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Most people have some regret that they just can’t seem to get rid of. But holding on to regret about the past that can’t be changed can have a bad impact on the possibility of a happy future. Regret is a waste of time, emotion and energy. To make sure that your life is a successful one, you need to take action to live in a way that you have no regret holding you back.
Some people make very big decisions with very little consideration at all, and as a result they often regret their decisions. Before choosing a college major, getting married or accepting a job, you must carefully consider all conditions and make a conscious decision rather than a careless one. Big decisions aren’t the only ones that require forethought, though. Before you become angry and say something you will regret later, think about what you’re going to say.
Some of things will be easy to do and some will be hard, but keep your eyes on the prize of living a successful life without regret, and you’ll find that achieving your goals might be easier than you think. But don’t just daydream about those goals — make an actual list, written down in black and white, and refer to it now and then to see what you have left to do.
When you’re feeling happy and full of energy, taking care of yourself isn’t a problem. But in those days when you feel like crawling beneath the bed and never coming out again, you still must take care of yourself. You can do what you want and don’t get angry with yourself about your shortcomings. On the contrary, you just admit them and try to change them and move on. Improving your mental health is just as important as taking care of yourself physically.
Keep those who are important to you very close and be sure to let them know how important they are to you. Family, friends, co-workers and people who are as close as your families are your lifelines that you can depend on whenever you need them to help you remember what’s important in life. You should make sure of repairing your relationships with your friends if something bad happens.
Last but not least, learn to give yourself some relaxation（放松） and not to waste your time regretting things you cannot change. Treat those things properly and move on. Life is hard, but it is precious. Don’t waste time regretting the past, or your future will get here before you know it.

Is it time to kick Russia out of the BRICs （金砖四国）? If so, it may end up sounding like a famous ball-point pen maker-BIC. An argument is being made that Goldman Sach’s famous marketing device（策略）,the BRICs, should really be the BICs.
“Is Russia really worth the name BRICs?” asks Anders Aslund, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, in an article for Foreigh Policy. Aslund, who is also co-author with Andrew Kuchins of “The Russian Balance Sheet”, thinks the Russia of Putin and Medvedev is just not worthy of inclusion alongside Brazil, India and China in the list of future economic powerhouses. He writes:
“The country’s economic performance has fallen to such a weak level that one must ask whether it has any say at all on the global economy, compared with the other members of its group. I have just returned from Moscow, which is always dull around this season. For the last seven years, Russia has taken very few measures to improve its economy. Instead, the state has been living on oil and gas. ”
Economically, Aslund has the numbers on his side. The International Monetary Fund figures that the Russian economy will fall by 6.7 percent in 2009, while China will grow 8.5 percent and India 5.4 percent. There is less of a case for Brazil, with a fall of 0.7 percent, but it is still doing
far better than Russia.
But the BRICs are not just about economy. As is mentioned above, it is a marketing device to encourage investors to focus on the big promising players. From an investment standpoint, it could be argued that Russia is leading the BRICs. Its stock（股票）market is up 128 percent this year while around 80 percent is for the other three.
At very least, however, Russia’s economic underperformance and stock market outperfoumance does suggest it is indeed one of the group.
【小题1】According to the passage, which country will enjoy the biggest increase in 2009?

Edinburgh Mela

Time: 25th – 31st August 2008

Tel / Fax: 0131 557 1400

E-mail: info@edinburgh-mela.co.uk

Website: www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk

Each year Edinburgh Mela is Scotland's biggest multicultural(多文化的) arts festival that celebrates in Scotland. Although Edinburgh Mela's roots are in South Asian cultures, this is a festival for everybody. Music, color, dance, art, fashion, food, children's activities, the Mela bazaar（集市）and much more!

Edinburgh International Book Festival

Time: 9th – 25th August 2008

Tel: 0131 718 5666

Fax: 0131 226 5335

E-mail: admin@edbookfest.co.uk

Website: www.edbookfest.co.uk

Edinburgh International Book Festival is the world's biggest book festival. We present different programs for both adults and children including discussions, lectures, debates and workshops, all in one of Edinburgh's most beautiful spaces, Charlotte Square Gardens.

Edinburgh International Festival

Time: 8th – 31st August 2008

Tel: + 44 (0) 131 473 2000

Fax: +44 (0) 131 473 2002

E-mail: eif@eif.co.uk

Website: www.eif@eif.co.uk

Each year the Edinburgh International Festival stages one of the greatest celebrations of the arts, attracting audiences from around the world to the city's exciting atmosphere. The festivities offer a special opportunity to experience the excitement of live performance by internationally well-known artists as well as the joy of discovering new and unfamiliar works.

Edinburgh International Science Festival

Time: 25th March-5th April 2008

Tel: 0131 558 7666                                

Fax: 0131 557 9177

E-mail: esf@scifest.demon.co.uk

Website: www.sciencefestival.co.uk

The UK's largest Science Festival is back with one of the most exciting line-ups in the Festival's 16-year history. The Science Festival is an unbelievable place for everyone, with events at all levels, all ages and all purses. On offer are 10 days of non-stop shows, workshops, presentations, hands-on activities, exhibitions and tours designed to amuse and entertain. Call our ticket hotline on 0131 557 5588.

