TEXTD

Personalityis，tolargeextent,inherent--A-typeparentsusuallybringaboutA-typeoffspring.Butthe

environmentmustalsohaveaprofoundeffect,sinceifcompetitionisimprotanttotheparents,itislikelytobecomeamajorfactorlivesoftheirchildren.OneplacewherechildrensoakupAcharacteristicsisschool,whichis,byitsverynature,ahighlycompetitiveinstitution.Toomanyschoolsadoptthe"winatallcosts"moralstandardandmeasuretheirsuccessbysportingachievements.Thecurrentpassionformakingchildrencompeteagainsttheirclassmatesoragainsttheclockproducesatwo-layersystem,inwhichcompetitiveAtypesseeminsomewaybetterthantheirB-typefellows.Beingtookeentowincanhavedangerousconsequences:rememberthatPheidippides,thefirstmarathonrunner,droppeddeadsecondsaftersaying:"Rejoice,weconquer!".Byfartheworstformofcompetitioninschoolisthedisproportionateemphasisonexaminations.Itisarareschoolthatallowspupilstoconcentrateonthosethingstheydowell.Themeritsofcompetitionbyexaminationaresomewhatquestionable,butcompetitioninthecertainknowledgeoffailureispositivelyharmful.Obviously,itisneitherpracticalnordesirablethatallAyoungsterschangeinto'B's.Thewouldneedstypes,andschoolshaveanimportantdutytotrytofitachild'spersonalitytohispossiblefutureemployment.Itistopmanagement.16.Accordingtotheauthor,whatfactorscontributetothebuildingofpersonality?

A.inheritance

b.inheritance,competitionandenvironment

c.competition

d.environment

17.Whichofthefollowingstatementsisnottrueaccordingtotheauthorofthepassage?

A.Schoolsusuallyadoptseverecompetitivepolicies.

B.Studentsareoftendividedbycompetitionresults.

C.Schoolisplacewherechildrencultivatetheircharacteristics.

D.Thestrongerdesireforwinning,thebetter.

18.Thephrase"soakup"isclosestinmeaningto____.

A.pullup

b.takeup

c.takein

d.pullin

19.Whatattitudedoestheauthorholdtowardexaminationsinschools?

A.positive

b.negative

c.doubtful

d.neutral

20.whatsuggestiondoestheauthormakeconcerningthemanagementofschools?

A.AllstudentsbemadeintocompetitiveAtypes.

B.Achild'spersonalitybeconsideredinregardtohispossiblefuturejob.

C.AllstudentsbechangedintoBcharacteristics.

D.Schoolsabolishallformsofexaminations.

Shewasonceayoungcountrywifewithchickensinthebackyardandaviewof_______mountainsbehindtheappleorchard.

TheBentPyramidoutsideCairo__________ancientEgypt’sfirstattempttobuildasmooth-sidedpyramid.

PARTVREADINGCOMPREHENSION

PASSAGEONE

(1)TheearliestsettlerscametotheNorthAmericancontinenttoestablishcoloniesthatwerefreefromthecontrolsthatexistedinEuropeansocieties.Theywantedtoescapethecontrolsplacedontheirlivesbykingsandgovernments,priestsandchurches,noblemenandaristocrats.ThehistoricdecisionsmadebythosefirstsettlershavehadaprofoundeffectontheshapingoftheAmerican

character.Bylimitingthepowerofthegovernmentandthechurchesandeliminatingaformalaristocracy,theycreatedaclimateoffreedomwheretheemphasiswasontheindividual.IndividualfreedomisprobablythemostbasicofalltheAmericanvalues.Byfreedom,Americansmeanthedesireandtheabilityofallindividualstocontroltheirowndestinywithoutoutsideinterferencefromthegovernment,arulingnobleclass,thechurch,oranyotherorganizedauthority.

(2)Thereis,however,apricetobepaidforthisindividualfreedom:self-reliance.ItmeansthatAmericansbelievetheyshouldstandontheirownfeet,achievingbothfinancialandemotionalindependencefromtheirparentsasearlyaspossible,usuallybyage18or21.

(3)AsecondimportantreasonwhyimmigrantshavetraditionallybeendrawntotheUnitedStatesisthebeliefthateveryonehasaequalchancetoenteraraceandsucceedinthegame.BecausetitlesofnobilitywereforbiddenintheConstitution,noformalclasssystemdevelopedintheU.S.

(4)Thereis,however,apricetobepaidforthisequalityofopportunity:competition.Ifmuchoflifeisseenasrace,thenapersonmustruntheraceinordertosucceed;apersonmustcompetewithothers.ThepressuresofcompetitioninthelifeofanAmericanbegininchildhoodandcontinueuntilretirementfromwork.Infact,anygroupofpeoplewhodoesnotcompetesuccessfullydoesnotfit

intothemainstreamofAmericanlifeaswellasthosewhodo.

(5)AthirdreasonwhyimmigrantshavetraditionallycometotheUnitedStatesistohaveabetterlife.Becauseofitsabundantnaturalresources,theUnitedStatesappearedtobea“landofplentywheremillionscouldcometoseektheirfortunes.Thephrase“goingfromragstoriches”becameasloganfortheAmericandream.Manypeopledidachievematerialsuccess.MaterialwealthbecameavaluetotheAmericanpeople,anditalsobecameanacceptedmeasureofsocialstatus.

(6)Americanspayaprice,however,fortheirmaterialwealth:hardwork.HardworkhasbeenbothnecessaryandrewardingformostAmericansthroughouttheirhistory.Insomeways,materialpossessionsareseenasevidenceofpeople’sabilities.BarryGoldwater,acandidateforthepresidencyin1964,saidthatmostpoorpeoplearepoorbecausetheydeservetobe.MostAmericanswouldfind

thisaharshstatement,butmanymightthinktherewassometruthinit.

(7)ThesebasicvaluesdonottellthewholestoryoftheAmericancharacter.Rather,theyshouldbethoughtofasthemes,aswecontinuetoexploremorefacetsoftheAmericancharacterandhowitaffectslifeintheUnitedStates.

1.Para.4seemstosuggestthat__________.

A.Americansarebornwithasenseofcompetition

B.thepressureofcompetitionbeginswhenonestartswork

C.successfulcompetitionisessentialinAmericansociety

D.competitionresultsinequalityofopportunities

2.WhichofthefollowingmethodsdoestheauthormainlyuseinexplainingAmericanvalues?

A.Comparison

D.Causeandeffect

C.Definition

D.Processanalysis

Evenifhisletter____tomorrow，it____toolatetodoanything.