Material4_20综合英语专四阅读训练(3)

when I looked ahead. I would sit in the library for a whole day, dipping into one book after another, often with glazed-over eyes. By comparison I went to lectures gratefully—at least I knew when they started and finished. Although my lecture notes weren't up to much, I could tell myself I had accomplished something, which would bring down my anxiety level.

Much later I discovered I could learn a great deal from a close reading of selected sections; that taking notes could sometimes be very satisfying and at other times was not necessary. The trick was to take control; to decide what I wanted to find out. Dividing big jobs into smaller subtasks helps to bring work under control, and allows you to set targets and check your progress. There is so much pressure to be ambitious—to go for the long dissertation, to read the huge tomes. Yet achievement arises out of quite modest activities undertaken on a small scale. The trouble with the big tasks is that you keep putting them off. Their scope and shape is unclear and we all flee from uncertainty. The more you can define your work as small, discrete, concrete tasks, the more control you have over it.

Organizing tasks into the time available can itself be divided into strategy and application. It is useful to think of yourself as "investing" time. Some tasks require intense concentration and need to be done at a prime time of day, when you are at your best and have time to spare. Others can be fitted in when you are tired, or as "warm-up" activities at the start of a session. Some, such as essay writing, may best be spread over several days. Some need to be done straight away.

There are few reliable guidelines. Essentially you have to keep circling round a self-monitoring loop: plan an approach to a task, try it out, reflect afterwards on your success in achieving what you intended and then revise your strategy. Once you start to think strategically, you begin to take control of your studies rather than letting them swamp you.

5. The vice-chancellor's speech _________ the writer.

A. amused B. failed to convince

C. frightened D. inspired

6. The lad from Oldham's time at university was_________ than the writer.

A. less successful B. more intellectual

C. more fun D. more strenuous

7. Different from school, university requires students of the ability to_________.

A. do independent research

B. manage their study time

C. deal with several courses simultaneously

D. overcome difficulties in study

8. Towards the end of his time at university the writer_________.

A. gave up hope B. organized himself better

C. worked harder D. wrote a long dissertation

9. The writer recommends_________.

A. studying for a short time every day

B. finishing one task before starting another

C. studying only when you are alert

D. deciding when each kind of task is best done

10. "Circling round a self-monitoring loop" in the last but one paragraph means_________.

A. approaching your studies in a roundabout way

B. continuing to study for a long time