As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, realistic goal-setting generally produces the best results. That’s partly because most people who set realistic goals actually work more efficiently, and put more effort, to achieve those goals.

What’s far less understood by scientists, however, are the potentially harmful effects of goal-setting. Newspapers convey daily accounts of goal-setting widespread in industries and businesses up and down both Wall Street and Main Street, yet there has been surprisingly little research on how the long-advocated practice of setting goals may have contributed to the current economic crisis, and immoral behavior in general.

“Goals are widely used and promoted as having really beneficial effects. And yet, the same motivation that can push people to put more effort in a constructive way could also motivate people to be more likely to engage in immoral behaviors,” says Maurice Schweitzer, an associate professor at Penn’s Wharton School. His paper, titled “Goals Gone Wild: The Systematic Side Effects of Over-Praised Goal Setting,” appears in the February issue of the Academy of Management Perspectives.

“It turns out there’s no financial benefit to just having a goal---you just get a psychological benefit” Schweitzer says. “But in many cases, goals have financial rewards that make them more powerful.”

A major example Schweitzer and his colleagues give is the 2004 breakdown of energy-trading giant Enron( 德国安然公司), where managers used financial rewards to motivate salesmen to meet specific goals. The problem, Schweitzer says, is that the actual trades were not profitable. 

Other studies have shown that burdening employees with unrealistic goals can force them to lie, cheat or steal. Such was the case in the early 1990s when Sears（西尔斯公司）placed a sales quota (销售限额) on its auto repair staff. It inspired employees to overcharge for work and to complete unnecessary repairs on a companywide basis.

Schweitzer admits his research runs counter to a very large body of literature that praises the many benefits of goal-setting. Advocates of the practice have argued with his team’s use of such evidence as news accounts to support his conclusion that goal-setting is widely over-praised.

In a rebuttal (反驳) paper, Dr. Edwin Locke writes: “Goal-setting is not going away. Organizations cannot grow without being focused on their desired end results any more than an individual can grow without goals to provide a sense of purpose.”

But Schweitzer argues the “evidence” linking goal-setting and harmful behavior should be studied to help draw attention to issues that deserve attention and further investigation. “Even a few negative effects could be so large that they outweigh many positive effects,” he says.

The debate is likely to get heated on in future papers, and the practice of setting goals no doubt will continue. For now, though, the lesson seems to be to put more thought into setting goals.

“Goal-setting does help motivate people. My idea would be to combine that with careful management, a strong organizational culture, and make sure the goals that you use are going to be constructive and not significantly harmful to the organization,” Schweitzer says.

1.What does Maurice Schweitzer want to show by mentioning the example of Enron?

A．Setting realistic goals can turn a failing business into success.

B．Businesses are likely to succeed without realistic goals.

C．Companies are certain to meet specific goals with financial rewards.

D．Goals with financial rewards have strong motivational power.

2.How did Sears’ goal-setting affect its employees?

A．They had to work more hours to increase their sales.

B．They competed with one another to attract more customers.

C．They turned to immoral practice to reach their goals.

D．They improved their customer service on a companywide basis.

3.The underlined words “runs counter to” (Paragraph 7) can be replaced by ________.

A．agrees with        B．goes against        C．fits in with         D．applies to

4.What is Edwin Locke’s argument against Schweitzer?

A．The practice of setting goals only helps people to develop.

B．Goal-setting is of no use motivating people to accomplish their tasks.

C．The positive effects of goal-setting outweigh its negative effects.

D．Studying goal-setting can contribute to successful business practices.

5.According to the passage, the author tries to convey ___________.

A．the goals that most people set are unrealistic.

B．all people can improve their work quality by setting goals.

C．setting goals can provide people with a sense of purpose.

D．people should not ignore the negative effects of goal-setting.

China news, Beijing, Feb. 9 – Housing price in China has always aroused heated discussions among property developers and ordinary Chinese. To many property developers and local government officials, housing price in China is still low compared with many developed countries. However, the average housing price in the United States is only 8,000 yuan per square meter, while in China, it is even higher than in the United States. This shows that there are some bubbles(泡沫) in Chinese real estate market, the International Finance News reported.

    Although the average price of residential houses in the United States, after converted to Renminbi, is about 8,000 yuan per square meter, the houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do when they sell their houses. If US property developers sell their houses according to the building area, then the housing price will be even lower than 8,000 yuan per square meter. In most big Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, houses are sold at a price even higher than those in the US.

