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问：主旨题有哪几类题型？
答： 主旨题的题型通常有三类：第一类是Topic/Title题；第二类是Main Idea题；第三类是Purpose题。
1. Topic/Title题常见提问方式
What is the best title for the text?
Which of the following would be the best title for this text?
2. Main Idea题常见提问方式
What is mainly discussed in the text?
What is the main idea/subject of this text?
What is paragraph 5 mainly about?
What is the main idea of the third paragraph?
3. Purpose题常见提问方式
What is the author's main purpose in writing this text?
What message does the author seem to convey in the text?
问：主旨题有哪几种解题方法？
答： 主旨题有段落主旨题和全文主旨题两大类，常见的解题方法有三种：①转折法；②首末法；③段落大意相加法。下面我们就通过历年真题来进一步阐述主旨题的解题方法。
★温馨提示：如果是全文主旨题，通常应放在最后做。因为在解答文章其他题目的过程中可以对文章有更深入的了解，这样做主旨题时也更有把握。
A：转折法
问：什么是转折法？
答： 转折法是指在文章的首段或第二段出现but、however、although、while、in fact、in turn等表示转折意义的标志词时，转折标志词后面的内容往往就是解题的关键。
★温馨提示：除了主旨题可以运用转折法来解答外，细节题、词汇题、推断题等都可以运用转折法来解答。另外，转折标志词不管出现在文章的什么地方，其后面的信息都非常重要，往往就是答案所在。
►真题再现一
Some people think that success is only for those with talent or those who grow up in the right family, and others believe that success mostly comes down to luck. I'm not going to say luck, talent, and circumstances don't come into play because they do. Some people are born into the right family while others are born with great intelligence, and that's just the reality of how life is.
However, to succeed in life, one first needs to set a goal and then gradually make it more practical. And, in addition to that , in order to get really good at something, one needs to spend at least 10,000 hours studying and practicing. To become great at certain things, it'll require even more time, time that most people won't put in.
This is a big reason why many successful people advise you to do some-thing you love. If you don't enjoy what you do, it is going to feel like unbearable pain and will likely make you quit well before you ever become good at it.
When you see people exhibiting some great skills or having achieved great success, you know that they have put in a huge part of their life to get there at a huge cost. It's sometimes easy to think they got lucky or they were born with some rare talent, but thinking that way does you no good, and there's a huge chance that you're wrong anyway.
Whatever you do, if you want to become great at it, you need to work day in and day out, almost to the point of addiction, and over a long period of time. If you're not willing to put in the time and work, don't expect to receive any rewards. Consistent, hard work won't guarantee you the level of success you may want, but it will guarantee that you will become really good at whatever it is you put all that work into.
第一段大意：有些人认为只有拥有天赋或家境良好的人才能取得成功，还有一些人认为成功全凭运气。运气、天赋和环境起着重要作用这种观点并非没有道理。确实有些人出生在殷实的家庭，而有些人则天生就聪慧，只是人生就是这样。
come down to：归结于
come into play：开始起作用
第二段大意：要在生活中获得成功，首先你需要设定一个目标，然后再逐步去实现它。除此之外，为了做到真正擅长某事，你需要花比他人更多的时间。
set a goal：设定一个目标
第三段大意：这就是为什么成功人士会建议你做一些你喜欢做的事情。因为如果你不喜欢所做的事，你就会觉得这是难以忍受的痛苦，从而选择放弃。
This is a big reason why：这是……的重要原因
第四段大意：当你看到人们展现出某些精湛的技能或取得极大的成功时，要知道他们是付出了很多的时间和精力才取得那些成就的。简单地认为他们是凭运气或罕见的天赋对你没有任何好处，并且你有很多可能想错了。
exhibit：展示；陈列
第五段大意：要想在某个领域变得擅长，那么你就需要投入大量的时间和精力。如果你不愿意这么做，那么就别指望能得到任何回报。付出与回报是对等的。
to the point of：达到……程度
addiction：沉溺，上瘾
put in the time：投入时间
1. Paragraph 1 mainly talks about ______.
A. the reasons for success
B. the meaning of success
C. the standards of success
D. the importance of success
解析： 本题为段落主旨题。对比4个选项可知，A项是成功的reasons，B项是成功的meaning，C项是成功的standards，D项是成功的 importance。而第一段主要讲述人们对于成功原因的不同看法：有人认为成功是靠运气，有人认为是靠天赋或靠良好的家庭环境，所以答案为______。 （答案在Part A部分的最后 ， 下同 。 ）
2. What is the main theme of the passage?
A. Having a goal is vital to success.
B. Being good is different from being great.
C. One cannot succeed without time and practice.
D. Luck, talent and family help to achieve success.
解析： 本题为全文主旨题。根据本文第二段段首的标志性词汇however可知，该段才是文章的主旨所在。本文第一段主要讲述人们对于成功原因的不同看法；第二段笔锋一转，道出要在生活中获得成功，首先需要设定一个目标，而且还要花比他人更多的时间和精力去学习和练习，所以答案为______。
B：首末法
问：什么是首末法？
答： 首末法是指主旨通常出现在文章的首段或末段，或首末段都提到了主旨。这种解题方法通常和文章的结构有密切的关系。有三种结构模式：①总分结构；②分总结构；③总分总结构。
►真题再现二
In ancient Egypt, a shopkeeper discovered that he could attract customers to his shop simply by making changes to its environment. Modern businesses have been following his lead, with more tactics （策略）.
