Happiness is important for everyone. Most people want to be happy but few know how to find happiness. Money and success don’t bring lasting happiness. Happiness depends on ourselves. In other words, we make our own happiness.

Some people believe that if they are wealthy, they will be able to do anything they want, which means happiness. On the other hand, some people believe that holding a high position in the government is happiness. In this way, you have not only money, but also many other things which can’t be bought by money. However, other people believe that having lots of money is not happiness, nor is holding a high position in the government. These people value(重视 ) their beliefs, or their intelligence, or their health. They think these can make them happy.

Here are a few ways to help you be happier.

The first secret of happiness is to enjoy the simple things in life. Too often, we spend so much time thinking about the future, for example, getting into college or getting a good job, that we don’t enjoy the present. You should enjoy life’s simple pleasures, such as reading a good book, listening to your favorite music, or spending time with close friends. People who have close friends usually enjoy happier and healthier lives.

The second secret of happiness is to be active. Many people go dancing or play sports. People can forget about their problems and only think about the activities.

Finally, many people find happiness in helping others. According to studies, people feel good when they volunteer their time to do many meaningful things for other people. If you want to feel happier, do something nice for someone. You can help a friend with his or her studies, go shopping to get food for an old neighbor, or simply help around the house.

Now maybe you know how to find happiness!

1.The underlined word “wealthy” means “      ” in the article.

2.Some people who hold a high position in the government think they can _______.

3.The writer thinks the secret of happiness is that people _______.

4.Many people find it happy to ______.

5.The passage mainly tells us _______.

Happiness is important for everyone. Most people want to be happy but few know how to find happiness. Money and success don’t bring lasting happiness. Happiness depends on ourselves. In other words, we make our own happiness.

Some people believe that if they are wealthy, they will be able to do anything they want, which means happiness. On the other hand, some people believe that holding a high position in the government is happiness. In this way, you have not only money, but also many other things which can’t be bought by money. However, other people believe that having lots of money is not happiness, nor is holding a high position in the government. These people value(重视) their beliefs, or their intelligence, or their health. They think these can make them happy.

Here are a few ways to help you be happier.

The first secret of happiness is to enjoy the simple things in life. Too often, we spend so much time thinking about the future, for example, getting into college or getting a good job, that we don’t enjoy the present. You should enjoy life’s simple pleasures, such as reading a good book, listening to your favorite music, or spending time with close friends. People who have close friends usually enjoy happier and healthier lives.

The second secret of happiness is to be active. Many people go dancing or play sports. People can forget about their problems and only think about the activities.

Finally, many people find happiness in helping others. According to studies, people feel good when they volunteer their time to do many meaningful things for other people. If you want to feel happier, do something nice for someone. You can help a friend with his or her studies, go shopping to get food for an old neighbor, or simply help around the house.

Now maybe you know how to find happiness!

1. The underlined word “wealthy” means “__________” in the article.

2. Some people who hold a high position in the government think they can _________.

3. The writer thinks the secret of happiness is that people ___________.

4. Many people find it happy to ___________.

5.The passage mainly tells us __________.

Happiness is important for everyone. Most people want to be happy but few know how to find happiness. Money and success don’t bring lasting happiness. Happiness depends on ourselves. In other words, we make our own happiness.

Some people believe that if they are wealthy, they will be able to do anything they want, which means happiness. On the other hand, some people believe that holding a high position in the government is happiness. In this way, you have not only money, but also many other things which can’t be bought by money. However, other people believe that having lots of money is not happiness, nor is holding a high position in the government. These people value(重视) their beliefs, or their intelligence, or their health. They think these can make them happy.

Here are a few ways to help you be happier.

The first secret of happiness is to enjoy the simple things in life. Too often, we spend so much time thinking about the future, for example, getting into college or getting a good job, that we don’t enjoy the present. You should enjoy life’s simple pleasures, such as reading a good book, listening to your favorite music, or spending time with close friends. People who have close friends usually enjoy happier and healthier lives.

The second secret of happiness is to be active. Many people go dancing or play sports. People can forget about their problems and only think about the activities.

Finally, many people find happiness in helping others. According to studies, people feel good when they volunteer their time to do many meaningful things for other people. If you want to feel happier, do something nice for someone. You can help a friend with his or her studies, go shopping to get food for an old neighbor, or simply help around the house.

Now maybe you know how to find happiness!

