教材1第1课-final(19)

luck, or other people brought it about. Such people are not bothered by defeat. Confronted by a bad situation, they perceive it as a challenge and try harder.

20 These two habits of thinking about causes have consequences. Literally hundreds of studies show that pessimists give up more easily and get depressed more often. These experiments also show that optimists do much better in school and at work. They regularly exceed the predictions of aptitude tests.8 When optimists run for office, they are more apt to be elected than pessimists are. Their health is unusually good. Evidence suggests they may even live longer.

21 Twenty-five years of study has convinced me that if we habitually believe, as does the pessimist, that misfortune is our fault, is enduring, and will undermine everything we do, more of it9 will happen to us than if we believe otherwise. I am also convinced that if we are in the grip of this view, we will get depressed easily, we will accomplish less than our potential, and we will even get physically sick more often. Pessimistic prophecies are self-fulfilling.10 (942 words) 60 65

New Words

aptitude◆/ / n. natural ability or skill, especially in learning 天资，天赋

e.g. I) At an early age, Susan showed an aptitude for languages.

II) All applicants are given aptitude tests before being invited for interview.

attach4 / / v.

1) connect one thing to another 缚，贴，系，连接

e.g. I) Attach a recent photograph to your application form.

II) Heavy thread attached the buttons firmly to my winter coat.

2) bind by emotional ties, as of affection or loyalty 使依恋，使喜爱

e.g. I) I am really attached to this old house.

II) My son feels very attached to his old guitar, and he‘d never sell it.

3) regard as having (importance, responsibility etc) 认为有（重要性、责任等）

e.g. I) I don‘t at tach any importance to these rumors (谣言).

II) She attaches great value to being financially independent.

awe◆/ / n. a feeling of great respect and admiration for someone or something 敬畏

e.g. I) The sight filled us with awe.

II) I‘ve always held pianists in awe, because I‘d like to have become one myself.

brand-new / / adj. completely new 崭新的

e.g. I) How can he afford to buy himself a brand-new car?

II) They brought their brand-new baby to show us.

confine4 / / v.

1) keep someone or something within the limits of a particular activity or subject 限制, 使局限

e.g. I) This disease is not just confined to children.

II) I don‘t like a job in which I‘m confined to doing only one thing.

2) shut or keep in a small or enclosed space 使不外出，禁闭

e.g. I) After his arrest, he was confined in the tower of London.

II) He had been confined for so long that he couldn‘t cope with the outside world.

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