Assertiveness is the ability to confidently express your opinions, feelings, attitudes, and rights, in a way that doesn?t infringe(侵犯) the rights of others.
Many of us are taught that it is not nice to consider our own needs above those of others. If someone says or does something that we don?t like, we should just be quiet and try to stay away from that person in the future.
Why is Assertiveness important?
If you don?t know how to be assertive, you might experience: Depression - Anger, a sense of being helpless, hopeless, or of having no control over your life. oResentment - Anger at others for taking advantage of you. oFrustration - Why did I allow that to happen?
Most people find it easier to be assertive in some situations than in others. This makes perfect sense. It?s a lot easier to hold your ground with a stranger than with someone you love. But the more important the relationship is to you, the more important it is to be assertive. Assertive behavior leads to increased respect from others!
But before you decide to act assertively, you have to decide if you can live with the results. Although assertive behavior usually will result in a positive response (積極的迴應)，some people might react differently.
How to be effectively(有效地) assertive: oUse "I" statements. Keep the focus on the problem you?re having. "I?d like to be able to tell my stories without interruption." instead of "You?re always interrupting my stories ! "
Use facts, not opinions. "Did you know that shirt has a hole?" instead of "You?re not going out looking like THAT, are you?" oExpress ownership of your thoughts, feelings, and opinions. "I get angry when he breaks his promises. " instead of "He makes me angry.
Make clear and direct requirements. Don?t invite the person to say no. "Will you please?" instead of "Would you mind...?" or "Why don?t you...?" oKeep repeating your point. Use a low level and pleasant voice. Don?t try to explain yourself.
1. The writer probably agrees that____________.
A. you should consider others? response before you act assertively
B. you should be assertive if you want to get good marks
C. assertiveness is the ability to infringe others? rights
D. assertive behavior will bring you bad feelings
2. The expression "hold yourground" probably means "_________________"
A. reach an agreement
B. insist on your point
C. keep your word
D. keep on fighting
3. Which of the following helps you to be effectively assertive?
A. Explaining yourself in a soft and sweet voice.
B. Expressing ownership of others? thoughts.
C. Making requirements directly and clearly.
D. Using your opinions instead of facts.
參考答案：
1題A：考查觀點態度題。根據文章第一段"in a way that doesn?t infringe the rights of others.可知A為正確答案。CD與文章相反。B篇文章中為提到。
2題B：考查詞義猜測題。根據第四段文意"在陌生人面前比在你愛的人面前更能做到 "自信"，A.達成一致意見 your point指的是"堅持你的觀點"C. 履行諾言 D.堅持鬥爭
3題C：考查細節理解題。根據文章倒數第四行"Make clear and direct requirements."得知C是正確答案。
短文填詞：根據短文內容，用方框中所給單詞的適當形式填空，使短文內容完整，語句通順。
snowman; while; happy; cover; China; friendly; there; like; big; with
I still remember visiting Moscow. It is the capital of Russia, the 76 country in the world. I went there 77 my parents when I was eight years old. I lived and studied there for one year, and I had some happy memories.
One of the most interesting things of that city was that 78 were many dogs. Perhaps Russians 79 dogs very much. You can see dogs here and there. Almost each of the families had a dog. I made friends with many Russian children 80 I was living and studying there. They were all very nice. They had fair hair and fair skin. I played with them
81 though I could only speak a little Russian at first. They were 82 to me. The weather in Moscow was very cold. It snowed almost every day in winter. The ground was always 83 with a lot of snow. We often made 84 together.
Now I am back in 85 , but I miss them so much. I think I will never forget my happy memories of this visit to Moscow.
76.__________ 77.__________ 78.__________ 79.__________ 80.__________
81.__________ 82.__________ 83.__________ 84.__________ 85.__________
英語閱讀真題每日一練
On the President’s Program
President Arling has put his long awaited economic restructuring program before the Congress. It provides a coordinated program of investment credits, research grants, education reforms, and tax changes designed to make American industry more competitive. This is necessary to reverse the economic slide into unemployment, lack of growth, and trade deficits that have plagued the economy for the past six years.
The most liberal wing of the President’s party has called for stronger and more direct action. They want an incomes policy to check inflation while federal financing helps rebuild industry behind a wall of protective tariffs.
The Republicans, however, decry even the modest, graduated tax increases in the President’s program. They want tax cuts and more open market. They say if federal money has to be injected into the economy, let it through defence spending.
