题目内容
The latest research suggests that the key factor separating geniuses from the merely accomplished is not I.Q., a generally bad predictor of success. Instead, it’s purposeful practice. Top performers spend more hours practising their craft. It you wanted to picture how a typical genius might develop, you’d take a girl who possessed a slightly above average language ability. It wouldn’t have to be a big talent, just enough so that she might gain some sense of distinction. Then you would want her to meet, say, a novelist, who coincidentally shared some similar qualities. Maybe the writer was from the same town, had the same family background, or shared the same birthday.
This contact would give the girl a vision of her future self. It would hive her some idea of a fascinating circle who might someday join. It would also help if one of her parents died when she was 12, giving her a strong sense of insecurity and fuelling a desperate need for success. Armed with this ambition, she would read novels and life stories of writers without end. This would give her a primary knowledge of her field. She’s be able to see new writing in deeper ways and quickly understand its inner workings.
Then she would practise writing. Her practice would be slow, painstaking and error-focused. By practising in this way, he delays the automatizing process. Her mind wants to turn conscious, newly learned skills into unconscious. Automatically performed skills. By practising slowly, by breaking skills down into tiny parts and repeating, she forces the brain to internalize a better pattern of performance. Then she would find an adviser who would provide a constant stream of feedback, viewing her performance form the outside, correcting the smallest errors, pushing her to take on tougher challenges. By now she is redoing problems—how do I get characters into a room—dozens and dozens of times. She is establishing habits of thought she can call upon in order to understand or solve future problems.
The primary quality our young writer possesses is not some mysterious genius. It’s the ability to develop a purposeful, laborious and boring practice routine; the latest research takes some of the magic out of great achievement. But it underlines a fact that is often neglected. Public discussion is affected by genetics and what we’re “hard-wired” to do. And it’s true that genes play a role in our capabilities. But the brain is also very plastic. We construct ourselves through behaviour.
The passage mainly deals with________.
A. the function of I.Q. in cultivating a writer
B. the relationship between genius and success
C. the decisive factor in making a genius
D. the way of gaining some sense of distinction
By reading novels and writers’ stories, the girl could________.
A. come to understand the inner structure of writing
B. join a fascinating circle of writers someday
C. share with a novelist her likes and dislikes
D. learn from the living examples to establish a sense of security
In the girl’s long painstaking training process, ________.
A. her adviser forms a primary challenging force to her success.
B. her writing turns into an automatic pattern of performance
C. she acquires the magic of some great achievement
D. she comes to realize she is “hard-wired” to write
What can be concluded from the passage?
A. A fuelling ambition plays a leading role in one’s success
B. A responsible adviser is more important than the knowledge of writing.
C. As to the growth of a genius, I.Q. Doesn’t matter, but just his|her effort.
D. What really matters is what you do rather then who you are.
(2010年河南五校联考)—What an amazing story!It’s the most impressive story I’ve ever read.
—But I’m sure it won’t interest________.
A.somebody B.everybody
C.nobody D.anybody
Mom was right! If you say thank you, for even the smallest gift or slightest show of kindness, you’ll feel happy.
Gratitude, says Robert A. Emmons, a professor of psychology at the University of California, is an important element of happiness. In his recent book, Thanks!, Emmons uses the first major study on gratitude to prove mom’s point.
As one of the leading scholars of the positive psychology movement, he admits gratitude may be difficult to express. He advises you to begin by admitting that life is good and full of events and elements that make daily existence a wonder. Second, recognize that the source of life’s goodness is more than just you. That source may be your mom, a friend, partner, child, colleague at work or play.
Gratitude is always other-directed, notes Emmons. You can be pleased or angry with yourself and feel guilty about doing something wrong, but you can never be grateful to or for yourself.
Expressing gratitude shouldn’t be a reaction; it should be a state of mind. To feel grateful when life is a breeze and you have more than you need is easy. To feel grateful in time of crisis—anger, hatred and bitterness—is easier. Also, too many people are aware of life’s blessings only after these are lost.
It’s crisis and chaos—danger, disease, disability and death—that bring many individuals to realize just how dependent they are on others. Yet it’s the way each of us begins life and ends it. It’s too bad that so many people waste those decades in between laboring under the illusion(幻觉) they are self-sufficient, says Emmons.
The abundance of voices expressing gratitude from his studies of individuals with chronic health problems is many. But Emmons goes beyond his “groundbreaking” science to make his case for gratitude by including the inspirational writings of philosophers, novelists and saints, as well as the beliefs of various religious and their respective scripture(经文). Taken together, these observations are summed up quite nicely by famous humanist Albert Schweitzer, who said the secret of life is “giving thanks for everything”.
To enable and embrace gratitude, Emmons encourages the readers of Thanks! to keep a gratitude diary. He even provides easy-to-follow directions on how to practise and develop gratitude.
I’m not a reader or advocate of self-help books, but I am thankful for the reference I found in a newspaper article to the research Emmons was conducting on gratitude involving organ donors and recipients. The chance discovery led me to this book.
Mom implied that kindness seems to find its way back to the giver because life really is all about giving, receiving and repaying. So I’ll pay attention to her professional advice and say: Thank you, professor Emmons.
1.. What is the text mainly discussed?
A. There are many ways of being thankful.
B. Gratitude is important to happiness.
C. Mom is great for her being thankful.
D. Being thankful will keep you fit.
2.. The author mentions Robert A. Emmons’ book Thanks! in order to prove that __________.
