People often talk as if shyness is a disease or mental condition that can be cured.I prefer to think of it as an emotional disability.It's something we are born with and something we carry with us in our entire lives.There are too many people, however, who seem to be determined to find some way of doing away with their shyness.In my opinion, it's a waste of time.I don't mean that we should do nothing about it; quite the contrary, I think we need to separate the basic fact of our shyness from our ability to take part in a social environment.
Look at one of the most famous shy people of them all, Johnny Carson.This man is painfully shy, yet for decades he made a living talking and associating(交往)with different people every night, in front of a national audience.Carson has never done away with his shyness, but he has successfully found a way to deal with it to the extent that he could be, not just a talk show host, but a legend(传奇)among talk show hosts.Look also at Sally Fields, who has recently admitted her problem with shyness.This is a woman who has appeared in many films, TV shows and interviews, yet in her early years she was so shy that she turned down a lunch invitation from Jane Fonda because she was terribly afraid of meeting her.
I guess that our shyness is there because each of us is born with some insecurity(不安全感)and this insecurity prevents us from reaching out to others the way people with a more open personality do.As we grow up and become adults, we allow our social skills to grow and develop.But we are still stuck in kindergarten or elementary school or wherever it was when our shyness took root in our soul.
(1)
In the author's view, shyness can be explained as ________.
[ ]
A.
a disease that can be easily cured
B.
a not very normal mental condition
C.
an emotional disability
D.
something we pick up after birth
(2)
Which of the following is TRUE of Johnny Carson?
[ ]
A.
He has delt with shyness very successfully.
B.
He has done away with his shyness carefully.
C.
He is described as a hero in some legend books.
D.
He failed to become a good talk show host.
(3)
The passage tells us that Sally Fields was ________.
[ ]
A.
proud all the time
B.
impolite when young
C.
shy in her early years
D.
close to Jane Fonda
(4)
The author thinks that our shyness is there because ________.
More than seven hundred years ago, the Prince of Wales had a very big and brave dog called Gelert.One day the Prince wanted to go hunt-ing with his men.He told his dog to stay at home and look after his baby son.The baby was in a wooden cradle, which was like a small bed.When the Prince came back from hunt-ing, Gelert ran out to meet his master.He wagged his tail and jumped up to put his paws on the Prince's chest.Then the Prince saw the blood on Gelert's jaws and head.
"What have you done?" the Prince said.He rushed into his house and looked for his baby son.The cradle was lying on its side on the floor.The clothes were torn and there was blood on them.
"So you have killed my son?" the Prince said angrily."You unfaithful dog!" He took out his sword and killed the dog.Just as Gelert was dying, he managed to bark.Then the Prince heard a baby call to the dog.
The Prince ran out of the house and saw his son lying on the ground unhurt.Near him was a dead wolf.Then the Prince knew that Gelert had defended the baby and killed the wolf.
The Prince ran back into the house but he was too late.Gelert was dead.The Prince was very sad indeed.Tears ran down his face when he realized 'he had killed his faith-ful friend.The Prince carried the body of his brave dog to the top of a mountain and buried him there.After this, the Prince never smiled again.Every morning at dawn, he walked up the mountain and stood by the dog's grave for a few minutes.
If you go to Mount Snowdon in Wales, people will show you where Gelert is buried.There is a sign by his grave.It reminds peo-ple of a brave and faithful dog.
(1)
Gelert was the dog of the Prince of _________.
[ ]
A.
Scotland
B.
England
C.
Ireland
D.
Wales
(2)
The Prince told the dog to _________ when he was leaving.
[ ]
A.
watch the door
B.
take care of his baby at home
C.
welcome his friends
D.
stop the strangers
(3)
The dog was very _________ when his master came back from hunting.