Everyone knows that the Frenchmen are romantic, the Italians are fashionable and the Germans are serious. Are these just stereotypes or is there really such a thing as national character? And if there is, can it affect how a nation succeed or fail?

    At least one group of people is certain that it can. A recent survey of the top 500 entrepreneurs (企业家) in the UK found that 70% felt that their efforts were not appreciated by the British public. Britain is hostile (敌意的) to success, they said. It has a culture of jealousy(嫉妒). {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Jealousy is sometimes known as the “green – eyed monster” and the UK is its home.

    Scientists at War wich University in the UK recently tested this idea. They gathered a group of people together and gave each an imaginary amount of money.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Those given a little were given the chance to destroy the large amount of money given to others – but at the cost of losing their own. Two thirds of the people tested agreed to do this.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} . But there is also opposite evidence. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development recently reported that the UK is now the world's fourth largest economy. That is not bad for people who are supposed to hate success. People in the UK also work longer hours than anyone else in Europe. So the British people are not lazy, either.

    “It is not really success that the British dislike,” says Carey Cooper, a professor of management at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. “It's people using their success in a way that seems proud or unfair or which separates them from their roots.”

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They set out to do things in their way. They work long hours. By their own efforts they become millionaires. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}It hardly seems worth following their example. If they were more friendly, people would like them more. And more people want to be like them.

A. This seems to prove that the entrepreneurs were right to complain.

B. The one who owns most money in the end is the winner.

C. As a result, the survey said, entrepreneurs were “unloved, unwanted and misunderstood.”

D. It is not true that British people are born jealous of others' success.

E. Some were given a little, others a great deal.

F. But instead of being happy they complain that nobody loves them.

G. Perhaps it is the entrepreneurs who are the problem.

How to Think Positively

    Quite often when we're going through a challenging time, we may get the advice to just “think positively！”  {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Does it mean to deny our pain or discomfort? Should we pretend everything is alright? Here is some advice about how to think positively.

    Accept that you are here to grow. Life doesn't always go smoothly. Life's lessons can be difficult, but they are even more so if you approach them with avoidance(逃避). {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Learn to turn lemons into lemonade(柠檬水). Look for the lessons to be learned in every situation. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself when things don't go your way, do what you can to make the best of the situation. Learn, instead, how to avoid falling into the same traps and making the same mistakes. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Believe in yourself. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Your dreams and goals are an indication of where your talents lie and where your true potential is. Needless to say, you must develop your inherent (固有的) gifts.

    Look for inspiration and support. Read about and study the successful stories of others. Many successful people have gone through challenging circumstances to get where they are. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} To help you stay positive and focused, get support from family and friends.

    Finally, thinking positively doesn't mean being unrealistic, It means dealing with life and life's challenges as they are. It means being willing to do the work necessary to get on with the business of living fully.

A. If you see them as opportunities to become stronger, you are thinking positively and productively.

B. So next time a well-meaning person tells you to think positively, just smile back confidently.

C. Learning about their experiences can motivate and inspire you to achieve what you want to achieve.

D. Sometimes it's difficult to figure out exactly what that means.

E. Know that you have what it takes to succeed.

F. It just means that you won't let them stop you!

G. By doing so, you will undoubtedly benefit from it.

The coffee story

    Kaldi was tired but he couldn't sleep. His goats were awake and very noisy. "Why can't they sleep?" Kaldi thought. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}They were eating some green plants with little red fruits on them. Kaldi decided to taste the fruits. He ate the soft part of each fruit and the hard things in the centre. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}He was not tired. He felt more awake and did not want to sleep.

    Those hard things were coffee beans, and Kaldi discovered them in Ethiopia more than 1,000 years ago. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Perhaps it is true, perhaps not. Nobody knows. But we know that coffee grew first in Ethiopia, and we know that somebody discovered it there more than 1,000 years ago.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Arab farmers began to grow coffee plants. People learnt to make a drink from the beans, and they called it qahwa.

For 400 years, only the Arabs knew about qahwa. Then people in Turkey learnt about it. Soon after that, western Europeans began to drink it, and in 1652 the first coffee shop in London opened.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Some famous coffee-growing countries are Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and, of course, Ethiopia Coffee is one of the world's favourite drinks thanks to Kaldi and his goats.

