By now you’ve probably heard about the “you’re not special” speech, when English teacher David McCullough told graduating seniors at Wellesley High School: "Do not get the idea you're anything special, because you're not." Mothers and fathers present at the ceremony — and a whole lot of other parents across the internet — took issue with McCullough's ego-puncturing words. But lost in the anger and protest was something we really should be taking to heart: our young people actually have no idea whether they're particularly talented or accomplished or not. In our eagerness to elevate their self-esteem, we forgot to teach them how to realistically assess their own abilities, a crucial requirement for getting better at anything from math to music to sports. In fact, it's not just privileged high-school students: we all tend to view ourselves as above average.
Such inflated (膨胀的) self-judgments have been found in study after study, and it's often exactly when we're least competent at a given task that we rate our performance most generously. In a 2006 study published in the journal Medical Education, for example, medical students who scored the lowest on an essay test were the most charitable in their self-evaluations, while high-scoring students judged themselves much more strictly. Poor students, the authors note, "lack insight" into their own inadequacy. Why should this be? Another study, led by Cornell University psychologist David Dunning, offers an enlightening explanation. People who are incompetent, he writes with co-author Justin Kruger, suffer from a "dual burden": they're not good at what they do, and their wry ineptness (笨拙) prevents them from recognizing how bad they are.
In Dunning and Kruger's study, subjects scoring at the bottom of the heap on tests of logic, grammar and humor "extremely overestimated" their talents. Although their test scores put them in the 12th percentile, they guessed they were in the 62nd. What these individuals lacked (in addition to clear logic, proper grammar and a sense of humor) was "metacognitive skill" (元认知技巧): the capacity to monitor how well they're performing. In the absence of that capacity, the subjects arrived at an overly hopeful view of their own abilities. There's a paradox (悖论) here, the authors note: “The skills that develop competence in a particular domain are often the very same skills necessary to evaluate competence in that domain. "In other words, to get better at judging how well we’re doing at an activity, we have to get better at the activity itself.
There are a couple of ways out of this double bind (两难). First, we can learn to make honest comparisons with others. Train yourself to recognize excellence, even when you yourself don't possess it, and compare what you can do against what truly excellent individuals are able to accomplish. Second, seek out feedback that is frequent, accurate and specific. Find a critic who will tell you not only how poorly you're doing, but just what it is that you're doing wrong. As Dunning and Kruger note, success indicates to us that everything went right, but failure is more ambiguous: any number of things could have gone wrong. Use this external feedback to figure out exactly where and when you screwed up.
If we adopt these strategies — and most importantly, teach them to our children — they won't need parents, or a commencement(毕业典礼) speaker, to tell them that they're special. They'll already know that they are, or have a plan to get that way.
1.The underlined phrase "took issue with" in paragraph 1 most probably means .
A.totally approved of B.disagreed with
C.fully understood D.held discussion about
2.The author thinks the problem that shouldn't be overlooked is that .
A.we don’t know whether our young people are talented or not
B.young people can't reasonably define themselves
C.no requirement is set up for young people to get better
D.we always tend to consider ourselves to be privileged
3.Which is NOT mentioned about poor students according to the passage?
A.They lack the capacity to monitor how well they are performing.
B.They usually give themselves high scores in self-evaluations.
C.They tend to be unable to know exactly how bad they are.
D.They are intelligently inadequate in tests and exams.
4.We can infer from the passage that those high-scoring students .
A.are not confident about their logic and grammar
B.tend to be very competent in their high-scoring fields
C.don't know how well they perform due to their stringent self-judgment
D.is very careful about their self-evaluations because they have their own limits
5.The strategies of becoming special suggest that .
A.the best way to recognize excellence is to study past success and failure
B.through comparison with others, one will know where and when he fails
C.we need internal honesty with ourselves and external honesty from others
D.neither parents nor a commencement speaker can tell whether one is special
6.Which can be the best title of this passage?
A.Special or Not? Teach Kids To Figure It Out
B.Let's Admit That We Are Not That Special
C.Tips On Making Ourselves More Special
D.Tell The Truth: Kids Overestimate their Talents
Each country has its own secret to happiness, If "pyt", which closely means “don't worry about it and stuff happens", explains a relaxed attitude of Danish people, "niksen" will reveal how Dutch people combat （对抗）stress and burnout in a fast-paced lifestyle.
The term "niksen" origins from the Dutch word "niks", which refers to "nothing'', Mindfulness, another welcome subject to help people have a peaceful mind. But unlike mindfulness, niksen is not about concentrating on the present moment. It's about letting yourself do nothing, and allowing your mind to run free without expectation.
In practice, this means "hanging around, looking at your surroundings, or listening to music as long as it's without purpose” according to Time Magazine.
Niksen sounds contrary to the advice we were all given as kids. Nowadays, we're constantly told to stay busy and work harder than everyone else. But niksen opposes that mentality( 心态). It offers the chance to "deliciously do nothing", as Carolien Hamming, a coach at CSR Centrum, an organization devoted to fighting stress and burnout in the Netherlands, told Time.
