The world is filled with smart, talented, educated and gifted people. We meet them every day. A few days ago, my car was not running well. I pulled it into a garage and the young mechanic had it fixed in just a few minutes. He knew what was wrong by simply listening to the engine. I was amazed. The sad truth is, great talent is not enough.
I am constantly shocked at how little talented people earn. I heard the other day that less than 5 percent of Americans earn more than $100,000 a year. A business consultant who specializes in the medical trade told me how many doctors and dentists struggled financially. It was this business consultant who gave me the phrase, “They are one skill away from great wealth.”
There is an old saying that goes, “Job means ‘just over broke（破產(chǎn)）’.” And unfortunately, I would say that the saying applies to millions of people. Because school does not think financial intelligence is intelligence, and most workers live within their means. They work and they pay the bills. Instead I recommend to young people to seek work for what they will learn, more than what they will earn.
When I ask the classes I teach, “How many of you can cook a better hamburger than McDonald’s?”， almost all the students raise their hands. I then ask, “So if most of you can cook a better hamburger, how come McDonald’s makes more money than you?” The answer is obvious:　McDonald’s is excellent at business systems. The reason why so many talented people are poor is that they focus on making a better hamburger but know little or nothing about business systems. The world is filled with talented poor people. They focus on perfecting their skills at building a better hamburger rather than the skills of selling and delivering the hamburger.
【小題1】The author mentions the mechanic in the first paragraph to show that     .

A．he is just one of the talented people
B．he is ready to help others
C．he has a sharp sense of hearing
D．he knows little about car repairing
【小題2】The underlined part in the third paragraph can be best replaced by“       ”.
A．spend more than they can afford
B．do in their own way
C．live in their own circle
D．live within what they earn
【小題3】Why do talented people earn so little according to the author?        
A．They don’t work hard enough.
B．They lack financial intelligence.
C．They don’t make full use of their talents.
D．They have no specialized skills.
【小題4】The success of McDonald’s lies in its         .
A．skills at making hamburgers
B．good business systems
C．talented workers
D．excellent service
【小題5】The main purpose of the author is to tell us         .
A．how young people can find a satisfactory job
B．what schools should teach students
C．why so many talented people are poor
D．how McDonald’s makes much money


【小題1】A
【小題2】D
【小題3】B
【小題4】B
【小題5】C

解析試題分析：文章講解的是作者通過一次修車的經(jīng)歷，聯(lián)想到有天賦的人在實(shí)際生活中的經(jīng)濟(jì)收入其實(shí)是很低的，并分析了原因。
【小題1】推理判斷題。 根據(jù)第一段可知，作者認(rèn)為修車的人很厲害，就是一個(gè)天才，有天賦的人，選A。
【小題2】猜測(cè)詞義題。根據(jù)第三段They work and they pay the bills.可知live within their means.意思是：在他們靠掙的錢生活。選D。
【小題3】推理判斷題。根據(jù)第四段The reason so many talented people are poor is because they focus on bui1ding a better hamburger and know little or nothing about business systems.可知聰明的人沒有經(jīng)濟(jì)頭腦。選B。
【小題4】事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題。 根據(jù)第四段 McDonald's is excellent at business systems可知麥當(dāng)勞的成功在于它的很好的商業(yè)體系。選B。
【小題5】主旨大意題。從全文和第二段的句子：I am constantly shocked at how little talented people earn.文章主要想告訴我們有天賦的人收入?yún)s很低。
考點(diǎn)：考查社會(huì)現(xiàn)象類短文

練習(xí)冊(cè)系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

If you haven’t seen or heard anything about Road Rage in the last few months, you’ve probably been avoiding the media. There have been countless stories about this new and scary phenomenon, considered a type of aggressive driving. You have most likely encountered aggressive dnriving or Road Rage recently if you drive at all.
While drunk driving remains a critical problem，the facts about aggressive driving are surely as disturbing. For instance，according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Association, 41，907 people died on the highway last year．of those deaths,the agency estimates that about two-thirds were caused at least in part by aggressive driving behavior．
Why is this phenomenon occurring more than ever now and why is it something that seemed almost nonexistent a few short years ago?Experts have certain theories，and all are probably partially correct．One suggestion is over crowding．In the last decade，the number of the cars on the roads has increased by more than 11 percent，and the number of miles driven has increased by 35 percent．However,the number of new road miles has only increased by 1 percent．That means more cars in the same amount of space；and the problem is even serious in urban areas．Also，people have less time and more things to do．With people working and trying to fit extra chores and activities into the day，street levels have never been higher．Stress creates anxiety,which leads to short tempers．These factors，when combined in certain situations，Can induce Road Rage.
You may think you are the last person who would drive aggressively，but you might be surprised．For instance, have you ever yelled out loud at a slower driver,sounded the horn long and hard at another car, or sped up to keep another driver from passing?If you recognize yourself in any of these situations，watch out!
Whether you are getting angry at other drivers，or another driver is visibly upset with you，there are things you can do to avoid any major conflict.If you are easily influenced to Road Rage，the key is to discharge your emotion in a healthy way.If You are the target of another driver’s rage，do everything possible to get away from me other drive safely，including avoiding eye contact and getting out of their way． www.sdzxlm.com
【小題1】What can we learn from the first paragraph?

