Being able to call on the old boy"s network helps you get your foot in the door，but has little impact on your later success.Having good connections does change your possibility of being offered a higher wage when you start working，but has no impact on your eventual wage.Coming from a wealthy background has little impact on lifetime earnings.Over time，brain power soon overtakes(超过)，and intelligence is the factor，which will determine your earnings and success.The speed of your rise through the ranks is determined largely by your own intelligence.
The study monitored earnings and promotions over the course of 25 years.Scores were used to assess the SocioEconomic Background(SEB)－wealth and connections－and standard Army intelligence tests used to assess intelligence.The study is sure to infuriate(激怒)those angered by wealthy groups such as Oxford"s upper－crust(上流社会)Bullingdon Club，of which both David Cameron and Borris Johnson were members.
Professor Yoav Ganzach says that these findings have a positive message for those，who can"t rely on nepotism(裙带关系)for their first job.“Your family can help you start your career and you do get an advantage，but it doesn"t help you progress.And once you start working，you can go wherever your abilities take you，” he says.When intelligence and SEB are pitted directly against once another(相互较量)，intelligence is a more accurate predictor of future career success，he say.
小题1:How many factors which may influence one"s career are mentioned in the passage?小题2:Who will be encouraged most after reading the passage?| A．People who are lack of money. | | B．People who can"t depend on nepotism. | | C．People with high intelligence. | | D．People with wide connections. |
小题3:What"s the main idea of the passage?| A．Earnings and promotions are up to your own. | | B．A study conducted by Professor Yoav Ganzach. | | C．SEB is very important in one"s first career. | | D．Success is determined by your own brain power. |
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小题1:C
小题2:B
小题3:D |
文章主要阐述了智力对个人事业的发展起决定作用。
小题1:C 细节理解题。根据第一段可知对一个人的职业有影响的因素有：good connections、a wealthy background、intelligence三个方面。
小题2:B 细节理解题。根据第三段的首句“...these findings have a positive message for those，who can"t rely on nepotism(裙带关系)for their first job.”可知答案。
小题3:D 主旨归纳题。第一段提出了主题——强调智商的重要性；第二段用例子说明了对该主题部分反对的声音；第三段与主题段相互呼应。可以看出，文章三段都是围绕“智商决定人的事业”展开的。 |
核心考点
试题【Being able to call on the old boy"s network helps you get your foot in the door，】；主要考察你对
题材分类等知识点的理解。
[详细]举一反三
(2013·高考天津卷，D)When asked about happiness，we usually think of something extraordinary，an absolute delight，which seems to get rarer the older we get.
For kids，happiness has a magical quality.Their delight at winning a race or getting a new bike is unreserved (毫不掩饰的)．
In the teenage years the concept of happiness changes.Suddenly it’s conditional on such things as excitement，love and popularity.I can still recall the excitement of being invited to dance with the most attractive boy at the school party.
In adulthood the things that bring deep joy－love，marriage，birth－also bring responsibility and the risk of loss.For adults，happiness is complicated (复杂的)．
My definition of happiness is “the capacity for enjoyment”．The more we can enjoy what we have，the happier we are.It’s easy to overlook the pleasure we get from the company of friends，the freedom to live where we please，and even good health.
I experienced my little moments of pleasure yesterday.First I was overjoyed when I shut the last lunchbox and had the house to myself.Then I spent an uninterrupted morning writing，which I love.When the kids and my husband came home，I enjoyed their noise after the quiet of the day.
Psychologists tell us that to be happy we need a mix of enjoyable leisure time and satisfying work.I don’t think that my grandmother，who raised 14 children，had much of either.She did have a network of close friends and family，and maybe this is what satisfied her.
We，however，with so many choices and such pressure to succeed in every area，have turned happiness into one more thing we’ve got to have.We’re so selfconscious about our “right” to it that it’s making us miserable.So we chase it and equal it with wealth and success，without noticing that the people who have those things aren’t necessarily happier.
Happiness isn’t about what happens to us－it’s about how we see what happens to us.It’s the skillful way of finding a positive for every negative.It’s not wishing for what we don’t have，but enjoying what we do possess.
小题1:As people grow older，they________.| A．feel it harder to experience happiness | | B．associate their happiness less with others | | C．will take fewer risks in pursuing happiness | | D．tend to believe responsibility means happiness |
小题2:What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 5 and 6?| A．She cares little about her own health. | | B．She enjoys the freedom of traveling. | | C．She is easily pleased by things in daily life. | | D．She prefers getting pleasure from housework. |
小题3:What can be inferred from Paragraph 7?| A．Psychologists think satisfying work is key to happiness. | | B．Psychologists’ opinion is well proved by Grandma’ case. | | C．Grandma often found time for social gatherings. | | D．Grandma’s happiness came from modest expectations of life. |
小题4:People who equal happiness with wealth and success________.| A．consider pressure something blocking their way | | B．stress their right to happiness too much | | C．are at a loss to make correct choices | | D．are more likely to be happy |
小题5:What can be concluded from the passage?| A．Happiness lies between the positive and the negative. | | B．Each man is the master of his own fate. | | C．Success leads to happiness. | | D．Happy is he who is content. |
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(2013·高考湖南卷，C)It’s such a happylooking library，painted yellow，decorated with palmtree stickers and sheltered from the Florida sun by its own roof.About the size of a microwave oven，it’s pedestrianfriendly，too，waiting for book lovers next to a sidewalk in Palm Beach County Estates，along the northern boundary of Palm Beach Gardens.
