Most people follow others blindly just under the effect of peer (同辈) pressure or because they feel it safe to follow a large number of people. In some rare cases it might be right to follow the crowd, but in most cases this can be a big mistake. Actually there are reasons why we shouldn’t follow the crowd blindly.
According to a study, people often follow the crowd when they aren’t sure about the direction they should take. This means a large number of people could be following others without understanding what’s right and what’s wrong! This makes more people follow and as a result most people move in a certain direction even if it isn’t right.
A man who wants to be successful always hopes for others’ guidance and he usually follows the same path of most people, but the question this man never asks himself is: Are all of those people successful? Of course not! If you want to follow a crowd, then follow a successful one. However, in real life you’ll only find one successful person among hundreds of people, and that’s why following the crowd makes no sense at all.
Most people act emotionally without thinking wisely. If you always follow others because they’re greater than you in number, then sooner or later you’ll discover that you’re taking emotional decisions you might regret later.
However, should we never follow the crowd? No. I’m not trying to say you should never follow the crowd, but instead I’m just asking you to think wisely before you take a decision. If you find others are right, there is no problem in following them, but if you have doubts about the direction they’re moving in, don’t follow them blindly.
1. According to the text, most people like to follow others partly because______.| A．they don't know what to do |
| B．they believe they take the right direction |
| C．they are affected by their peers |
| D．they want to make good impressions on people |
| A．Do what most people do. |
| B．Follow a successful man. |
| C．Think twice about it. |
| D．Sum up the mistakes they have made. |
| A．It is wrong to follow other people. |
| B．It takes time to think wisely. |
| C．You shouldn’t be sorry for what you have done. |
| D．You should use your brain before following others. |
| A．Effects of following others. |
| B．Reasons for not following others blindly. |
| C．Advantages of making wise decisions. |
| D．Ways of finding successful people to follow. |
(①=Para 1, ②=Para 2, ③=Para 3, ④=Para 4, ⑤=Para 5)
A． | B． | C． | D． |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】While facing Monday, most of us may feel depressed. How can we overcome the depression? Here are the tips for you.
List things you desire to do
Instead of focusing on the dull or difficult tasks that lay ahead of you, think about all the good to come.
Sleep to energize
Though this may seem trivial, don’t underestimate the power of an outfit. In fact, psychologists conclude that the strong link between clothing and mood suggests we should put on clothes that we associate with happiness, even when feeling low.
Set a pleasant schedule
After a weekend of fun and taking it easy, it might be best to keep Monday’s schedule a little lighter than other days.
| A．Wear your favorite clothes. |
| B．Sleep has a tremendous effect on our mood. |
| C．What you are wearing makes a deep impression on others. |
| D．This doesn’t mean sitting around and drowning in your blues. |
| E．Sleeping too much is harmful either to our life or to our career. |
| F．Write out some things that you are currently looking forward to. |
| G．Putting less pressure on yourself is a good way to beat the Monday blues. |
【推荐2】Choosing a career is one of those important decisions that can change the course of your life.
Evaluate your work style. The right career for you will be suited to your work style. Do you need the discipline of a structured work environment to do your best?
Identify your skills. Every career requires a different skill set. Sales managers need great leadership skills, and teachers need to be able to communicate effectively with both students and parents.
Remember that things can change. There are a million "Best Careers" lists out there that will say you should have a certain career because you will make a certain amount of money with it.
| A．Determine your goals. |
| B．It deserves considerable time and reflection. |
| C．Take some time to figure out what you're good at. |
| D．Ask questions about the advantages and disadvantages of the job. |
| E．Or do you like setting your own schedule and work independently? |
| F．However, there's no way to totally guarantee job security and stability. |
| G．Are you willing and able to put in that time and the money that comes with it? |
【推荐3】Clever Ways to Use a Leaf Blower (扫叶机)
Your leaf blower can do a lot more than you give it credit for.
Blow away light snow. After a light dusting of snow, grab your leaf blower and clear off your walkways or car in just seconds.
Blow debris (碎屑) out of your car. Maybe the trunk is a mess after you brought home a load of firewood, or the kids spilled dry cereal all over the backseat again. It's a lot easier to grab your leaf blower than it is to haul a vacuum outdoors and dig into every nook and cranny.
| A．Dry outdoor furniture |
| B．Move outdoor furniture |
| C．Move insects without touching them |
| D．Just open all the doors and blow out all the loose debris |
| E．Don't banish it to a dusty corner of the garage until autumn leaves start falling |
| F．It's quicker using a snow brush or shovel if you're dealing with a thin layer of light snow |
| G．It's quicker than using a snow brush or shovel if you're dealing with a thin layer of light snow |
【推荐1】It hadn't been easy, but Elia Gonzalez had always managed to keep her family fed by stretching her husband's modest income as a cook at a restaurant in Puerto Rig's capital, San Juan. But that changed in mid-March, when those bars closed and her daughter's school, where she'd gotten free breakfast and lunch, did too.