A．Most people are angry at media reports and want to avoid them
B．Most drivers have bad manners
C．Road Rage has received much media attention in the past few months
D．People showing no interest in the media know little about recent happenings
【小題2】According to the passage，what are the causes of overcrowding?
A．Stress，anxiety and short tempers．
B．People working together in a big city．
C．More cars stopping in the same amount of space
D．Quickly increasing cars and slowly increasing new road miles
【小題3】The underlined“induce”in Paragraph3 Call be replaced by“
A．relaxB．causeC．reduceD．destroy
【小題4】Which of the following is“aggressive driving”?
A．Phoning while driving．
B．Driving at a low speed．
C．Shouting loud at another driver．
D．Sounding the horn when driving．
【小題5】What does the writer want to tell US by writing the last paragraph?
A．Flow to control our anger
B．How to deal with Road Rage．
C，How to recognize aggressive drivers．
D．How to avoid eye contact with other drivers．

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Travelling abroad for leisure is becoming more and more popular for Chinese. The UK is high up in the list of places that the Chinese want to visit. There is a sense of mystery about the UK; it’s often the images of England’s green parks, countryside and Victorian houses that people point to as an alternative to polluted, overcrowded cities such as Beijing and Guangzhou.
The capital is viewed as modern and dynamic, while being filled deep with history. When asked what other images are thought of by the UK, the reply is often “the Queen, tea and Oxbridge”. So what’s stopping them actually coming? Sebastian Wood ,the British ambassador in Beijing, has described the UK as a “fortress”, and while this is perhaps an exaggeration(夸張)，Britain does have a reputation as a country that is harder to access.
The main problem for Chinese tourists is obvious. Although visa applications are now completed online, visitors are still required to visit one of 12 UK centers across the country for a face-to-face interview and fingerprinting. If you don’t live near one of these enters already, you’d have to travel some distance to get there.
Another problem is also to be mentioned. If travelers from China visit the UK, they also want to cover as much ground as possible. But the UK is not included in the Schengen visa, which allows access to a host of 26 European countries such as France and Germany. So it makes the former seem a less worth it.
There is also the issue of cost: £47 for a Schengen visa, £82 for the UK. On top of this, the UK is viewed as stricter in its handing of visas compared with the rest of Europe, fed by urban legends of rejected applications. In the end, the decision comes down to one question: Is Britain worth a visit?
【小題1】 The underlined word “fortress ” in paragraph2 is something similar to ______.

A．temple B．a(chǎn)partment C．castle D．market
【小題2】Which of the following statements is NOT true for the UK visa?
A．One can apply for a visa online.
B．One must have a face-to-face interview.
C．No one can get a visa without a fingerprinting.
D．No one needs to travel a long distance to get a center.
【小題3】What can a visitor do if he gets a Schengen visa?
A．He can only visit the UK.
B．He can only visit 26 European countries.
C．He can visit the UK and France.
D．He can travel to any country he likes.
【小題4】What is the writer’s attitude towards visiting the UK?
A．He really supports Chinese people to visit the UK.
B．He suggests Chinese people visit London strongly.
C．He thinks it is troublesome to visit the UK.
D．He believes everyone should go to see the Queen and Oxbridge.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated (人口密集的)cities in the world, but with night skies around 1,000 times brighter than globally accepted levels, it gains a bad reputation for its light pollution.
A study by Hong Kong University found that brightness levels in the southern Chinese city's popular shopping district of Tsim Sha Tsui were 1,200 times greater than the international dark sky standard.
The crowded city of 7 million residents(居民), full or residential high-rises, towering office blocks and neon(霓虹燈) advertisements, has no laws to control outdoor lightning.
The result is that light pollution is thought to be much worse than in other large cities, including London, Sydney, Tokyo and Shanghai.
“In Hong Kong , you can’t go anywhere outdoor in the evening without your eyes being blinded by this really disturbing outdoor lightning,” the light pollution survey’s head Jason Pum told AFP.
“The fact that we have all this light in the sky means energy is wasted,” he said, adding that too much artificial lightning also affects nightly wildlife.
Research has suggested that light pollution can cause a number of harmful health effects in humans, including sleeplessness and headaches and can also interrupt body clocks and hormones(荷爾蒙).
The university survey, the result of five million measurements taken from points across the city, was released just days before the start of the annual Earth Hour event, organized by the World Wildlife Fund.
People around the world will be encouraged to turn off the lights for an hour on Saturday night to raise awareness of climate change. Last year, a number of Hong Kong’s major buildings along Victoria Harbour went dark to mark Earth Hour.
“Anyway, we should do our best to reduce the amount of lightning and adjust it for the benefit of the environment.”
【小題1】If you walk out at night in Hong Kong, you can see all those things except ______.

