Question

Failure is probably the most exhausting experience a person ever has. There is nothing more tiring than not succeeding.

We experience this tiredness in two ways: as start-up fatigue (疲惫) and performance fatigue. In the former case, we keep putting off a task because it has either too boring or too difficult. And the longer we delay it, the more tired we feel. Such start-up fatigue is very real, even if not actually physical, not something in our muscles and bones. The solution is obvious though perhaps not easy to apply: always handle the most difficult job first.

Years ago, I was asked to write 102 essays on the great ideas of some famous authors. Applying my own rule, I determined to write them in alphabetical (按字母顺序), never letting myself leave out a tough idea. And I always started the day’s work with the difficult task of essay-writing. Experience proved that the rule works.

Performance fatigue is more difficult to handle. Though willing to get started, we cannot seem to do the job right. Its difficulties appear so great that, however hard we work, we fail again and again. In such a situation, I work as hard as I can — then let the unconscious take over.

When planning Encyclopaedia Britannica (《大英百科全书》), I had to create a table of contents based on the topics of its articles. Nothing like this had ever been done before, and day after day I kept coming up with solutions, but none of them worked. My fatigue became almost unbearable.

One day, mentally exhausted, I wrote down all the reasons why this problem could not be solved. I tried to convince myself that the trouble was with the problem itself, not with me. Then, I sat back in an easy chair and fell asleep.

An hour later, I woke up suddenly with the solution clearly in mind. In the weeks that followed, the solution which had come up in my unconscious mind provided correct at every step. Though I worked as hard as before, I felt no fatigue. Success was now as exciting as failure had been depressing.

Human beings, I believe, must try to succeed. Success, then, means never feeling tired.

1.People with start-up fatigue are most likely to ________.

A. delay tasks    B. work hard

C. seek help    D. accept failure

2.What does the author recommend doing to prevent start-up fatigue?

A. Writing essays in strict order.    B. Building up physical strength.

C. Leaving out the toughest ideas.    D. Dealing with the hardest task first.

3.On what occasion does a person probably suffer from performance fatigue?

A. Before starting a difficult task.    B. When all the solutions fail.

C. If the job is rather boring.    D. After finding a way out.

4.According to the author, the unconscious mind may help us ________.

A. ignore mental problems    B. get some nice sleep

C. gain complete relief    D. find the right solution

Answer

1.A

2.D

3.B

4.D

【解析】这是一篇夹叙夹议的文章。文章主要介绍每个人都希望成功，但是人们在实施任务的时候会出现启动疲惫和性能疲惫，这是造成失败的两种原因，文章具体介绍如何克服这两种疲惫。

1.细节理解题。根据文章第二段In the former case, we keep putting off a task because it has either too boring or too difficult. And the longer we delay it, the more tired we feel.可知，有启动疲惫的人更可能拖延任务。故选A。

2.细节理解题。根据文章第二段The solution is obvious though perhaps not easy to apply: always handle the most difficult job first,可知，为了防止启动疲惫作者建议首先处理最难的任务。故选D。

3.细节理解题。根据第五段的句子and day after day I kept coming up with solutions, but none of them worked. My fatigue became almost unbearable.可知，当所有的解决方法都失败的时候，一个人可能遭受到性能疲惫。故选B。

4.细节理解题。根据第四段的最后一句话however hard we work, we fail again and again. In such a situation, I work as hard as I can-then let the unconscious take over.以及倒数第二、倒数第三段的讲述可知，无意识的行为可能帮助我们发现正确的解决方法。故选D。