Jobs and work do much more than most of us realize to provide happiness and contentment.We're all used to thinking that work provides the material things of life—the goods and services that make our modern civilization possible.But we are much less conscious of the degree to which work provides the more important psychological well­being that can make the difference between a full and an empty life.
Historically，work has been associated with slavery and sin (罪惡)and punishment.And in our own day we are used to bearing traditional complaints.Against this background，it may well come as a surprise to learn that not only psychologists but other behavioral scientists have come to accept the positive contribution of work to the individual's happiness and sense of personal achievement.Work is more than a necessity for most human beings；it is the focus of their lives，the source of their identity and creativity.
Rather than a punishment of a burden，work is the opportunity to realize one's potential.And the opposite is true，too.For large numbers of people，the absence of work is harmful to their health.Retirement often brings many problems surrounding the “What do I do with myself？”question，even though there may be no financial cares.Large numbers of people regularly get headaches and other illnesses on weekends when they don't have their jobs to go to，and must take care of themselves.It has been observed that unemployment，quite apart from financial pressures，brings enormous psychological troubles and that many individuals'conditions become worse rapidly when jobless.
But why？Why should work be such a significant source of human satisfaction？A good share of the answer rests in the kind of pride that is stimulated by the job，by the activity of accomplishing.
【小題1】Which of the following statements can NOT be learned from the passage?

A．People feel happier and more content than they realize when working.

B．Work is likely to provide you with the chance of achieving your potential.

C．Happiness can only be gained through working.

D．A lot of people will suffer physically and psychologically without work.

【小題2】Traditionally，people are used to believing ________.

A．work is related to negative aspects

B．happiness has nothing to do with work

C．identity and creativity depend on work

D．work is not only a necessity for humans but the focus of their lives

【小題3】What would the author probably discuss in the following paragraph?

A．What the proper way to balance work and life is.

B．How work brings people pride in accomplishment.

C．Which is more important：the material things of life or psychological well­being.

D．How people overcome the problems arising from retirement.

【小題4】Which best describes the author's attitude towards work in the passage?

A．Doubtful.	B．Concerned.
C．Approving.	D．Neutral.

Since the first Earth Day in 1970,American have gotten a lot “greenter” toward the environment . “We didn’t know at that time there even was an environment,let alone that there was a problem with it,”says Bruce Anderson,president of Earth Day USA.
But what began as nothing important in public affairs has grown into a social movement .Business people,political leaders, university professors,and especially millions of grass-roots Americans are taking part in the movement. “The understanding has increased many ,many times,”says Gaylord Nelson,the fromer govermor from Wisconsin,who thought up the first According to US government reports , emissions (排放)from cars and trucks have dropped from 10.3 million tons a year to 5.5 tons .The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9 .Although serious problems still remain and need to be dealt with , the world is a safer and healthier place .A kind of “Green thinking ” has become part of practices .
Great improvement has been achieved .In 1988 there were only 600 recycling programs ,; today in 1995 there are about 6,600 .Advanced lights ,motors , and building designs have helped save a lot of energy and therefore prevented pollution .
Twenty –five years ago , there were hardly any education programs for environment .Today , it’s hard to find a public school , university , or law school that does not have such a kind of program .” Until we do that , nothing else will change! ” say Bruce Anderson .
【小題1】According to Anderson , before 1970, Americans had little idea about ___

A．the social movement

B．recycling techniques

C．environmental problems

D．the importance of Earth Day

【小題2】Where does the support for environmental protection mainly come from?

A．The grass –roots level

B．The business circle

C．Government officials

D．University professors

【小題3】What have Americans achieved in environmental protection ?

A．They have cut car emissions to the lowest

B．They have settled their environmental problems

C．They have lowered their CO levels in forty cities.

D．They have reduced pollution through effective measures .

【小題4】What is especially important for environmental protection according to the last paragraph ?

