Section B: Paragraph Matching
Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.
Do You Know When to Quit Wisely?
A) Projects, relationships, and jobs don't always work out as planned- and it's not always clear when to give up. We've all repeatedly heard the saying that “quitters never win,” but sometimes the best decision is to cut our losses.
B) Think about that relationship you held on to even after it had run its course or the job you stayed in despite your boss making you miserable. Many of us try to hold onto the last ray of hope, thinking we can make it work, whatever “it” is. And while perseverance is generally an excellent quality, it may also incline you to over-invest in something that is no longer a good idea.
C) As an executive coach, I work with numerous passionate and hard-working leaders who don't want to “quit.” But the smartest leaders learn to discern the difference between quitting too soon and holding onto something that they shouldn’t.
D) We are all susceptible to the sunk-cost delusion, an unconscious bias that leads us to persist in an endeavor we have already invested time, effort, or money into — even when abandoning it would be more beneficial. We realize that we can't get back the resources we've given, so we persevere — investing in a project that should be halted, staying in a relationship that should be over, or finishing a book we no longer enjoy and should put down, because we're already halfway through it. If quitting is “not your thing,” you may be especially susceptible to this bias.
E) The sunk-cost delusion causes us to overly worry about what we’ll lose if we move on and not think enough about the costs of not moving on. To offset this bias, deliberately refocus your thinking on the gains so you can more objectively weigh the alternatives. Ask yourself: What might I gain by cutting my losses now? Will you be happier or have time for another (better) opportunity? Then ask yourself: What will it cost me to soldier on? For example, is it possible that you'll be throwing more good money after what you've already lost? Or that you won't have the energy to capitalize on other promising possibilities?
F) The illusion of control can also interfere with our best judgment, leading us to overestimate our ability to control events and attain a positive outcome. This bias gives us a sense of agency and can promote mental health. However, the bias can also result in escalating commitment to a losing course of action. Especially when combined with an “I'm not a quitter” mentality, feeling like we have more control over an event or person than we do puts us at risk of doubling down when we should pull out.
G) To counteract this bias, consider your situation and make a simple two-column list of what's in your control and what's not. Think rigorously. While you may be able to influence other people and various circumstances, you can’t force them to change or go your way.
H) Getting clear on what you can control and what you can't is essential to making a quality decision about whether to call it quits or persevere. With a written list in hand, you can ensure you focus on what you can control and better assess whether your continued efforts are worth the expense. Expending effort and emotion on things you can’t control can be both draining and disempowering.
I) Research indicates that people link their self-identity and social status to their commitments. And because we identify with our commitments, withdrawing from one can feel like a threat to our identity or status.
J) Take my client Ryan, a leader at a technology company. Ryan had invested two years and a lot of effort in a design project that wasn’t delivering the needed outcomes, but the thought of abandoning it after all she had put in was hard to bear. As Ryan and I explored whether she should cancel the initiative she’d been leading or continue to persevere, she stated, “The thing is, I’m not a quitter.” This singular, fixed sense of self was clouding her judgment and limiting her choices for action.
K) Our self-concept and identity are mental concepts that influence our behavior. If you strongly identify as not being a quitter, you can end up staying stuck in a course of action due to your narrow and rigid self-concept. To overcome this kind of internal obstacle, recall your other positive traits and personality characteristics. Ask yourself: What additional strengths do I have (or aspire to have) that would be helpful to employ here? For example, when I asked Ryan what other positive qualities from her personality she needed to leverage for decision making, she replied, “Discernment and bravery.”
L) Now, examine your situation through the lens of each of these facets of yourself. What does the discerning part of you say? The brave part? Considering your decision through these different characteristics will enable you to see that you have more choices. It’s also helpful to seek external sources of information, rather than relying solely on your thinking and instincts. But it's important to think through whose opinions you solicit.
M) Ideally, seek out people who are less invested in your decision than you are. If you're considering whether to shut down your entrepreneurial venture, for instance, reach out to other founders as opposed to just your business partner. Similarly, if you're looking for love advice, ask someone removed from the ups and downs of your relationship instead of relying only on your best friend. In all cases, I recommend describing your situation and following up with a question like: “How would you manage this situation?”
