Once upon a time, there was a scholar who wanted to gain more knowledge each day even though he had already gained enough knowledge. One day, he came to visit a saint and wanted to be his student. The saint provided some tea. He slowly filled the scholar’s cup: the cup was full, yet he kept pouring and pouring. The scholar burst out, “Stop! You can’t add anything to something that’s already full!” The saint set down the teapot and replied, “Exactly.”
Whether it’s the silence between notes in music, or some open time in your schedule, you need space to act effectively. Yet most of us, myself included, tend to stuff as much as possible into whatever room is available-closets, schedules, budgets, relationships, and even the mind itself.
However, some people know how to avoid overstuffing their life. For example, in Australia, it seemed that most people there operated at about 85% of their capacity（能力），unlike Americans pushing as close to 100% as possible. So when you run into Australians you know in the street, they have time to hang out and talk with you.
Remember the cup: its value is in the space, the emptiness it holds. How to empty your “cup”?
Be mindful of the element of space, openness , and emptiness  in your life. This includes room in a drawer, the volume of air in a kitchen, and open-mindedness in a friend. Sometimes you’re just stuck with a big bucket of tasks yet to do. But at least empty the bucket faster than you fill it with new tasks. Put some space between finishing one thing and staring another. For example, after sending one email, take a breath before replying to another one. Drop the stuff you can no longer afford to lug around. At sea level, you can run with a brick in your backpack, but if you’re hiking on a mountain, that brick has got to go.

1. 1.

   By pouring water into the cup, the saint most probably wanted the scholar to know that     .

   1. A.
      he should pay attention to details
   2. B.
      he should keep learning every day
   3. C.
      he had already gained enough knowledge
   4. D.
      he should be very careful in order to succeed
2. 2.

   We learn that compared to Americans, Australians      .

   1. A.
      work much harder
   2. B.
      know less about their capacity
   3. C.
      spare more time for themselves
   4. D.
      spend less time with their friends
3. 3.

   The underlined word“lug”in the last paragraph probably means“     ”.

   1. A.
      reach
   2. B.
      carry
   3. C.
      see
   4. D.
      show
4. 4.

   What’s  the structure of the passage?

   1. A.
      Example →advice→ conclusion →story.
   2. B.
      Topic→ example →advice→ story.
   3. C.
      Story→topic →example→advice.
   4. D.
      Reason →topic →advice →example.
5. 5.

   What would be the best title for the passage?

   1. A.
      The art of life.
   2. B.
      Value every minute
   3. C.
      The art of drinking tea
   4. D.
      Empty your“cup”at times

Once upon a time, there was a scholar who wanted to gain more knowledge each day even though he had already gained enough knowledge. One day, he came to visit a saint and wanted to be his student. The saint provided some tea. He slowly filled the scholar’s cup: the cup was full, yet he kept pouring and pouring. The scholar burst out, “Stop! You can’t add anything to something that’s already full!” The saint set down the teapot and replied, “Exactly.”
Whether it’s the silence between notes in music, or some open time in your schedule, you need space to act effectively. Yet most of us, myself included, tend to stuff as much as possible into whatever room is available－closets, schedules, budgets, relationships, and even the mind itself.
However, some people know how to avoid overstuffing their life. For example, in Australia, it seemed that most people there operated at about 85% of their capacity（能力），unlike Americans pushing as close to 100% as possible. So when you run into Australians you know in the street, they have time to hang out and talk with you.
Remember the cup: its value is in the space, the emptiness it holds. How to empty your “cup”?
Be mindful of the element of space, openness , and emptiness  in your life. This includes room in a drawer, the volume of air in a kitchen, and open-mindedness in a friend. Sometimes you’re just stuck with a big bucket of tasks yet to do. But at least empty the bucket faster than you fill it with new tasks. Put some space between finishing one thing and staring another. For example, after sending one email, take a breath before replying to another one. Drop the stuff you can no longer afford to lug around. At sea level, you can run with a brick in your backpack, but if you’re hiking on a mountain, that brick has got to go.
【小题1】By pouring water into the cup, the saint most probably wanted the scholar to know that     .

According to a recent survey on money and relationships, 36% of people are keeping a bank account from their partner. While this financial unfaithfulness may appear as distrust in a relationship, in truth it may just be a form of financial protection. 

With almost half of all marriages ending in divorce, men and women are realizing they need to be financially savvy, regardless of whether they are in a relationship.

