1、 2017 2016 The word proactivity is fairly common in management literature, but you won t find it in the dictionary. It means that as a human being you take responsibility for your own life. Look at the word responsibility: ability to choose your response, response-ability. Effective people are proac
2、tive because they take responsibility. Their behavior is a product of their own decisions, based on values, rather than being a product of their own conditions, based on feelings. For instance, you are planning a picnic with your family. You re excited. You have all the preparations, Youve decided w
3、here to go, and then it becomes stormy, killing your plan. Proactive people carry weather within them. They realize what their purpose really was, and they creatively have a picnic elsewhere even if its in their own basement with some special games, and make the best of that situation. The opposite
4、of being proactive is to be reactive. Reactive people would say, Whats the use?We cant do anything. Oh this is so upsetting after all of our preparations and arrangements. They try to persuade the people around them and usually the picnic will be cancelled. Being proactive is really just being true
5、to your human nature. Your basic nature is to act, and not to be acted upon. Thats true, despite widely accepted theories of determinism used to explain human nature. Determinism says that you dont really choose anything and that what you call choices are nothing more than automatic responses to out
6、side conditions. The language of reactive people is lie:I cant . Dont have time. I have to . I must. The whole spirit of that language is the transfer of responsibility. They think things are determined by their environment, or by their conditions, or by their conditioning or their genetic makeup. P
7、sychologically, people who believe they are determined will produce the evidence to support the belief, and they increasingly feel victimized and out of control. Theyre not in charge of their life at all. On the contrary, a proactive person exercises free will, the freedom to choose the response tha
8、t best applies to his values. In that way, he gains control over the circumstances, rather than being controlled by them. 1. According to the passage, a proactive persons behavior can result from . A. The environment B. an inner belief C. the genetic makeup D. a temporary feeling 2. When a picnic pl
9、an is threatened by a sudden storm, reactive people will probably . A. have the picnic as planned B. make the best of the picnic C. complain and give up the picnic D. find somewhere else for the picnic 3. What does carry weather within them in the second paragraph probably mean? A. Manage to improve
10、 the weather. B. Give in to the weather passively. C. Stress the influence of the weather. D. Find a solution to the weather problems. 4. It can be concluded from the passage that determinists( ) . A. accept things passively B. are in charge of themselves C. are similar to proactive people D. respon
11、d to outside conditions actively 1. B Being proactive is really just being true to your human nature. You basic nature is to act, and not to be acted upon. B 2. C They try to persuade the people around them and usually the picnic will be cancelled. 3. D They realize what their purpose really was, an
12、d they creatively have a picnic elsewhere even if its in their own basement with some special games 4. A They think things are determined by their environment, or by their conditions, or by their conditioning or their genetic makeup. 2016 * A B C D I prefer Lynne Trusss phraseology: I am a grammar s
13、ticker. And, like Truss author of Eats, shoots & Leaves I have a zero tolerance approach to grammar mistakes that make people look stupid. Now, Truss and I disagree on what it means to have zero tolerance. She thinks that people who mix up basic grammar deserve to be struck by lightning, hacked ( )
14、up on the spot and buried in an unmarked grave, while I just think they deserve to be passed over for a job even if they are otherwise qualified for the position. Everyone who applies for a position at either of my companies, iFixit or Dozuki, takes a compulsory grammar test. If job hopefuls cant di
15、stinguish between to and too, their applications go into the bin. Of course, we write for a living. iF is the worlds largest online repair manual ( ), and Dozuki helps companies write their own technical documentation, like paperless work instructions and step-by-step user manuals. So, it makes sens
16、e that weve made a strong strike against grammar errors. But grammar is relevant for all companies. Yes, language is constantly changing, but that doesnt make grammar unimportant. Good grammar is credibility, especially on the Internet. And, for better or worse, people judge you if you cant tell the
17、 difference between their there and theyre. Good grammar makes good business sense and not just when it comes to hiring writers. Writing isnt in the official job description of most people in our office. Still, we give our grammar test to everybody, including our salespeople, our operations staff, a
18、nd our programmers. Grammar signifies more than just a persons ability to remember high school English. Ive found that people who make fewer mistakes on a grammar test also make fewer mistakes when they are doing something completely unrelated to writing like stocking shelves or labeling parts. It i
19、s the same with programmers. Applicants who dont think writing is important are likely to think lots of other things also arent important. 12. The author agrees with Lynne Truss in that _. A. grammar mistakes cant be tolerated B. books on grammar make people stupid C. people need to learn basic gram
20、mar D. grammar mistakes are absolutely unavoidable 13. Whats the authors zero tolerance approach to these job seekers who mix up basic grammar? A. They should be left out for a job. B. They have to correct their mistakes. C. They arent qualified for their jobs. D. They must be severely punished. 14.
