Question

    English is full of colorful phrases to describe shyness. Someone shy might be called shrinking violet or a wallflower, while for especially nervous types we have the curious expression: they wouldn’t say boo to a goose.

None of these are traditionally seen as positive descriptions, even if you like geese. In a culture of go-getting, high achievers, shy people don’t come first. Or that’s what the self-help industry would have you believe. Bookshops are filled with vital tomes(巨著) that promise to help beat social fears and find success in life, love and business. That is why one book, Shrinking Violets: A Field Guide to Shyness, bucks the trend. It became a sudden success across English-language media recently for its new take-on shyness.

Author Joe Moran says that despite struggling with shyness and longing for loneliness all his life, being shy can also be "a gift". Freed from the constant urge to participate and compete in social situations, people are liberated to look at the world in new ways, and gain fresh insights.

Indeed, many of the world’s great thinkers and artists are introverts(内向的人). Scientists Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein preferred their own company; actress Keira Knightley often finds herself tongue-tied at parties; and Harry Potter author JK Rowling claims she used to be too nervous to even borrow a pen.

Moran told BBC Future: "I think shyness probably does turn you into an amateur anthropologist(人类学家), really-you are more likely to be an observer."

So, while extroverts make all the noise, they don’t necessarily have the best ideas.

If you’re shy, you’ve probably known this for a long time. You just don’t shout about it.

1.When someone is being called a wallflower, he is being ________.

A. praised for his grace B. admired for his character

C. laughed at for his shyness D. told off for his nervousness

2.The underlined phrase “bucks the trend” in Paragraph 2 probably means “________”.

A. going against the trend and succeeds

B. changing the public idea completely

C. becoming unpopular and unaccepted

D. becoming the major concern of people

3.The author mentioned many famous shy people in order to ________.

A. point out the harm shyness brings

B. disconnect shyness and success

C. shows the reasons for shyness

D. prove shyness contributes to science

4.What is the author’s attitude towards shyness?

A. Opposed. B. Indifferent.

C. Supportive. D. Critical.

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.B

4.C

【解析】

作者通过畅销书和大量实例说明害羞不一定是坏事，它和成功没有必然联系。害羞是洞察世界的一种新方式。

1.C推理判断题。根据第一段Someone shy might be called shrinking violet or a wallflower和第二段None of these are traditionally seen as positive descriptions可知，被称为shrinking violet或 wallflower都不是积极的褒义的称谓，是别人在嘲笑自己的害羞，故选C。

2.A猜测词义题。上句Bookshops are filled with vital tomes(巨著) that promise to help beat social fears and find success in life, love and business.可知，书店畅销的都是帮助克服恐惧，在生活、爱和商业方面成功的巨著。下句It became a sudden success说明Shrinking Violets: A Field Guide to Shyness这本书与畅销书内容不同，却很成功。所以划线词语“bucks the trend”指与社会潮流相违背却很成功，故选A。

3.B推理判断题。根据第四段Indeed, many of the world’s great thinkers and artists are introverts(内向的人).和下面列举的Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Keira Knightley和JK Rowling几个成功人士曾经也很害羞的例子，目的是为了说明成功和害羞没有必然的联系，故选B。

4.C推理判断题。根据第二段Shrinking Violets: A Field Guide to Shyness, bucks the trend. It became a sudden success可知，这本书很成功。第三段being shy can also be "a gift"，people are liberated to look at the world in new ways, and gain fresh insights.可知，害羞是看世界的一种新方式。第四段Indeed, many of the world’s great thinkers and artists are introverts(内向的人).可知，许多害羞的人很成功。最后一段内向和外向进行了对比。由此可知作者对害羞不是反对和批评，而是支持和赞成。故选C。