By April 20, Elia and her husband had to skip meals to save food for their children. Still, by the end of April, all they could give their children was a bowl of rice with an egg mixed in.
Her sons, 4 and 5-year-olds, would ask for more. But her oldest daughter, Angellia, a talkative kindergartener, tried to comfort her mother.
“She said, 'Mama, I'm still hungry', Elia said, “but she told me it was OK because she was big and could wait until I got more food. That hit me hard."
A study in 2015 found that 22 percent of adults reported skipping meals because they didn't have money for food in Puerto Rico. "Now, the rate is much higher,“ said Jose Caraballo-Cueto, co-author of the study. "The unemployment rate has risen to 46 percent and the average saving rate here is zero. "
The worsening food crisis has brought people in Puerto Rico closer. Christel Galindez, a community leader, has been picking up thirty cooked meals a day from a church near her home and delivering them to different families every day. "Do you know when people are really in need?” Christel asked. "When you show up with a plate of food and they start to cry!"
During her daily food delivery run last Wednesday, she drove up to Elia's front door playing a birthday song through her car's speakers. Angellia rushed out with a big smile and started dancing to the music when Christel handed three containers of food and three cupcakes to her mother.
"Thank you so much. Today happened to be Angellia's sixth birthday. But I had nothing in the kitchen," said Elia, who was struggling to hold back her tears.
1. Where had Elia's daughter got her breakfast and lunch on her schooldays?| A．At home. | B．At her father's restaurant. |
| C．At school. | D．At a church in the neighborhood. |
| A．To summarize the previous paragraphs. | B．To provide answers to the problem. |
| C．To add some background information. | D．To introduce a new topic for discussion. |
| A．She was on her way to help those in need. |
| B．She was sent by a church to deliver food. |
| C．She came to celebrate Elia's birthday. |
| D．She made some cupcakes for the children. |
| A．Angellia, a Lovely Girl | B．The Health Crisis in San Juan |
| C．Crisis Can Bring People Closer | D．Hunger Spreads Quickly in Puerto Rico |
【推荐2】According to the majority of Americans, women are every bit as capable of being good political leaders as men. The same can be said of their ability to dominate the corporate boardroom. And according to a new Pew Research Center survey on women and leadership, most Americans find women indistinguishable from men on key leadership traits such as intelligence and capacity for innovation, with many saying they're stronger than men in terms of being passionate and organized leaders.
So why, then, are women in short supply at the top of government and business in the United States? According to the public, at least, it's not that they lack toughness, management talent or proper skill sets. It’s also not all about work-life balance. Although economic research and previous survey findings have shown that career interruptions related to motherhood may make it harder for women to advance in their careers and compete for top executive jobs, relatively few adults in the recent survey point to this as a key barrier for women seeking leadership roles. Only about one-in-five say women's family responsibilities are a major reason why there aren't more females in top leadership positions in business and politics.
Instead, topping the list of reasons, about four-in-ten Americans point to a double standard for women seeking to climb to the highest levels of either politics or business, where they have to do more than their male counterparts to prove themselves. Similar shares say the electorate and corporate America are just not ready to put more women in top leadership positions.
As a result, the public is divided about whether the imbalance in corporate America will change in the foreseeable future, even though women have made major advances in the workplace. While 53% believe men will continue to hold more top executive positions in business in the future, 44% say it's only a matter of time before as many women are in top executive positions as men. Americans are less doubtful when it comes to politics: 73% expect to see a female president in their lifetime.
1. What do most Americans think of women leaders according to a new Pew Research Center survey?| A．They have to do more to distinguish themselves. |
| B．They have to strive harder to win their positions. |
| C．They are stronger than men in terms of willpower. |
| D．They are just as intelligent and innovative as men. |
| A．They have unconquerable difficulties on their way to success. |
| B．They are lacking in confidence when competing with men. |
| C．Their failures may have something to do with family duties. |
| D．Relatively few are affected in their career advancement. |
| A．Personality traits. | B．Gender bias. |
| C．Family responsibilities. | D．Lack of vacancies. |
| A．More and more women will sit in the boardroom. |
| B．Gender imbalance in leadership is likely to change. |
| C．The public is undecided about whether women will make good leaders. |
| D．People have opposing opinions as to whether it will have more women leaders. |
【推荐3】Many independent Chinese women like to earn their own bread, even if their husbands are already bringing home the bacon. But a recent survey suggests that such women find more joy from relationships, rather than successful careers.
