Make Up Your Mind to Succeed
Kind-hearted parents have unknowingly left their children defenseless against failure. The generation born between 1980 and 2001 grew up playing sports where scores and performance were played down because “everyone’s a winner.” And their report cards sounded more positive than ever before. As a result, Stanford University professor Carol Dweck, PhD, calls them “the overpraised generation.”
Dweck has been studying how people deal with failure for 40 years. Her research has led her to find out two clearly different mind-sets that have a great effect on how we react to it. Here’s how they work:
A fixed mind-set is grounded in the belief that talent is genetic – you’re a born artist, point guard, or numbers person. The fixed mind-set believes it’s sure to succeed without much effort and regards failure as personal shame. When things get difficult, it’s quick to blame, lie, and even stay away from future difficulties.
On the other hand, a growth mind-set believes that no talent is entirely heaven-sent and that effort and learning make everything possible. Because the ego (自尊) isn’t on the line as much, the growth mind-set sees failure as a chance rather than shame. When faced with a difficulty, it’s quick to rethink, change and try again. In fact, it enjoys this experience.
We are all born with growth mind-sets. (Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to live in the world.) But parents, teachers, and instructors often push us into fixed mind-sets by encouraging certain actions and misdirecting praise. Dweck’s book, Mind-set: The New Psychology of Success, and online instructional program explain this in depth. But she says there are many little things you can start doing today to make sure that your children, grandchildren and even you are never defeated by failure.
1.What does the author think about the present generation?
A. They don’t do well at school.
B. They are often misunderstood.
C. They are eager to win in sports.
D. They are given too much praise.
2.A fixed mind-set person is probably one who __________ .
A. doesn’t want to work hard
B. cares a lot about personal safety
C. cannot share his ideas with others
D. can succeed with the help of teachers
3.What does the growth mind-set believe?
A. Admitting failure is shameful.
B. Talent comes with one’s birth.
C. Scores should be highly valued.
D. Getting over difficulties is enjoyable.
4.What should parents do for their children based on Dweck’s study?
A. Encourage them to learn from failures.
B. Prevent them from making mistakes.
C. Guide them in doing little things.
D. Help them grow with praise.
You never played the video dance game? Now such games are used to help lose weight!
Like many other teenage boys, Jones loves sports. But at 5 feet, 175 pounds, he found his weight in trouble. His doctor wanted him to lose 50 pounds so that he may be a good football game player by the end of the summer.
Jones chose the popular Dance Revolution video game at home to increase his activity. He had lost about 10 pounds by changing his diet. Now, after two weeks’ playing the game, he has lost another 10!
A health study is being done by an insurance company. The company hopes that the game will lead to better health and lower costs. “Obesity claims last year cost us $ 77 million. We have to cut those costs,” said a member of the insurance group. The company provides a game console (游戏主机), a dance mat and software for the six-month, $ 60,000 study.
The study is more than a commercial thing of an insurance company. It is widely supported by physical education and health professionals.
In West Virginia, 43% of the nearly 6,000 children examined for heart disease risk were considered over-weighted; more than 25% were too fat. “We are in a crisis of childhood obesity not only in West Virginia but in America,” said a researcher.
Researchers are now looking at the potential for improving effects by using the game. A teacher in West Virginia has been using the video games in her classes since last fall. She reported that the game does improve heart health as well as eye-hand coordination (协调能力), and her students take the video game as a great alternative to jumping rope or ball games.
The US Education Department is putting the game in 20 schools to control childhood obesity. Well, are you going to try such to dance away your extra weight?
1.The underlined part is trying to tell us _____.
A. the study involves many insurance companies
B. the study is only an insurance company’s business
C. the study is less important than the insurance company’s money
D. it’s not only the insurance company that is concerned about the study
2.It can be inferred that _____.
A. the government thinks highly of the dance game
B. in West Virginia, more than 25 % of the adults were too fat
C. a teacher is a failure in using the video game in her classes
D. the US Education Department isn’t interested in the game
3.The most suitable title of the passage is _____.
A. Dance Away Your Weight
B. Play the Video Dance Game
C. Solve the Problem of Obesity
D. Cut the Cost of Obesity Claims
The Healthy Habits Survey shows that only about one third of American seniors have correct habits. Here are some findings and expert advice.
