Ask most people anywhere in the world what they want out of life and the reply will probably be: "to be happy." Ed Deiner, an American psychology professor, has spent his whole professional life studying what makes people happy, comparing levels of happiness between cultures and trying to find out exactly why we enjoy ourselves. Many people would say that this question does not need an answer. But Professor Deiner has one anyway. "If you're a cheerful, happy person, your marriage is more likely to last, and you're more likely to make money and be successful at your job. On average, happy people have stronger immune systems, and there is some evidence that they live longer." So who are the world's happiest people? It depends on how the word is defined. There is individual happiness, the sense of joy we get when we do something we like. But there is also the feeling of satisfaction we get when we know that others respect us and approve of how we behave. According to Professor Deiner, the Western world pursues individual happiness while Asia prefers mutual satisfaction. "In the West, the individualistic culture means that your mood matters much more than it does in the East. People ask themselves if they are doing what is fun or interesting. They become unhappy when they can't do any of these things. If you ask people from Japan or China if they are happy, they tend to look at what has gone wrong in their lives. If not much has gone wrong, then they are satisfied." People from Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries had the happiest culture, Professor Deiner found. "The biggest cultural difference is to do with pride and shame. Hispanic cultures report much more pride and much less shame than others." Income also made a big difference to people's happiness, but only at the lowest levels. Average income earners in the US were much happier than people in poverty. But millionaires were only a little bit happier than people on average incomes. It seems that money makes us happy when we have enough to feel secure. In Professor Deiner's opinion, _ . A) Asians focus more on others' respect and approval than westerners B) Westerners care more about mutual satisfaction than Asians C) Asians have a culture to enjoy individual happiness D) Westerners value individual happiness as much as mutual satisfaction
A
(Question)
People faint when the normal blood supply to the brain is suddenly cut down. This can happen if they are surprised or shocked by sudden news or by something they see suddenly. Some people faint if they see others hurt .Some people faint in crowds. Others faint if they are in a room that is hot and stuffy. If a person faints while standing, lay him down. If his face is pale, lift his feet .If he is sitting down when he faints, place his head between his knees, loosen any tight clothing that might keep him from breathing easily .If possible, place a wet cloth on his forehead. If someone has fainted, we must help him _ . A) not to be shocked B) by moving himself slowly C) not to be frightened D) by returning blood to his brain
(Answer)
D
Ques: On a warm Monday, Jenny Neilson bought a sandwich and parked her car under some trees. Rolling down the windows to let in fresh air, she settled back to enjoy her lunch. Suddenly she noticed a big _ man running through the parking lot. Before she came to realize what would happen, the man was there, shouting through her window, "Get out!" Neilson refused. Pulling open her door, the man seized her by the neck and hair, and threw her out of the car onto the ground. She screamed, grabbing her purse and the keys. Two reporters of the local newspaper, Robert Bruce and Jeff Jackson, just outside their office building on a break, heard the screams and began running . When they reached Neilson's car, the attacker had jumped into the driver's seat and was madly searching for the keys. Bruce opened the door, and he and Jackson dragged the man out. The attacker fought back. But even in his cornered panic, he was no match for the two athletic men. Reggie Miller, a worker of the local newspaper, heard the screams, too. He rushed back to the office to phone the police, and then ran back with some plastic ropes ---- used to tie up newspapers. With his arms tied tight behind him, the prisoner looked up and said coldly, "I hope you guys feel good about yourselves---- you just caught one of the most wanted men." They ignored him and waited for the police. Later, Bruce and Jackson were shocked to learn the man was the professional carjacker and suspected murderer, whose picture---- but with a full head of hair---- had been recently printed in their own newspaper. Neilson considers herself lucky though she suffered injuries. She believes the story might have had a different ending if those good people had not come to her aid. "Unfortunately," she said, "many people would never have done what they did, and that is the real truth." How is the story organized? A) According to the order of time. B) Accoding to the order of space. C) By comparison. D) By putting forward arguments to support an idea.
Ans: A
Travel Unaccompanied Now many young people are traveling around the world on their own, not because they have no one to travel with, but because they prefer to go alone. Kristina Wegscheider from California first traveled alone when she was at college and believes that it is something everyone should do at least once in their life. "It opens up your mind to new things and pushes you out of your comfort zone." Wegscheider has visited 46 countries covering all seven continents. In foreign countries, with no one to help you read a map, look after you if you get ill, or lend you money if your wallet is stolen. It is challenging. This is what drives young people to travel alone.It is seen as character building and a chance to prove that they can make it on their own. Chris Richardson decided to leave his sales job in Australia to go traveling last year.He set up a website, The Aussie Nomad, to document his adventures. He said he wished he had traveled alone earlier. "The people you meet, the places you visit, or the things you do, everything is up to you and it forces you to grow as a person," said the 30-year-old. Richardson describes traveling alone like "a shot in the arm", which "makes you a more confident person that was ready to deal with anything". He said: "The feeling of having conquered something on my own is a major part of what drives me each day when I'm dealing with a difficult task. I walk around with my head up because I know deep down inside that nothing is impossible if you try." The great 19th century explorer John Muir once said: "Only by going alone in silence can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness." What can we infer about Chris Richardson? A) He started traveling at an early age. B) He was once shot in the arm. C) His website inspires others a lot. D) He used to work as a salesman.
D