A. At least that's the traditional story.

B. After a minute he began to feel different.

C. Many Arab farmers grew coffee to make money.

D. Now farmers grow coffee in many parts of the world.

E. Coffee was such an important drink during that time period.

F. He couldn't understand the problem so he watched the animals carefully.

G. After that, Arab travelers took coffee plants to Egypt and other Arab countries.

    Zoey admits it was a little sad saying goodbye to her fish. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Zoey's class at Hawthorne Elementary School spent most of the school year raising the fish from time they were nothing more than little eggs with eyes.

    The program the Hawthorne kids took part in is called" Trout in the classroom". {#blank#}2{#/blank#} The kids at Wilson Middle School in Fishersville took part in the project, too.

    "I got to feed them every morning and watch them grow up," said seventh-grader Lauren Clayton. We have to protect them, or some of the fish could go extinct." Lauren was right. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} But later, pollution, overfishing and loss of natural habitat have pushed some species to the danger of extinction.

    Thanks to the kids in the program, trout are being reintroduced into rivers and streams across the country. And by doing that, the kids are helping to restore there local ecosystems—the natural balance that existed before human disturbed it,

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Because the fish are in their classrooms, the kids are responsible for making sure there is cool, clean water, proper food and proper living conditions in the tanks.

    By the middle of May, they were "as big as a finger." That is, they are old enough to be released into Oneida Creek." Remember to swim back here to meet us and eat the food we bring little trout". {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Why do people travel? There are many reasons one can think of when asked questions like this.

    To travel far enough to meet yourself

    Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} You find out your abilities. When you are offered a different lifestyle, you can find out what you are made of. The farther you go from your home, the nearer you come to your true self.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    If you look back at all the amazing memories of your life, you will realize that most of them were out of your comfort zone. Travelling is dangerous, full of life threatening possibilities and will not always be comfortable, but at the same time, it gives irreplaceable memories.

    To slow down and relax

    A wise man once said that never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life. Money is worth nothing if you cannot spend it on a little adventure. While we are deeply involved in making money, we forget that time is going through our fingers. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The feeling of being away from your workplace is pure happiness. The feeling of not having to worry about the never ending piles of files is pure joy. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    To celebrate life

    Life is short and the world is wide. One day you might wake up and realize that you don't have time to do everything that you have always wanted to do, anymore. Once in a while, make time to appreciate the fact that you are alive, young, free and healthy. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. To become a storyteller.

B. Travelling lets you discover yourself.

C. To break through your comfort zone.

D. So, go travelling to celebrate life itself.

E. You can relate to the world and connect to others.

F. And the feeling of being away from your boss for a few days is pure pleasure.

G. Escape life for a little while because experience is far more valuable than money.

 Knowledge is power, and the more you learn about mental health, the better the position you may be in to help those facing mental health battles. Consider doing the following things to support those closest to you.

 Attend a training course

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. In fact, anyone can benefit from depression awareness training that focuses on supporting those at risk. You might be a teacher that manages youth or a sports coach wanting to pick up on depression risk signs in your players. You may even be a worried parent who wants to make sure your children can tell you anything. Depression awareness and prevention courses teach you both theoretical and practical skills to recognize warning signs and behaviors. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

 Listen

 If someone approaches you in their time of need, it's not always easy to know what you' re supposed to do, and it may be more beneficial for you to just listen. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. They may just need to get what they are feeling off their chest and to feel valid at that moment. Try your best not to interrupt, but ask questions if you require clarification. The more listening you do, the better your position in deciding what to do next.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

 While being a listening ear is sometimes all. someone needs to feel better, you can also become an ongoing source of support. Check in with the person experiencing a mental health problem like depression so that they know you are always there for them. Make contact with them regularly to see how they are feeling. Just knowing someone cares can make a world of difference.

 Call emergency services

 Your support, guidance, and listening ear can be of great value to anyone going through a tough time. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. If someone you know is experiencing self- abuse thoughts or tendencies, don't delay in seeking emergency help. The faster you act, the safer your friend or family member may be.

A. Check in with them

B. Suggest support services

C. However, it's essential to know your limits

D. Such a course may just help you to prevent someone's depression

E. They may not need you to offer solutions or even give them a hug

F. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is encourage them to seek professional help

G. You don't have to be in a professional health role to attend depression prevention training