Section C: Reading Comprehension

Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.

Passage One

Having a rival can keep you committed to achieving your goals and enhance your overall performance. But before you go out and find an entrepreneur to outcompete, it's important to understand and avoid the traps that often come with rivalry. After all, competitive rivalry can also hinder effective decision-making and increase your willingness to take risks, behaviors that can ultimately hurt your venture's success.

Finding someone you're committed to outcompeting can be a great way to stay focused on your goals and push your venture to the next level. But when you're intently focused on outperforming your rivals, you may begin to develop a “win-at-all-costs” mentality that causes you to ignore how you achieve success. One group of researchers, for example, examined the link between rivalry and unethical behavior. They found that when people compete against their rivals, they are more willing to behave unethically to win. But such behavior may stain your reputation and strain relationships important to your success. One way to avoid this trap is to stop and reflect on what's important. While outperforming your rivals may provide short-term benefits, the loss of your integrity will have long-term consequences.

One reason having a rival can enhance your venture's performance is that it creates a level of excitement that drives you to work harder. But this eagerness to win may also hurt your venture's success, particularly when it causes you to make impulsive, insensible decisions. But it's possible to avoid such costly mistakes by making a habit of engaging in critical thinking, such as considering opposing viewpoints and conducting cost-benefit analyses, especially for those decisions that are complex and can determine the future of your venture.

The sense of eagerness that comes with having a rival can not only cause you to make poorer decisions, but it can also lead you to take greater risks that put your venture in peril. One way you can overcome the risk-inducing effects of rivalry that stand to endanger your venture's success is to remain attentive to your emotional state and actively monitor how such feelings are affecting your decision-making.

46. How can competitive rivalry benefit entrepreneurs according to the passage?

A) By enabling them to outcompete other entrepreneurs.

B) By enabling them to make their venture a success.

C) By helping them to reach long-term goals.

D) By helping them to stay goal-oriented.

47. What is one of the traps entrepreneurs may often fall into when competing with rivals?

A) They may adopt strategies that are bound to ruin their venture.

B) They may resort to unethical means to outperform their rivals.

C) They may be too eager to succeed while ignoring the huge labor cost.

D) They may be intently focused on winning at the current market level.

48. What are entrepreneurs advised to do to avoid traps that often accompany rivalry?

A) Deliberate on what really matters.

B) Prioritize reaping immediate benefits.

C) Estimate the long-term consequences.

D) Reflect on what successes are achievable.

49. How can entrepreneurs avoid making impulsive and insensible decisions?

A) By engaging themselves in critical reasoning.

B) By developing a habit of keeping their integrity.

C) By criticizing themselves for previous poor performances.

D) By refraining from being too excited about their successes.

50. How can entrepreneurs overcome the risk-inducing effects of rivalry?

A) By paying close attention to their current performance.

B) By taking steps that stand to endanger their rivals' success.

C) By monitoring how their decision-making impacts their mentality.

D) By keeping their emotions in check to avoid making poor decisions.

Passage Two

A multitasker is one who can perform two or more tasks effectively at the same time, which—apart from the obvious differences—is similar to what a computer does. The concept does indeed come from the realms of technology, where it is used to refer to an operating system that can execute multiple tasks at the same time. However, the question is: can a person really be a multitasker?

For most scientists, the answer is no. So much so that, according to experts in neuroscience, our brains do not handle multitasking situations well. As soon as two tasks require our attention, productivity suffers. What we call multitasking, therefore, is in reality the ability to move more or less quickly from one task to another. This requires two essential conditions: that one of the tasks needs to be automatic, like walking or eating, and that they both need different mental processes. Answering the phone and writing at the same time, for example.

However, on the other side of the coin there are people who maintain that it is possible to be, or at least seem to be, multitasking. A recent study concluded that regardless of whether people are actually handling several tasks or not, the mere fact that they perceive this activity as multitasking has a positive effect on their performance.

