As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, realistic goal-setting generally produces the best results. That’s partly because most people who set realistic goals actually work more efficiently, and put more effort, to achieve those goals.
What’s far less understood by scientists, however, are the potentially harmful effects of goal-setting. Newspapers convey daily accounts of goal-setting widespread in industries and businesses up and down both Wall Street and Main Street, yet there has been surprisingly little research on how the long-advocated practice of setting goals may have contributed to the current economic crisis, and immoral behavior in general.
“Goals are widely used and promoted as having really beneficial effects. And yet, the same motivation that can push people to put more effort in a constructive way could also motivate people to be more likely to engage in immoral behaviors,” says Maurice Schweitzer, an associate professor at Penn’s Wharton School. His paper, titled “Goals Gone Wild: The Systematic Side Effects of Over-Praised Goal Setting,” appears in the February issue of the Academy of Management Perspectives.
“It turns out there’s no financial benefit to just having a goal---you just get a psychological benefit” Schweitzer says. “But in many cases, goals have financial rewards that make them more powerful.”
A major example Schweitzer and his colleagues give is the 2004 breakdown of energy-trading giant Enron( 德国安然公司), where managers used financial rewards to motivate salesmen to meet specific goals. The problem, Schweitzer says, is that the actual trades were not profitable.
Other studies have shown that burdening employees with unrealistic goals can force them to lie, cheat or steal. Such was the case in the early 1990s when Sears（西尔斯公司）placed a sales quota (销售限额) on its auto repair staff. It inspired employees to overcharge for work and to complete unnecessary repairs on a companywide basis.
Schweitzer admits his research runs counter to a very large body of literature that praises the many benefits of goal-setting. Advocates of the practice have argued with his team’s use of such evidence as news accounts to support his conclusion that goal-setting is widely over-praised.
In a rebuttal (反驳) paper, Dr. Edwin Locke writes: “Goal-setting is not going away. Organizations cannot grow without being focused on their desired end results any more than an individual can grow without goals to provide a sense of purpose.”
But Schweitzer argues the “evidence” linking goal-setting and harmful behavior should be studied to help draw attention to issues that deserve attention and further investigation. “Even a few negative effects could be so large that they outweigh many positive effects,” he says.
The debate is likely to get heated on in future papers, and the practice of setting goals no doubt will continue. For now, though, the lesson seems to be to put more thought into setting goals.
“Goal-setting does help motivate people. My idea would be to combine that with careful management, a strong organizational culture, and make sure the goals that you use are going to be constructive and not significantly harmful to the organization,” Schweitzer says.What does Maurice Schweitzer want to show by mentioning the example of Enron?
| A．Setting realistic goals can turn a failing business into success. |
| B．Businesses are likely to succeed without realistic goals. |
| C．Companies are certain to meet specific goals with financial rewards. |
| D．Goals with financial rewards have strong motivational power. |
How did Sears’ goal-setting affect its employees?
| A．They had to work more hours to increase their sales. |
| B．They competed with one another to attract more customers. |
| C．They turned to immoral practice to reach their goals. |
| D．They improved their customer service on a companywide basis. |
The underlined words “runs counter to” (Paragraph 7) can be replaced by ________.
| A．agrees with | B．goes against | C．fits in with | D．applies to |
What is Edwin Locke’s argument against Schweitzer?
| A．The practice of setting goals only helps people to develop. |
| B．Goal-setting is of no use motivating people to accomplish their tasks. |
| C．The positive effects of goal-setting outweigh its negative effects. |
| D．Studying goal-setting can contribute to successful business practices. |
According to the passage, the author tries to convey ___________.
| A．the goals that most people set are unrealistic. |
| B．all people can improve their work quality by setting goals. |
| C．setting goals can provide people with a sense of purpose. |
| D．people should not ignore the negative effects of goal-setting. |
A new weapon is on the way in the fight against smoking in Europe. Soon when smokers buy cigarettes, they might see a shocking photo of a blackened lung or a cancer patient staring back at them from the packet.
Some boys may think of smoking as cool and sexy. Their friends won’t agree when they see their packets of cigarettes lying on the table.
The European Union announced on October 22, that it had chosen 42 photos that showed the damage cigarettes could do to the body. It called on member nations to put these pictures on packets to discourage young smokers.
To catch the attention of teenagers, the special packets warn of long-term medical dangers, like cancer. Short-term effects, like bad skin, are also on the list.
“The true fact of smoking is disease, death and horror. That is the message we should send to the young,” said David Byrne, an EU health official. “Hopefully these pictures will shock students out of their love for cigarettes.”
The EU head office hoped the pictures would work better than current written warnings on packs of cigarettes. The warning included “smoking kills” and “smoking can lead to a slow and painful death.”
