google and Wikipedia.
“She just wants attention.” people tend to think little of those doing things simply for attention. But the truth is that human beings need attention, and giving attention to each other is, to a large extent, what human civilization is based upon. This perhaps explains the runaway success（一舉成功）of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. While we use such sites for “micro blogging”, “idea voicing” and “status updates” – the reality is that we are often doing no more or less than fulfilling our basic human drive for attention exchange.
I friend you, you friend me, I retweet you, you retweet me. The charming case with which we can now get and give attention is why many people appear overly attached to their smartphones. It is also a vicious（惡性）circle. As ever more people are busy exchanging attention online, there is increasingly less attention to be paid in the real world, which forces more people to seek their attention exchange online, or else risk attention-starvation.
The very nature of attention exchange is being rapidly transformed, and there is a danger that some of us will develop unhealthy practices. Just as eating red meat every day is a bad idea, so it is with too much attention exchange. The biological consequences of our technological advancement in food production are highly visible; heart disease, diabetes and obesity. The consequences of our transformed attention exchanges will be psychological and social, and so may take longer to identify, but they will be equally damaging.
Face-to-face attention is becoming rarer, and therefore more valuable. In a sense it is priceless. And it is a gift that can be given all-year-round.
小題1:In the first two paragraphs the author        .

A．offers advice to attention givers	B．a(chǎn)nalyses the present problems
C．states the necessity of presents	D．puts forward his point of view

小題2:People use social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook to     .

A．obtain information	B．give attention to others
C．voice their opinions	D．notice and get noticed

小題3:Attention exchange was not a major concern in traditional societies because of      .

A．limited availability of food	B．natural checks and balances
C．a(chǎn) much smaller population	D．the guidance from old people

小題4:What can we infer from Paragraph 6-7?

A．More people will risk attention-starvation in future.

B．The nature of attention exchange is rarely changed.

C．Technological advancement contributes to all diseases.

D．Transformed attention exchanges do harm to society.

小題5:The writer’s purpose for writing the passage is to      .

A．a(chǎn)dvocate more focus on real life attention

B．a(chǎn)nalyze the necessity of attention giving

C．give practical tips on attention exchange

D．recommend some social networking sites

On Jan. 3, a netizen（網(wǎng)民）nicknamed “Programmer Humor”published a short story on his micro-blog. It said that there was an old lady who swept nearly every inch of his Internet company. When she passed by a programmer, she took a look at the codes on the programmer’s computer and kindly reminded him, “Be careful, the stack is overfilled!”
Certainly, it is a casual and fictitious（虛構(gòu)的）story made up by the micro-blogger. However, no one would have guessed that the short blog would eventually cause the first great Internet meme（網(wǎng)絡(luò)快速爆紅現(xiàn)象） of 2011 in China. Suddenly, the mysterious “Sweeping Old Lady” is showing up nearly everywhere and reminding professionals of their mistakes. From 8 a. m. on Jan. 5, some netizens collected stories of the “Sweeping Old Lady” and found she had appeared to give advice in 150 kinds of careers. A netizen even said he had met with a similar situation in real life.
Actually, the “Sweeping Old Lady” is not new figure, but is based on the “sweeping monk （和尚）”in Louis Cha’s famous Kung fu novel of “Tian Long Ba Bu”. The “sweeping monk” is an old monk and does the lowest class of work in Shaolin Temple, but he is actually the No. 1 master in the noel both in Kung fu and in the study of Buddhism.
The “Sweeping Old Lady” is also a great modest master. Lots of netizens wish that they could have such a lady beside them to give them precious suggestions at a key time.
Although there may be 1,000 “Sweeping Old Ladies” in 1,000 people’s minds, it cannot prevent the “Sweeping Old Lady” from becoming the most popular figure on the Internet.
“Programmer Humor” said he is just a programmer in the real world and once he saw the story about the “Sweeping Old Lady,” he wrote it down in his micro-blog because it was funny. He never knew who the original writer of the story was and never thought the story could be so popular.
小題1:What quality does the “Sweeping Old Lady” have?

A．Honest and knowledgeable.	B．Modest and patient.
C．Modest and knowledgeable.	D．Honest and patient.

小題2:Which description about the “Sweeping Old Lady” is right?

A．She is an old lady good at sweeping the Internet.

B．She is just an imaginary figure created by a netizen.

C．She is well-know as the old “sweeping monk.”

D．She likes to give instructions everywhere.

小題3:What can we infer from the text?

A．The sweeping old lady is always looking down on the people around her.

B．We should ask sweeping old lady for advice when meeting with difficulties.

C．People want to have a “Sweeping Old Lady” nearby to do the cleaning.

D．We shouldn’t judge a person by his or her appearance and we’d better respect everyone.

小題4:What does the author think of the “Sweeping Old Lady”?

A．She should be praised and respected.

B．She shouldn’t mind others’ business.

C．She should go in for network.

D．She shouldn’t show off before professionals.