21、 Which of the following is TRUE of iFixit and Dozuki? A. Only one of them has a compulsory grammar test. B. They are companies where one learns grammar. C. Grammar is quite important for their existence. D. They depend on grammar correction for a living. 15. What can we learn from the text? A. Compa
22、nies giving grammar tests may have no good business sense. B. Grammar becomes unimportant as language is constantly changing. C. A zero tolerance approach to grammar errors might seem a little unfair. D. People who pay attention to writing may pay attention to other things. 12 15 AACD Most musicians
23、 agree that the best violins were made in Italy. They were made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago. These violins sound better than any others. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins. But they arent the sa
24、me. Musicians still prefer the old ones. No one really knows why these old Italian violins are so special, but many people think they have an answer. Some people think it is the age of the violins. They say that todays violins will also sound wonderful someday. But there is a problem here. Not all o
25、ld violins sound wonderful. Only those from Cremona are special. So age cannot be the answer. There must be something different about Cremona or those Italian violins makers. Other people think the secret to those violins is wood. The wood of the violin is very important. It must be from certain kin
26、ds of the trees. It must not be too young or too old. Perhaps the violin makers of Cremona knew something special about wood for violins. But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to b
27、e the right size and shape. The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this was the secret of the Italians. Maybe they understood more than we do about how to cut the wood. Size and shape may not be the answer either. Scientists measured these old vio
28、lins very carefully. They can make new ones that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old ones. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish, which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instr
29、ument. No one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish. So no one can make the same varnish today. There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona. Their secret may be lost forever. Young musicians today hope this is not true. They need fine violins. But there arent ve
30、ry many of the old violins left. Also, the old violins are very expensive. Recently, a famous old Italian violin was sold for about US$300,000! 1. This passage is about . A. making violins B. musical instruments C. scientific ideas D. the old Italian voilins D No one really knows why these old Itali
31、an violins are so special, but many people think they have an answer. There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona. Their secret may be lost forever. D 2. The best violins . A. are made with modern techniques B. were lost many years ago C. were made in Italy 200 years ago D. were mad
32、e by scientists C Most musicians agree that the best violins were made in Italy. They were made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago. C 3. Some people think that modern violins . A. will sound better in the future B. will sound worse in the future C. sound wonderful and natural D. will never be as
33、 old as those from Cremona A They say that todays violins will also sound wonderful someday. A B C D 4. Violins made today . A. look the same as the old ones B. sound the same as the old ones C. are better than the old ones D. have the same varnish as the old ones A They can make new ones that are e
34、xactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old ones. A B C No one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish. So no one can make the same varnish today. D A B C D 2014 Tess was eight years old. Her little brother Andrew was very sick and the
35、ir parents were completely out of money. She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother, “Only a miracle can save him now.“ Tess took her money and made her way six blocks to Rexalls Drug Store. “And what do you want?“ the chemist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. “Im talking to my brother from Chicago
36、whom I havent seen for ages.“ “Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,“ Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. “Hes really sick. He has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?“ “We dont sell miracles here,
37、little girl. Im sorry but I cant help you,“ the chemist said, softening a little. “Listen, I can help you.“ The chemists brother was a well-dressed man. He asked Tess, “What kind of miracle does your brother need?“ “I dont know,“ Tess replied. “Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy cant pay
38、 for it, so I want to use my money.“ “How much do you have?“ asked the man from Chicago. “One dollar and eleven cents,“ Tess answered. “And its all the money I have, but I can get some more, if I need to.“ “Well what a coincidence ( ),“ smiled the man. “A dollar and eleven cents the exact price of a
39、 miracle for your little brother. Take me to where you live. Lets see if 1 have the kind of miracle you need.“ That man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon in neurosurgery ( ). The operation was completed without charge and it wasnt long until Andrew was home again and doing well Tess smiled. She k
40、new exactly how much a miracle cost one dollar and eleven cents plus the faith of a little child. 56. What can we learn from the first paragraph? A. Tesss brother would recover because there was a miracle. B. Tesss brother would die because his family had no money to treat his illness. C. Tesss fami
41、ly would look for a miracle to treat Andrews illness. D. Andrew should go to hospital for a miracle. 57. Why did the chemist get annoyed first A. Because he was a nervous man B. Because Tess didnt buy his medicine. C. Because Tess had bothered him and his brother. D. Because Tess was poorly dressed. 58. What can we learn about Dr. Carlton Armstrong? A. He was a stone hearted man. B. He cared for only a little money. C. He never helped others unless given a lot of money D. He was a kind gentleman and ready to help others. 59. What can be the best title A. A dying b