1.According to the passage, the four festivals         .

A. are all about arts                      B. all happen in 2008 only

C. are all celebrated in Edinburgh D. are all mainly for children

2. What do we know about Edinburgh Mela?

A. It is deeply rooted in Edinburgh.      

B. It is a place to buy and sell things.

C. It shows kinds of cultures in Scotland.    

D. It offers a chance for you to buy books.

3. How many ways are available for you to get the information about each festival?

A. Only one.   B. Two.   C. Three.       D. Four.

When times get tough，we all look for ways to cut back.When we're hungry，we eat at home instead of going out.We take buses instead of taxis.And we wear our old designer jeans just a few months longer.With college expenses at all?time highs，high school students are eager to do anything to cut the cost of a university education.

One cost?cutting proposal is to allow college students to get a bachelor's degree in three years instead of four.Educational institutions have been actively exploring ways to make the learning process more efficient.But there's a question：Would the quality of undergraduate(本科生)education suffer？ Few US universities have formally approved a “three?year degree”model.

I doubt that mainstream North American colleges will carry out a three?year curriculum(课程)any time soon.For one thing，most universities already allow highly qualified students to graduate early by testing out of certain classes and obtaining a number of college credits(学分)．In addition，at famous universities，the committee who determine which courses are required and which courses are electives are unlikely to suddenly “throw out”one quarter of the required credits.Professors will resist “diluting(稀释)”the quality of the education they offer.

In my opinion，a quality four?year education is always superior to a quality three?year education.A college education requires sufficient time for a student to become skilled in their major and do coursework in fields outside their major.It is not a good idea to water down education，any more than it's not a good idea to water down medicine.If we want to help students find their way through university，we should help them understand early on what knowledge and skills they need to have upon graduation.We should allow students to test out of as many courses as possible.We should give them a chance to earn money as interns(实习生)in meaningful part?time jobs that relate to their university studies，such as the five?year co?op program at Northeastern University.

1.The first paragraph serves as a(n) ________.

A．explanation? ????????????? ????????????? ????????????? B．definition

C．introduction? ????????????? ????????????? ????????????? D．comment

2.In most US universities，________.

A．college students are offered the co?op program

B．electives' credits make up one quarter of the required credits

C．all students are required to finish four?year education before graduation

D．some excellent students can graduate ahead of time

3.We can infer that ________.

A．the author is a college professor

B．the author thinks the cost of a university education is too high for people to afford

C．the author considers the university education quality very important

D．the author pays special attention to the all?round development of college students

4.Which of the following can be the best title?

A．It's time to shorten the learning process

B．Best learning takes place over time

C．University education should be watered down

D．College education calls for reform

Marriages improve after children grow up and move out，according to an academic study, which suggests an “empty nest” is not always a bad thing.

Popular wisdom has it that parents’ relationships may suffer once their young fly the coop, because they feel they have lost their purpose in life.However, a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has found that many couples actually feel happier when their children leave home because they are able to enjoy spending time together.

In total,123 American mothers born in the 1930s were tracked for 18 years and asked to rate their satisfaction levels shortly after marrying, when they were bringing up babies, once their children reached their teenage years and finally at age 61, when almost all had “empty nests”．

Although not all said they were happier in general, most claimed their marriages had improved since their children had left home. Researchers believe this is not just because the spouses were spending more time together, but because they were able to enjoy each other’s company more.

One of the participants in the study，which is published in the journal Psychological Science，said：“Once the kids grow up...there’s some of that stress removed...that responsibility removed，so things are a little more relaxed.”

Psychologist Sara Gorchoff，who carried out the investigation，said: “The take­home message for couples with young children is ‘hang in there’．” Her co­author Oliver John added：“Don’t wait until your kids leave home to schedule quality time with your partner.”

However, Dr Dorothy Rowe，from the British Psychological Society，said the effects of living in an “empty nest” will depend on the parents’ relationship with their children.“If you’re just waiting for them to leave home so you can get on with your life，then of course you’ll be pleased to see them go,” she said, “But if you’ve built your life around your children you’ll be terribly lonely.For some parents，their world falls apart when their children leave.”

1.It is commonly believed that___________.

A．marriages improve after children leave home

B．an “empty nest” is always a happy thing

C．parents’ relationships may suffer once their young grow up and move out

D．parents will be pleased after their children leave home

2.When did many couples feel happier according to the study?

A．At age 61, when almost all had “empty nests”.

B．Shortly after marrying.

C．Once their children reached their teenage years.

D．When they were bringing up babies.

3.Marriages improve after children fly the coop not because___________.

A．many couples are able to spend time together

B．many couples are able to enjoy each other’s company

C．things are a little more relaxed

D．many couples needn’t work at all

4.The author of the passage tends to agree that____________.

A．parents should build their life around their kids

B．parents should schedule quality time with each other before kids leave home

C．parents’ relationship with their kids has no effect on marriages at all

D．parents should be pleased to see their kids leave home