The $11 billion self-help industry is built on the idea that you should turn negative thoughts like "I never do anything right" into positive ones like "I can succeed." But was positive thinking advocate Norman Vincent Peale right? Is there power in positive thinking?
Researchers in Canada just published a study in the journal Psychological Science that says trying to get people to think more positively can actually have the opposite effect: it can simply highlight how unhappy they are.
The study’s authors, Joanne Wood and John Lee of the University of Waterloo and Elaine Perunovic of the University of New Brunswick, begin by citing older research showing that when people get feedback which they believe is overly positive, they actually feel worse, not better. If you tell your dim friend that he has the potential of an Einstein, you’re just underlining his faults. In one 1990s experiment, a team including psychologist Joel Cooper of Princeton asked participants to write essays opposing funding for the disabled. When the essayists were later praised for their sympathy, they felt even worse about what they had written.
In this experiment, Wood, Lee and Perunovic measured 68 students’ self-esteem. The participants were then asked to write down their thoughts and feelings for four minutes. Every 15 seconds, one group of students heard a bell. When it rang, they were supposed to tell themselves, "I am lovable."
Those with low self-esteem didn’t feel better after the forced self-affirmation. In fact, their moods turned significantly darker than those of members of the control group, who weren’t urged to think positive thoughts.
The paper provides support for newer forms of psychotherapy (心理治疗) that urge people to accept their negative thoughts and feelings rather than fight them. In the fighting, we not only often fail but can make things worse. Meditation (静思) techniques, in contrast, can teach people to put their shortcomings into a larger, more realistic perspective. Call it the power of negative thinking.
小题1:What do we learn from the first paragraph about the self-help industry?| A．It is a highly profitable industry. | | B．It is based on the concept of positive thinking. | | C．It was established by Norman Vincent Peale. | | D．It has yielded positive results. |
小题2:What is the finding of the Canadian researchers?| A．Encouraging positive thinking many do more harm than good. | | B．There can be no simple therapy for psychological problems. | | C．Unhappy people cannot think positively. | | D．The power of positive thinking is limited. |
小题3:What does the author mean by "… you’re just underlining his faults" (Line 4, Para. 3)?| A．You are not taking his mistakes seriously enough. | | B．You are pointing out the errors he has committed. | | C．You are emphasizing the fact that he is not intelligent. | | D．You are trying to make him feel better about his faults. |
小题4: What do we learn from the experiment of Wood, Lee and Perunovic?
A. It is important for people to continually boost their self-esteem.
B. Self-affirmation can bring a positive change to one’s mood.
C. Forcing a person to think positive thoughts may lower their self-esteem.
D. People with low self-esteem seldom write down their true feelings.
Section C.
Directions: Read the following text and choose the most suitable heading from A-F for each paragraph. There is one extra heading that you do not need. （请注意题号，将答案填涂在答题卡相应的位置） |
小题1:B
小题1:A
小题1:C
小题1:C |
小题1:首段第一句“The $ 11 billion self-help industry is built on the idea that you should turn negative thoughts like “I never do anything right” into positive ones like “I can succeed.”属于细节理解题。选项中的based on与文中的built on同义。
小题1:第二段：“Researchers in Canada just published a study in the journal Psychological Science that says trying to get people to think more positively can actually have opposite effect;”之后，作者在下一段又再次强调了这一观点“older research showing that when people get feedback which they believe is overly positive, they actually feel worse , not better.” cause of a tragedy与选项中的cause of the crash一致。抓住关键词“opposite effect; feel worse , not better”，答案即可一目了然。
小题1:本题关键是正确理解文章中两个单词“underline(加强，强调)”与“dim(迟钝的，愚笨的)”。选项B中的point out是“指出”之意，与文章中的underlining意思不符。
小题1:第五段Those with low self-esteem didn’t feel better after the forced self-affirmation. In fact, their moods turned significantly darker than those of members of the control group, who weren’t urged to think positive thoughts。抓住关键词“didn’t feel better; darker”。 |
核心考点
试题【The $11 billion self-help industry is built on the idea that you should turn neg】；主要考察你对
题材分类等知识点的理解。
[详细]举一反三
One winter during college in New York, I took an 8 am history class to fulfill a requirement. It was 36 to get up for that class, but every morning I would 37 the cold winds and went to the lecture.
The professor for the class would step 38 into the room. He was terribly nervous about the class and always fixed his eyes on his book, never 39 us.