So far, Ireland and Belgium have shown interest in the photos. Canada has used similar pictures and warnings on cigarette packs since 2000. The country has recently seen a fall in the number of smokers.
According to studies, smoking is the single biggest cause of avoidable death in EU. Every year more than 650,000 smokers die, more than one person a minute.
20．What would be the best title for the text?
A. New Ways to Stop Smoking. B. Pictures to Shock Smokers.
C. New Packers of Cigarettes. D. Dangers of Smoking.
21．Which of the following is NOT the true face of smoking?
A. Disease. B. Death. C. Horror. D. Happinese.
22．We can learn from the test that _______.
A. The EU countries have put the new warning method into practice
B. only a small number of the EU countries have used the new warning method
C. the new warning method has worked in some EU countries
D. countries in the EU still use the old warning method
23．Which country is most successful in stopping smoking?
A. Ireland. B. Belgium. C. Canada. D. EU
24．The underlined sentence in the last paragraph suggests that ________.
A. It’s hard to stop smoking in EU
B. deaths caused by smoking could have been avoided
C. smoking is the biggest cause of deaths in EU
D. EU has the largest number of deaths caused by smoking
Few people would question the value of taking part in sports for young people．With proper training，supervision，protective equipment and techniques，and an proper emphasis on winning，sports can develop a healthy body and spirit and a life-long interest in being active and fit .Without such measures，childhood sports can lead to injuries and even paralysis or death．
Even in the best conditions，no activity can be risk—free．But most serious hazards are preventable．Cyclists and football players can reduce their risks by wearing helmets；hockey players by wearing masks；basketball and tennis players by wearing eye guards；baseball players by wearing batting helmets．
Besides，risks to individual players can often be found，and thus prevented，through a properly performed medical exam before a child plays．For accidents that may not be preventable，having an emergency plan and first-aid equipment，and someone trained to use the equipment，can be lifesaving．
Still，each year，according to the American College of Sports Medicine，more than 775,000 children under 14 are treated in emergency rooms for sports injuries，nearly half of them preventable．An estimated 300,000 athletes experience exercise—related head illnesses each year，and almost all of them should have been avoided．
Further，from half to three—fourths of sports-related concussions（脑震荡） are never even diagnosed；the injured are often sent back in to play too soon and put at risk of another more serious brain—damaging concussion．To help reduce these risks, the National Center for Sports Safety, with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, offers a three-hour online safety course for coaches for $28 at www.SportsSafety.org.
1．Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A．All the accidents can be prevented．
B．All the accidents cannot be prevented．
C．Lives can be saved so long as there is proper equipment．
D．Lives cannot be saved even if there is proper equipment．
2．What does the underlined word “hazards”(in paragraph 2)mean?
A．mistakes B．diseases C．dangers D．situations
3．It is implied in the passage that．
A．prevention of injuries is not paid enough attention to
B．children under 14 are more easily hurt in sports
C．most head illnesses are related with exercise
D．none of the head illnesses should have happened
4．What can coaches mainly learn from the online safety course?
A．How to cure brain-damaging concussion．
B．How to diagnose brain-damaging concussion．
C．How to predict the possibility of brain damage．
D．How to deal with the injured properly．
The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn’t know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.
She said, “Hi, girl! My name is Rose. I’m 87 years old. Can I give you a hug?”
I laughed and enthusiastically（热情地）responded, “Of course you may!” and she gave me a giant squeeze.
“Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?” I asked. She jokingly replied, “I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel!”
“No seriously,” I said. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.
“I always dreamed of having a college education and now I’m getting one!” she told me.
Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.
At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I’ll never forget what she taught us.
“We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only two secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor everyday. You’ve got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die!” she said.
“There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don’t do one productive thing, you will turn 20 years older. If I am 87 years old, and stay in bed for a year, and never do anything, I will turn 88. Anybody can grow older. But every minute counts for young men,” she added.
“The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change. Have no regrets. The elderly usually don’t have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.”
She concluded her speech by courageously singing “The Song of Rose”. She challenged each of us to study the lyrics（歌词）and live them out in our daily lives.
At the year’s end, Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.
