Most of us know little about the mental processes that lie behind our decisions. Luckily, what psychologists 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’re a part of it. Whenever you make up your mind, your brain’s emotional center 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. Damasio thinks this may be because our brains store emotional memories of past choices, 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 anger can lead us to make quick decisions without much thinking.
All emotions affect our thinking and motivation, so it may be best to avoid making important decisions under their influence. Yet strangely there’s 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.
【小題1】According to the text, what may help us make better decisions?

More than 30 million kids buy school lunch each day. This year, many schools raised lunch prices to fight raising costs. Students pay about $2 a meal now. That is 27 cents more than last year. But they still get a good deal. The average cost for schools to produce one meal has gone up 30 cents, and is now $3. 
So, how do schools neither make money nor lose money? To start, the government pays for a small part of the difference. Schools have to make up the rest. Peggy Eller, a leader of school nutrition (營養(yǎng)) service in Hudson, Wisconsin, said her district is cutting costs by using fewer paper products and serving smaller portion(份額). Well, portion control is one key to healthful eating! 
The push for more healthful food has grown in recent years. One in five kids aged 6 to 19 is overweight. Being overweight can cause health problems. Many states passed laws that require schools to serve nutritious meals. 
Since 2004, more than 90% of all U.S. Schools have removed the fat from lunches. Foods high in fat, salt and sugar have been replaced by low-fat milk, fresh fruits and vegetables. These new items on lunch menus have encouraged kids to change their eating habits. “It makes easier to try new things at home, “said Savanna Mackey, a Florida fifth-grader.  
Students need healthful meals to grow strong and do well in school. “Rising prices won’t stand in the way,”says school nutritionist Jane Thornton. “We’ll just be more clever in how we do things.”
【小題1】In the first paragraph, the author aims to tell us        .

Music died here last spring, or rather, it was killed by members of the school committee who ignored the importance of music and drama as part of the high-school curriculum.
The committee decided that teaching students how to take a standardized test is more important than a curriculum in which students can explore their interests in the arts as well as academics. Because the school system is running out of funding, it needs to make sure that students pass the mastery test or even more money will be lost. If students fail the state standardized test，it is not the fault of drama and music classes—they are failing because the “academic” classes are not sufficient.
It is painful to think of how many students will be discouraged from singing, acting, and playing instruments because school programs are no longer offered. Many families cannot afford private music lessons，and many potential musicians and artists may not find their calling if they are not exposed to it in school. The fact that the school committee thinks the arts are not worth the investment will certainly make some students believe the arts are not worth their time or support and the cycle will continue.
Teaching for a test does not shape students into complete，well-rounded people. It blocks the natural sense to create and express feelings through art—there is more to life than the analytical thinking that math and English provide. What happens after a test? Sure, a student might graduate, but they will have limited knowledge—certainly not a good preparation for the real world.
【小題1】Music and drama are not included in the high-school curriculum mainly because ________.

Most students try to learn English grammar using grammar textbooks. They study grammar rules and take grammar tests. They use an analytical（分析的） approach, attempting to memorize, and then apply, a great number of rules.
However, research has proved this method inefficient and ineffective. The truth is, the human brain simply cannot consciously remember process and use hundreds of or thousands of grammar rules. Real speech is too fast.
Native speakers do not learn grammar in this way, but rather intuitively (憑直覺地) and unconsciously. They learn in a complete way, not by attempting to memorize individual grammar rules. As a result, native speakers use correct grammar fluently and easily.
Fortunately, it is possible for English learners to learn grammar this way. Language teacher Blaine Ray has developed a unique "intuitive" approach to teach English grammar. Her system uses "point of view" stories to teach the patterns of English grammar, allowing students unconsciously to acquire correct grammar without ever studying grammar rules.
In this system, the teacher first tells a simple story from one point of view. It may be told about the past, then repeated, but beginning with "since he was a child"; then repeated again, but this time about the future.
Listening to these stories allows students intuitively and effortlessly to learn English grammar and makes them be able to use it correctly when they speak.
Point of View Stories is a creative new way to study English grammar, and offers hope to millions of frustrated English learners.
【小題1】Which of the following ways is approved by the author?