A．Education

B．Planning

C．Green living

D．CO reduction

Multitasking
What is the first thing you nitice when you walk into a shop? The products displayed (展示) at the entrance? Or the soft background music?
But have you ever notice the smell? Unless it is bad, the answer is likely to be no. But while a shop’s scent may not be outstanding compared with sightsand sounds, it is certainly there. And it is providing to be an increasing powerful tool in encouraging people to purchase.
A brand store has become famous for its distinctive scent which floats through the fairly dark hall and out to the entrance, via scent machines. A smell may be attractive but it may not just be used for freshening air. One sports goods company once reported that when it first introduced scent into its stores, customers’ intension to purchase increased by 80 percent.
When it comes to the best shopping streets in Pairs, scent is just as important to a brand’s success as the quality of its window displays and goods on slaes. That is mainly because shopping is a very different experience to what it used to be.
Some years ago,the focus for brand name shopping was on a few people with sales assistants’ disproving attitude and don’t-touch-what-you-can’t-afford displays. Now the rise of electronic commerce (e-commerce) has opened up famous brands to a wider audience. But while e-shops can use sights and sounds, only bricks-and-mortar stores (實體店) can offer a full experience from the minute customers step through the door to the moment they leave. Another brand store seeks to be much more than a shop, but rather a destination. And scent is just one way to achieve this.
Now a famous store uses complex man-made smell to make sure that the soft scent of baby powder floats through the kid department, and coconut (椰子) scent in the swimsuit section. A department store has even opened a new lab, inviting customers on a journey into the store’s windows to smell books, pots and drawers, in search of their perfect scent.
【小題1】According to the passage, what is an increasingly powerful tool in the success of some brand store?

A．Friendly assistant.	B．Unique scents.
C．Soft background music	D．a(chǎn)ttractive window display.

【小題2】E-shops are mentioned in the passage to _______ .

A．a(chǎn)show the advantages of brick-and-mortar stores

B．urge shop assistants to change their attitude

C．push stores to use sights and sounds

D．introduce the rise of e-commerce

【小題3】The underlined word “destination” in Paragraph 5 means _______ .

A．a(chǎn) platform that exhibts goods

B．a(chǎn) spot where travelers like to stay

C．a(chǎn) place where customers love to go

D．a(chǎn) target that a store expects to meet

【小題4】The main purpose of the passage is to ______ .

A．compare and evaluate	B．examine and assess
C．a(chǎn)rgue and discuss	D．inform and explain

(2014·南昌市高三第三次模擬測試)
Millions of people are using cell phones today.In many places it is actually considered unusual not to use one.In many countries，cell phones are very popular with young people.They find that the phones are more than a means of communication—having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.
The explosions around the world in mobile phone use make some health professional worried.Some doctors are concerned that in the future many people may suffer health problems from the use of mobile phones.In England，there has been a serious debate about this issue.Mobile phone companies are worried about the negative publicity of such ideas.They say that there is no proof that mobile phones are bad for your health.
On the other hand，why do some medical studies show changes in the brain cells of some people who use mobile phones？Signs of change in the issues of the brain and head can be detected with modern scanning equipment.In one case，a traveling salesman had to retire at a young age because of serious memory loss.He couldn’t remember even simple tasks.He would often forget the name of his own son.This man used to talk on his mobile phone for about six hours a day，every day of his working week，for a couple of years.His family doctor blamed his mobile phone use，but his employer’s doctor didn’t agree.
What is it that makes mobile phones potentially harmful？The answer is radiation.High­tech machines can detect very small amounts of radiation from mobile phones.Mobile phone companies agree that there is some radiation.But they say the amount is too small to worry about.
As the discussion about their safety continues，it appears that it’s best to use mobile phones less often.Use your regular phone if you want to talk for a long time.Use your mobile phone only when you really need it.Mobile phones can be very useful and convenient，especially in emergencies.In the future，mobile phones may have a warning label that says they are bad for your health.So for now，it’s wise not to use your mobile phone too often.
【小題1】People buy cell phones for the following reasons except that________.