Research shows that childhood friendships are important indicators of future success and social adjustment. Children's relationships with peers (同齡人) strongly influence their success in school, and children with fewer friends are more likely dropping out of school, becoming sad and other problems.
Making and Keeping Friends Is More Than Child's Play
When 6-year-old Rachel returned to school on a recent Monday morning, her eyes immediately scanned the playground for her friend Abbie. Though they were only separated by a weekend, the girls "ran right into each other's arms and hugged," recalls Rachel's mother Kathryn Willis of Gilbert. "It was like a scene from a movie."
Most parents instinctively (本能地) know that having friends is good for their child. Experts agree that friendship is not simply child's play, but a powerful predictor of social adjustment throughout life.
A Skill for Life
"Childhood friendships serve as a very important training ground for adulthood," says Dr. Robbie Adler-Tapia, psychologist with the Center for Children's Health & Life Development.
Researcher William Hartup states, "Peer relations contribute significantly to both social and cognitive (認(rèn)知的) development." Hartup concludes that the single best childhood predictor of adult social adaptation is not school grades or classroom behavior, but rather, how well a child gets along with other children.
The work of Arizona State University proves that just as being able to make and keep friends is beneficial to kids, so is the lack of friends detrimental.
Good Friendships Don't Just Happen
Experts agree that it is basic for children to develop high-quality friendships. But, researchers warn, these friendships don't necessarily just happen. Often, a good friendship begins with involved （卷入，牽連）parents.
Valley psychologist Dr. Lynne Kenney Markan believes kids should be taught social skills in much the same way they are taught math and reading.
Bad Company
Many parents worry about the quality as well as the quantity of their child's friendships. "When she was in 1st grade, her supposed 'best friend' began calling her names and threatening to hurt her," says Mindy Miller. "My daughter wasn't allowed to talk to or even look at other girls in her class. It really crushed (壓跨) her spirit. I told my daughter she didn't need a 'friend' like that."
"I'll bend over backwards to help my son get together with a friend I think is good for him," Adler-Tapia says. "I don't look at it as manipulation (操縱), just positive parental involvement. "
小題1:The example of Rachel and Abbie is used to show that ________.

A．childhood friendship is of great benefit to their growth

B．a(chǎn) positive friendship helps children solve emotional and physical problems

C．it is a proven（被證明的） fact that peer friendship is the most rewarding experience throughout life

D．Rachel missed her friend Abbie very much because of their separation of one weekend

小題2:The underlined word "detrimental" could be replaced by _______.

A．valuable

B．disappointing

C．a(chǎn)ccurate

D．harmful

小題3:We can learn from the passage that high-quality friendship most probably results from ______.

A．social skills and good study habits

B．school grades and classroom behaviors

C．a(chǎn)cademic success and social adaptation

D．positive parental involvement and social skills

小題4:From the last paragraph we can conclude that Dr. Robbie Adler-Tapia agrees that ______.

A．parents should regard making friends as something that just happens

B．it's wise for parents to support and encourage healthy peer relationships

C．parents only need to help their children to deal with difficult social situations

D．parents are supposed to encourage their children to make as many friends as they can

Searching the Internet may help middle-aged and older adults keep their memories sharp,US researchers said.
Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles ,studied people doing web searches by recording their brain activity.
“What we saw was people who had Internet experience used more of their brain during the search,”Dr.Gary Small, a UCLA expert on aging, said,“This suggests that just searching on the Internet may train the brain and that it may keep it active and healthy.”
“This is the first time anyone has simulated(模擬)an Internet search task while scanning the brain,”Small said. His team studied 24 normal volunteers between the ages of 55 and 76. Half were experienced at searching the Internet and the other half had no web experience. However, the two groups were similar in age, gender and education.
Both groups were asked to do Internet searches and book reading tasks while their brain activity was monitored.
“We found that in the book reading task, the visual cortex— the part of the brain that controls reading and language — was activated,”Small said,“In doing the Internet search task, there was much greater activity, but only in the Internet-savvy（了解）group.”
He said it appears that people who are familiar with the Internet can engage in much deeper level of brain activity. Activities that keep the brain engaged can preserve brain health and thinking ability. Small thinks learning to do Internet searches may be one of those activities.
小題1:Researchers          when volunteers were doing web searches.

A．studied the Internet

B．a(chǎn)ctivated the brain

C．recorded their memories

D．monitored the brain activity

小題2:The two volunteer groups were         .

A．similar in education

B．of the same age

C．good at the computer

D．book lovers

小題3:According to the passage, we can learn that         .

A．reading books keeps the brain more engaged

B．searching the web keeps the brain more engaged

C．watching TV keeps the brain more engaged

D．chatting online keeps the brain more engaged

小題4:Which of the following is TRUE?

A．When you read, the whole brain will be activated.

B．Dr.Gary Small is a UCLA expert on brain health.

C．Internet searches can preserve brain health and thinking ability

D．People who read books may have a better memory.