    The high housing sales price in large cities in China proves that Chinese real estate market does have some bubbles. Moreover, Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality, environment and supporting facilities. Furthermore, it should be noted that American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people. How can the Chinese afford to buy a house which is even more expensive than that sold in US?

     At the beginning of 2007, Chinese government issued a set of policies that aimed to benefit the public. Now in order to reduce the high housing prices, the government can regulate(控制) the real estate market by raising tax on property industry and controlling the release of loans and lands to property developers. At the same time, the government should allow people to build more houses through various fund-raising channels, such as funds collected from buyers or raised by working units. By applying these multiple means, it is expected that the high housing prices can be lowered.

1.What is the average housing price per square meter in China?

    A. 8000 yuan    B. 10000 yuan     C. 7000 yuan    D. It’s not mentioned here

2.Which of the following does NOT support the idea that the average housing price in China is even higher than in the United States?

    A. Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality,environment

and supporting facilities.

    B. American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people.

    C. The houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do

when they sell their houses.

    D. There are more people who need houses in China.

3.What is the main idea of this passage?

    A. The housing price in China is so high that the government should do something useful to prevent it.

    B. There are some bubbles in Chinese real estate market

    C. The average housing price in China is even higher than in the United States

    D. Chinese government issued a set of policies that aimed to benefit the public.

4. How many measures are mentioned in the last paragraph in order to reduce the high housing prices?

    A. Four             B. Three            C. Five              D. Two

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Some schools that are not year-round often have summer programs. In many cases, students take summer classes to repeat a subject they failed. This way they get a second chance to succeed. But schools also offer summer classes to students who want to be free of a required class during the next school year.
Generally, students in these classes want to take fewer subjects during the year because they are involved in a lot of activities. They might be involved in sports or music programs. Or both – and more.
These summer school students do the same amount of work as if they took the class during the school year. But they do it in a much shorter time, one or two months. They say it makes for a lot of reading and homework and not much time for anything else. Some education experts are worried about high school students who take summer school because of pressure to attend a top university.
The New York Times recently reported about summer classes at one of the best high schools in the United States. New Trier High School is in Winnetka, Illinois. Almost six hundred students are in school this summer. Only twenty are repeating classes that they failed. The others are in difficult courses like physics and history.
The students say taking classes like these in the summer means that they can take even more difficult classes next year. They say this shows not only that they are serious about their studies but that they have experienced the most difficult high school program.
Another place with a lot of students in summer school is Palo Alto, California. The Mercury News reported that about twenty percent of the students in the city schools are in class this summer. That is more than two thousand teenagers.
A third are in classes they failed before. The others are taking subjects they do not have time for during the normal school year.
But they are not taking subjects like physics and history. The students in Palo Alto are in classes like creative writing, film studies, literature and cooking.
63. This passage mainly talks about ______.
A. summer classes in American schools
B. why American schools offer summer classes
C. the advantages of American summer school
D. experts’ anxiety(担忧)about American summer school
64. Which of the following is NOT the reason for the students’ attending summer classes in America?
A.Repeating a subject.           
B.Completing a required subject ahead of time.
C.Improving their physical quality    
D.Learning some special skills
65. What’s the biggest difference between the summer classes in New Trier High School and in Palo Alto?
A.There are more students attending classes that they failed before in Palo Alto.
B.Some students in Palo Alto learn some special skills instead of taking physics and history.
C.Some students in Palo Alto take some subjects so that they can join in sports or music programs later.
D.The students’ attitude towards studies in Palo Alto is worse than that in New Trier High School.
66. What can we infer from the passage?
A.American students in schools don’t have any pressure to attend top universities.
B.Summer school students don’t do the same amount of work as they do during the school year.
C. American students attend summer schools in order to relax themselves very much.
D. American students in high schools face great pressure to attend top universities.

Thai authorities have been urged to see to it that condominiums (公寓), apartment houses and other lodgings available to tourists throughout the country will be of higher quality than today, a leading tourism businesswoman has said.

Piyaman Techapaibul, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, called on the Ministry of Tourism & Sports as well as other government agencies concerned to have those places and accommodations for tourists improved and upgraded to meet international standards because, she said, today's tourists from around the world have more money to spend and prefer quality lodgings as well as quality services and accommodations at those places.

"Added by condos and apartment houses currently opening for daily rent, the number of lodgings for tourists throughout the country has increased over the years, but not the qualities. Many of today's tourists are so affluent and selective that they'd prefer quality places where personnel should be very responsible and experienced in taking care of them while security should be constantly and effectually maintained," she said.

