Question

Daydreaming was viewed as a waste of time. Or it was considered an unhealthy escape from real life and its duties. Daydreaming has always had a bad reputation, but now scientific research has showed that daydreaming may actually improve your mental health and creativity. It can even help you achieve your desired goals.

Now some people are taking a fresh look at daydreaming. Some think it may be a very healthy thing to do. Researchers are finding daydreaming, they tell us, is a good means of relaxation. But its benefits go beyond this. A number of psychologists have conducted experiments and have reached some surprising conclusions.

Dr. Joan T. Freyberg has concluded that daydreaming contributes to intellectual growth. It also improves concentration, attention span, and the ability to get along with others, she says. In an experiment with school children, the same researcher found that daydreaming led the children to pay more attention to details. They had more happy feelings. They worked together better. Another researcher reported that daydreaming seemed to produce improved self­control and creative abilities.

But that’s only part of the story. The most remarkable thing about daydreaming may be its usefulness in shaping our future lives as we want them to be. Industrialist Henry J. Kaiser believed that much of his success was due to the positive use of daydreaming. He maintained that “you can imagine your future”. Florence Nightingale dreamed of becoming a nurse. The young Thomas Edison pictured himself as an inventor. For these famous achievers, it appears that their daydreams came true.

Of course daydreaming is no substitute(代替者) for hard work. You have to work hard to develop skills. Daydreaming alone can’t turn you into your heart’s desire. But in combination with the more usual methods of self­development, it might make a critical difference. And who knows: You might see your own daydreams come true.

1.From the scientific research, a few minutes’ daydreaming will ________.

A. relieve stress effectively

B. improve grades

C. escape from real life and duties

D. gain a positive attitudes towards exams

2.According to Dr. Joan T. Freyberg, daydreaming can ________.

A. reduce failure in examinations

B. help rapid and continuous physical growth

C. improve self­control and creative abilities

D. benefit improvement of concentration

3.What does “the story” in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A. The attention.    B. The conclusion.

C. The contribution.    D. The concentration.

4.Nightingale and Edison are examples to explain that daydreaming probably ________.

A. earns a good reputation

B. takes the place of hard work

C. pictures future profession

D. turns the desire into reality

Answer

1. A

2. D

3. B

4. C

【解析】

本文为议论文。白日做梦被认为是浪费时间。或者它被认为是对现实生活及其责任的一种不健康的逃避。白日做梦一直以来都有不好的名声，但是现在科学研究表明，白日做梦实际上可以改善你的精神健康和创造力。它甚至可以帮助你实现你想要的目标。

1.细节理解题。根据第二段中的Researchers are finding daydreaming, they tell us, is a good means of relaxation.（研究人员发现，白日做梦是一种很好的放松方式。）可知，A项“做几分钟的白日梦能有效地缓解压力”符合文章观点。故A选项正确。

2.细节理解题。根据第三段中的It also improves concentration, attention span, and the ability to get along with others, she says.（她说，它还能提高注意力、注意力持续时间和与他人相处的能力。）可知，Joan T. Freyberg博士认为白日做梦有助于提高注意力。故D选项正确。

3.推理判断题。第三段主要讲述了Joan T. Freyberg博士得出结论，划线词所在句But that’s only part of the story.（但是那只是the story的一部分），由此推知the story指的是Joan T. Freyberg博士得出的研究结论。故B选项正确。

4.细节理解题。根据第四段中的He maintained that “you can imagine your future”.（他坚持认为“你可以想象你的未来”），随后列举了Nightingale和Edison的梦想，由此可知，南丁格尔和爱迪生就是这样的例子：白日梦可能描绘了未来的职业。故C选项正确。