Your living room
Feng shui is all about balance. Try to arrange sofas and chairs in a square around a circular table. Avoid an L-shaped arrangement as this leaves a missing corner. The centre of the living room should be left clear. Make sure there is a lot of light, which will promote good energy.
Put plants in the corners of the room, as they attract good energy and will energize your health, but not ones with sharp leaves such as yuccas or cactus. Fresh flowers also bring good energy, but throw them away as soon as they begin to die, and don’t have dried flowers.
Mirrors are vital because they reflect energy. Round or oval ones are best, but they should not be opposite each other, nor should they reflect a door, otherwise your good fortune will go out of it.
To promote harmony between the members of your family, have photos of them around the room, preferably smiling. If you want to find a partner, energize the south-west corner of your living room or bedroom by placing a floor light at least 1.75m high there, and turn it on every evening. Surround yourself with decorations and objects in pairs, such as ducks or birds.
To avoid blocking the positive energy in the room, keep everything tidy. Don’t accumulate too many unnecessary things. Take a look at every object, and ask yourself, “Do I really need it? Do I really like it?” If the answer is no, get rid of it.
Your bedroom
You should have the head of your bed placed against a wall, as this gives you a sense of security. Avoid having a bed under a window, as you are exposed to danger and bad energy from outside. If this is impossible, use blinds or heavy curtains to cover the window. Never sleep in a place where you can’t see the door—you should always be able to see someone who’s coming in.
Avoid hanging pictures or lights above your bed, as this leads to a subconscious feeling of threat. Don’t put mirrors opposite the bed either, as they “break up” the image, and therefore the relationship reflected in them.
Keep lighting low and soft, and decorate preferably with dark colors. Do not hang paintings of fierce animals, abstract subjects, or water in the bedroom. Water is very good elsewhere, but in the bedroom it suggests financial loss. Make sure you never put plants in the bedroom, and don’t have a TV facing the bed, or at least cover it when it is not in use.
Your study
Don’t use the same room for your bedroom and your study, as the different energies will be in conflict. If you have to do this, try to separate the areas either symbolically with plants, or with a screen. Put away piles of files or unfinished work—don’t leave them on your desk. Being tidy promotes positive energy. Wherever you study make sure your desk is in the north-east corner, especially if you are preparing for exams, as this area symbolizes education.
A bookcase is bad feng shui, as its sharp corners generate negative “arrows”, and if you have one you ought to put a climbing plant on it to avoid this effect. Cupboards are better than open shelves.
【小题1】 As for lights, which of the following statements is false?

A．A partner may come with a tall burning floor light in the south-west corner of your room.

B．Good energy can be promoted if there is a lot of light in the living room.

C．Bright lighting in the bedroom can light your mood.

D．It is not a good idea to hang lights above your bed.

【小题2】A bed should be put according to the following rules EXCEPT         .

A．the head of your bed should be placed against a wall

B．having a bed under a window should be avoided

C．mirrors should not be opposite the bed

D．your bed can’t face the door for the sake of privacy

【小题3】To avoid bad luck, the author will probably agree with the statement that         .

A．it is economical to sleep and study in the same room

B．fresh flowers ought to be put on the bookcase with sharp corners

C．blinds or heavy curtains can be used to cover the window if your bed is under a window

D．you can accumulate items as you please

【小题4】 Which do you think is the best title for the passage?

A．Feng shui—a magical power.

B．How does positive and negative energy come to you?

C．Change your room to change your life.

D．How to reorganize your furniture.

