Reading and Optional Choices阅读七选五

根據短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

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How to Feel Beautiful to the Inside

Public opinion may have some say in who is considered “beautiful” on the outside， but inner beauty takes on a whole other meaning.  Learn what beauty means to you and have the confidence to live by your own rules. Start today.

Ask yourself what beauty means to you. How do you define （定义） inner beauty？ Is it a person who is always smiling？ Someone who has kind words for everyone he meets？ Or， is your definition of beauty more complex？   Take a pen and a notebook and write down some words that help you describe inner beauty.

Have confidence in who you are. In addition to stressing your character strengths， you can apply other ways to feel more confident.  This can be anything from making music to playing sports. Doing things you are good at builds self-respect.

Smile and laugh more. Even if you dont quite feel up to it at the moment， just arranging your face into a smiling expression can thoroughly change your mood.  It can not only make you feel beautiful inside， but also improve your outer beauty.

A reliable method of developing your own inner beauty is adopting the habit of seeing the beauty in everything. All around you， there are amazing people， places and things. Make an effort to slow down and acknowledge these daily.

A. Notice the beauty around you.

B. Smiles can lead to a more positive mood.

C. You should try to take on more expressions.

D. Making others laugh can change your attitude.

E. Take a moment to reflect on what beauty means to you.

F. It has more to do with your character than your appearance.

G. Frequently take part in activities in which you perform well.

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High school is an important period of your life， so you need to learn to spend your high school time wisely. Here are some ideas that can lend you a hand.

Studies come first. Make sure that you understand everything your teachers teach.  Take notes if you think your teacher is teaching something important. Also， have a plan for what youre going to study. It is best if you could deal with every subject every day.

Dont delay （推遲） todays homework until tomorrow. If you happen to be sick， call or e-mail a friend to see if they can come and give you the homework. Being sick isnt an excuse for not doing homework unless youre very sick.

Develop good relationships. High school is also a time for you to enjoy with your friends.  Choose to get along with those who like you for who you are. Whats more， you should try to make friends with teachers.

Develop self-discipline. Behave yourself at school.  While your teacher is teaching， keep quiet unless he or she is asking for answers. If your friends want to talk to you in class， ask them to wait until later.

Be active！ Take an active part in after-class activities.  Join school clubs which will help you develop them.

A. Finish your homework on time.

B. Find hobbies that youre good at.

C. Always be on time for every class.

D. Set down your homework carefully.

E. Youll make more friends if you try this.

F. Ask for help if you dont understand something.

G. Smile at people to make them see you are nice and happy.

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There are many great reasons to be a list maker.  Lists can also give you a sense of calm and can even save you when it comes to organizing work， school， important events and life in general. Take a look at the list of a few wonderful reasons to be a list maker.

It keeps you organized.

Whether youre a stay-at-home mom or a career woman， making to-do lists can help to stay organized.

Having a list for every area of life makes it easier to get all of the tasks done while maintaining （维持） your personal life. Plus， it will help you avoid stress.

Its so stressful to sit down at a meeting or in a class and learn that you forgot an important deadline （最后期限）. While stress is unavoidable at times， making lists can make you feel peaceful. Keep your schedule manageable and dont waste your time on stress and worries.  Reducing anxiety levels and balancing life are beneficial for everybody， so why not start making your lists today？

A. Make the right decision.

B. Dont give up because of failure.

C. Sit and think carefully about what you value most.

D. Push yourself to be courageous， and take the next step.

E. Keep it realistic， while not giving yourself too much time.

F. I have made a list of four habits to help you set goals and realize them.

G. The more focused you are on one goal， the higher chance you have of success.

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By making positive changes in your life you can become better.  Here are some quick and easy ways to help you become a better person.

●

Recognize what areas you are lacking. For this you can ask a trusted friend or family member for help. Being unaware of your weaknesses makes it hard for you to improve. The successful people know where they arent strong and they use their strengths to make up for it.

● Quit a bad habit.

Quitting a bad habit is good for you.  If you arent ready to quit your bad habits right away， start out with small steps. Find a trusted friend that can give you encouragement if youre struggling.

● Break up with negative thinking.

This can have a bad influence on your life. Negative thinking really makes you down mentally and physically. Trying to think more positively helps you reduce stress and requires you to stop making excuses.

● Treat others with kindness.

Showing other people that you care for them is a great way to be a better person.  Something just like buying a coffee for your classmates can make a huge positive impact on their and your day.

