There is a measurable relation between how much a person learns and that individual’s attitude toward the subject to be learned. When faced with a difficult learning assignment, one path toward success is to seek out and concentrate on the positive aspects of the subject matter. If a student has boring and ineffective teacher in a required course, one solution is to look for the positive aspects of completing the course, regardless of how boring the instructor happens to be. To accomplish this might require a private tutor or some independent reading, but with the right attitude, success is possible.

Over-achievers---those students who do better than their test scores indicate ---- usually have a positive interest toward learning. They may learn some things more slowly, and it may take more effort, but, to compensate, they are often better at applying what they have learned. As long as they do not stress themselves into emotional problems, they are successful.

Under-achievers--- those who function below their ability indicated by test scores ---- often tend to permit a few negative factors to sidetrack them. Because of their negative attitudes, they sometimes become unfairly critical of teachers. They allow themselves to get bored when it is not necessary. In short, their attitudes often cause them to learn less than over-achievers.

If you learn to replace a negative mind---set toward learning with something more positive, you are on the road to achieving virtually any goal you desire. For example, if you realize a personal computer with a word processor would improve your performance, but have an attitude that keeps telling you that you cannot learn to operate a computer you tend to make all kinds of excuses. In short, you resist making full use of a terrific tool, simply because your negative attitude prevents you from learning.

1. The writer thinks that over-achievers and under-achievers mainly differ in ____________.

   A. their test scores                               B. their judgment of the teachers         

C. their attitudes toward learning            D. their skills in using computers

2. What does the author suggest if a student has a boring teacher?

   A. To be critical of the teacher.                                 

B. To read more on one’s own.

   C. To have a right attitude toward the teacher.            

D. To complete the course without the teacher.

3. The phrase function below their ability indicated by test scores ( in Para.3) means the under-achievers ________.

   A. often get low scores in tests                 

B. do worse in actual learning than in the tests.

   C. usually do better in tests than the over-achievers            

D. are always slow in learning and have to make more efforts

4. What is the main idea of the passage?

   A. Attitudes play very important roles in learning.  

B. Teachers are not so important in the learning process.

   C. Students should learn how to use personal computers.

   D. There are many differenced between over- and under- achievers

Not all vegetables need lots of sunshine. Mark Hoffman and his wife own a bed-and-breakfast guesthouse in rural Kempton, Illinois. They often serve their guests fresh products from the garden.
The Hoffmans have been growing food and flowers for twenty-five years. For almost ten of those years, Mr. Hoffman has been experimenting and working with shade (阴凉) plantings. He says, “The bottom line here is that most plants will produce more in full sun. But if you do not have full sun, there are other choices.”
For example, he grows tomatoes near oak trees. Oak trees can produce a lot of shade. But Mr. Hoffman says his tomato plants grow as long as they get five hours’ direct sunshine a day, especially morning sun. Not only does this go against the traditional advice that tomatoes need six, eight, even twelve hours’ full sun a day. It also shows how plants and tree roots can share nutrients and water.
Mr. Hoffman says plants with wider leaves seem to do better in shady environments. He also found that his potatoes did better partly in shade than in full sun.
Moving them out of the sun helped control an insect problem. Mr. Hoffman does not use pesticide (农药). Instead, he planted the potatoes in the shade, especially on the east side of the tree. The potatoes get morning sun, but they are shaded during the hottest part of the day. Some insects dislike shade, and the hottest part day is when they do the worst of their damage.
Time of day, sun intensity (强度), shadows from trees, walls and buildings all influence how much sunlight falls on plants. And people interested in shade planting should also remember something else. The term “shade” can describe different amounts of darkness. It can even mean different things in different parts of the world.
【小题1】How many hours of sunshine are enough to keep tomato plants growing in Hoffman’s garden?

Not all vegetables need lots of sunshine. Mark Hoffman and his wife own a bed-and-breakfast guesthouse in rural Kempton, Illinois. They often serve their guests fresh products from the garden.