It’s common for parents to feel emotional when the moment comes for their child to leave home and go to university. Even parents who don’t speak about the event are likely to feel a sense of sadness because it’s the end of an era where you and your family were at the centre of your child’s world. As a parent you’ll probably continue to support your child in different ways, but the main job of raising your child is over. It’s a huge change for everyone involved.
There are a few things that you can do to make the transition easier. Plan carefully for your child’s departure and think about how you can help. Many parents take their child to university for the first time. If you decide to do that, be ready to feel a real wrench when the time comes to say goodbye. Your child will probably be as nervous as you are about the moment when you finally say goodbye – but that might not show!
Be positive and cheerful about the choice your child has made to continue studying, and plan to leave once you’ve unpacked the car and looked around your child’s new living accommodations. If you can, save your tears for the car – you’ll make things easier on your child and yourself.
The more you’ve invested in being a parent, the more you’ll feel a sense of loss, so the sadness you feel now is a sign that you’ve been a good mom or dad. Remind yourself that parenting is all about raising an independent and confident child who functions well without you. If your child quickly settles and starts enjoying himself, you should congratulate yourself.
It’s also only fair to allow yourself some time to grieve. Don’t expect to pick yourself up and move on straight away. But you may decide to find a hobby or sport to fill your extra time. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to learn a new language, go to yoga classes or take up swimming. You may decide to spend more time with family and close friends, who are likely to be feeling the absence of your child as well.
Agree on the best approach to staying in touch before your child leaves, and stick to your agreement. Try not to panic if your child doesn’t respond immediately – remember, they’re starting a new and busy life.
【小題1】The underlined word “wrench” in Paragraph 2 means a feeling of ________.

As a senior, my future is always on my mind. To be exact, thoughts of the future have kept me up countless nights and made me worry enough to do poorly on more than one test. Because of this, words of wisdom are a source of comfort. Steve Jobs gave a speech to Stanford’s graduating class in 2005 and his words resound repeatedly in my mind whenever I think about my future.
It wasn’t always like that, though. It started when I became a junior, when college came into view. It’s the first big step to making your life your own. So when Jobs discussed his life as a student, some fears were eased. He, too, felt the need to attend college to make something of himself. He faced what many are extremely afraid of: uncertainty. His lack of understanding caused him to stop attending college and focus on what he felt was important. His story had a happy ending, of course, since he certainly turned out well.
This doesn’t mean that students shouldn’t attend college, but rather that they shouldn’t worry so much. You’ll get where you need to go, even if your path is a bit more winding than you’d like.
Jobs talked about the hardships in his work. His love of his work helped him carry on and he got where he was meant to be, which restates the point: don’t panic.
One particular part of his speech stayed with me. Steve Jobs quoted the saying “Stay hungry, stay foolish” and it has become my motto. Staying foolish is realizing that you are still a fool, no matter how much you’ve learned or experienced. There is always more to explore. Staying hungry is wanting to find those things about which you are still uneducated.
Steve Jobs’s level of success is attainable, and I aim to prove that. With the will power to go into the world living every day like it’s my last and allowing the future to take care of itself, I will do great things. In the last moments of my life, I’ll be proud of what I have done and hope to have all the wisdom a person could wish for.
【小題1】The author felt worried when _________.

Sure, it’s good to get along with your teacher because it makes the time you spend in the classroom more pleasant.
And yes, it’s good to get along with your teacher because, in general, it’s smart to learn how to understand the different types of people you’ll meet throughout your life.
“But really, there’s one super-important reason why you should get along with your teacher. When you do, learning bursts right open,” says Evelyn Vuko, a longtime teacher who writes an education column(專欄) called “Teacher Says” for the Washington Post newspaper.
In fact, kids who get along with their teachers not only learn more, but they’re more comfortable asking questions and getting extra help. This makes it easier to understand new material and do your best on tests. When you have this kind of relationship with a teacher, he or she can be someone to turn to with problems, such as problems with learning or school life, such as bullying.
As a kid in a primary or middle school, you’re at a wonderful stage in your life. You’re like a sponge (海綿), able to absorb lots of new and exciting information. On top of that, you’re able to think about all this information in new ways. Your teacher knows that, in most cases, is very excited to be the person who’s giving you all that material and helping you make it. Remember, teachers are people, too, and they feel great if you’re open to what they’re teaching you. That’s why they wanted to be teachers in the first place—to teach!
Some kids may be able to learn in any situation, whether they like the teacher or not. But most kids are sensitive to the way they get along with the teacher, and if things aren’t going well, they won’t learn as well and won’t enjoy being in class.
【小題1】In the passage, the author mainly talks about _______.
A. how to get along well with others
B. the importance of a good relation with teachers
C. how much the students are expected of to get along with teachers
D. how to make the time in the classroom more pleasant
【小2】“Learning bursts right open” in the third paragraph really means _______.
A. learning becomes easier for you at once
B. you find an opening to learning
C. there’ll be more problems with learning
D. there’ll be no problems at all with learning
【小題2】According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