A. Know your weaknesses.

B. Take better care of yourself.

C. Do you always see the bad side of things？

D. Negative people often complain about things.

E. However， it may be tough sometimes to figure out how to do it.

F. It not only makes you a better person， but it makes you more confident.

G. Small acts of kindness will make other people feel better and lift your spirits as well.

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Finding something you enjoy doing can improve the quality of your life and reduce your stress levels.  It can also help you make friends or even provide a purpose in your life. Then how can you find something you like to do？

Some hobbies like gardening can take up a lot of time. Other hobbies like reading can be done at your own pace and do not require any extra time.

Research the hobby or activity you would like to get involved in. Find out how much time and money you will need to devote to starting and continuing the activity. For example， some sports-related interests might require special equipment.  Your local library should also have information on hobbies and activities in your area.

Talk with other people who are involved in some of the activities you are interested in.  Ask if you could follow them to a meeting or spend some time with this person while he is involved in his hobby to see if it is something you would enjoy.

Challenge yourself to try a new activity you are interested in for a week or so. Allow yourself to learn about the hobby and determine whether you will enjoy the activity or not.

A. Think about how a hobby benefits you.

B. A hobby can connect you with other people.

C. Take a chance on a hobby and see if you enjoy it.

D. Decide whether a particular hobby is right for you.

E. Think about how much free time you can devote to a hobby.

F. You can find information about hobbies and interests on Find My Hobbys website.

G. You can get first-hand knowledge by interviewing someone about a particular hobby.

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Reading books is one of the best hobbies. It not only helps you pass your time but also helps you increase your knowledge in a meaningful manner.  Here we will give you a few tips that can help you.

● Fall into the habit of borrowing books to read.

This is a very old-school practice but still it can be highly effective. When you borrow a book， there is obviously a deadline （期限） set.

● Read everywhere.

Keep a book in your bag and read it anywhere you go. This will help you to pass your time in a very productive manner.  Anyway， you can read your book 24 hours a day.

●

This can easily be described as a new-school technique. You can read out to your brother or sister and this will enable you to finish your book as well as increase the knowledge and understanding of your brother or sister.

● Choose your books very carefully.

Thus choose your books very carefully in order to enjoy your time and also finish your book effectively. If you choose a good book that can keep you interested for a longer period of time， there is no way that you are going to leave it incomplete.

A. Read out to someone else.

B. Stress the importance of reading books.

C. So it is necessary to develop the reading habit.

D. Find a reason to read every day by visiting book clubs.

E. Yes， life is too short to read a book that doesnt impress you.

F. It doesnt matter whether you are traveling or are about to sleep.

G. This can encourage you to read it often to finish the book on time.

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Note-taking is a skill that can help you do well in all your schoolwork—everything from taking tests to researching a paper. There are many ideas that can help you take better notes.

Youll be disorganized if you try to write down every word thats said in class. And if you pay too much attention to getting your notes right， you might miss listening to what the teacher is saying. So you just need to write down the most important points from class.

Learn to ask.  If the teacher is going too fast， your classmates will also be happy to hear the information again. If you dont want to ask in class， see your teacher afterwards.

Compare. Going over your notes with a friend and comparing what the two of you put down can help master what youre learning. It can also help you remember information when its time for a test.

Copy. If youve scribbled （潦草地書写） down notes in a hurry， you might not be able to read them when it comes time to prepare for a test.  Copying them also helps you learn and remember what you wrote.

Organize. Keep notes for each subject in one place.  This could mean keeping a notebook or part of a notebook for each subject as you take notes in class.

A. Write down important points.

B. Listen carefully to the teachers.

C. This can help you do better in a test.

D. In this way， you can find everything easily.

E. Dont be afraid to ask the teacher to repeat something you miss.

F. Reviewing your notes will also help you and your friend find out mistakes.

G. Look over your notes when you get home， and write them again if you need to.

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Every year， wildfires destroy millions of hectares of forest land.  Smokejumpers help to stop this.

Smokejumpers are a special type of firefighter. They jump from planes or are lowered by helicopters into areas that are difficult to reach by car or on foot， such as the middle of a mountain forest. They race to put out fires as fast as they can.

At a fire site， smokejumpers first examine the land and decide how to fight the fire. Their main goal is to stop a fire from spreading. Using basic equipment such as shovels and axes， smokejumpers clear land of burnable material， like plants and other dry material.