DU Lala is the hottest career coach in the country. The fictional character in the acclaimed novel Du La La’s Promotion shows others how to take the high road to success in a multinational company. But does her story describe a real or distorted picture of work life? The answer is as complicated as office life itself.
Over one million copies of the book have been sold since its release in 2007. Go Lala Go!, a movie adaptation of the novel set to hit cinemas next weekend, has stirred up even more interest in the story. The film stars Xu Jinglei and Stanley Huang, but fans seem to be more excited about seeing the story unfold on the big screen.
According to a recent sina.com survey, 45 percent of the 6,810 netizens polled said they have drawn career pointers from the novel. Other office novels, such as In and Out of the Loop, Win and Lose and Drowning and Floating, seem to have been received with similar interest.
“These books show me the life of white collars, and they teach me career rules and jargon that are not offered in class,” said Zhang Shanshan, a 22-year-old senior at Beijing Forestry University. Zhang says the competition, humor and office gossip in the book intrigued her. “I can’t wait to embark on my own career,” she said.
The popularity of office novels does not surprise Chen Ning, a senior career consultant at Zhaopin.com. “Novels about office fights and struggles satisfy the psychological demands of an ordinary office worker,” Chen said. “The leading characters face great pressure, fierce competition and an uncertain future. This is what really happens in many readers’ daily life.”
Li Ke, the author of Du Lala’s Promotion, has been stressing the significance of her fiction. “I want to provide real and useful common sense, knowledge and experience to office workers,” Li told the Qianjiang Evening News last year.
Recent graduates say they have found the basic work principles highlighted in the novel to be instructive. “If these books had been published five years earlier, I might have avoided some problems,” said Xu Jun, an HR manager at Guangqi Honda Automobile Company. “They often discuss basic office principles, which are relevant for staff working under the middle management level. They also help readers to see the importance of basic problem solving and organizational skills.”
But some veteran employees warn that the novels are not always realistic. They say this is especially true of the characters. “The protagonists appear to be unbeatable,” said Hou Zhendong, an HR manager at General Electric. “Du Lala’s team leader quit in an irresponsible way; her boss is inept; and the staff around her is either stupid or overly-sophisticated. Du stands out in emergencies and makes all the right decisions. The truth is, real-life colleagues are not that polarized（截然对立）,” Hou said. “You seldom get to negotiate your salary with a big boss. And, most of the time, you make wrong decisions far more than you make correct ones.”
The career principles in the books are also of limited use. “Most of the stories happen in Fortune 500 companies with a long history. Their cultures are well-established, and their rules are scientific,” Hou said. “But if you work for a small foreign company, or a local enterprise, some principles are useless.”
Liu Rui, a project manager at IBM, suggests fans of these books focus on the little bits of wisdom they provide. “The novels give rookies（新手） some inspiration,” he said. “They emphasize the importance of observation, practice and self-examination. These tips are precious and universally true.”
【小题1】Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Recent graduates can learn a lot of useful career principles from the novel.

B．The best novel shows readers how to be promoted in various companies.

C．The book Go Lala Go! Sells very well.

D．The movie adaptation of the novel will be a massive hit at the box-office in China.

【小题2】What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Du Lala’s story reflects the true office life.

B．Go Lala Go! Enjoys more popularity than other office novels, such as In and Out of the Loop, Win and Lose and Drowning and Floating.

C．Some people argue that the story is a bit polarized.

D．Both rookies and veteran employees are fond of Go Lala Go!.

【小题3】Which of the following is the best title of the passage?

A．The Life of White Collars

B．The Hottest Career Coach

C．How to Promote in Company

D．Go Lala Go! — Office Life Not All Fairytale Drama

 

       Long ago, near the village of Hedley, there lived a strange and playful trickster（骗子）, known as the Hedley Kow． Sometimes it looked like an ordinary object． Sometimes it looked like a donkey or a goat．

       One evening, as an old woman went along the path, she saw an old iron pot lying in the ditch．“Fancy that,” she said． “Nobody seems to want this old pot．I will take it home and plant pretty flowers in it．”

       When she tried to lift it, she saw that it was full of gold pieces．“Well, now, if that doesn’t beat all,” she said．“I’m rich! I can buy a fine house and fancy clothes．”

       The pot was heavy, so she tied her shawl around it and began to drag it home． After a while, she stopped to rest．When she looked in the pot, she was amazed to see that it was full of silver pieces!

       “Oh, my god!” she said． “Aren’t I the lucky one ! If it were gold, thieves would have been after me． My friends might have been jealous． But I can hide these silver pieces, take out a few at a time, and live like a queen．”

On she went, pulling the pot after her．She was nearing home now．At her gate, she looked into the pot．What a surprise! The silver had changed into a lump（块） of iron．“Iron,” she said． “Well, now! No one will be jealous or want to steal this from me． I can use this iron to prop my door open and let in fresh air and sunlight．Lucky  me!”

As soon as she said that, the pot began to grow and later it became a goat．Then it jumped up and ran off down the road laughing．

“Fancy that!” said the old woman． “I believe I have seen the Hedley Kow! Not many folks can say that, and that’s a fact．I’ll just sit up by my fire tonight thinking about how lucky I was to see it for myself．I truly must be the luckiest person in the world!”

1.Which of the following sayings can best describe this story?

       A．All good things come to an end．        B．The early bird catches the worm．

       C．Content is better than riches．             D．All bad luck goes away．

2.What does “the Hedley Kow” stand for in the eyes of the old woman?

       A．Glory           B．Honor                C．Misfortune       D．Luck

3.From this passage we can know the old woman is _________．

       A．optimistic        B．pessimistic          C．strange          D．mindless

4.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

       A．The woman                                       B．The Hedley Kow   

       C．The pot                                          D．The Effort

 

Do you know that a Mom deserves a special gift this year for Mother’s Day? Sure, flowers can always brighten Mother’s day and a dinner out is always appreciated. However, doesn’t she deserve something more personal or something that lasts longer than an evening?

