Question

Frankly, I very much appreciate myself. Yes, I admit I’m in many respects not as good as other people, but I don’t think I’m always not good. When I find what I’ve done or written is okay, I’ll remain pleased with myself for quite a few days, and in case I receive praise for it, I’ll even become so excited as to add a few words to glorify myself.

True, I’m not modest at all. People may call me conceited (自负的). But I think otherwise.

I also appreciate other people. I appreciate anything good. Isn’t it unfair to forget appreciating myself while appreciating others?

We Chinese generally tend to be modest, and we take pride in being so. For example, a Chinese will call his own wife zhuojing, meaning “my humble wife”, and his own writings zhuozuo, meaning “my poor writings”. But if you should call his wife a “rustic (乡巴佬的) woman” or his writings “trash”, he would, I’m sure, slap the table in a rage and declare he would make a clean break with you. As a matter of fact, there is probably no difference at all between what is said by him and you respectively.

I don’t think it’s wrong for you to freely praise yourself if you’re really worthy of praise. As we know, there is an old Chinese saying disparaging (蔑视的) a melon peddler(商贩), named Lao Wang, who keeps praising his own goods. Well, why can’t he praise his melons if they are really sweet and juicy?

Friends, Lao Wang sells melons for a living. How could he carry on business if he, by imitating the affectations of us intellectuals, were to show false modesty about his melons? He would sure enough die of starvation.

Self-appreciation is therefore key to professional dedication (贡献) and enjoyment of work. One will lose confidence in continuing with writing when he pauses to admire his own essays.

Needless to say, the same is true of those who make a living with their pen.

 

49. The best title for the passage would be __________.

A. On Self-Appreciation                        B. Types of Appreciation

C. Power of Appreciation                     D. Uses of Appreciation

50. The underlined word “zhuojing” in Paragraph 4 means _________.

A. wife high in position                            B. wife low in position

C. wise wife                                           D. foolish wife

51. The writer points out with an example about an old Chinese saying that _________.

A. self-appreciation is also an active way of attitude to life and work

B. a false modesty will lose confidence in continuing with writing

C. one person pauses to admire his own essays without self-appreciation

D. one doesn’t praise his melons if his melons are really sweet and juicy

52. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. If I find what I’ve done or written is wrong, I’ll appreciate myself.

B. I never appreciate other people because I think others are foolish.

C. If you think poorly of your friend’s writings, perhaps he’ll be angry at you.

D. Lao Wang will die of starvation because he never praises his melons.

Answer 1

49.A。主旨大意题。由文章每段的主题句以及文章最后两段可以判断,本文谈论的主题就是Self-Appreciation.

50.B。词语猜测题。根据zhuojing一词下文的解析meaning “my humble wife”以及后面的But if you should call his wife a “rustic woman” …he would make a clean break with you.判断,zhuojing的意思就是wife low in position.

51.A。归纳推理题。中国古语“老王卖瓜自卖自夸”,其实就是“对待生活和工作的一种自我欣赏的态度”,最后三段就有概括。

52.C。判断推理题。A项错误是因为与第一段第三句不符，B项错误是因为与第三段第一句不符，C项正确是与第四段中的But if you should call … or his writings “trash”, he would, I’m sure, slap the table in a rage and declare he would make a clean break with you.吻合，D项错误是因为与五、六段不吻合。