The way people hold to the belief that a fun - filled, pain free life equals happiness actually reduces their chances of ever attaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equal to happiness then pain must be equal to unhappiness. But in fact, the opposite is true: more often than not things that lead to happiness involve some pain.
As a result, many people avoid the very attempts that are the source of true happiness. They fear the pain inevitably(不可避免的)brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment (义务), self - improvement.
Ask a bachelor(单身汉)why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he is honest he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure, excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features.
Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three - day vacation. I don’t know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children. But couples who decide not to have children never know the joys of watching a child grow up or of playing with a grandchild.
Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations. It liberates（解放） time: now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates money: buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those who are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all.
1. According to the author, a bachelor resists marriage chiefly because _______ .
A. he finds more fun in dating than in marriage
B. he believes that life will be more cheerful if he remains single
C. he is reluctant to take on family responsibilities
D. he fears it will put an end to all his fun adventure and excitement
2. Raising children, in the author’s opinion is ________ .
A. a rewarding task                  B. a thankless job
C. a moral duty                     D. a source of inevitable pain
3. From the last paragraph, we learn that envy sometimes stems from(由…造成)________ .
A. hatred　　 B. ignorance      C. prejudice(偏见)　　　D. misunderstanding
4. To understand what true happiness is one must ________ .
A. have as much fun as possible during one’s lifetime
B. be able to distinguish happiness from fun
C. put up with pain under all circumstances
D. make every effort to liberate oneself from pain
5. What is the author trying to tell us?
A. It is important to make commitments     B. One must know how to attain happiness.
C. Happiness often goes hand in hand with pain.   D. It is pain that leads to happiness.

When a group of children politely stop a conversation with you, saying: “We have to go to work now,” you’re left feeling surprised and certainly uneasy. After all, this is the 1990s and the idea of children working is just unthinkable. That is, until you are told that they are all pupils of stage schools, and that the “work” they go off to is to go on the stage in a theatre.

　　Stage schools often act as agencies（代理机构）to supply children for stage and television work. More worthy of the name “stage school” are those few places where children attend full time, with a training for the theatre and a general education.

　　A visit to such schools will leave you in no doubt that the children enjoy themselves. After all, what lively children wouldn’t settle for spending only half the day doing ordinary school work, and acting, singing or dancing their way through the other half of the day?

　Then of course there are times for the children to make a name and make a little money in some big shows. Some stage schools give their children too much professional work at such a young age. But the law is very tight on the amount they can do. Those under 13 are limited to 40 days in the year; those over 13 to 80 days.

　The schools themselves admit that not all children will be successful in the profession for which they are being trained. So what happens to those who don’t make it? While all the leading schools say they place great importance on children getting good study results, the facts seem to suggest this is not always the case.

　People would stop feeling uneasy when realizing that the children they’re talking to________.

　　  A. attend a stage school　　　　  B. are going to the theatre

　　  C. have got some work to do 　　  D. love singing and dancing

　　 In the writer’s opinion, a good stage school should ________.

　　  A. produce star performers

　　  B. help pupils improve their study skills

　　  C. train pupils in language and performing arts

　　  D. provide a general education and stage training.

　“Professional work” as used in the text means ________.

　　  A. ordinary school work　　　　　  B. money-making performances

　　  C. stage training at school 　 　  D. acting, singing or dancing after class

　 Which of the following best describes how the writer feels about stage schools?

　　  A. He thinks highly of what they have to offer.　　　　

　　  B. He favours an early start in the training of performing arts.

　　  C. He feels uncomfortable about children putting on night shows.

　　  D. He doubts the standard of ordinary education they have reached.

Taiwan police cannot decide whether to treat it as an extremely clever act of stealing or an even cleverer cheat. Either way, it could be the perfect crime, because the criminals are birds—horning pigeons!
The crime begins with a telephone message to the owner of a stolen car: if you want the car back, pay up then, the car owner is directed to a park, told where to find a bird cage and how to attach money to the neck of the pigeon inside. Carrying the money in a tiny bag, the pigeon flies off.
There have been at least four such pigeon pick-ups in Changwa. What at first seemed like the work of a clever stay-at-home car thief, however, may in fact be the work of an even lazier and more inventive criminal mind—one that avoid not only collecting money but going out to steal the car in the first place . Police officer Chen says that the criminal probably has pulled a double trick: he gets money for things he cannot possibly return. Instead of stealing cars, he lets someone else do it and then waits for the car-owner to place an ad in the newspaper asking for help.
The theory is supported by the fact that, so far, none of the stolen cars have been returned. Also, the amount of money demanded-under 3,000 Taiwanese dollars –seems too little for a car worth many times more.
Demands for pigeon-delivered money stopped as soon as the press reported the story. And even if they start again, Chen holds little hope of catching the criminal. “We have more important things to do,” he said.
1. After the car owner received a phone call. He ______.
A. went to a certain pigeon and put some money in the bag it carried
B. gave the money to the thief and had his car back in a park
C. sent some money to the thief by mail            
D. told the press about it
2. The “lazier and more inventive” criminal refers to ______.
A. the car thief who stays at home                    
B. one of those who put the ads in the paper
C. one of the policemen in Changwa          
D. the owner of the pigeons
3. The writer mentions the fact that “none of the stolen cars have been returned” to show_____.
A. how easily people get fooled by criminals     
B. what Chen thinks might be correct
C. the thief is extremely clever                         
D. the money paid is too little
4. The underlined word “they” in the last paragraph refers to ______.
A. criminals                          B. pigeons                 
C. the stolen cars                           D. demands for money
5. We may infer from the text that the criminal knows how to reach the car owners because______.
A. he reads the ads in the newspaper          
B. he lives in the same neighborhood
C. he has seen the car owners in the park           
D. he has trained the pigeons to follow them