1. How many times did you brush your teeth yesterday? ● Finding: A full 33% of seniors brush their teeth only once a day. ● Step: Remove the 300 types of bacteria in your mouth each morning with a battery-operated toothbrush. Brush gently for 2 minutes at least twice a day. 2. How many times did you wash your hands or bathe yesterday? ● Finding: Seniors, on average, bathe fewer than 3 days a week. And nearly 30% wash their hands only 4 times a day---half of the number doctors recommend. ● Step: We touch our faces around 3,000 times a day-often inviting germs（病菌）to enter our mouth, nose, and eyes. Use toilet paper to avoid touching the door handle. And, most important, wash your hands often with hot running water and soap for 20 seconds. 3. How often do you think about fighting germs(病菌)? ● Finding: Seniors are not fighting germs as well as they should. ● Step: Be aware of germs. Do you know it is not your toilet but your kitchen sponge (海绵) that can carry more germs than anything else? To kill these germs, keep your sponge in the microwave for 10 seconds. |
1. What is found out about American seniors?
A. Most of then have good habits.
B. Nearly 30% of them bathe three days a week.
C. All of them are fighting germs better than expected.
D. About one third of them brush their teeth only once a day.
2. Doctors suggest that people should wash their hands ________.
A. twice a day B. three times a day
C. four times a day D. eight times a day
3. Which of the following is true according to the text?
A. We should keep from touching our faces.
B. There are less than 300 types of bacteria in the mouth.
C. A kitchen sponge can carry more germs than a toilet.
D. We should wash our hands before touching a door handle.
4.The text probably comes from ________.
A. a guide book B. a popular magazine
C. a book review D. an official document
I really love my job because I enjoy working with small children and like the challenges and awards from the job. I also think my work is important. There was a time when I thought I would never have that sort of career.
I wasn’t an excellent student because I didn’t do much schoolwork. In my final term I started thinking what I might do and found I didn’t have much to offer. I just accepted that I wasn’t the type to have a career.
I then found myself a job — looking after two little girls. It wasn’t too bad at first. But the problems began when I agreed to live in so that I would be there if my boss had to go out for business in the evening. We agreed that if I had to work extra hours one week, she’d give me time off the next. But unfortunately, it didn’t often work out. I was getting extremely tired and fed up, because I had too many late nights and early mornings with the children.
One Sunday, I was in the park with the children, and met Megan who used to go to school with me. I told her about my situation. She suggested that I should do a course and get a qualification（资格证书）if I wanted to work with children. I didn’t think I would be accepted because I didn’t take many exams in school. She persuaded me to phone the local college and they were really helpful. My experience counted for a lot and I got on a part-time course. I had to leave my job with the family, and got work helping out at a kindergarten.
Now I’ve got a full-time job there. I shall always be thankful to Megan. I wish I had known earlier that you could have a career, even if you aren’t top of the class at school.
1. What is the author’s present job?
A. Working part-time in a college.
B. Taking care of children for a family.
C. Helping children with their schoolwork.
D. Looking after children at a kindergarten.
2.When staying with the two girls’ family, the author ________.
A. was paid for extra work
B. often worked long hours
C. got much help from her boss
D. took a day off every other week
3.Why did the author leave her first job?
A. She found a full-time job.
B. She was fed up with children.
C. She decided to attend a part-time course.
D. She needed a rest after working extra hours.
4.What has the author learned from her own experiences?
A. Less successful students can still have a career.
B. Qualifications are necessary for a career.
C. Hard work makes an excellent student.
D. One must choose the job one likes.
假如你是李明，你的笔友王军写信告诉你，因为考试他出现了一些焦虑症状，请你写信给他一些建议：
建议内容：1．考前制定好合适的复习计划；
2．考试期间有规律的作息；
3．睡前洗热水澡、喝热牛奶等有助于睡眠；
4．体育锻炼缓解压力；
5．听音乐放松。
注意：1.根据以上内容写一篇短文，不要逐句翻译，可适当增加细节以使行文连贯。
2.要准确使用语法和词汇；使用一定的句型、词汇，清楚、连贯地表达自己的意思；
3.词数：100个左右。开头结尾已给出，不计词数。
短文改错：（10分）文中共有10处语言错误。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。增加：在缺词处加上一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。注意： 1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词。 2．只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不记分。
My dream school starts at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. They are three lessons in the morning and two in the afternoon. We didn’t need to do so much homework. Therefore, we have more time with after-school activities. For example, we can do reading for one and a half hour and play sports for one hour every day.
My dream school look like a big garden. There are all kinds of the flowers and trees around the classroom buildings. We can lie on the grass for a rest, or sat by the lake listening music. The teachers here are kind and helpfully. They are not only our teachers but also our friends.
