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

People often wonder why some entrepreneurs have greater success than others. Is it habits, connections, luck, work ethic or any other behavior? I believe the key to success is willpower. Willpower is the ability to control yourself. It is a strong determination that allows you to do something difficult. It is a behavior we are born with more than one we learn. However, it is possible to not only learn it, but also strengthen it with constant exercise.

Willpower is just like a muscle, to keep it strong you need to constantly exercise it. People with a great amount of willpower have the discipline to develop positive, successful habits. Even with an incredible amount of talent, without the discipline and motivation to create positive habits, it can be difficult to achieve success.

Willpower and habits go hand in hand. It is critical to create good habits and take the actions necessary to stick to those habits day in and day out for greater success. Almost half of our daily actions are part of our habits and not decisions, so once the correct habits are in place, you will automatically perform those tasks on a day-to-day basis.

The best way to create and stick to a habit is to have strong motivation. It's easier to change your habits to lose weight if you have a health issue and you want to be around longer for your kids, or if your business is something you're passionate about. Having a valuable outcome associated with a habit will help you stick to that habit permanently.

The art of self-control is one that most successful individuals have mastered. Self-control enables you to avoid behaviors that don't contribute to your success and adopt those that do.

Because there is a delayed satisfaction associated with self-control, it can be easy to get off track. However, if you work on sticking to those small positive habits one day at a time, it becomes easier to stay strong and achieve that delayed reward. Once a reward is achieved, it is much easier to continue sticking to your habits.

46. What does the author say we need to do to strengthen our willpower?

A) Keep it under control.

B) Apply it continuously.

C) Learn from entrepreneurs.

D) Aim at success determinedly.

47. How are almost half of our daily actions performed according to the passage?

A) Out of habit.

B) With determination.

C) Like muscle building.

D) By self-discipline.

48. What will help people stick to doing something constructive automatically?

A) Practising it on a day-to-day basis.

B) Associating it with improving health.

C) Possessing a reasonable amount of talent.

D) Foreseeing the desired outcome it will yield.

49. How does the art of self-control help us succeed?

A) By allowing us to remain clear-headed permanently.

B) By enabling us to alter our behaviors constantly.

C) By enabling us to take positive actions.

D) By allowing us to avoid taking risks.

50. Why can it be difficult for us to maintain self-control?

A) Most of us are not in the habit of exercising self-control.

B) We may not get immediate rewards from self-control.

C) Self-control tends to be associated with pains.

D) Self-control only brings about small benefits.

Passage Two

Today, most scientific research is funded by government grants, companies doing research and development and nonprofit foundations. As a society, we reap the rewards from this science but we also help pay for it. You indirectly support science through taxes you pay, products and services you purchase, and donations you make.

Funding for science has changed with the times. Historically, science has been largely supported through private patronage, church sponsorship or simply paying for the research yourself. Today, researchers are likely to be funded by a mix of grants from various government agencies, institutions, and foundations. Other research is funded by private companies. Such corporate sponsorship is widespread in some fields. Almost 75% of U.S. clinical trials in medicine are paid for by private companies. And, of course, some researchers today still fund small-scale studies out of their own pockets. Most of us can't afford to do nuclear research as a private hobby, but bird watchers, rock collectors, and others can do real research on a limited budget.

In a perfect world, money wouldn't matter — all scientific studies would be completely objective. But in the real world, funding may introduce biases. Drug research sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry is more likely to end up favoring the drug under consideration than studies sponsored by government grants or charitable organizations. Similarly, nutrition research sponsored by the food industry is more likely to end up favoring the food under consideration than independently funded research.

So what should we make of all this? Should we ignore any research funded by companies or special interest groups? Certainly not. These groups provide invaluable funding for scientific research. Furthermore, science has many safeguards in place to catch instances of bias that affect research outcomes. Ultimately, misleading results will be corrected as science proceeds, however, this process takes time. Meanwhile, it pays to examine studies funded by industry or special interest groups with extra care. Are the results consistent with other independently funded studies? What do other scientists have to say about this research? A little examination can go a long way towards identifying bias associated with the funding source.

51. What does the passage mainly discuss regarding scientific research?

A) Its foundation.

B) Its rewards.

C) Its prospect.

D) Its funding.

52. What do we learn from the passage about researchers like birdwatchers and rock collectors?

A) They have little access to government funding.

B) They can do research with limited resources.

C) They can do amateur work in their own fields.

D) They have no means for large-scale research.

53. What would scientific studies look like in a perfect world according to the author?

A) They would be totally unbiased.

B) They would be independently funded.

C) They would be responsibly conducted.

D) They would be strictly supervised.

54. What does the author say about companies and special interest groups?

A) They try hard to pull down the safeguards for research.

B) They make extra efforts to research their own products.

C) They provide valuable resources for scientific research.

D) They reap the most benefits from scientific research.

55. What does the author think of research funded by industry or special interest groups?

A) Its recommendations should be examined for feasibility.

B) Its misleading results should be corrected in time.

C) Its validity should be checked with additional care.

D) Its hidden biases should be identified independently.