N) Alternately, you could also seek out hard data that illuminates your real chance of success in whatever endeavor you are contemplating. Sticking with the example of the entrepreneurial venture, numbers are your best friend. Use them to remove yourself from the love you have for this idea and consider your bum rate relative to growth plan, industry growth rates, and other factors that predict start-up success. External sources of information can help you see angles and possibilities you might not have considered.
O) When something that seemed so promising at the start doesn't turn out the way we imagined, we can become overly selfcritical. Nobody likes to feel that they’ve made a poor decision, especially if making intelligent decisions is a quality you hold in high esteem. The most effective strategy here is to give yourself a break. Practicing self-compassion increases your resilience (韧性), emotional intelligence, compassion toward others, and can boost your performance as well as help you develop a growth mindset.
P) Instead of deliberating and criticizing yourself, focus instead on what you can learn from this situation. For example, Ryan recognized she had developed various new skills and leadership capabilities from leading the design project. And despite ultimately deciding to drop it, she was still happy she had tried and grateful for what the experience taught her.
Q) Undeniably, perseverance can help us succeed. But for your wellbeing, it’s important to learn how to distinguish quitting too soon and clinging to a losing course of action. While letting go can be difficult, it will free up your time, energy, and mental space to imagine new possibilities and pursue new opportunities.
全文翻译
A) 项目、关系和工作并不总是按计划进行——而且何时放弃并不总是明确的。我们都反复听过"放弃者永远不会成功"的说法，但有时最好的决定是及时止损。
B) 想想那段你即使已经走到尽头仍紧抓不放的关系，或者那份尽管老板让你痛苦你仍留任的工作。我们中的许多人试图抓住最后一线希望，认为我们能让它成功，不管"它"是什么。虽然毅力总体上是一种优秀的品质，但它也可能让你倾向于在对不再是个好主意的事情上过度投入。
C) 作为一名高管教练，我与许多不想"放弃"的充满激情和勤奋的领导者合作。但最聪明的领导者学会辨别过早放弃和紧抓不该抓的东西之间的区别。
D) 我们都容易受到沉没成本错觉的影响，这是一种无意识的偏见，导致我们在已经投入时间、精力或金钱的努力中坚持——即使放弃它更为有益。我们意识到无法收回已经付出的资源，于是我们继续坚持——投资在一个应该停止的项目上，留在一段应该结束的关系中，或者读完一本我们不再喜欢应该放下的书，因为我们已经读了一半。如果放弃"不是你的风格"，你可能特别容易受到这种偏见的影响。
E) 沉没成本错觉导致我们过度担心如果离开会失去什么，而不去足够思考不离开的代价。为了抵消这种偏见，有意识地将你的思维重新聚焦在收益上，这样你就可以更客观地权衡替代方案。问问自己：如果我现在及时止损，可能会获得什么？你会更快乐，还是有时间迎接另一个（更好的）机会？然后问问自己：继续坚持下去会付出什么代价？例如，你是否可能在已经损失的钱上面再投入更多的好钱？或者你将没有精力去利用其他有希望的可能性？
F) 控制错觉也会干扰我们的最佳判断，导致我们高估自己控制事件和获得积极结果的能力。这种偏见给我们一种能动性的感觉，可以促进心理健康。然而，这种偏见也可能导致对一个失败的路线不断升级的承诺。特别是当与"我不是轻言放弃的人"的心态结合时，感觉我们对某个事件或人的控制力比实际更多，会让我们在应该退出的时候冒险加倍下注。
G) 为了对抗这种偏见，考虑你的处境，制作一个简单的两列表，列出一列是你能控制的，一列是你无法控制的。严谨思考。虽然你可能能够影响他人和各种情况，但你无法强迫他们改变或按你的方式行事。
H) 清楚你能控制什么和不能控制什么是做出关于放弃还是坚持的优质决策的关键。手头有一份书面清单，你可以确保专注于你能控制的事情，并更好地评估你的持续努力是否值得付出。在无法控制的事情上消耗精力和情绪，既消耗人的精力，也会削弱人的能力感。