The business perspective offers a different view: multitasking is understood as the ability to adapt to all types of environment within a company and effectively undertake different activities within a set time frame. Indeed, many companies look for people who are skilled in multitasking to improve their productivity. From this different perspective, you can not only be multitasking but this ability can also be taught: something that is easier in fluid organisations, which favour flexibility in their working practices.

The benefits of multitasking are clear. Being quicker and more efficient increases our performance and the number of tasks completed. But having to pay attention to several things at once means that the powers of concentration are reduced and that can lead to more mistakes.

51. What does a “multitasker” originally refer to?

A) An operating system capable of doing several tasks at once.

B) A skilled worker executing more than one task at the same time.

C) A sophisticated technology doing several tasks effectively at once.

D) An efficient person able to perform multiple tasks at the same time.

52. Why can't people really be multitaskers according to neuroscientists?

A) They are not sufficiently exposed to multitasking situations.

B) They are not comparable to mechanical operating systems.

C) Their brains do not allow them to multitask.

D) Their attention span cannot be expanded.

53. What do we learn from the conclusion of a recent study on multitasking?

A) People make greater achievements by maintaining whatever they are doing is multitasking.

B) People's performance benefits from the perception of what they are doing as multitasking.

C) People's active mental processes exert a positive effect on their multitasking.

D) People can improve their capabilities by handling multitasking situations.

54. How does the business world view multitasking?

A) It is a rare skill often found in fluid organisations.

B) It is an adaptable capability required of all workers.

C) It is an essential quality many employees lack.

D) It is a desirable ability that can be developed.

55. What does the author imply we should do if we have to focus on some task and do it well?

A) Work in a flexible way.

B) Learn from mistakes.

C) Avoid multitasking.

D) Increase efficiency.

Answers & Explanations

Passage One: The Traps of Competitive Rivalry

46. D。解析：题干问竞争关系如何能使企业家受益。定位第一段首句：Having a rival can keep you committed to achieving your goals and enhance your overall performance（拥有竞争对手可以让你致力于实现目标并提高整体表现）。"keep you committed to achieving your goals" 对应选项 D 中的 "stay goal-oriented"（保持以目标为导向）。

47. B。解析：题干问企业家在与竞争对手竞争时经常陷入的陷阱之一是什么。定位第二段：They found that when people compete against their rivals, they are more willing to behave unethically to win.（他们发现，当人们与竞争对手竞争时，他们更愿意做出不道德的行为来取胜）。对应选项 B (They may resort to unethical means to outperform their rivals 他们可能会诉诸不道德的手段来胜过竞争对手)。

48. A。解析：题干问建议企业家做些什么来避免经常伴随竞争而来的陷阱。定位第二段倒数第二句：One way to avoid this trap is to stop and reflect on what's important.（避免这种陷阱的一种方法是停下来反思什么才是重要的）。Deliberate on 与 reflect on 意思相近（仔细考虑/反思），对应选项 A (Deliberate on what really matters 仔细考虑什么才是真正重要的)。

49. A。解析：题干问企业家如何避免做出冲动和不理智的决定。定位第三段最后一句：But it's possible to avoid such costly mistakes by making a habit of engaging in critical thinking...（但是，通过养成进行批判性思考的习惯，可以避免这种代价高昂的错误...）。critical thinking（批判性思维）等同于 critical reasoning（批判性推理），对应选项 A (By engaging themselves in critical reasoning 通过参与批判性推理)。

50. D。解析：题干问企业家如何克服竞争带来的诱发风险的影响。定位最后一段最后一句：One way you can overcome the risk-inducing effects... is to remain attentive to your emotional state and actively monitor how such feelings are affecting your decision-making（克服...诱发风险的影响的一种方法是保持对情绪状态的关注，并积极监测这些感觉是如何影响你的决策的）。关注情绪状态即控制情绪，对应选项 D (By keeping their emotions in check to avoid making poor decisions 通过控制情绪来避免做出糟糕的决定)。