Answers & Explanations

Passage One: Willpower and Success

46. B。解析：题干问作者说我们需要做什么来增强意志力。定位第一段最后一句...strengthen it with constant exercise（通过不断的锻炼来增强它）以及第二段首句...to keep it strong you need to constantly exercise it（要保持它的强大，你需要不断地锻炼它）。constant exercise 意为不断的实践/应用，对应选项 B (Apply it continuously 持续地运用它)。

47. A。解析：题干问根据文章，我们几乎一半的日常行为是如何执行的。定位第三段最后一句：Almost half of our daily actions are part of our habits and not decisions...（我们几乎一半的日常行为是我们习惯的一部分，而不是决定...）。对应选项 A (Out of habit 出于习惯)。

48. D。解析：题干问什么能帮助人们自动地坚持做有建设性的事情。定位第四段最后一句：Having a valuable outcome associated with a habit will help you stick to that habit permanently.（将有价值的结果与习惯联系起来，将有助于你永远坚持那个习惯）。valuable outcome 即期待的好结果，对应选项 D (Foreseeing the desired outcome it will yield 预见它将产生的期望结果)。

49. C。解析：题干问自控的艺术如何帮助我们成功。定位第五段第二句：Self-control enables you to avoid behaviors that don't contribute to your success and adopt those that do.（自制力使你能够避免那些无助于你成功的行为，并采取那些有助于成功的行为）。adopt those that do（采取那些有助于成功的行为）即采取积极的行动，对应选项 C (By enabling us to take positive actions 通过使我们能够采取积极的行动)。

50. B。解析：题干问为什么我们很难保持自控。定位最后一段第一句：Because there is a delayed satisfaction associated with self-control, it can be easy to get off track.（因为与自制力相关的是延迟的满足感，所以很容易偏离轨道）。delayed satisfaction 意味着无法立刻获得奖励，对应选项 B (We may not get immediate rewards from self-control 我们可能无法从自控中获得及时的回报)。

Passage Two: Scientific Research and Funding

51. D。解析：主旨题，询问文章主要讨论了科学研究的哪一方面。文章第一段指出当今科研资金的来源；第二段追溯了资金来源的历史变变；第三段探讨了资金可能带来的偏见；第四段给出了对待各类资金赞助研究的建议。通篇都在围绕科研资金（Funding）展开。对应选项 D (Its funding 它的资金支持)。

52. B。解析：题干问关于观鸟者和岩石收藏家这类的研究者我们能了解到什么。定位第二段最后一句：...but bird watchers, rock collectors, and others can do real research on a limited budget.（...但是观鸟者、岩石收藏家和其他人可以在有限的预算下进行真正的研究）。limited budget 对应 limited resources，对应选项 B (They can do research with limited resources 他们可以用有限的资源进行研究)。

53. A。解析：题干问根据作者的观点，在一个完美的世界里科学研究会是什么样子。定位第三段第一句：In a perfect world, money wouldn't matter — all scientific studies would be completely objective.（在一个完美的世界里，金钱无关紧要——所有的科学研究都将是完全客观的）。completely objective 意为完全没有偏见，对应选项 A (They would be totally unbiased 它们将完全没有偏见)。

54. C。解析：题干问关于公司和特殊利益集团作者说了什么。定位第四段第二、三句：Should we ignore any research funded by companies or special interest groups? Certainly not. These groups provide invaluable funding for scientific research.（我们应该忽略任何由公司或特殊利益集团资助的研究吗？当然不。这些群体为科学研究提供了非常宝贵的资金）。invaluable funding 对应 valuable resources，对应选项 C (They provide valuable resources for scientific research 它们为科学研究提供了宝贵的资源)。

55. C。解析：题干问作者如何看待由工业界或特殊利益集团资助的研究。定位第四段中间部分：Meanwhile, it pays to examine studies funded by industry or special interest groups with extra care.（与此同时，格外小心地审查由工业界或特殊利益集团资助的研究是值得的）。extra care 对应 additional care，对应选项 C (Its validity should be checked with additional care 应格外小心地检查其有效性)。

核心搭配与高分句型

【核心搭配与高频短语】

• go hand in hand：息息相关，密切相关（Willpower and habits go hand in hand）
• day in and day out：日复一日，天天（stick to those habits day in and day out）
• in place：就位，准备就绪（once the correct habits are in place）
• get off track：偏离轨道，迷失方向（it can be easy to get off track）
• end up doing：最终成为，以...告终（more likely to end up favoring the drug）
• make of：理解，看待（what should we make of all this?）
• in place：存在，生效（science has many safeguards in place）
• it pays to do sth.：做某事是值得的/有好处的（it pays to examine studies... with extra care）
• go a long way towards：对...大有帮助，对...产生很大影响（can go a long way towards identifying bias）

【亮点句型解析】

• Not only... but also... (并列递进结构)：
  "However, it is possible to not only learn it, but also strengthen it with constant exercise."
  （然而，不仅可以学习它，而且可以通过不断的锻炼来增强它。）`not only... but also...` 结构清晰地表达了递进关系，不仅承认了意志力可学，更强调了后天锻炼的重要性，是写作中的万能提分句型。
• It is/was + 被强调部分 + that/who... (强调句)：
  "It is a strong determination that allows you to do something difficult."
  （正是这种强烈的决心让你能够去做困难的事情。）使用强调句型来凸显 `strong determination`（强烈的决心）的作用，打破了平铺直叙，极大地增强了语言的表现力。