8．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 （依赖） 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 seek 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（缓解）can we discover a new meaning in competition．
51．What does this passage mainly talk aboutB？
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．
52．Why do some people favor competition according to the passageA？
A．It pushes society forward．
B．It builds up a sense of duty．
C．It improves personal abilities．
D．It encourages individual efforts．
53．The underlined phrase"the most vocal"in Paragraph 3meansC．
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
54．What is the similar belief of the true competitors and those with a"desire to fail"A？
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．
55．Which point of view may the author agree toD？
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．
分析 本文是一篇说明文，主要说明的是有关竞争的观点，不同的人有不同的观点．有人认为竞争有利于社会进步，有人则认为竞争让人与人之间的关系变得紧张．那些遭受巨大竞争压力的人，他们反对竞争，他们害怕失败，害怕竞争．我们要把对失败的恐惧从竞争中去除掉
解答 51．B 主旨大意题．根据文章主题段第一段内容可知对于竞争，不同的人有不同的观点．有人认为竞争有利于社会进步，有人则认为竞争让人与人之间的关系变得紧张．故B正确．
5 2．A 细节理解题．根据第一段第二行"Some value it highly，believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity"可知，有人认为竞争有利于社会进步，故A正确．
53．C 推理判断题．根据第三段中"Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society．"可知，是指那些遭受巨大竞争压力的人，他们反对竞争，故C正确．
54．A 推理判断题．根据"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"可知，两种持不同观点的学生，其实有一个共同点，那就是都要把自己的价值体现在于别人的比较和竞争中，故选A．
55．D 推理判断题．根据最后一段"Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve can we discover a new meaning in competition．可推知，只有消除了害怕的竞争才有意义，害怕失败可以在竞争中消除"故D正确．
点评 解答细节理解题时，一个常用的方法就是运用定位法，即根据题干和选项中的关键词从原文中找到相关的句子，与选项进行比较从而确定答案；推理判断题既要求学生透过文章表面文字信息推测文章隐含意思，又要求学生对作者的态度、意图及文章细节的发展作正确的推理判断，力求从作者的角度去考虑，不要固守自己的看法或观点．