17. Rose made herself known to the author in a ______ manner.
A. serious B. cold C. humorous D. crazy
18. From the information provided in the passage, we know ______.
A. Rose finished the college degree within a year
B. Rose did realize her dream of meeting a rich husband and getting married through college education
C. Rose enjoyed her campus life very much
D. Rose grew so old that she stopped playing
19. Rose delivered the speech ______.
A. at the graduation B. which she prepared carefully
C. ended with “The Song of Rose” D. to challenge all the other speakers
20. According to her speech, ______.
A. whenever you have a dream, you succeed
B. all people don’t grow up while growing older
C. Rose usually regretted having done something
D. a nine-year-old is as old as a 87-year-old if he doesn’t do anything
James Stallman Rockefeller, the oldest-known U.S. Olympic medal winner and the former head of the bank that became Citigroup, died Tuesday. He was 102. Records of the U.S. Olympic Committee show that Rockefeller was the oldest American medal winner. He was the captain of Yale University's eight-man rowing team with coxswain that won gold at the 1924 Paris Olympics - beating the Canadian team by less than 16 seconds. The oars from the winning race and the gold medal were prominently displayed in Rockefeller's house. "I think he was really proud of that - probably more than the bank career," said his grandson。
Rockefeller suffered a stroke on Thursday, said his grandson, who lived with him at his Greenwich home for two years, attributed his long life to a regimented(严密组织的) lifestyle: breakfast at eight a.m., lunch at 1 p.m., cocktails at 6 p.m. and dinner promptly at 7 p.m.. He liked plain food, without sauces or cheese, and plenty of fresh vegetables, including those grown in the garden of his estate. Rockefeller was in good health until shortly before he died. He drove his car up until last year and would review documents from the various charities and businesses he helped lead.
Rockefeller, born June 8, 1902, was a grandson of William Rockefeller, who founded Standard Oil with his brother, John D. Rockefeller. He graduated from Yale in 1924 and served in the Airborne Command during World War II. He started at the bank, and then called the National City Bank, in 1930, following his uncle and grandfather, who were leaders of the bank. He was became president in 1952, chairman in 1959 and retired in 1967. In 1955, under Rockefeller's leadership, the bank merged with the First National Bank of New York to form Citigroup. Rockefeller also was a director of numerous companies, including Pan American Airways, Northern Pacific Railroad, NCR and Monsanto, and served on the boards of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the American Museum of Natural History.
Rockefeller and his wife, Nancy Carnegie Rockefeller, had four children. His wife died in 1994.
16. Rockefeller lost his wife when he was ___________.
A. at the age of 91 B. in his eighties C. in his nineties D. in his 1994
17. We can learn from the passage that ____________.
A. the American rowing team beat the Canadian team in less than 16 seconds in 1924.
B. Rockefeller was the first American medal winner.
C. James Stallman Rockefeller founded the National City Bank and became president.
D. His grandson thought Rockefeller had long life because of a regimented lifestyle.
18. What does the underlined word in the last paragraph but one mean?
A. combined B. joined C. took on D. together with
19. What we can infer from the passage is that __________.
A. James Stallman Rockefeller is a great Olympic medal winner.
B. James Stallman Rockefeller was in good health until he died.
C. James Stallman Rockefeller was very active in American society.
D. James Stallman Rockefeller was the only grandson of William Rockefeller.
Working AT home is increasing in popularity as a means of escaping from nine-to-five office life. Why work under the constant watch of your boss when you can work in front of the TV in your carpet slippers? Armed with all the office essentials—telephone, computer, e-mail and fax, many workers believe they can work as effectively as their colleagues in the office. Being able to work wherever you like: from a busy city to a beautiful village, and make working from home an attractive choice, you can even work on a canal boat, like one Internet firm in the Midlands, US.
So what will become of the office of tomorrow? I believe it is likely that many could disappear into cyberspace. To minimize office overheads in inner-city areas, companies will apply a workforce made up of a network of home workers linked by an advanced communication and information system. A central processing computer would be controlled by the manager who sends out work schedules and oversees the activity of each employee.
As a successor to the Web Cam, a video screen would be created, as the need for more natural form of interaction than e-mail or telephone becomes greater. Capturing the mood and expressions of work colleagues, managers would have the ability to view several employees at once on their screen. Employees would be encouraged to feed any information that may be useful to fellow workers into the computer to make the company work more effectively. As the company's life blood, the computer would contain a record of all conversations and correspondence for future reference, and hold confidential information such as accounts in password protected areas. In the office of tomorrow, with daily life captured in detail, the case for firing employees could be more clear cut.
6．The first paragraph mainly focuses on _________.
A. the office to working at home B. preference to working at home
C. working effectively in the office D. one Internet firm in the Midlands, UK
7．The office of the future will be ________.
A. in space B. a network
C. in inner-city areas D. a central processing computer
8．In Paragraph 2, the word “ oversee” probably means “_________”.
A. overlook B. organize C. make out D. watch over
9．A video screen would be built because _________.
A. the Web Cam needs it B. it is useful to fellow workers
C. e-mail or telephone is out of date D. managers can clearly spot employees
10．Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. You can get accounts without password.
B. Computers would record workers’ blood types.
C. You can get informationg of your fellow workers easily.
D. Firing employees in the office of tomorrow could be largely reduced.