Question

    "Hope has proved a powerful predictor of outcome in every study we've done so far," said Dr. Snyder, a psychologist.

In research with 3,920 college students, Dr. Snyder found that the level of hope among freshmen at the beginning of their first term was a more accurate predictor of their college grades than were their S.A.T. scores or their grade point averages in high school. "Students with high hope set themselves higher goals and know how to work to attain them," Dr. Snyder said. "When you compare students with equal learning ability and past school achievements, what sets them apart is hope."

In seeking a way to assess hope scientifically, Dr. Snyder went beyond the usual belief that hope is merely the sense that everything will turn out all right. "This idea is not concrete enough; it fails to clarify two key components of hope," Dr. Snyder said.

"Having hope means believing you have both the will and the way to accomplish your goals, whatever they may be."

Despite the wisdom in the old saying "where there's a will there's a way," Dr. Snyder has found that the two are not necessarily connected. In a study of people from 18 to 70 years old, Dr. Snyder discovered: only about 40% of people are hopeful in the technical sense of believing they typically have the energy and means to accomplish their goals; about 20% of the people believed in their ability to find the means to attain their goals, but said they had little will to do so; another 20% have the opposite pattern, saying they had the energy to motivate themselves but little confidence that they would find the means; the rest had little hope at all, reporting that they typically had neither the will nor the way.

"It's not enough just to have the wish for something," said Dr. Snyder. "You need the means, too. On the other hand, all the skills to solve a problem won't help without the willpower to do it."

1.What does Dr. Snyder think can best predict a freshman's academic performance?

A. His S.A.T. scores. B. His high school grades.

C. His level of hope. D. His family background.

2.The underlined word "concrete" in the third paragraph probably means ________.

A. clear B. pure C. universal D. popular

3.What did Dr. Synder say about the old saying "where there's will there's a way"?

A. It is quite realistic. B. It is not inspiring to students.

C. It is totally wrong. D. It is not always true in reality.

4.What can be the most suitable title for the passage?

A. No pains, no gains. B. Hope emerges as key to success.

C. Will gets it going. D. Where there's a will there's a way.

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.D

4.B

【解析】

本文是一篇议论文。文章论述成功的关键是“希望”。

1.细节理解题。根据第二段中Dr. Snyder found that the level of hope among freshmen at the beginning of their first term was a more accurate predictor of their college grades than were their S.A.T. scores or their grade point averages in high school.可知，Dr. Snyder认为他的希望程度能最好地预测新生的学习成绩。故选C。

2.词义猜测题。根据第三段中In seeking a way to assess hope scientifically, Dr. Snyder went beyond the usual belief that hope is merely the sense that everything will turn out all right.（在寻求一种科学评估希望的方法时，Dr. Snyder超越了通常的信念，即希望只是一种感觉，一切都会好起来。）再根据下句中的it fails to clarify two key components of hope（它没有阐明希望的两个关键组成部分），由此推知“这个想法不够具体”，划线词意思是“清楚的，明显的”。故选A。

3.推理判断题。根据第五段Despite the wisdom in the old saying "where there's a will there's a way," Dr. Snyder has found that the two are not necessarily connected.可知，对于“有志者事竟成”这句老话，Dr. Synder认为在现实中并不总是这样，两者之间无必然的联系。故选D。

4.主旨大意题。根据第一段"Hope has proved a powerful predictor of outcome in every study we've done so far,"和下文对希望作用的分析可知，文章主要讲述成功的关键是“希望”。所以B项为最佳主题。