A．they’re popular	B．they’re convenient
C．they’re useful	D．they’re cheap

【小題2】The word “detected” in Paragraph 3 could be best replaced by________.

A．discovered	B．removed
C．cured	D．caused

【小題3】The salesman retired young because________.

A．he disliked using mobile phones

B．he couldn’t remember simple tasks

C．he was tired of talking on his mobile phone

D．his employer’s doctor persuaded him to

【小題4】On the safety issue of mobile phones，the manufacturing companies________.

A．deny the existence of mobile phone radiation

B．develop new technology to reduce mobile phone radiation

C．hold that the amount of radiation is too small to worry about

D．try to prove that mobile phones are not harmful to health

【小題5】The writer’s purpose of writing this article is to advise people________.

A．to buy mobile phones

B．to use mobile phones less often

C．to update regular phones

D．to stop using mobile phones

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has opened up about being a parent，stating that 13 is an appropriate age for a child’s first cell phone.
The 57­year­old，father­of­three，revealed on The Today Show that his children Jennifer and Rory were not allowed phones until their 13th birthday and his youngest daughter Phoebe is still waiting for one.
“We’ve chosen in our family that it’s 13 where you get a phone，” the self­made billionaire explained.
He said as a result his children often return home from school complaining，“All the other kids have one.I’m the only one without one.It’s so embarrassing.”
Asked if he keeps passwords to his son and daughters’ email and Facebook accounts，Mr Gates said that he doesn’t for Jennifer,16，who he describes as “independent”．He admitted that monitoring online activity is “a very tricky issue for parents now”．
Despite their vast wealth Mr and Mrs Gates，who live in Lake Medina，have  said  they  want  to give  their children  as  normal an upbringing as possible.
It was previously reported that their youngsters have to complete household chores and are given a modest amount of pocket money.
And in 2010 Mr Gates said that he intends to give most of his $61 billion fortune away rather than hand it down.“That wouldn’t be good either for my kids or society，” he said.
Also during the Today interview with host Matt Lauer，Mr Gates，who stepped down from Microsoft in 2008 to concentrate on philanthropy，said that helping others gives him the same excitement as creating software.
“What you really feel is what you’ve achieved.If a piece of software gets out there and lots of people love it—it lets them get their work done in better ways—that’s exciting，” he explained.
【小題1】Bill Gates will not let his children own a cell phone________.

A．until they reach the age of 13

B．if they don’t really need one

C．unless they do some housework

D．before they become independent

【小題2】Which of the following is true about Bill Gates’ children?

A．All his children now have cell phones.

B．Phoebe has her own cell phone.

C．They are not given any pocket money.

D．Jennifer can use the Internet freely.

【小題3】What does the underlined word “That” refer to in the text?

A．Being a parent as a billionaire.

B．Handing all his money down to his children.

C．Allowing his children to have their phones.

D．Giving away all his money to good causes.

【小題4】What can we learn about Bill Gates from the text?

A．He is a warm­hearted father to his children.

B．He has created a lot of software since 2008.

C．He now devotes himself to helping others

D．He cares more about money than anything else.

【小題5】What is the text mainly about?

A．How Bill Gates made himself a billionaire.

B．How Bill Gates deals with his money.

C．How Bill Gates managed his business.

D．How Bill Gates brings up his children.