Although the majority of smokejumpers are men， more women are joining.  For example， smokejumpers employed in the US must be 120 to 200 pounds （54 to 91 kilograms） so they dont get blown away by the strong winds or get hurt when they land.

Smokejumpers must also be capable of surviving in the wilderness. In Russia， many smokejumpers know how to find food in the forest and even make simple furniture from trees.  But for these firefighters， smokejumping isnt just a job. They love being able to jump out of planes， fight fires， and live in the forest. As 28-year-old Russian smokejumper Alexi Tishin says， “This is the best job for tough guys.”

A. What is a smokejumper？

B. How do smokejumpers do it？

C. More important are your height and weight.

D. It means the work is dangerous and takes a long time.

E. And homes are damaged， and thousands of people die.

F. They carry water with them， too， but only a limited amount.

G. Hot weather and fast-moving winds often make the fires more dangerous.

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Compared with being rich， it is much better to live rich， that is， to ensure your limited time on this planet is spent realizing your full potential （潛力）.

Understand the give-and-take.

It may seem more selfless to be a giver， but it is also a gift to be a receiver. Plants and animals work together by breathing out the chemicals necessary for the other to breathe in. Understanding this universal truth helps you appreciate the moment youre in.

Focus on your smile.

The world reacts to you based on your looks and actions.  It can help you get more positive results in life. No matter what is going on in your life， focusing on smiling will improve your day.

You cant expect to win when youre simply playing not to lose. The difference in your way of thinking matters a lot. So imagine yourself as a champion. That is how the day will play out.

Shake it off.

Not everyone can win every time， no matter what all those medals we hand out may indicate.  Learn from it; then， move on. If youre still alive， you have another shot.

Give back to others.

There is no problem in wanting to create wealth.  Never forget that the only reason you have money is because someone gave it to you.

A. Play to win.

B. Act in the face of fear.

C. Here are five steps to live rich.

D. Who you choose to be is up to you.

E. When you lose， dont get stuck with self-pity.

F. A smile goes a long way towards relaxing people.

G. But its important to spread that wealth and use it to help others.

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Youve heard it a million times already， but it really does take but a few seconds to make that all-important first impression. Here are some easy ways for you to impress your classmates or teachers.

●

Before you shake hands with somebody， make sure that your hands are clean. The handshake should not be too strong or weak. Most people use their right hands， unless they have a reason to use the left.

● Be on time.

When meeting someone for the first time， arriving on time is as important as breathing. You may have an excuse， but that will leave the person who hardly knows you with a bad impression.  Its better to be hanging around the place than be stuck in traffic.

● Introduce yourself and ask for names.

Make sure you properly introduce yourself. Ask for their name in a polite way.  This will increase the chances of their remembering your name in the future. Always remember to stand up when greeting someone and be sure to introduce them to anyone youre with.

● Make good conversation.

To get the most out of your discussion， try to find something common between the two of you.  A person will feel more comfortable with someone they can relate to.

A. Use body language.

B. Have a proper handshake.

C. Repeat the name and use it later in conversation.

D. As a general rule， plan to arrive about 30 minutes early.

E. It could be a similar taste in clothes or a common hobby.

F. Youll be in serious trouble if you leave them with a bad impression.

G. However， dont have your left hand in your pocket because this appears impolite.

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No one likes to fail. Whether its at work， at home， or in another area of your life， failure is painful and it can also be costly in terms of time， money， or both.  If you never suffer a failure， then youre probably not pushing yourself to your full potential （潛力）. The following are some tips on how to pick yourself up after youve failed.

Remember that other people fail too.  Theyll tell you about that great new contract they signed， not the deal that failed eventually though they worked on it for months. But failure is normal， and lots of people fail time and time again before meeting with success.

Remind yourself of your past successes. Failing doesnt mean that youre worthless.  Maybe you had high marks last term， or you lost weight. You might want to write down a list of successes—things that youve achieved over the past few years. If you ever lack confidence， you can go back and read over that list.

Your past successes are important， but so are your past failures. Its not fun to think about the times when things went wrong， but by accepting your failures， you can remind yourself that today is no different. Just as you recovered in the past， you can recover from your recent failure too.

Whatever went wrong， youre probably facing some sort of decision. Dont rush into making hasty （草率的） decision， but do look for a forward path. That might require some deep thinking.

