Studies show that laughter is something that makes you feel calm or relaxed for both physical and psychological wounds though it may seem futile to laugh in the face of pain and fear.

When Dan Rather interviewed comedian Bill Cosby just one week after his son, Ennis, was killed, Cosby said, “I think it is time for me to tell people that we have to laugh. You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything, you can survive it.”

Call it a flashlight for dark times: laughter just seems to adjust attitude better than anything else. Inspirational speaker Steve Rizzo recalls a TV interview with an injured firefighter a few days after 9.11．The man had fallen more than 30 stories in one of the towers and had broken a leg. Everyone was crying, and the reporter asked, “How is it that you’ve come out of this alive?” He looked at her and without missing a beat, said, “Look, lady, I’m from New York and I’m a firefighter; that’ all you need to know.”

“Everyone laughed and though the laughter was only a couple of seconds,” says Rizzo. “Sometimes that’s all you need to catch your second breath. Laughter gives you that couple of seconds. You’re sending a message to your brain, and the message is: If you can still laugh even a little among the pain, you are going to be OK.”

Of course, there is a difference between laughing off a serious situation and laughing off the fear that results. The firefighter was doing the latter, states Rizzo, the author of Becoming a Humorous Being, and so should we. “If there is anything we have learnt from 9.11, it’s how precious life really is,” she says. “We have to send a message that our spirit won’t die. One important thing that unites us is our ability to laugh.”　

60．The writer uses the examples of the comedian and the firefighter to show　　　　　　 .

　 A．laughter is a good way to get rid of pain and fear

　 B．laughter is the best way to cure psychological wounds

　 C．it is your attitude that decides whether you can survive the pain or not

　 D．laughing off a serious situation is different from laughing off the fear that results

61．We can infer from the passage that Steve Rizzo is　　　　　　　　　　　 .

　 A．a reporter B．a soldier　　 C．a firefighter　　 D．a doctor

62．The underlined word futile in the first paragraph means　　　　　　　 .

　 A．hopeless　　　　　　 B．useless

C．careless　　　　　　 D．worthless 　

63．From the passage, we can know that Americans are　　　　　　　　 .

　 A．really inspired after 9.11　　　　　　　　　　 B．hardly united after 9.11

C．nearly surprised by 9.11　　　　　　 D．greatly hurt by 9.11

—Could you turn the TV down a little bit?
—___．Is it disturbing you?

The Writers' Strike：Making the Best of the Worst

       By now you are probably feeling the effects of the TV writers’ strike---the decision of television writers to stop working．With few new TV shows, I present to you a list of shows available on DVD worth your viewing time to keep you going during this painful period．

       Arrested Development is one of the funniest and most clever shows ever to have appeared on network TV．With a most perfect cast（全体演员）, the show sets out to cover the daily happenings of the Bluth family, a group of selfish staff who manage to still put family first．

       For more comedy goodness, I recommend one of the sharpest comedies to have ever broadcast, 30 Rock．Starring Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin, two stars with impressive comic timing, the show gives you a glimpse into the making of a sketch show （幽默短剧）,similar to Saturday Nigth Live, from the funny writers to the self-centered cast all the way up to the boss．

       If you are looking for something more serious, or perhaps Friday Night lights might be more to your liking．If you are a fan of football, this show is probably for you．If you are a fan of great drama, both soapy and serious, this show is probably for you, If you are a fan of good-looking people, this show is definitely for you ．

       If those shows were not enough for you, might I recommend a show with a more heart-pounding excitement? The Amazing Race, after twelve seasons, still remains one of the most exciting shows on TV．Teams of two travel the globe with little to no money and experience far-out adventures in an attempt to remain the last team standing．

If you are fond of soapy TV shows, you will probably choose to watch       ．

       A．Friday Night Lights          B．30 Rock

       C．the Amazing Race         D．Saturday Night Live

From the DVD shows listed above, we can learn that　　　．

       A．two teams won the amazing race

       B．football fans enjoy the Amazing Race

       C．the Bluths care about their family though selfish

       D．30 Rock and Saturday Night Live have nothing in common

The author writes the passage to tell us that        ．

       A．the effects of the TV writers’ strike are great

       B．the strike puts TV shows in the worst situation

       C．watching DVD is a good choice during the strike

       D．we should choose DVD shows according to our tastes

The passage is most probably taken from       ．

       A．a book review      B．a newspaper    

       C．a film poster        D．a DVD menu

There is a Web site called the “World Database of Happiness”. It combines and __1__ the results of hundreds of surveys from around the world that have been conducted on life __2__. Most of the findings are predictable, but a few are __3__.

The database makes it __4__ that there is not a strong connection between material wealth and general contentment. It is a cliche(陈词滥调) to say that money __5__ buy happiness, but the old saying seems to be __6__ by research. Many people still cling to the belief that gaining riches will be the answer to all their problems, yet they are probably __7__.

Studies have been __8__ on people who acquired sudden wealth, such as lottery winners. In most cases, after the initial joy had __9__，  people were not left with a sense of lasting happiness. In fact, they __10__ to return to the way they felt before they became rich.__11__ contented people continue to be contented，__12__ those who were miserable in the past sink back into misery.

If material wealth does not bring happiness, then __13__ does? Perhaps happiness has something to do with __14__ you live. The authorities at the World Database of Happiness have surveyed levels of happiness in different __15__. Apparently, people in America, Canada, and Singapore are very happy; people living in India and Russia, not surprisingly, are not happy.

Other surveys consistently point to the importance of relationships. Family relationships，__16__， seem to be the key to long－term contentment. The Web site suggests that __17__ in love and having children are two of the situations that bring the greatest happiness.

Nowadays people look to __18__ as an alternative source of satisfaction. People increasingly spend more time alone watching TV or surfing the Internet __19__ spending time with family. Can technology truly make people happy? It is too difficult to tell, but one thing is sure: If the Web site's research is __20__， time spent with your family is a better investment than time spent making money.

1. A. gamers         B. analyzes     C. uses       D. collects

2. A. condition     B. level        C. style      D. satisfaction

3. A. surprising    B. exciting     C. interesting   D. annoying

4. A. actual        B. true         C. real       D. clear

5. A. can           B. may          C. can't     D. mustn't

6. A. supported     B. carried      C. satisfied  D. served

7. A. correct       B. mistaken     C. foolish    D. stupid

8. A. carried away       B. carried on  

C. carried off         D. carried out

9. A. worn out      B. cut off      C. worn off   D. cut out

10. A. intend       B. tend         C. desire     D. want

11. A. Especially        B. Previously  

C. Actually          D. Totally

12. A. then         B. but          C. so         D. while

13. A. which        B. who          C. what       D. when

14. A. space        B. place        C. where      D. how

15. A. cites         B. countries    C. towns      D. sections

16. A. in surprise       B. in all

C. in fact           D. in particular

17. A. dropping     B. feeling      C. falling    D. stepping

18. A. entertainment      B. information 

C. technology        D. study

19. A. other than         B. more than   

C. or rather           D. rather than

20. A. reasonable         B. simple    

C. adequate          D. accurate

The TV play series The Revolution of 1911, broadcast on CCTV1 lately, is ________ the 100th anniversary of The Revolution of 1911.