A．neon advertisements B．residential buildings
C．a(chǎn) dark sky with twinkling stars D．high office blocks
【小題2】.which of the following statements about too much lightning is NOT true?
A．Too much lightning means a waste of energy.
B．It can make the sky and the city more beautiful.
C．It may have a bad effect on nightly wildlife.
D．It can lead to some health problems.
【小題3】.We can know from the passage that__________
A．light pollution in Hong Kong is among world’s worst.
B．light pollution is the biggest problem in Hong Kong.
C．Earth Hour is simply organized to reduce pollution.
D．light pollution is the primary causes of sleeplessness.
【小題4】.what will the author probably discuss after the last paragraph?
A．Bad effects of light pollution
B．Causes of light pollution
C．Worries about light pollution
D．Ways to reduce light pollution

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Big Brothers Big Sisters is based on the simplicity and power of friendship. It is a program which provides friendship and fun by matching vulnerable young people (ages 7-17) with a volunteer adult who can be both a role model and a supportive friend.
Volunteer tutors come from all walks of life—married, single, with or without children. Big Brothers and Big Sisters are not replacement parents or social workers. They are tutors: someone to trust, to have fun with, to talk and go to when needed.
A Big Sister and Little Sister will generally spend between one and four hours together three or four times each month for at least twelve months. They enjoy simple activities such as a picnic at a park, cooking, playing sport or going to a football match. These activities improve the friendship and help the young person develop positive self-respect, confidence and life direction.
Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations exist throughout the world. It is the large and most well-known provider of tutor services internationally and has been operating for 25 years.
Emily and Sarah have been matched since 2008. Emily is a 10-year-old girl who has experienced some difficulties being accepted by her schoolmates at school. “I was pretty sure there was something wrong with me.”
Emily’s mum came across Big Brothers Big Sisters and thought it would be of benefit to Emily by “providing different feedback (反饋) about herself other than just relying on schoolmates to measure her self-worth.”
Sarah wanted to get involved in a volunteer program. “I googled it and found out how to be a part of it. I thought it would be fun for me to get involved in making time to do something because sometimes it is all work and no play.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters has been of great benefit and enjoyment to both Emily and Sarah. They love and look forward to their time together and the partnership has certainly helped Emily be more comfortable in being the wonderful, happy and unique girl she is!
【小題1】What is the aim of Big Brothers Big Sisters?

A．To offer students public services.
B．To help students improve their grades.
C．To organize sport activities for young people.
D．To provide partnership and fun for young people.
【小題2】A volunteer is usually expected to work within a year for at least ________.
A．24 hours B．36 hours C．48 hours D．72 hours
【小題3】 According to Emily’s mother, this program may provide Emily with ________.
A．a(chǎn)dvice from her teachers
B．a(chǎn) new way to judge her schoolmates
C．a(chǎn) new way to assess herself
D．more comments from her schoolmates
【小題4】Why did Sarah want to get involved in the program?
A．She used to be a volunteer.
B．She felt a bit bored with her life.
C． She needed a part-time job.
D．She wanted to get a challenging job.
【小題5】According to the passage, “vulnerable young people” are probably those who are ________.
A．popular at school B．rather weak physically
C．confident in themselves D．easily hurt emotionally

