One summer vacation in my college, my roommate Ted asked to me to work on his father’s farm in Argentina. The idea was exciting. Then I had second thoughts. I had never been far from New England, and I had been homesick my first few weeks at college. What about the language? The more I thought about it, the more the idea worried me.
Finally, I turned down the invitation. Then I realized I had turned down something I wanted to do because I was scared and felt depressed(沮丧). That experience taught me a valuable lesson and I developed a rule for myself: do what makes you anxious(焦虑); don’t do what makes you depressed.
In my senior year, I wanted to be a writer. But my professor wanted me to teach. I hesitated. The idea of writing was much scarier than spending a summer in Argentina. Back and forth I went, making my decision, unmaking it. Suddenly I realized that every time I gave up the idea of writing, that downhearted feeling went through me.
Giving up writing really depressed me. Then I learned another lesson. To avoid the depression meant having to bear much worry and concern.
When I first began writing articles, I often interviewed big names. Before each interview I would get butterflies in the stomach. One of them was the great composer Duke Ellington. On the stage and on television, he seemed very confident. Then I learned Ellington still got stage fright(害怕). If Ellington still had anxiety attacks, how could I avoid them? I went on doing those frightening interviews. Little by little, I was even looking forward to the interviews. Where were those butterflies?
In truth, they were still there, but fewer of them. I had learned from a process psychologists(心理学家) call “extinction”. If you put an individual in an anxious situation often, finally there isn’t anything to be worried about, which brings me to a conclusion: you’ll never get rid of anxiety by avoiding the things that caused it.
The point is that the new, the different, is definitely scary. But each time you try something, you learn, and as the learning piles up, the world opens to you.
【小题1】We can infer from the passage that the author________. 

A.finds it difficult to make decision
B.has found out what causes anxiety
C.was encouraged by Duke Ellington’s stage fright
D.no longer feels anxious about new experiences
【小题2】What does the word “extinction” in Paragraph 6 means?
A.a person’s loss of confidence little by little
B.the natural development of a child’s abilities
C.the inborn ability to avoid anxious situations
D.the process of losing fear by keeping facing anxiety
【小题3】Which of the following opinions does the writer probably accept?
A.Anxiety can be a positive drive
B.Hesitation leads to depression.
C.Avoiding anxiety reduces depression.
D.Depression is a signal that one is growing up.
【小题4】What's the best title for the passage?
A.Confidence: Key to Success
B.Anxiety: Challenge by Another Name
C.Depression: A Psychological Appearance
D.Success: A Trip Through Anxiety and Depression

Ben

When I left school five years ago, I said to myself, “That’s that! No more learning for me.Now I can enjoy myself in the evening.” But about a year ago the boss said, “We’re going to get a computer in the near future.” What does he mean? I simply don’t know.Anyway, I decided to go to evening classes.I’m quite an expert(专家) on computers now and you know, I actually enjoy studying.

Eve

I haven’t much interest in studying.To be honest, I don’t like reading very much, except for magazines and that sort of thing.Just reading, that is, to kill the time.But I do enjoy watching TV.Not that I watch everything.In fact, I choose my programmes very carefully.I’m particularly interested in current affairs(时事).In some ways I think I learn more in this way than I did at school.

Ted

I’m a very different sort of person-I simply love doing things.That’s why I enjoy sports so much.I mean, actually playing.I hardly ever watch it on TV, but I do read quite a bit about it.I’m even interested in the history of sports.I don’t have much time for anything else, except that I quite like dancing.Some people say I’m not very good at it, though.

Joan

I should say I have great interest in studying.I’d rather do this than anything else.Since I left school.I’ve taken courses in all sorts of things.I go to the city library once a week, but I much prefer evening classes because it’s more fun that way.My latest “craze(狂热)”-if you can call it that -is foreign languages.I’m learning two, not one!

1.According to what they say, which of the following is NOT TRUE?

A.Ben was pleased to leave school.

B.Eve does not spend much time in reading.

C.Ted spends a lot of time watching his favorite sport on TV.

D.Joan is learning languages in the evening school.

2.Among the four people, _____ are considered to have made good use of time in studying.

A.Ben and Eve                                                      B.Eve and Ted

C.Ted and Joan                                                     D.Ben and Joan

3.In the future, we can infer(推断) that ________.

A.Joan may speak one of foreign languages well.

B.Eve will study computers

C.Ben is interested in current affairs.

D.Joan prefers going to the city libraries.

4.The sentence “That’s that!” means ________.

A.Ben thinks he never need to learn

B.Ben wants to learn that

C.Ben would like to go on studying

D.Ben will learn from others

 

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