I felt that I needed to do something to 40 the boredom, so I tried to find something in his lecture to ask him, 41 me to pay attention rather than letting my eyes close. The first time 42 I raised my hand, he was surprised but was obviously 43 to have a question to answer. I continued to do this every day. The professor seemed to become a bit more 44 and some other students even joined in. In fact, his answers were always 45. In this way, I learned quite a lot and realized the professor was indeed a/an 46 in his field.
On the last day of class we 47 our books and headed out. The professor stepped directly in front of me, with obvious 48, putting out his hand. He said, “49 you for making my class so interesting,” shaking my hand and smiling. I was so 50. To me, it had been a pleasant way to 51 the time in his lesson. I had no idea that my 52 had any effect on him or the others at all.
That 53 has stayed with me for 30 years. I don’t 54 the fact I learned in his class, but I’ll never forget the professor who taught me a lesson about the 55 of acts of kindness, indeed or not.
| 小题1: | | A．impossible | B．rough | C．natural | D．tough |
|
| 小题2: | | A．slow | B．brave | C．lower | D．warm |
|
| 小题3: | | A．shyly | B．eagerly | C．proudly | D．hurriedly |
|
| 小题4: | | A．looking down at | B．looking up at | C．looking up to | D．looking down upon |
|
| 小题5: | | A．ignore | B．delay | C．stop | D．understand |
|
| 小题6: | | A．forcing | B．allowing | C．advising | D．persuading |
|
| 小题7: | | A．when | B．in which | C．* | D．that |
|
| 小题8: | | A．impatient | B．sorry | C．shocked | D．pleased |
|
| 小题9: | | A．relaxed | B．annoyed | C．tired | D．determined |
|
| 小题10: | | A．boring | B．interesting | C．puzzling | D．worrying |
|
| 小题11: | | A．permanent | B．temporary | C．expert | D．fool |
|
| 小题12: | | A．read | B．copied | C．ordered | D．gathered |
|
| 小题13: | | A．pity | B．effort | C．humor | D．guilt |
|
| 小题14: | | A．Thank | B．Forgive | C．Blame | D．Praise |
|
| 小题15: | | A．honest | B．nervous | C．surprised | D．disappointed |
|
| 小题16: | | A．save | B．spend | C．spare | D．pass |
|
| 小题17: | | A．stories | B．questions | C．appearance | D．care |
|
| 小题18: | | A．moment | B．opinion | C．suggestion | D．wish |
|
| 小题19: | | A．like | B．know | C．recall | D．believe |
|
| 小题20: | | A．concept | B．reward | C．price | D．power |
|
|
I had my first job at a local diner called the Buttercup Bakery when I was 22. I worked there for seven years and learned so many lessons, especially from a fellow waitress Helen who had incredible self-respect and did what she loved—serving people. She made everyone smile and feel good, customers and co-workers alike.
Being a waitress changed my life. One of my regular customers was Fred Hasbrook, an electronics salesman. Thanks to the newfound confidence I picked up from Helen, I dreamed of having my own restaurant. But when I called my parents to ask for a loan, they said, “We just don’t have the money.”
The next day, I shared my dream with him and said, “Fred, I know I can do more if somebody would just have faith in me.”
He walked over to some of the other diner regulars and the next day handed me checks totaling $50,000—along with a note that I have to this day. It reads, “The only collateral（担保）on this loan is my trust in your honesty as a person. Good people with a dream should have the opportunity to make that dream come true.”
I took the checks to Merrill Lynch—the first time I had ever entered a brokerage（经纪业）house—where the money was invested for me. I continued working at the Buttercup, making plans for the restaurant I would open. My investments soured, though, and I lost the money.
After great deliberation（考虑） I decided to apply for a job at Merrill Lynch. Even though I had no experience, I was hired and ended up becoming a pretty good broker. Eventually I paid back Fred and my customers the $50,000, plus 14-percent annual interest. Five years later, I was able to open my own firm.
I got a thank-you note from Fred, which will be imprinted on my head forever. He had been sick and wrote that my check had helped cover his mounting medical bills. His letter read, “That loan may have been one of the best investments that I will ever make.”
