Give it five minutes

I used to be a hothead. Whenever anyone said anything, I’d think of a way to disagree. I’d push back hard if something didn’t fit my world-view.

It’s like I had to be first with an opinion — as if being first meant something. But what it really meant was that I wasn’t thinking hard enough about the problem. The faster you react, the less you think. Not always, but often.

This came to a head back in 2007. I was speaking at the Business Innovation Factory conference in Providence, RI. So was Richard Saul Wurman. After my talk Richard came up to introduce himself and compliment my talk. That was very generous of him. He certainly didn’t have to do that.

And what did I do? I pushed back at him about the talk he gave. While he was making his points on stage, I was taking an inventory of the things I didn’t agree with. And when presented with an opportunity to speak with him, I quickly pushed back at some of his ideas. I must have seemed like such an asshole.

His response changed my life. It was a simple thing. He said “Man, give it five minutes.” I asked him what he meant by that? He said, it’s fine to disagree, it’s fine to push back, it’s great to have strong opinions and beliefs, but give my ideas some time to set in before you’re sure you want to argue against them. “Five minutes” represented “think”, not react. He was totally right. I came into the discussion looking to prove something, not learn something.

This was a big moment for me.

Richard has spent his career thinking about these problems. He’s given it 30 years. And I gave it just a few minutes. Now, certainly he can be wrong and I could be right, but it’s better to think deeply about something first before being so certain you’re right.

There’s also a difference between asking questions and pushing back. Pushing back means you already think you know. Asking questions means you want to know. Ask more questions.

Learning to think first rather than react quick is a life-long pursuit. It’s tough. I still get hot sometimes when I shouldn’t. But I’m really enjoying all the benefits of getting better.

If you aren’t sure why this is important, think about this quote from Jonathan Ive regarding Steve Jobs’ reverence(respect) for ideas:

And just as Steve loved ideas, and loved making stuff, he treated the process of creativity with a rare and a wonderful reverence. You see, I think he better than anyone understood that while ideas ultimately can be so powerful, they begin as fragile, barely formed thoughts, so easily missed, so easily compromised, so easily just squished.

That’s deep. Ideas are fragile. They often start powerless. They’re barely there, so easy to ignore or skip or miss.

There are two things in this world that take no skill: 1. Spending other people’s money and 2. Dismissing an idea.

Dismissing an idea is so easy because it doesn’t involve any work. You can scoff at it. You can ignore it. You can puff some smoke at it. That’s easy. The hard thing to do is protect it, think about it, let it marinate, explore it, riff on it, and try it. The right idea could start out life as the wrong idea.

So next time you hear something, or someone, talk about an idea, pitch an idea, or suggest an idea, give it five minutes. Think about it a little bit before pushing back, before saying it’s too hard or it’s too much work.

Those things may be true, but there may be another truth in there too: It may be worth it.

1.Which of the following best describes the word hothead from the first paragraph?

A. Supportive B. Fast C. Nervous D. Aggressive

2.What did the author do while Richard was talking in the business conference?

A. He kept notes for things that he did not agree with.

B. He pushed Richard and beat him.

C. He was preparing for his own speech.

D. He was getting ready to compliment him.

3.Which of the following is the reason for quoting Jonathan Ive?

A. The author thinks Steve Job is the best when it comes to creativity.

B. The author is inspired by Steve Job's attitude towards new ideas.

C. The author respects Steve Job because he is creative and he likes ideas.

D. The author thinks Steve Job has ideas that are strong and powerful and are hard to miss.

4.What is the core argument that the author put forward?

A. Dismissing ideas is an effortless thing to do so you should always protect ideas carefully.

B. The right idea always starts from a wrong idea and you need to protect it from being dismissed.

C. One should be careful when it comes to judge a new idea.

D. Every idea, whether powerful or fragile deserves five minutes

Tokyo is one of those places that you can love and hate at the same time.

In Tokyo there are always too many people in the places where I want to be. Of course there are too many cars. The Japanese drive very fast， but in Tokyo they often spend a long time in traffic jams. Tokyo is not different from London， Paris and New York in that. It is different when one wants to walk.

At certain times of the day there are a lot of people on foot in London’s Oxford Street. But the streets near the Ginze in Tokyo always have a lot of people on foot， and sometimes it is really difficult to walk. People are very polite； there are just too many of them.

