Question

The most typical definition of success is “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose” or what most of us have heard: the attainment of popularity or profit. But is success really defined by purposes or profit?

After graduating from high school, my family advised me to aim to build a successful career. My options were narrowed down to becoming a doctor or choosing a field in engineering. So I graduated with a chemical engineering degree. I was advised to aim for graduate (研究生的) studies, and in less than two years, I had a highly specialized degree in plastics engineering from one of the most reputable universities in the U.S. Then I found a corporate job, performed well in the organization, climbed up the ladder (晋升的阶梯) and made a bigger paycheque with every new title. My proud parents told my story to the rest of the family and friends as a “success” story.

No matter where we live in the world, we all have our own versions of success. Our families take pride in telling the world how successful we are in our profession, and often the only measure of that success becomes the financial wealth we accumulate. In a world where everything is reflected by numbers—the likes on Facebook, the number of views on You Tube, etc—every aspect of our life is being taken over by numbers. We are conditioned to believe that the stronger your financial standing, the higher you rank on the success chart. But remember the words “aim” or “purpose,” in the definition of success. Altruistic figures such as Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. also lived successful lives but had selfless concern over the well-being of others. While the rest of the world focused on accumulating wealth, they focused on giving, doing, and creating for everyone else.

Wealth alone never will be the measure of success. Think beyond profits. No promotion I ever received in my professional career was because of my deep desire to obtain a better title or higher pay; instead, it was based on the excellence I created in the experience our customers had with the organization.

1.What do you know about the author?

A. He has lived up to his family’s expectations.

B. He asks his parents for advice on everything.

C. He doesn’t like his job though he is well paid.

D. He wanted to be a doctor but became a chemical engineer.

2.What's the common awareness around the world?

A. Social connections.    B. Contributions to society.

C. The accumulation of financial wealth.    D. The accomplishment of personal dreams.

3.What does the underlined word “Altruistic” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A. Of abundant wealth.

B. Of few achievements.

C. Devoted to others’ welfare.

D. Focused on personal well-being.

4.What inspiration can be drawn from the author's working experience?

A. Change jobs frequently for higher pay.

B. Aim at providing quality service at work.

C. Take every chance to get promotion.

D. Focus on making profits from the customers.

5.What's the author’s purpose in writing this passage?

A. To explore the true meaning of success.

B. To express his inner voice to his parents.

C. To acknowledge the help he has received in his life.

D. To share his personal experience for others’ reference.

Answer

1. A

2. C

3. C

4. B

5. A

【解析】

本文是一篇议论文。文章是为了探索成功的真谛。

1.推理判断题。根据第二段最后一句My proud parents told my story to the rest of the family and friends as a “success” story.可知，作者他没有辜负家人的期望。故选A。

2.细节理解题。根据第三段中Our families take pride in telling the world how successful we are in our profession, and often the only measure of that success becomes the financial wealth we accumulate.可知，世界各地的共识是金融财富的积累。故选C。

3.词义猜测题。根据第三段中Altruistic figures such as Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. also lived successful lives but had selfless concern over the well-being of others. Altruistic figures比如Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.等无私的人也过着成功的生活，但他们无私地关心他人的幸福。根据selfless可知划线词的意思是“致力于他人的福利。”故选C。

4.推理判断题。根据第三段中We are conditioned to believe that the stronger your financial standing, the higher you rank on the success chart. But remember the words “aim” or “purpose,” in the definition of success.可知，从作者的工作经历中可以得到“致力于提供高质量的工作服务”的启示。故选B。

5.主旨大意题。根据第一段The most typical definition of success is “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose” or what most of us have heard: the attainment of popularity or profit. But is success really defined by purposes or profit?可知，本文的目的是为了探索成功的真谛。故选A。