作者：郝昌明
(I)
How do successful people think? What drives them? Interviews and investigations indicate that there are several keys to success that successful people share.
First of all, successful people never blame someone or something outside of themselves for their failure to go ahead. They realize that their future lies in their own hands. They understand that they cannot control things in life, such as nature, the past and other people. But in the meantime, they are well aware that they can control their own thoughts and actions. They take responsibility for their life and regard this as one of the most empowering (给人以权力的) things they can do. Perhaps what most separates successful people from others is that they live life "on purpose" -they are doing what they believe they are put here to do. In their opinion, having a purpose in their life is the most important element that enables them to become fully functioning people. They hold that when they live their life on purpose, their main concern is to do the job right. They love what they do. People want to do business with them because of their commitment (投入,献身). To live their life on purpose, successful people find a caue they believe in and create a business around it. Besides, they never easily give up. Once they have set up goals in their life, they are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals. Top achievers always bear in mind what they don't have.
Rather than seeing it negative or depressing, they use the knowledge to spur themselves on and go after what they want energetically and passionately.
1. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A. How Do People Live Their Life on Purpose?
B. How Can People Be Successful?
C. How Do People Make Plans?
D. How Do People Do Business?
2. By living their life "on purpose" successful people can ________.
A. do a lot of work B. concentrate on their jobs
C. do business with many people D. do all of the above-mentioned
(II)
The English, as a race, are very different from all other nationalities, including their closest neighbors, the French, Belgians, and Dutch. It is claimed that living on an island separated from the rest of Europe has much to do with it. Whatever the reasons are, it may be fairly stated that the Englishman has developed many attitudes and habits which distinguish him from other nationalities.
Broadly speaking, the Englishman is a quiet, shy, reserved person who is fully relaxed only among people he knows well. In the presence of strangers or foreigners he often seems embarrassed. You can only see a city train any morning or evening to see the truth of this. Serious-looking businessmen and women sit reading their newspapers or having a light sleep in a corner, no one speaks. In fact, to do so would seem most unusual. An Englishman, pretending to be giving advice to overseas visitors, once suggested:"On entering a railway carriage shake hands with all the passengers." Needless to say, he was not being serious. There is an unwritten but clearly understood code of behavior which, if broken, makes the person immediately suspect.
In many parts of the world it is quite normal to show openly extremes of enthusiasm, emotion, excitement, etc. The Englishman is somewhat different. Of course, an Englishman feels no less deeply than any other nationality, but he tends to display his feelings far less. This is reflected in his use of language. Imagine a man commenting on the great beauty of a young girl. Whereas a more emotional man might describe her as "an excellent jewel","extremely beautiful","precious", the Englishman will flatly state "Um, she is all right."
3. From the passage people can infer that the English are different from other nationalities mainly in ________.
A. manners B. character C. the principle of behavior D. all aspects
4. If one doesn't want to be suspected in public, he had better ________.
A. behave relaxed B. shake hands with all the people he meets
C. talk with others D. keep quiet
[答案与解析]
1. B。本文介绍的是名人成功的要素。2. D。 第二段即本题答案出处。3. B。本文主要介绍英国人沉默寡言、害羞保守、安分孤僻的性格特点。4. D。第二段即本题答案出处。
A
Engineering students are supposed to be examples of practicality and rationality (理性), but when it comes to my college education I am an idealist and a fool. In high school I wanted to be an electrical engineer and, of course, any reasonable student with my aims would have chosen a college with a large engineering department, many famous professors and lots of good labs and research equipment. But that's not what I did.
I chose to study engineering at a small liberal arts (文科) university that doesn't even offer a major in electrical engineering. Obviously, this was not a practical choice; I came here for more noble reasons. I wanted a broad education that would provide me with flexibility (灵活性) and a value system to guide me in my job. I wanted to open my eyes and expand my horizons (眼界) by communicating with people who weren't studying science or engineering. My parents, teachers and other adults praised me for such a wise choice. They told me I was wise and grown-up beyond my 18 years, and I believed them.
