For a long time being happy was considered something that just happened, and there was nothing special to do about it. Now we know that getting along with ourselves and with other people is something that we can work at. It is possible to act in such a way that other people will like us better. One way is being unselfish, not wanting everything our own way or demanding the best share of everything, including the attention of our friends. Another way is to look for good points, not bad ones in other people. It is surprising how successful this treasure hunt can be.

You don’t have to be spineless (懦弱) in order to be popular. In fact, you will be liked and respected if you are not afraid to stand up for your rights.  But do it politely and pleasantly. Being friendly and polite to your own group, to older people, to strangers and especially to those who do not look important or do not interest you is one way to develop a good character.

You cannot expect to be perfect, and so you must learn not to be too unhappy when you make a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes, and no one is to blame unless he refuses to learn from them. Many young people become discouraged when they recognize in themselves qualities that they do not like----selfishness, laziness and other unpleasant qualities. Just remember that we all have some of these faults and have to fight against them.

At the same time, it is important to remember that, while you are probably no worse than others, chances are that you are not much better, either. The surest way to be happy is to think yourself above other people.

When something is wrong, it is good sense to try to make it right. Perhaps you don’t like a teacher or a classmate .Try to see why, and look at yourself, too, to be sure that you are not doing something to make that person dislike you. In time, things may turn out all right if you just keep trying to be pleasant and polite. If things do not turn out all right, then you will simply have to get along the best you can with the situation, without thinking too much about it. Worrying never helps in a situation you can’t change.

43．One of the two ways the author suggested for us to get along well with others is ________.

A.      to draw the attention of our friends

B.      to demand the best share of everything

C.      to look for treasure in order to be successful

D.     to pay more attention to other people’s strong points

44．The passage shows that there is no perfect person but someone should be blamed if he________.

A.      makes a big mistake

B.      is selfish and lazy

C.      does not draw a lesson from his own fault

D.     is very unhappy about his unpleasant quality

45．The passage implies that in order to be a happy person, one should consider oneself ____     .

A.    no better than others

B.     not the same as others

C.    as having something better than others

D.    as having better chances than others

46．The purpose for the writer to write the passage is to _____   .

A．train you to be perfect

B．show you the way to be happy

C．tell you how to act when you dislike a person

D．teach you how to be popular among your friends

Parents, our first teachers, play a highly significant role in our lives．However, doesn't it seem that many of us come to have conflicts with them when we start high school? We're less likely to listen to them and take their suggestions—we even rebel against them．
Why? It may be the so-called "generation gap"．A generation gap appears when we begin to feel our parents
are ignoring us, don't understand us, and we feel we can no longer share our feelings with them．
The key reason is our desire for independence．In senior high school, we start to want to take responsibility for our own lives and make our own decisions．But parents resist this．They still want to control us and try to force us to do things they think we should do．Debate and discussion often come to nothing．Gradually, we talk with them less, and keep our feelings locked up inside．
Zhang Xiaoyun, 16, of Ningbo, Zhejiang, has talked less and less with her mother since she started senior high school．"She believes studies should be my priority, not my inner world," Zhang said．"Each day, she asks me the same old questions like, 'How was your last exam? or 'Have you made any progress in physics?" To Zhang, these questions are annoying and so she always tries to ignore them and answers perfunctorily．"Sometimes, when I get upset, I quarrel with her．After, she comes to apologize and comfort me．But I know, she doesn't completely understand me," Zhang said．Now, a home that was once full of laughter has fallen into gloom and silence．
The generation gap can be harmful．Because of the lack of communication, our parents no longer know what we are thinking about．There are quarrels, even over trivial things．When that happens, we may not be able to concentrate on our studies．Some of us even become afraid to go home after school— a very serious situation for the whole family．
【小题1】Which of the following is not included in article?

You might say that Barack Obama was elected President of the US because he knows how to give a speech. In 2004, the little-known Obama gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention (民主党全国会议). It was a great speech — poetic, and inspiring. The people who heard it would remember it for a long time.
Since 2004, Obama has written and delivered thousands of speeches. There are usually praised for two reasons: he treats the audiences like intelligent adults, and he is able to express complicated ideas in a straightforward, natural way.
Before becoming President, Obama was a lawyer, a college professor, and a successful writer – his two memoirs (回忆录) have become best sellers. The skills he needed to succeed in his previous jobs have also contributed to his success as a speechmaker.
As a lawyer, Obama learned how to make strong, convincing arguments. As a professor, he learned how to explain complex subjects in ways that helped students understand without boring them. As a writer, he learned how to use languages to have a powerful influence on his audience. A famous American musician even turned one of Obama’s early speeches into a song during the election campaign.
Secret weapons of Obama
Writing team: Obama has a team of people who write his speeches. The writers chat with Obama for hours about what he wants to say. Then listen to recordings of past presidential addresses and seek advice from advisers. Obama usually edits and rewrites the drafts several times.
Make fun of the guests: Obama starts his speech by gently making fun of his guests. His opening lines attract the audience’s attention while giving them an opportunity to relax and laugh at themselves and each other.
Make fun of himself: Obama laughs at his past mistakes and is never afraid of showing them to the public.
Obama delivers speeches to audiences large and small. He can make his audiences laugh or cry. His speeches are always thoughtful, well written and just right for each occasion.
【小题1】The third and fourth paragraph mainly talk about _______.