A sense of humor is something highly valued.A person who has a great sense of humor is often considered to be happy and socially confident.However,humor is a double-edged sword.Sometimes it can damage self-respect and annoy others.

People who use bonding humor tell jokes and generally lighten the mood.They're thought to be good at reducing the tension in uncomfortable situations.They often make fun of their common experiences,and sometimes they may even laugh off their own misfortunes.The basic message they deliver is: We're all alike,we find the same things funny,and we're all in this together.

Put-down humor,on the other hand,is an aggressive type of humor used to criticize others through teasing.When it's aimed against politicians,as it often is,it's extremely funny and mostly harmless.But in the real world,it may have a harmful effect.An example of such humor is telling friends an embarrassing story about another friend.When challenged about their teasing,the put-down jokers might claim that they are "just kidding,"thus allowing themselves to avoid responsibility.This type of humor,though considered by some people to be socially acceptable,may hurt the feelings of the one being teased and thus have a bad effect on personal relationships.

Finally,in hate-me humor,the joker is the target of the joke for the amusement of others.This type of humor was used by comedians John Belushi and Chris Farley—both of whom suffered for their success in show business.A small amount of such humor is charming,but routinely offering oneself up to be embarrassed destroys one's self-esteem,and fosters depression and anxiety.

So it seems that being funny isn't necessarily an indicator of good social skills and well-being.In certain cases,it may actually have a negative effect on interpersonal relationships.

1. In bonding humor,people create a relaxing atmosphere by       .

A. joking about experiences they share

B. showing their personal relationships

C. teasing experiences of their friends

D. laughing at other's misfortunes

2. Which of the following is among the common targets of put-down humor?

A. Comedians.    B. Jokers.

C. Politicians.    D. Actors.

3. In the passage,the author mainly conveys       .

A. humor can be classified into three kinds

B. humor has its bright side and dark side

C. humor deserves to be studied

D. humor is highly valued

Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908-2004) is one of the most original and influential figures in the history of photography.His photographs helped establish photojournalism as an art form.

Henri's family was wealthy-his father made a fortune as a textile manufacturer—but Henri later joked that due to his parents' economical ways,it often seemed as though his family was poor.

Educated in Paris,Henri developed an early love for literature and arts.As a teenager,Henri was against his parents' formal ways of education.In his early adulthood,he fell in love with several appetites,but it was art that remained at the center of his life.

Henri traveled to Africa in 1931 to hunt antelope and boar.And Africa fueled another interest in him: photography.He then wandered around the world with his camera,using a handheld camera to catch images from fleeting moments of everyday life.

Not long after World War Ⅱ,Henri traveled east,spending considerable time in India,where he met and photographed Gandhi shortly before he was killed in 1948.Henri's work to document Gandhi's death and its immediate effect on the country became one of Life Magazine's most prized photo essays.

Henri's approach to photography remained much the same throughout his life.He made clear his dislike of images that had been improved by artificial light,darkroom effects,and even cutting.The naturalist in Henri believed that all editing should be done when the photo is taken.In 1952,his first book,The Decisive Moment,a rich collection of his work spanning two decades,was published."There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment,"he said.

In 1968,he began to turn away from photography and returned to his passion for drawing and painting.

4. Which of the following is true about Henri's photography career?

A. He developed a passion for photography when traveling to Africa.

B. He quit photography on publishing The Decisive Moment.

C. He documented Gandhi's everyday life.

D. He devoted all his life to photography.

5. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word in paragraph 2?

A. Costly.    B. Generous.

C. Financial.    D. Saving.

6. What is special about Henri's approach to photography?

A. He only shot photos at decisive moments.

B. He preferred to edit his images in his darkroom.

C. His most photos described things in their natural ways.

D. He tried different ways and settled on being a naturalist.

On June 23,2010,a Sunny Airlines captain with 32 years of experience stopped his flight from departing.He was deeply concerned about a power part that might run out of all electrical power on his trans-Pacific flight.Regardless of his concerns,Sunny Airlines pressured him to fly the airplane over the ocean at night.When he refused to put the safety of his passengers at risk,Sunny Airlines' Security removed him out of the airport,and threatened to arrest his crew if they did not cooperate.

