I was feeling a little blue. My mother had been laid off from her job, but she said she was OK since her boss wasn't the nicest person   36   .

I got off the college bus and started walking. That's   37   I heard piano music and singing rising above the   38  of the people and the traffic. I walked a little slower   39  I could find out where it was coming from.   40  the crowd I saw a young lady sitting at a piano with a   41  next to her, singing songs about love. The way she was singing   42  me a bit. I stood there watching her   43  for about fifteen minutes, thinking that it must take   44  to perform on her own in public.

Feeling my presence, she looked in my   45  . I walked over and put some money in her carriage. “I have been going through a   46  time lately, but you’ve made me hopeful again.”

"I'm happy that I could   47  . Why are you so sad?"

"Well, my mum had got   48  from her job, but I’m not sure what to do….”

"You see, the way you were   49  ," she explained. “Don't look defeated,   50  come in different ways. If your head is down you might never see it. Smile more ...   51  your head up."

I smiled slightly, amazed by how she was   52  me.

“Why are you playing here?” I asked.

“I am not making music. I study psychology. I often see many   53  people and hope to relieve their   54  and make them think positively by sharing music.”

I smiled a little wider. She was doing a good thing. My heart was touched by a   55  soul.

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.
【小题1】What does the author intend to say in the second paragraph?

—I often see him working hard in his spare time.

—________he has won the scholarship from time to time.

A. No wonder           B. No doubt       C. No way         D. No problem

I was feeling a little blue. My mother had been laid off from her job, but she said she was OK since her boss wasn't the nicest person   36 .

I got off the college bus and started walking. That's  37  I heard piano music and singing rising above the  38 of the people and the traffic. I walked a little slower  39 I could find out where it was coming from.   40 the crowd I saw a young lady sitting at a piano with a   41 next to her, singing songs about love. The way she was singing  42 me a bit. I stood there watching her   43 for about fifteen minutes, thinking that it must take  44 to perform on her own in public.

Feeling my presence, she looked in my  45 . I walked over and put some money in her carriage. “I have been going through a   46  time lately, but you’re made me hopeful again.”

"I'm happy that I could   47 . Why are you so sad?"

"Well, my mum had got  48 from her job, but I’m not sure what to do….”

"You see, the way you were   49 ," she explained. “Don't look defeated,   50  comes in different ways. If your head is down you might never see it. Smile more ...   51  your head up."

I smiled slightly, amazed by how she was  52 me.

“Why are you playing here?” I asked.

“I am not making music. I study psychology. I often see many  53  people and hope to relieve their   54  and make them think positively by sharing music.”

I smiled a little wider. She was doing a good thing. My heart was touched by a   55 soul.

I often see lights in that empty house. Do you think I _______ report it to the police ?

A. should          B. may         C. will         D. can