      The financial hardship on individuals after a divorce can be extremely difficult, even more so when children are involved. The lack of permanency in relationships, jobs and family life may be the cause of a growing trend to keep a secret bank account hidden from a partner, in other words, an “escape fund”.

       Margaret’s story is far from unique. She is a representative of a growing number of women in long-term relationships who are becoming protective of their own earnings. Every month on pay day, she banks hundreds of dollars into a savings account she keeps from her husband. She has been doing this throughout their six-year marriage and has built a nest egg worth an incredible $100,000. Margaret says if her husband found about her secret savings he’d be hurt and would take this as a sign that she wasn’t sure of the marriage. “He’d think it was my escape fund so that financially I could afford to get out of the relationship if it went wrong. I know you should approach marriage as being forever and I hope ours is, but you can never be sure.”

       Like many of her fellow secret savers, Margaret was hurt in a former relationship and has since been very guarded about her own money.

       Coming clean to your partner about being a secret saver may not be all that bad. Take Colleen for example, who had been saving secretly for a few years before she confessed (坦白) to her partner. “I decided to open a savings account and start building a nest egg of my own. I wanted to prove to myself that I could put money in the bank and leave it there for a rainy day.”

    61. The underlined word “savvy” probably means ________.

       A. doubtful         B. proud       C. wise         D. simple

    62. Which inference can we make about Margaret？

       A. She is a unique woman.                  B. She was once divorced.

       C. She is going to retire.                    D. She has many children.

    63. The author mentions Colleen’s example to show __________.

       A. any couple can avoid marriage conflicts 

B. privacy within marriage should be respected

       C. everyone can save a fortune with a happy marriage

       D. financial confession is not necessarily bad

    64. Which of the following is the best title of this passage?

        A. Secret Savers                           B. Love Is What It’s Worth

        C. Banking Honesty                       D. Once Bitten, Twice Shy

       Prisoner Mitchell King had a visitor— his wife. King was serving a six-year prison term in Auckland, New Zealand for armed robbery. But his wife didn’t want to be away from him for that long. So they held hands and they stuck. She’s rubbed her palms with super glue.

       Their new-found closeness was short-lived. And their separation painful. Her technique is not one I'd recommend(introduce) for a closer relationship.

But if you want more closeness; if you desire relationships that are deeper and broader, more meaningful and longer-lasting, then remember the word "TRAVEL."

T is for TRUST. Trust is the glue that holds people together (not Super Glue). A relationship will go nowhere without it.

R is for RESPECT. "Do not save your loving speeches for your friends till they are dead; speak them rather now instead," writes Anna Cummins. It's about respecting others and letting them know that you value them.

A is for AFFECTION. Sometimes affection means love. Sometimes it means a touch. Always it means kindness.

V is for VULNERABILITY(harm). Though we may feel afraid to let another too close, no relationship will go anywhere without risking vulnerability. Entrepreneur Jim Rohn says, "The walls we build around us to keep out the sadness also keep out the joy." And the love.

E is for EMOTIONAL INTIMACY(亲密). Learn to be open. Learn to communicate freely. What kinds of relationships you make are largely determined by how openly you have learned to communicate.

L is for LAUGHTER. Victor Borge got it right when he said, "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." It's also the most enjoyable.

For relationships that can really go somewhere, just remember the word "TRAVEL." Then enjoy the trip!

6．The author intends to _________ by showing us the example in Paragraph One.

       A. condemn the wife for her silly behavior

       B. introduce new ways for closer relationships

       C. tell us King and his wife would never be separated

       D. encourage us to follow the wife’s technique

7．The underlined word “it” in Paragraph Four refers to?

       A. Trust.                      B. Glue.                       C. Closeness.                D. TRAVEL

8．Which of the following agrees with what Jim Rohn says?

       A. Walls should be built to keep out the sadness.

       B. It’s unnecessary to avoid vulnerability for closer relationships.

       C. Love will be kept out if you let another too close.

       D. We shouldn’t let another too close because of vulnerability.

9．What does Victor Borge really mean by his word in the ninth paragraph?

       A. Laughter will keep the shortest distance.

       B. Laughter will make a closer relationship.

       C. No relationship will go without laughter.

       D. Laughter is necessary to make friends.

10．What would be the best title for this passage?

       A. Relationships.                                       B. The story of a prisoner.

       C. A technique for good relationships.         D. Tips on closer relationships.