There is, for many of us, a moment in life when we make a choice that changes us forever. This moment marks a turning point, when we realize that the life we're living is not a mirror of who we really are.

For some, the moment comes as a result of something dramatic: the sudden loss of a job, or the death of a loved one. For others, they have to deal with difficult situations, such as financial hardship. In these challenging times, it's more critical(关键时刻的) than ever for us to seize the possibility of positive change. As I travel and talk to people about their lives, I often see a distant, vacant look in their eyes -- a look that says “I’m so busy trying to survive my life that no soul left to live it”.

As a result, we end up feeling lonely. Yet we keep on going the way we've been going. We tolerate high levels of stress at work, take important relationships for granted, or put our health needs on hold. We get so caught up in the details of living that our busyness becomes an excuse from the inner voice that begs us to listen. When you finally pay attention to that little voice and begin to make even small changes, you will slowly improve yourself.

To start positive change, you need the power of your mind. I've come up with a five-step strategy that will help you. You will be able to identify what you want and then go after it. It's easier than you might think.

1. Reset your happiness set point. Don't limit yourself! When I decided that I wanted more control over my life, I set goals in physical, emotional, financial, professional, material, and play. I challenged myself to consider every possible choice. Imagine things you've never believed you could achieve. Don't let your past determine your future.

2. Trust your courage. Too often, when you're first learning to take control of your life, you doubt yourself. It's important to develop a strong connection with your inner guidance system. I've heard many stories about the persistent voice inside your head.

3. Take action. Once you have set goals, adjusted your beliefs, and got ready, you can start making things happen. Again, turn to those people you respect -- the ones achieving what you desire -- for support and guidance. They will both inspire you and give you practical advice on what steps you need to take.

4. Have faith. Believe that the positive energy of grace will support your efforts to improve your life. When you've done all you can, let go and trust that the right result will occur. When we have faith, we give up the need to be in control, and we set ourselves up to actually enjoy the process of change.

5. Be patient. This can be the toughest step. It's not easy to trust that your life will improve in a best way. Remind yourself of the benefits of patience. In my experience, those life changes are always worth the wait.

What does the author intend to say in the second paragraph?

A. The start of some turning points in one’s life is caused by crisis.

B. Loss of a job or the death of a loved one are all dramatic things.

C. No one can live a life without any turning points.

D. No one can predict his future of being good or not.

In the author’s opinion, we should ______________.

A. adjust our beliefs from time to time B. always control ourselves for anything

C. keep on going the way we are going   D. seize the challenging times to live an active life

The author suggests that when setting your happiness set points, you should _______.

A. know the limitation of your set point        B. build self-confidence without doubt

C. limit your goals in different ways           D. consider every possible choice with care

Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. When you've done all you can, you may believe that the right result will occur.

B. When you set goals, and take action, it is possible to make things happen.

C. When you first learn to take charge of your life, you will always doubt yourself.

D. If things do not happen in a way that is best, patience is always worth the wait.

Maybelle said she wouldn't be coming with me to the library. I asked why, and she said she could get all the short stories she wanted off the Internet. Saved walking all the way to the library, and putting up with my long chat on the way there, and on the way back. Maybelle is very direct like that, always has been.
"But, Maybelle, we've been walking to the library every Monday for the last fifty years!"
She said," Why don't you get Internet'? We can send each other emails."
So I had to get Internet. I called the local high school. They said they'd send me a good student to tell me all about computers and such.
Evil thing, this Internet. Makes you lose old friends, forces you to learn new complex ideas, even if you're too old. But Maybelle said you have to be modern; otherwise, you're dead.
The kid came the next day. Tall skinny black kid, by the name of Arsenius, said his work would cost more.
I said, "All right. As long as I get Internet."
"You need a computer, then you need to get hooked up," he said.
"Let's buy a computer and get hooked up, then."
"How much you want to spend?"
"Whatever it takes."
"How many rams you want?"
I wasn't going to show him my ignorance, so I said, "Whatever it takes."
"Let's go to the mall. You got a car?"
"In the garage."
When I opened the garage door, he gasped. Daddy's car is still there, a'57 Chevy. I never drive it. Walk everywhere.
I said," Let's walk. It's only a mile or so."
He said," Let's drive, or you will faint on me in this heat."
"Young man, I don't faint, never have. We're walking."
"I get paid by the hour," he said. "Walking will cost you a lot more. Also, you feel like carrying a computer a mile or so?"
【小题1】What kind of person is Maybelle?