One tactic involves where to display the goods. For example, stores place fruits and vegetables in the first section. They know that customers who buy the healthy food first will feel happy so that they will buy more junk food （垃圾食品） later in their trip. In department stores, the women's shoe section is generally next to the women's cosmetics （化妆品） section: while the shop assistant is going back to find the right size shoe, bored customers are likely to wander over cosmetics they might want to try later.
Besides, businesses seek to appeal to customers' senses. Stores notice that the smell of baked goods encourages shopping, so they make their own bread each morning and then fan the bread smell into the store throughout the day. Music sells goods, too. Researchers in Britain found that when French music was played, sales of French wine went up.
When it comes to the selling of houses, businesses also use highly rewarding tactics. They find that customers make decision in the first few seconds upon walking in the door, and turn it into a business opportunity. A California builder designed the structure of its houses smartly. When entering the house, the customer would see the Pacific Ocean through the windows, and then the pool through an open stairway leading to the lower level. The instant view of water on both levels helped sell these $10 million houses.
第一段大意：古埃及的店主通过改善店里的购物环境来吸引消费者。现代商业也遵循了该模式，同时使用了更多的策略。
第二段大意：其中一个策略涉及物品摆放的位置。比如，有的商家在商铺的第一个区域放上水果和蔬菜，有的将女士购鞋区安排在化妆品区域旁边，目的都是为了吸引消费者购买。
involve: 涉及
section: 区域
wander：闲逛，漫步
第三段大意：另一个策略是吸引消费者的感官意识。如烘焙面包的味道和乐曲等都能促进商品的销售。
appeal to：对……有吸引力
第四段大意：房屋的销售也使用了非常有效的策略。加利福尼亚的一位设计师设计的房屋很巧妙，能让人透过窗户看到海，还配有泳池等，这些水景都促成了房屋的销售。
rewarding：有益的；值得的
3. What is the main purpose of the passage?
A. To explain how businesses turn people into their customers.
B. To introduce how businesses have grown from the past.
C. To report researches on customer behavior.
D. To show dishonest business practices.
解析： 本文是典型的“总分”模式的文章，我们可以运用首末法来解题。文章首段是重点，主要讲述古埃及的店主通过改善店里的购物环境来吸引消费者。现代商业也遵循了该模式，同时使用了更多的策略。而这样做的目的是什么呢？古埃及店主这样做的目的是为了吸引消费者，现代商业也这样做，目的当然也是为了吸引消费者。文章后面的段落都是关于吸引消费者的策略的，所以本题答案为______。
►真题再现三
When the explorers first set foot upon the continent of North America, the skies and lands were alive with an astonishing variety of wildlife. Native Americans had taken care of these precious natural resources wisely. Unfortunately, it took the explorers and the settlers who followed only a few decades to decimate a large part of these resources. Millions of waterfowl （水禽） were killed at the hands of market hunters and a handful of overly ambitious sportsmen. Millions of acres of wetlands were dried to feed and house the ever-increasing populations, greatly reducing waterfowl habitat （栖息地）.
In 1934, with the passage of the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act （Act）, an increasingly concerned nation took firm action to stop the destruction of migratory （迁徙的） waterfowl and the wetlands so vital to their survival. Under this Act, all waterfowl hunters 16 years of age and over must annually purchase and carry a Federal Duck Stamp. The very first Federal Duck Stamp was designed by J.N. “Ding” Darling, a political cartoonist from Des Moines, Iowa, who at that time was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as Director of the Bureau of Biological Survey. Hunters willingly pay the stamp price to ensure the survival of our natural resources.
About 98 cents of every duck stamp dollar goes directly into the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to purchase wetlands and wildlife habitat for inclusion into the National Wildlife Refuge System—a fact that ensures this land will be protected and available for all generations to come. Since 1934, better than half a billion dollars has gone into that Fund to purchase more than 5 million acres of habitat. Little wonder the Federal Duck Stamp Program has been called one of the most successful conservation programs ever initiated.
