1 . Whether an individual is considering starting a small business or changing career paths, passion must be taken into account. While characteristics such as strong values, talent, ambition, intellect, discipline, persistence (毅力), and luck all contribute to business and career success, following your passion can often make the most significant difference of all.
Before discussing passion and explaining its significance, we must first define the true meaning of success. Success is usually thought of as making large sums of wealth or achieving a certain level of fame, but true success that satisfies is not all about money.
Success is better defined as an achievement of a desired aim or purpose. More than money or fame, most people desire to combine their own passions with their work while making a sustainable income. The more you earn, the less money returns, making money an elusive (难以捉摸的) definition of success.
For most people, success means being proud of their achievements and being part of something that matters. This is particularly true when it comes to meaningful work. If an individual decides to follow their passion, there is a greater likelihood that money and traditional success will follow because the time and effort invested in the adventure come with enthusiasm and zeal (热情).
If enthusiasm and passion are present, people tend to be more resilient (有承受力) when encountering obstacles. People who are passionate about what they do, rather than just "in it for the money," tend to be people who have more positive outlooks and can overcome difficulty through problem-solving.
Also, the more passionate someone is about their job, the more inclined (倾向于) they are to work hard on self-improvement, increasing their chances of success.
One of the most successful companies in the world is Apple. Apple's founder and most remarkable leader was the late Steve Jobs. In an article titled “The Seven Success Principles of Steve Jobs”, writer Carmine Gallo outlines seven factors responsible for Jobs’ success. The article is based on interviews with Apple employees and Steve Jobs himself. The first principle? “Do what you love.” Steve Jobs believed in the power of passion and once said, “People with passion can change the world for the better.” Jobs claimed that his passion for his work made all the difference.
1. In writing Paragraph 1, the author aims to ________.| A．introduce the topic | B．make a comparison |
| C．present an argument | D．propose a definition |
| A．sometimes you don’t get much reward for your hard work |
| B．money doesn't always define success |
| C．if you want to be successful, you need a steady income |
| D．the more you earn, the less money returns, which is not a sign of success |
| A．Most people intend to choose meaningful jobs. |
| B．If you follow most people's course, success is just around the corner. |
| C．Working with enthusiasm is more likely to succeed. |
| D．If you are always proud of yourself, you will succeed easily. |
| A．situations | B．risks | C．threats | D．difficulties |
| A．Steve Jobs and His Success Principles |
| B．Follow Your Passions, and Success Will Follow |
| C．Secrets to Success |
| D．Passion and Your Career |
2 . In 1910, the Los Angeles Times ran a story about a boy who was charged with opening a valve (阀门) on a water pump powered by a steam engine to release the built-up pressure. His whole job consisted of staring at these machines all day, which was incredibly boring. The “ lazy ” boy then invented a release for the pump to run just as it should and won his freedom. The first automatic steam engine was born.
This story may be fictional, but the boy’s behavior reflects a deeper truth. When we are feeling lazy, we often search for an easier way, trying to update the process and save time and effort. In other words, laziness can drive innovation.
In recent years, some psychologists and business leaders have wised up to this insight, changing our perspective of what laziness really means. Both Bill Gates and Walter Chrysler have been credited with a quote: “ I always choose a lazy person to do a hard job because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it. ”
Our brains are born for laziness. Compared with our ancestors who had to conserve energy to compete for food, flee from predators, and fight, we now don’t take survival as a daily issue. It seems natural that we would choose to be “lazier” , but the opposite has occurred. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans sleep less and work more than we used to; productivity per worker has gone up 400 percent since 1950. Our culture teaches us that our worth depends on how industrious we are, so we work even harder to produce even more.
But there’s one big paradox (悖论), sad but true: The harder we work, the less productive we are. When demand increases, we tend to push harder. Yet the trouble is that, without any refresh and recharge, we are less efficient, make more mistakes, and get less engaged with what we’re doing.
Therefore, how can we make our labor more meaningful and our lives more fulfilling? Current research in psychology and neuroscience points to a new understanding of the value of the wandering mind. Taking breaks and allowing your thoughts to drift can help your brain retain information, refocus, and gain fresh perspective.
Here’s the core problem: When the time finally comes to put our feet up, we often don’t know how. We have little training in how to be idle. But at least give it a shot. Maybe this week, notice some downtime in your day, some white space in your calendar. Instead of filling the space with more work, just sit in the sofa, and be, in the words of poet Mary Oliver, “ idle and blessed. ”
1. The author tells the story in paragraph 1 to prove ______.| A．the kid needs punishing | B．boredom enhances productivity |
| C．creativity contributes to laziness | D．laziness inspires new ideas |
| A．By listing some numbers of being lazy. |
| B．By quoting some great figures’ words. |
| C．By making a comparison between two great figures. |
| D．By giving examples of how to be creative. |
| A．People nowadays don’t have to face poverty. | B．Modern society honors creativity. |
| C．Americans lives a poorer life than before. | D．Ancestors consider industry as a value. |
| A．Working 24 -7 with a tight schedule. |
| B．Taking three part-time jobs to fill weekends. |
| C．Watching a stand-up comedy after a busy weekday. |
| D．Attending a formal dinner with business purpose. |
| A．compare the previous understanding of idleness to the new |
| B．persuade people to give up the value of hard work |
| C．criticize the irresponsible attitude towards life |
| D．encourage people to keep refreshed for better work and life |
3 . It is an ancient Chinese tradition to cherish grain. In ancient China, farming promoted the development of civilization so people regarded grain as a God. The ancient people firmly believed that “food is the most important thing for the people”. The earth God “She” and the grain God “Ji” were the earliest gods worshipped by our ancestors and the country was called “Sheji”.
