阅读理解。
There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health and
wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy and the other becomes unhappy. This arises
from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, events and the resulting effects upon
their minds.
People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things: the pleasant parts of
conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wine and the fine weather. They enjoy
all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things.
Therefore, they are continually dissatisfied. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society,
offend many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind was founded
in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The intention of criticizing and being
disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation(模仿). It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors. The
habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it realize its bad effects on their interests
and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.
Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious results in life since it brings on
deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people offend many others; nobody loves them, and no one treats
them with more than the most common politeness and respect. This frequently puts them in bad temper
and draws them into arguments. If they aim at getting some advantages in social position or fortune,
nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone start a step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they
bring on themselves public objections, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize
their wrongdoings. These should change this bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without
worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any
contact with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when
one becomes mixed up in their quarrels.
1. People who are unhappy _______.
A. always consider things differently from others
B. usually are affected by the results of certain things
C. usually misunderstand what others think or say
D. always discover the unpleasant side of certain things
2. The underlined phrase in Paragraph 2 "sour the pleasure of society" most probably means "_ _"
A. have a good taste with social life
B. make others unhappy
C. tend to scold others openly
D. enjoy the pleasure of life
3. We can infer from the passage that _______.
A. we should pity all such unhappy people
B. such unhappy people are dangerous to social life
C. people can get rid of the habit of unhappiness
D. unhappy people cannot understand happy persons
4. If such unhappy persons insist on keeping the habit, the author suggests that people should _ _.
A. prevent any communication with them
B. show no respect and politeness to them
C. persuade them to recognize the bad effects
D. quarrel with them until they realize the mistakes
5. In this passage, the writer mainly _______.
A. describes two types of people
B. laughs at the unhappy people
C. suggests the unhappy people should get rid of the habits of unhappiness
D. tells people how to be happy in life
