Mom was right! If you say thank you, for even the smallest gift or slightest show of kindness, you’ll feel happy.
Gratitude, says Robert A. Emmons, a professor or psychology at the University of California, is an important element of happiness. In his recent took, Thanks!, Emmons uses the first major study on gratitude to prove mom’s point. In acknowledging and developing this much-ignored expression of thankfulness, he explains how people have benefited---- even improved their health.
As one of the leading scholars of the positive psychology movement, he admits gratitude may be difficult to express. He advises you to begin by admitting that life is good and full of events and elements that make daily existence a wonder. Second, recognize that the source of life’s goodness is more than just you. That source may be your mom, a friend, partner, child, colleague at work or play, or any combination of these.
Gratitude is always other-directed, notes Emmons. You can be pleased or angry with yourself and feel guilty about doing something wrong, but you can never be grateful to or for yourself.
Expressing gratitude shouldn’t be a reaction; it should be a state of mind. To feel grateful when life is a breeze and you have more than you need is easy. To feel grateful in time of crisis---- anger, hatred and bitterness----is easier. Also, too many people are aware of life’s blessings only after these are lost.
It’s crisis and chaos ---- danger, disease, disability and death ---- that bring many individuals to realize just how dependent they are on others. Yet it’s the way each of us begins life and ends it. It’s too bad that so many people waste those decades in between labouring under the illusion they are self-sufficient, says Emmons.
The abundance of voices expressing gratitude from his studies of individuals with chronic health problems is many. But Emmons goes beyond his “groundbreaking” science to make his case for gratitude by including the inspirational writings of philosophers, novelists and saints, as well as the beliefs of various religions and their respective scriptures. Taken together, these observations are summed up quite nicely by famous humanist Albert Schweitzer, who said the secret of life is “giving thanks for everything.”
To enable and embrace gratitude, Emmons encourages the readers of Thanks! To keep a gratitude diary. He even provides easy-to-follow directions on how to practice and develop gratitude.
I’m not a reader or advocate of self-help books, but I am thankful for the reference I found in a newspaper article to the research Emmons was conducting on gratitude involving organ donors and recipients. The chance discovery led me to this book.
Mom implied that kindness seems to find its way back to the giver because life really is all about giving, receiving and repaying. So I’ll pay attention to her professional advice and say: Thank you, professor Emmons.
【小题1】What is the text mainly discussed?
| A．There are many ways of being thankful. |
| B．Gratitude is important to happiness. |
| C．Mom is great for her being thankful. |
| D．Being thankful will keep you fit. |
| A．you live a comfortable life |
| B．you receive gifts on your birthday |
| C．you get help during your hard times |
| D．you are congratulated on your success |
| A．It is enough to thank others orally. |
| B．Whether you are thankful is always up to you. |
| C．Remember to be thankful anytime and anywhere. |
| D．It is easier to be thankful for yourself than for others. |
| A．one-sided | B．reasonable | C．puzzling | D．helpful |
科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
阅读理解（共20小题，每小题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Robby was 11 when his mother dropped him off for his first piano lesson. I prefer students to begin at an earlier age. Robby said that it had always been his mother’s dream to hear him play the piano, so I took him on as a student.
Robby tried and tried while I listened and encouraged him and gave him more instructions. But he just did not have any inborn ability.
I only saw his mother from a distance. She always waved and smiled but never came in. Then one day Robby stopped coming to our lessons. I thought about calling him but I guessed he had decided to try something else.
I was also glad that he stopped coming for the sake of my career. However, several weeks before the recital (演奏会) of my students, Robby came，telling me that he never stopped practicing and begged me to allow him to take part in it. I agreed, but I made him perform last in the program, so I could save his poor performance through my “curtain closer”.
I was surprised when he announced that he had chosen one piece of Mozart’s. Never had I heard a piece of Mozart’s played so well by someone at his age. When he finished, everyone was cheering.
I ran up and put my arms around Robby in joy. “I’ve never heard you play like that, Robby! How could you do it?”
“Well, Miss Hondorf. Do you remember I told you my mom was sick? Actually she died this morning. She was born deaf, so tonight was the first time she could hear me play. I wanted to make it special. I knew I could.”
That night, Robby was the teacher and I was the student. He taught me so many important things about life.
Why might Robby have stopped coming to piano lessons suddenly?
A. He lost heart and believed that he would never make it.
B. His mother might have been seriously ill.
C. He thought that his teacher disliked him.
D. His mother died and he didn’t need to play any longer.
We can know from the passage that __________.
A. the writer thought students shouldn’t begin playing the piano too early
B. the writer thought that Robby had given up his piano lessons
C. only by practicing at home did Robby learn to play well
D. no one else could play the piece of Mozart’s as well as Robby
From the underlined sentence, we can infer that _________.
