A 70-year study of personality suggests that pessimism is a risk factor for early death, especially among men.
　　The study results also indicate that pessimism can be linked to increased risk for sudden death from accidents or violence, according to the report published in the March issue of Psychological Science.
　　Christopher Peterson of the University of Michigan and his colleagues analyzed data from the Terman Life-Cycle Study, which began by studying California public-school children with high IQs in 1921 and followed them through their life. Most of the 1,528 children were teenagers when the study began. Those still living are now in their 80s. In 1936 and 1940, participants were asked to complete a questionnaire designed to obtain information about difficult life events and their effect on overall outlook. One such question was, “What do you regard as your most serious fault of personality or character?”
　　Pessimists were defined as fatalistic(宿命论的)people who tend to blame themselves when things go wrong and who believe that one bad event can ruin the rest of their life. They also tend to expect bad things to happen to them and feel that they have little or no ability to change their situation.
　　Males were more likely than females to be classified as pessimistic. Compared with individuals with a more cheerful and optimistic outlook, pessimists were more likely to die from accidents and violence (including suicide).
　　A pessimistic personality may lead to poor problem-solving ability, social difficulties and risky decision-making. Taken together, these variables put the pessimist at higher risk of untimely(不适时的) death, say the researchers. Such a person is less likely to avoid or escape potentially dangerous situations, the researchers concluded. “A pessimistic way of thinking in which people worry too much about bad events, predicts untimely death decades later,” according to Peterson.
【小题1】According to the passage, you may be a pessimistic person, if one failure makes you feel________.

Competition，they　believe，＿＿the　national　character　than　corrupt　it．

A)enforces?     B)confirms         C)intensifies?       D)strengthens

A Hollywood movie was met with an awkward situation last Saturday in China. While fans are standing in long queues to watch the first show, others are advocating a boycott（抵制）on the American movie with Chinese story elements.

　　After "Kung Fu Panda", a cartoon movie telling about a panda’s Kung Fu master journey, hit China’s silver screens in 2008, its sequel (续集), Kung Fu Panda 2, was released in China just ahead of International Children’s Day, adding more Chinese elements such as shadow play (皮影戏) and lion dancing.

　　However, some Chinese artists and scholars argue that the movie has twisted (扭曲) Chinese culture and serves as a tool to "kidnap (绑架)" the mind of the Chinese people.

　　“Children’s Day should be pure. Don’t turn it into a money-making day for Hollywood, and don’ t fool our next generation with American fast food,” according to an open letter to Chinese cinema managers written by Zhao Bandi, an artist hoping to boycott the “Americanized” movie. His move is backed by Kong Qingdong, a professor of the Chinese language in Beijing University, who said Chinese elements have become advertising products to advocate American culture. "It is a cultural invasion," said Kong.

　　In the movie, the main character called “Po,” a panda, is talkative, humorous, lovely, and is widely believed to be a typical American figure.

　　However, the panda has won millions of fans in China. On China’s most popular website, comments on the movie reached nearly 270 million entries.

　　“I won’t call it a cultural invasion,” said Li Jiayi, a Beijing university student. “I see nothing bad for others to use our cultural elements to make a movie. I’ m a huge fan of Po. In spite of being a cartoon, it is still loved by many adults like me,” said the 25-year-old after watching the first show at midnight.

　 Cao Hui, general manager of Shenzhen Global Digital Creations company, said: “instead of a

‘boycott’, movie producers should learn from the movie to make better use of Chinese story elements. Technically, Kung Fu Panda is not more advanced than Chinese movies, but as for story telling skills, Chinese movies have a long way to go”.

1.Some artists and scholars are against "Kung Fu Panda" because they think_____.

A. it has added too many Chinese elements

B. it has ruined Chinese image deliberately

C. it is an exact copy of Chinese culture

D. it is advertising American culture

2.What does the underlined word “backed” in the fourth paragraph mean?

A. supported       B. criticized       C. released        D. resisted

3.This passage can be classified as _________.

A. an advertisement   B. a feature story　　C. a news report      D. a film review

What is your favorite color? Do you like yellow, orange or red? If you do, you must be an optimist (乐观者), a leader, an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer grays (灰色) and blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy and you would rather follow than lead. If you love green, you are strong-minded and determined (意志坚定的). You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful. At least this is what psychologists (心理学家) tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of color preference (爱好), and the effect (影响) that colors have on human beings. They tell us that we don't choose our favorite color as we grow up. If you happen to love brown, you did so as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly.

　　 A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful (开心的) and more comfortable (舒服的) than a dark green one, and a red dress rings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black is depressing (压抑). Light and bright colors make people not only happier but more active. It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or dark gray.

　　 Remember, then, that if you feel low, you can always brighten your day or your life with a new shirt or a few colorful things. Remember also that you will know your friends and your enemies better when you find out what colors they like and dislike. And don't forget that anyone can guess a lot about your character when you choose a piece of handkerchief.

1.According to this passage, _________.

　 A. one can choose his color preference　　

　 B. one is born with his color preference

　 C. one's color preference is changeable

　 D. one has to choose his favorite color as soon as he can see clearly

2.We would pay attention to colors because _______.

　 A. colors do have effect on our moods(情绪)

　 B. colors may have effect on our work and study

　 C. light and bright colors make people happy

　 D. you can know your friends better by the colors they like or dislike

3. The main idea of this passage is ________.

　 A. one's color preference shows one's character

　 B. you can brighten your life with wonderful colors

　 C. psychologists have been studying the meaning of color preference

　 D. one's color preference has something to do with his character and colors have effects on human beings

4. "I am feeling black" means ______.

　 A. I am feeling well 　　　　        B. I am very happy 　　

   C. I am excited 　　                 D. I am depressed

The British policeman has several nicknames, but the most frequently used are"copper"and"bobby". The first name comes from the verb "cop" meaning "to take" or "capture", and thesecond comes from the first name of Sir Robert Peel, a 19th century politician, who was the founder of the police force. An early nickname for the policeman was "peeler", but this name had died out.

　Visitors to England seem，nearly always, to be very impressed by the English police. In fact, it has become a joke that the visitors to Britain, when asked for his views of the country, will always say，at some point or other, "I think your policemen are wonderful."

　Well, the British bobby may not always be wonderful but he is usually a very friendly and helpful character.

　A music-hall song of some years ago was called, "If you want to know the time, ask a policeman." Nowadays, most people own watches but they still seem to find plenty of other questions to ask the policeman. In London, the policemen spend so much of their time directing visitors about the city that one wonders how they ever find time to do anything else!

1. The British policeman has _______ nicknames mentioned in the passage.

　A. five       B. two       C. three           D. ten

2.One of the nicknames for the policeman, "peeler" _______ .

　A. is the name of a politician

　B. is most frequently used sometimes

　C. is not used any more

　D. is still used as much as "bobby"

3. "If you want to know the time, ask a policeman." That means _______ .

　A. the British policeman is friendly and helpful

　B. the British policeman has plenty of time to help people

　C. people usually think that the policeman always knows the time

　D. it is a duty for the policeman to tell people the time

4.Which of the following is NOT true?

　A. The British policeman has some nicknames.

　B. The British policeman is wonderful.

　C. Only the British policeman knows the time very well.

　D. The British policeman is ready to help people.