Question

    What I wish I had known at 18

As this year’s new intake of students begin university life, we asked speakers at the FT’s Weekend Festival — authors, comedians, academics and FT columnists — to tell us what they wish they had known when they were 18, and for their tips on getting the most out of university.

Martin Wolf, FT chief economics commentator

The answer to that question ‘what do you wish you had known at 18?’ is nothing. I already knew that university was going to be very exciting, intellectually rewarding as it turned out to be for me — I was at Oxford for six years. It changed me very profoundly intellectually. I’m sure I didn’t know what was going to happen to me and if I look back on my life now — this is more than 50 years ago — all pleasure and excitement comes out of the things you never expected.

Jamie Susskind, barrister and author of ‘Future Politics’

The first people you meet are not necessarily going to be your best friends - don’t worry about it. Don’t get caught up in trying to go to the parties everyone’s expected to go to, rather, try to find people with whom you can forge close connections and who will be with you decades afterwards. You may identify them by doing more listening than speaking. When a lot of people get to university, understandably, they want to tell their new friends who they are and where they are from — but it’s as important to listen, and drink in all these incredibly different people from backgrounds that are completely unlike your own.

Phil Wang, comedian

Break up with your girlfriend or boyfriend, don’t stay together. Leave everyone behind. Your love is not special, there’s a wider world out there and you should take advantage of it. Also, join some societies. I didn’t do that, and I wish I had. It’s possible to feel that you don’t deserve to be there. You should be aware that everybody feels that way. Either have a balanced experience or excel at something, but don’t be mediocre at one thing. If you’re going to be average, at least be average at a bunch of things so you have a full experience.

1.We can learn from the second paragraph that Martin thinks his university life was _____.

A.Nothing special. B.Totally unexpected.

C.Interesting and rewarding. D.Confusing.

2.According to Jamie, how can we make friends in a university?

A.Develop close relationship with the first people we meet.

B.Go to parties as more as possible.

C.Tell others our personal stories.

D.Listen to others and be friends with people different from us.

3.What does the underlined word “mediocre” mean in the fourth paragraph?

A.common B.normal C.content D.bored

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.A

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了英国《金融时报》周末节上的演讲者分享自己的大学生活以及如何充分利用大学生活的技巧。

1.推理判断题。根据第二段中的I already knew that university was going to be very exciting, intellectually rewarding as it turned out to be for me — I was at Oxford for six years. It changed me very profoundly intellectually.及all pleasure and excitement comes out of the things you never expected.可知，大学对我来说将是非常令人兴奋的，智力上的回报——我在牛津大学呆了六年，它在智力上深刻地改变了我，并且给我带来了很多快乐。由此可知，马丁认为他的大学生活有趣又有回报。故C项正确。

2.细节理解题。根据第三段中的but it’s as important to listen, and drink in all these incredibly different people from backgrounds that are completely unlike your own.可知，但是同样重要的是倾听，并与这些来自完全不同背景的人畅饮。由此可知，杰米认为我们通过倾听交朋友以及与我们不同的人交朋友。故D项正确。

3.词义猜测题。根据划线词后的If you’re going to be average, at least be average at a bunch of things so you have a full experience.可知，如果你想变得普通，至少在一些事情上要变得普通，这样你就有了完整的经验，因此此处是说要么有平衡的经验，要么擅长某件事，但不要在一件事上平庸。由此可知，划线词词义为“普通的、平常的”。故A项正确。