Question

In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition. Some value it highly, believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity. Others say that competition is bad; that it sets one person against another; that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people.

I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth relied（依赖）on how well they performed at tennis and other skills. For them, playing well and winning are often life-and-death affairs. In their single-minded pursuit（追求）of success, the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten.

However, while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed, others take an opposite attitude. In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame competition. Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society. Teaching these young people, I often observe in them a desire to fail. They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: “ I may have lost, but it doesn’t matter because I really didn’t try.” What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot. Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of true competitors who try to prove themselves. Both are based on the mistaken belief that one’s self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others. Both are afraid of not being valued. Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve(缓解） can we discover a new meaning in competition.

1.What does this passage mainly talk about?

A．Competition helps to set up self-respect.

B．Opinions about competition are different among people.

C．Competition is harmful to personal quality development.

D．Failures are necessary experience in competition.

2.Why do some people favor competition according to the passage?

A．It pushes society forward.

B．It builds up a sense of duty.

C．It improves personal abilities.

D．It encourages individual efforts.

3.The underlined phrase "the most vocal" in Paragraph 3 means __________.

A．those who try their best to win

B．those who value competition most highly

C．those who are against competition most strongly

D．those who rely on others most for success

4.What is the similar belief of the true competitors and those with a "desire to fail"?

A．One's worth lies in his performance compared with others.

B．One's success in competition needs great efforts.

C．One's achievement is determined by his particular skills.

D．One's success is based on how hard he has tried.

5.Which point of view may the author agree to?

A．Every effort should be paid back.

B．Competition should be encouraged.

C．Winning should be a life-and-death matter.

D．Fear of failure should be removed in competition.

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.C

4.A

5.D

【解析】

试题分析：本文叙述了关于学生面对竞争的问题的不同的态度。文中叙述了两种不同的观点：赞成比赛的人认为它能推动社会的进步和繁荣，另外一部分学生持相反的观点，他们强烈地反对竞争。最后作者表明了自己的态度：只有当这种基本的、害怕失败的态度有所缓解时，我们才能找到竞争的真正含义。说明作者认为在竞争中，不要总是担心失败。

1.细节理解题。根据In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition.对于比赛的不同的观点，故选B。

2.细节理解题。根据Some value it highly, believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity.那些赞成比赛的人认为它能推动社会的进步和繁荣，故选A。

3.词义猜测题。根据，在一些学生把成功作为增加自信的观点的同时；另外一部分学生持相反的观点，他们强烈地反对竞争。youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society.可推知那是指强烈反对的比赛的人，故选C。

4.细节理解题。根据Both are based on the mistaken belief that one’s self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others. 可以得出结论：这两种持不同观点的学生，其实有一个共同点，那就是都把自己的价值体现在与别人的比较和竞争中。故选A。

5.细节理解题。根据Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve(缓解） can we discover a new meaning in competition.作者在列举2种不同的对待竞争的态度后，表明了自己的态度：只有当这种基本的、害怕失败的态度有所缓解时，我们才能找到竞争的真正含义。说明作者认为在竞争中，不要总是担心失败。故选D。

考点：人生百味短文阅读。