Both these alternatives ignore the unique nature of the economic problem before us. It is not simply a matter of markets or financing. The new technology allows vastly increased production for those able to master it. But it also threatens those who fail to adopt it with permanent second-class citizenship in the world economy. If an industry
cannot lever itself up to the leading stage of technological advances, then it will not be able to compete effectively. If it cannot do this, no amount of government protectionism or access to foreign markets can keep it profitable for long. Without the profits and experience of technological excellence to reinvest, that industry can only fall still further behind its foreign competitors.
So the crux is the technology and that is where the President’s program focused. The danger is not that a plan will not be passed, it is that the ideologues of right and left will distort the bill with amendments that will blur its focus on technology. The economic restructuring plan should be passed intact. If we fail to restructure our economy now, we may not get a second chance.
1. The focus of the President’s program is on
[A] investment.
[B] economy.
[C] technology.
[D] tax.
2. What is the requirement of the most liberal wing of the Democratic-party?
[A] They want a more direct action.
[B] They want an incomes policy to check inflation.
[C] They want to rebuild industry.
[D] They want a wall of protective tariffs.
3. What is the editor’s attitude?
[A] support.
[B] distaste.
[C] Disapproval.
[D] Compromise.
4. The danger to the plan lies in
[A] the two parties’ objection.
[B] different idea of the two parties about the plan.
[C] its passage.
[D] distortion.
5. The passage is
[A] a review.
[B] a preface.
[C] a advertisement.
[D] an editorial.
答案詳解
1. C 工藝技術。最後一段第一句“問題的癥結就在於工藝技術，這就是總統計劃的要點所在。”第四段：“對掌握新技術的人來說，新技術使他們大大增產，而新技術對不能掌握它的人來說，在世界經濟中他們面臨淪為永久性的二等公民的危險。如果不能做到這一點，那麼任何政府保護主義，進入國際市場都不能有效地競爭。如果不能有技術優勢的利潤和經驗再投資，工業只能進一步落後於國外競爭對手。”這些都說明總統計劃的重點再工藝技術。 A.投資。D.稅收。只是總統計劃的涉及面。B.經濟。太籠統了。
2. A 更直接行動。第二段“總統的黨內幾段自由翼要求更強硬、更直接行動。他們要求用收入(稅收)政策來制止通貨膨脹;聯邦財政在關稅保護下，幫助重建工業。” B.他們需要制止通貨膨脹。C.重建工業。D.保護關稅牆。都只是他們要求中的不分內容，不完整。
3. A支援。第四、五段集中了評論者的觀點，支援的理由和論點。 B.厭惡。C.不贊成。D.調和妥協。
4. D歪曲。最後一段第二句：“其危險不在於計劃將不被通過，而在於左和右的思想理論家們用修正案來歪曲提案，使計劃要點蒙塵模糊不清，經濟重建計劃應原封不動地通過。”這是作者的態度，也是他所擔心之處。 A.兩黨的反對。B.兩黨對計劃的不同看法。C.它的通過。
5. D 社論。 A.評論。社論也是評論的一種，但它是報紙主編所撰，常常是有關國內外大事評論。B.前言。C.廣告。
閱讀理解練習附講解
In some countries where racial prejudice is acute, violence has so come to be taken for granted as a means of solving differences, that it is not even questioned. There are countries where the white man imposes his rule by brute force; there are countries where the black man protests by setting fire to cities and by looting and pillaging. Important people on both sides, who would in other respects appear to be reasonable men, get up and calmly argue in favor of violence – as if it were a legitimate solution, like any other. What is really frightening, what really fills you with despair, is the realization that when it comes to the crunch, we have made no actual progress at all. We may wear collars and ties instead of war-paint, but our instincts remain basically unchanged. The whole of the recorded history of the human race, that tedious documentation of violence, has taught us absolutely nothing. We have still not learnt that violence never solves a problem but makes it more acute. The sheer horror, the bloodshed, the suffering mean nothing. No solution ever comes to light the morning after when we dismally contemplate the smoking ruins and wonder what hit us.
The truly reasonable men who know where the solutions lie are finding it harder and herder to get a hearing. They are despised, mistrusted and even persecuted by their own kind because they advocate such apparently outrageous things as law enforcement. If half the energy that goes into violent acts were put to good use, if our efforts were directed at cleaning up the slums and ghettos, at improving living-standards and providing education and employment for all, we would have gone a long way to arriving at a solution. Our strength is sapped by having to mop up the mess that violence leaves in its wake. In a well-directed effort, it would not be impossible to fulfill the ideals of a stable social programme. The benefits that can be derived from constructive solutions are everywhere apparent in the world around us. Genuine and lasting solutions are always possible, providing we work within the framework of the law.