I headed off to the college and I was sure I was going to have an advantage over those students who went to big engineering "factories" where they didn't care if you had values or were flexible and I was going to be a complete engineer: technical expert and excellent humanist all in one.
Now I'm not so sure. Somewhere along the way my noble ideas crashed into reality, as all noble ideas finally do. After three years of struggling to balance math, physics and engineering courses with liberal arts courses, I have learned that there are reasons why few engineering students try to reconcile (协调) engineering with liberal arts courses in college.
The reality that has blocked my path to become the typical successful student is that engineering and the liberal arts simply don't mix as easily as I supposed in high school. Individually they shape a person in very different ways. The struggle to reconcile the two fields of study is difficult.
1. Why did the author choose to study engineering at a small liberal arts university?
A. He intended to become an engineer and humanist.
B. He intended to be a reasonable student with noble ideals.
C. He wanted to be an example of practicality and rationality.
D. He wanted to communicate with liberal arts students.
2. The author suggests in this passage that ________.
A. liberal arts students are supported to take engineering courses
B. technical experts with a wide vision are expected in the society
C. successful engineering students, are more welcomed in the society
D. engineering universities with liberal arts courses are needed
B
An 18th-century statesman Edmund Burke once said, "All that is needed for the success of a misguided cause is that good people do nothing." One such cause now seeks to end biomedical research because of the theory that animals have rights to decide whether to be used in research. Scientists need to respond forcefully to animal rights advocates(鼓吹者), whose arguments are puzzling the public and threatening advances in health knowledge and care. Leaders of the animal rights movement attack biomedical research because it depends on public funding, and few people understand the process of health care research. Hearing false reports of cruelty to animals in research settings, many are puzzled that anyone would harm an animal on purpose.
For example, a grandmotherly woman setting up an animal rights booth at a recent street fair was giving out sheets that encouraged readers not to use anything that comes from or is tested in animals-no meat, no fur, no medicines. Asked what will happen when epidemics(传染病) return, she said, "Don't worry, scientists will find some way of using computers." Such well-meaning people just don't understand. Scientists must communicate their message to the public in an understandable way-in human terms, not in the language of biology. We need to make clear the connection between animal research and a grandmother's organ replacement, a father's bypass operation, a baby's vaccinations(接种疫苗), and even a pet's shots. To those who know nothing about the animal research that was needed to produce these treatments, as well as new treatments and vaccines, animal research seems wasteful at best and cruel at worst.
Much can be done. Scientists could give middle school lessons and present their own research. They should be quick to respond to letters to the editor, in case animal rights misinformation goes unchallenged and gains a false appearance of truth. Research institutions could be opened to tours, to show that laboratory animals receive humane care. Finally, because there are a lot of patients, the health research community should actively admit its cause to not only well-known personalities such as Stephen Cooper, who has made courageous statements about the value of animal research, but all who receive medical treatment. If good people do nothing, there is a real possibility that uninformed citizens will wipe out the precious of medical progress.
3. The underlined word "threatening" in paragraph 1 means ________ .
A. doing a favour to B. drawing attention to
C. causing a danger to D. making their way to
4. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. People care very little about returns of epidemics.
B. The public lacks knowledge of biomedical science.
C. Stephen Cooper is very seriously concerned about animal treatment.
D. Scientists should make efforts to develop new cures by means of hi-tech.
【答案与解析】
1. A。第三段即本题答案出处。
2. B。作者想说明知识面宽(学文科知识)的理科专家(学理科专业)在社会上是需要的。
3. C。根据上下文可推出"threatening"意为"威胁"。
4. B。作者之所以大声呼吁科学家采取措施与动物权利保护者作斗争,说明社会上有不少人受动物权利保护者言辞的蒙蔽,既说明动物权利保持主义者的话有一定的欺骗性,也说明公众缺少生物医学常识。