I) 研究表明，人们将自我身份和社会地位与他们的承诺联系在一起。因为我们认同自己的承诺，从一个承诺中退出可能会感觉对身份或地位的威胁。
J) 以我的客户瑞恩为例，她是一家科技公司的领导者。瑞恩在一个未能产出所需成果的设计项目上投入了两年时间和大量精力，但考虑到她投入的一切，放弃的念头让她难以承受。当瑞恩和我探讨她是应该取消她一直领导的这个计划还是继续坚持时，她说："问题是，我不是轻言放弃的人。"这种单一、固定的自我认知正在模糊她的判断并限制她的行动选择。
K) 我们的自我概念和身份是影响我们行为的心理概念。如果你强烈认同自己不是一个轻言放弃的人，你可能会因为你狭隘和僵化的自我概念而陷入一个行动路线无法自拔。为了克服这种内部障碍，回忆你的其他积极特质和个性特征。问问自己：我还有哪些额外的优势（或渴望拥有的优势）在这里运用会有帮助？例如，当我问瑞恩她需要利用她个性中的哪些其他积极品质来做决策时，她回答说："洞察力和勇气。"
L) 现在，通过你自己的每一个方面的透镜来审视你的处境。你有洞察力的那一面怎么说？勇敢的那一面呢？通过这些不同的特征来考虑你的决定，将使你看到你有更多的选择。寻求外部信息来源也是有帮助的，而不是仅仅依赖你的思维和直觉。但重要的是要考虑清楚你向谁征求意见。
M) 理想情况下，寻求那些对你的决定的投入程度比你低的人。例如，如果你在考虑是否关闭你的创业企业，去联系其他创始人，而不仅仅是你的商业伙伴。同样，如果你在寻求爱情建议，问一个远离你关系起伏的人，而不是仅仅依赖你最好的朋友。在所有情况下，我建议描述你的处境，然后跟进这样的问题："你会如何处理这种情况？"
N) 或者，你也可以寻找那些能揭示你在思考的任何努力中真正成功机会的硬数据。继续以创业企业为例，数字是你最好的朋友。用它们来将自己从这个想法所怀有的感情中抽离出来，考虑你的烧钱率相对于增长计划、行业增长率和其他预测初创企业成功的因素。外部信息来源可以帮助你看到你可能没有考虑到的角度和可能性。
O) 当某件开始时看起来如此有希望的事情没有按我们想象的方式发展时，我们可能变得过度自责。没有人喜欢感觉自己做出了一个糟糕的决定，特别是如果做出明智的决定是你高度重视的品质。这里最有效的策略是给自己一个休息。实践自我同情能增加你的韧性、情商、对他人的同情，并能提升你的表现，以及帮助你培养成长心态。
P) 与其反复思考并批评自己，不如专注于你从这种情况中学到了什么。例如，瑞恩意识到她从领导设计项目中培养了各种新技能和领导能力。尽管最终决定放弃它，她仍然很高兴自己尝试过，并对这个经历教会了她的东西心存感激。
Q) 不可否认，毅力可以帮助我们成功。但为了你的幸福，学会区分过早放弃和紧抓失败的路线是很重要的。虽然放手可能很难，但它会释放你的时间、精力和心理空间，让你想象新的可能性并追求新的机会。
Answers & Explanations (答案与解析)
Section B: Paragraph Matching
36. F。解析：题干意为“由于感觉自己对某事或某人的控制力超出了实际情况，人们在本该放弃时反而会对自己的追求更加执着”。定位至段落 F 最后一句 "...feeling like we have more control over an event or person than we do puts us at risk of doubling down when we should pull out."（感觉我们对某事件或某人的控制力超出了实际，这会使我们在应该撤出时面临加倍投入的风险）。"get more committed" 对应 "doubling down"（加倍投入）；"should give up" 对应 "should pull out"（应该撤出）。
37. K。解析：题干意为“如果你认为自己是一个从不放弃的人，你最终可能会被困在你的行动方案中”。定位至段落 K 第 2 句 "If you strongly identify as not being a quitter, you can end up staying stuck in a course of action..."（如果你强烈认同自己不是一个轻言放弃的人，你最终可能会由于狭隘和僵化的自我概念而困在某个行动过程中）。"regard yourself as one who never quits" 对应 "identify as not being a quitter"；"trapped in" 对应 "staying stuck in"。
38. J。解析：题干意为“作者的一位客户发现很难放弃一个设计项目，她在这个项目上投入了大量的时间和精力”。定位至段落 J 第 1-2 句 "Take my client Ryan... invested two years and a lot of effort in a design project... thought of abandoning it after all she had put in was hard to bear."（以我的客户瑞安为例...在一个设计项目上投入了两年时间和大量精力...放弃它的念头很难忍受）。"author’s clients" 对应 "my client Ryan"；"found it hard to give up" 对应 "abandoning it... was hard to bear"。
39. E。解析：题干意为“作者建议人们应该将思想转向及时放弃的好处，以便继续前进”。定位至段落 E 第 2 句 "To offset this bias, deliberately refocus your thinking on the gains so you can more objectively weigh the alternatives."（为了抵消这种偏见，请刻意将思想重新聚焦于收益上，这样你就能更客观地权衡替代方案）。"direct their thoughts to the gains" 对应 "refocus your thinking on the gains"；"move on" 在该段首句也有明确对应。
