In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition. Some value it highly, believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity, others say that competition is bad; that it sets one person against another; that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people.

　　I have taught many children who held the belief that their self – worth relied (依賴) on how well they performed at tennis and other skills. For them, playing well and winning are often life – and – death affairs. In their single – minded pursuit (追求) of success, the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten.

　　However, while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed, others take an opposite attitude. In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame competition. Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society. Teaching these young people, I often observe in them a desire to fail. They seem to se ek failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: “I may have lost, but it doesn’t matter because I really didn’t try.” What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot. Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves. Both are based on the mistaken belief that one’s self – respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others. Both are afraid of not being valued. Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve (緩解) can we discover a new meaning in competition.

　　41.What does this passage mainly talk about?

　　A.Competition helps to set up self – respect.

　　B.Opinions about competition are different among people.

　　C.Competition is harmful to personal quality development.

　　D.Failures are necessary experiences in competition

　　42.Why do some people favor competition according to the passage?

　　A.It pushes society forward. B.It builds up a sense of duty.

　　C.It improves personal abilities. D.It encourages individual efforts.

　　43.The underlined phrase “the most vocal” in Paragraph 3 means .

　　A.those who try their best to win

　　B.those who value competition most highly

　　C.those who are against competition most strongly

　　D.those who rely on others most for success

　　44.What is the similar belief of the true competitors and those with a desire to fail ?

　　A.One’s worth lies in his performance compared with others.

　　B.One’s success in competition needs great efforts.

　　C.One’s achievement is determined by his particular skills.

　　D.One’s success is based on how hard he has tried.

　　45.Which point of view may the author agree to?

　　A.Every effort should be paid back.

　　B.Competition should be encouraged.

　　C.Winning should be a life – and – death matter.

　　D.Fear of failure should be removed in competition.

　　答案：

　　41.B 42.A 43.C 44.A 45.D

　　閱讀理解鞏固練習2

　　What should you think about when trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others. These may show strengths that you can use in your work. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work. So it is important to know the subjects you do well in at school. On the other hand, you may not have any specially strong subjects but your records show a general satisfactory standard. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value. A knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs.

　　Your school may have taught you skills, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metalwork or cookery and look for a job where you can improve these skills. If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it. If nothing else, you may have learned how to get to work on time, to follow instructions and to get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop, for example. Just as important, you may become interested in a particular industry or career you see from the inside in a part-time job.

　　Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself. You may be all thumbs when you handle tools; perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a column of figures. It is better to face any weakness than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record, for instance, may not be too good, yet it is an important part of your background. You should not be apologetic about it but instead recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.

　　46. We can infer from the first paragraph that ________.

　　learning better at school shows power in your job

　　the better you are at school subjects, the more helpful they are in your career.

　　learning each subject well is an ability in many jobs.

　　we should think about how to find our career

　　47. From the passage we learn that if a student’s school performance is not good, he will _____.

　　A. have no hope in his future work

　　B. be hopeful to find a suitable job

　　C. regret not having worked harder at school

　　D. have an opportunity of a new beginning in his future work

　　48. All the subjects may have direct value for job hunting except _________.

　　A. mathematics B. English C. history D. technical drawing

　　49. The underlined phrase “be all thumbs” (in Paragraph 3) probably means “_________”.

　　A. heavy- handed B. the best C. important D. skilled

　　50. The passage mainly discusses ___________.

　　A. The relationship between school performance and career

　　B. how to get a job

　　C. How to show strengths in your work

　　D. working experience and knowledge at school

　　答案：

　　46- 50 BDCAA