21世紀(jì)大學(xué)英語(yǔ)讀寫教程第四冊(cè)text-A課文原文(共16頁(yè))

1、精選優(yōu)質(zhì)文檔-傾情為你奉上Who Is Great?Michael RyanAs a young boy, Albert Einstein did so poorly in school that teachers thought he was slow. The young Napoleon Bonaparte was just one of hundreds of artillery lieutenants in the French Army. And the teenage George Washington, with little formal education, was bei

2、ng trained not as a soldier but as a land surveyor.Despite their unspectacular beginnings, each would go on to carve a place for himself in history. What was it that enabled them to become great? Were they born with something special? Or did their greatness have more to do with timing, devotion and,

3、 perhaps, an uncompromising personality?For decades, scientists have been asking such questions. And, in the past few years, they have found evidence to help explain why some people rise above, while otherssimilarly talented, perhapsare left behind. Their findings could have implications for us all.

4、Who is great? Defining who is great depends on how one measures success. But there are some criteria. Someone who has made a lasting contribution to human civilization is great, said Dean Keith Simonton, a professor of psychology at the University of California at Davis and author of the 1994 book G

5、reatness: Who Makes History and Why. But he added a word of caution: Sometimes great people dont make it into the history books. A lot of women achieved great things or were influential but went unrecognized.In writing his book, Simonton combined historical knowledge about great figures with recent

6、findings in genetics, psychiatry and the social sciences. The great figures he focused on include men and women who have won Nobel Prizes, led great nations or won wars, composed symphonies that have endured for centuries, or revolutionized science, philosophy, politics or the arts. Though he doesnt

7、 have a formula to define how or why certain people rise above (too many factors are involved), he has come up with a few common characteristics.A never surrender attitude. If great achievers share anything, said Simonton, it is an unrelenting drive to succeed. Theres a tendency to think that they a

8、re endowed with something super-normal, he explained. But what comes out of the research is that there are great people who have no amazing intellectual processes. Its a difference in degree. Greatness is built upon tremendous amounts of study, practice and devotion.He cited Winston Churchill, Brita

9、ins prime minister during World War II, as an example of a risk-taker who would never give up. Thrust into office when his countrys morale was at its lowest, Churchill rose brilliantly to lead the British people. In a speech following the Allied evacuation at Dunkirk in 1940, he inspired the nation

10、when he said, We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end.We shall never surrender.Can you be born great? In looking at Churchills role in historyas well as the roles of other political and military leadersSimonton discovered a striking pattern: Firstborns and only children tend to make goo

11、d leaders in time of crisis: Theyre used to taking charge. But middle-borns are better as peacetime leaders: They listen to different interest groups better and make the necessary compromises. Churchill, an only child, was typical. He was great in a crisis, but in peacetime he was not effectivenot e

12、ven popular.Timing is another factor. If you took George Washington and put him in the 20th century he would go nowhere as a politician, Simonton declared. He was not an effective public speaker, and he didnt like shaking hands with the public. On the other hand, Im not sure Franklin Roosevelt would

13、 have done well in Washingtons time. He wouldnt have had the radio to do his fireside chats.Can you be too smart? One surprise among Simontons findings is that many political and military leaders have been bright but not overly so. Beyond a certain point, he explained, other factors, like the abilit

14、y to communicate effectively, become more important than innate intelligence as measured by an IQ test. The most intelligent U.S. Presidents, for exampleThomas Jefferson, Woodrow Wilson and John F. Kennedyhad a hard time getting elected, Simonton said, while others with IQs closer to the average (su

15、ch as Warren G. Harding) won by landslides. While political and economic factors also are involved, having a genius IQ is not necessary to be a great leader.In the sciences, those with genius level IQs do have a better chance at achieving recognition, added Simonton. Yet evidence also indicates that

16、 overcoming traditional ways of thinking may be just as important.He pointed to one recent study where college students were given a set of data and were asked to see if they could come up with a mathematical relation. Almost a third did. What they did not know was that they had just solved one of t

17、he most famous scientific equations in history: the Third Law of Planetary Motion, an equation that Johannes Kepler came up with in 1618.Keplers genius, Simonton said, was not so much in solving a mathematical challenge. It was in thinking about the numbers in a unique wayapplying his mathematical k

18、nowledge to his observations of planetary motion. It was his boldness that set him apart.Love your work. As a child, Einstein became fascinated with the way magnets are drawn to metal. He couldnt stop thinking about this stuff, Simonton pointed out. He became obsessed with problems in physics by the

19、 time he was 16, and he never stopped working on them. Its not surprising that he made major contributions by the time he was 26.For most of us, its not that we dont have the ability, Simonton added, its that we dont devote the time. You have to put in the effort and put up with all the frustrations

20、 and obstacles.Like other creative geniuses, Einstein was not motivated by a desire for fame, said Simonton. Instead, his obsession with his work was what set him apart.Where such drive comes from remains a mystery. But it is found in nearly all creative geniuseswhether or not their genius is acknow