The worst time to be in the street is at 11：30 at night. That is when the nightclubs are closing and everybody wants to go home. There are 35,000 nightclubs in Tokyo， and you do not often see one that is empty.

During the day， most people travel to and from work by train. Tokyo people buy six million train tickets every day. At most stations， trains arrive every two or three minutes， but at certain hours there do not seem to be enough trains. Although they are usually crowded， Japanese trains are very good. They always leave and arrive on time. On a London train you would see everybody reading a newspaper. In Tokyo trains everybody in a seat seems to be asleep， whether his journey is long or short.

In Tokyo， I stood outside the station for five minutes. Three fire-engines raced past on the way to one of the many fires that Tokyo has every day. Tokyo has so many surprises that none of them can really surprise me now.

Tokyo is different from London in that　　　　.

A. there are many traffic jams     

B. nightclubs are sometimes empty

C. wherever I want to be， it’s too crowded     

D. it is more difficult to go somewhere on foot

According to the passage， Japanese trains 　　　　.

A. are always punctual

B. often delay at most situations

C. are crowded because they are often late

D. are the last means people use to travel to and from work

What is the story mainly about？

A. The writer’s impression of Tokyo.

B. The reasons why the writer loves Tokyo.

C. Different means of transportation in Tokyo.

D. Many surprises that Tokyo has brought to the writer.

Fires break out 　　　　 in Tokyo according to the writer.

A. very seldom                       B. quite frequently

C. three times a day                        D. the most often in the world

Which of the following is NOT true about Tokyo？

A. Tokyo people are friendly.

B. There are more trains than cars.

C. Fire-engines are very busy in the city.

D. The streets become more crowded at 11：30 at night.

Tokyo is one of those places that you can love and hate at the same time.

In Tokyo there are always too many people in the places where I want to be. Of course there are too many cars. The Japanese drive very fast， but in Tokyo they often spend a long time in traffic jams. Tokyo is not different from London， Paris and New York in that. It is different when one wants to walk.

At certain times of the day there are a lot of people on foot in London’s Oxford Street. But the streets near the Ginze in Tokyo always have a lot of people on foot， and sometimes it is really difficult to walk. People are very polite； there are just too many of them.

The worst time to be in the street is at 11：30 at night. That is when the nightclubs are closing and everybody wants to go home. There are 35,000 nightclubs in Tokyo， and you do not often see one that is empty.

During the day， most people travel to and from work by train. Tokyo people buy six million train tickets every day. At most stations， trains arrive every two or three minutes， but at certain hours there do not seem to be enough trains. Although they are usually crowded， Japanese trains are very good. They always leave and arrive on time. On a London train you would see everybody reading a newspaper. In Tokyo trains everybody in a seat seems to be asleep， whether his journey is long or short.

In Tokyo， I stood outside the station for five minutes. Three fire-engines raced past on the way to one of the many fires that Tokyo has every day. Tokyo has so many surprises that none of them can really surprise me now.

1.Tokyo is different from London in that　　　　.

A. there are many traffic jams        

B. nightclubs are sometimes empty

C. wherever I want to be， it’s too crowded       

D. it is more difficult to go somewhere on foot

2. According to the passage， Japanese trains 　　　　.

A. are always punctual

B. often delay at most situations

C. are crowded because they are often late

D. are the last means people use to travel to and from work

3.What is the story mainly about？

A. The writer’s impression of Tokyo.

B. The reasons why the writer loves Tokyo.

C. Different means of transportation in Tokyo.

D. Many surprises that Tokyo has brought to the writer.

4.Fires break out 　　　　 in Tokyo according to the writer.

A. very seldom                              B. quite frequently

C. three times a day                              D. the most often in the world

5.Which of the following is NOT true about Tokyo？

A. Tokyo people are friendly.

B. There are more trains than cars.

C. Fire-engines are very busy in the city.

D. The streets become more crowded at 11：30 at night.

Every child has a dream of what they want to be，right? When Renee Butts was little，her dream was to become a volunteer firefighter because her father was one．Sadly，when she was 14，her father died and she was never able to volunteer with him．Renee's story doesn't end there，however，which is why I think of her as a true hero．She was strong-minded and never gave up，which makes her a good firefighter．