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan sees an epidemic(流行病) sweeping across Americas farmland. It has little to do with the usual challenges, such as flood, rising fuel prices and crop-eating insects. The country’s farmers are getting older, and there are fewer people standing in line to take their place. National agricultural census(普查) figures show that the fastest-growing group of fanners is the part over 65. Merrigan is afraid the average age will be even higher when the 2012 statistics are completed.
Merrigan, a former college professor, is making stops at universities across the country in hopes of encouraging more students to think about careers in agriculture. Aside from trying to stop the graying of .America’s farmers, her work is made tougher by a recent blog posting that put agriculture at No.1 on a list of “useless” college degrees. Top federal(聯(lián)邦的) agriculture officials are talking about the posting, and it has the attention of agricultural organizations across the country.
“There couldn’t be anything that’s more incorrect.” Merrigan said. “We know that there aren’t enough qualified graduates to fill the jobs that are out there in American agriculture.”
“In addition, a growing world population that some experts predict will require 70% more food production by 2050,” she said.
“I truly believe we're at a golden age of agriculture. Global demand is at an all-time record high, and global supplies are at all-time record lows,” said Matt Rush, director of the Texas Farm Bureau. “Production costs are going to be valuable enough that younger people are going to have the opportunity to be involved in agriculture.”
The Department of Agriculture has programs aimed at developing more farmers and at increasing interest in locally grown food. The National Young Farmers’ Coalition has also been pushing for state and federal policy changes to make it easier for new farmers.
Ryan Best, president of Future Farmers of America, has been living out of a suitcase, traveling the country and visiting with high school students about careers in agriculture. The 21 -year-old Best hopes his message-that this is a new time in agriculture-will motivate the next generation to turn around the statistics. “Never before have we had the innovations(創(chuàng)新) in technology which have led to agriculture in this country being the most efficient it has ever been,” he said. “There’s really a place for everybody to fit in.”
【小題1】What is the new challenge to American agriculture?

A．Fewer and older farmers. B．Higher fuel prices.
C．More natural disasters. D．Lower agricultural output.
【小題2】Why is Merrigan visiting universities across the country?
A．To draw federal agriculture officials’ attention.
B．To select qualified agriculture graduates.
C．To clarify a recent blog posting.
D．To talk more students into farming careers.
【小題3】According to Matt Rush, American agriculture will provide opportunities for younger people because              .
A．the government will cover production costs
B．global food supplies will be even lower
C．investment in agriculture will be profitable
D．America will increase its food export
【小題4】What do the underlined words “to turn around the statistics” in the last paragraph mean?
A．To re-analyze the result of the national census.
B．To increase agricultural production.
C．To bring down the average age of farmers.
D．To invest more in agriculture.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

If you haven’t heard or seen anything about Road Rage in the last few months, you’ve probably been avoiding the media. There have been countless stories about this new and scary phenomenon, considered a type of aggressive driving. You have most likely encountered aggressive driving or Road Rage recently if you drive at all.
While drunk driving remains a critical problem, the facts about aggressive driving are surely as disturbing. For instance, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Association, 41,907 people died on the highway last year. Of those deaths, the agency estimates that about two-thirds were caused at least in part by aggressive driving behavior.
Why is this phenomenon occurring more than ever now, and why is it something that seemed almost nonexistent a few short years ago? Experts have several theories, and all are probably partially correct. One suggestion is extreme overcrowding. In the last decade, the number of cars on the roads has increased by more than 11 percent, and the number of miles driven has increased by 35 percent. However, the number of new road miles has only increased by 1 percent. That means more cars in the same amount of space; and the problem is severe in urban areas. Also, people have less time and more things to do. With people working and trying to fit extra chores and activities into the day, stress levels have never been higher. Stress creates anxiety, which leads to short tempers. These factors, when combined in certain situations, can spell Road Rage.
You may think you are the last person who would drive aggressively, but you might be surprised. For instance, have you ever yelled out loud at a slower driver, sounded the horn long and hard an another car, or sped up to keep another driver from passing? If you recognize yourself in any of these situations, watch out!
Whether you are getting angry at other drivers, or another driver is visibly upset with you, there are things you can do to avoid any major conflict. If you are easily influenced by Road Rage, the key is to release your emotion in a healthy way. If you are the target of another driver’s rage, do everything possible to get away from the other driver safely, including avoiding eye contact and getting out of their way.
【小題1】The first sentence in Para. 1 implies that ______.