21、ledged by contemporaries.Emily Dickinson was not recognized for her poetry until after her death, said Simonton. But she was not writing for fame. The same can be said of James Joyce, who didnt spend a lot of time worrying about how many people would read Finnegans Wake.Today, researchers have evide

22、nce that an intrinsic passion for ones work is a key to rising above. In a 1985 study at Brandeis University conducted by Teresa Amabile, now a professor of business administration at Harvard University, a group of professional writersnone famouswere asked to write a short poem. Each writer was then

23、 randomly placed in one of three groups: One group was asked to keep in mind the idea of writing for money; another was told to think about writing just for pleasure; and a third group was given no instruction at all.The poems then were submitted anonymously to a panel of professional writers for ev

24、aluation. The poetry written by people who thought about writing for money ranked lowest. Those who thought about writing just for pleasure did the best. Motivation that comes from enjoying the work makes a significant difference, Amabile said.(1 214 words)The Gratitude We NeedA.J. CroninOn a fine a

25、fternoon in New York, I got into a taxi. From the drivers expression and the way he slammed in his gears, I could tell that he was upset. I asked him what was the trouble. Ive got good reason to be sore, he growled. One of my fares left a wallet in my cab this morning. Nearly three hundred bucks in

26、it. I spent more than an hour trying to trace the guy. Finally I found him at his hotel. He took the wallet without a word and glared at me as though Id meant to steal it.He didnt give you a reward? I exclaimed.Not a cent. But it wasnt the dough I wanted. he fumbled, then exploded, If the guy had on

27、ly said something.Because his helpful, honest act had not been appreciated, that cabdrivers day was poisoned, and I knew he would think twice before rendering a similar service. The need for gratitude is something we all feel, and denial of it can do much to harm the spirit of kindness and cooperati

28、on.During World War II a mother in Cincinnati received a letter from her son in the army in which he spoke of a woman in a village in Normandy who had taken him into her home when he was wounded and hungry, and hidden him from the Germans. Later on, unhappily, the boy was killed in the Ardennes offe

29、nsive. Yet the mother was moved by an irresistible intention. She saved up for two years, crossed the Atlantic and located the village referred to by her son. After many inquiries, she found the woman who had sheltered her sonthe wife of an impoverished farmerand pressed a package into her hand. It

30、was the gold wristwatch her son had received on his graduation, the only object of real value the boy had ever possessed. The mothers act of gratitude so touched peoples hearts that it has become something of a legend in and around the village. It has done more than fine speeches to foster good feel

31、ing toward Americans.Gratitude is the art of receiving gracefully, of showing appreciation for every kindness, great and small. Most of us do not fail to show our pleasure when we receive hospitality, gifts and obvious benefits, but even here we can perfect our manner of showing gratitude by making

32、it as personal and sincere as possible. Recently, when touring in southern Italy with my wife, I sent to a friend in Connecticut several bottles of a local wine which had taken our fancy. It was a trifling gift, yet to our surprise, instead of the conventional letter of thanks, we receive a phonogra

33、ph record. When we played it, we heard our friends voice speaking after dinner, describing how he and his guests had enjoyed the wine and thanking us for our thoughtfulness. It was pleasant to have this unusual proof that our gift had been appreciated.Gratitude is sometimes more than a personal affa

34、ir. My son, studying medicine at McGill University, told me of a patient brought into hospital in Montreal whose life was saved by a blood transfusion. When he was well again he asked: Isnt there any way I can discover the name of the donor and thank him? He was told that names of donors are never r

35、evealed. A few weeks after his discharge he came back to give a pint of his own blood. Since then he has returned again and again for the same purpose. When a surgeon commented on this splendid record of anonymous service, he answered simply: Someone I never knew did it for me. Im just saying thanks

36、.It is a comforting thought that gratitude can be not merely a passing sentiment but a renewal which can, in some instances, persist for a lifetime. A husband who recalls appreciatively some generous or unselfish act on his wifes part, or a wife who never forgets the gifts her husband has given her,

37、 does much to keep the domestic wheels spinning smoothly. W.H. Hudson, British author and naturalist, has written: One evening I brought home a friend to share our usual evening meal. Afterward he said to me:You are fortunate to have a wife who, despite ill health and children to look after, cooks s

38、uch excellent meals. That tribute opened my eyes and taught me to show gratitude for my wifes day-to-day heroism, which I had hitherto taken for granted.It is, above all, in the little things that the grace of gratitude should be most employed. The boy who delivers our paper, the milkman, the mailma

39、n, the barber, the waitress at a restaurant, the elevator operatorall oblige us in one way or another. By showing our gratitude we make routine relationships human and render monotonous tasks more agreeable.A patient of mine in London who worked as a bus conductor once confided to me, I get fed up w

