Passage 2

　　It’s no accident that most gas stations have convenience stores attached. Few of us can fill up the tank without buying a few snacks, cigarettes，soft drinks or other items we can live without. I deserve it. That’s what hard working men and women say to justify their lavish vacations, big stereo systems or regular restaurant meals. They do deserve such indulgences. However, they also deserve a home of their own--a secure retirement and freedom from worrying about unpaid bills. No one should have to live with what a Texas mother described as constant stress，tension, even fear about money. Sadly the pleasure that comes from extravagances often disappears long before the bills do. The video camera that one single mother bought for a special occasion, for example, is not much fun now. She’s figured out that it will take her another three years to pay it off at $30 a month. And the New Yorkers who spent a bundle on an outdoor hot tub now admit they rarely use it, because we can't afford to heat it in winter. The solution set priorities add up the annual cost of each item. Then consider what else you can buy with the same money. That will help you decide which items are really worth it. One Chicago woman, for example, discovered that daily lunches with coworkers cost her $2000 a year; she decided to take lunch to work instead. “I now put $20 a week into my vacation fund and another 20 into retirement savings, she says, those mean more to me than lunch”.

　　Q13. What does the speaker say about drivers who stop at gas stations?

　　Q14. What does the speaker say about extravagances?

　　Q15. What does a speaker want to show by the example of the Chicago woman?

　　Section C -- Recording One

　　Let’s say you start to brain storm a list of all the emotions you ever experienced. Just for fun, try it now.

　　What’s on your list? Chances are, you included things like: happy, sad, excited, angry, afraid, grateful, proud, scared, confused, stressed, relaxed and amazed. Now sort your list into two categories: positive emotions and negative emotions.

　　Feeling both positive and negative emotions is a natural part of being human. We might use the word “negative” to describe more difficult emotions but it does not mean those emotions are bad or we shouldn’t have them. Still, most people were probably rather feel a positive emotion than a negative one. It’s likely you prefer to feel happy instead of sad or confident instead of insecure.

　　What matters is how our emotions are balanced. How much of each type of the emotion positive or negative we experience.

　　Negative emotions warn us of threats or challenges that we may need to deal with. For example, fear can alert us to possible danger, it’s a signal that we might need to protect ourselves. Angry feelings warn us that someone is stepping on our toes, crossing a boundary or violating our trust. Anger can be a signal that we might have to act on our own behalf.

　　Negative emotions focus our awareness. They help us to zero in on a problem so we can deal with it. But too many negative emotions can make us feel overwhelmed, anxious, exhausted or stressed out. When negative emotions are out of balance, problems might seem too big to handle.

　　The more we dwell on our negative emotions, they more negative we begin to feel. Focusing on negativity just keeps it going.

　　Positive emotions balance out negative ones, but they have other powerful benefits, too. Instead of narrowing our focus, like negative emotions do, positive emotions affect our brains in ways that increase our awareness, attention and memory. They help us take in more information, hold several ideas in mind at once and understand how different ideas relate to each other.

　　When positive emotions open us up to new possibilities, we are more able to learn and build on our skills. That leads to doing better on tasks and tests.