A. the writer looked down upon Robby and disliked him
B. the writer thought Robby was a bad advertisement for her teaching
C. with Robby in the recital, the other children couldn’t play well
D. the writer couldn’t teach so many students at a time
The writer made Robby perform last because _________.
A. the one who performs last always performs very well
B. Robby asked the writer to do so
C. she wanted to do something to save a poor performance
D. Robby thought his mother would come at last
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Even before my father left us, my mother had to go back to work to support our family．Once I came out of the kitchen, complaining, "Mom, I can't peel potatoes．I have only one hand．"
Mom never looked up from sewing．"You get yourself into that kitchen and peel those potatoes," she told me．"And don't ever use that as an excuse for anything again!"
In the second grade, our teacher lined up my class on the playground and had each of us race across the monkey bars, swinging from one high steel bar to the next．When it was my turn, I shook my head．Some kids behind me laughed, and I went home crying．
That night I told Mom about it．She hugged me, and I saw her "we'll see about that" look． The next afternoon, she took me back to school．At the deserted playground, Mom looked carefully at the bars．
"Now, pull up with your right arm," she advised．She stood by as I struggled to lift myself with my right hand until I could hook the bar with my other arm．Day after day we practiced, and she praised me for every rung （横档） I reached．I'd never forget the next time, crossing the rungs．I looked down at the kids who were standing with their mouths open．
One night, after a dance at my new junior high, I lay in bed sobbing．I could hear Mom come into my room．"Mom," I said, weeping, "none of the girls would dance with me．"
For a long time, I didn't hear anything．Then she said, "Oh, honey, someday you'll be beating those boys off with a bat．" Her voice was soft and weak．I glanced at her to see tears running down her cheeks．Then I knew how much she suffered on my behalf．She had never let me see her tears．
Which of the following expressions can be used most suitably to describe Mom's attitude
when she made the child peel potatoes?
A．Cruel． B．Serious． C．Strict． D．Cold．
From the passage, we know monkey bars can help a child train ____．
A．the skill to circle round a bar
B．the skill to throw and catch things
C．the speed of one's hand movement
D．the strength and skill to hang and swing
What does the sentence "I saw her 'we'll see about that' look" imply?
A．Mom believed every aim could be achieved if you stuck to it．
B．What the child had said brought Mom great attraction and curiosity．
C．Mom was determined to prove she herself was better than the teacher．
D．The race across monkey bars was not difficult enough for a child to give up．
The most probable conclusion we can draw after reading the passage is ____．
A．the last incident was sad enough to make Mom weep
B．the child's experience reminded Mom of that of her own
C．Mom could solve any problem except the one in the last paragraph
D．in fact Mom suffered more in the process of the child's growth
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科目：高中英语 来源：2011届四川省乐山市高中高三第二次诊断性考试英语卷 题型：完型填空
完型填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
Robby was 11 years old when his mother (a single mom) dropped him off for his first piano lesson. I prefer students begin at an earlier age, which I explained to Robby. 21 Robby said that it had always been his mother’s 22 to hear him play the piano. So I took him as a student.
Hard as Robby tried, he lacked the 23 of music. However, he persisted and at the end of each weekly 24 he’d always say, “My mom’s going to hear me play someday.” But it seemed 25 . I only knew his mo
ther from a distance as she dropped Robby off or waited in her aged car to 26 him up. She always 27 and smiled but never visited my class. Then one day Robby 28 com
ing to our lessons. He telephoned me and said his mother was 29 .
A few weeks after that, I was 30 my students for the upcoming recital when Robby came and asked me 31 he could be in the recital. “Miss Hondorf… I’ll just go to play!” he insisted.
The night for the recital came. The high school gym was 32 with parents, friends and relatives. The recital 33 well. Then Robby came up on stage. I was 34 when he announced that he had chosen Mozart’s Concerto No. 21 in C Major. I was not prepared for what I h
ad heard 35 his fingers were light on the keys. They even 36 on the keys… He played so well that everyone was on their 37 in wild applause (鼓掌). In tears I ran up on stage. “Oh Robby! How 38 you do it?”
“Well Miss Hondorf… I 39 on practicing at home. Remember I told you my mom was sick? Well, 40 she had cancer and passed away this morning. She was born deaf so tonight was the first time she ever heard me play…”
【小题1】．
| A．Although | B．Because | C．But | D．Thus |
| A．idea | B．dream | C．desire | D．imagination |
| A．feeling | B．knowledge | C．education | D．sense |
| A．trial | B．attempt | C．performance | D．lesson |
| A．helpless | B．hopeless | C．senseless | D．worthless |
| 【小题6】 |
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| 【小题10】 |
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| 【小题11】 |
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| 【小题12】 |
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| 【小题13】 |
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| 【小题14】 |
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| 【小题16】 |
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| 【小题17】 |
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| 【小题18】 |
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| A．went | B．kept | C．continued | D．stuck |
| A．unfortunately | B．suddenly | C．strangely | D．actually |
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科目：高中英语 来源：2012-2013学年黑龙江省海林市高级中学高二下学期期中考试英语试卷（带解析） 题型：阅读理解
Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own. My mom was one of those people.