第一段大意： 由于美国移民和探险者的到来，北美大陆大量的水禽栖息地被破坏，导致美国水禽数量骤减，数百万公顷的湿地被抽干，用作农地或者修建住房，极大地减少了水禽的栖息地。
第二段大意： 为了保护水禽和湿地，美国政府颁布了《候鸟狩猎印花税法案》。根据该法案，所有年满16岁的水禽狩猎者每年都必须购买并携带一张美国联邦鸭票。
destruction：破坏
purchase：购买
第三段大意： 自1934年起，超过5亿美元进入到候鸟保护基金会，这笔钱被用来购买了超过500万公顷的水禽栖息地。事实证明“联邦鸭票计划”是一个成功的保护项目。
conservation：保护
4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?
A. The Federal Duck Stamp Story
B. The National Wildlife Refuge System
C. The Benefits of Saving Waterfowl
D. The History of Migratory Bird Hunting
解析： 本文属于典型的“分总”结构。根据全文可知，由于之前大量移民的涌入和不恰当的发展导致美国水禽骤减，因此美国发行了鸭票。狩猎者只有购买了鸭票，才能狩猎，而鸭票的部分收入用于购买水禽栖息地，从而保护了水禽。故可知，本文讲述的是美国联邦鸭票的故事，所以本题答案为_______。
►真题再现四
Forget Twitter and Facebook, Google and the Kindle. Television is still the most influential medium around. Indeed, for many of the poorest regions （地区） of the world, it remains the next big thing—finally becomes globally available. And that is a good thing, because the TV revolution is changing lives for the better.
Across the developing world, around 45% of families had a TV in 1995; by 2005 the number had climbed above 60% . That is some way behind the U.S., where there are more TVs than people, and where people now easily get access to the Internet.
Five million more families in sub-Saharan Africa will get a TV over the next five years. In 2005, after the fall of the Taliban （塔利班）, which had outlawed TV, 1 in 5 Afghans had one. The global total is another 150 million by 2013—pushing the numbers to well beyond two thirds of families.
Television's most powerful effect will be on the lives of women. In India, researchers Robert Jensen and Emily Oster found that when TVs reached villages, women were more likely to go to the market without their husbands' approval and less likely to want a boy rather than a girl. They were more likely to make decisions over child health care.
TV is also a powerful medium for adult education. In the Indian state of Gujarat, Chitrageet is a popular show that plays Bollywood songs with words in Gujarati on the screen. Within six months, viewers had made a small but significant （有意义的） improvement in their reading skills.
Too much TV has been associated with violence, overweight and loneliness. However, TV is having a positive influence on the lives of billions worldwide.
第一段大意：虽然有了Twitter 和 Facebook等新媒体，但电视仍然是最有影响力的媒体，它让人们的生活变得更好。
第二段大意：发展中国家电视的普及率在上升，但还是落后于美国。
第三段大意：到2013年时，全球的电视机总数会再增加1.5亿台，超过三分之二的家庭都会有电视。
第四段大意：研究表明，在印度，当乡村出现电视之后，女性的就业意识增强，而重男轻女的情况减少，等等。
第五段大意：电视对成年人的教育也有帮助。比如，在放歌曲时配上字幕，观众的阅读能力会得到提高。
第六段大意：虽然电视被指与暴力等有关，但电视积极的一面影响了更多人。
5. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. TV Will Rule the World
B. TV Will Disturb the World
C. TV Will Better the World
D. TV Will Remain in the World
6. The author intends to ______.
A. stress the advantages of TV to people's lives
B. persuade women to become more independent
C. encourage people to improve their reading skills
D. introduce the readers some websites such as Google
解析： 第一题考查的是文章主旨，第二题考查的是写作目的。两道题的解题方法是相同的。了解了文章主旨之后，写作目的就迎刃而解了。本文属于“总分总”模式的文章，可以采用首末法解答主旨题。通过阅读文章首末段和各段首末句可知，本文主要讲述了电视仍然是最有影响力的媒体，它让人们的生活变得更好。所以第一题的答案为______，第二题的答案为______。
C：段落大意相加法
问：什么是段落大意相加法？
答： 段落大意相加法是指整篇文章没有明确的主题段或平行的分论点段，需要我们将各段落大意汇总，从而得出文章的主旨。当然，在阅读文章时，还是要重点阅读首末段和各段首末句，只是读完后，需要把各段信息相加，然后得出文章主旨。这类题目相对来说难度大一些。
►真题再现五
We live in a town with three beaches. There are two parks less than 10 minutes' walk from home where neighbourhood children gather to play. However, what my children want to do after school is pick up a screen—any screen—and stare at it for hours. They are not alone. Today's children spend an average of four and a half hours a day looking at screens, split between watching television and using the Internet.
In the past few years, an increasing number of people and organisations have begun coming up with plans to counter this trend. A couple of years ago, film-maker David Bond realised that his children, then aged five and three, were attached to screens to the point where he was able to say “chocolate” into his three-year-old son's ear without getting a response. He realised that something needed to change, and, being a London media type, appointed himself “marketing director for Nature”. He documented his journey as he set about treating nature as a brand to be marketed to young people. The result was Project Wild Thing, a film which charts the birth of the Wild Network a group of organisations with the common goal of getting children out into nature.
