everybody that his idea came while he was having a shower. “What about you?” he asked, “Don’t you get your creative thoughts from the same place?”
“I’m in and out in a hurry,” I told him proudly. “I have no time to waste!”
“What a pity,” he said. “That’s the place where you need to slow down; plenty of great thoughts come from there!” I tried it out. I slowed down the whole process, started enjoying the warm water, taking a little longer to soap myself and even spending more time just enjoying the process, and realized how much I had missed in hurrying up all these years.
A woman told me how much stress her friend was suffering from and how she sought to convince her that she needed to find ways to relax. She gave her a videotape on stress management and relaxation techniques, and encouraged her to watch it right away. Fifteen minutes later, her friend handed back the tape. “It was good,” she said,” but I don’t need it.”
“But it’s a 70 - minute video,” the woman replied, “You couldn’t have watched the whole thing.”
“Yes, I did,” her friend said. “I put it in fast - forward!”
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A major social problem of the 21st century is Hurry Sickness. We hurry through work. We swallow fast food. We complain that we don’t have enough time. We race through the days and weeks until one day we look back in amazement and comment, “My god, how the years flew by!” Then we realize the heavy price we have paid for traveling fast.
Symptoms of Hurry Sickness include stress and anxiety, bad relationships, lowered work performance and even disease. Some people don’t survive it. What’s the cure? Slow down, for life is so short and precious that we must live it well.
8. What was the advantage of taking a shower in the eyes of the artist friend?
A. Time was saved. B. Nothing was missed. C. Great ideas flew away. D. Creative thoughts came. 9. What was the trouble with the woman’s friend?
A. She felt stressed. B. She found the tape useless. C. She found no way to relax. D. She watched the tape too fast. 10. What are the major trouble people face in the 21st century in the writer’s eyes?
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A. People run fast to work. B. Everything is done in a hurry. C. People don’t have enough time.D.Time flies without being noticed. 11. How can the problem be settled?
A. By pacing down. B. By learning to survive. C. By developing friendship. D. By performing good work.
D
“Don't worry if you have problems！” It is easy to say until you are in the midst of a really big one. The only people who don't have troubles are gathered in little neighborhoods. Most communities have at least one. We call them cemeteries. If you're breathing，you have difficulties. It's the way of life. And believe it or not，most of your problems may actually be good for you！Let me explain.
Maybe you have heard the Great Barrier Reef，stretching some 1，800 miles from New Guinea to Australia. Tour guides regularly take visitors to view the reef.
On one tour，a traveler asked the guide an interesting question.“I notice that the lagoon (泻湖) side of the reef looks pale and lifeless，while the ocean side is vibrant and colorful，” the traveler observed.“Why is this？”
The guide gave an interesting answer，“The coral around the lagoon side is in still water，with no challenge for its survival. It dies
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early. The coral on the ocean side is constantly being tested by wind，waves and storms. It has to fight for its survival every day. As it is challenged and tested，it changes and adapts. It grows healthy. It grows strong. And it reproduces.”Then he added，“That's the way it is with every living organism.”
That's how it is with people. Challenged and tested，we come alive！Like coral pounded by the sea，we grow. Physical demands can cause us to grow stronger. Mental and emotional stress can produce tough-mindedness and resiliency. Spiritual testing can produce strength of character and faithfulness. So，you have problems？No problem！Just tell yourself，“There I grow again！”
Remember：A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner. 12．Who has no problems according to the passage? A．The persons who are very famous. B．The persons who have much money.
C． The persons who are living in the cemeteries. D．The persons who have been born. 13．In the writer's opinion， ． A．problems bring us much trouble
B．problems have two sides，good or bad
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C．we should try to stay away from any trouble D．the fewer things we do，the less trouble we'll meet
14．The reason why lagoon side of the reef has no life is ． A．it hasn't got any sunlight B．it has less energy than others C．it has no work to do every day D．it never faces any challenge and tests
15．After reading this passage，we should ． A．regard any problem as challenge B．learn from the lagoon side
C．worry about your problem D．enter into cemeteries
第二节（共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5分）
How To Fight Back-To-School Anxiety
August is the time to prepare for a new school year. _16_ These simple tips can help you or someone you love deal with the year ahead.
_17___ Like any new activity, a new school year is always easier when you’re prepared for it. Get your class schedule in advance so you know exactly what to expect that first day. Make sure you’re prepared with all the supplies you’ll need. If you’ll be attending a new
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