Question

【题目】 When John was growing up, other kids felt sorry for him. His parents always had him weeding the garden，carrying out the garbage and delivering newspapers. But when John reached adulthood, he was better off than his childhood playmates. He had more job satisfaction, a better marriage and was healthier. Most of all, he was happier.Far happier.

These are the findings of a 40year study that followed the lives of 456 teenage boys from Boston. The study showed that those who had worked as boys enjoyed happier and more productive lives than those who had not. “Boys who worked in the home or community gained competence (能力) and came to feel they were worthwhile members of society，”said George Vaillant, the psychologist (心理学家) who made the discovery. “And because they felt good about themselves, others felt good about them.”

Vaillant's study followed these males in great detail. Interviews were repeated at ages 25, 31 and 47. Under Vaillant, the researchers compared the men's mentalhealth scores with their boyhood activity scores. Points were awarded for parttime jobs, housework, effort in school，and ability to deal with problems.

The link between what the men had done as boys and how they turned out as adults was surprisingly sharp．Those who had done the most boyhood activities were twice as likely to have warm relations with a wide variety of people，five times as likely to be well paid and 16 times less likely to have been unemployed. The researchers also found that IQ and family social and economic class made no real difference in how the boys turned out.

Working—at any age—is important.Childhood activities help a child develop responsibility, independence, confidence and competence—the underpinnings (基础) of emotional health. They also help him understand that people must cooperate and work toward common goals. The most competent adults are those who know how to do this.Yet work isn't everything. As Tolstoy once said，“One can live magnificently in this world if one knows how to work and how to love, to work for the person one loves and to love one's work.”

【1】What do we know about John?

A.He enjoyed his career and marriage.

B.He had few childhood playmates.

C.He received little love from his family.

D.He was envied by others in his childhood.

【2】Vaillant's words in Paragraph 2 serve as ________．

A.a description of personal values and social values

B.an analysis of how work was related to competence

C.an example for parents' expectations of their children

D.an explanation why some boys grew into happy men

【3】Vaillant's team obtained their findings by ________．

A.recording the boys' effort in school

B.evaluating the men's mental health

C.comparing different sets of scores

D.measuring the men's problem solving ability

【4】What does the underlined word “sharp” probably mean in Paragraph 4?

A.Quick to react.B.Having a thin edge.

C.Clear and definite.D.Sudden and rapid.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】A

【2】D

【3】C

【4】C

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章主要讲了研究表明，那些小时候工作过的人比那些没有工作过的人生活得更快乐、更有成效。

【1】细节理解题。根据第一段He had more job satisfaction, a better marriage and was healthier.（他的工作满意度更高，婚姻更美满，身体也更健康。）由此可知，约翰享受他的事业和婚姻，故选A。

【2】推理判断题。根据第二段 “Boys who worked in the home or community gained competence (能力) and came to feel they were worthwhile members of society，”said George Vaillant, the psychologist (心理学家) who made the discovery.“And because they felt good about themselves, others felt good about them.”（发现这一现象的心理学家Vaillant说:“在家庭或社区工作的男孩获得了能力，并开始觉得自己是社会中有价值的成员。”“因为他们对自己感觉良好，别人也对他们感觉良好。”）由此可以推断出，Vaillant在第二段的话解释了为什么一些男孩成长为快乐的人，故选D。

【3】细节理解题。根据第三段Under Vaillant, the researchers compared the men's menta lhealth scores with their boyhood activity scores.可知Vaillant的研究小组通过比较不同的分数得到了他们的发现，故选C。

【4】词义猜测题。根据下文Those who had done the most boyhood activities were twice as likely to have warm relations with a wide variety of people，five times as likely to be well paid and 16 times less likely to have been unemployed.（那些在童年时期参加过最多活动的人，与各种各样的人保持亲密关系的可能性是其他人的两倍，获得高薪的可能性是其他人的五倍，失业的不可能性是其他人的16倍。）由此可知，The link between what the men had done as boys and how they turned out as adults was surprisingly sharp．的意思是男性在孩童时期的行为和成年后的表现之间的联系是惊人的明确。“sharp”的意思明确，故选C。