Passage Two: The Myth of Multitasking

51. A。解析：题干问“多任务处理者”最初指的是什么。定位第一段第二句：The concept does indeed come from the realms of technology, where it is used to refer to an operating system that can execute multiple tasks at the same time.（这个概念确实来自技术领域，在那里它被用来指代能够同时执行多个任务的操作系统）。对应选项 A (An operating system capable of doing several tasks at once 能够同时执行多项任务的操作系统)。

52. C。解析：题干问根据神经科学家的观点，为什么人们不能真正成为多任务处理者。定位第二段第一、二句：For most scientists, the answer is no... according to experts in neuroscience, our brains do not handle multitasking situations well.（对大多数科学家来说，答案是否定的...根据神经科学家的说法，我们的大脑不能很好地处理多任务情况）。对应选项 C (Their brains do not allow them to multitask 他们的头脑不允许他们多任务处理)。

53. B。解析：题干问从最近一项关于多任务处理的研究结论中我们能了解到什么。定位第三段最后一句：A recent study concluded that... the mere fact that they perceive this activity as multitasking has a positive effect on their performance.（最近的一项研究得出结论...仅仅是他们将这种活动视为多任务处理这一事实，就会对他们的表现产生积极影响）。对应选项 B (People's performance benefits from the perception of what they are doing as multitasking 人们的表现受益于将他们正在做的事情视为多任务处理的认知)。

54. D。解析：题干问商业界如何看待多任务处理。定位第四段：many companies look for people who are skilled in multitasking... From this different perspective, you can not only be multitasking but this ability can also be taught...（许多公司寻找擅长多任务处理的人...从这种不同的角度来看，你不仅可以多任务处理，而且这种能力也是可以被教授的...）。公司寻找这样的人说明它是令人向往的 (desirable)，可以被教授说明是可以被培养的 (developed)，对应选项 D (It is a desirable ability that can be developed 这是一项可以被培养的理想能力)。

55. C。解析：题干问如果我们需要专注于某项任务并把它做好，作者暗示我们应该做什么。定位最后一段：But having to pay attention to several things at once means that the powers of concentration are reduced and that can lead to more mistakes.（但是必须同时关注几件事意味着注意力会下降，并且会导致更多的错误）。既然多任务处理会导致注意力下降和错误，那么要做好一件事就应该避免它。对应选项 C (Avoid multitasking 避免多任务处理)。

核心搭配与高分句型

【核心搭配与高频短语】

• be committed to：致力于，坚定地做（keep you committed to achieving your goals）
• resort to：诉诸于，采取（某种不好的手段）（resort to unethical means）
• in peril：处于危险之中（put your venture in peril）
• keep in check：控制，约束（keeping their emotions in check）
• refer to：指的是，涉及（used to refer to an operating system）
• on the other side of the coin：另一方面（However, on the other side of the coin...）
• regardless of：不管，不顾（regardless of whether people are actually handling several tasks）
• time frame：时间范围/框架（within a set time frame）

【亮点句型解析】

• Not only... but also... 引导的递进结构：
  "The sense of eagerness... can not only cause you to make poorer decisions, but it can also lead you to take greater risks..."
  （这种渴望感...不仅会导致你做出更糟糕的决定，而且还会导致你承担更大的风险...）`not only... but also...` 结构非常清晰地强调了这种急于求成心态的双重负面影响，是四六级写作中表示递进和强调的高分王牌句型。
• The mere fact that 引导的同位语从句：
  "...the mere fact that they perceive this activity as multitasking has a positive effect on their performance."
  （...仅仅是他们将这种活动视为多任务处理这一事实，就会对他们的表现产生积极影响。）`that` 引导的从句解释了 `the mere fact` 的具体内容。使用 `the mere fact`（仅仅是...这一事实）极大增强了语言的说服力和客观性，常用于议论文中强调某种心理或客观事实的巨大威力。