If you are human, you can’t help but experience times when everything seems to be going wrong and you feel as if your life is completely out of control. It is during those “down times” that words of encouragement from family, friends, co-workers or even strangers can lighten your spirits. It is also during those times that destructive words can sink you deeper and deeper into depression.
For example, consider this story about a group of frogs who were traveling through the woods when two of them fell into a deep pit （坑）. All of the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two unfortunate frogs they would never get out.
The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump out of the pit. The other frogs kept telling them to stop. Finally, one of the frogs took heed of what the other frogs were saying and simply gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again the crowd of frogs shouted at him to stop the pain. The more they shouted, the harder he jumped and finally he made it to safety.
When he got out, the other frogs asked him why he continued to jump when they were all shouting at him to simply quit. The frog explained to them that he was a little bit deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.
Every time you have a chance to say either something positive or negative to another human being, do choose the chance to say something positive! Don’t let those opportunities get away from you. Your words have a large amount of power. Use them wisely. You really never know just how much they can mean to someone else.
68. The first paragraph tells us that words play an important part especially when         .
A. we stay with our family, friends and co-workers
B. we hear strangers say something to us
C. we get through hard times in life
D. we make some big mistakes
69. The underlined phrase “took heed of ” had the similar meaning with “     ”.
A. acted according to            B. had some doubt
C. held on to                   D. got used to
70. The more they shouted, the harder he jumped and finally he made it to safety. That’s because        .
A. he struggled to prove that they were wrong  
B. he thought they were encouraging him
C. he was angry with what they said              
D. he didn’t want to let them down
71. After reading the passage, readers should learn a lesson that        .
A. we can use encouraging words to help others out 
B. having a positive attitude is important in life
C. never give up until we win   D. we must believe in ourselves rather than others

请阅读下列短文，从每题 所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项的标号涂黑。

A

  One morning more than thirty years ago. I entered the Track Kitehen, a reandeant where everyone from the humblest (卑微的) to the most powerful came for breakfast. I noticed and empty chair next to an elderly. Unshaven man, who looked somewhat  disheveled. He was wearing a worn-out hat and was alone, I asked if I might join him. He agreed quietly and I sat down to have my breakfast.

  We cautiously began a conversation and spoke about a wide range of things. We never introduced ourselves. I was concemed that he might are no money and not be able to afford something to eat. So as I rose to go back to the counter and buy a second cup of coffee , I asked.

  “ May I get you something ? ”

  “ A coffee would he nice . ”

  Then I bought him a cup of coffee. We talked more, and he accepted another cup of coffee. Finally, I rose to leave, wished him well, and beaded for the exit. At the door I met one of my friends. He asked.

  “ How did yountre to know Mr.Galbreath? ”

  “ XXX ? ”

  “ The man you were sitting with. He is chairman of the Board of Churchill Downs. ”

  I could hardly believe it . I was buying, offering a free breakfast, and feeling pity for one of the world’s richest and most powerful men ! ”

  My few minutes with Mr. Galbreath changed my life. Now I try to treat everyone with respect .no matter who I think they are, and to meet another human being with kindness and XXX.

56. wint ar underhand word “dishevcled mean?

  A.ybtendly

  B.unndy

  C.centle

  D.kned

57.The author beght coffce for the old man because ______.

  A.he wought the old man was poor

  B.he wanted to start a conserstion

  C.he intended to how his politeness

  D.he would like to thank the old man

58.How did the auther probably feel after he talked with his friend?

  A.Proud

  B.Pitiful

  C.Surpricd

D.Rectful

59.What is the inegge mainly expressed in the story?

  A.we should learn to he generous

  B.It is honorable to help those in need.

  C.People in high postans are not like what we expect[来源:学&科&网Z&X&X&K]

  D.We should avoid judging people by their appearances.