Even Intelligent People Can Fail

_________

The unusual things about the innovators (创新者) who succeeded in making our modern world is how often they failed. Turn on a light, take a photograph, watch TV, search the web, jet across the Pacific Ocean, talk on a cell-phone. The innovators who left us these things had to find the way to success through a maze (错综复杂) of wrong turns.

_________

We have just celebrated the 125th anniversary of American innovator Thomas Edison’s success in heating a thin line to white, hot heat for 14 hours in his lab in New Jersey, US. He did that on October 22, 1879, and followed up a month later by keeping a thread of common cardboard alight (点亮着的) in an airless space for 45 hours. Three years later he went on to light up half a square mile of downtown Manhattan, even though only one of the six power plants in his design worked when he turned it on, on September 4, 1882.

________

“Many of life’s failures,” Edison said, “are because that people did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Before that magical moment in October 1879, Edison had worked out no fewer than 3,000 theories about electric light. But in only two cases did his experiments work.

________

No one likes failure, but the smart innovators learn from it. Mark Gumz, the head of a camera maker, attributes some of the company’s successes in technology to understanding failure. His popular phrase is：“You only fail when you quit.”

_________

Over two centuries, the most common quality of the innovators has been persistence (坚忍不拔). That is another way of saying they had the emotional ability to keep on with what they were doing. Walt Disney, the founder of Disneyland, was so penniless after a series of financial failures that he was left shoeless in his office because he could not afford the $1.50 to get his shoes from the repair shop. Pioneering car maker Henry Ford failed with one company and was forced out of another before he developed the Model T Car.

Even Intelligent People Can Fail

1._________

The unusual things about the innovators (创新者) who succeeded in making our modern world is how often they failed. Turn on a light, take a photograph, watch TV, search the web, jet across the Pacific Ocean, talk on a cell-phone. The innovators who left us these things had to find the way to success through a maze (错综复杂) of wrong turns.

2._________

We have just celebrated the 125th anniversary of American innovator Thomas Edison’s success in heating a thin line to white, hot heat for 14 hours in his lab in New Jersey, US. He did that on October 22, 1879, and followed up a month later by keeping a thread of common cardboard alight (点亮着的) in an airless space for 45 hours. Three years later he went on to light up half a square mile of downtown Manhattan, even though only one of the six power plants in his design worked when he turned it on, on September 4, 1882.

3.________

“Many of life’s failures,” Edison said, “are because that people did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Before that magical moment in October 1879, Edison had worked out no fewer than 3,000 theories about electric light. But in only two cases did his experiments work.

4.________

No one likes failure, but the smart innovators learn from it. Mark Gumz, the head of a camera maker, attributes some of the company’s successes in technology to understanding failure. His popular phrase is：“You only fail when you quit.”

5._________

Over two centuries, the most common quality of the innovators has been persistence (坚忍不拔). That is another way of saying they had the emotional ability to keep on with what they were doing. Walt Disney, the founder of Disneyland, was so penniless after a series of financial failures that he was left shoeless in his office because he could not afford the $1.50 to get his shoes from the repair shop. Pioneering car maker Henry Ford failed with one company and was forced out of another before he developed the Model T Car.

　　　 A.　 Join a Class, Sports Team, or Club

　　　 B.　 Eat alone in Public

　　　 C. Talk to your Neighbors

　　　 D.　 Keep an Open Mind

　　　 E.　 Take Pictures

　　　 F.　 Meet People through your Job

　　　 What could seem like an exciting, fresh new start can also be a huge pain: moving to a new city. Whether you decided to pick up and go because of a job offer, or simply wanted to get away from your old town, moving to a brand new city allows for a chance to start a new----brand new image and all.

　　　 But the big move can also be terrible; especially if you don’t know anyone in the place you now call home.

　　　 So in order to create your new image, you’ll need a whole new crew. Here’s how to meet some of those new people.

61. _____________

One of the great things about taking pictures at an event or party is that it gives you an excuse to get in touch with the person later. Everybody loves seeing pictures of himself, and it’s very easy after taking a picture to say “Are you on Facebook?” or “If you’d like I can email it to you.”

This can be the seed that leads to new connections. The next time you hear about a fun event email your new contacts to let them know about it.

62. _____________

　　　 If you don’t know anyone in a new city, it can be tempting to order take-out and retreat back to your lonely apartment or hotel room. Instead, try eating by yourself in public as often as possible.

You might feel self-conscious eating by yourself but it has an important benefit: you are much easier to approach when you are alone. People may be afraid of interrupting you or being rude if you are in a conversation with someone else.

Bring a book or newspaper to read (this will make you feel less self conscious). Plus, having an interesting book with you will give others an excuse to start a conversation if they’ve read it.

63. _____________

　　　 Yoga, salsa dancing, volleyball, jogging, Toastmasters (a Public Speaking club), a class for work, martial arts, etc. Take up a new hobby or continue an old one!

These are all great places to meet new people, primarily because you will be forced to see the same people over and over again in the class. You will automatically make friends with them if you have a common interest and are forced to see each other again.

64. _____________

　　　 You’re most likely to meet people at your office, so make sure to chat with the guy who sits at the cubicle next to yours, and try to make casual conversation with everyone from your manager to the guy who fixes the photocopy machine. This is your chance to spread yourself thick and make that extra effort, since you’re still considered “the new guy” and will be getting a certain degree of attention. Use it to your advantage.