I’m talking about the gift of fitness. Improved fitness is a gift that is invaluable to everyone. When you give a woman the gift of fitness, you are helping her open a door to better health. I can’t think of a more thoughtful gift that shows the recipient(接受者) how much you care about their well-being. By giving the gift of fitness you are providing them with unlimited health benefits. And, its a gift that you can truly feel proud to give.

Of course, we all know that exercising can help people stay slim and fit. But, do you also know about all the other great benefits of exercising? Daily physical activity reduces stress and can help you sleep better. Fitness has been linked to reducing the risk of some diseases and to warding off depression. Researchers also believe that strength training can help prevent osteoporosis(骨质疏松). Not to mention that exercising also improves self-esteem, increases energy and helps you be able to do continuous work for longer.

All Moms would find these fitness benefits extremely invaluable. If they are like most of us, they have probably even mentioned how they would like to drop a few pounds or just get in better shape. In fact, experts say that about 62% of Americans are currently on a diet. By giving the gift of fitness you are helping provide your mom with extra motivation. She may be more motivated to actually get fit because she doesn’t want to feel guilty about ignoring such a thoughtful gift .

1.The first paragraph is most likely to tell us that___________.

A．we should invite our mom to a dinner for Mother’s Day

B．it is good to send flowers to moms for Mother’s Day

C．we should give a special gift to our Mom for Mother’s Day

D．moms aren’t worth special gifts for Mother’s Day

2.You would like to send the gift of fitness to your mother because__________.

A．it is very expensive

B．it doesn’t cost you too much

C．it makes your mother healthy

D．you will be proud of it

3.You want to keep healthy you should__________.

A．reduce stress and have a good sleep

B．try your best to get rid of depression

C．increase your energy and work longer

D．take an active part in physical activity

4.According to this passage the gift of fitness will____________.

A．help moms to lose some more weight

B．encourage moms to do more exercise

C．keep moms having a healthy diet

D．make moms look even more beautiful

5.Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?

A．This Mother’s Day, Give the gift of Fitness

B．Better Pay Attention to Your Mom’s Health

C．Mom Like to Accept the Gift of Fitness

D．Help Your Mom Keep a Good Shape

 

Have you ever got stuck with unwanted courses or a class schedule that cannot be changed? If so, that’s because you don’t know how to select the perfect schedule．But by following a few simple steps, you can begin any term with the right courses at the most convenient times．

First, you must find the right courses．These are the ones that have the least amount of work, the fewest tests and the kindest professors．Ask your friends about courses in which they received A’s after attending only 70 percent of the classes．Ask around, too, to see which instructors have given the same tests for the last fifteen years．Photocopies of these tests are usually cheap and can be easily found in school．Then, pick up a copy of the master schedule and study it carefully．Find the course titles that mean an easy pass for a painless subject．Look for titles like “Arts and Crafts for Beginners,” and “Rock Music of the 1950s．”

Next, when you have got lists of easy instructors and subjects you can begin to select your time periods．If you stay up late in order to watch old movies, you may want a daily schedule that begins no sooner than noon．You should schedule only afternoon courses, too, if you’re one of those people who hate to leave a warm bed in the morning．On the other hand, if you are a person who gets out of bed at dawn, you may want to get your classes out of the way as early as possible．That way you have the rest of the day free．Morning classes are also necessary if you are a soap opera（肥皂剧）fan．

Finally, you want your schedule to pass through registration successfully．The main way to do this is to register（注册）early．If a course does happen to be closed because you simply couldn’t register at 7:00 a．m．, you may still be able to get in．Talk to the professor and tell him or her that a serious and hardworking student like yourself would be a shining example to other students．Be sure to carry a list of backup courses to registration, though, just in case one of your chosen classes changes professors or time periods．By following these suggestions, any student can pick the perfect class schedule．College can thus become an almost pleasant activity．

1．Which of the following statements is true?

A．You can get copies of tests if you are willing to pay the price．

B．“Rock Music of the 1950s” may be an easy course．

C．It is difficult to pick the perfect class schedule．

D．Attendance is required in all classes．

2．You should            ．

A．register for classes in the morning if you get up early

B．have classes late in the morning if you stay up late

C．sign up for afternoon classes if you want to see soap operas

D．choose classes in the evening if you want to watch old films

3．If a course happens to be closed, you should            ．

A．register at 7:00 a．m．                       B．sit in on the class anyway

C．register for a backup course                 D．get help from the professor

4．Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A．Course Registration Made Easy             B．How to Find the Right Courses

C．Classes and After-class Activities           D．How to Pick the Perfect Schedule