The Hoffmans have been growing food and flowers for twenty-five years. For almost ten of those years, Mr. Hoffman has been experimenting and working with shade (阴凉) plantings. He says, “The bottom line here is that most plants will produce more in full sun. But if you do not have full sun, there are other choices.”

For example, he grows tomatoes near oak trees. Oak trees can produce a lot of shade. But Mr. Hoffman says his tomato plants grow as long as they get five hours’ direct sunshine a day, especially morning sun. Not only does this go against the traditional advice that tomatoes need six, eight, even twelve hours’ full sun a day. It also shows how plants and tree roots can share nutrients and water.

Mr. Hoffman says plants with wider leaves seem to do better in shady environments. He also found that his potatoes did better partly in shade than in full sun.

Moving them out of the sun helped control an insect problem. Mr. Hoffman does not use pesticide (农药). Instead, he planted the potatoes in the shade, especially on the east side of the tree. The potatoes get morning sun, but they are shaded during the hottest part of the day. Some insects dislike shade, and the hottest part day is when they do the worst of their damage.

Time of day, sun intensity (强度), shadows from trees, walls and buildings all influence how much sunlight falls on plants. And people interested in shade planting should also remember something else. The term “shade” can describe different amounts of darkness. It can even mean different things in different parts of the world.

1.How many hours of sunshine are enough to keep tomato plants growing in Hoffman’s garden?

2.From the passage we can know that ______ .

3.All of the following can influence how much sunlight falls on plants EXCEPT ______.

4. Which of the following can best describe Mr. Hoffman?

5.We may read the passage on a website in the section of ______.

Not all vegetables need lots of sunshine. Mark Hoffman and his wife own a bed-and-breakfast guesthouse in rural Kempton, Illinois. They often serve their guests fresh products from the garden.
The Hoffmans have been growing food and flowers for twenty-five years. For almost ten of those years, Mr. Hoffman has been experimenting and working with shade (阴凉) plantings. He says, “The bottom line here is that most plants will produce more in full sun. But if you do not have full sun, there are other choices.”
For example, he grows tomatoes near oak trees. Oak trees can produce a lot of shade. But Mr. Hoffman says his tomato plants grow as long as they get five hours’ direct sunshine a day, especially morning sun. Not only does this go against the traditional advice that tomatoes need six, eight, even twelve hours’ full sun a day. It also shows how plants and tree roots can share nutrients and water.
Mr. Hoffman says plants with wider leaves seem to do better in shady environments. He also found that his potatoes did better partly in shade than in full sun.
Moving them out of the sun helped control an insect problem. Mr. Hoffman does not use pesticide (农药). Instead, he planted the potatoes in the shade, especially on the east side of the tree. The potatoes get morning sun, but they are shaded during the hottest part of the day. Some insects dislike shade, and the hottest part day is when they do the worst of their damage.
Time of day, sun intensity (强度), shadows from trees, walls and buildings all influence how much sunlight falls on plants. And people interested in shade planting should also remember something else. The term “shade” can describe different amounts of darkness. It can even mean different things in different parts of the world

1. 1.

   How many hours of sunshine are enough to keep tomato plants growing in Hoffman’s garden?

   1. A.
      five hours a day
   2. B.
      Six hours a day
   3. C.
      Eight hours a day
   4. D.
      Twelve hours a day
2. 2.

   From the passage we can know that ______

   1. A.
      plants with wider leaves produce more in full sun
   2. B.
      as a matter of fact, plants don’t need to grow in full sun
   3. C.
      the more sunshine plants get, the more they will produce
   4. D.
      plants with wider leaves grow better in shadows
3. 3.

   All of the following can influence how much sunlight falls on plants EXCEPT ______

   1. A.
      length of day time
   2. B.
      brightness of the sun
   3. C.
      changes of the season
   4. D.
      shadows
4. 4.

   Which of the following can best describe Mr. Hoffman?

   1. A.
      Curious
   2. B.
      Experienced
   3. C.
      Easy-going
   4. D.
      Funny
5. 5.

   We may read the passage on a website in the section of ______

   1. A.
      environment
   2. B.
      travelling
   3. C.
      agriculture
   4. D.
      lifestyle