“Oh，you must have been a spoiled (寵壞的) kid.You must be really bossy.I wonder what you’re going to be like to deal with？” That’s often the response Angela Hult gets when people find out she’s an only child，she told ABC News.Despite such negative (消極的) remarks，Hult has decided to have only one child herself.And she’s not alone.
According to the US’ Office for National Statistics，women approaching the end of their childbearing years had an average of 1.9 children in 2004，compared with 3.1 for their counterparts in 1976.The percentage of one­child families in Britain had risen from 18 percent in 1972 to 26 percent in 2007.
But even though only children are becoming increasingly common，the traditional view that they’re selfish，spoiled and lack social skills holds strong.Even parents of only children，like Hult，are made to feel guilty about having only one child.Worried that they’re being selfish and endangering their child’s future，they flock to online discussion forums seeking advice.Soon，however，they ask themselves：is this social prejudice really reasonable?
“There have been hundreds and hundreds of research studies that show that only children are no different from their peers (同齡人)，” Susan Newman，a social psychologist at Rutgers University in the US，told ABC News.
This raises another question：why are only children still viewed with such suspicion?
“There is a belief that’s been around probably since humans first existed that to have just one child is somehow dangerous，both for you and for the continuation of your race，” Toni Falbo，a professor of educational psychology，told the Guardian.“In the past a lot of children died.You’d have had to be crazy to only have one.”
Times，of course，have changed and infant mortality (嬰兒死亡率) has largely reduced.So what do only children themselves say?
Kayley Kravitz，a blogger for The Huffington Post，grew up as an only child and highly recommends the experience.“Being an only child taught me the most valuable skill of all：the ability to be alone，” she said.
【小題1】Which of the following could be the best title for the text?

A．Are only children lonely?

B．Are only children common?

C．Are only children dangerous?

D．Are only children different?

【小題2】What does Susan Newman mean?

A．Only children are as good as their peers.

B．Only children are more selfish and spoiled.

C．Parents feel guilty about having only one child.

D．Parents will endanger their only child’s future.

【小題3】What is the common belief since human existed?

A．The infant death rate always stays high.

B．People are crazy to have only one child.

C．It’s easy for only children to earn their living.

D．It’s hard to continue the family line with only one child.

【小題4】An only child like Kayley________.

A．must be difficult to persuade

B．can possibly learn to be alone

C．should value special skills

D．need ignore bad experience

【小題5】What’s the author’s attitude towards having only one child?

A．Neutral.	B．Negative.
C．Positive.	D．Doubtful.

Rae and Bruce Hostetler not only work very hard，they also relax just as well.Numerous vacations help  the couple to maintain their health and emotional well­being­­and it’s no surprise to health care professionals.
“Rest，relaxation，and  stress  reduction are very  important for people’s well­being and health.This can be accomplished through daily activities，such as exercise and meditation，but vacation is an important part of this as well，” said primary care physician Natasha Withers from One Medical Group in New York.Withers lists a decreased risk of heart disease and improved reaction time as some of the benefits from taking some time off.“We also know that the mind is very powerful and can help with healing，so a rested，relaxed mind is able to help the body heal better，” said Withers.
Psychologists confirm the value of vacations for the mind.“The impact that taking a vacation has on one’s mental health is great，” said Francine Lederer，a clinical psychologist in Los Angeles who specializes in stress and relationship management.“Most people have better life perspective and are more motivated to achieve their goals after a vacation，even if it is a 24­hour time­out.” The trips could be good for their health，good for their family and good for their businesses.
The online travel agency Expedia conducted a survey about vacation time in 2010，and according to their data the average American earned 18 vacation days—but only used 14 of them.France topped the list，with the average worker earning 37 vacation days and using all but two of them.Americans’ responses may not be surprising in a culture where long hours on the job often are valued，but that’s not always good for the individual，the family or the employer.
Psychologists have also found that people who don’t take enough time to relax may find it harder to relax in the future.“Without time and opportunity to do this，the nerve connections that produce feelings of calm and peacefulness become weaker，making it actually more difficult to shift into less­stressed states，” Mulhern said.
【小題1】How did the author introduce the topic of the text?

A．By making comparisons.	B．By giving an example.
C．By raising questions.	D．By providing data.

【小題2】According to Natasha Withers，vacations can________.

