Decisions, decisions! Our lives are full of them, from the small ones to the life-changing. The right to choose is central to everyone. Yet sometimes we make bad decisions that leave us unhappy or full of regret. Can science help?

Most of us know little about the mental processes that lie behind our decisions. Luckily, what psychologists(心理學(xué)家)are finding may help us all make better choices. Here are some of their amazing discoveries to help you make up your mind.

Consider your emotions. You might think that emotions are the enemy of decision making, but in fact they're a part of it. Whenever you make up your mind, your brain’s emotional center is active. University of Southern California scientist, Antonio Damasio, has studied people with damage to only the emotional parts of their brains, and found that they were unable to make basic choices about what to wear or eat. Damasio thinks this may be because our brains store emotional memories of past choices, which we use to help the present decision making.

However, making choices under the influence of an emotion can greatly affect the result. Take anger, for example. A study by Nitika Garg of the University of Mississippi and other scientists found the angry shoppers were more likely to choose the first thing they were offered rather than considering other choices. It seems anger can lead us to make quick decisions without much thinking.

All emotions affect our thinking and motivation(動機), so it may be best to avoid making important decisions under their influence. Yet strangely there’s one emotion that seems to help us make good choices. The American researchers found that sad people took time to consider the various choices on offer, and ended up making the best choices. In fact many studies show that people who feel unhappy have the most reasonable view of the world.

1.According to the text, what may help us make better decisions?

A.To think about happy times.

B.To make many decisions at a time.

C.To stop feeling regretful about the past.

D.To learn about the process of decision-making.

2.Damasio’s study suggests that _________.

A.emotions are the enemy of decision making

B.our brain has nothing to do with decision making

C.people with physical damage find it hard to make up their minds

D.our emotional memories of past choices can affect present decisions

3.Why are angry shoppers more likely to choose the first thing they are offered?

A.They often forget their past choices.

B.They make decisions without much thinking.

C.They tend to save time when shopping.

D.They are too angry to bargain.

4.What do we learn from the text?

A.Emotions are a part of decision making.

B.Sad people always make worst choices.

C.No emotion seems to help us make good choices.

D.Only sad feelings affect our thinking and motivation.

 

【答案】

1.D

2.D

3.B

4.A

【解析】

試題分析:文章介紹如何做出正確的決定,情感在做決定中的作用,如何利用情感做出正確的決定。

1.細(xì)節(jié)題:從第二段的句子:Most of us know little about the mental processes that lie behind our decisions.大部分人不知道做決定的思維過程,也就是說,如果知道了這個思維過程,就可以做出正確的判斷。選D

2.細(xì)節(jié)題:從第三段的句子:Damasio thinks this may be because our brains store emotional memories of past choices, which we use to help the present decision making. 可知Damasio認(rèn)為我們對過去的決定的情感記憶會影響現(xiàn)在的決定。選D

3.細(xì)節(jié)題:從第四段的句子:It seems anger can lead us to make quick decisions without much thinking.

可知這些憤怒的購物者沒有多思考就決定了。選B

4.細(xì)節(jié)題:從第二段的句子:You might think that emotions are the enemy of decision making, but in fact they're a part of it. 可知情感是決定的一部分。選A

考點:考查社會現(xiàn)象類短文

點評:本文考查細(xì)節(jié)題為主,細(xì)節(jié)題可以在文章中直接找到與答案有關(guān)的信息?或是其變體。搜查信息在閱讀中非常重要它包括理解作者在敘述某事時使用的具體事實、數(shù)據(jù)、圖表等細(xì)節(jié)信息。在一篇短文里大部分篇幅都屬于這類圍繞主體展開的細(xì)節(jié)。做這類題一般采用尋讀法?即先讀題,然后帶著問題快速閱讀短文,找出與問題有關(guān)的詞語或句子,再對相關(guān)部分進(jìn)行分析對比,找出答案。

 

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