拓展精練 （39） 閱讀理解[ A We live in an age of unprecedented(空前的) opportunity: If you’ve got ambition, drive, and smarts, you can rise to the top of your chosen profession—regardless of where you started out from. But nowadays companies aren’t managing their knowledge workers’ careers. Rather, we must each be our own chief executive officer. Only when you operate from a combination of your strengths and self-knowledge can you achieve true and lasting excellence. To build a life of excellence, begin by asking yourself these questions: “What Are My Strengths?” To accurately identify your strengths, use feedback analysis. Every time you make a key decision, write down the outcome you expect. Several months later, compare the actual results with your expected results. Look for patterns in what you are seeing: What results are you skilled at generating? What unproductive habits are preventing you from creating the outcomes you desire? In identifying opportunities for improvement, don’t waste time developing skill areas where you have little competence. Instead, concentrate on and build on your strengths.
“What Are My Values?” What are your ethics(道德標準)? What do you see as your most important responsibilities for living a worthy, ethical life? Do your organization’s ethics resonate(共鳴) with your own values? If not, your career will be likely to be marked by frustration and poor performance. “Where Do I Belong?” Consider your strengths, preferred work style, and values. Based on these qualities, what kind of work environment would you fit it best? Find the perfect fit, and you’ll transform yourself from a merely acceptable employee into a star performer. “What Can I Contribute?” In earlier eras, companies told businesspeople what their contribution should be. Today, you have choices. To decide how you can best improve your organization’s performance, first ask what the situation requires. Based on your strengths, work style, and values, how might you make the greatest contribution to your organization’s efforts? 1. The following steps are all the ways to find and improve your strengths EXCEPT_________. A. writing down your expectations B. comparing the actual results C. finding out your advantages D. developing your disadvantages 2. Which of the following comments is NOT true? A. People should find results they are skilled at generating. B. Processing information by hearing others discuss is the most effective way of working. C. People who work in one team should have similar ethics. D. The fit working environment can help the workers work more efficiently. 3. What can lead to a life of excellence? A. Self-pity and powers. B. Ambition and smarts. C. Self-awareness and strengths. D. Motives and self-knowledge. 4. How might you make the greatest contribution to your organization’s efforts? A. Do what is needed. B. Identify your own strengths. C. Work in your own way. D. Obey the companies’ rules. B Vincent Van Gogh was not always an artist. In fact, he wanted to be a church minister but was sent to the Belgian mining community of Borinage in 1879. He discovered that the miners there lived with terrible working conditions and received poverty-level wages. Their families were not well fed and struggled simply to survive. He felt concerned that the small salary he received from the church allowed him to live a normal life, which, in contrast to the poor, seemed unfair.
A rich family in the community offered him free room and board. But Van Gogh turned down the offer, stating that it was the final temptation he must reject if he was to faithfully serve his community of poor miners. He believed that if he wanted them to trust him, he must become one of them. And if they were to learn of the love of God through him, he must love them enough to share with them. He was fully aware of a wide chasm which can separate words and actions. He knew that people’s lives often speak louder and clearer than their words. Maybe it was that same knowledge that led Francis of Assisi to frequently remind his monks（修士，僧侶）, “Wherever you go, preach. Use words if necessary.” There are a million ways to say, “I love you,” without even saying a word! 5. Among the following statements of Vincent Van Gogh, which is Not true? A. He was an artist. B. He wasn’t satisfied with his salary C. He thought the wages of the minors too low. D. He once worked as a minister. 6. From the second paragraph, we know _____________. A. Van Gogh was crazy B. Van Gogh especially loved to teach children arts C. Van Gogh was rich D. Van Gogh deeply sympathized with the lower-class 7. Vincent Van Gogh rejected the offer because _____. A. it was illegal for a minister B. he wanted to be a minor C. he was devoted to his job D. he was dishonest 8. The sentence “There are a million ways to say, ‘I love you, without even saying a word.” (the last paragraph) implies that ______. A. actions speak louder than words B. silence can also show love C. there are numerous ways to express love D. saying “I love you” is useless 9. We can infer from the passage ____________. A. our lives always speak louder and clearer than our words B. the miners there worked under excellent working conditions C. the ministers lived a much better and easier life than the miners at the time D. Van Gogh himself offered to work in the Belgian mining community of Borinage in 1879. C What is the nature of the scientific attitude, the attitude of the man or woman who studies and applies physics, biology, chemistry, geology, engineering, medicine or any other science? We all know that science plays an important role in our societies．However, many people believe that our progress depends on two different aspects of science．