Some days she must be ready to deal with any emergency，like fighting a fire，dealing with a car accident or helping someone who's sick．Other days she is in the driver's seat．Sometimes Renee works nine to eleven days a month on 24-hour shits．She also has a family to take care of．Her husband is a firefighter，too．

Renee remembers the first time she fought a fire．She was awoken early in the morning by the alarm．She said she was very nervous but did what she had to do．

When I asked Renee what the best part of her job is，she replied，“Helping people and saving their lives．” I think that shows signs of being a true hero．She's always glad to do anything for anyone in need．With 140 people in her station，Renee is one of the only three women．

I think she's great．We could never live without people like her who is glad to help others．Renee's deed helps me believe that I can do anything．I hope someday to be just like her：to wake up and help people every day．

1．When her father died，Renee Butts         ．

A．gave up her dream                                      B．decided to do as her father did

C．married a firefighter                                    D．became a child without family

2．What is Renee's husband?

A．A driver．           B．A writer．              C．A doctor．             D．A fireman．

3．Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．The writer learns a lot from Renee．            B．There are 143 members in the station．

C．Renee works 9 to 11 hours every day．        D．Renee wants to be famous by doing so．

4．What does the writer think of Renee Butts?

A．Clever．               B．Careful．              C．Helpful．                D．Outgoing．

5．What’s the best title for the passage?

A．A True Hero                                            B．A Busy Volunteer

C．A Famous Woman                                     D．A Sweet Dream

I look back sometimes at the person I was before I rediscovered my old professor. I want to talk to that person. I want to tell him what to look out for, what mistakes to avoid. I want to tell him to be more open, to ignore the temptation of advertised values, to pay attention when your loved ones are speaking, as if it were the last time you might hear them.

Mostly I want to tell that person to get on an airplane and visit a gentle old man in West Newton, Massachusetts, sooner rather than later, before that old man gets sick and loses his ability to dance.

I know I cannot do this. None of us can undo what we’ve done, or relive a life already recorded. But if Professor Morrie Schwartz taught me anything at all, it was this: there is no such thing as “too late” in life. He was changing until the day he said good-bye.

Not long after Morrie’s death, I reached my brother in Spain. We had a long talk. I told him I respected his distance, and that all I wanted was to be in touch—in the present, not just the past—to hold him in my life as much as he could let me.

“You’re my only brother,” I said. “I don’t want to lose you. I love you.”

I had never said such a thing to him before.

A few days later, I received a message on my fax machine. It was typed in the sprawling, poorly punctuated, all-cap-letters fashion that always characterized my brother’s words.

“HI I’VE JOINED THE NINETIES!” it began. He wrote a few little stories, what he’d been doing that week, a couple of jokes. At the end, he signed off this way:

I HAVE HEARTBURN AND DIAHREA(腹泻) AT THE MOMENT—LIFE’S A BITCH. CHAT LATER?

[signed] SORE TUSH.

I laughed until there were tears in my eyes.

This book was largely Morrie’s idea. He called it our “final thesis.” Like the best of work projects, it brought us closer together, and Morrie was delighted when several publishers expressed interest, even though he died before meeting any of them. The advance money helped pay Morrie’s enormous medical bills, and for that we were both grateful.

The title, by the way, we came up with one day in Morrie’s office. He liked naming things. He had several ideas. But when I said, “How about Tuesdays with Morrie?” he smiled in an almost blushing way, and I knew that was it.

After Morrie died, I went through boxes of old college material. And I discovered a final paper I had written for one of his classes. It was twenty years old now. On the front page were my penciled comments scribbled to Morrie, and beneath them were his comments scribbled back.

Mine began, “Dear Coach . . .”

His began, “Dear Player . . .”

For some reason, each time I read that, I miss him more.

Have you ever really had a teacher? One who saw you as a raw but precious thing, a jewel that, with wisdom, could be polished to a proud shine? If you are lucky enough to find your way to such teachers, you will always find your way back. Sometimes it is only in your head. Sometimes it is right alongside their beds.

The last class of my old professor’s life took place once a week, in his home, by a window in his study where he could watch a small hibiscus(木槿) plant shed its pink flowers. The class met on Tuesdays. No books were required. The subject was the meaning of life. It was taught from experience.

The teaching goes on.

1.What kind of a person was the author before he rediscovered Professor Morrie Schwartz?