My father died when I was nine months old, making my mom a single mother at the age of eighteen. While I was growing up, we lived a very hard life.
We had little money, but my mom gave me a lot of love. Each night, she sat me on her lap and spoke the words that would change my life, “Kemmons, you are certain to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it.”
At fourteen, I was hit by a car and the doctors said I would never walk again. Every day,my mother spoke to me in her gentle,loving voice, telling me that no matter what those doctors said, I would walk again if I want to badly enough. She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her.A year I returned to school—walking on my own !
When the Great Depression(大萧条)hit, my mom lost her job. Then I left school to support the both of us. At that moment, I was determined never to be poor again.
Over the years, I experienced various levels of business success. But the real turning point occurred on a vacation I took with my wife and five kids in1951. I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was angry that they charged an extra $2 for each child. That was too expensive for the average American family. I told my wife that I was going to open a motel(汽车旅馆)for families that would never charge extra for children. There were plenty of doubters at that time.
Not surprisingly, Mom was one of my strongest supporters. She worked behind the desk and even designed the room style. As in any business,we experienced a lot of challenges. But with my mother’s words deeply rooted in my soul, I never doubted we would succeed.Fifteen years later,we had the largest hotel system in the world—Holiday Inn. In 1979 my company had 1759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $1billion a year.
You may not have started out life in the best situations. But if you can find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself, nothing can stop you.
【小题1】What Kemmons’mom often told him during his childhood was______
| A．caring | B．moving | C．encouraging | D．interesting |
| A．Doctors | B．Nurses | C．Friends | D．Mom |
| A．His terrible experience in the hotel |
| B．His previous business success of various levels |
| C．His mom’s support |
| D．His wife’s suggestion |
| A．Modest,helpful and hard—working |
| B．loving, supportive and strong—willed(有坚强意志的) |
| C．careful, helpful and beautiful |
| D．strict, sensitive and supportive. |
| A．Self-cofidence, hard work, higher education and a poor family |
| B．Mom’s encouragement, clear goals. Self—confidence and hard work |
| C．Clear goals,mom’s encouragemen, a poor family and higher education. |
| D．Mom’s encouragement, a poor family, higher education and opportunities |
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科目：高中英语 来源：江西省赣州十一县（市）2009-2010学年度高二下学期期中联考（英语） 题型：阅读理解
第三部分：阅读理解，共两节，共40分。
第一节，阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
After her parents separated, things at Tami’s house changed. Her mom, was busy working, and Tami became responsible for the house and making meals for herself and her younger sister. Though money was tight, they never went without. They had a nice home in a modest neighborhood. What Tami missed most of all, though, was family.
Tami spent the summer during her ninth grade year working at a park to earn exam spending money. Her job was to organize activities for the kids who spent their summer days at the park. The kids absolutely loved Tami. She was constantly going out of her way to do things for them. She would plan picnics, organize field trips and even buy ice cream for all of them, using her own money. She always did more than the job required, even if it did mean using her own money.
She got to know one little boy who lived in an apartment across the street from the park. His parents both worked at fast – food restaurants, and she knew that they didn’t have much money. The boy talked about his upcoming birthday and the fire truck he wanted so badly. He said he was going to be a fireman some day and needed the truck to practice. He told Tami more details about the truck than she knew a boy truck could have.
The boy’s birthday came and went. The next day when Tami saw the boy, she expected to see a shiny red truck in his arms. When he arrived empty – handed, she asked whether he had got the truck. The boy said no. His parents were going to get it for him later, when things were better. He seemed a little sad.
That week, Tami eased her paycheck and headed for the toy stores. She found the truck easily – after all, from his descriptions, she felt she knew it inside out. She used the money from her paycheck to buy the truck, and then had it wrapped in birthday paper.
56. What can we learn from the first paragraph?
A. They didn’t need worry too much about their living.
B. Tami’s sister became more responsible.
C. Tami began to earn money.
D. Her mother changed her job.
57. Why did Tami buy the birthday present for the boy using her own money?
A. Because he was poorer than she.
B. Because he was her best friend.
C. Because she wanted him to be a fireman.
D. because she wanted him to feel love around him.
58. What can we learn from the underlined sentence?
A. She knew how much money she would pay.
B. She knew she should check the toy truck inside out.
C. She was fully aware which toy truck the boy wanted.
D. She walked inside and then out of the toy store several times.
59. Which of the following could be the opening sentence of the next paragraph?
A. The next morning, Tami rode to the boy’s house and left the truck at the door.
B. When the boy showed up at the park that day, he was more excited than ever.
C. He showed off his new truck to Tami, and then played with it all day long.
D. That afternoon, the boy’s mom came to the park and walked over to Tami.
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