A．weaken reaction system

B．cure serious diseases

C．reduce the level of well­being

D．decrease the risk of heart disease

【小題3】Expedia’s survey shows that Americans________.

A．dislike family gatherings

B．have the shortest vacation

C．enjoy as many vacations as the French

D．think much of spending long hours on the job

【小題4】What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．One should never wait to relax.

B．Work and rest go against each other.

C．Time and opportunity wait for no man.

D．A relaxed mind determines everything.

【小題5】What is mainly talked about in the text?

A．Ways to relax in one’s free time.

B．The benefits of taking time off.

C．Different opinions on holidays.

D．The Hostetlers always on the go.

Moving to a new neighborhood，town，state，or even country can be a pretty scary  experience.All you know is that things will be different and chances are you won’t know the kids  at your new school.
The experiences that go with moving make many kids feel nervous and worried.This is perfectly normal but don’t let these emotions overrun your thoughts！You will soon get used to your surroundings and find new friends at your new school.
Leaving old friends and familiar places behind can be difficult.However，as you begin the moving process，keep in mind that saying goodbye to your old house，school，and friends does not mean that you have to forget them or that your farewell is permanent！If you’re moving to a new state or even a different country and won’t see your friends for a long nme，don’t despair.Make sure to ask everyone for their address so you can write them letters.Also，thanks to the  Internet，it is very easy to stay in touch through email or instant messaging technologies.With  your parent’s permission，you can even create a blog or web page to chronicle all of your new  experiences.Include your thoughts，tales of your new adventures，even pictures of new friends，your new house，and new town.Your old friends will love seeing what you are busy with.
Many schools have an orientation program where a student already established at the school shows a new student around for their first week.This can help you to find your way around the school and to make new friends faster.
While moving is tough on kids of any age，high school counselor Karen Turner says moves can be particularly difficult for teens.“I think moving during adolescents is an extremely stressful experience，especially if you are into your junior high or senior year.Students tend to have established a very strong peer network during that period in their lives.Often this has more influence on them even than their families in some cases，and when they are torn from that there’s often resentment (怨氣)．” However，Turner adds that while moving isn’t easy，there are things that your parents and the school can do to help you cope with the change.
【小題1】Who are the intended readers of the passage?

A．Education experts.	B．School teachers.
C．Parents.	D．Students.

【小題2】Which of the following is mainly suggested in Paragraph 3?

A．Staying in contact with old friends.

B．Expressing yourself when it is possible.

C．Forming good habits at school.

D．Keeping positive about your new school.

【小題3】According to the passage，an orientation program________.

A．helps local students in many ways

B．is organized by new students

C．offers help to new students

D．focuses on all the students at school

【小題4】According to the passage，Karen Turner may agree that________.

A．many parents seem to care little about their children

B．teens can easily be attached to their friends

C．parents should communicate with the school teachers

D．teens tend to behave rudely in a new school

【小題5】If this passage continues，what would the author further discuss?

A．What a new school is like.

B．why parents move with their children.

C．How parents and the school can help the children.

D．How children can express their anxiety.

Human beings are the most intelligent of all animals because we are gifted with the ability to think and reason logically.Scientists and even common people with special intelligence have made a lot of inventions and contributions to modern lifestyle in the past.“Houses” have been the most popular area for discoveries and inventions in the past and even now.
Many household items have been the result of inventions of people who desired better functioning of the existent products.Every individual has intelligence and if it is used properly for the right purpose it leads to invention of a new tool or device.Many new household inventions are made almost every day and there are specific companies，which particularly keep a record of all these inventions.
A lot of inventions have been made recently in the household field.These products are patented (專利) and have trade mark licenses.The patented sliding cinch is a very simple but effective method to prevent shoulder stress and injury for those who work before computers all day long.Vanity PC is a type of computer furniture that specifically hides all the computer wires and keeps a clean and good look.All the outdoor dust，mud and snow can be kept out of the house by installing (安裝) the dirt drain (排水管) at the entrance of the door.Another important invention is the automatic toilet night­light，in which a small light starts when the lid of the toilet seat is opened and closes as soon as the lid is closed.
These are some of the new household inventions invented mostly by common people.Thus，a variety of new household items are invented every day，which helps in a better functioning of household chores and in a more useful manner.
【小題1】The first paragraph is intended to________.