Before we can even begin to contemplate peaceful co-existence between the races, we must appreciate each other’s problems. And to do this, we must learn about them: it is a simple exercise in communication, in exchanging information. ‘Talk, talk, talk,’ the advocates of violence say, ‘all you ever do is talk, and we are none the wiser.’ It’s rather like the story of the famous barrister who painstakingly explained his case to the judge. After listening to a lengthy argument the judge complained that after all this talk, he was none the wiser. ‘Possible, my lord,’ the barrister replied, ‘none the wiser, but surely far better informed.’ Knowledge is the necessary prerequisite to wisdom: the knowledge that violence creates the evils it pretends to solve.
1. What is the best title for this passage?
[A] Advocating Violence.
[B] Violence Can Do Nothing to Diminish Race Prejudice.
[C] Important People on Both Sides See Violence As a Legitimate Solution.
[D] The Instincts of Human Race Are Thirsty for Violence.
2. Recorded history has taught us
[A] violence never solves anything.
[B] nothing.
[C] the bloodshed means nothing.
[D] everything.
3. It can be inferred that truly reasonable men
[A] can’t get a hearing.
[B] are looked down upon.
[C] are persecuted.
[D] have difficulty in advocating law enforcement.
4. “He was none the wiser” means
[A] he was not at all wise in listening.
[B] he was not at all wiser than nothing before.
[C] he gains nothing after listening.
[D] he makes no sense of the argument.
5. According the author the best way to solve race prejudice is
[A] law enforcement.
[B] knowledge.
[C] nonviolence.
[D] mopping up the violent mess.
答案詳解
1. B 暴力難以消除種族偏見。文章一開始就提出有些國家種族偏見嚴重，而暴力卻是公認的一種解決方法。白人採用暴力鎮壓，黑人以防火、掠搶為反抗。而雙方的大人物平靜地論及暴力，似乎這是一種合法的解決方案。作者就此指出人類的進步只在於表面――衣飾等，人類的本能沒有改變。整個有記錄歷史的檔案沒有教會人類任何東西。這是真正令人可怕的事件。第二段論及真正有理智的懂得解決方案所在的人鼓吹法制，人們不停。他們反而收到輕視、迫害。作者就此提出假設，答出真正的解決方案嗜法制，以法治理。第三段進一步說明“交流、對話”是瞭解雙方問題的前提，即使暴力者不同意，但知道暴力製造它假裝要解決的罪惡，是智慧聰明的必要前提。 A.鼓吹暴力。C.雙方重要人物都把暴力作為合法的解決方案。D. 人類的本性是嗜暴性。
2. B沒有什麼。第一段中就明確提出整個人類有記錄歷史又長又臭的暴力檔案記錄，一點都沒有教給我們任何東西。 A.暴力解決不了任何事情。C.殺戮(流血)沒有任何意義。D.一切。
3. D在鼓吹法制方面有困難。答案在第二段，真正有理智的人鼓吹法制，遭到同類們的輕視、不信任和迫害。他們發現要人傾聽他們的意見越來越困難。 A.人們不聽。B.遭人輕視。C.遭人迫害。這三項都包含在D項內。
4. C聽後無所得。None the wiser一點也不比以前聰明(這是按字面翻譯)。實際就是C項。 A.在傾聽別人上他一點也不聰明。B.他和以前一個樣。D.他聽不懂論點。
5. A法制。第二段最後一句，如果我們在法律的構架中進行工作，真正的持久的解決總是能實現的。第二段第二句，他們遭到迫害是因為他們鼓吹法制這種顯然令人不能容忍的事。 B.知識。C.非暴力。D.處理暴力帶來的混亂。
閱讀理解練習附講解
Advertisers Perform a Useful Service to the Community
Advertisers tend to think big and perhaps this is why they’re always coming in for criticism. Their critics seem to resent them because they have a flair for self-promotion and because they have so much money to throw around. ‘It’s iniquitous,’ they say, ‘that this entirely unproductive industry (if we can call it that) should absorb millions of pounds each year. It only goes to show how much profit the big companies are making. Why don’t they stop advertising and reduce the price of their goods? After all, it’s the consumer who pays…’
The poor old consumer! He’d have to pay a great deal more if advertising didn’t create mass markets for products. It is precisely because of the heavy advertising that consumer goods are so cheap. But we get the wrong idea if we think the only purpose of advertising is to sell goods. Another equally important function is to inform. A great deal of the knowledge we have about household goods derives largely from the advertisements we read. Advertisements introduce us to new products or remind us of the existence of ones we already know about. Supposing you wanted to buy a washing machine, it is more than likely you would obtain details regarding performance, price, etc., from an advertisement.