A. Professor Emmons supports mom’s study on psychology.
B. mom is as great a psychologist as Professor Emmons.
C. Professor Emmons is a famous psychologist.
D. mom is right about her viewpoint on gratitude.
3.. It will be easier for you to feel grateful when___________.
A. you live a comfortable life
B. you receive gifts on your birthday
C. you get help during your hard times
D. you are congratulated on your success
4. What is the opinion of Professor Emmons?
A. It is enough to thank others orally
B. Whether you are thankful is always up to you
C. Remember to be thankful anytime and anywhere
D. It is easier to be thankful for yourself than for others.
5. In the writer’s opinion, Emmon’s book Thanks! On gratitude is________.
A. one-side B. reasonable C. puzzling D. helpful
Poster 1
I am a journalist living in Barcelona and I would like to travel exchanging my apartment. I have an apartment in the city center with 2 bedrooms. You can get to the airport by bus or taxi in 20 minutes. And there is a metro station really close to the apartment. The area has many shops, theatres, bars and restaurants.
Poster 2
I am looking forward to exchanging my apartment in Madrid for yours in a nice location in Beijing. It’s a really nice apartment in the centre of Madrid, within walking distance of the main attractions. You can walk to the Puerta del Sol, Royal Palace, Opera, Plaza Mayor, etc. in a few minutes; everything is so close! The apartment has all the facilities(设备)and it is very modern.
Poster 3
Hello, I am a Canadian IT professional and accounting student looking for a room in Wudaokou or other areas near ShangDi (my office location). I want to pay 1,400 RMB to 2,500RMB depending on the room and location. I can sign a contract for at least three months. My email address: vhjvm3584098242@hous.craigslist.org.
Poster 4
My 21-year-old son Matthew would like to visit China in the spring for three to four weeks. If you can offer him a safe, clean, cost-free place to stay, I will offer you or your family a stay at my second home 28 miles outside of Reno, Nevada, USA. This is a single-story home on the edge of the desert. You have access to 70 acres of land, clean air and clean water. Fishing and golfing are available nearby. I will provide transportation to the home, and pick you up when you have finished. My son Matthew is honest, safe and clean-living.
Reply to: hbxdd-3537187673@hous.craigslist.org.
1. Poster 1 mainly focuses on the apartment’s ________.
A.low rent B.large space C.quality facilities D.convenient location
2.Which of the following is TRUE of the Puerta del Sol?
A.It’s a district of Madrid. B.It’s a main attraction in Madrid.
C.It’s the name of the apartment. D.It’s an attraction outside of Madrid
3.Where is the house in Poster 4 located?
A.In a stadium. B.In the centre of desert.
C.In the countryside. D.In an area of the downtown.
Norah had a cottage on a cliff(悬崖)above a big bay. In winter it could be very unpleasant because of strong winds and sea waves. In fact, when a gale was blowing, Norah and her husband got used to sleeping in a small room downstairs, because their bedroom upstairs, which faced the gales, had a very big window, and they were afraid that an extra violent wind might break it and blow pieces of broken glass over them.
Also, the salt wave from the sea put an end to many of the colorful plants Norah planted in her garden. She tried putting up a fence to protect them, but the wind just hit it, went up over the top and then down the other side, so in the end she filled the garden with trees and bushes that liked salt.
But most of the summer Norah enjoyed her cottage and garden very much. At weekends she could sit out-of-doors in the sun, looking at the beautiful view, with interesting ships and boats passing by, and she could very easily cycle down to the sea for a swim.
Now, Norah and her husband had plenty of friends and relations. In the summer lots of them used to come to enjoy the beautiful place, and in the end it really became quite annoying for the couple. When they were at home, they found friends and relations arriving, expecting to be given unlimited drinks and meals, and to sit in the sun for hours, talking as if Norah and her husband had nothing else to do but entertain and listen to them.
This went on for several years. Norah didn’t wish to appear rude by refusing to let her friends and relations in, but on the other hand, she was getting tired every summer.
Then one day Norah was complaining about this to her hairdresser while she was doing her hair. “You’re disturbed by too many uninvited guests, are you?” said the hairdresser. “Why don’t you try my way of escaping?”
“What’s that?” asked Norah.
“Well,” the hairdresser answered, “when the bell rings, I put on my coat and take my shopping bag. If it’s someone I don’t want to see, I say innocently, ‘I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go out.’ But…”
1.The underlined word “gale” can be replaced by _____.
A.wind B.ship C.sea D.animal
2.We can infer that _____.
A.lots of friends cam to visit them in winter
B.few friends came to visit them in winter
C.friends came to visit them only for drinks and meals
D.Norah was a good cook
3.How did Norah go to the sea for a swim?
A.She went there by ship. B.She walked there.
C.She swam there. D.She went there by bicycle.
4.The hairdresser likely to continue to say “_____” in the end?
A.if I’m tired, I say ‘Sorry, can you come next time?’
B.if it’s someone I like to see, I say ‘How lucky! I’ve just come in!’
C.if it is fine that day, I say, ‘I’m tired of this, but I’ll show you around the place.’
D.if it’s someone I like to see, I say, ‘How happy to see you! But I was going shopping now .’
5.Which of the following is the best title?
A.A Good Place of Enjoying the Sea B.A Visit to Norah
C.A clever Way of Escaping D.A Warm-hearted Couple