A. He was very open to life’s challenges.

B. He cared much about the people he loved.

C. He was probably lost in the material world.

D. He kept close contact with his teacher.

2.What did the author learn from Professor Morrie?

A. Pain past is pleasure.

B. Life is a difficult journey.

C. It’s never too late to mend.

D. Tomorrow is another day.

3.According to the passage, what is the author’s attitude toward life now?

A. He is very content with his life.

B. He is willing to make changes in his life.

C. He has always been hopeful about the future.

D. He prefers to live in the past.

4.The underlined sentence in the passage implies that ________.

A. he was so glad to reconnect with his brother

B. his brother’s style of writing was really funny

C. his brother was good at telling jokes

D. it was surprising to receive the message

5.According to the author, which of the following is the criterion of a good teacher?

A. Being skillful in what he/she teaches.

B. Being able to understand what you need.

C. Being willing to teach you all he/she knows.

D. Being good at changing you for the better.

6.Where in the entire book would this passage be best placed?

A. In the acknowledgments of the book Tuesday with Morrie.

B. In the first chapter of the book Tuesday with Morrie.

C. At the turning point of the book Tuesday with Morrie.

D. At the conclusion of the book Tuesday with Morrie.

People always say that if God closed a door in front of you, there must be a window opened for you. Yes, people always say that, but1is the window for me?
I am not disappointed, just a little worried2as my roommate said, “ Why are you angry with yourself once you3to do anything?” I have no idea. I just can’t4me if I can’t understand some easy things. Currently, I just feel 5 with myself because I couldn’t finish the assignment on the lab, and what was6worse was that actually I did not understand what the7was! Fiona asked me why I didn’t8for help. The problem is that if I have to ask some silly questions, I will feel9.
Before I came here I was confident. But I have totally lost it. Sometimes I can’t 10find the right words; sometimes I am too shy to11others. I have to admit that I am12.
The wisest people are always13who can take advantage of others’ wisdom. But I was so stupid as to close myself and14a lot of time soaking inside the workbook,15made me more confused. Why can’t I follow the sentence? I am16to get help the next time I have any questions. I can17I am not smart, but I shouldn’t hide it. I must18it as soon as possible.19I will have to waste much more time on it—just like tonight.
Difficulties always go with me. Go20! I can make it.

1. 1.
   1. A.
      which
   2. B.
      what
   3. C.
      where
   4. D.
      why
2. 2.
   1. A.
      or
   2. B.
      and
   3. C.
      but
   4. D.
      while
3. 3.
   1. A.
      want
   2. B.
      decide
   3. C.
      fail
   4. D.
      like
4. 4.
   1. A.
      believe
   2. B.
      like
   3. C.
      delight
   4. D.
      forgive
5. 5.
   1. A.
      unsatisfied
   2. B.
      satisfied
   3. C.
      happy
   4. D.
      worried
6. 6.
   1. A.
      very
   2. B.
      even
   3. C.
      quite
   4. D.
      fairly
7. 7.
   1. A.
      lab
   2. B.
      assignment
   3. C.
      problem
   4. D.
      question
8. 8.
   1. A.
      look
   2. B.
      call
   3. C.
      search
   4. D.
      ask
9. 9.
   1. A.
      shamed
   2. B.
      upset
   3. C.
      comfortable
   4. D.
      sorry
10. 10.
    1. A.
       still
    2. B.
       even
    3. C.
       yet
    4. D.
       only
11. 11.
    1. A.
       disturb
    2. B.
       help
    3. C.
       greet
    4. D.
       worry
12. 12.
    1. A.
       smart
    2. B.
       clever
    3. C.
       wrong
    4. D.
       stupid
13. 13.
    1. A.
       these
    2. B.
       those
    3. C.
       ones
    4. D.
       the ones
14. 14.
    1. A.
       spend
    2. B.
       cost
    3. C.
       kill
    4. D.
       waste
15. 15.
    1. A.
       that
    2. B.
       what
    3. C.
       which
    4. D.
       as
16. 16.
    1. A.
       determined
    2. B.
       willing
    3. C.
       content
    4. D.
       ready
17. 17.
    1. A.
       say
    2. B.
       announce
    3. C.
       explain
    4. D.
       admit
18. 18.
    1. A.
       answer
    2. B.
       solve
    3. C.
       work out
    4. D.
       finish
19. 19.
    1. A.
       However
    2. B.
       Thus
    3. C.
       Otherwise
    4. D.
       Hopefully
20. 20.
    1. A.
       ahead
    2. B.
       on
    3. C.
       down
    4. D.
       up