“Just five more minutes outdoors can make a difference,” David Bond says. “There is a lot of really interesting evidence which seems to be suggesting that if children are inspired up to the age of seven, then being outdoors will be a habit for life.” His own children have got into the habit of playing outside now: “We just send them out into the garden and tell them not to come back in for a while.”
Summer is upon us. There is an amazing world out there, and it needs our children as much as they need it. Let us get them out and let them play.
第一段大意： 我们住在有3个海滩的一个城镇。但是我的孩子们放学回家后就只想拿起屏幕（这里指电子产品）看，而且一看就是几个小时。
neighbourhood：街区
第二段大意： 很多人和组织开始关注这一现象。一位电影制作人记录了自己把自然作为一个品牌向孩子们推销的过程，他的影片记录了一个目标是让儿童走进大自然的组织的成立。
organisation：组织
第三段大意： 有证据表明，每天去户外玩一会儿对孩子的生活习惯有很大的改变。孩子们需要走进奇妙的大自然。
evidence：证据
第四段大意：外面的世界很神奇，我们应该多让孩 子们去户外玩耍。
7. What can be a suitable title for the text?
A. Let Children Have Fun
B. Young Children Need More Free Time
C. Market Nature to Children
D. David Bond: A Role Model for Children
解析： 本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了孩子们看电子屏幕的时间过长，沉迷于电子产品的现象，号召家长朋友们多带孩子们远离屏幕，走进大自然。所以本题答案为_______。
KEY
1. A 2. C 3. A 4. A 5. C 6. A 7. C
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。本章节重点练习主旨题。
London's newest skyscraper （摩天大楼） is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build. At a height of almost 310 metres, it is the tallest building in Europe. The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However, not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better.
The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London, Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire （尖顶）. He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren't regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin, sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name: the Shard. Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts （桅杆） of the ships that were once on the river Thames.
The Shard has 87 floors. At the top, there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty, but eventually there will be a five-star hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants, apartments and offices.
Before building work began, a lot of people didn't want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York, but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration, only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city.
Other critics don't like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor.
The Shard now dominates the London skyline. It is not certain, however, that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city.
1. London's newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of ______．
A. its cost
B. its size
C. its shape
D. its height
2. When he designed the Shard, Piano wanted it to ______．
A. change London's skyline
B. inherit London's tradition
C. imitate the Egyptian style
D. attract potential visitors
3. The critics who refer to social division think the Shard ______.
A. is only preferred by the rich
B. is intended for wealthy people
C. is far away from the poor area
D. is popular only with Londoners
4. Which would be the best title for the passage?
A. The Shard: Cheers and Claps
B. The Shard: Work of a Great Architect
C. The Shard: New Symbol of London?
D. The Shard: A Change for the Better?
Home to me means a sense of familiarity and nostalgia （怀旧）. It's fun to come home. It looks the same. It smells the same. You'll realize what's changed is you. Home is where we can remember pain, love, and some other experiences: We parted here; My parents met here; I won three championships here.
If I close my eyes, I can still have a clear picture in mind of my first home. I walk in the door and see a brown sofa surrounding a low glass-top wooden table. To the right of the living room is my first bedroom. It's empty, but it's where my earliest memories are.
There is the dining room table where I celebrated birthdays, and where I cried on Halloween—when I didn't want to wear the skirt my mother made for me. I always liked standing on that table because it made me feel tall and strong. If I sit at this table, I can see my favorite room in the house, my parents' room. It is simple: a brown wooden dresser lines the right side of the wall next to a television and a couple of photos of my grandparents on each side. Their bed is my safe zone . I can jump on it anytime—waking up my parents if I am scared or if I have an important announcement that cannot wait until the morning.
I'm lucky because I know my first home still exists. It exists in my mind and heart, on a physical property （住宅） on West 64th street on the western edge of Los Angeles. It is proof I lived, I grew and I learned.
Sometimes when I feel lost, I lie down and shut my eyes, and I go home. I know it's where I'll find my family, my dogs, and my belongings. I purposely leave the window open at night because I know I'll be blamed by Mom. But I don't mind, because I want to hear her say my name, which reminds me I'm home.
1. Why does the author call her parents' bed her “safe zone” （Paragraph 3）?
A. It is her favorite place to play.
B. Her needs can be satisfied there.
C. Her grandparents' photos are lined on each side.
D. Her parents always play together with her there.
2. What can be learned from the passage?
A. The old furniture is still in the author's first bedroom.
B. The author can still visit her first physical home in Los Angeles.
C. The author's favorite room in her first home is the dining room.
D. Many people of the author's age can still find their first physical homes.
3. Sometimes when she feels lost, the author will ______.
A. open the window at night
B. lie down in bed to have a dream
C. try to bring back a sense of home
D. go to Los Angeles to visit her mom
4. What is the author's purpose of writing this passage?
A. To express how much she is attached to her home.
B. To declare how much she loves her first house.
C. To describe the state of her family.
D. To look back on her childhood.
An increase in students applying to study economics at university is being attributed to （归因于） the global economic crisis awakening a public thirst for knowledge about how the financial system works.
