Ambition is a necessary quality in life. It is the force which drives us on to use whatever talent we have got. If we haven’t got some degree of ambition, these talents will not be used for our own and other’s benefit. We must continually want to be better than we are. Without ambition we are just jellyfish that flop through life. We only react to events; we don’t try to control them.

Ambition, however, can have several defects.

First of all it can be unrealistic. We may not be able to see the limits of our own abilities, so we do ambitious things that are completely beyond us. Our career masters can see our good qualities and our limitations objectively. They may tell us that we haven’t the ability to deal with people and would make good businessmen. We refuse to take their evaluation. We keep on trying. Many years and many disappointments later we are forced to accept their judgment. But what a waste of time our ill-founded ambition has caused us!

Secondly, our ambition can be too concentrated. We devote our attention to one narrow aim, such as getting distinctions in our science subjects. Everything that may draw us away from this aim is cut out of our lives. In the end we get our distinctions. But what damage we have caused ourselves in the process! We are isolated beings who only care about a particular examination. And we probably won’t make good scientists. We lack the breadth of view necessary for success in higher studies.

Thirdly, our ambition can be limited to lifeless objectives. We want to gain money, or power, or membership of some circles. Persons who feel inferior try to make up by seeking the respect of others through possessions of these artificial signs of worth.

Fourthly, our ambition may be self-centered. Instead of directing some of our ambition towards community improvement we may exploit members of the community in the interests of self-advancements. In later life we may be ambitious for the success of our children but we regard this success as only a further mark of our own success.

Ambition is necessary in the lives of individuals---necessary for their own improvement and for the improvement of the community in which they live. But, like all blind forces, it must be directed if it is not to cause disaster. It must be tightly controlled by the head and the heart. Otherwise ambition may demand too high a price in terms of human qualities.

I have never met a successful person who wasn’t 100% prepared. Once you realize the advantage that exceptional __21___ gives, it becomes a lifelong habit.

Ivan Lendl is a typical example. He has thought about every side to his game, _22___ it is playing plan against an opponent, or his diet, or fitness program. But what really __23____ me was when he told me he also knew the airline and flight number he was taking to the city in question. That is the way he __24___ everything. It is one element that has made him a champion.

One reason many of us aren’t prepared is that we rarely appreciate it. And if anyone does find out we have prepared carefully to make certain we __25___ our goal, we may well be laughed at. In fact, many people are afraid to be prepared: if they are, they lose an excellent _26____when they fail.

In sport, you meet athletes who let it be known they are not in top condition for a competition. It __27___ the pressure. If they lose, they were not at their best. If they win, they go beyond everyone’s __28___. This is a classic 50% solution: you win some, you lose some. Then there are the people who do their preparation in public. They constantly tell you how hard they are working. That way, if they fail, it is not because they did not try. This is the 75% solution: prepare well, give it your best, let things turn out as they will.

The very best performers, __29___ , spend hidden hours to make sure that they are No. 1. They don’t need or want the world to see them sweat. This is the 110% solution: First determine the __30__ result. Then calculate your effort.

21        A. chance            B. possibility         c. preparation         D. ambition

22        A. whether        B. when                c. whatever            D. if

23        A. amused           B. delighted           c. astonished          D. confused

24        A. works out     B. deals with          c. gets to         D. acts as

25        A. acquire            B. achieve             c. possess               D. have

26        A. reason             B. explanation        c. prediction          D. excuse

27        A. relieves           B. releases             c. rejects                D. regulates

28        A. expectations     B. wishes            c. ideas                  D. opinions

29        A. yet                 B. however        c. besides               D. furthermore

30        A. desired            B. acquired            c. admired             D. prepared

How often do you change your hairstyle or ask for new dresses? You may try to follow trends in Western countries，but your peers(同龄人)in the United States don't care as much about fashion(时尚)as you do．
A recent survey among high school students in China，Japan，South Korea and the US found that Asian teenagers care more about their looks than young people in the US．
This survey was held in 156 high schools in the four countries. More than 7,000 teenagers were questioned about their view on life and the world.
South Koreans, at 83 percent, cared most about their appearance. They were followed by the Chinese and Japanese while US students showed the least interest in fashion at only 33 percent.
“The different results show differences of cultural background,” said Sun Yunxiao from the China Youth and Children Research Centre.
He explained that in the US there are many different standards of beauty, so teens are more likely to be confident about their appearance.
US teenagers’ high self-confidence is showed in survey. About 85 percent are happy with themselves. The percentage of self-confident Chinese students stands at only 30 percent.
Strong ambition( 雄心) is seen in Chinese high schools. Only two in five high school students are satisfied with “an average living”. Koreans are next at 48 percent，Japanese come in at 66 percent and Americans are at 71．
“According to the survey，Chinese students are happy. But Chinese students need to be more independent and learn how to relax．”said Sun．
【小题1】According to the survey，_________ cared little about their appearance．

How often do you change your hairstyle or ask for new dresses? You may be __ to follow trends in Western countries, but young people in the United States don’t care as much about__   as you do.

