Thinking is something you choose to do as a fish chooses to live in water. To be human is to think. But thinking may come naturally without your knowing how you do it. Thinking about thinking is the key to critical thinking. When you think critically, you take control of your thinking processes. Otherwise, you might be controlled by the ideas of others. Indeed, critical thinking is at the heart of education.
The word "critical" here has a special meaning. It does not mean taking out view against another view, as when someone criticizes another person for doing something wrong. The nature of critical thinking is thinking beyond the easily seen - beyond the picture on TV, the untrue reports in the newspapers, and the faulty reasoning.
Critical thinking is an attitude as much as an activity. If you are curious about life and desire to dig deeper into it, you are a critical thinker. If you find pleasure in deep thinking about different ideas, characters, and facts, you are a critical thinker.
Activities of the mind and higher - order reasoning are processes of deep and careful consideration. They take time, and do not go hand in hand with the fast speed in today's world: fast food, instant coffee, and self- developing film. If you are among the people who believe that speed is a measure of intelligence, you may learn something new from a story about Albert Einstein. The first thing Banesh Hoffman, a scientist, was to discuss his work with Albert Einstein. Hoffman was too nervous to speak. But Einstein immediately put Hoffman at ease by saying, "Please go slowly, I don't understand things quickly,"
1.Critical thinking is important to us because if we do not think critically, ____.
A. it will be hard for us to think naturally and fast
B. we might be controlled by other people's ideas
C. we will follow the ideas of others naturally
D. we might be fooled by other people's ideas
2.If you are a critical thinker, you will ____.
A. think deeply about different ideas B. trust the reports in the newspapers
C. take one view again another view D. criticize other people for their mistakes
3.In the last paragraph, "something new" suggests that ____.
A. the smarter you are, the faster you do things
B. the faster you do things, the smarter you become
C. speed can improve intelligence
D. intelligence is not decided by speed
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Thinking and Critical Thinking. B. Understanding Critical Thinking.
C. Thinking is Natural and Human. D. Thinking Past Means Intelligence
In the age of reality television, success isn’t the only way to the public eye. Failure can also create fame, just like William Hung, 21, a native of Hong Kong.
Hung recently has made an agreement with US-based entertainment firms Koch Records and Fuse Music Network. They will publish a full-length record, titled “The True Idol” on April 6.
The idol is a civil engineering student at the University of California at Berkeley. He did a version of Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs” on the television show “American Idol 3”, on January 27. The Fox TV singing contest searches for pop stars among ordinary people. In the case of Hung, however, his act was so bad that the judges cut him off in mid-act.
Hung’s response? “I already gave my best, so I have no regrets at all.” That’s good, because any common person would have found plenty to regret: The off-key singing. The blue Hawaiian shirt worn with pants pulled up too high. The terrible dancing. The hips jerking (摇摆) to a beat that did not belong to the song, maybe not even to this planet. It was, by all accounts, bad.
But, it was this very bad act that sold well.
Marc Juris, president of Fuse, explained it this way: “Every one of us is happily guilty of singing our favorite song at the top of our lungs with complete freedom, completely off-key and completely unworried. That’s what William did and immediately won the hearts of America.”
Whatever it is, for the moment it’s big. Three websites devoted to Hung have gone up on the Internet in the past few weeks. Versions of his performance have been remixed with hip hop and techno-music and have made it to the top 10 request list at a Chicago radio station.
So, what does Hung think of this?
“There were all these people saying things about me. A lot were saying I was very courageous and that I was great on the show, but some didn’t have much respect for me and some were kind of mean.”
Now he says he’s not so sure whether to distance himself from the glamour (魅力) or to accept it. Returning to normal hasn’t been easy.
1.What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Sometimes an idol behaves quite foolishly.
B. Hung’s performance attracted the public eye.
C. How an unsuccessful person became famous.
D. Success sometimes does not require hard work.
2.What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 7 refer to?
A. William Hung. B. Hung’s bad act.
C. Hung’s website. D. The public’s opinion.
3.Which of the following shows the correct order of what happened to Hung?
a. The entertainment firms made an agreement with Hung.
b. The judges cut Hung off in mid-act in the singing contest.
c. Hung became popular among Americans.
d. Hung gave a terrible performance though he tried his best.
e. Three websites put Hung’s funny performance on the Internet.
A. d, b, e, c, a B. a, c, d, b, e
C. a, d, b, c, e D. d, b, a, e, c
4.Why was Hung able to win the hearts of America?
A. His success was based on his own hard work.
B. He attracted people’s attention in the contest.
C. He was good-looking though he didn’t sing well.
D. His character was completely different from other idols’.
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从题各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
I was having a bad week. Christmas was over and the weather was very cold. _1_ was piling up. Every teacher seemed to 2_lots of homework. I walked home in the 18-degree cold, 3_overwhelmed （压得喘不过气来） and a little sorry for myself. And then I 4him, a man obviously 5, pushing a shopping cart he no doubt “ 6” from a local supermarket. It probably held most of his earthly possessions, which 7a disheveled sleeping bag and a few bottles to be returned for a nickel （5分钱） 8. He stood miserably, clapping his hands and stomping his feet, 9this action would replace central heating.
And then I 10how close I was to home and 11, eventually, I would be warm and safe. It made me 12about how lucky I was that my primary focus was not warmth or 13, but academics. 14so I thought, I have a lot to be thankful for.
I began an alphabetic list of the things I should be thankful for, like April vacation, apple pie, and 15. My spirits 16as I remembered barbecues, babies and birthdays. How glad I was 17had caring teachers, and chicken wings. As I slid my key into the door, I realized that I had only 18the letter C. I felt warm and grateful. I told myself 19the next overwhelming day, I would remember to begin 20the letter D.
1.A. Schoolwork B. Housework C. Farm work D. Brain work
2.A. give B. receive C. offer D. prepare
3.A. to feel B. felt C. feeling D. felt
4.A. watched B. found C. met D. noticed
5.A. worthless B. careless C. homeless D. priceless
6.A. bought B. owed C. lent D. borrowed
7.A. includes B. including C. to include D. included
8.A. every B. each C. per D. any
9.A. as if B. even if C. what if D. only if
10.A. reminded B. realized C. noted D. thought
11.A. where B. when C. why D. how
12.A. talk B. care C. think D. worry
13.A. water B. food C. money D. cold
14.A. And B. But C. However D. While
15.A. agreement B. autumn C. access D. attitude
16.A. raised B. rising C. raising D. rose
17.A. having B. had C. to have D. to be
18.A. arrived B. got C. reached D. approached
19.A. that B. how C. what D. whether
20.A. from B. with C. to D. at
We don’t do much __________ with foreign countries.
A. event B. matter C. affair D. business
Every team member is clear about expectations and responsibilities __________ themselves.
A. referred to B. belonged to C. attended to D. attached to
It is sometimes said ________ a society can be judged by the way _______ it cares for its weakest members.
A. /; which B. that; what C. what; that D. that; /