A.She always says what she means in an honest way.
B.She no longer likes reading in her old age.
C.She doesn't want to be friends with the writer any more.
D.She doesn't want to keep up with the time.
【小题2】Why does the writer want to have Internet at his place?
A.Because the writer believes that one is never too old to learn.
B.Because the writer thinks that it is better late than never.
C.Because of the pressure from people of his age.
D.Because of the convenience the Internet will bring.
【小题3】Arsenius gives _________ reasons for driving to the mall.
A.twoB.threeC.fourD.five

 I've always loved pigeons(鸽子). Some years ago I managed to persuade my wife to let me buy a few and start   16  them myself. They cost a lot of money and so it spoilt(破坏) our 17 a bit, but my wife never actually stopped me so I  18  carried on. I learnt so much about them that I could  19 a good racer anywhere and I bought some beauties. My pigeons won some top races, and I even began to make a bit of   20 .

You see, people are prepared to pay big prices if they get to know that your pigeons are 21 big prizes.

My wife had been changing her  22  to the pigeons over the last year or two anyway. She was quite   23  of all the prizes we’d won. Then there was the travelling, which she liked. You see some one has to take the pigeons a  24  way off and set them free. Some of the   25  were really nice. I never travelled. I used to like to wait at home and see them come in. They’ve got this wonderful sense of  26 , which can bring them back home so quickly. They’d flown hundreds of miles sometimes   27  storms or against strong winds. And there they’d come, tiny white birds against the great   28 . Then I'd watch them  29  round and come down onto the landing shelf. I'd look at my watch and think, “My goodness, that’s a good  30 . ”And I'd take off the little leg ring and push it through the machine to  31  what time he’d arrived. Then my wife would  32 up and say, “Has he arrived yet?” Then we would work out if we’d won   33 .

Then last year we had a   34 ! All of them got some sort of flu and  35 . It was terrible. I had to burn them all. We lost a fortune, of course.

1.

A.racing

B.feeding

C.tending

D.flying

 

2.

A.dream

B.work

C.marriage

D.hobby

 

3.

A.just

B.even

C.almost

D.hardly

 

4.

A.notice

B.learn

C.imagine

D.recognize

 

5.

A.living

B.fun

C.money

D.change

 

6.

A.losing

B.winning

C.giving

D.making

 

7.

A.subject

B.decision

C.relation

D.attitude

 

8.

A.proud

B.fond

C.careful

D.sure

 

9.

A.different

B.1ong

C.short

D.far

 

10.

A.distances

B.activities

C.trips

D.movements

 

11.

A.direction

B.sight

C.hearing

D.touch

 

12.

A.over

B.across

C.with

D.through

 

13.

A.heaven

B.mountain

C.cloud

D.sky

 

14.

A.turn

B.dance

C.circle

D.whistle

 

15.

A.fly

B.time

C.day

D.1ook

 

16.

A.write

B.record

C.count

D.memorize

 

17.

A.come

B.show

C.phone

D.cheer

 

18.

A.again

B.finally

C.only

D.accidentally

 

19.

A.disadvantage

B.chance

C.problem

D.disaster

20..

A.flew

B.died

C.cured

D.lost

 

In Daniel Gilbert's 2006 book "Stumbling(跌撞) on Happiness," the Harvard professor of psychology looks at several studies and concludes that marital(婚姻的) satisfaction decreases after the birth of the first child and increases only when the last child has left home. He also declares that parents are happier grocery shopping and even sleeping than spending time with their kids.

The most recent comprehensive study on the emotional state of those with kids shows us that the term "bundle of joy" may not be the most accurate way to describe our kids. "Parents experience lower levels of emotional well-being, less frequent positive emotions and more frequent negative emotions than their childless peers," says Florida State University's Robin Simon, a sociology professor.