People always say that if God closed a door in front of you, there must be a window opened for you. Yes, people always say that, but    36  is the window for me?
　　I am not disappointed, just a little worried    37   as my roommate said, “ Why are you angry with yourself once you    38   to do anything?” I have no idea. I just can’t    39   me if I can’t understand some easy things. Currently, I just feel__ 40 _with myself because I couldn’t finish the assignment on the lab, and what was    41   worse was that actually I did not understand what the    42   was! Fiona asked me why I didn’t    43   for help. The problem is that if I have to ask some silly questions, I will feel    44  .
　　Before I came here I was confident. But I have totally lost it. Sometimes I can’t__ 45  find the right words; sometimes I am too shy to    46   others. I have to admit that I am    47  .
　　The wisest people are always    48   who can take advantage of others’ wisdom. But I was so stupid as to close myself and    49   a lot of time soaking inside the workbook,    50  made me more confused. Why can’t I follow the sentence? I am   51   to get help the next time I have any questions. I can  52  I am not smart, but I shouldn’t hide it. I must    53   it as soon as possible.   54  I will have to waste much more time on it—just like tonight.
　  Difficulties always go with me. Go   55  ! I can make it.

To be able to motivate oneself, or self-motivate, occurs when a person has the willingness to do something and is internally(内在地) motivated to do it.
Sometimes it’s very difficult to get ourselves moving. The natural tendency is to postpone. Life just seems to get in the way! There is a job to go to, groceries to do, television to watch—whoops! I guess we get pretty good at finding excuses to escape getting started on goals like an exercise routine or reading a new book. The fact is that we are creatures of routine and habit. So what can we do to motivate ourselves to accomplish our goals? 
Here are some tips on how to get moving:
l Decide what you want. It’s hard to motivate an aimless mind. Set a goal and decide how you are going to go about it. Then break it down into smaller sections so it’s easier to handle and less overwhelming.（势不可挡）
l Keep track of your progress. Keep a log or journal where you can measure how much you have accomplished. Looking at it can also motivate you to keep pushing ahead.
l Post motivating pictures or slogans within your sight. It is always inspiring to see pictures of people who have accomplished what you’re going for. It makes it attainable and realistic. Likewise, little slogans like “go for it” or “just do it” can give you the little support you need.    
l Sometimes we forget what we set out to do and a little reminder is all we need to be revitalized (激活) and focus on the end result. If you remind yourself to go for the desired promotion, it will re-establish why you are doing what you’re doing.
l Make it a habit. Once you have accomplished your objective, e.g. becoming an early riser, keep it up so that it’s second nature to you and you don’t have to think about it anymore.
64. According to the author, some people fail to achieve their goals because ________.
A. they don’t have enough desire
B. their life is filled with routine work
C. they benefit from the force of habit
D. they naturally put off forming new habits
65. It can be inferred from the underlined sentence that ________.
A. self-motivation needs repeated self-reminding of one’s goal
B. in modern society people tend to become forgetful
C. when we forget our goal, our life becomes meaningless
D. we can achieve our goal only by focusing on the end result
66. To get moving on your goal, you can do the following EXCEPT ________.
A. keep a diary to clearly judge your distance to your goal
B. make self-improvement your second nature
C. forget your aim and revitalize yourself with slogans
D. support yourself by hanging inspiring pictures in your house
67. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. Set Goals in Your Life                                          B. Get Yourself Motivated
C. Get into Good Habits                                          D. Do Not Postpone