She thinks that niksen is essential to staying healthy, since it’s a form of mental relaxation and healing. Just as a wild animal lies in wait for their prey, niksen seems to be a natural state of being.
For some people, niksen can mean more than just stress reduction. It's also a means to imagine new ideas or plans. As an early adopter（尝试者）of niksen, Jenny Holden, a communications expert in the UK, adds it to her daily lunch breaks. “Within 10 minutes of doing nothing - just staring and listening to myself - my head began to clear and sort out my work and home to-do lists,” she told the MetroUK.
Above all, niksen is a suggestion for balancing work and rest. As Dutch-bom writer Ogla Mecking wrote in US-based Whoolly Magazine, niksen is the "thorough enjoyment of life’s pauses".
Everyone is encouraged to embrace your niksen moments. They revitalize （使恢复元气） you and give you the strength needed to face everyday challenges.
1.What does niksen means?
A.Living in the moment.
B.Leading a healthy lifestyle.
C.Being free and doing nothing.
D.Using your wildest imagination.
2.Holden’s example is to show ____.
A.how niksen improves one's mental health
B.niksen is closely related to stress reduction
C.niksen can shorten the distance between people
D.niksen helps people come up with new thoughts
3.The underlined word "thorough" is closest in meaning to _______.
A.long B.full
C.unexpected D.quiet
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.The introduction to a special Dutch lifestyle.
B.Suggestions on how to balance work and rest.
C.The importance of allowing time to pause life.
D.An explanation of some Danish words about life attitudes.
5.From the passage, we can know that _______.
A.people can restrengthen themselves to face challenges by niksen
B.a wild animal usually lies in wait for their prey just as niksen advices
C.Danish people are stressful and tired because of their special lifestyle
D.Carolien Hamming thinks niksen is the most important way to keep fit
I was 11 years old when asked my mom for piano lessons in 2010. We were in the fallout of the recession(经济衰退). She said a polite "no".
That didn't stop me. I Googled the measurements for a keyboard, drew the keys on a piece of paper and stuck it on my desk. I would click notes on an online keyboard and “play” them back on my paper one - keeping the sound they made on the computer in my head. I spent six months playing without touching a real piano. Once my mom saw that I was serious, she borrowed money and bought me 10 lessons.
I still remember the first one. I was struck by how real the sound of the piano was. I sat my grade one after eight lessons. Once I started secondary school, we couldn't afford lessons again. I passed grade three, then grade five, practicing only on my piece of paper.
One evening, When I was about 13, my mom said she had a surprise for me; it was an electronic keyboard, bought with more borrowed money. It was the first time I'd played for her. She was in shock.
My school didn't offer music A-level. I found the Purcell School for young musicians. The tryouts(选拔) were difficult. Some of the questions involved an estimation (评价) of the composer(作曲家) or when it was written. I felt overwhelmed. To my amazement I was offered a place.
At Purcell, I spent two years working as hard as I could. I performed to raise money and saved enough to buy my first piano.
When I left Purcell, I was awarded the senior piano prize and senior academic music prize. I am now at the Guildhall School in London. I feel proud: it's been 10 years since I drew my paper piano, and I'm at one of the world's leading music schools.
The irony is that I continue to do a lot of my practice away from the piano: What we call mental practice. The paper piano helped spark my curiosity about how music works, the building blocks that form the pieces.
1.Why did the author's mom buy him lessons at last?
A.She suddenly made a fortune.
B.She realized he meant what he said,
C.She had no doubt of his talent for piano.
D.She was shocked by his first performance.
2.Which of the following can best describe the author?
A.Honest. B.Humorous.
C.Determined. D.Rebellious.
3.The word “irony” in the last paragraph shows that the author was .
A.surprised B.proud
C.satisfied D.curious
4.What's the author's main purpose of writing this article?
A.To introduce the method of mental practice.
B.To encourage people to stick to their dreams.
C.To describe how costly it is to learn an instrument.
D.To share how he convinced his mom to buy a piano.
2019 Spring
Evaluation Schedule
For Learn To Skate
MT. KENT ICE CENTER* 900 MOON AVENUE* LEVARD CITY, RI 02916
(103)561-4363 www.mtkent.org
WHO: Skaters of all ages and abilities
Any Preschool & Kindergarten-aged child who has never taken lessons at the Mt. Kent Ice Center needs to make an appointment to be evaluated. Anyone first grade or above does not need an evaluation.
The online registration feature does not apply to the registration for evaluation.
EVALUATIONS: Evaluations help to determine both readiness and class placement. Upon completion of the evaluation, it is recommended that you register for classes with a coach in the ice center office.
A variety of days and times for the evaluations are also listed online and at the Ice Center.
Evaluation registration may be done in person or by phone at 103-561-4363.