Applications for degree courses beginning this autumn were up by 15% this January, according to UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. A spokesman for the Royal Economic Society said applications to do economics at A-level were also up.
Professor John Beath, the president of the society and a leading lecturer at St. Andrews University, said his first-year lectures—which are open to students from all departments—were drawing crowds of 400, rather than the usual 250.
“There are a large number of students who are not economics majors, who would like to learn something about it. One of the things I have done this year is to relate my teaching to contemporary events in a way that one hasn't traditionally done.” He added.
University applications rose 7% last year. But there were rises above average in several subjects. Nursing saw a 15% jump, with people's renewed interest in careers in the pubic sector （部门）, which are seen as more secure in economic crisis.
A recent study showed almost two thirds of parents believed schools should do more to teach pupils about financial matters, and almost half said their children had asked them what was going on, although a minority of parents felt they did not understand it themselves well enough to explain.
Zack Hocking, the head of Child Trust Funds, said: “It's possible that one good thing to arise from the downturn will be a generation that's financially wiser and better equipped to manage their money through times of economic uncertainty.”
1. Professor John Beath's lectures are ______.
A. given in a traditional way
B. connected with the present situation
C. open to both students and their parents
D. warmly received by economists
2. Incomes in the public sector are more attractive because of their ______.
A. greater stability
B. higher pay
C. fewer applications
D. better reputation
3. In the opinion of most parents, ______.
A. economics should be the focus of school teaching
B. more students should be admitted to universities
C. the teaching of financial matters should be strengthened
D. children should solve financial problems themselves
4. According to Hocking, the global economic crisis might make the youngsters ______.
A. wiser in money management
B. have access to better equipment
C. confident about their future careers
D. get jobs in Child Trust Funds
5. What's the main idea of the text?
A. Universities have received more applications.
B. Economics is attracting an increasing number of students.
C. College students benefit a lot from economic uncertainty.
D. Parents are concerned with children's subject selection.
When something goes wrong, it can be very satisfying to say, “Well, it's so-and-so's fault.” or “I know I'm late, but it's not my fault; the car broke down.” It is probably not your fault, but once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation, you are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However, you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner's key to success.
Winners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need. For another example, if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don't rely on this person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague fails to do his job well.
This is what being a winner is all about—creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don't have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on “whose fault it is.” Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just stepping stones for success.
1. According to the passage, winners ______.
A. deal with problems rather than blame others
B. meet with fewer difficulties in their lives
C. have responsible and able colleagues
D. blame themselves rather than others
2. The underlined word remedy in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ______.
A. avoid
B. accept
C. improve
D. consider
3. When your colleague brings about a problem, you should ______.
A. find a better way to handle the problem
B. blame him for his lack of responsibility
C. tell him to find the cause of the problem
D. ask a more able colleague for help
4. When problems occur, winners take them as ______.
A. excuses for their failures
B. barriers to greater power
C. challenges to their colleagues
D. chances for self-development
5. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. A Winner's Secret
B. A Winner's Problem
C. A Winner's Opportunity
D. A Winner's Achievement
Perhaps you think you could easily add to your happiness with more money. Strange as it may seem, if you're unsatisfied, the issue is not a lack of means to meet your desires but a lack of desires—not that you cannot satisfy your tastes but that you don't have enough tastes.
Real riches consist of well-developed and hearty capacities （能力） to enjoy life. Most people are already swamped （淹没） with things. They eat, wear, go and talk too much. They live in too big a house with too many rooms, yet their house of life is a hut.
Your house of life ought to be a mansion （豪宅）, a royal palace. Every new taste, every additional interest, every fresh enthusiasm adds a room. Here are several rooms your house of life should have.
Art should be a desire for you to develop simply because the world is full of beautiful things. If you only understood how to enjoy them and feed your spirit on them, they would make you as happy as to find plenty of ham and eggs when you're hungry.
Literature, classic literature, is a beautiful, richly furnished room where you might find many an hour of rest and refreshment. To gain that love would go toward making you a rich person, for a rich person is not someone who has a library but who likes a library.
Music like Mozart's and Bach's shouldn't be absent. Real riches are of the spirit. And when you've brought that spirit up to where classical music feeds it and makes you a little drunk, you have increased your thrills and bettered them. And life is a matter of thrills.
Sports, without which you remain poor, mean a lot in life. No matter who you are, you would be more human, and your house of life would be better supported against the bad days, if you could, and did, play a bit.
Whatever rooms you might add to your house of life, the secret of enjoying life is to keep adding.