To be able to motivate oneself, or self-motivate, occurs when a person has the willingness to do something and is internally(内在地) motivated to do it．
Sometimes it’s very difficult to get ourselves moving．The natural tendency is to postpone．Life just seems to get in the way! There is a job to go to, groceries to do, television to watch—whoops! I guess we get pretty good at finding excuses to escape getting started on goals like an exercise routine or reading a new book．The fact is that we are creatures of routine and habit．So what can we do to motivate ourselves to accomplish our goals? 
Here are some tips on how to get moving:
Decide what you want．It’s hard to motivate an aimless mind．Set a goal and decide how you are going to go about it．Then break it down into smaller sections so it’s easier to handle and less overwhelming．（势不可挡）
Keep track of your progress．Keep a log or journal where you can measure how much you have accomplished．Looking at it can also motivate you to keep pushing ahead．
Post motivating pictures or slogans within your sight．It is always inspiring to see pictures of people who have accomplished what you’re going for．It makes it attainable and realistic．Likewise, little slogans like “go for it” or “just do it” can give you the little support you need．    
Sometimes we forget what we set out to do and a little reminder is all we need to be revitalized (激活) and focus on the end result．If you remind yourself to go for the desired promotion, it will re-establish why you are doing what you’re doing．
Make it a habit．Once you have accomplished your objective, e．g．becoming an early riser, keep it up so that it’s second nature to you and you don’t have to think about it anymore．
【小题1】According to the author, some people fail to achieve their goals because ________．

People always say that if God closed a door in front of you, there must be a window opened for you. Yes, people always say that, but  31  is the window for me?

I’m not disappointed, just a little worried  32  as my roommate said, “Why are you angry with yourself once you  33  to do anything?” I had no idea. I just can’t  34  myself if I can understand some easy things. Now, I just feel  35  with myself because I couldn’t finish the assignment(任务) on the lab, and what was  36  worse was that actually I didn’t understand what the  37  was! Fiona asked me why I didn’t  38  for help. The problem is that if I have to ask some silly questions, I will feel  39 .

Before I came here, I was confident. But I have totally  40  it. Sometimes I can’t even find the right words: sometimes I am too shy to  41  others. I have to admit that I am  42 .

The wisest people are always  43  who can take advantage of others’ wisdom. But I was so stupid as to close myself and  44  a lot of time soaking inside the workbook,  45  made me more confused. Why can’t I follow the sentence? I am  46  to get help the next time I have any questions. I can  47  I am not smart, But I shouldn’t hide it. I must  48  it as soon as possible. 49  I will have to waste much more time on it ---just like tonight.

Difficulties always go with me. Go  50  ! I can make it.

1.A. which                            B. what                       C. where             D. why

2.A. or                            B. and                                     C. but          D. while

3.A. want                       B. decide            C. fail                      D. like

4.A. believe               B. like                      C. delight      D. forgive

5.A. unsatisfied         B. satisfied        C. happy         D. worry

6.A. very                     B. even                            C. quite                D. fairly

7.A. lab                       B. assignment          C. problem      D. question

8.A. look                    B. thank                C. search            D. ask

9.A. shamed              B. upset                        C. comfortable          D. sorry

10.A. forgot                 B. made                      C. lost                           D. took

11.A. disturb              B. help                                  C. greet             D. communicate

12.A. smart                         B. clever                      C. wrong            D. stupid

13.A. these                          B. those                       C. ones                        D. the ones

14.A. spend                         B. cost                                   C. kill                            D. waste

15.A. that                    B. what                                  C. which             D. as

16.A. determined               B. willing                      C. content                   D. ready

17.A. say                     B. announce                        C. explain           D. admit

18.A. answer                       B. solve                        C. work out                 D. finish

19.A. However           B. Thus                                  C. Otherwise     D. Hopefully

20.A. ahead                         B. on                                      C. down                       D. up

To be able to motivate oneself, or self-motivate, occurs when a person has the willingness to do something and is internally(内在地) motivated to do it．

Sometimes it’s very difficult to get ourselves moving．The natural tendency is to postpone．Life just seems to get in the way! There is a job to go to, groceries to do, television to watch—whoops! I guess we get pretty good at finding excuses to escape getting started on goals like an exercise routine or reading a new book．The fact is that we are creatures of routine and habit．So what can we do to motivate ourselves to accomplish our goals? 