Simon received plenty of hate mail in response to her research,which isn't surprising. Her findings shake the very foundation of what we've been raised to believe is true. In a recent NEWSWEEK Poll, 50 percent of Americans said that adding new children to the family tends to increase happiness levels. But which parent is willing to admit that the greatest gift life has to offer has in fact made his or her life less enjoyable?

Is it possible that American parents have always been this disillusioned(有幻觉的)? In pre-industrial America, parents certainly loved their children, but their kids also served a purpose—to work the farm, contribute to the household. Today, we have kids more for emotional reasons, but an increasingly complicated work and social environment has made finding satisfaction far more difficult. Raising children has not only become more complicated, it has become more expensive as well. The National Marriage Project's 2006 report says that parents have significantly lower marital satisfaction than nonparents because they experienced more single and child-free years than previous generations.

As for those of us with kids, all the news isn't bad. Parents still report feeling a greater sense of purpose and meaning in their lives than those who've never had kids. And there are other rewarding aspects of parenting that are impossible to quantify.

1..

 What’s the main idea of the book Stumbling on Happiness?

A. Parents are happier shopping than looking after their children.

B. Once they have children, the couples can never be as happy as before.

C. Compared with their childless peers, parents are leading a sad life.

D. The adding of children at home brings down marital satisfaction.

2..

. What can we infer from Para.3?

A. The Newsweek Poll shows that people think Prof. Simon’s finding is right.

B. Many people can’t accept the fact that they are not happy with their children.

C. It isn’t surprising that Professor Simon’s controversial research made her famous.

D. Simon’s findings are based on the belief passed down from generation to generation.

3..

 What can we learn about American’s families in the past?

A. People had very good parents-children relationship in the family.

 B. Having children could be partly out of some practical purposes.

C. Parents loved their children but they still asked them to work a lot.

D. Children had to work very hard to make their parents love them.

4..

 What’s the author’s opinion about having children?

A. The author doesn’t think having children is a good thing to the family.

B. The author feels children make the life of a family happy.

C. The author thinks parenting can still be rewarding in a certain way.

D. The author believes that parents sacrifice a lot for having children.

 

Here’s this week’s list of four open jobs throughout the local area. Whether you’re unemployed and need a job or you are just sick of the one you have, Roswell Patch wants to help. We know new jobs can be hard to come by these days, which is why we’ll try to post a selection of jobs we’ve found in the area on the site each week. Happy hunting!

Part-time Spanish Instructor-World Language Institute, Inc. – Roswell.

World Language Institute, Inc. in Roswell is currently hiring a part-time, native-speaking Spanish instructor. Applicants must be able to pass a background check and drive a 15-passenger bus to pick up students from several schools, from 2 p. m. – 6 p. m. Monday-Friday. The position pays $ 10 per hour. More information about the job is available online.

Experienced Servers – Chill’s – Alpharetta

Chili’s in Alpharetta is seeking experienced servers to add to its team. Qualifications will include being clean and neat and having great attitude and customer service skills. The pay is $ 2.13, plus tips. Stop by the store to fill out an application. More information about this position is available online.

Registered Nurese-North Fulton Regional Hospital-Roswell

North Fulton Regional Hospital is looking for a RN/Registered Nurse to fill a 12-hour night shift. Applicants must be registered and previous hospital experience is preferred. More information about the position is available online.

Software Engineer-ControlScan-Alpharetta

ControlScan in Alpharetta is hiring a software engineer. Applicants should have five or more years of relevant experience, as well as advanced knowledge of computer technology. Pay is commensurate(相称)with experience. More information about the position can be found online.

1.Where can we most probably rend the passage?

    A. In a newspaper. B. On a website.   C. In a magazine. D. In a textbook.

2.What does the underlined word "sick" mean?

    A. Ill.            B. Absent.         C. Bored.          D. Unfamiliar

3.World Language Institute, Inc. is looking for____.

    A. a school bus driver.                                  B. a full-time teacher

    C. a Spanish teacher                  D a Spanish manager

4.Who will mainly work at night?

    A. Jane, hired by North Fulton Regional Hospital.

    B. John, hired by World Language Institute. Inc.

    C. Robert, hired by ControlScan.

    D. Sally, hired by Chili’s.

 

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