1. The underlined word “wealthy” means “__________” in the article.

2. Some people who hold a high position in the government think they can _________.

3. The writer thinks the secret of happiness is that people ___________.

4. Many people find it happy to ___________.

5.The passage mainly tells us __________.

Here is an interview with a painter. Read and choose the best.
Reporter:Mr Shum, you were one of Taiwan’s most outstanding youths last year. Why was that?
Mr Shum:Well, I can tell you that there are two reasons.First, I am a painter. Second, and more important reason is I am handicapped﹙残疾的﹚。I have no arms and only one leg.
Reporter:Well, how do you paint then if you’ve got no arms? Do you use your foot?
Mr Shum:Hah! For some handicapped people, it’s true and they are able to use their feet.No,I use my mouth. I put my paintbrush or my crayons or pencils or whatever I am using in my mouth. I hold it firmly in my teeth and paint or draw like that. It was a little strange for me at first, but it quickly became very easy.
Reporter:I know you feel that you are first a painter and only secondly that you are a disablbed person, but can we talk first about your handicap?
Mr Shum:Well,in fact I think of myself firstly as a person, secondly as a painter and thirdly as someone with a physical handicap. Can I say that I am not happy with the word “handicapped”?
I am a popular painter because my paintings are good, not because they were painted by a handicapped person. “handicapped”means you can’t do anything. It is difficult for me to do some things like getting dressed.
Reporter: Were you born with your handicap?
Mr Shum:No. An accident happened to me when I was 15 years old.After that I became depressed﹙沮丧﹚and even tried to end my life, but my mother was always there for me.
【小题1】Mr Shum is a painter who has no ____.

It is very important to be able to control（控制) yourself. Losing control may bring things that you would never want to see. We can learn something from the following story.

　 Once a boy often made trouble. His mother gave him many nails（钉子）. She told him to hammer（锤，钉）one in the garden fence every time he lost his patience and fought with someone. The first day he hammered 27 nails. In the following weeks he learned how to control himself better and the number of nails hammered became smaller and smaller. He learned it was easier to control himself than to hammer nails.

　 The day finally came when he didn’t hammer any nails. He went to tell his mother about it. Then his mother told him to pull off a nail from the fence each time he didn’t lose his patience. After some days he told his mother that all the nails had been pulled off, Thus, she took him to the fence and said to him, “You’ve behaved well, but look at all the holes in the fence. The fence will never be again like it was before. When you fight with someone, you leave wounds（伤口）in him like these. The trouble may be over, but the wounds will always be there.”

　 So, learn to control yourself before you hammer the nail in the fence. Try not to leave any holes in your past.

(　 ) 51. Why did the mother give her son nails?

　 A. To put the garden fence right.　　　　 B. To help him understand something.　　　　

　 C. To put them away.　　　　　　　　　 D. To make him lose patience.

(　 ) 52. When did the boy hammer a nail?

A. When he brought things to his mother.　　 B. When he repaired his fence.

C. When he fought with others.　　　　　　 D. When he leave a hole in the garden.

(　 ) 53. What’s the best title of this passage?

A.A Special Way My Mother taught me　　　 B. How to Hammer Nails

C. How to Pull Off a Nail　　　　　　　　 D. Never Fight with Others

Performing better under pressure

What is the most stressful thing in school? It is probably exams．1.．??????? But some students succeed under pressure，while others struggle．So，why do some students perform better under stress?

It all comes down to dopamine （多巴胺）． Dopamine is a chemical in our body that sends signals （信号） in the brain．It has many important roles：affecting memory，attention and how we learn．2.．???????

Our brains control dopamine in two ways．It either takes out dopamine quickly，or gradually．Exam success can be linked to how fast dopamine goes back to a balance，according to new research from the University of Missouri，reported Yahoo．

???? 3.．?????? If you become stressed，your brain will start to overload （起负荷） on dopamine．It is like a cup overflowing with water．The quicker you are able to go back to a balance of dopamine，the quicker you can concentrate．4.．??????

Researchers found that，during a test，people who slowly got back to a balance of dopamine scored 8 percent lower． That’s me difference between a good mark and a bad mark．

??? But don't fear，there is good news for every student．5.．???? So，it turns out that practice really makes perfect．

根据短文内容，从下面五个选项中选出能填入文中空缺处的最佳选项，使短文意思通顺、内容完整，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

A．This will help you perform better on a test．

B．Exams can put us under a lot of pressure．

C．The study also found that the more practice you get，the less stressed you’ll be．

D．What happens when we take an exam?

E．Our brains work best when there is a balance of dopamine—not too much or too little．