Lots of people pretend that they never read advertisements, but this claim may be seriously doubted. It is hardly possible not to read advertisements these days. And what fun they often are, too! Just think what a railway station or a newspaper would be like without advertisements. Would you enjoy gazing at a blank wall or reading railway byelaws while waiting for a train? Would you like to read only closely printed columns of news in your daily paper? A cheerful, witty advertisement makes such a difference to a drab wall or a newspaper full of the daily ration of calamities.
We must not forget, either, that advertising makes a positive contribution to our pockets. Newspapers, commercial radio and television companies could not subsist without this source of revenue. The fact that we pay so little for our daily paper, or can enjoy so many broadcast programmes is due entirely to the money spent by advertisers. Just think what a newspaper would cost if we had to pay its full price!
Another thing we mustn’t forget is the ‘small ads.’ which are in virtually every newspaper and magazine. What a tremendously useful service they perform for the community! Just about anything can be accomplished through these columns. For instance, you can find a job, buy or sell a house, announce a birth, marriage or death in what used to be called the ‘hatch, match and dispatch’ column but by far the most fascinating section is the personal or ‘agony’ column. No other item in a newspaper provides such entertaining reading or offers such a deep insight into human nature. It’s the best advertisement for advertising there is!
1. What is main idea of this passage?
A. Advertisement.
B. The benefits of advertisement.
C. Advertisers perform a useful service to communities.
D. The costs of advertisement.
2. The attitude of the author toward advertisers is
A. appreciative.
B. trustworthy.
C. critical.
D. dissatisfactory.
3. Why do the critics criticize advertisers?
A. Because advertisers often brag.
B. Because critics think advertisement is a “waste of money”.
C. Because customers are encouraged to buy more than necessary.
D. Because customers pay more.
4. Which of the following is Not True?
A. Advertisement makes contribution to our pockets and we may know everything.
B. We can buy what we want.
C. Good quality products don’t need to be advertised.
D. Advertisement makes our life colorful.
5. The passage is
A. Narration.
B. Description.
C. Criticism.
D. Argumentation.
答案詳解
1. C. 廣告對社會的服務很有用。作者從三方面來敘述廣告作用：第二段點出如果廣告不為產品開闢廣大的市場，我們就得付出很多錢，正是因為大量的`廣告費用，消費者的商品才會那麼便宜。廣告除銷售商品外，其重要的功能在通知/告訴資訊，有關家用商品的許多隻是來自廣告，還有新產品的介紹。第三段講了美化環境功能。如果火車站的牆上和報上沒有廣告，那會怎麼樣。一幅悅人心目，機智的廣告將改變一切。第四段講了它為我們省錢：別忘了廣告對我們口袋作出積極的貢獻。報紙、電臺、電視臺公司沒有這筆收入很難生存。我們的報紙，我們付給很少，或者說，我們能享受那麼多的節目完全是因為廣告商花的錢。如果要我們付報紙的全價，那我們要花多少錢!最後一段講了各種專欄的功能。人們可以在這些欄目找工作、買賣房子、宣佈婚喪嫁娶資訊。這些都圍著一箇中心：廣告對社會服務的有用性。 A. 廣告。太籠統。B. 廣告之優點。文章不是講優點，而是講服務於社會的功能。D. 廣告費用。
2. A. 欣賞/讚賞。從上述註釋也可推知是A項。最重要的，作者提出種種功能，是為了反駁第一段內提到的論點：完全是非生產企業每年吸收幾百萬鎊，這說明這些大公司利潤有多高。最重要的是消費者付的廣告費等。反駁更說明了A項對。 B. 值得信任。 C. 批評。 D. 不滿意。
3. A. 因為廣告商常常愛吹，。見難句譯註1.。 B. 因為批評者認為廣告浪費錢。 C. 因為廣告促使消費者購買不必要的東西。 D. 因為消費者支付更多。
4. C. 優質產品不需要廣告。一切產品都需要廣告，新產品、老產品都需要。 A. 廣告對我們的口袋作出貢獻。 B. 我們可以買到我們所需的。 D. 廣告使我們生活豐富多彩。這三條都提到也是真實的。
5. C. 文章一開始就提到對廣告的批評，然後作者以對比的手法說明其功能。 A. 敘事。B. 描寫。 D. 議論。