小题1: According to the passage, the author thought ______.| A．Helen was full of complaint about her work | | B．it was easy for Helen to make everyone happy and comfortable | | C．she was lucky to have a job working with Helen | | D．it was not acceptable to live in such a bad condition |
小题2:By saying that “Being a waitress changed my life.” the author means that ______.| A．the author got a high pay by working hard | | B．the author borrowed $50,000 with no interest from Fred Hasbrook | | C．the effort which she had made influenced her a lot | | D．the experience working as a waitress was worthwhile for the author |
小题3: Which of the following statements is not true of Fred Hasbrook?| A．Fred Hasbrook was one of the author’s regular customers. | | B．Fred Hasbrook lent the author $50,000, together with other customers. | | C．Fred Hasbrook’s self-respect had a great effect on the author. | | D．Fred Hasbrook’s himself did not have much money. |
小题4:What made the author’s customers lend her money according to the passage?| A．Her maturity. | B．Her honesty. | C．Her faith. | D．Her success. |
|
Growing trees in the concrete jungle of Los Angels brings neighbors benefits beyond beauty.
As the 36 of TreePeople, a nonprofit organization he founded in 1973, Andy, now 54, has inspired hundreds of thousands of volunteers to 37 plant more than two million trees throughout Southern California.
Tree People 38 tools, blueprints, planting demonstrations, and tree-care supervisors free to all the participants, 39 me. “You will need their support,” Andy said, referring to my neighbors. “ 40
the community behind you, the trees you plant will die in five years.” So I started knocking on doors, hoping to share 41 I’d learnt in Tree People’s seminar(培训班) about the critical role of trees in removing smog from the 42 , cooling our homes and preventing water runoff.
Strange 43 it may seem, some people are afraid of trees. “The roots destroy sidewalks,” one neighbor said, “ 44 will ruin my pipes. And I don’t want leaves.” 45 told me.
When I called Andy about the 46 I was getting from my neighbors, he encouraged me to keep trying. So my son and my wife delivered cookies while I went door to door. It 47 us half a year to sign permission forms from 16 neighbors for 21 trees.
When the big day arrived, I was excited and 48 . What if I threw a planting tree and 49 else came? But as I set out shovels(铁铲), my son and wife made cakes and doughnuts, 50 started to gather. Friends brought friends. Neighbors came with cousins and grandchildren. A local middle school even 51 with half the seventh grade. More than 300 people joined us.
Then Andy led us in a 52 : welcoming each tree into the world and 53 it name. After the ceremony, as I shook hands with volunteers and my neighbors, I 54 help but feel we’d accomplished 55 great. After all, trees need people, and people need trees.
| 小题1: | | A．friend | B．interviewer | C．president | D．volunteer |
|
| 小题2: | | A．bravely | B．actively | C．anxiously | D．generously |
|
| 小题3: | | A．supports | B．affords | C．shows | D．provides |
|
| 小题4: | | A．including | B．considering | C．containing | D．reminding |
|
| 小题5: | | A．For | B．Without | C．With | D．Except |
|
| 小题10: | | A．The other | B．Another | C．Other | D．Others |
|
| 小题11: | | A．resistance | B．acceptance | C．agreement | D．praise |
|
| 小题12: | | A．spent | B．paid | C．took | D．covered |
|
| 小题13: | | A．moved | B．disappointed | C．surprised | D．nervous |
|
| 小题14: | | A．everybody | B．nobody | C．somebody | D．anybody |
|
| 小题15: | | A．volunteers | B．journalists | C．friends | D．neighbors |
|
| 小题16: | | A．made up | B．took up | C．showed up | D．cheered up |
|
| 小题17: | | A．ceremony | B．march | C．activity | D．celebration |
|
| 小题18: | | A．calling | B．leaving | C．making | D．giving |
|
| 小题19: | | A．wouldn’t | B．shouldn’t | C．couldn’t | D．needn’t |
|
| 小题20: | | A．anything | B．something | C．nothing | D．everything |
|
|
Andy Tomas is proof of the typical case that life-changing disaster awaits the drunken driver.
“A lot of teachers say, ‘Don’t drink,’ but I’m not going to say that, because I know that students are going to do it,” Andy says. “I just say, ‘Don’t get in a car.’”
As an 18-year-old, he could be a classmate or a friend, and that familiarity adds to the power of his words. He has spoken to more than 2500 high school students so far, and he has noticed their unusual silence.
One year ago, Andy, having been with friends drinking, lost control of his car and was thrown into trees 20 feet away. He was found covered in blood, with many bones broken. He was diagnosed with a severe brain injury and remained in an unconscious state and on life support for nearly three weeks. His skull was opened to reduce pressure on his brain.
At Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick, Doctor Erin Leahy initially found Andy unable to move the right side of his body. But by the end of his six-week stay, he was able to walk out of the building. Leahy called that an inspiration and a surprise.
