If you live in a city where everyone rushes, realize that you don't have to be like everyone else．You can be different．

I can't give you a step-by-step guide to moving slower, but here are some things to consider and perhaps adopt, if they work for your life．

1．Do less

Cut back on your projects, on your task list, on how much you try to do each day．Focus not on quantity but on quality．Pick 2 or 3 important things-or even just one important thing- and work on those first．

2．Have fewer meetings

Meetings are usually a big waste of time and make you rush．Try to have blocks of time with no interruptions, so you don't have to rush from one meeting to another．

3．Give yourself time to get ready and get there

If you're constantly rushing to appointments or other places you have to be, it's because you don't allot（分配） enough time in your schedule for preparing and for traveling．Pad your schedule to allow time for this stuff．If you think it only takes you 10 minutes to get ready for work or a date, perhaps give yourself 30 to 45 minutes so you don't have to shave in a rush or put on makeup in the car．

4．Practice being comfortable with sitting doing nothing

When people have to wait, they become impatient or uncomfortable．Try standing in a line and just watching and listening w people around you．It takes practice, but after a while, you’ll do it with a smile．

5．Realize that if it doesn't get done, that's Ok．

There's always tomorrow．And yes, I know that's a frustrating attitude for some of you who don't like laziness or living without firm deadlines, but it's also reality．The world likely won't end if you don't get that task done today．Your boss might get mad, but the company won't collapse and the life will inevitably go on．

Try these things out．Life is better when unrushed．

Remember the quote: If nature can get everything done without rushing, so can you．

1.Which can be the best title of the passage?

2.If you think you need 10 minutes to get ready for the date with your boyfriend, ______．

3.According to the passage, we can know_______．

4.The underlined word "collapse" has the similar meaning to "______"．

Angels

My friend Heather mentioned that she had never seen an Angel. Then I remembered the 36  I had with my sister Sandra earlier this week.

This will be Sandra’s first Christmas without her husband. This summer he died in her arms. On Thursday, she was in the store 　37　 for an ideal card for her two sons and daughter. Time passed by quickly as she 　38  the many choices. She wanted a card that sent something special to each of them, 　39  she knew they would have a(n) 　40  place in their heart this holiday season.

Finally! She found the one that expressed the 　41 feeling. The words expressed the feelings that she wished to share. However, a sharp pain pierced(穿透) her heart when she realized that the card was 　42 “mom and dad.” She stood there, 　43  it close for a long time, unable to move from the 　44  . Tears began to run down her cheeks.

“Is there something I can do for you?” a 　45  voice asked. She 　46  to face a stranger, a woman, who was looking at her with 　47  and concern. “Uh…oh...OH!” Sandra responded, “I can’t give this card to my children because…because my husband died and this is the 　48  card.”

Hearing this, the stranger’s face softened with sympathy(同情) and love. She reached out and　49  my sister into her arms, giving her unspoken permission to cry in the protection of her embrace(拥抱). She 　50  held my sister until her calmness　51  . “Thank you for listening to me cry on,” was what my sister said when all was better. “You are welcome, and I am so sorry for your 　52 ,” the stranger answered and said goodbye to her.

During her telling of this event I was feeling 　53  that I hadn’t been there. My sister needed me and a stranger had to do my 　54  .  “You know,” she went on, “a friend suggested that it was like meeting with an Angel.” My 　55  disappeared in an instant. My sister required an Angel, and I think that is exactly what she got.

Angels

My friend Heather mentioned that she had never seen an Angel. Then I remembered the  36   I had with my sister Sandra earlier this week.

This will be Sandra’s first Christmas without her husband. This summer he died in her arms. On Thursday, she was in the store 　37　 for an ideal card for her two sons and daughter. Time passed by quickly as she 　38   the many choices. She wanted a card that sent something special to each of them, 　39  she knew they would have a(n) 　40  place in their heart this holiday season.

Finally! She found the one that expressed the 　41  feeling. The words expressed the feelings that she wished to share. However, a sharp pain pierced(穿透) her heart when she realized that the card was 　42  “mom and dad.” She stood there, 　43  it close for a long time, unable to move from the 　44  . Tears began to run down her cheeks.

“Is there something I can do for you?” a 　45  voice asked. She 　46  to face a stranger, a woman, who was looking at her with 　47  and concern. “Uh…oh...OH!” Sandra responded, “I can’t give this card to my children because…because my husband died and this is the 　48  card.”

Hearing this, the stranger’s face softened with sympathy(同情) and love. She reached out and 　49  my sister into her arms, giving her unspoken permission to cry in the protection of her embrace(拥抱). She 　50  held my sister until her calmness 　51  . “Thank you for listening to me cry on,” was what my sister said when all was better. “You are welcome, and I am so sorry for your 　52  ,” the stranger answered and said goodbye to her.

During her telling of this event I was feeling 　53  that I hadn’t been there. My sister needed me and a stranger had to do my 　54  .  “You know,” she went on, “a friend suggested that it was like meeting with an Angel.” My 　55  disappeared in an instant. My sister required an Angel, and I think that is exactly what she got.

I can’t give you an answer right now. I’d like        more time to consider my decision.

       A．still                    B．fairly                  C．quite                   D．a lot

Richard Gray was a famous explorer.He was also a millionaire.He had visited every country in the world.He had crossed the Antarctic,flown across the Atlantic by balloon,and climbed Mount Everest.Last year he decided to walk across Death Valley,the hottest place on Earth.He walked for days over the hot desert sand.One night he found the camp where he had been the night before.Gray had walked in a circle.He was lost.?

Two days later he had drunk all his water.He couldn’t walk.He crawled to the top of a sand dune,and there he saw a man.The man was wearing smart,clean trousers,a white shirt and a tie.Gray crawled over to him.?

“Water...water...”he said.?

“I’m terribly sorry,old boy,”replied the man,“but I haven’t got any water with me.”?

“Help me!”shouted Gary,“I’m a rich man...a millionaire... I’ll give you anything.”?

“That’s very nice of you,old boy,”said the man.“Look,I can’t give you any water,but would you like to buy my tie?”?

“A tie?Of course not!”screamed Gray,and crawled away.He crawled slowly up the next sand dune.His mouth was full of sand.His lips were cracked and dry.He couldn’t breathe.He reached the top of the dune and there he saw a huge good hotel.Girls were swimming in the large swimming pool.Beautiful fountains were all around the hotel.

“Is it a mirage?”he thought.“Am I dying?”He stood up and staggered down the dune.?

A waiter in a shining white uniform came out of the door.?

“Water...water...a bath! Food!”screamed Gray.?

“I’m sorry,you can’t come into this hotel,”said the waiter.?

“Why not?I’ve got plenty of money.I’m a millionaire.”?

“Ah,”replied the waiter,“but you aren’t wearing a tie,”?

1.The famous explorer ________.?

A.had crossed the Antarctic and the Atlantic by balloon?

B.had traveled all over the world?

C.had walked across Death Valley?

D.had ever been a millionaire?

2.Death Valley is ________.?

A.a valley where people may die from loss of ?

B.a dead place where people dare not go?

C.a terribly hot valley where people may die of heat?

D.a place’s name?

3.The man offered to sell his tie to Gray because ________.?

A.he wished to get some money from Gray?

B.Gray was a rich man?

C.he didn’t have any water with him?

D.he thought a millionaire needed to wear a tie?

4.If Gray ________,he would have got some water to drink in the hotel.?

A.had got a lot of money with him?

B.had put on his tie at once?

C.had said he was a famous millionaire?

D.had bought the tie from the man?