议论文类阅读理解模拟训练(118391)-高三英语阅读(622)-21英语网

A

In recent years, China has witnessed the growth of luxury (奢侈品) brands. In this market, Chinese consumers are now the largest spenders. It’s clear that a new generation of young, materialistic people is increasingly relying on luxury brands to improve its self-image (自我形象).

I am a fashionista too, at least in spirit - I love to look at clothes and shoes. But I don’t understand why people spend lots of money on designer labels.

When a young woman buys a handbag that costs two months of her salary, that’s a scary thing.

What’s interesting is that scientists have found that having luxury things doesn’t lead to happiness.

Study after study has shown that although we want material things, when we get them we don’t suddenly become “happy” people. In fact, a series of studies by Leaf Van Boven at the University of Colorado, US, has shown that individuals who spend money on travel and similar experiences get more pleasure than those who invest it in material things. That’s because experiences are more easily integrated into a person’s identity. If I travel to Yunnan, that adventure affects how I think in the future. My memories become a part of me.

Moreover, as Van Boven has observed, young people who pursue (追求) happiness through “things” are liked less by their peers (同龄人). People prefer those who pursue happiness through experiences.

It’s natural to want to express yourself through your appearance. So my advice is: create a look that isn’t tied to a designer label. Convey your own message. Take some lessons from the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. He was always in Levis jeans and a black turtleneck. Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, routinely appears in hoodies and sneakers. These people, successful people, have style. You don’t have to break the bank to send a message about who you are.

Take a trip. Go out into the world. Then come back and confidently create your own signature look. By Susan Chyn

1. What can we infer from the first three paragraphs?

A. The author enjoys buying luxury brands herself.

B. The author sees no point in spending money on material things.

C. The author is critical of youths tying their looks to designer labels.

D. The author finds it natural for fashionists to follow fashion trends.

2. Leaf Van Boven’s studies showed that ______.

A. traveling changes a person’s identity greatly

B. people dislike those who love luxuries

C. experiences can bring people more happiness than luxuries

D. luxuries have a negative effect on people’s happiness

3. What is the author’s advice on expressing oneself?

A. Be selective about designer labels.

B. Create your own personal, unique style.

C. Choose styles that are simple and comfortable.

D. Try styles like Mark Zuckerberg’s.

4. The main purpose of the article is to ______.

A. persuade readers to invest in experiences instead of luxuries

B. prove how luxury leads to an unpleasant life

C. tell how to express yourself through appearances

D. report on a series of studies about luxuries and happiness

B

It’s good to make mistakes, and here is why.

First of all, mistakes are a clear sign that we are trying new things. It’s always good to try new things because when we are trying new things, we are growing. If we never try anything new, how can we improve? The simple answer is, “We can’t”.

Another good thing about mistakes is that when we are making them, we are learning. Consider this – Edison failed 10,000 times before he perfected the light bulb. When asked how it felt to fail that many times, he said that he had learned 10,000 things that didn’t work.

When we make a mistake, we are much closer to success. Because every time we make a mistake, we eliminate one of the things that keeps us from success.

But all this doesn’t mean that we should go through life without considering the consequences of a mistake. Instead, when we try something new, we have to be willing to set some reasonable limits so that in the event that it doesn’t work out the way we want it to, we will be in a position to try again. We all have limited resources – in the form of time and money – so we shouldn’t blow them all on one approach to a problem. It’s best that we realize it probably won’t be perfect the first time and allocate (分配) these resources appropriately so we can learn, make corrections, and try again. Only by accepting and using our mistakes in this way can we make significant advances in our lives.

There is an old saying that goes, “If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not trying hard enough.” So go forth and make mistakes.

5. From the second paragraph, we can conclude that ______.

A. mistakes are unnecessary for development

B. mistakes let us see our own limits

C. it’s common for people to make mistakes

D. making mistakes is better than not trying

6. The underlined word “eliminate” in Paragraph 4 means “______”.

A. make up for B. get rid of

C. accept D. avoid

7. According to the article, one thing we should pay attention to about making mistakes is _______.

A. reflecting on the consequences after each mistake

B. accepting the outcome willingly

C. making proper arrangements for our next try

D. avoiding making the same mistakes

8. The article is mainly about ______.

A. how to deal with mistakes

B. what benefits making mistakes bring

C. how to achieve success

D. how to make use of our mistakes

9. What may the writer suggest we say to ourselves when we make a mistake?

A. Never mind, I tried my best.

B. This is a waste of time.

C. Great! Now I have learned something.

D. Look at this mess. I should just give up.

C

What do you do when somebody hurts you? Do you want to hurt that person back, or do you hold it against them for the rest of your life? If you answered “yes” to these questions, know that you are like most people. To forgive is something that most people generally have difficulty with.

People don’t forgive readily, because it is easier to hate than to forgive. Some people think to forgive is a sign of weakness, but actually to forgive takes courage and effort.

Forgiveness is a gift from a generous heart. It is not a reward for good behavior. It is not based on whether the person deserves it or whether the person has asked for it.

Besides, forgiveness is an act and a process, which often takes time. The deeper your pain, the longer it usually takes to completely forgive. It is an act because it is not just the words you say, but also your actions which show if you’ve truly forgiven someone.

Forgiveness is necessary because it releases you from the burden of bitterness and hate. It takes a lot of energy to hate and to keep that hate in place. Hate puts unnecessary stress on your body. It is a well-known fact, proven by numerous studies, that bitterness and hate can actually make you sick. The moment that affected people forgive and let go of their hate, they will start to get well. Forgiveness brings freedom, whereas revenge (报复) is neither sweet nor satisfying.

I have personal experience of this. I used to be very cynical about life and didn’t forgive easily. At the time, I also struggled in every area of my life. Things just didn’t seem to work out for me. It is as if everything that could go wrong, always went wrong. That was until somebody told me to take a look at my attitude. And when I forgave those who wronged me and changed my attitude, everything else changed. It didn’t happen overnight. It took a while, but I could see and feel the difference.

Are things not working out in your life, despite you doing all the “right” things? Is it possible that you are holding “unforgiveness” in your heart? It is worth thinking about. By Leonard J. Roos

10. It is hard for people to forgive because ______.

A. forgiveness means not giving in

B. forgiveness depends on good behavior

C. forgiveness needs good will from both sides

D. forgiveness requires courage and generosity

11. It can be concluded from the text that ______.

A. hate may actually cause illness

B. revenge helps to reduce the hate in your heart

C. when you feel sick, it makes it difficult to hate

D. hate goes away when you say you will forgive

12. Which of the following shows the development of ideas in the passage?

I: Introduction P: Point

Sp: Sub-point (次要点) C: Conclusion