Besides that,five more Sunny Airlines pilots also refused to fly the aircraft,expressing their own concerns about the safety of the plane.It turned out the pilots were right: the power part was faulty and the plane was removed from service and finally fixed.Eventually a third crew operated the flight,hours later.In this whole process,Sunny Airlines pressured their highly experienced pilots to ignore their safety concerns and fly passengers over the Pacific Ocean at night in a plane that needed maintenance.Fortunately for all of us,these pilots stood strong and would not be frightened.

Don't just take our word.Please research this yourself and learn the facts at www.SunnyAirlinePilot.org.Once you review this shocking information,please keep in mind that while their use of Corporate Security to remove a pilot from the airport is a new procedure,flight crews' lacking confidence is becoming common at Sunny Airlines, with recorded events occurring on a weekly basis.

The flying public deserves the highest levels of safety.No airlines should maximize their gains by pushing their employees to move their airplanes regardless of the potential human cost.Sunny Airlines' pilots are committed to resisting any practices of damaging your safety for profits.We've been trying to deal with these problems behind the scenes for quite some time;now we need your help.Go to www.SunnyAirlinePilot.org to get more information and find out what you can do.

7. After the captain refused to fly the aircraft,he was       .

A. asked to find another pilot

B. forced to leave the airport

C. arrested for disobeying the order

D. made to help the Airlines fix the plane

8. What is the author's purpose of writing the passage?

A. To help Sunny Airlines make higher profits.

B. To introduce Sunny Airlines' pilot training programs.

C. To review plans for improving Sunny Airlines' service.

D. To expose problems with Sunny Airlines' security practices.

9. Which of the following is true about the aircraft?

A. It was too old for any more flight service.

B. Its problem was found and finally repaired.

C. It was removed from the airport for a week-long checkup.

D. Its problem remained and no crew would operate the flight.

10. The passage was most likely written by       of Sunny Airlines.

A. security guards    B. managers

C. pilots    D. passengers

When home is far away,the sense of ease and belonging that so many people feel can transform into painful feelings of longing,commonly known as homesickness.Along with feelings of insecurity,loss of control and nervousness,physical effects,including sleep issues,tiredness and loss of appetite,are also caused by homesickness. ___11___Check them out below:

●Realize that feeling homesick is 100 percent normal.

Almost everyone experiences homesickness when moving to a new place—some people might just be better at hiding it.___12___Homesickness is a normal and evolutionarily healthy reaction.

●Make connections with new people in comfortable settings.

Feeling homesick when separated from loved ones motivates people to be with those supportive people.___13___ When making new connections,it's best to stick to the style that works for you in order to ease homesickness.

●___14___

This point is vital and also one of the hardest to accomplish.Self-compassion is loving yourself just as you love the ones you care about.The most important step in practicing self-compassion is substituting negative,critical and, sometimes,automatic thoughts about yourself with thoughts that are more supportive and kind.

●Keep tabs on your negativity.

It's also useful to ask yourself how much of your homesickness is due to an event,such as being separated from loved ones,and how much is from how you're understanding a situation.___15___A positive outlook on a situation can do wonders for your mood,but it often can be hard to practice.You can silence negative thoughts in many ways, including reciting positive mantras（祷文）,keeping a journal or even taking a walk in a park.

If you're dealing with feelings of homesickness,remember you're not alone.Even though there's no place like home,give yourself some time and care,and you might find yourself falling in love with a new place.

A.Learn to help others.

B.Practice self-compassion.

C.Being homesick is abnormal.

D.Being homesick is not a sign of personal shortcoming.

E.We gathered a few psychologist-backed tips to help ease homesickness.

F.Taking a step back is recommended,instead of falling into the trap of a negative outlook.

G.But keep in mind that everyone is different when it comes to forming those new relationships.

When I was six,Dad brought home a dog___36___(call) "Brownie".Brownie got along well with every member in our family.She would go to___37___was sick and just be with them.We always felt much___38___(good) when she was around.

One day,as I was getting her food,she___39___(bite) a hole out of one of Dad's shoes.I scolded her,___40___(tell) her what she did was wrong.She looked down at the ground and then went and hid.I saw tears in her eyes.

Brownie went everywhere with us.People would stop and ask if they could pet her.Of course she'd let anyone pet her.She was just the most lovable dog.There were many times___41___we'd be out walking and a small child would come over and pull on her hair.She never barked or tried to get away.The___42___(fun) thing was that she would smile. This frightened people because___43___thought she was showing her teeth.Far from the truth,she loved everyone.

Now many years have passed since Brownie___44___(die) of old age.I still miss the days when she was___45___us.