Reward methods are an everyday occurrence in our classrooms. More than ever, a great number of incentive(激励) programs have been created to help teachers manage behavior, and motivate learners. However, there is evidence that in the long run, reward systems don’t work.
Many people believe that rewards can help students develop a reason to do better. However, this approach fails to address why children are unable to be successful in the first place. When a student who dislikes math frequently behaves badly in class, a simple and easy way to deal with the behavior might be to offer him a reward for not misbehaving. Yet this would do nothing to solve his real problem—which is his attitude towards math.
On the other hand, rewards can’t last forever. So what happens when they stop? Many experiments suggest once the rewards stop, people go back to behaving as they did before.
Some people might counter that. It may be true that students won’t positively work once we stop rewarding them, but at least they will have worked more than they otherwise would have! Unfortunately, there is another more surprising consequence of rewards that we need to consider: Rather than create motivation, they can actually decrease motivation.
In a classic study, some kindergarteners who enjoyed drawing with markers were observed in a classroom with different activities available. They were broken into two groups. Everyone in the first group was told that he or she could win an attractive certificate by drawing a picture with markers. Each was eager to get the certificate and drew a picture. Children in the second group were also encouraged to draw but didn’t get a certificate. After a delay of about two weeks, when the markers again appeared in the classroom but no certificate was promised, the children in the first group used the markers about half as much as children in the second group. Apparently, rewards actually made them enjoy drawing less.
What we really want is for students to take responsibility for their own learning. When much of the focus is on performance outcome, it can stop the development of self-motivation. The ‘self-determination theory’ claims all human beings will succeed when our basic, inborn, and emotional needs are met. By providing appropriate support and opportunities, we can help to meet the needs of all students and therefore increase their motivation.
1.The author mainly argues that ________.
A. students should be responsible for their learning
B. incentive programs help to solve real problems
C. motivation plays an important role in learning
D. reward methods for students are ineffective
2.The underlined word “counter” in Paragraph 4 probably means ________.
A. suspect
B. oppose
C. detail
D. confirm
3.In Paragraph 5, the author uses the example to show that ________.
A. rewards keep interest
B. children enjoy awards
C. children are changeable
D. rewards reduce motivation
4.The author persuades readers to accept his argument mainly by ________.
A. questioning the results of classic studies
B. comparing strengths with weaknesses
C. pointing out the problems with reward systems
D. giving examples of badly-behaved students
Once when I was facing a decision that involved high risk, I went to a friend. He looked at me for a moment, and then wrote a sentence containing the best advice I’ve ever had: Be bold and brave — and mighty forces will come to your aid.
Those words made me see clearly that when I had fallen short in the past, it was seldom because I had tried and failed. It was usually because I had let fear of failure stop me from trying at all. On the other hand, whenever I had plunged into deep water, forced by courage or circumstance, I had always been able to swim until I got my feet on the ground again.
Boldness means a decision to bite off more than you can eat. And there is nothing mysterious about the mighty forces. They are potential powers we possess: energy, skill, sound judgment, creative ideas — even physical strength greater than most of us realize.
Admittedly, those mighty forces are spiritual ones. But they are more important than physical ones. A college classmate of mine, Tim, was an excellent football player, even though he weighed much less than the average player. “In one game I suddenly found myself confronting a huge player, who had nothing but me between him and our goal line,” said Tim. “I was so frightened that I closed my eyes and desperately threw myself at that guy like a bullet — and stopped him cold.”
Boldness — a willingness to extend yourself to the extreme—is not one that can be acquired overnight. But it can be taught to children and developed in adults. Confidence builds up. Surely, there will be setbacks (挫折) and disappointments in life; boldness in itself is no guarantee of success. But the person who tries to do something and fails is a lot better off than the person who tries to do nothing and succeeds.
So, always try to live a little bit beyond your abilities—and you’ll find your abilities are greater than you ever dreamed.
1.Why was the author sometimes unable to reach his goal in the past?
A. He faced huge risks.
B. He lacked mighty forces.
C. Fear prevented him from trying.
D. Failure blocked his way to success.
2.What is the implied meaning of the underlined part?
A. Swallow more than you can digest.
B. Act slightly above your abilities.
C. Develop more mysterious powers.
D. Learn to make creative decisions.
3.What can be learned from Paragraph 5?