 A recent survey among high school __  in China, Japan, South Korea and the US found that __  teenagers care more about their appearance than young people in the US.

 This survey was held in 156 high schools in the four countries. More than 7,000 teenagers were__   about their views on life and the world. South Koreans, at 83 percent, cared most about their looks. They were __ by the Chinese and Japanese, while US students showed the least interest in fashion at only 33 percent.

 “The different results show __  of cultural background,” said Sun Yunxiao from the China Youth and Children Research Centre. He explained that in the US there are many different     of beauty, so teens are more __  to be confident about their appearance.

 US teenagers’ high self-confidence is displayed in the __. About 85 percent are happy with themselves. The percentage of self-confident Chinese students stands at only 30 percent.

 What’s   , US students showed more individuality, with 88 percent___  that “people should follow their own interests rather than    of others”. This is much    than South Korea’s 69 percent, China’s 49 and Japan’s 48.

  Japanese students, at 52 percent, are most dissatisfied with modern society. Chinese and Koreans follow at second and_  most dissatisfied.

  “  to the survey, Chinese students are happy and disciplined. They have a strong wish to make a difference.  __   Chinese students need to be more independent and learn how to relax,” said Sun.

 The students have different  __   backgrounds. But home and places where friends gather are the favorite places all teens seek happiness.

 Exams and worries about life after graduation cause much  _ _ among most of the teens ___  for the survey.

1.A. absorbed            B. willing           C. careless      D. unhappy

2.A. hairstyle            B. dresses          C. fashion       D. culture

3.A. teachers              B. students          C. citizens      D. colleagues

4.A. Asian                 B. American        C. African       D. Western

5.A. answered             B. requested        C. persuaded    D. questioned

6.A. followed             B. decreased        C. reduced       D. compared

7.A. relations             B. barriers           C. customs       D. differences

8.A. awareness           B. standards         C. consciences   D. expenses

9.A. admirable           B. confused         C. likely          D. unbelievable

10.A. survey               B. setting            C. reference       D. paper

11.A. worse                 B. better             C. less             D. more

12.A. disagreeing         B. observing         C. agreeing       D. puzzling

13.A. those                 B. that                C. it              D. one

14.A. lower                 B. larger             C. smaller         D. higher

15.A. first                 B. third               C. fourth            D. last

16.A. leading              B. devoting          C. appealing        D. According

17.A. But                   B. And                C. So                D. Or

18.A. political             B. cultural           C. economical      D. commercial

19.A. expectation          B. hesitation       C. concern           D. ambition

20.A. interviewed          B. advised          C. overlooked       D. invested

How often do you change your hairstyle or ask for new dresses? You may try to follow trends in Western countries，but your peers(同龄人)in the United States don't care as much about fashion(时尚)as you do．

A recent survey among high school students in China，Japan，South Korea and the US found that Asian teenagers care more about their looks than young people in the US．

This survey was held in 156 high schools in the four countries. More than 7,000 teenagers were questioned about their view on life and the world.

South Koreans, at 83 percent, cared most about their appearance. They were followed by the Chinese and Japanese while US students showed the least interest in fashion at only 33 percent.

“The different results show differences of cultural background,” said Sun Yunxiao from the China Youth and Children Research Centre.

He explained that in the US there are many different standards of beauty, so teens are more likely to be confident about their appearance.

US teenagers’ high self-confidence is showed in survey. About 85 percent are happy with themselves. The percentage of self-confident Chinese students stands at only 30 percent.

Strong ambition( 雄心) is seen in Chinese high schools. Only two in five high school students are satisfied with “an average living”. Koreans are next at 48 percent，Japanese come in at 66 percent and Americans are at 71．

“According to the survey，Chinese students are happy. But Chinese students need to be more independent and learn how to relax．”said Sun．

1.According to the survey，_________ cared little about their appearance．

2.Sun Yunxiao’s words means ___________.

3.The underlined word “standards’’ in the sixth paragraph means __________.

4.From the 8^th paragraph we may 1earn that __________．

5.What does the passage mainly talk about?