题目内容
For the past six weeks I have been having online writing classes. I had never taken an online class before, so I did not know what to expect. Now I am about halfway through the courses, and I am doing three courses, where I am practicing writing.
These creative writing classes have been somewhat similar to those I took in a middle school. There are weekly readings where we have to discuss our thoughts, and we comment on each other’s work. But there are some differences. In my middle school, I had one novel writing class where we all sat in a circle twice a week and discussed each other’s work. Each person had a copy of the story but the author of the story was always anonymous(匿名的). This allowed people to give honest opinions since there was no face to connect the story to.
The creative article course is held in a computer lab and all of our work is done online. Every week, two people read their stories aloud to the class, and then we spend a few minutes discussing them, and then post comments on the online discussion board. Still, the main benefit of an online class is that I can choose when to turn in my homework. This allows me to choose how to manage my time.
I think taking three creative writing courses at one time may have been a little too ambitious, but I am studying a variety of writing styles and I think I am becoming a better writer for it.
How long do the online writing classes that the author is taking last for in total?
A. About twelve weeks. B. About two months.
C. About six months. D. About six weeks
What do the author’s online classes and school classes have in common?
A. Students have classes in a computer lab.
B. Students sit in a circle twice a week.
C. Students write novels every day.
D. Students discuss their reading every week.
Why was the author of the story anonymous during the discussion?
A. Because students didn’t want their work popular.
B. Because in this way students could express their real ideas freely.
C. Because students didn’t know each other at all.
D. Because it took students less time to finish the discussion.
What is the main advantage of taking online writing classes?
A. Students needn’t have face-to-face talks.
B. Students can hand in their homework late.
C. Students can arrange their time as their like.
D. Students needn’t do any homework.
【小题1】A
【小题2】D
【小题3】B
【小题4】C
解析:
略
My father is a smart man. He spent many years of his life listening to people’s arguments, first as assistant district lawyer and then as a judge. My dad knows rubbish rhetoric when he hears it.
One of his favorite phrases is: “If you don’t have anything smart to say, then don’t say it at all.” Yet, for all of his legal training and life experience, he can’t help but keep talking about the Mega Millions jackpot.
We all know the odds(几率)of winning the jackpot this evening with one ticket are extraordinarily low ... 1 in 175, 711, 536, to be exact. Still, people go out and buy hundreds of tickets with the hopes of becoming wealthier beyond their dreams. Why? There are two possible explanations for this “irrationality”(不理智).
One idea is that the way we calculate odds in our heads has nothing to do with mathematical odds in the traditional sense. We don’t go to the mathematical odds table and say, “Well, this would be a terrible investment. I think I’m better off putting my money in the bank!” Rather, it has everything with the ability to picture an event happening.
My father, for instance, watches the news every night and sees people winning the lottery(彩票). Therefore, he thinks the chance of him winning the lottery is much higher than they actually are.
The second thought is that the expected effect of playing cannot be represented merely by the odds. My father and, I’m sure, others get a thrill from the mere idea of winning. He loves imagining what it would be like to actually win and losing doesn’t really affect him. Sure, he’s disappointed, but it’s “better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” When you combine the utility of thinking you can win with the utility of actually winning (no matter how small the chance of that occurring), it’s worth it for many people to spend the one dollar on a ticket.
My analysis is that both factors are at play in taking a chance on the lottery. My father and others really do underestimate the odds of winning, but the thrill of participation is not denied by a realistic assessment of the odds. Still, I would probably put my finger on the scale for the first explanation.
All told, a review of the odds of other events happening confirms that there just aren’t many events that occur with less frequency than your winning the Mega Millions jackpot. Look at the graph below, you may understand some:
In many ways, it’s like the lottery, something that features often on television and about which people fantasize, but that rarely happens.
So, when you watch, along with my Pa, to see if your lucky number is drawn this evening, keep in mind three things: that your number almost certainly won’t come up; that you are still going to have fun; and that, finally, a lot of other things are more likely to happen—but getting eaten by a shark isn’t one of them.
【小题1】It can be learned from the article that ________.
A.the Mega Millions jackpot is the last lottery to win in the world |
B.a judge in that country can’t talk about lottery because it is illegal |
C.the writer doesn’t buy lottery, for he never hopes to become rich |
D.In spite of little possibility, a lot of people spend money on lottery |
A.show chances that those things take place are fewer |
B.support the writer’s arguments on the lottery tickets |
C.indicate no one can win the Mega Millions jackpot |
D.say shark attack death will seldom happen this year |
A.If one has mathematical odds, he can win the prize more easily. |
B.Only those who have irrationality buy hundreds of lottery tickets. |
C.The Mega Millions jackpot is very popular in the writer’s country. |
D.Winning lottery is a shortcut to achieve the dream of being rich. |
A.effective | B.ridiculous | C.contradictory | D.astonishing |
A.The Popular Mega Millions Jackpot | B.Lottery is Merely a Trick |
C.Mega Million is Like a Shark Attack | D.Be rich, Buy Lottery Soon |