2 . Playing sports at school makes people “grittier” and harder working, boosts the chances of achieving long-term goals, and having successful careers, say scientists. The Ohio State University team analyzed National Sports and Society Survey data on almost 4, 000 men and women across the US and asked study participants to rate themselves on a scale of 1-5 on eight statements. They included “I am diligent. I never give up.” And “I am a hard worker”. None of the statements was directly related to sports. 34% of those who did sports as a youngster scored high on the grit scale, compared to 23% of peers who gave up. One in four of those who never played sports ranked low, compared to just 17% of those who did. Lead author Dr. Emily Nothnagle said practicing drills on the field can improve pupils’ lives for decades, adding “The grit they develop from playing sports can help them for the rest of their lives”.
The findings, published in the journal Leisure Sciences, were supported by more sophisticated (复杂的) statistical analyses that accounted for respondents’ demographic (人口的) characteristics. But it appears only children who keep at it-and play continually—get the benefit, say the researchers. Some may just be born with the grit to help them succeed at sports as a young person and then continue to benefit from that trait as an adult. “Quitting could reflect a lack of perseverance, which is a crucial component of grit,” said a researcher. “It could also make quitting an activity, and not persevering, easier the next time.”
Adults who played sports as kids generally perceived the experience helped improve their work ethic, and that perception was linked to their grit scores as adults even though the researchers said people can gain or lose grit throughout life.
1. What does the underlined word “grittier” mean in the 1st paragraph?
| A．More hopeful. | B．More pessimistic. |
| C．More aggressive. | D．More determined. |
2. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?
| A．The survey included a total of 15 statements. |
| B．The survey centered on sports and lifestyle. |
| C．People who did sports at a young age tended to score high on the grit scale. |
| D．The survey was conducted and analyzed by Dr. Emily alone. |
3. How were the findings presented in the journal Leisure Sciences?
| A．By providing experiments. |
| B．By offering some examples. |
| C．By showing differences. |
| D．By analyzing characteristics. |
4. Where is the passage most likely to be taken from?
| A．A biological textbook. | B．A science magazine. |
| C．A travel brochure. | D．An economic paper. |