40. M。解析：题干意为“做决定时，你最好征求那些在你的决定中利益关系较小的人的意见”。定位至段落 M 第 1 句 "Ideally, seek out people who are less invested in your decision than you are."（理想情况下，寻找那些在你的决定上投入/利益相关比你少的人）。"ask for opinions" 对应 "seek out people"；"less stake in your decision" 对应 "less invested in your decision"。
41. I。解析：题干意为“对于将身份与承诺联系在一起的人来说，放弃可能会让他们觉得自己的身份受到了威胁”。定位至段落 I "Research indicates that people link their self-identity... to their commitments. And because we identify with our commitments, withdrawing from one can feel like a threat to our identity or status."（研究表明人们将自我认同与承诺联系起来...退出某项承诺会让人感觉像是对我们身份或地位的威胁）。"associating their identity with" 对应 "link their self-identity to"；"quitting" 对应 "withdrawing"。
42. O。解析：题干意为“那些高度重视做出明智决定这一品质的人，在做出糟糕决定时会感觉不好”。定位至段落 O 第 2 句 "Nobody likes to feel that they’ve made a poor decision, especially if making intelligent decisions is a quality you hold in high esteem."（没人喜欢觉得自己做了一个糟糕的决定，特别是如果你高度重视做出明智决定这一品质的话）。"regard highly" 对应 "hold in high esteem"；"feel good when they make a bad one" 对应 "feel that they’ve made a poor decision"。
43. C。解析：题干意为“最明智的领导者学会了区分过早放弃和非理性地坚持某事”。定位至段落 C 第 2 句 "But the smartest leaders learn to discern the difference between quitting too soon and holding onto something that they shouldn’t."（但最聪明的领导者学会了辨别过早放弃与执着于不该坚持的事物之间的区别）。"distinguish between" 对应 "discern the difference between"；"sticking with something irrationally" 对应 "holding onto something that they shouldn’t"。
44. N。解析：题干意为“当人们考虑一项努力/尝试时，他们应该挖掘出可靠的数据来告诉他们成功的可能性有多大”。定位至段落 N 第 1 句 "Alternately, you could also seek out hard data that illuminates your real chance of success in whatever endeavor you are contemplating."（另外，你也可以寻找硬数据，来阐明你在考虑的任何尝试中真正的成功机会）。"dig out reliable data" 对应 "seek out hard data"；"how likely they are to succeed" 对应 "your real chance of success"。
45. H。解析：题干意为“清楚地了解什么是你能控制的，什么是你不能控制的，这对于决定是放弃还是坚持下去至关重要”。定位至段落 H 第 1 句 "Getting clear on what you can control and what you can't is essential to making a quality decision about whether to call it quits or persevere."（弄清楚你能控制什么和不能控制什么，对于做出是放弃还是坚持的高质量决定至关重要）。"Having a clear view" 对应 "Getting clear"；"vital" 对应 "essential"；"give up or stick it out" 对应 "call it quits or persevere"。
【核心同义替换归纳】
get more committed <=> doubling down (加倍投入，更加执着) [36 - F]
trapped in <=> staying stuck in (被困在...中) [37 - K]
found it hard to give up <=> abandoning it... was hard to bear (发现很难放弃) [38 - J]
direct their thoughts to the gains <=> refocus your thinking on the gains (将思想重新聚焦于收益) [39 - E]
less stake <=> less invested (利益关系较小，投入较少) [40 - M]
associating <=> link (将...联系起来) [41 - I]
regard highly <=> hold in high esteem (高度重视) [42 - O]
distinguish <=> discern the difference (区分，辨别) [43 - C]
dig out reliable data <=> seek out hard data (寻找确凿/可靠的数据) [44 - N]
give up or stick it out <=> call it quits or persevere (放弃还是坚持下去) [45 - H]