Chinese believe in food conservation. Scholars have strongly advocated that “every single grain is fruit of hard work” and nothing should be wasted. Strong daily practices are associated with “respecting” the grain. Families that run out of rice never leave their container completely empty. There is always a little rice left in it. Parts of the poultry (家禽) and livestock that are unsuitable to be the main dishes are always deliciously cooked.
Food also helps bring people together. In Chinese culture, “Ju” (get together)is a very particular word. There are many ways to get together, but the word “Can” is usually added to it in case of festivals, birthday celebrations, moving to new houses, weddings and funeral. “Ju Can”(get together and have dinner)is an important way for Chinese families to bond.
But these ordinarily frugal (节俭的) people often end up wasting food during “Ju Can”. Some reports show that the annual waste of grain in China is close to 6% of the total grain output, of which, the waste rate of a large party is as high as 38%. The food waste is driven by people’s flamboyant nature-they think the plates must be full and taking away packed food from a party is “disgraceful”. The dishes at a dinner party have become a symbol of a person’s wealth and having too many dishes at the menu has become fashionable, thus promoting waste.
Small to a person, a family, big to a country, the whole human race, to survive, to develop, we have to be frugal. Being frugal does not mean being mean, it simply means one is wise enough not to waste food. If the culture of diligence and frugality is more widespread in all countries, it would provide for a stronger foundation for national security and family happiness.
1. Why does the author mention “Sheji” in Paragraph 1?| A．To prove China enjoys a long history. |
| B．To explain Chinese tradition of cherishing food. |
| C．To show farming promoted Chinese civilization. |
| D．To clarify who is the earliest god in China. |
| A．Chinese cuisine is diverse. |
| B．Chinese don’t waste food. |
| C．The ancient Chinese lived a difficult life. |
| D．Chinese are skillful at cooking delicious food. |
| A．The disgraceful behaviour in “Ju Can”. |
| B．The human nature revealed in food waste. |
| C．How much food Chinese people waste in “Ju Can”. |
| D．The food waste in “Ju Can” and the reason behind it. |
| A．showy | B．generous | C．unique | D．hardworking |
| A．Farming is crucial to China’s development. |
| B．Food plays a vital role in bringing people together. |
| C．We should cherish food and form the habit of frugality. |
| D．We mustn’t leave the container completely empty in case of tunning out of food. |
4 . Why are so many people unhappy in their jobs? There are two primary reasons. First, some people are convinced that earning a living is wasting time that they could spend enjoying themselves or uncovering their true talents.
If this is the case with you, recall your last long vacation. Was it two weeks of complete enjoyment? More likely it was a week and a half of fun in the sun, with another half a week of “Boy, I can’t wait to get back to work.”If you didn’t feel such vacation blues, then imagine taking a leave of absence. You could use it to work on a novel, attend classes or just sit around watching TV. At the end of three months, in all likelihood, your self-respect would be at an all-time low. While all work and no play are not good, all play and no work are disastrous. We need to feel we are accomplishing something. We also need some form of order in our lives.
The second and perhaps more common reason for people not to like their work is that they feel trapped. Once you’ve been at a company for five years and get married, have a mortgage(抵押贷款)and a child, you often feel you have very little choice about jumping ship if things aren’t turning out as you’d planned. A steady paycheck can be the biggest restrict of all. People hate having to do something because they have no other choice.
If you find yourself hating your job, your option takes the form of an up-to-date resume(简历). You might also take a weekly glance through the help-wanted section, and make some visits to industry functions where low-key networking can take place. You’re not giving up on your current job. Rather, you are providing yourself with an option. If things get unbearable at work, you could jump ship.
At the core of adopting a positive attitude to your workplace is, above all, assuming responsibility for your own situation. Most people feel controlled by their environment, but they really aren’t. They have to learn to manage that environment so they can get from it what they need.
1. Why do some people believe that working is wasting time?| A．They think it can’t make them happy and display their natural abilities. |
| B．They think it prevents them from accompanying their families. |
| C．It can’t guarantee they can get the payoff satisfying their needs. |
| D．It makes them have no time to do their private things at will. |
| A．they have been working in a company for too long | B．they have no other way out but to keep working |
| C．they have to work to pay off their debts | D．they are not permitted to change a job |
| A．you have made a decision on your own |
| B．you have done wonders in your current job |
| C．you have chance to choose between two alternatives |
| D．you have chance to glance through the help-wanted section |
| A．thinks holding an “up-to-date resume” is the best way to remove the unhappiness in one’s job |
| B．can hardly tolerate one’s complete enjoyment of life |
| C．believes that one cannot change his/her environment |
| D．will support the idea that one should make a balance between working and enjoying life |
| A．Cautious. | B．Negative. | C．Supportive. | D．Unconcerned. |