It’s a library built with love.
A year ago，shortly after Janey Henriksen saw a Brian Williams report about the Little Free Library organization，a Wisconsinbased nonprofit that aims to promote literacy and build a sense of community in a neighborhood by making books freely available，she announced to her family of four，“That’s what we’re going to do for our spring break！”
Son Austin，now a 10thgrader，didn’t see the point of building a library that resembles a mailbox.But Janey insisted，and husband Peter unwillingly got to work.The 51yearold owner of a ship supply company modified a small wooden house that he’d built years earlier for daughter Abbie’s toy horses，and made a door of glass.
After adding the library’s final touches (装点)，the family hung a signboard on the front，instructing users to“take a book，return a book，”and making the Henriksen library，now one of several hundred like it nationwide and among more than 2,500 in the world，the only Little Free Library in Palm Beach County.
They stocked it with 20 or so books they’d already read，a mix of science fiction，reference titles，novels and kids’ favorites.“I told them，keep in mind that you might not see it again，”said Janey，a stayathome mom.
Since then，the collection keeps replenishing (补充) itself，thanks to ongoing donations from borrowers.The library now gets an average of five visits a day.
The project’s best payoff，says Peter，are the thankyou notes left behind.“We had no idea in the beginning that it would be so popular.”
小题1:In what way is the library “pedestrianfriendly”？| A．It owns a yellow roof. | | B．It stands near a sidewalk. | | C．It protects book lovers from the sun. | | D．It uses palmtree stickers as decorations. |
小题2:Janey got the idea to build a library from________.| A．a visit to Brian Williams | | B．a spring break with her family | | C．a book sent by one of her neighbors | | D．a report on a Wisconsinbased organization |
小题3:The library was built________.| A．by a ship supply company | | B．on the basis of toy horses | | C．like a mailbox | | D．with glass |
小题4:What can we infer about the signboard?| A．It was made by a user of the library. | | B．It marked a final touch to the library. | | C．It aimed at making the library last long. | | D．It indicated the library was a family property. |
小题5:The passage tells us that the users________.| A．donate books to the library | | B．get paid to collect books for the library | | C．receive thankyou notes for using the library | | D．visit the library over 5 times on average daily |
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(2013·高考天津卷)As I held my father’s hands one night，I couldn’t help but notice their calluses(老茧)and roughness.His hands tell the story of his life as a ____，including all his struggles.
One summer，I remember，a drought (旱灾) hit Ontario，turning it into a ____ desert.On one of those hot mornings I was picking sweet corn with my dad to fill the last ____ from the grocery store.Fifty dozen was all we needed，which ___ took twenty minutes.That morning，however，the process didn’t ___ quickly.After forty minutes of aimlessly walking in the field，we ____needed twenty dozen.I was completely frustrated and ___.Dropping the basket heavily，I declared, “If the store wants its last twenty dozen，they can pick it themselves！”Dad ____，“Just think，my little girl，only ten dozen left for each of us and then we’re ____.” Such is Dad－whatever problem he ____，he never gives up.
____，the disastrous effects of the drought were felt all over our country.It was a challenging time for everyone，____ Dad remained optimistic.He ____ to be grateful for other things like good health and food on our plates.Only then did I truly begin to ___ Dad and his faith that guided us through the hard times.
Dad is also a living example of real ____.From dawn to dusk，he works countless hours to___ our family.He always puts our happiness ____ his own，and never fails to cheer me on at my sports games ___ his exhaustion after long days.His loving and selfless nature has inspired me to become more sympathetic and ____，putting others first.
Dad，the life ____ I have learned from you will stay with me forever.You are my father，teacher，friend and，most importantly，my hero.