1. The author intends to tell us that ______.
A. true happiness lies in achieving wealth by fair means
B. big houses are people's most valued possessions
C. big houses can in a sense bring richness of life
D. true happiness comes from spiritual riches
2. The underlined sentence in the second paragraph probably implies that ______.
A. however materially rich, they never seem to be satisfied
B. however materially rich, they remain spiritually poor
C. though their house is big, they prefer a simple life
D. though their house is big, it seems to be a cage
3. It can be learned from the passage that ______.
A. more money brings more happiness
B. art is needed to make your house beautiful
C. literature can enrich your spiritual life
D. sports contribute mainly to your physical fitness
4. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. House of Life
B. Secret of Wealth
C. Rest and Refreshment
D. Interest and Enthusiasm
1. 解析： 根据第二段中的The sides of the building aren't regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin, sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name: the Shard可知，夏德大厦的得名来源于它的形状：它的形状非同寻常，看起来像一种非常薄、尖锐的玻璃碎片。而shard这个单词本身正含有“（玻璃、陶瓷等）碎片”之意，所以C项正确。
2. 解析： 根据第二段的倒数第一、二句Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts of the ships that were once on the river Thames可知，他把这座摩天大楼设计成尖顶的形状是为了让它成为伦敦传统的一部分，也就是说让它继承伦敦的传统，所以B项正确。
3. 解析： 根据倒数第二段中的They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London可知，一些批评家认为这座大楼只是为那些富有的人设计的，而居住在这栋大楼附近的是伦敦人民中最贫穷的那些，这座大楼是社会不公平的代表，所以B项正确。
4. 解析： 本文是一篇新闻报道，报道了伦敦最新的摩天大楼the Shard，介绍了它的形状和设计理念，同时还讲述了人们对于这栋大楼的不同看法。根据第一段最后一句However, not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better可知，很多人都反对建这栋大楼，说它并没有向一个好的方向改变，所以D项正确。
1. 解析： 根据第三段的最后一句I can jump on it anytime—waking up my parents if I am scared or if I have an important announcement that cannot wait until the morning可知，如果我害怕或者有重要的事情不能等到早晨宣布的话，那么我随时可以跳上床，吵醒父母。可见，在那里，我的需求能得到满足，所以本题答案为B。
2. 解析： 根据第四段的第一、二句I'm lucky because I know my first home still exists. It exists in my mind and heart, on a physical property on West 64th street on the western edge of Los Angeles可知，我很幸运，因为我知道我的第一个家仍然存在。它存在于我的心里，我的脑海里，并真实存在于洛杉矶西部边缘的西街64号。它证明我在那里住过、成长过、学习过。说明作者的家依然存在于现实中，他/她还可以去洛杉矶看望这个家，所以本题答案为B。
3. 解析： 根据最后一段的第一句Sometimes when I feel lost, I lie down and shut my eyes, and I go home可知，作者在迷茫时经常会设法找回家的感觉，所以本题答案为C。
4. 解析： 根据第一段的第一句Home to me means a sense of familiarity and nostalgia可知，作者写本文的目的是表达她对家的怀念、依恋之情。下文都是围绕第一句展开的，它是文章的主旨句，所以本题答案为A。
