Decisions, decisions! Our lives are full of them, from the small ones to the life-changing. The right to choose is central to everyone. Yet sometimes we make bad decisions that leave us unhappy or full of regret. Can science help?

Most of us know little about the mental processes that lie behind our decisions. Luckily, what psychologists(心理学家)are finding may help us all make better choices. Here are some of their amazing discoveries to help you make up your mind.

Consider your emotions. You might think that emotions are the enemy of decision making, but in fact they are a part of it. Whenever you make up your mind, your brain’s emotional centre is active. University of Southern California scientist, Antonio Damasio, has studied people with damage to only the emotional parts of their brains , and found that they were unable to make basic choices about what to wear or eat. Damasia thinks this may be because our brains store emotional memories of past choice, which we use to help the present decision-making.

However, making choices under the influence of an emotion can greatly affect the result. Take anger, for example. A study by Nitika Garg of the University of Mississippi and other scientists found the angry shoppers were more likely to choose the first thing they were offered rather than considering other choices. It seems that anger can lead us to make quick decisions without much thinking.

All emotions affect our thinking and motivation（动机），so it may be best to avoid making important decisions under their influence. Yet strangely there is one emotion that seems to help us make good choices. The American researchers found that sad people took time to consider the various choices on offer, and ended up making the best choices. In fact many studies show that people who feel unhappy have the most reasonable view of the world.

51. According to the text, what may help us make better decisions?

　 A. To think about happy times.　　　　　

　 B. To make many decisions at a time.

　 C. To stop feeling regretful about the past.　　　　 　

　 D. To learn about the process of decision-making.

52. What does the underlined word “central” mean?

　 A. 中心的　　　 B.中央的　 　C.起决定作用的　 　 D.后悔的

53.Damasia’s study suggests that ________.

　 A. emotions are the enemy of decision making.

　 B. our brain has nothing to do with decision making.

　 C. people with physical damage find it hard to make up their minds.

　 D. our emotional memories of past choices can affect present decisions.

54.Why are angry shoppers more likely to choose the first thing they are offered?

　 A. They often forget their past choices.　　 　　　

　 B. They make decisions without much thinking.

　 C. They tend to save time when shopping.　　 　　　

　 D. They are too angry to bargain.

55. What do we learn from the text?

　 A. Emotions are a part of decision-making.

　 B. Sad people always make worse choices.

　 C. No emotion seems to help us make good choices.

　 D. Only sad feeling affect our thinking and motivation.

Once upon a time all feelings went to an island for a vacation, and each was having a good time. Suddenly, a warning of a strong storm was announced ,so all rushed to their boats. Yet, Love did not wish to run away quickly. There was so much to do. But as the clouds darkened, Love realized it was time to leave. But there were no boats to spare. Love looked around with hope.

Just then Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love shouted, "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."

Love decided to ask Vanity(虚荣) who was also passing by in a beautiful boat for help, But Vanity said with a cold voice, “No, I can’t take you with me. My boat will get dirty with your mummy feet.”

Sorrow passed by after some time. Again, Love asked for help. But it was useless. “No, I can’t take you with me. I am so sad. I want to be by myself.”

When Happiness passed by a few minutes later, Love again called for help. But Happiness was so happy that it hardly concerned about anyone else.

Love was growing restless and hopeless. Just then somebody called out, “Come, Love, I will take you with me.” Love did not know who was being so kind, but jumped onto the boat happily.

After getting off the boat, Love met Knowledge. Love asked, “Knowledge, do you know who was so kind to give me a lift when no one else wished to help?”

Knowledge smiled, "Oh, that was Time,"

"Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?" Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."

