Question

【题目】In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition. Some value it highly, for they believe that it is helpful for social progress and richness, others say that competition is bad; and that it sets one person against another and leads to unfriendly relationship between people.

I have taught many children who held the belief(看法) that their self – worth came from how well they performed at tennis and other skills. For them, performing well and winning are often life-and-death matters. Sadly, they forget to develop many other human qualities.

However, while some seem to wish to succeed very much, others think quite the opposite. They, especially young people have suffered from competitive stress from their parents or society. Teaching these young people, I often find that they choose to fail. They seem to choose failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: “I may have lost, but it doesn’t matter because I really didn’t try.” In fact, they are worried that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean they were worth nothing.

Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove their self – worth. Both are based on the mistaken belief that one’s self – worth come from how well one performs in comparison(比较) with others. Both are afraid of not being valued. I suggest that they can discover a new meaning in competition only when such worries and fear begin to disappear.

Opinions about competition

Main argument	Some believe that competition 【1】 social progress and richness, while others think competition 【2】 to unfriendly relationship between people.
Children’s performances	Some children only care about 【3】 well and winning It is 【4】that they forget to develop many other human qualities.
	Some children don’t try to win or 【5】 success but choose failure. They are 【6】 that if they had really tried and failed, it would mean they weren’t worth 【7】.
Reason behind	They think one can 【8】 his self-worth only by performing better than others in competition. Both are 【9】 of not being valued.
Writer’s 【10】 to children	Find the new meaning of competition as such worries and fear begin to disappear.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】helps

【2】leads

【3】performing

【4】sad

【5】get/achieve

【6】worried

【7】anything

【8】prove

【9】afraid

【10】suggestion/advice

【解析】本篇文章简述了作者对于竞争的态度，先是介绍了两种对于竞争的观点态度，其次通过介绍儿童在活动中表现讨论了其背关于个人价值的相关问题，最后给出了建议。

【1】句意：有人认为竞争帮助社会进步。原文“Some value it highly, for they believe that it is helpful for social progress and richness,”（有些人高度重视，因为他们认为这对社会进步和丰富有帮助，）所以一些人认为“竞争”会“帮助”（help）社会进步。

【2】句意：另一些人则认为竞争会导致人与人之间不友好的关系。原文“others say that competition is bad; and that it sets one person against another and leads to unfriendly relationship between people.”（其他人则认为竞争很糟糕；而且它将一个人置于与另一个人对抗，导致人与人之间不友好的关系。），所以另一些人认为竞争会对“导致”（lead）不友好的关系。

【3】句意：有些孩子只关心表现良好，并赢得胜利。原文“performing well and winning are often life-and-death matters.”（表现良好，获胜常常是生死攸关的事情。），说明对于孩子“表现”（performing）好是很重要的事。

【4】句意：他们忘记发展许多其他的人性品质是很可悲的。原文“Sadly, they forget to develop many other human qualities.”（可悲的是，他们忘记发展许多其他人性的素质。），这里表达作者态度，认为这样的情况是“可悲”（sad）的。

【5】句意：有些孩子不会试图胜利或取得成功，而是选择失败。原文“while some seem to wish to succeed very much, others think quite the opposite.”（有些人似乎希望非常成功，但其他人则认为恰恰相反。），说明一些人是想“获得”（get/achieve）成功的。

【6】句意：他们担心认为如果他们真的尽力了而且失败了，那就意味着他们一文不值。原文“they are worried that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean they were worth nothing. ”（他们担心认为如果他们真的尽力了而且失败了，那就意味着他们一文不值。），说明儿童是很“担心”（worried）的。

【7】句意：他们担心认为如果他们真的尽力了而且失败了，那就意味着他们一文不值。“they are worried that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean they were worth nothing. ”（他们担心认为如果他们真的尽力了而且失败了，那就意味着他们一文不值。），“they were worth nothing”即为“they weren’t worth anything”，意味着一文不值。故填“anything”。

【8】句意：他们认为只有在竞争中比其他人表现得更好才能证明自己的自我价值。原文“this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove their self – worth.”（这种信念与试图证明自我价值的真正竞争者的信念是一样的。）这里说的是一个人是可以通过在竞争中表现更好来“证明”（prove）自己的价值的。

【9】句意：两者（情况）都是害怕不被重视。原文“Both are afraid of not being valued.”（两者（情况）都是害怕不被重视。），原文原句，这里填“afraid”，表示“害怕”。

【10】句意：给儿童的建议是什么。原文“I suggest that they can discover a new meaning in competition only when such worries and fear begin to disappear.”（我建议他们只有在这种担忧和恐惧开始消失时才能在竞争中发现新的含义。），从这里可以看出这是作者的建议，也就是给儿童的建议。故这里填“suggestion”。