When it comes to success in business and success in life, there are few qualities as important as confidence. People naturally have different levels of confidence.Some have a higher level of confidence than others do, but even those whose confidence is lacking can learn to build their level of confidence and reach their most important goals.Increasing self confidence is one of the most common reasons people give for seeking the help of psychologists and other professionals. One of the many places where a greater level of confidence is useful is in the workplace.We all know how difficult it can be, for instance, to ask the boss for a raise.This process can be extremely difficult for those who lack confidence in their own abilities.After all, if you are unsure about your own abilities, how will you ever convince your boss that you deserve more money for the work you do? Even if you are not asking for that big raise, having plenty of confidence in your abilities is important to success.If you are certain of your abilities, chances are that those around you, whether they are your coworkers, your colleagues or your superiors, will see that confidence, and that will help to assure them that you are the best at what you do. Being thought of as the person to go to, and being seen as an expert in your chosen field, is naturally very important to success on the job.If you can make yourself the person people go to for guidance and advice, you will help to protect yourself from the ever present danger of downsizing .After all, if you are a recognized expert at the office, you will be regarded as an indispensable member of the team. Having a high level of confidence, after all, does not mean overlooking the places where you could improve.Knowing what you do well and where you need help will help you enjoy increased success and confidence. Psychologists and other professionals can offer help to those _ . A) who dream to be recognized experts B) who expect to give guidance to others C) who want to ask the boss for a raise D) who think their goals are hard to reach
D
(Question)
On Saturday, February 12 two thousand, two things happened that changed everything in my life. The first was that on this day my baby sister was married. She was twenty-six this day, and yet to me she was still my baby sister. I suppose that I pictured her as a little girl, and treated her like one in order to hold onto and preserve my own youth. Until I saw her in her wedding dress I still had a vision of her with chubby little cheeks and long, dark-brown pigtails blowing in the wind, perhaps even a permanent smudge of chocolate around her pink lips. I guess it's true that you see only what you want to see. Where did this beautiful woman with the glowing complexion and gentle curves come from? I was happy that day, and also sad. Gone were the days of me bossingher around and telling her what she should do with her life. My bossy behavior had earned me the nickname Lucy. If you are a Peanuts fan then you can clearly imagine my behavior as an older sister. To me it wasn't an insult; I rather like the nickname Lucy. I happen to think that Lucy is strong and has incredible self-confidence, although she is a little overbearing at times. I did my best to live up to the standards set forth by this dynamic cartoon character. I left the reception to get some air because suddenly I was overcome with grief at the realization that I was no longer a child. I went outside and walked to a nearby playground where there were children playing on the slide, the swings and digging in the dirt. There was a little girl twirlingaround on a bar, one knee wrapped tightly around the bar and fashioned behind her knee. It was all I could do to sit there and just watch, for I too wanted to get on that bar with her and see if I could still hold the all-timetwirlingrecord (ninety-nine times in fifth grade). Somewhere inside I knew that I would break my neck, and I was wearing abridesmaiddress. Not exactly playground material. And so I sat watching the children play. I'm not sure how long I sat there before my sister came and joined me.... Why did the author treat her sister as a little girl? A) Because the author was older than her sister. B) Because the author didn't want to grow up. C) Because her sister always wore pigtails and liked eating chocolate. D) Because the author didn't want her sister to get married.
(Answer)
B
Ques: U.S. first lady Michelle Obama and her family have just ended their one-week trip in China. The whole world has paid attention to the two elegant and beautiful first ladies who have made a difference in the relationship between China and the U.S.A. Mrs. Obama has visited the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors, and the pandas. She has tasted Peking Duck and experienced some other Chinese traditional culture. It is hoped that this trip to China can bring a real understanding of our eastern world to the first family of the United States. Today, the number of exchange students between China and the U.S. has reached more than 4 million every year. There are more than 11,000 people traveling to and from each side of the Pacific. If the two countries can increase the exchange in travel, language, cuisine, and cultural understanding, this will help a lot in improving the understanding between the two countries. Education was an important theme of Mrs. Obama's visit, and it is crucial to the development of Sino-US relationship. China has an ancient tradition of placing a high value on education, and the first lady herself is an outstanding example of a person who changed her own destiny through education. She took education as the key theme of her speech at Peking University, encouraging students from the two countries to learn more about and get wider experience of each other. Mrs. Obama has visited the following places except _ . A) Terracotta Warriors B) the Forbidden City C) the Great Wall D) the Summer Palace
Ans: D
Ques: Is the 'Go to College' Message Overdone? Even in a weak job market, the old college try isn't the answer for everyone. A briefing paper from the Brookings Institution warns that "we may have overdone the message" on college, senior fellow Isabel Sawhill said. "We've been telling students and their families for years that college is the only way to succeed in the economy and of course there's a lot of truth to that," Ms. Sawhill said. "On average it does pay off... But if you load up on a whole lot of student debt and then you don't graduate, that is a very bad situation." One comment that people often repeat among the years of slow job growth has been the value of education for landing a job and advancing in a career. April's national unemployment rate stood at 7.5%, according to the Labor Department. The unemployment rate for high-school graduates over 25 years old who hadn't attended college was 7.4%, compared with 3.9% for those with a bachelor's degree or more education. The difference is even bigger among those aged 16-24. The jobless rate for those with only a high school diploma in that age group is about 20%. At the same time, recent research by Canadian economists cautions that a college degree is no guarantee of promising employment. Ms. Sawhill pointed out that among the aspects that affect the value of a college education is the field of one's major: Students in engineering or other sciences end up earning more than ones who major in the arts or education. The cost of tuition and the availability of financial aid are other considerations, with public institutions generally a better financial bargain than private ones. She suggested two avenues for improving the situation: increasing vocational -technical training programs and _ Europe's focus on early education rather than post-secondary learning. "The European countries put a little more attention to getting people prepared in the primary grades," she said. "Then they have a higher bar for whoever goes to college--but once you get into college,... What can we infer from the passage? A) Public institutions charge more for education. B) European universities are stricter with students. C) Students with certain skills are in great demand. D) Canadian students prefer to major in engineering.
Ans:
C