A. Confidence grows more rapidly in adults.
B. Trying without success is meaningless.
C. Repeated failure creates a better life.
D. Boldness can be gained little by little.
4.What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
A. To encourage people to be courageous.
B. To advise people to build up physical power.
C. To tell people the ways to guarantee success.
D. To recommend people to develop more abilities.
Buy One Give One
Buy One Give One (B1G1) is a Singapore-based business and non-profit organization with a job to create a world full of giving. We help businesses around the world give back in meaningful ways so that they can create measurable and long-lasting influence. Since 2007, we have worked with more than 1,600 businesses creating more than 88 million giving activities.
Our business allows consumers, who may feel disconnected from the problems of the developing world, to become involved in social problems while still purchasing for themselves. For example, shoe brands like TOMS promise to donate one pair of shoes for every pair purchased. Soapbox gives soap to a needy child with every purchase. Watch company WeWood plants a tree every time you buy a watch. They have helped socially-conscious consumers purchase products and feel good about providing help to others.
See what some of our members say about being a part of B1G1.
*Karen Ormerod
Every product purchased at our store influences the lives of disadvantaged people in the world. I had never imagined I would be operating a business that could change people’s lives. We are making a real difference by just doing what we normally do. It is a wonderful experience.
*Ben Baker
What a good way of distributing resources to where they need to be, giving people the gifts of giving, and adding value to organizations along the way. We have already made 160,000 giving activities through B1G1. Giving has become a necessary part of our everyday business. It’s absolutely brilliant.
B1G1 focuses on the influence of giving on people’s lives rather than simply the amounts donated. Our programs stress giving habitually in order to create growing influence around the world. When you join the B1G1 giving program, you create your own unique giving stories.
We do hope you can become a member of us!
1.According to the passage, what does B1G1 do?
A. Donate the profits to the people in need.
B. Help consumers purchase their favorite products.
C. Give away something extra when a product is sold.
D. Instruct owners how to operate businesses effectively.
2.How do the members feel about themselves as a part of B1G1?
A. Confident.
B. Proud.
C. Generous.
D. Energetic.
3.What is the purpose of the passage?
A. To invite businesses to B1G1.
B. To promote the products B1G1 sells.
C. To describe the gifts B1G1 gives.
D. To introduce the activities B1G1 involves.
假如你是李华，今年的中国国际旅游节下个月将在你们城市举行，组委会拟招聘一些高中生担任英语导游，你打算应聘。请根据下列内容要点给组委会写一封申请信。
1．自我介绍(年龄、性别等)；
2．英语水平(口语表达能力等)；
3．特殊优势(相关经历、对当地旅游景点的了解、沟通能力等)；
4．你的承诺。
注意：1．词数100左右；
2．开头和结尾已为你写好，不计人总词数；
3．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Sir/Madam,
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Looking forward to your early reply.
Yours faithfully,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（Λ），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2．只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Hi Thomas,
How is everything with you recently? I'm very exciting because I have applied for a holiday job, taught English conversation in a teacher training college near Shanghai. I’m a bit of worried because I don't know if I should bring some present for the teachers I’ll meet. Should 1 shake hands when I meet people, or just smiling? What topics will my students want to talk then? Might I say or do something that will seem rudely? This may seem unimportant with you, but I want to plan everything in advance, or I'd love to know what you think. You had been to China before.
Looking forward to your reply.
All the best,
Bruno
This is a story of a little girl and her grandmother. One day, I was looking for medicine in a store1.I saw an old woman with a little girl in her arms. The little girl asked her grandmother, " 2.do you think about a brand new face cream that is supposed3.(reduce) laugh lines?" The grandmother just laughed and said, "Sweetie, I am 80 years old. I 4. (learn) to love all my laugh lines. I have 5. (actual) earned every one of them. "Then just to prove her point, she laughed again and amused 6.granddaughter. The laughter of the little girl and the old woman mixed together with a sound 7. was as musical and beautiful as an angel's song.
I left the store feeling a lot 8. (good) about all the laugh lines I had earned in my own life. I remembered all the beautiful faces I had seen 9. the years. Their beauty is ageless no matter how old they are. May you have a time in your life earning10.most attractive laugh lines.