46. According to the passage, which one did not go to an island for a vacation?

A. Love.       B. Richness.     C. Vanity      D. Knowledge

47. Which word has the same meaning as “Sorrow”?

A. Worry       B. Anger         C. Sadness     D. Smile

48. Other feelings passed by Love in their boats one by one. Which is the right order according to the passage?

A. Richness→Vanity→Sorrow→Happiness→Time       

B. Richness→Happiness→Sorrow→Vanity→Time    

C. Time →Richness→Vanity→Sorrow→Happiness      

D. Richness→Happiness→Vanity→Sorrow→Time

49. What can we learn from the passage?

A. When we are rich, we may pay more attention to Love.

B. All the feelings are important in our life except Love.

C. As time goes by, we can realize the importance of Love.

D. When we are in happiness and sorrow, we shouldn’t remember Love.

50. What’s the best title for the passage?

A. the Importance of Love.        B. Feelings on the Island.

C. Helpless Love.                 D. Helpful Time.

I learned how to accept life as it is from my father. 31 . he did not teach me acceptance when he was strong and healthy, but rather when he was 32 and ill .
　 My father was 33 a strong man who loved being active. But a terrible illness 34 all that away. Now he can no longer walk. And he must sit quietly in a chair all day. Even talking is 35 . One night, I went to visit him with my sisters. I told them about one of my beliefs. I said that we must very often give things up 36 we grow our youth, our beauty, our friends, but it always 37 that after we give something up. We gain something new in its place. Then suddenly my father spoke up, “But, Peter, I gave up 38 !What did I gain?” I thought and thought, but I could not think of anything to say. 39 he answered his own question: “I 40 the love of my family.” I looked at my sisters and saw tears in their eyes along with hope and thankfulness.
　　I was also 41 by his words. After that, when I began to feel irritated (恼怒的) at someone, I would remember his words and become 42 . If he could replace his great pain with a feeling of love for others, then I should be 43 to give up my small irritations. In this 44 . I learned the power of acceptance from my father.
　　Sometimes I 45 what other things I could have learned from him if I had listened more carefully when I was a boy. For now, though I am grateful for this one gift.
31. A. Certainly 　　　 B. Therefore 　　　　　C. However 　　　　 D. Meanwhile
32. A. tired 　　　　　 B. weak 　　　　　　　 C. poor 　　　　　　D. slow
33. A. already 　　　　 B. still 　　　　　　　C. only 　　　　　　D. once
34. A. took　　 　　　 B. threw 　　　　　　　C. sent 　　　　　　D. put
35. A. stressful　　　 B. difficult 　　　　　C. impossible 　　　D. hopeless
36. A. as　　　　　　　 B. since 　　　　　　　C. before 　　　　　D. till
37. A. suggests 　　　　B. promises 　　　　　 C. seems　　　　　 D. requires
38. A. something　　　 B. anything 　　　　　 C. nothing　　　　 D. everything
39. A. surprisingly 　　B. immediately 　　　 C. naturally　　　　 D. certainly
40. A. had 　　　　　　 B. accepted 　　　　　C. gained 　　　　　 D. enjoyed
41. A. touched 　　　　 B. astonished 　　　　C. attracted　　　 D. warned
42. A. quiet　　　　　 B. calm 　　　　　　　C. relaxed 　　　　　D. happy
43. A. ready 　　　　　 B. likely　　　　　　 C. free　　　　　　 D. able
44. A. case 　　　　　　B. form 　　　　　　　C. method 　　　　　 D. way
45. A. doubt 　　　　　 B. wonder　　　　　　 C. know 　　　　　　 D. guess　　　

 —I dislike shopping online, I prefer to actually see and touch what I`m buying before I pay for it, especially for clothes and shoes

—That’s right.___________.                                                    

A. Seeing is believing                      B. Clothes do not make the man

C. The first step is always the hardest          D. You are never too old to learn

 — They say there’s a new clothes store nearby.                           

— Yes, and it________ for no more than two weeks.

A. has been open     B. opens      C. is opening         D. opened

—Do you have the new iPad?

—Sorry, they have been______. You may come next week.　　　　　　　　

A. given out　　 　 B. looked out　　 C. come out　　　 D. sold out

 —We’ll go to Zhejiang University tomorrow. Where shall we meet?            

—Please wait _____ the bus stop near the book shop.                   

A. for          B. in          C. at         D. on

—Could you tell me_______________? I’ll meet you at the airport.

—At 11:00 am.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

A. what time will you arrive　　　　　 B. what time you will arrive

C. what your flight number is　　　　 D. what is your flight number

—Have you found the information about Bill Gates________ you can use for the report?

—Not yet. I’ll search some on the Internet.　　　　　

　 A. who　　　　 B. what　　　　　 C. whom　　　　 D. which

—_______ will the new building be finished ?　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

—In 2 years. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

A. How soon　　 B. How long　　　　 C. How often　　　　 D. How far