Comfort is comforting, but it might narrow our experience at work — and beyond.

In our modern world, discomfort is considered a terrible thing. If not terrible, it’s at least a thing of the past. Dishwashers, washing machines, computers, remote controls—yes, they add convenience, but also a level of comfort our forefathers did not enjoy.

As pain of any kind discourages happiness, we tend to reason anything that prevents us to feel good must be bad. And that’s also particularly true for our careers. Success makes us feel great, not terrible. Such a view, however, is a matter of personal opinion. And it may blind us to hidden opportunities.

Artists throughout history have tried to experience suffering, instinctively(本能地) if not consciously(有意識(shí)地), to produce works that explore the darker hidden sides of the human condition. This was done, in part, because pain is a reality of life for everybody in some form at some time. Pain is something everybody can relate to. And pain makes a person very real. For such artists, to deny pain would be to block the creative thinking, which drives them to explore and express. In fact, Germans have a term(術(shù)語) for this, “Weltschmerz”, which means “suffering from the world.” Writers, from Lord Byron to Kurt Vonnegut, have used the term to describe the psychological pain along life’s roller-coaster journey. It was not to be avoided; it was to be understood and employed.

So I believe that discomfort is good for us. Or, put another way, it tells us that something needs to be attended to. It develops us by forcing us to view our circumstances(環(huán)境) through a wholly different view. Because we’re attracted by safety and security, we do our best to create pleasant comfort zones for ourselves and our loved ones through the cars we drive, the houses we live in, and the places we work. But by resisting discomfort, we deny ourselves an important opportunity: the chance to shake ourselves out of our predictable perspectives(視角) and allow ourselves to make knowledgeable observations that we could not possibly have made before. Discomfort gives us fresh eyes.

1.Which of the following is NOT a reason why artists throughout history have been exploring sufferings?

A. Pain is a mirror that can reflect the life of everybody.

B. Pain is something that no one can escape from.

C. Pain can strengthen the feeling of existence of a person.

D. Pain can help them to avoid the creative thinking.

2.The term “Weltschmerz” couldn’t be used to describe something like __________.

A. social inequality

B. great achievements

C. racial discrimination(歧視)

D. mass killings

3.The author believes that by challenging discomfort, one may _________.

A. lose an important chance to make a big fortune

B. feel upset and fail to think calmly

C. control the situation properly when things go wrong

D. judge and think about the world in a new particular way

4. By writing this passage, the author tries to __________.

A. explain why discomfort is good for us

B. criticize(批評(píng)) a world full of comfort

C. persuade people to lead a life full of discomfort

D. blame those who enjoy an easy life

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