Employees and staff in charge of providing accommodations to tourists should be expert in communicating with the foreigners, service-minded and speak fluent English, according to the council leader.

Thailand is seen to receive up to 23.1 million tourists from other countries around the world next year, compared to about 21.7 million, who have reportedly visited the country throughout this year, about 2.6 million of whom from China, while as much as two trillion baht (US$66.6 billion) is expected to be earned from tourist industry by 2015, compared to about one trillion baht (US$33.3 billion) this year.

Thailand's most favorite destinations for tourists include the world-famous beach resorts of Pattaya and Phuket, the Andaman Sea archipelagos of Krabi and Surat Thani and the capital city of Bangkok.

The council leader made her comments in response to news reports that the government might deregulate (撤销管制) businesses of running condominiums and apartment houses to the extent that they might not only serve as a place which collects monthly rent from the tenants but as a hotel where guests pay the room rates on a daily basis.

No parking lots or hotel-operating licenses might be legally required at such places nationwide only if they were practically turned into daily hotels or guesthouses.

1.What can we learn from paragraph 1?

A．Thai started to take measures to have the accommodations improved in the past.

B．Tourism is the leading industry in Thailand.

C．The accommodations in Thailand are of poor quality.

D．Tourists prefer hotels to apartment houses in Thai.

2. What does the underlined word “affluent” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．particular         B．prosperous        C．sensitive          D．restricted

3. According to the passage, how many people went to Thailand for a trip except China this year?

A．about 23,1 million                       B．about 21.7 million

C．about 2.6 million                        D．about 19.1 million

4. Why did the authorities in Thai need to have the lodgings improved?

A．Because tourists prefer better service and better living condition

B．Because tourists have plenty of money.

C．Because they want to meet the international standards

D．Because the condominiums in Thai are inferior to those in any other country.

5. According to the passage, which of the following statements is not true?

A．Piyaman advocated the authorities not to limit the development of the condos.

B．Bangkok is one of the most attractive destinations for tourists

C．Thailand has earned about one trillion baht from tourist industry this year.

D．Staff in condos should speak English fluently.

“Yes, madam, your husband ran into some trouble,” he replied. “They were caught in a heavy storm.” .Storms often cause trouble. When I was a baby, Dad had to spend long weeks at sea as a fisherman. One day, I suddenly began to cry loudly. No matter how Mom comforted me, I just kept crying. Mom felt uneasy. A feeling told her that something bad would happen. Then a word hit her----“Mayday”. Mom called the Coast Guard, asking the man on duty about my Dad and his ship.

Father and his crew radioed for help when water started pouring in his ship. We flew out there about an hour ago and dropped them a pump. “Take it easy. He will be back soon.” “What if the pump doesn’t work?” Mom questioned. “You should do another fly-over.” The man tried to comfort Mom, “He must be all right now, Mrs Hemingway, or we would have heard a radio signal from him.” “You haven’t got a Mayday?” “No, but we will let you know if we hear the radio signal.” Mom hung up.

I remained crying. Mom called the Coast Guard again. Finally, they said they would send out a rescue plane.

At midnight the phone rang. It was the Coast Guard. They had found my father and all his crew floating in sea 15miles off Jamaica. Dad’s ship had sunk, but fortunately all were safe.

“The pump they dropped didn’t work fast enough,” Dad said. “I radioed a Mayday, but I couldn’t get through.”

Dad didn’t get through to the Coast Guard because of the storm, but he got through to us. Really, there is something that can’t be seen but exists, as is said but can’t be explained, between us, the families. 

55. The underlined word “Mayday” in the first paragraph probably means “_________”.

A. a radio program                                        B. the signal for help   

C. the holiday in May                                           D. a sign of feeling sick

56. Why did the man on duty say the author’s father would return soon?

A. The pump they dropped was of high quality.

B. The author’s father called him and told him so.

C. The plane waited until the pump worked.

D. He thought no news was good news.

57. We can infer from the text that _________.

A. the man on duty in the Coast Guard was careless

B. the plane failed to find the ship which was in danger

C. the author’s father was in charge of the ship

D. the pump saved the author’s father finally

58. What may be the explanation for the author’s (as a baby) crying?

A. He might feel hungry in the evening

B. He might see something terrible in the room.

C. He might be afraid when left alone in room

D. He might have a feeling of uneasiness.