About 73 percent of the 7,000 women surveyed in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou said they would choose to work even if their husbands earned enough for the family. The survey also found that 77 percent define happiness as “enjoying a relationship”.
But striking a balance between career and family can bring challenges to the woman’s career advancement.
“In my company, women usually have an equal or even a higher starting salary than men,”said Li Hua, general manager of Beijing Chuangjiashe Book Circulation Company. “However, as they begin to climb up the career ladder, women often meet problems along the way, while men can climb the ladder more easily.”
Both physical and emotional differences can prevent some women from taking tough positions, Li said. But family life is often the main difficulty for Chinese career women.
Despite these challenges, however, some experts believe it’s reasonable for some women to want to be breadwinners.
“In this way, the roles of a family are decided by the parents’ abilities rather than their gender (性别),” said Gu Donghui, a sociology professor at Fudan University.
Gu says women should have the freedom to decide if they want to stay at home or work to support the family. “Everyone has a different interpretation (解释)of what it means to find self-worth”.
Wang Haibin, an economic expert from Renmin University shares that view: “Traditionally, we tend to regard the family as the cell unit of society. Some members have always been expected to make sacrifices for it. But, it really doesn’t matter who earns more. Economic independence and personal choice is essential for both sexes in the family.”
1. What brings career women more joy and happiness according to the passage?| A．Relationships | B．Money |
| C．Challenges | D．Successful careers |
| A．Physical difference | B．Tough positions |
| C．Family life | D．The career ladder |
| A．their families are poor | B．they have a lot of children |
| C．their husbands do not work | D．they want to show their self-worth |
| A．The wife | B．Either of them |
| C．The husband | D．Neither of them |
After World War II city residents became wealthier. They had more children. They needed more space. They move out of their apartments in the city to buy their own homes. They bought houses in the suburbs areas near a city where people live. These are areas without many offices or factories. During the 1950s the American “dream” was to have a house in the suburbs.
Now things are changing. The children of the people who left the cities in 1950s are now adults. They unlike their parents want to live in the cities. Many young professionals, doctors, lawyers and executives(主管人员) are moving back into the city. Many are single; others are married but often without children. They prefer the city to the suburbs because their jobs are there; they are afraid of the fuel shortage; or they just enjoy the excitement and opportunities which the city offers.
This population shift(转变) is bringing problems as well as benefits. Countless poor people must leave their apartments in the city because the owners want to sell the buildings or make apartments for sale instead of for rent. In the 1950s, many poor people did not have enough money to move to the suburbs; now many of these people do not have enough money to stay in the cities.
Only a few years ago, people thought that the older American cities were dying. Some city residents now see a bright, new future. Others see only problems and conflicts. One thing is for sure：many dying cities are alive again.
1. What does the author think of cities all over the world?
| A．They are alive. | B．They are hopeless. |
| C．They are similar | D．They are different. |
| A．Because older American cities were dying. |
| B．Because they were richer and needed more space. |
| C．Because cities contained the worst parts of society. |
| D．Because they could hardly afford to live in the city. |
| A．are faced with housing problems |
| B．are faced to move to the suburbs |
| C．want to sell their buildings |
| D．need more money for daily expenses |
| A．American cities are changing for the worse |
| B．people have different views on American cities |
| C．many people are now moving from American cities |
| D．the population is decreasing in older American cities |
【推荐2】Why teach kids to forgive?
It’s been more than four decades, but I still can’t forgive what they did to me that summer afternoon. I was 14, walking in the mall with my two “friends”, Roger and Carson. I had introduced them to each other the week before and now they were chatting back-and-forth, leaving me out.
Forty-two years later, Carson died of injuries caused by a motorcycle crash, the bad blood between us unresolved. Roger? I have 4,922 Facebook friends, but he’s not one of them. I delete his every request.
Revenge isn’t so sweet
Revenge (报复) is a powerful emotion; the desire to hurt those who wrong us is a universal quality of human nature. However, research associates not-forgiving with depression, anxiety, and hostility. Multiple studies find a higher rate of heart problems in adults who won’t forgive. On the contrary, children and adults who are able to let go of angry feelings experience greater psychological well-being.
No hard feelings
Despite the evidence that forgiving is good for you, forgiveness has an image problem, originating from a misunderstanding of what forgiveness is and isn’t.