40、ith my job sometimes. People grumble, bother you, havent got the right change for their tickets. But theres one lady on my bus morning and evening, and she always thanks me in a particularly friendly way when I take her ticket. I like to think shes speaking for all the passengers. It helps me to kee

41、p smiling.Arnold Bennett had a publisher who boasted about the extraordinary efficiency of his secretary. One day Bennett said to her, Your employer claims that you are extremely efficient. What is your secret? Its not my secret, the secretary replied. Its his. Each time she performed a service, no

42、matter how small, he never failed to acknowledge it. Because of that she took infinite pains with her work.Some persons refrain from expressing their gratitude because they feel it will not be welcome. A patient of mine, a few weeks after his discharge from the hospital, came back to thank his nurse

43、. I didnt come back sooner, he explained, because I imagined you must be bored to death with people thanking you.On the contrary, she replied, I am delighted you came. Few realize how much we need encouragement and how much we are helped by those who give it.Gratitude is something of which none of u

44、s can give too much. For on the smiles, the thanks we give, our little gestures of appreciation, our neighbors build up their philosophy of life.(1 069 words)How to Change Your Point of ViewCaroline SeebohmDr. Edward Jenner was busy trying to solve the problem of smallpox. After studying case after

45、case, he still found no possible cure. He had reached an impasse in his thinking. At this point, he changed his tactics. Instead of focusing on people who had smallpox, he switched his attention to people who did not have smallpox. It turned out that dairymaids apparently never got the disease. From

46、 the discovery that harmless cowpox gave protection against deadly smallpox came vaccination and the end of smallpox as a scourge in the western world.We often reach an impasse in our thinking. We are looking at a problem and trying to solve it and it seems there is a dead end. It is on these occasi

47、ons that we become tense, we feel pressured, overwhelmed, in a state of stress. We struggle vainly, fighting to solve the problem.Dr. Jenner, however, did something about this situation. He stopped fighting the problem and simply changed his point of viewfrom his patients to dairy maids. Picture the

48、 process going something like this: Suppose the brain is a computer. This computer has absorbed into its memory bank all your history, your experiences, your training, your information received through life; and it is programmed according to all this data. To change your point of view, you must repr

49、ogramme your computer, thus freeing yourself to take in new ideas and develop new ways of looking at things. Dr. Jenner, in effect, by reprogramming his computer, erased the old way of looking at his smallpox problem and was free to receive new alternatives.Thats all very well, you may say, but how

50、do we actually do that?Doctor and philosopher Edward de Bono has come up with a technique for changing our point of view, and he calls it Lateral Thinking.The normal Western approach to a problem is to fight it. The saying, When the going gets tough, the tough get going, is typical of this aggressiv

51、e attitude toward problem-solving. No matter what the problem is, or the techniques available for solving it, the framework produced by our Western way of thinking is fight. Dr. de Bono calls this vertical thinking; the traditional, sequential, Aristotelian thinking of logic, moving firmly from one

52、step to the next, like toy blocks being built one on top of the other. The flaw is, of course, that if at any point one of the steps is not reached, or one of the toy blocks is incorrectly placed, then the whole structure collapses. Impasse is reached, and frustration, tension, feelings of fight tak

53、e over.Lateral thinking, Dr. de Bono says, is a new technique of thinking about thingsa technique that avoids this fight altogether, and solves the problem in an entirely unexpected fashion.In one of Sherlock Holmess cases, his assistant, Dr. Watson, pointed out that a certain dog was of no importan

54、ce to the case because it did not appear to have done anything. Sherlock Holmes took the opposite point of view and maintained that the fact the dog had done nothing was of the utmost significance, for it should have been expected to do something, and on this basic he solved the case.Lateral thinkin

55、g sounds simple. And it is. Once you have solved a problem laterally, you wonder how you could ever have been hung up on it. The key is making that vital shift in emphasis, that sidestepping of the problem, instead of attacking it head-on.Dr. A. A. Bridger, psychiatrist at Columbia University and in

56、 private practice in New York, explains how lateral thinking works with his patients. Many people come to me wanting to stop smoking, for instance, he says. Most people fail when they are trying to stop smoking because they wind up telling themselves, No, I will not smoke; no, 1 shall not smoke; no,

57、 I will not; no, I cannot. Its a fight and what happens is you end up smoking more.So instead of looking at the problem from the old ways of no, and fighting it, I show them a whole new point of viewthat you are your bodys keeper, and your body is something through which you experience life. If you

58、stop to think about it, theres really something helpless about your body. It can do nothing for itself. It has no choice, it is like a babys body. You begin then a whole new way of looking at itI am now going to take care of myself, and give myself some respect and protection, by not smoking.“There

59、is a Japanese parable about a donkey tied to a pole by a rope. The rope rubs tight against his neck. The more the donkey fights and pulls on the rope, the tighter and tighter it gets around his throatuntil he winds up dead. On the other hand, as soon as he stops fighting, he finds that the rope gets slack, he can walk around, maybe