1. 解析： 从文章第四段的One of the things I have done this year is to relate my teaching to contemporary events可知，约翰·比思教授的演讲是与当前的时事联系在一起的，所以本题答案为B。
2. 解析： 由文中第五段最后一句话中的which are seen as more secure in economic crisis可知，在经济危机时期这些公共部门更稳定，所以本题答案为A。
3. 解析： 由文中倒数第二段A recent study showed almost two thirds of parents believed schools should do more to teach pupils about financial matters可知，大多数父母都希望学校能强化金融知识的教学，故本题答案为C。
4. 解析： 由文中最后一段最后一句话中的a generation that's financially wiser and better equipped to manage their money through times of economic uncertainty可知，全球经济危机可能会是一个契机，使得青年人在金钱管理方面变得更明智，故本题答案为A。
5. 解析： 由文章的首段可知，本文主要讲的是越来越多的学生在报考大学时选修经济学专业的原因是全球经济危机唤起了公众对金融知识的渴望，所以本题答案为B。
1. 解析： 由第一段中的However, you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation可知，如果你不再把焦点放在去责备谁，而是把焦点放在如何去改善这种情形的话，那么你就有能力掌控发生在你身上的事情。这就是赢家能够成功的关键。可见赢家在遇到问题时常常是想办法处理问题，而不是去责备他人，所以本题答案为A。
2. 解析： 由第一段的stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on可知，要成为一个赢家，你要停止责备别人，并改善当前的状况，所以本题答案为C。
3. 解析： 由第二段if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person可知，本题答案为A。
4. 解析： 根据最后一段中的Winners don't have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else可知，成功者并不是面临的问题较少；他们遇到的困难和其他人一样多，只是他们会把这些问题看作是对自己才能的挑战和机遇，所以本题答案为D。
5. 解析： 根据文章第一段中的you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner's key to success及下面的段落可知，文章谈论的就是成功者之所以成功的秘诀，所以选项A最合适。
1. 解析： 根据文章四、五、六、七段第一句Art should be a desire for you、Literature, classic literature, is a beautiful, richly furnished room、Music like Mozart's and Bach's shouldn't be absent和Sports, without which you remain poor, mean a lot in life可知，真正幸福的人需要懂得享受艺术、文学、音乐和运动带来的乐趣，而这些主要与我们精神上的富足有关。也就是说真正的幸福是精神上的富足，所以答案为D。
2. 解析： 根据画线部分可知，很多人住的是豪宅，但内心里的生命之屋只是一间小棚屋。也就是说无论物质上多么富有，但内心的精神世界是贫穷的，所以选项B正确。
3. 解析： 根据文章第五段Literature, classic literature, is a beautiful, richly furnished room where you might find many an hour of rest and refreshment可知，文学可以丰富我们的心灵，在那里可以得到心灵的放松，所以选项C正确。
4. 解析： 在现实生活中，很多人物质上非常丰富，住豪宅，享美食。但是他们真正幸福吗？他们的内心生活又是怎样的呢？作者在文章里告诉我们，要想得到内心的幸福，需要通过了解艺术、文学、音乐等来丰富我们的内心世界，A项中House of Life涵盖了这些内容，所以选项A正确。
伦敦最新的摩天大楼叫作夏德大厦，花了大约4.3亿英镑才建成。它的高度近310米，是欧洲最高的建筑。夏德大厦彻底改变了伦敦的面貌。然而，并不是所有人都认为这是一种更好的改变。
夏德大厦由著名的意大利建筑师伦佐·皮亚诺设计。起初为伦敦设计夏德大厦的时候，他想要的是一种像尖顶一样很高的建筑。他想让玻璃表面能映射天空和城市。建筑的四周是不规则的，所以它的形状不同寻常，看起来像一种非常薄、尖锐的玻璃碎片。这就是它得名夏德（Shard）的原因（注：shard有“碎片”之意）。皮亚诺说夏德大厦尖顶的形状是伦敦悠久传统的一部分。这个形状让他想起伦敦教堂的尖顶和泰晤士河上船只高高的桅杆。
夏德大厦有87层，在顶部有一个观景台。当前的建筑空荡荡的，但最终这里会有一个五星级酒店。这里也会有顶级餐厅、公寓和办公室。
在修建工作开始前，尽管方案得到了批准，但很多人并不赞成建造夏德大厦，现在他们仍然对夏德大厦抱有芥蒂。一些批评家说，像这样高的摩天大楼位于纽约可能很好，但在伦敦却不行。他们说夏德大厦的优点就是它的尖顶形状，但那是唯一的优点。大厦没有装饰，只有平滑的表面。埃及人4500年前就已经建造了这样的建筑。他们还认为夏德大厦对于伦敦来说太大了。它破坏了城市的美。