A．RoadRagehasreceivedmuchmediacoverageinthelastfewmonths
B．themediacreatedtheterm“RoadRage”onlyafewmonthsago C．onemaybeangeredbymediareportsandwantstoavoidthem
D．peoplenotinterestedinthemediaknowlittleaboutrecenthappenings
【小題2】 The underlined word “spell” in Para. 3 means ________.
A．relieve B．cause C．spread D．prevent
【小題3】Which of the following characterizes aggressive driving?
A．Talking while driving.
B．Driving at high speed.
C．Shouting at another driver.
D．Sounding the horn when passing
【小題4】The last paragraph is intended to _________.
A．tellpeoplehowtodealwithRoadRage
B．informpeoplehowaggressivedriverscouldbe
C．showpeoplehowtocontrolthemselveswhenangry
D．warnpeopleagainsteyecontactwithanotherdriver

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

The regular use of text messages and e-mails can lower the IQ more than twice as much as smoking marijuana (大麻). That is the statement of researchers who have found that tapping away on a mobile phone or computer keyboard or checking for electronic messages temporarily knocks up to 10 points off the user’s IQ. This rate of decline in intelligence compared unfavorably with the four-point drop in IQ associated with smoking marijuana, according to British researchers, who have described the phenomenon of improved stupidity as “infomania”. The research conducted by Hewlett Packard, the technology company, has concluded that it is mainly a problem for adult workers, especially men.
It is concluded that too much use of modern technology can damage a person’s mind. It can cause a constant distraction of “always on” technology when employees should be concentrating on what they are paid to do. Infomania means that they lose concentration as their minds remain fixed in an almost permanent state of readiness to react to technology instead of focusing on the task in hand. The report also added that, in a long term, the brain will be considerably shaped by what we do to it and by the experience of daily life. At a microcellular(微蜂窩，微孔的) level, the complex networks of nerve cells that make up parts of the brain actually change in response to certain experiences.
Too much use of modern technology can be damaging not only to a person’s mind, but to their social relationship. 1100 adults were interviewed during the research. More than 62 percent of them admitted that they were addicted to checking their e-mails and text messages so often that they scrutinized work-related ones even when at home or on holiday. Half said that they always responded immediately to an e-mail and will even interrupt a meeting to do so. It is concluded that infomania is increasing stress and anxiety and affecting one’s characteristics. Nine out of ten thought that colleagues who answered e-mails or messages during a face-to-face meeting were extremely rude.
The effects on IQ were studied by Dr. Glenn Wilson, a psychologist at University of London. “This is a very real and widespread phenomenon,” he said. “We have found that infomania will damage a worker’s performance by reducing their mental sharpness and changing their social life. Companies should encourage a more balanced and appropriate way of working.”
【小題1】We can learn from the passage that “infomania” __________.

A．has a positive influence on one’s IQ 
B．results in the change of part of the brain 
C．lies in the problem of lack of concentration 
D．is caused by too much use of modern technology 
【小題2】The research mentioned in the passage is most probably about ________.
A．the important function of advanced technology 
B．the damage to one’s brain done by unhealthy habits 
C．the relevance between IQ and use of modern technology 
D．the relationship between intelligence and working effectiveness 
【小題3】The underlined word “scrutinized” probably means “___________”.
A．examined carefully B．copied patiently  
C．corrected quickly D．a(chǎn)dmitted freely 
【小題4】w hich of the following shows the structure of the passage?

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it. And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is. That is what ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ is about, It is the story of someone who tried to look as rich as his neighbors.
The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighborhood outside New York City. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbors.
It was like a race, but one could never finish this race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.
Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich life—style of their neighbors. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories, He called it ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’ because ‘Jones’ is a very common name in the United States.’ Keeping up with the Joneses’ came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.
People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are ‘Joneses’ in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.
【小題1】Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they ________.
A. want to be as rich as their neighbors
B. want others to know or to think that they are rich
C don’t want others to know they are rich
D. want to be happy
【小題2】It can be inferred (推斷) from the story that rich people like to ________.

A．live outside New York City
B．live in New York city
C．live in apartments
D．have many neighbors
【小題3】Arthur Momand used the name “Jones” in his series of short stories because “Jones” is ________.
A．a(chǎn)n important name
B．a(chǎn) popular name in the United States
C．his neighbor’s name
D．not a good name
【小題4】If a person who keeps up with the Joneses, he would _________. 
A．do as the poor persons around him do
B．do everything he likes to do
C．do as his neighbors do
D．do as the rich people around him do
【小題5】 According to the writer, it is ___________ to keep up with the Jonese.
A．Good B．correct C．interesting D．impossible

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊(cè)答案