Here are some tips on how to get moving:

Decide what you want．It’s hard to motivate an aimless mind．Set a goal and decide how you are going to go about it．Then break it down into smaller sections so it’s easier to handle and less overwhelming．（势不可挡）

Keep track of your progress．Keep a log or journal where you can measure how much you have accomplished．Looking at it can also motivate you to keep pushing ahead．

Post motivating pictures or slogans within your sight．It is always inspiring to see pictures of people who have accomplished what you’re going for．It makes it attainable and realistic．Likewise, little slogans like “go for it” or “just do it” can give you the little support you need．    

Sometimes we forget what we set out to do and a little reminder is all we need to be revitalized (激活) and focus on the end result．If you remind yourself to go for the desired promotion, it will re-establish why you are doing what you’re doing．

Make it a habit．Once you have accomplished your objective, e．g．becoming an early riser, keep it up so that it’s second nature to you and you don’t have to think about it anymore．

1.According to the author, some people fail to achieve their goals because ________．

2.It can be inferred from the underlined sentence that ________．

3.To get moving on your goal, you can do the following EXCEPT ________．

4.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

People always say that if God closed a door in front of you, there must be a window opened for you. Yes, people always say that, but  31  is the window for me?
I’m not disappointed, just a little worried  32  as my roommate said, “Why are you angry with yourself once you  33  to do anything?” I had no idea. I just can’t  34  myself if I can understand some easy things. Now, I just feel  35  with myself because I couldn’t finish the assignment(任务) on the lab, and what was  36  worse was that actually I didn’t understand what the  37  was! Fiona asked me why I didn’t  38  for help. The problem is that if I have to ask some silly questions, I will feel  39 .
Before I came here, I was confident. But I have totally  40  it. Sometimes I can’t even find the right words: sometimes I am too shy to  41  others. I have to admit that I am  42 .
The wisest people are always  43  who can take advantage of others’ wisdom. But I was so stupid as to close myself and  44  a lot of time soaking inside the workbook,  45  made me more confused. Why can’t I follow the sentence? I am  46  to get help the next time I have any questions. I can  47  I am not smart, But I shouldn’t hide it. I must  48  it as soon as possible. 49  I will have to waste much more time on it ---just like tonight.
Difficulties always go with me. Go  50  ! I can make it.

To be able to motivate oneself, or self-motivate, occurs when a person has the willingness to do something and is internally(内在地) motivated to do it.

Sometimes it’s very difficult to get ourselves moving. The natural tendency is to postpone. Life just seems to get in the way! There is a job to go to, groceries to do, television to watch—whoops! I guess we get pretty good at finding excuses to escape getting started on goals like an exercise routine or reading a new book. The fact is that we are creatures of routine and habit. So what can we do to motivate ourselves to accomplish our goals? 

Here are some tips on how to get moving:

Decide what you want. It’s hard to motivate an aimless mind. Set a goal and decide how you are going to go about it. Then break it down into smaller sections so it’s easier to handle and less overwhelming.（势不可挡）

Keep track of your progress. Keep a log or journal where you can measure how much you have accomplished. Looking at it can also motivate you to keep pushing ahead.

Post motivating pictures or slogans within your sight. It is always inspiring to see pictures of people who have accomplished what you’re going for. It makes it attainable and realistic. Likewise, little slogans like “go for it” or “just do it” can give you the little support you need.     

Sometimes we forget what we set out to do and a little reminder is all we need to be revitalized (激活) and focus on the end result. If you remind yourself to go for the desired promotion, it will re-establish why you are doing what you’re doing.

Make it a habit. Once you have accomplished your objective, e.g. becoming an early riser, keep it up so that it’s second nature to you and you don’t have to think about it anymore.

64. According to the author, some people fail to achieve their goals because ________.

A. they don’t have enough desire

B. their life is filled with routine work

C. they benefit from the force of habit

D. they naturally put off forming new habits

65. It can be inferred from the underlined sentence that ________.

A. self-motivation needs repeated self-reminding of one’s goal

B. in modern society people tend to become forgetful

C. when we forget our goal, our life becomes meaningless

D. we can achieve our goal only by focusing on the end result

66. To get moving on your goal, you can do the following EXCEPT ________.

A. keep a diary to clearly judge your distance to your goal

B. make self-improvement your second nature

C. forget your aim and revitalize yourself with slogans

D. support yourself by hanging inspiring pictures in your house

67. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

   A. Set Goals in Your Life                             B. Get Yourself Motivated

   C. Get into Good Habits                              D. Do Not Postpone

To be able to motivate oneself, or self-motivate, occurs when a person has the willingness to do something and is internally(内在地) motivated to do it.

Sometimes it’s very difficult to get ourselves moving. The natural tendency is to postpone. Life just seems to get in the way! There is a job to go to, groceries to do, television to watch—whoops! I guess we get pretty good at finding excuses to escape getting started on goals like an exercise routine or reading a new book. The fact is that we are creatures of routine and habit. So what can we do to motivate ourselves to accomplish our goals? 