A. Make a decision.

B. Limit the influence of the damage.

C. Remind yourself of your past failures.

D. However， failure is a normal part of life.

E. Get some advice and support from others.

F. Most people dont talk openly about their failures.

G. Think of all the times in the past when youve succeeded.

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We are not suggesting that you can reach a permanent state called “happiness” and remain there. But there are many ways to turn the path of anxiety， anger， and sadness into a state of happiness. Here are four ideas to get you started.

● Laugh out loud.

Just expecting a happy， funny event can raise levels of pleasure-causing hormones （荷爾蒙） and lower production of stress hormones. Researchers at the University of California tested 16 men， who all agreed they thought a certain videotape was funny. Half were told three days in advance they would watch it.  When they actually watched the video， their levels of stress hormones dropped greatly， while their levels of pleasure-causing hormones rose 27 percent.

● Do one thing at a time.

Edward Suarez， professor of medical psychology at Duck， found that people who do several things at the same time are more likely to have high blood pressure.  Instead of talking on the phone while cleaning the kitchen， sit down in a comfortable chair and turn your entire attention over to the conversation.

●

Although relationships help take away stress， sometimes you need time to recharge and reflect on your own. Take yourself out to lunch or to a movie， or simply spend an afternoon reading at home， or looking through books in a bookstore.

● Practice mindfulness.

Instead of worrying about your check-up tomorrow while having dinner with your family， focus on the here and now—food， the company， and the conversation.

A. Spend time alone.

B. Focus on the present.

C. Take care of your mind.

D. Take that finding seriously.

E. Choose the ones that work for you.

F. They started experiencing biological changes right away.

G. Find a quiet place near your house and make it your secret place to escape.

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Exploring somewhere new can bring us adventurous experiences. With the proper technology， we can make full use of our time on the road. Google Maps is just this kind that helps make trips easier. People most commonly use Google Maps for directions from one place to another. It offers many other kinds of travel tools. And， how do Google Maps work？

Project and share a road trip route.

When we are traveling on a road trip， we do not have to plan each part of the trip separately with Google Maps.   Besides， we can share our journey with others. After we have planned our route， click share or open the menu and click “share or insert map” to share our route with others.

When we are traveling， we may not always have access to the Internet， or we may not want to pay international charges for using our phone in other countries. The good news is that we can still use Google Maps even without the Internet. We can download a map from Google Maps to our phone.

Find the best places in town.

We can ask Google Maps for recommendations. After we search for a city in Google Maps， click “Nearby” to find the top-rated restaurants， hotels， pubs， coffee shops， and more.

Share our current position with friends.

Thanks to a recent Google Maps update， we can now share our position with our friends.  For example， using Google Maps for a lonely place， we can share our route with friends so that they can locate a general position where we stay and join us.

A. What place will you explore？

B. Save our maps for off-line use.

C. Want to know the best local places？

D. Here are 4 top tips for using Google Maps.

E. Google Maps can offer us all kinds of conveniences.

F. We can search for the whole trip in order to plan our route more successfully.

G. During exploring a totally strange area， there is no need to worry about losing way.

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If you need to interview someone for an article but you have never interviewed before， it can be frightening. Here are some tips for preparing for and conducting a successful interview.

If the person is a known author or speaker， take the time to read or listen to his/her work， or at least get familiar with his/her most recent or most important work. If the interview will cover events， review whatever is known publicly about those events.

Use a recording device （錄音设备）. You can use your phone or an audio recorder. In this way you neednt struggle to write things down.  And this will make it easier to include direct quotes （引用） when you start writing.

Remember to make it a conversation rather than a list of questions. Prepared questions are just a guideline.  You can also try to ask your interviewee about his/her personal thoughts and reactions to events and people they deal with.

Appropriate feedback （合适的反馈） is also important. Feel free to say words that show you are listening， like “Yeah” and “Mmmm”.  You can also give more facial feedback like smiling.

If the interviewee changes suddenly from one line of thought to another， lead them back to the area you are focusing on. Guide the interview but dont keep interrupting with many questions.

A. Politely ask if you can interview them.

B. Do your homework before you pick up the phone.

C. Then you can focus all your attention on the interview.

D. Consider how all the questions can be asked in a short time.

E. Nodding your head can be an encouragement to the interviewee.

F. In order to get the information you need， you should guide the interview.

G. You can try to ask questions based on what they have said to you in previous responses.

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