Question

    When Benjamin Cherkasky was in eighth grade, he quit the swim team. It wasn’t because he lacked the passion; he just couldn’t accept failures in matches. “I’m not Michael Phelps, why am I even on the team?” he said.

A US therapist (治疗专家) who researches perfectionism at Northwestern University realized years later what had happened. Cherkasky’s perfectionism was creating unrealistic standards. Unable to meet them, he quit.

“My perfectionism prompted (导致) very high expectations, and that caused real suffering,” he said.

Cherkasky is not alone in feeling that perfectionism can breed  anxiety. So many millennials (千禧一代) suffer from the ills of perfectionism that psychologists are issuing warnings and schools are emphasizing the need to accept failure.

Northwestern had held several seminars that offered tips on how students could deal with a perfectionism problem.

Jessica Rohlfing Pryor, a psychologist leading the events, said every generation is a sponge for the messages it receives.

“Millennials, more than any other generation in American society, are receiving clear messages around achieving,” she said. “There’s an absence of messaging that trying your hardest is still OK.”

The American Psychological Association also found out that recent generations of college students have reported higher levels of perfectionism than earlier generations.

This “desire to achieve along with being overly critical of oneself and others” affects young people’s mental health, according to its research, which analyzed data from over 40,000 college students.

Researchers noted that social media adds comparative pressure, along with the drive to earn money and achieve career goals. Perfectionists often create even higher goals, which can lead to a higher risk of failure.

In college, Cherkasky found himself surrounded by so many intelligent people that he felt he should have been achieving a higher level than he was. “It makes you feel kind of crazy,” he said.

This type of thinking can lead people to putting in less effort, which, as they fall behind, can create more anxiety. “It makes people feel kind of isolated.” Cherkasky added, “And that can cause students to drift away from their school”. Northwestern is not the only school eager to help students.

Brown University includes perfectionism in its counseling (咨询) services, asking students if they ever feel that what they accomplish isn’t good enough.

1.Why did Cherkasky quit the swim team in eighth grade?

A.He wanted more time to study. B.He found he had no passion for swimming.

C.He couldn’t reach the goal he set for himself. D.He always did badly in swimming competitions.

2.Which of the following would Pryor probably agree with?

A.Millennials are unwilling to work hard.

B.Young people should accept being imperfect.

C.Young people should learn to deal with pressure.

D.Perfectionism can benefit individuals and society.

3.What did the American Psychological Association discover?

A.Social media users were more likely to be perfectionists.

B.Perfectionism could have a negative impact on physical health.

C.Few universities offered help to students with mental problems.

D.College millennial students suffer more perfectionism problems than ever.

4.The author describes Cherkasky’s experience in college mainly to show ______.

A.the harm of being a perfectionist B.the effect of isolation on perfectionists

C.the pressure college students experience D.the challenges underachievers have to overcome

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.D

4.A

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了如今最近几代大学生的完美主义程度比前几代人更高，以至于心理学家都在发出警告，学校也在强调接受失败的必要性这一社会现象。这种“追求成就的欲望以及对自己和他人的过度苛责”影响了年轻人的心理健康。文章说明了导致这一问题的原因和完美主义者的危害。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段中It wasn’t because he lacked the passion; he just couldn’t accept failures in matches. “I’m not Michael Phelps, why am I even on the team?” he said.可知这并不是因为他缺乏激情；他就是不能接受比赛中的失败。“我不是Michael Phelps，为什么我还在队里?”他说。由此可知，Cherkasky在八年级时退出游泳队是因为他无法达到自己设定的目标。故选C。

2.推理判断题。根据第七段中“There’s an absence of messaging that trying your hardest is still OK.”可知“没有传达出这样的信息：尽最大努力仍然可以。”结合选项可推知，B选项“年轻人应该接受自己的不完美”的观点Pryor可能会同意。故选B。

3.细节理解题。根据第八段The American Psychological Association also found out that recent generations of college students have reported higher levels of perfectionism than earlier generations.可知美国心理协会还发现，最近几代大学生的完美主义程度比前几代人更高。由此可知，美国心理学协会发现了大学千禧一代的学生比以往有更多的完美主义问题。故选D。

4.推理判断题。根据倒数第二段中This type of thinking can lead people to putting in less effort, which, as they fall behind, can create more anxiety. “It makes people feel kind of isolated.” Cherkasky added, “And that can cause students to drift away from their school”.可知这种思维方式会导致人们付出更少的努力，而当他们落后时，就会产生更多的焦虑。“这让人们感到有点孤立”。Cherkasky补充说，“这可能会导致学生离开学校。”由此可推知，作者描述Cherkasky的大学经历主要是为了展示完美主义者的危害。故选A。