Here are some tips on how to get moving:

Decide what you want. It’s hard to motivate an aimless mind. Set a goal and decide how you are going to go about it. Then break it down into smaller sections so it’s easier to handle and less overwhelming.（势不可挡）

Keep track of your progress. Keep a log or journal where you can measure how much you have accomplished. Looking at it can also motivate you to keep pushing ahead.

Post motivating pictures or slogans within your sight. It is always inspiring to see pictures of people who have accomplished what you’re going for. It makes it attainable and realistic. Likewise, little slogans like “go for it” or “just do it” can give you the little support you need.     

Sometimes we forget what we set out to do and a little reminder is all we need to be revitalized (激活) and focus on the end result. If you remind yourself to go for the desired promotion, it will re-establish why you are doing what you’re doing.

Make it a habit. Once you have accomplished your objective, e.g. becoming an early riser, keep it up so that it’s second nature to you and you don’t have to think about it anymore.

64. According to the author, some people fail to achieve their goals because ________.

A. they don’t have enough desire

B. their life is filled with routine work

C. they benefit from the force of habit

D. they naturally put off forming new habits

65. It can be inferred from the underlined sentence that ________.

A. self-motivation needs repeated self-reminding of one’s goal

B. in modern society people tend to become forgetful

C. when we forget our goal, our life becomes meaningless

D. we can achieve our goal only by focusing on the end result

66. To get moving on your goal, you can do the following EXCEPT ________.

A. keep a diary to clearly judge your distance to your goal

B. make self-improvement your second nature

C. forget your aim and revitalize yourself with slogans

D. support yourself by hanging inspiring pictures in your house

67. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

   A. Set Goals in Your Life                             B. Get Yourself Motivated

   C. Get into Good Habits                              D. Do Not Postpone

People always say that if God closed a door in front of you, there must be a window opened for you. Yes, people always say that, but  31  is the window for me?

I’m not disappointed, just a little worried  32  as my roommate said, “Why are you angry with yourself once you  33  to do anything?” I had no idea. I just can’t  34  myself if I can understand some easy things. Now, I just feel  35  with myself because I couldn’t finish the assignment(任务) on the lab, and what was  36  worse was that actually I didn’t understand what the  37  was! Fiona asked me why I didn’t  38  for help. The problem is that if I have to ask some silly questions, I will feel  39 .

Before I came here, I was confident. But I have totally  40  it. Sometimes I can’t even find the right words: sometimes I am too shy to  41  others. I have to admit that I am  42 .

The wisest people are always  43  who can take advantage of others’ wisdom. But I was so stupid as to close myself and  44  a lot of time soaking inside the workbook,  45  made me more confused. Why can’t I follow the sentence? I am  46  to get help the next time I have any questions. I can  47  I am not smart, But I shouldn’t hide it. I must  48  it as soon as possible. 49  I will have to waste much more time on it ---just like tonight.

Difficulties always go with me. Go  50  ! I can make it.

31. A. which                     B. what                    C. where          D. why

32. A. or                          B. and                          C. but                  D. while

33. A. want                     B. decide               C. fail                 D. like

34. A. believe             B. like                     C. delight        D. forgive

35. A. unsatisfied                 B. satisfied           C. happy            D. worry

36. A. very                          B. even                      C. quite                 D. fairly

37. A. lab                         B. assignment          C. problem       D. question

38. A. look                        B. thank                C. search               D. ask

39. A. shamed             B. upset                    C. comfortable      D. sorry

40. A. forgot               B. made                       C. lost                   D. took

41. A. disturb                       B. help                         C. greet                D. communicate

42. A. smart                        B. clever                       C. wrong               D. stupid

43. A. these                         B. those                        C. ones                 D. the ones

44. A. spend                        B. cost                         C. kill                    D. waste

45. A. that                           B. what                        C. which               D. as

46. A. determined                 B. willing               C. content             D. ready

47. A. say                            B. announce                  C. explain              D. admit

48. A. answer                      B. solve                        C. work out           D. finish

49. A. However                    B. Thus                        C. Otherwise         D. Hopefully

50. A. ahead                        B. on                            C. down                D. up