B

You don’t need millions to be happy. In fact, at The Happiness Institute in Australia, a couple of hundred dollars may be enough.

The institute opened its doors last year, and, since then, men and women of all ages have been paying A $ 200 an hour (US $140) for lessons on how to feel great.

“You can actually increase your happiness levels. That’s what we teach,” said Timothy Sharp, founder of the institute.

Experts say that only about 15 percent of happiness comes from income, assets and other financial factors. As much as 85 percent comes from things such as attitude, life control and relationships.

Most of us are significantly better off financially than our parents and grandparents, but happiness levels haven’t changed to reflect that.

Studies show that once the basic needs of shelter and food are met, additional wealth adds very little to happiness.

Many decades ago, the “sage of Baltimore, Maryland”, editor HL Mencken, defined wealth as earning US $100 more than your “wife’s sister’s husband.”

Behavioral economists now say part of the reason we are richer but not happier is because we compare ourselves to people better off materially.

“The argument is that if you want to be happy there’s a very simple thing you can do: Compare yourself to people who are less well off than you? poorer, smaller house, car,” said Sharp.

The Happiness Institute aims to show you how to overcome these unhappiness factors by focusing on “more than just your bank account.”

“If I compare myself to Bill Gates then I’m always going to be down,” said Sharp.

A better thing to compare with, he said, might be Kerry Packer, Australia’s richest person who has had a kidney transplant and heart surgery in recent years.

45. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. You can learn to increase your happiness levels by attending the classes at The Happiness Institute.

B. Most of us are happier than our parents or grandparents since we earn more.

C. Earning US $100 more than your wife’s sister’s husband if you want to be happy.

D. Both Bill Gates and Kerry Packer are examples of those who are extremely rich but obviously unhappy.

46. If you have 500 Australian dollars, you can get about _____ U. S. dollars from a bank.

A. 550 B. 450 C. 350 D. 250

47. The underlined phrase in the 9th paragraph has the same meaning as the word ______.

A. healthy B. unhealthy C. free D. wealthy

48. The author wrote the passage to tell us ______.

A. happiness is everything

B. wealth is the foundation of happiness

C. have fun at the Happiness Institute

D. money doesn’t always mean happiness

C

Childhood is a happy time, right? Not necessarily. Consider these facts.

Depression may occur in as many as 1 in 33 children.

Once a child has an episode(一段情节) of depression, he or she has a 50 percent chance of experiencing another episode in the next 5 years.

Suicide(自杀) is the 6th leading cause of death for 5-to-15-year-olds.

If your child experiences 5 or more of these signs or symptoms (症状) for at least 2 weeks, he or she may be experiencing depression or another mental illness.

Feeling — Does your child demonstrate:

Sadness

Emptiness

Hopelessness

Guilt

Worthlessness

Lack of enjoyment in everyday pleasures Thinking桰s your child having trouble:

Concentrating

Making decisions

Completing schoolwork

Maintaining grades

Maintaining friendship s Physical problems — Does your child complain of:

Headaches

Stomachaches

Lack of energy

Sleeping problems ( too much or too little)

Weight or appetite changes

( gain or loss ) Suicide risk — Does your child talk or think about:

Suicide

Death

Other morbid (生病的) subjects Behavior problems --Is your child: Irritable

Not wanting to go to school

Wanting to be alone most of the time

Having difficulty getting along with others

Cutting classes or skipping school

Dropping out of sports, hobbies or other activities

Drinking alcohol or using drugs. Sometimes, a child who causes problems at school or at home may actually be depressed, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. If you think your child may be depressed, it’s important to have your child treated. Discuss your child’s problems with his or her doctor. The doctor may suggest a referral to a children’s psychologist(心理医生)or psychiatrist(精神病医生).

Treatment may include individual and family therapy(治疗), along with an antidepressant medication (抗抑郁药).

49. This article is particularly written for ______.

A. parents B. teachers C. children D. psychologists

50. Which statement describes a child who may have physical problems?

A. The child is always in high mood.

B. The child always feels tired but sleeps only four hours a day.

C. The child hates to study.

D. The child can not concentrate on one thing for a long period.

51. When your child always talks about death or other morbid subjects, he or she ______.

A. may has trouble in thinking B. may have suicide risk

C. may have behavior problems D. may have physical problems

52. What should we do when we find our kids experiencing depression?

A. Ask for leave to accompany them at home.

B. Ask them to take antidepressant immediately.

C. Go to see the doctor.

D. Ask them to have a good rest.

D

Many of us already know about several American superstitions (迷信). Having a black cat cross your path, walking ladder, and breaking a mirror are all bad luck. In addition to these, there are many other superstitions that are worth knowing. Understanding them will keep you safe from evil spirits ? if you believe in such things?iand impress your American friends when you mention them.

Like the superstitions in other cultures, American superstitions often involve the things important in daily life, such as health, numbers, and marriage. For example, have you ever had a cough that would not go away? According to one American superstition, you should take a piece of your hair and put it between two slices of buttered bread. Next, feed this hair sandwich to a dog and say, “Eat well, you hound, may you be sick and I be sound.” This will trick the evil spirits and help your cough. It will also raise some eyebrows if you try it.

In American superstitions, the number three is very important. Often, Americans will say, “All things come in threes.” Three is lucky because it represents the traditional family: mother, father, and child. Therefore, gifts, letters, and guests will often arrive at your home in groups of three. However, it is also possible for bad events, like accidents and funerals, to come in threes as well.

Another time people pay attention to superstitions is when they get married. During a wedding, brides must wear or carry “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.” The old and borrowed things will bring luck to the person who gives them to the bride. The new and blue things will bring good fortune to the bride herself. The next time someone you know is getting married, be sure to recite this phrase.

As it would be unlucky to discuss one more superstition, we will wind things up here. Keep your fingers crossed, and stay lucky!

53. The passage is most probably entitled “_______”.

A. American’s Bad Luck B. Cross-culture and Superstitions

C. American Superstitions D. Daily Life in Superstitions

54. The underlined sentence in the second paragraph “It will also raise some eyebrows if you try it. ” means _____.

A. whey you try it, the dog will raise its eyebrows

B. you will make some people surprised when you try this trick

C. only if you raise your eyebrows can the trick work

D. you will believe in the trick after you try it

55. In American’s view, the number three is a(n) _____ number.

A. lucky B. unlucky C. special D. ordinary

56. On the wedding, the bride often uses old and borrowed things so as to _____.

A. save some money for the wedding

B. bring good luck to the people who gave them to the bride

C. give the good luck to the bride herself

D. pass the bad luck to others

57. After reading the passage, we may feel it is written in a _______ tone.

A. formal B. serious C. humorous D. critical