Here is a true story about a famous man who worked in the White House and a criminal. They once faced the same thing: their mother gave them apples when they were young.
The criminal said: one day, my mother brought some apples and asked my brother and me: “Which do you want?” “The reddest and biggest one,” my little brother said. My mother stared at him and said to him angrily: “You should learn to give the good things to others; you shouldn’t always think of yourself.” Seeing this, I suddenly changed my idea and then said to my mother: “Mum, please give me the smaller one and give the bigger one to my little brother.” Hearing my words, my mother was very happy. She kissed me on my face and gave the reddest and biggest apple to me as a prize. From then on, I learned to tell lies, fight, steal and rob. In order to get what I wanted, I played hard. As a result, I was sent into prison.
The famous man from the White House said: One day, my mother brought some apples. She said to my brother and me: “You all want the reddest and biggest one, right? Well, let’s have a competition. Now I divide the grassland in front of the gate into two and I will give one to each of you and you must shear(修剪) it well. And I will give the reddest and biggest apple to him who does it the most quickly and best.”
After the competition, I won and I got the biggest apple. In our family, as long as you want to get the best things, you must take part in competition. I think it is fair. No matter what you want, you must pay lots of efforts.
【小題1】The criminal got the reddest and biggest apple because      .

When was the last time you did something really fun with one of your parents—just the two of you?     
Parents who take their young children to music, swimming and art classes often stop arranging such activities once their kids are older and in school all day. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Doing something enjoyable with your kids just might make you look at each other in a whole new way, especially if you do it through a class or an event. When parent and child become students together, it puts them on the same level, at least for a while. 
“I really like parents to come to class with their kids—they start sharing things and talking about what they’re doing and what they like,” said art teacher Pyper Dixon.     
However, finding something new in common is a big choice for them, especially when kids get involved in sports and other after-school activities. But it’s possible to learn a new skill or hobby together.     
That’s certainly true of Lauren, 11, of Silver Spring, who is in Dixon’s class with her father, Dennis. “I was just going to drop her off,” Dennis said, “but Dixon persuaded me to stay.” 
Now Lauren gets to nag her father about doing his art homework. “He always leaves it to the last minute,” she said. “But then he’ll turn around to do amazing drawings,” she added, “We have different styles of drawing, so it’s interesting to talk it over with him.”     
Without the Saturday morning art class, Dennis said, he would be reading the paper, and Lauren would be on her own in her room or on the computer. But they talk more now. “I can’t think of an experience where you communicate with your kid so closely,” he said.
【小題1】The author raises the question at the beginning to_______.

  In my last essay, I wrote briefly about a bathtub in the classroom. What really was the use of that bathtub? “Guys, it is Reading Workshop time now. When I call your table, get your things, please!” said Mrs. Toalson. She was holding a cup that had many sticks in it; on every stick was written each student’s name and table number.
What does she mean? Probably books, I thought. Mrs. Toalson picked a stick out of the cup and said, “Okay, Aniqa’s table; Table Two, you may get your things. ”Then my four classmates ran for the cushions（墊子）in the bathtub. Mrs. Toalson kept picking sticks and calling out different table numbers. On hearing their numbers, students would run to get cushions. Because there were not enough cushions for everyone, the last to be called had to go without. Those students sighed, “Oh! They are the lucky ones.”
Finally, Mrs. Toalson picked the last stick ; what is she going to do now?
“Kate, you may use the bathtub. ” Mrs. Toalson said. Gosh! Use the bathtub? Is Kate going to take a bath, I wondered. Kate is the girl who had pretty brown hair. She ran happily with her book to the bathtub and lay down in it. As she read, she hugged a teddy bear. I think it must be comfortable reading in a bathtub.
Except for lucky Kate, everybody had to read elsewhere. Some were sitting on the seats, some were lying down under the table, and everybody’s reading pose（姿勢）was different.
Just then, my friend found me sitting at my table quietly, not doing anything. She said, “Mary, let me find you a book. ” I nodded. Then she led me to a comer of the classroom where the book-shelf was and picked a picture book for me.
Regina thought that it would be more fun to read outside on the grass. What a great idea! The next day our whole class went to the park across the street from our school. As we read, animals such as squirrels ran around us. It was amazing !
【小題1】 In Mrs. Toalson’s Reading Workshop, every student can learn _________.