EVALUATION DATES AND TIME | |||
DAY | EVALUATION DATES | TIME | EVALUATION FEE |
Saturday | March 9, 2019 | 12:00 p.m. | $5.00 |
Sunday | March 10, 2019 | 12:00 p.m. | $5.00 |
Monday | March 11, 2019 | 10:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. | $5.00 |
Wednesday | March 13, 2019 | 10:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. | $5.00 |
Thursday | March 14, 2019 | 10:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. | $5.00 |
Additional days and times may be added — to be determined by Management
REFUND POLICY: Refund requests must be made a minimum of 7 days before the scheduled appointment. See www.mtkent.org for details.
EVALUATION REGISTRATION :
In person — Stop by the Mt. Kent Recreation Center, ground floor, Monday through Saturday 9:00-11:00 a.m., Sunday l:00-4:00 p.m.
By phone — Call the Ice Center at (103)561-4363 to schedule your skating evaluation appointment.
QUESTIONS: Please call the Mt. Kent Ice Center staff at (103)561-4363
KentALERT — A FREE notification (通知) service (phone, text, e-mail). In the event of an emergency and to provide you with updates about cancellations and recreation department programs and events. Please visit www.mtkent.org, browse Services at the top of the page. Under Information Technology Office, click KentALERT. All recreation participants should sign up, and at minimum select the “Cancellation category.”
1.What is the function of the evaluation?
A.To help the applicants register for related classes at the Ice Center.
B.To judge the applicants' readiness and put them in right classes.
C.To help these applicants find information related online.
D.To make sure the applicants will get refunded later.
2.If Maria wants to complete the evaluation registration for her son, she'd better go to the Mt. Kent Recreation Center before the end of the evaluation dates.
A.at 1:00 p.m. on Monday
B.at 4:00 p.m. on Friday
C.at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday
D.at 11 a.m. on Sunday
3.Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.Refunds should be claimed within seven days after the registration.
B.Any kindergarten-aged child must make an appointment to be evaluated.
C.You can go to www.mtkent.org to complete the registration for evaluation.
D.You will be informed of any cancellations after signing up for KentALERT.
4.The passage is primarily intended to .
A.recommend an ice center
B.advertise a skating programme
C.introduce an evaluation schedule
D.tell readers about a notification service
5.From which is the passage probably taken?
A.A newspaper.
B.A travel guide.
C.A health magazine.
D.An activity schedule.
It was a cold evening and my daughter and I were walking up Broadway. I didn't notice a guy sitting inside a cardboard box. But Nora did. She wasn't even four, but she _______ at my coat and said, “That man's cold. Daddy, _______ we take him home?”
I don't remember my reply. But I do remember a sudden _______ feeling inside me. I had always been delighted at how much my daughter noticed in her _______, whether it was _______ in flight or children playing. But now she was noticing _______ and beggary.
A few days later, I saw an article in the newspaper about volunteers who picked up a food package from a nearby school on a Sunday morning and _______ it to an elderly person. It was quick and easy. I _______ us up. Nora was _______ about it. She could understand the importance of food, so she could easily see how ________ our job was. When Sunday came, she was ready, but I had to ________ myself to leave the house to fetch the food package. On my way to the school, I fought an urge to ________. The Sunday paper and coffee were waiting for me at home. Why do this? ________, we phoned the elderly person we'd been appointed. She ________ us right over.
The building was in a bad state. Facing us was a silver-haired woman in an old dress. She took the package and asked us to come in. Nora ran inside. I unwillingly followed. ________ inside, I saw that the department belonged to someone poor. Our hostess showed us some photos. Nora played and when it came time to say goodbye, we three hugged, I walked home in tears.
Professionals call such a(n) ________ “a volunteer opportunity”. They are opportunities, I've come to see. Where else but as volunteers do you have the opportunity to do something ________ that’s good for others as well as for yourself? Nora and I regularly serve to needy people and ________ clothes for the homeless. Yet, as I’ve ________ her grow over these past four years, I still wonder-which of us has ________ more?
1.A.pulled B.glanced C.waved D.armed
2.A.would B.can C.need D.must
3.A.general B.funny C.heavy D.curious
4.A.area B.part C.eyesight D.world
5.A.insects B.animals C.plants D.birds
6.A.coldness B.illness C.suffering D.ignorance
7.A.delivered B.returned C.devoted D.posted
8.A.held B.hurried C.signed D.lined
9.A.casual B.sorry C.astonished D.excited
10.A.creative B.valuable C.shocking D.simple
11.A.warn B.stop C.allow D.push
12.A.turn back B.get away C.show up D.come out
13.A.Therefore B.Obviously C.Still D.Also
14.A.called B.promised C.invited D.helped
15.A.Although B.Once C.Because D.As
16.A.stay B.visit C.adventure D.challenge
17.A.fair B.famous C.difficult D.enjoyable
18.A.collect B.make C.order D.wear
19.A.let B.made C.watched D.noticed
20.A.increased B.benefited C.tried D.seized
--- How are things going, Mr. White?
--- Well, they have set out to deal with the present situation ________ they think deserves their immediate attention.
A.what B.where
C.When D.which
