Computer programmer David Jones earns $35,000 a year designing new computer games. Yet he cannot find a bank ready to let him have a credit card(信用卡).Instead he has been told to wait another two years until he is 18.The 16-year-old works for a small firm in Liverpool where the problem of most young people of his age is finding a job. David’s firm releases(推出)two new games for the fast growing computer market each month.

But David’s biggest headache is what to do with his money. Even though he earns a lot,he cannot drive a car,take out a mortgage(抵押贷款),or get credit cards. David got his job with the Liverpool-based company four months ago,a year after leaving school with six O-levels and working for a time in a computer shop.“I got the job because the people who run the firm knew I had already written some programs”,he said. David spends some of his money on records and clothes and gives his mother 50 pounds a week. But most of his spare time is spent working.

“Unfortunately,computing was not part of our studies at school”,he said,“But I had been studying it in books and magazines for four years in my spare time. I knew what I wanted to do and never considered staying on at school. Most people in this business are fairly young,anyway”.David added,“I would like to earn a million and I suppose early retirement is a possibility. You never know when the market might disappear.”

1.In what way is David different from people of his age?

A.He often goes out with friends.

B.He lives with his mother.

C.He has a handsome income.

D.He graduated with six O-levels.

2.What is one of the problems that David is facing now?

A.He is too young to get a credit card.

B.He has no time to learn driving.

C.He has very little spare time.

D.He will soon lose his job.

3.David was able to get the job in the company because _____.

A.He had done well in all his exams.

B.He had written some computer programs.

C.He was good at playing computer games.

D.He had learnt to use computers at school.

4.Why did David decide to leave school and start working?

A.He received lots of job offers.

B.He was eager to help his mother.

C.He lost interest in school studies.

D.He wanted to earn his own living.

I watch documentaries, not movies.I read history books, not fiction.I use every free moment to accomplish one of the tasks on my never-ending checklist, and I am completely filled with thoughts of productivity.An hour sleeping is an hour wasted.And like the rest of 21st century America, I like it.But this fixation on productivity is increasingly destroying character and transforming men into robots.

New York Times columnist David Brooks warned American University students of this cultural decline in a speech.“We cut off all things spiritual and emotional in a competitive urge to stand out”, he said, “The pressure to succeed professionally, to acquire skills, to do the things you need to do to succeed in an information age economy really became the overwhelming(难以应付的) pressures, and it sort of eclipses the thinking about character and morality.”

Many students happily go to college, viewing it as a next step on their rise to professional achievement.Forcing as many success-building activities into their schedules as they can, they enjoy keeping busy with little sleep.“Today’s outstanding kids are likely to spend their afternoons and weekends shuttling from one skill-improving activity to the next,” Brooks wrote in an article, “We fear failure more than we desire success.”

A century ago, college was about character building.Today, our characters are in decline.We are experts on economics, material things and professional skills.We fail to discuss and understand relationships, emotions and all things spiritual.

Philosopher Karl Popper divided the world into two categories: Clocks and Clouds.Clock problems are those that can be taken apart, examined and solved through deductive reasoning(演绎推理).Clouds cannot be taken apart.Cloud problems represent whole systems that need to be understood in a different way.

“When we have a Cloud problem, we try to turn it into a Clock problem,” Brooks said.And in a reason-centered culture, adding titles to one’s resume becomes a trend.At American University, 85 percent of seniors (and 89 percent of business majors) graduate with at least one practical experience which is often helpful to a student’s future career, but can sometimes draw focus away from academics.

To prevent the death of man’s character, Brooks urges rediscovering our human natures through falling in love.And by love he means love for a task, job, or another person.“Synchronicity is key to happiness,” he said.Rather than crazily increasing our long lists of accomplishments, we need to lose ourselves in what we do, and success will come on its own.

1.From Paragraph 1, we can learn that people __________.

A.are controlled by time

B.are keen on reading books

C.are changing their characters

D.are eager to achieve more

2.In Paragraph 2, the underlined word “eclipses” means _________.

A.deletes B.weakens

C.worsens D.emphasizes

3.The last paragraph mainly tells us that __________.

A.love is more important than focus

B.the focus on human natures counts

C.more work contributes to happiness

D.success comes from devotion to work

4.The purpose of this passage is to __________.

A.bring awareness to character building

B.stress the importance of productivity

C.warn about the pressure to seek success

D.criticize students’ desire for achievements

Sometimes your biggest weakness can become your biggest strength. Take, for example, the story of one 10-year-old boy who decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident.

The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training, the master had taught him only one move.“Sensei,” the boy finally said, “shouldn't I be learning more moves?”“This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need to know,” the sensei replied.

Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.

Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy skillfully used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals. This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the sensei intervened.

“No,” the sensei insisted, “Let him continue.” Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.

On the way home, the boy and sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind. “Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?” “You won for two reasons,” the sensei answered. “First, you've almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. Second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm.”

The boy's biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.

1.we can infer from Paragraph 2 that the teacher__________.

A. was unwilling to teach the boy

B. regarded mastering one move as extremely important.

C. worried about the boys ability

D. trained the boy to win judo tournaments

2.After the boy came in the finals, __________.

A. he feared to get hurt.

B. the teacher felt satisfied

C. he thought of giving up.

D. the judge stopped the game.

3.The underlined expression “be overmatched” in Paragraph 3 is closed in meaning to__________.

A. lose heart

B. lose patience

C. be defeated

D. be monitored

4.How did the boy’s teacher explain his success of the tournament?

A. His opponent was too confident and careless.

B. The boy was experienced in playing the games.

C. His opponent didn't notice the boys left hand.

D. The boy made use of his judo skill and weakness.

5.What is the purpose of the passage?

A. To suggest we turn weakness into strength.

B. To encourage us to insist in a match.

C. To show us how to win a match luckily.

D. To tell us to choose an experienced teacher.

Simon Sinek is naturally shy and doesn’t like speaking to crowds.At parties,he says he hides alone in the corner or doesn’t even show up in the first place.He prefers the latter.Yet,with some 22 million video views under his belt,the optimistic ethnographer also happens to be the third most watched TED Talks presenter of all time.

Sinek’s unlikely success as both an inspirational speaker and a bestselling author isn’t just dumb luck.It’s the result of fears faced and erased,trial and error and tireless practice,on and off stage.Here are his secrets for delivering speeches that inspire,inform and entertain.

Don’t talk right away.

Sinek says you should never talk as you walk out on stage.“A lot of people start talking right away,and it’s out of nerves,” Sinek says.“That communicates a little bit of insecurity and fear.”

Instead,quietly walk out on stage.Then take a deep breath,find your place,wait a few seconds and begin.“I know it sounds long and tedious and it feels excruciatingly awkward when you do it,” Sinek says,“but it shows the audience you’re totally confident and in charge of the situation.”

Show up to give,not to take.

Often people give presentations to sell products or ideas,to get people to follow them on social media,buy their books or even just to like them.Sinek calls these kinds of speakers “takers,” and he says audiences can see through these people right away.And,when they do,they disengage.

“We are highly social animals,” says Sinek.“Even at a distance on stage,we can tell if you’re a giver or a taker,and people are more likely to trust a giver — a speaker that gives them value,that teaches them something new,that inspires them — than a taker.”

Speak unusually slowly.

When you get nervous,it’s not just your heart beat that quickens.Your words also tend to speed up.Luckily Sinek says audiences are more patient and forgiving than we know.

“They want you to succeed up there,but the more you rush,the more you turn them off,” he says.“If you just go quiet for a moment and take a long,deep breath,they’ll wait for you.It’s kind of amazing.”

Turn nervousness into excitement.

Sinek learned this trick from watching the Olympics.A few years ago he noticed that reporters interviewing Olympic athletes before and after competing were all asking the same question.“Were you nervous?” And all of the athletes gave the same answer: “No,I was excited.” These competitors were taking the body’s signs of nervousness—clammy hands,pounding heart and tense nerves—and reinterpreting them as side effects of excitement and exhilaration.

When you’re up on stage you will likely go through the same thing.That’s when Sinek says you should say to yourself out loud,“I’m not nervous,I’m excited!”

Say thank you when you’re done.

Applause is a gift,and when you receive a gift,it’s only right to express how grateful you are for it.This is why Sinek always closes out his presentations with these two simple yet powerful words: thank you.

“They gave you their time,and they’re giving you their applause.” Says Sinek.“That’s a gift,and you have to be grateful.”

Passage outline

Supporting details

1.to Simon Sinek

·He is by 2.shy and dislikes making speeches in public.

·Through his 3.effort,he enjoys great success in giving speeches.

Tips on deliveing speeches

·Avoid talking 4.for it indicates you’re nervous.

·Keep calm and wait a few seconds before talking, which will create an 5.that you are confident.

·Try to be a giver rather than a taker because in 6.with a taker, a giver can get more popular and accepted.

·Teach audience something new that they can 7.from.

·Speak a bit slowly just to help you stay calm.

·Never speed up while speaking in case you 8.the audience.

·Switch nervousness to excitement by 9.the example of Olympic athletes.

·Express your 10.to the audience for their time and applause to conclude your speech.

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