Yet Andy’s recovery is incomplete. Brain and muscular therapy(治疗) has helped him regain movement in his right arm, but he still struggles with right hand.
In the process of recovery, Andy has thought deeply about what happened and why, and decided to share his story. Encouraged by his doctor, he began to attending meetings, delivering speeches.
He said he was nervous at first, but has grown used to the spotlight. “I feel like I know how to talk to people.” He said. And his recovery and visible injury help him draw serious attention from students.
Drunk driving, he tells students, is like playing gambles. “You might do it a bunch of times, but something is going to happen.”
Now his days are all about the therapy, work and going to the gym. Mentally, he says, “ I’m a lot happier in my life.”
小题1: What’s the main purpose of the author?| A．Warn students about the danger of drinking. | | B．Tell readers the danger of driving a car. | | C．Advise people not to drive a car after drinking. | | D．Show readers Andy’s amazing recovery experience. |
小题2:Why does the author say Andy’s story is powerful as an 18-year-old boy?| A．Because his family supported him and cared for him carefully. | | B．Because he is just like one of our classmates or friends. | | C．Because doctors and family never gave him up.[ | | D．Because his classmates and friends are familiar with him. |
小题3:What does the underlined sentence mean?| A．Drunk driving will be fined a lot of money eventually. | | B．Drunk driving will eventually have a serious accident. | | C．Drunk driving is as adventurous and thrilled as gamble. | | D．Drunk driving is banned even if you are an experienced driver. |
小题4:What happened to Andy after the accident?| A．He made a full recovery and returned to his normal life. | | B．He recovered quite well at an unbelievable speed. | | C．He became more experienced and eager for more adventures. | | D．He shared his stories with others to warn them not to try drunk driving. |
|
Every morning my friend would stop on the way to work to have a quick breakfast with her 8-year-old son. Then she 36 him off at school. They ate the same thing every morning: an egg sandwich, juice, coffee for her, and milk for him.
One day she ordered a(n) 37 breakfast. Once they finished eating and were heading out of the door, she 38 , said good morning to a homeless man sitting outside of the 39 , and gave him the breakfast she had ordered for him. He 40 her, telling her it was his first meal during the last several 41 . She couldn’t help but feel 42 and was glad she finally took 43 .
She told her son that she had seen the man every day that week there and that 44 , herself included, had offered him 45 , support, food, or drink. She 46 explained that homelessness could happen to anyone and that it was important to 47 needy people.
So her “Tradition of Kindness” 48 . Each day she and her son went on to 49 the homeless man breakfast. The 50 was kept until they moved away several years later, 51 the experience was firmly put into her son’s mind.
My friend 52 every time she tells me that this “Tradition of Kindness” goes on with her son, who remembers this 53 tradition. Now working in a company, her son stops every morning at Starbucks for a coffee and offers a homeless person a breakfast before going to the 54 .
What a great tradition that he can 55 to his children as well!
| 小题1: | | A．sent | B．dropped | C．called | D．drove |
|
| 小题2: | | A．light | B．expensive | C．ordinary | D．extra |
|
| 小题3: | | A．stopped | B．escaped | C．backed | D．hid |
|
| 小题4: | | A．shop | B．market | C．hotel | D．restaurant |
|
| 小题5: | | A．recognized | B．refused | C．thanked | D．found |
|
| 小题6: | | A．days | B．minutes | C．months | D．weeks |
|
| 小题7: | | A．cold | B．good | C．strange | D．nervous |
|
| 小题8: | | A．action | B．time | C．care | D．effect |
|
| 小题9: | | A．everyone | B．someone | C．no one | D．anyone |
|
| 小题10: | | A．education | B．information | C．comfort | D．safety |
|
| 小题11: | | A．again | B．further | C．once | D．first |
|
| 小题12: | | A．contact | B．encourage | C．follow | D．help |
|
| 小题13: | | A．began | B．existed | C．failed | D．changed |
|
| 小题15: | | A．promise | B．agreement | C．order | D．practice |
|
| 小题16: | | A．although | B．so | C．but | D．because |
|
| 小题17: | | A．cries | B．jumps | C．jokes | D．smiles |
|
| 小题18: | | A．school | B．childhood | C．youth | D．adulthood |
|
| 小题19: | | A．office | B．cinema | C．store | D．library |
|
| 小题20: | | A．connect | B．relate | C．pass | D．move |
|
|