| 小题1: | | A．teacher | B．gardener | | C．farmer | D．grocer |
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| 小题2: | | A．stormy | B．lively | | C．disappearing | D．burning |
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| 小题3: | | A．order | B．form | | C．gap | D．position |
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| 小题4: | | A．repeatedly | B．normally | | C．finally | D．really |
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| 小题5: | | A．go | B．begin | | C．occur | D．change |
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| 小题6: | | A．yet | B．still | | C．even | D．nearly |
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| 小题7: | | A．surprised | B．nervous | | C．angry | D．frightened |
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| 小题8: | | A．apologized | B．cried | | C．complained | D．laughed |
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| 小题9: | | A．lost | B．done | | C．gone | D．touched |
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| 小题10: | | A．meets with | B．brings up | | C．works out | D．thinks about |
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| 小题11: | | A．Thankfully | B．Hopefully | | C．Unfortunately | D．Strangely |
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| 小题13: | | A．happened | B．seemed | | C．continued | D．aimed |
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| 小题14: | | A．face | B．appreciate | | C．examine | D．question |
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| 小题15: | | A．love | B．pride | | C．friendship | D．honesty |
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| 小题16: | | A．support | B．settle | | C．start | D．impress |
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| 小题17: | | A．after | B．before | | C．beside | D．under |
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| 小题18: | | A．in spite of | B．in terms of | | C．in control of | D．in place of |
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| 小题19: | | A．careful | B．regretful | | C．considerate | D．humorous |
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| 小题20: | | A．history | B．motto | | C．patterns | D．lessons |
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The National Gallery
Description：
The National Gallery is the British national art museum built on the north side of Trafalgar Square in London.It houses a diverse collection of more than 2,300 examples of European art ranging from 13thcentury religious paintings to more modern ones by Renoir and Van Gogh.The older collections of the gallery are reached through the main entrance while the more modern works in the East Wing are most easily reached from Trafalgar Square by a ground floor entrance
Layout：
The modern Sainsbury Wing on the western side of the building houses 13thto 15thcentury paintings，and artists include Duccio，Uccello，Van Eyck，Lippi，Mantegna，Botticelli and Memling.
The main West Wing houses 16thcentury paintings，and artists include Leonardo da Vinci，Cranach，Michelangelo，Raphael，Bruegel，Bronzino，Titian and Veronese.
The North Wing houses 17thcentury paintings，and artists include Caravaggio，Rubens，Poussin，Van Dyck，Veláazquez，Claude and Vermeer.
The East Wing houses 18thto early 20thcentury paintings，and artists include Canaletto，Goya，Turner，Constable，Renoir and Van Gogh.
Opening Hours：
The Gallery is open every day from 10am to 6pm (Fridays 10am to 9pm) and is free，but charges apply to some special exhibitions.
Getting There：
Nearest underground stations：Charing Cross (2minute walk)，Leicester Square (3minute walk)，Embankment (7minute walk)，and Piccadilly Circus (8minute walk)．
小题1:In which century’s collection can you see religious paintings?| A．The 13th. | B．The 17th. | | C．The 18th. | D．The 20th. |
小题2:Where are Leonardo da Vinci’s works shown?| A．In the East Wing. | | B．In the main West Wing. | | C．In the Sainsbury Wing. | | D．In the North Wing. |
小题3:Which underground station is closest to the National Gallery?| A．Embankment. | B．Leicester Square. | | C．Piccadilly Circus. | D．Charing Cross. |
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(2013·高考北京卷，C)Although being famous might sound like a dream come true，today’s stars，feeling like zoo animals，face pressures that few of us can imagine.They are at the center of much of the world’s attention.Paparazzi (狗仔队) camp outside their homes，cameras ready.Tabloids (小报) publish thrilling stories about their personal lives.Just imagine not being able to do anything without being photographed or interrupted for a signature!
According to psychologist Christina Villarreal，celebrities－famous people－worry constantly about their public appearance.Eventually，they start to lose track of who they really are，seeing themselves the way their fans imagine them，not as the people they were before everyone knew their names.“Over time，”Villarreal says，“they feel separated and alone.”
The phenomenon of tracking celebrities has been around for ages.In the 4th century B．C.，painters followed Alexander the Great into battle，hoping to picture his victories for his admirers.When Charles Dickens visited America in the 19th century，his soldout readings attracted thousands of fans，leading him to complain (抱怨) about his lack of privacy.Tabloids of the 1920s and 1930s ran articles about filmstars in much the same way that modern tabloids and websites do.
Being a public figure today，however，is a lot more difficult than it used to be.Superstars cannot move about without worrying about photographers with modern cameras.When they say something silly or do something ridiculous，there is always the Internet to spread the news in minutes and keep their “story” alive forever.
If fame is so troublesome，why aren’t all celebrities running away from it? The answer is there are still ways to deal with it.Some stars stay calm by surrounding themselves with trusted friends and family or by escaping to remote places away from big cities.They focus not on how famous they are but on what they love to do or whatever made them famous in the first place.
Sometimes a few celebrities can get a little justice.Still，even stars who enjoy full justice often complain about how hard their lives are.They are tired of being famous already.
小题1:It can be learned from the passage that stars today________.| A．are often misunderstood by the public | | B．can no longer have their privacy protected | | C．spend too much on their public appearance | | D．care little about how they have come into fame |
小题2:What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?| A．Great heroes of the past were generally admired. | | B．The problem faced by celebrities has a long history. | | C．Wellknown actors are usually targets of tabloids. | | D．Works of popular writers often have a lot of readers. |
小题3:What makes it much harder to be a celebrity today?| A．Availability of modern media. | | B．Inadequate social recognition. | | C．Lack of favorable chances. | | D．Huge population of fans. |
小题4:What is the author’s attitude toward modern celebrity?| A．Sincere. | B．Sceptical. | | C．Disapproving. | D．Sympathetic. |
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