The first aspect is the application of the machines, products and systems of knowledge that scientists and technologists develop． The second is the application of the special methods of thought and action that scientists use in their work． He does not accept statements which are not based on the most complete evidence available．He rejects authority as the only basis for truth．Scientists always check statements and make experiments carefully and objectively． Furthermore, he does not readily accept his own idea, since he knows that man is the least reliable of scientific instruments and that a number of factors tend to disturb objective investigation． Lastly, he is full of imagination since he often has to look for relationships in data which are not only complex but also frequently incomplete．Furthermore, he needs imagination if he wants to guess how processes work and how events take place． These seem to be some of the ways in which a successful scientist or technologist thinks and acts． 10．Many people believe that science helps society to progress through_________ A．knowledge only． B．more than one aspect． C．technology only． D．the use of machines． 11 ．Which of the following statements about a curious scientist is TRUE? A．He doesn’t find confidence and pleasure in work． B．He is interested in problems that are explained． C．He makes efforts to investigate potential connections． D．He looks for new ways of acting． 12．According to the passage, a successful scientist would NOT_______________． A．easily believe in unchecked statements． B．easily criticize others' research work． C．always use his imagination in work． D．always use evidence from observation． 13．Which word can be used to describe the data that a good scientist uses? A．complete B．objective C．complicated D．accurate 14．What does the passage mainly discuss? A．Application of technology． B．Progress in modem society． C．Scientists' ways of thinking and acting． D．How to become a successful scientist． D Dear Malia and Sasha, I know that you've both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let you have. But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn't make up for all the time we've been apart. I know how much I've missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey. When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me—about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation. I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential—schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college—even if their parents aren't rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity. I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other. Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other dangerous situations to protect our country—but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe. And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free—that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility. That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something. She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better—and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be. I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you've had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much—although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential. These are the things I want for you—to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That's why I've taken our family on this great adventure. I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House. Love, Dad 15. Who was most probably the writer? A. A headmaster managing a primary school. B. A candidate to run for President of U.S.A. C. A manager running international business. D. A commander experiencing a war in a foreign country. 16. What does the underlined word “journey” (Paragraph 1) really mean? A. a trip to a place of interest B. a process to bring up their children C. a campaign to run for the president D. a visit to their hometown to meet their grandmother 17. What do we know about Malia and Sasha’s grandmother? A. She had a perfect way to educate children. B. She encouraged the writer to join the army. C. She bought a lovely puppy for her grandchildren. D. She often read the Declaration of Independence to her grandchildren. 18. From the letter we can learn that the writer was _______________. A. kind and hesitant B. ambitious and considerate C. selfish but merciful D. successful but stubborn 19. According to the letter, which of the following is NOT true? A. The writer and his two daughters had been apart for a long time. B. The writer hoped that his daughters would live up to his great expectations. C. The only way to settle the differences in the world is through violence. D. There still exist some divides of race and region, gender and religion somewhere in the world. 20. What is the writer’s purpose of writing the letter? A. Encouraging his daughters to run for President in the future. B. Explaining the whole international situation to his daughters. C. Educating his daughters how to defend their country. D. Apologizing to his daughters for his not being able to stay together with them for such a long time. 第二節：日常生活中，人們常會有某些奇特的習慣，并對這些習慣感到困惑不解。第21至25題是5位讀者遇到的情況。閱讀下面的專家解答(A、B、C、D、E和F)， 為每位讀者選出適合他們的解答，并在答題紙上將該選項標題涂黑。選項中有一項是多余選項。 21. Why do I twirl my hair with one finger whenever I read? 22. I love to rub satin and carry a satin handkerchief with me everywhere. 23. I count everything：the stairs at work, tiles on the ceiling, ruffles in the curtain. 24. Sometimes I feel like I’m falling though I never actually fall---sitting, standing or lying down. 25. Why do I waste energy worrying about stupid things impossible to happen and plan for the very 參考答案DBCA BDCAC BCACC BCABCD DACBF