A．stress the importance of inventions

B．introduce the topic of the article

C．show the advantages of modern lifestyle

D．tell the differences between human beings and animals

【小題2】According to the passage，people make house inventions to________.

A．earn more money and gain awards

B．a(chǎn)ccumulate their wealth

C．improve the present living conditions

D．meet the new demands of new science

【小題3】It can be inferred that the sliding cinch is used to________.

A．prevent your shoulder from being over­pressured

B．keep your shoulder safe and sound in an accident or an operation

C．help you practice your shoulder more often and reduce shoulder pains

D．cover your shoulder and make it stronger to resist the outside strike

【小題4】Common people can also make good inventions because________.

A．wisdom and inspiration sometimes come from everyday life

B．some inventions are easy to be made and can be mastered by them

C．they have a strong desire to do something for science research

D．success is often connected with hardship and bitter experience of common people

【小題5】The passage mainly talks about________.

A．the correct use of household facilities

B．different ideas about household inventions

C．the history of household inventions

D．household inventions and their influence

I grew up with a fat dad—450 pounds at his heaviest.Every week he would try a new diet，and my family ended up eating whatever strange food he was trying at that moment.
After my third­grade year，my dad landed a life­changing job in Manhattan.My mom，my little sister and I had to move away from our hometown，Chicago，and leave my grandmother and her beautiful food behind.
Leaving my grandmother was far more frightening than the move to New York City.There would be no more special weekends at my grandmother’s house，the only place I can remember feeling happy，safe and nourished (有營養(yǎng)的)．It was what I desired.In this new city，I felt extremely alone and lost，and I missed my grandmother terribly.
My grandmother knew just how I felt—And she knew the cure.Every week，she would send me a card with a $20 bill，a recipe and a list of what to buy at the market.It kept us bonded，and her recipes filled my body and soul.
Over the years，I have grown to better understand my father’s struggles with weight and the toll (代價) it took on him and those who love him.I have come to realize he was driven not by vanity (自負(fù)) or selfishness as much as by a deep pain.And in spite of growing up in such an unhealthy eating environment (or perhaps because of it)，as an adult I found a passion and a career as a nutrition consultant.
Today，my father weighs 220 pounds and is a vegan (素食者)．How he got there is a story I hope to share in the coming weeks.More importantly，food is no longer a barrier that keeps us apart，but a bridge that keep us connected.There is nothing my dad enjoys more than talking with me about dietary theories and his weight­loss victories.And now I am the one regularly sending recipe cards to my father’s house，just as my grandmother did for me.
【小題1】What kind of person was actually the author’s father?

A．He was a man of vanity and selfishness.

B．He didn’t like to eat with his family.

C．He was more painful than selfish.

D．He forced his family to eat what he liked.

【小題2】The author desired to go to his grandmother’s________.

A．to see his father	B．for tasty food
C．for pocket money	D．to avoid his family

【小題3】The underlined word “cure” in Paragraph 4 is the nearest in meaning to “________”．

A．solution	B．concern
C．operation	D．situation

【小題4】The author became a nutrition consultant mainly because________.

A．his father often talked with him about dietary theories

B．he was determined to change his own daily habits

C．he wanted to study the recipes his grandmother had given him

D．his childhood experiences gave him too deep an impression

【小題5】What can we learn about the author from the last paragraph?

A．He often quarreled with his father about food

B．His father will tell him his story in the following weeks

C．The most he talks about with his father is nourishment

D．He often sends recipe cards to his grandmother in return