　　　 Try to eat at the cafeteria rather than at your desk, and take people up on their offer to join them for lunch or go to the local happy tour; even if some of these people aren’t exactly “your type”, they might have friends that you’d love to hang with.

65. _____________

　　　 You may have never even known your previous neighbors, but home is a great place to start meeting people. There could be a whole pool of cool people in your apartment building or on your street, especially if you’re in the right area. So when you see some one from your apartment building getting their mail or a guy washing his car in his driveway, break the ice by asking a question that shows you’re new in town, like where the local video of liquor store is, and where the hot clubs are. Never overlook those that live next door, as they can always come in handy when you need them.

 
D
COPENHAGEN—The world is gathered in Copenhagen for the U.N. climate summit, but Denmark’s bicycle-friendly capital has also given its name to a movement of cities trying to find a kinder way to travel to and from work.
Nearly 40 percent of Copenhagen’s population cycle to work or school on ubiquitous（无处不在的） paved cycle paths. Many residents take to their bikes year-round, braving rain and snow through the winter in a city where the bicycles outnumber the people.
Amsterdam and Beijing too are known for their bicycles, but the Danish capital is where urban planners from around the world have been looking for ways to get their people out of cars and up onto bikes, an effort known as Copenhagenisation.
Klaus Bondam, Copenhagen’s technical and environmental chief, calls himself a “mega cyclist” and says the bike’s popularity stems partly from high taxes on cars which meant working-class Danes could not afford to drive in the 1930s and 1940s. “Today you’ll meet everybody on the bicycle lanes — women and men, rich and poor, old and young.” Bondam said.
The local government has during the last three years invested more than 250 million crowns ($49.42 million) in bicycle lanes and to make the traffic safer for bicyclists. Today around a third of the population drive cars to work or study, another third take public transport, while 37 percent cycle -- a figure the city aims to increase to 50 percent by 2015.
There are many benefits when citizens choose bicycles over cars: pollution and noise decline, public health improves, and more people on bikes or walking creates a sense of safety in the city. Fewer parked cars leaves more space for playgrounds, parks, shopping areas and other useful public places.
53. According to the first paragraph, Copenhagen is better known as ___________.
A. a city without cars                B. a bicycle-friendly city
C. Denmark’s capital                D. the U.N. climate summit
54. We can learn from the second and the third paragraph, __________.
A. there is no path for cars during rainy and snowy days
B. citizens are limited to have only one bike for each person
C. two-thirds of people in Copenhagen cycle to work or school
D. city planners try their best to encourage more citizens to ride bikes
55. Bikes are popular in Copenhagen partly because ___________.
A. the citizens are unable to afford to buy a car
B. the rich tend to keep fit by cycling to work
C. young people regard cycling a fashion to follow
D. high taxes were paid for cars in the 1930s and 1940s
56. We can learn from the passage that __________.
A. cars are forbidden to park in Copenhagen
B. more citizens tend to choose cars in Copenhagen
C. Copenhagen becomes a model for cities’ traffic
D. living standards in Copenhagen are greatly declining

.

COPENHAGEN—The world is gathered in Copenhagen for the U.N. climate summit, but Denmark’s bicycle-friendly capital has also given its name to a movement of cities trying to find a kinder way to commute（往返上下班）.

Nearly 40 percent of Copenhagen’s population cycle to work or school on ubiquitous（无处不在的） paved cycle paths. Many residents take to their bikes year-round, braving rain and snow through the winter in a city where the bicycles outnumber the people.

Amsterdam and Beijing too are known for their bicycles, but the Danish capital is where urban planners from around the world have been looking for ways to get their people out of cars and up onto bikes, an effort known as Copenhagenisation.

Klaus Bondam, Copenhagen’s technical and environmental chief, calls himself a “mega cyclist” and says the bike’s popularity stems partly from high taxes on cars which meant working-class Danes could not afford to drive in the 1930s and 40s. “Today you’ll meet everybody on the bicycle lanes --- women and men, rich and poor, old and young,” Bondam said.

The local government has during the last three years invested more than 250 million crowns ($49.42 million) in bicycle lanes and to make the traffic safer for bicyclists. Today around a third of the population drive cars to work or study, another third take public transport, while 37 percent cycle -- a figure the city aims to boost to 50 percent by 2015.

There are many benefits when citizens choose bicycles over cars: pollution and noise decline, public health improves, and more people on bikes or walking creates a sense of safety in the city. Fewer parked cars leaves more space for playgrounds, parks, shopping areas and other useful public places.

54．According to the first paragraph, Copenhagen is better known as __________.

A．a city without cars               B．a bicycle-friendly city

C．Denmark’s capital                D．the U.N. climate summit

55．We can learn from the second and the third paragraph, _________.

A．there is no path for cars during rainy and snowy days

B．citizens are limited to have only one bike for each person

C．two-thirds of people in Copenhagen cycle to work or school

D．city planners try their best to encourage more citizens to ride bikes

56．Bikes are popular in Copenhagen partly because __________.

A．the citizens are unable to afford to buy a car

B．the rich tend to keep fit by cycling to work

C．young people regard cycling a fashion to follow

D．high taxes were paid for cars in the 1930s and 40s

57．Which of the following is NOT the benefit of cycling?

A．Saving time on the road.             B．Declining pollution and noise.

C．Improving public health.             D．Creating safety in the city.