其他批评家不喜欢夏德大厦潜在代表的东西。他们认为夏德大厦表明了伦敦是如何变得更加不公平的。只有非常有钱的人才能买得起昂贵的私人公寓，住在酒店里。但是住在夏德大厦附近的人却是伦敦最贫穷的人，所以夏德大厦看起来像是有钱人和穷人的社会分界线。
如今，夏德大厦在伦敦的地平线上显得很突出。然而，伦敦的普通公民是否能接受它成为城市一种有价值的增添物，这一点并不确定。
家对我来说意味着一种熟悉感和怀旧感。回家很有趣。它的模样从未改变，它的味道也依旧熟悉。你会意识到发生改变的只是你自己。家是我们能记住痛苦、爱和一些其他经历的地方：我们在这里分开，我的父母在这里相遇，我在这里获得了三次冠军。
如果闭上眼睛，我的脑海中依然有我第一个家的清晰画面。我走进门，看到一张棕色的沙发摆在低矮的玻璃面木桌周围。客厅的右边是我的第一个卧室。它是空的，但我最早的记忆都在那里。
那里有我庆祝生日的餐桌。在那里，在万圣节时，我因为不想穿妈妈为我做的裙子而哭泣。我总是喜欢站在那张桌子上，因为它让我觉得自己又高又壮。如果坐在这张桌子边，就可以看到我最喜欢的房间，那是我父母的房间。房间摆设很简单：一个棕色的木质梳妆台靠着右墙摆放，挨着它摆放的是电视，两侧还有几张我祖父母的照片。他们的床是我的安全区域。如果我感到害怕或者我有重要的事情不能等到早晨宣布的话，那么我随时可以跳上床，吵醒他们。
我很幸运，因为我知道我的第一个家仍然存在。它存在于我的心里，我的脑海里，并真实存在于洛杉矶西部边缘的西街64号。它证明我在那里住过、成长过、学习过。
当感到迷惘时，我就躺下，闭上眼睛，回家。我知道我将在那里找到我的家人、我的狗以及我的物品。晚上我故意把窗户打开，因为我知道妈妈会指责我。但我不介意，因为我想听她叫我的名字，这提醒我，我已经在家了。
越来越多的学生在报考大学时选修经济学专业的原因在于：全球经济危机唤起了公众对金融系统运作知识的渴望。
据大专院校招生委员会统计，今年秋天开始的学位课程申请人数在一月份增加了15%。皇家经济协会的一位发言人也表示，申请经济A级考试的人数也增多了。
该协会会长同时也是圣安德鲁大学的首席讲师约翰·比思教授表示，第一年的课程（对所有学生开放的）吸引了400人，而往常只有250人。
他补充道：“有很多非经济学专业的学生想要学习一些关于经济学的知识。我今年做的一件事就是把教学与时事相结合，在这之前没人这样做过。”
去年，大学申请人数增加了7%，但是在一些学科上增加的人数超出了平均数，护理专业增加了15%。大众再次关注政府部门的职位，似乎在经济危机时期在政府部门工作会更有保障。
最近的一项研究表明：几乎三分之二的父母都认为学校应该更多地教授小学生一些金融相关的知识；几乎半数的父母说他们的孩子问过有关经济的一些知识，尽管少数父母觉得他们自己也不是特别懂经济的知识，无法很好地回答孩子的问题。
扎克·霍金是儿童信托基金的总裁。他说：“也许在低迷时期会出现一件好事，那就是我们的下一代在经济不稳定时期能更明智、更好地管理他们的财务。”
每当出现不好的状况时就说“这是某某的错”或者“我知道我迟到了，但这不是我的错；是汽车坏了”——这些都能成为非常令人满意的说辞。这可能不是你的错，但你一旦形成指责某人某事造成了现今这种糟糕情况的习惯，你就成了一个输家。你没有能力，对于改变现状也无能为力。然而，如果你不再把焦点放在去责备谁，而是如何去改善这种情形，那么你就有能力掌控发生在你身上的事情。这就是赢家能够成功的关键。
赢家善于解决问题。例如，如果迟到是因为你的车坏了，那么也许你需要定期去检查车子。或者，你可以开始记一些有用的电话号码，以便需要帮助时可以打电话寻求帮助。另一个例子是，如果同事因为缺乏对工作的责任感和能力而给你造成了麻烦，那么你就要寻找一些方法去处理他的不负责任或能力不足，而不是一味地责怪这个人。你可以要求和一个不同的人工作，或者不要依赖这个人。你应该意识到这样的人是不可靠的，忽视掉其没能力将工作做好的事实，并找到创造性的方法来取得工作上的成功。
这就是成为一个成功者应当具有的品质——无论发生什么情况，你都要创造性地运用你的技巧和才能来确保成功。一个人能成功并不是因为面临的困难少；他们遇到的困难和其他人一样多。只是他们更能把这些问题看作是对自己才能的挑战和机遇。所以，请停止关注“这是谁的错”。一旦你对自己掌控糟糕情况的能力充满信心，那么困难就只是成功的垫脚石而已。
也许你认为你可以很容易地用更多的钱增加幸福感。尽管这听起来很奇怪，但是如果你不满意，那么问题在于不是缺少满足你欲望的方法，而是你根本就没有欲望；不是你无法满足你的品味，而是你根本就没有多少品味。
真正的财富在于良好而热诚的享受生活的能力。大多数人都已经被琐事淹没。人们吃、穿、行，交谈甚多。他们住太大的房子，有太多的房间，但是他们内心的生命之屋只是一间小棚屋。
你的生命之屋应该是一间豪宅，一座皇宫。每一个新的品味,每一个新的兴趣，每一个新的热情都增加一个房间。你的生命之屋应该有以下几个房间。
艺术应该是一项你渴望培养的兴趣，因为这个世界充满美丽的事物。如果你懂得如何享受它们，让它们成为你的精神食粮，那它们会让你像在饥饿时找到火腿和鸡蛋一样快乐。
文学，古典文学，是一个美丽而又富丽堂皇的房间。在那里你可以有许多小时的放松休闲时间。热爱文学将使你成为一个富有的人——富有的人不是一个拥有图书馆的人，而是一个热爱图书馆的人。
像莫扎特和巴赫这样的音乐家创作的音乐不可或缺。真正的富有是精神上的富有。当用古典音乐来培养和提升你的精神时，你会有点陶醉，你内心的兴奋与冲动得到了升华。而生活就是各种兴奋与冲动的集合。
体育运动在生活中占有重要地位。没有它，你依然很贫穷。不管你是谁，你将会更有人情味，而你在生活中将得到更多的支持来对抗糟糕的日子——如果你能多运动一点儿的话。
无论你在生命之屋里增加什么，享受生活的秘诀是让自己做加法，为生命之屋添砖加瓦。
