My students often tell me that they don’t have “enough time” to do all their schoolwork.
My reply is often a brief “You have as much time as the president.” I usually carry on a bit about there being twenty-four hours in the day for everyone, and suggest that “not enough time” is not an acceptable explanation of not getting something done.
Once in graduate school, I tried to prove to one of my professors by saying that I was working hard. His answer to me was, “That’s irrelevant (无关的). What’s important is the quality of your work.” Since then I have had time to think carefully about the “hard worker” dodge (诀窍), and I have come to some conclusions — all relevant to the problem of how much time we have.
If you analyze the matter, you can identify two parts of the problem: There is, of course, the matter of “time”, which we can think of as fixed. Then there is the problem of “work” during that time. But, as my professor suggested, it’s not how hard one works but the quality of the product that’s important.
That led me to a new idea: the quality of the work. That concept is perhaps best explained by a sign I once saw on the wall in someone’s office: “Don’t work harder. Work smarter.” There is a lot of sense in that idea.
If you can’t get more time, and few of us can, the only solution is to improve the quality of the work. That means thinking of ways to get more out of the same time than we might otherwise get. That should lead us to an analysis of our work habits. Since “work” for students usually means “homework”, the expression “work habits” should be read as “study habits”.
Then, as a smart student, you will seek to improve those skills that you use in study, chiefly reading and writing. If you learn to read better and write better, there are big benefits that pay off in all your studies.From the passage, we know that the author is probably ______ .
A.a poet | B.an educator | C.a novelist | D.an engineer |
We can infer from the 2nd paragraph that we students still _____ .
A.have enough time | B.can meet the president |
C.get everything done well | D.should accept the explanation |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The author’s students make good use of their time to do all their homework. |
B.The author tried to tell the professor that he/she (author) had done a good job. |
C.You can’t improve the quality of the work if you can’t get more time. |
D.You’ll try to improve your skills in reading and writing if you’re a clever student |
If left alone outside, dogs and cats can be very smart in their search for warm shelter. They can dig into snow banks or hide somewhere. Watch them closely when they are left outdoors, and provide them with shelter of good quality. Keep an eye on your pet's water. Sometimes owners don't realize that a water bowl has frozen and their pet can't get anything to drink. Animals that don't have clean and unfrozen water may drink dirty water outside, which may contain something unhealthy for them....If pets are left on their own outdoors in cold weather, they may ________.
A.run short of clean water |
B.dig deep holes for fun |
C.dirty the snow nearby |
D.get lost in the wild |
For her first garden, Ms. Feeley has put in 15 tomato plants, and five rows of a variety of vegetables. The family's old farm house has become a chicken house, its residents arriving next month....What does the word“residents” in Paragraph 1 probably refer to?
A.chickens | B.tomatoes |
C.gardens | D.people |
A fixed mindset is grounded in the belief that talent (才能) is genetic—you're a born artist, point guard or numbers person. The fixed mindset believes it's sure to succeed without much effort and regards failure as personal shame. When things get difficult, it's quick to blame, lie, and even stay away from future difficulties.A fixed mindset person is probably one who _____.
A.doesn't want to work hard |
B.cares a lot about personal safety |
C.cannot share his ideas with others |
D.can succeed with the help of teachers |
Yet some people wonder if the revolution in travel has gone too far. A price has been paid, they say, for the conquest (征服) of time and distance. Travel_is_something_to_be_
enjoyed,_not_endured(忍受). The boat offers leisure and time enough to appreciate the everchanging sights and sounds of a journey. A journey by train also has a special charm about it. Lakes and forests and wild, open plains sweeping past your carriage window create a grand view in which time and distance mean nothing. On board a plane, however, there is just the blank blue of the sky filling the narrow windows of the airplane. The soft lighting, inflight films and gentle music make up the only world you know, and the hours progress slowly.How does the writer support the underlined statement in Paragraph 2?
A.By giving instructions. |
B.By analyzing cause and effect. |
C.By following the order of time. |
D.By giving examples. |
The honey guide gives a loud cry that attracts the attention of both passing animals and people. Once it has their attention, it flies through the forest, waiting from time to time for the curious animal or person as it leads them to the nest. When they finally arrive at the nest, the_follower reaches in to get at the delicious honey as the bird patiently waits and watches. Some of the honey, and the wax, always falls to the ground, and this is when the honey guide takes its share....What can be the best title for the text?
A.Wild Bees |
B.Wax and Honey |
C.Beekeeping in Africa |
D.HoneyLover's Helper |