Forgiveness is often thought to be a weak response that minimizes or excuses wrongdoing. These are all misunderstandings, says Loren Toussaint, professor of psychology at Luther College. Forgiveness doesn’t require that the other person apologize. And it doesn’t have to result in reconciliation (和解). Forgiveness simply means you’re letting go of feelings of resentment and revenge. You’re refocusing your thoughts on positive emotions; perhaps even feelings of understanding, empathy, and compassion toward the person who hurt you.
Why it works
When kids are wronged and don’t forgive, they continue to release stress chemicals into their brains, which activate survival emotions such as fear and anger and results in an inhibition (抑制) of the brain’s problem-solving ability, creativity and reasoning.
What happens in the brain when a person forgives is a very different picture. A University of Pisa study found that participants who thought about forgiveness exhibited activation in five brain regions, indicating an increase in positive emotions, understanding of the mental states of others, perception, and control of emotions. “Research supports the connection between forgiveness and improved academic functions,” Toussaint says. “The negative emotions of unforgiveness can be powerful factors that affect children’s attention and focus in the classroom and in their individual studies.”
Okay. I will finally let go of my 50 years of resentment. And I’m moving on. Roger… I accept your FB request… Hi.
1. Why does the writer tell his own story?| A．To share his personal experience of forgiveness. |
| B．To introduce the topic of teaching forgiveness. |
| C．To show his determination to get revenge. |
| D．To express his hatred toward two friends. |
| A．Forgiving should be based on sincere apology. |
| B．Forgiveness will result in refreshed friendship. |
| C．Forgiving people means you are weaker than others. |
| D．Forgiveness means becoming free from negative emotions. |
| A．Forgiveness improves academic performance. |
| B．Forgiveness helps cure psychological diseases. |
| C．Forgiveness heals hurts and is good for the forgiver. |
| D．Forgiveness makes the forgiver an intelligent person. |
| A．inform and explain | B．argue and discuss |
| C．examine and assess | D．compare and evaluate |
【推荐3】Earthquake in Japan. Donald Trump is accused of planting story about actress’s height after she rejected him. Mexico arrests ex-police chief in case of 43 missing students. Do you really need to know all these things?
Three years ago, I began an experiment. I stopped reading all newspapers and magazines. Televisions and radios were rejected. I deleted title news apps from my iPhone. I didn’t touch a single free newspaper and deliberately looked the other way when someone tried to offer me any such reading material. The first weeks were hard. Very hard! I was constantly afraid of missing something. But after a while, I had a new understanding. The result after three years: clearer thoughts, more valuable ideas, better decisions, and much more time. And the best thing? I haven’t missed anything important.
A dozen reasons exist togive news a wide berth. Here are the top three: First, our brain reacts differently to different types of information. Shocking, people-based, fast-changing details all appeal to us. News producers capitalize on this. The result: Everything complex, abstract, and profound(深刻的) must be systematically singled out, even though such stories are much more relevant to our lives and to our understanding of the world. As a result, we walk around with a misrepresented mental map of the risks and threats we actually face.
Second, news is irrelevant. In the past year, you have probably consumed about ten thousand pieces of news. Be very honest: Name one of them, just one that helped you make a better decision－for your life, your career, or your business-compared with not having this piece of news. No one I have asked has been able to name more than two useful news stories—out of ten thousand. News organizations claim that their information gives you a competitive advantage. Too many fall for this. If news really helped people advance, journalists would be at the top of the income pyramid.
Third, news is a waste of time. An average human being spends half a day each week reading about current affairs. This is a huge loss of productivity. Take the 2008 terror attack in Mumbai. Let’s say a billion people viewed the minute-by-minute updates and listened to the chatter of a few “experts” and “commentators.” Thus our conservative calculation: One billion people multiplied by an hour’s distraction equals one billion hours of work stoppage. News wasted around two thousand lives—ten times more than the attack.
I would predict that turning your back on news will benefit you as much as removing any of the other ninety-eight errors we have covered in the pages of this book. Read long background articles and books. Nothing beats books for understanding the world.
1. What does the underlined phrase in Paragraph 3 probably mean?| A．Refuse to read news. | B．Select news carefully. |
| C．Question news. | D．Help spread news. |
| A．represents a competitive advantage | B．offers a mental map of the world |
| C．leads to a loss of productivity | D．brings journalists’ income up |
| A．To offer tips on choosing news. |
| B．To advocate(支持) giving up reading news. |
| C．To share experiences on avoiding news. |
| D．To criticize media's misleading choice of news. |
