There is something to be said for being a generalist, even if you are a specialist. Knowing a little about a lot of things that interest you can add to the richness of a whole, well-lived life.
Society pushes us to specialize, to become experts. This requires commitment to a particular occupation, branch of study or research. The drawback to being specialists is we often come to know more and more about less and less. There is a great deal of pressure to master one's field. You may pursue training, degrees, or increasing levels of responsibility at work. Then you discover the pressure of having to keep up.
Some people seem willing to work around the clock in their narrow specialty. But such commitment can also weaken a sense of freedom. These specialists could work at the office until ten each night, then look back and realize they would have loved to have gone home and enjoyed the sweetness of their family and friends, or traveled to exciting places, meeting interesting people. Mastering one thing to the exclusion （排 除） of others can hold back your true spirit.
Generalists, on the other hand, know a lot about a wide range of subjects and view the whole with all its connections. They are people of ability, talent, and enthusiasm who can bring their broad perspective （视角） into specific fields of expertise （专长） .The doctor who is also a poet and philosopher is a superior doctor, one who can give so much more to his patients than just good medical skills.
Things are connected. Let your expertise in one field fuel your passions in all related areas. Some of your interests may not appear to be connected but, once you explore their depths, you discover that they are. My editor Toni, who is also a writer, has edited several history books. She has decided to study Chinese history. Fascinated by the structural beauty of the Forbidden City as a painter, she is equally interested to learn more about Chinese philosophy. "I don't know where it will lead, but I'm excited I'm on this pursuit."
These expansions into new worlds help us by giving us new perspectives. We begin to see the interconnectedness of one thing to another in all aspects of our life, of ourselves and the universe. Develop broad, general knowledge and experience. The universe is all yours to explore and enjoy.
1 ． To become a specialist, one may have to_____.
A ． narrow his range of knowledge
B ． avoid responsibilities at work
C ． know more about the society
D ． broaden his perspective on life
2 ． The specialists mentioned in Paragraph 3 tend to______.
A ． treasure their freedom
B ． travel around the world
C ． spend most time working
D ． enjoy meeting funny people
3 ． According to the author, a superior doctor is one who_____.
A ． is fully aware of his talent and ability
B ． is a pure specialist in medicine
C ． should love poetry and philosophy
D ． brings knowledge of other fields to work
4 ． What does the author intend to show with the example of Toni?
A ． Passion alone does not ensure a person's success.
B ． In-depth exploration makes discoveries possible.
C ． Everyone has a chance to succeed in their pursuit.
D ． Seemingly unrelated interests are in a way connected.
5 ． What could be the best title for the passage?
A ． Be More a Generalist Than a Specialist
B ． Specialist or Generalist: Hard to Decide
C ． Turn a Generalist into a Specialist
D ． Ways to Become a Generalist
1 ． A
2 ． C
3 ． D
4 ． D
5 ． A
【分析】
本文是议论文。文章论述了要当一个多面手，而不是当某方面的专家。
1. 推理判断题。文章第二段中提到 “This requires commitment to a particular occupation, branch of study or research. The drawback to being specialists is we often come to know more and more about less and less. （成为专家需要对特定的职业、研究领域的投入。成为专家的缺点是我们常常对越来越少的知识领域了解得越来越多。） ” 根据 “know … about less and less” 可知，要成为一名专家，了解到的知识领域会越来越少，会缩小他的知识范围。故选 A 。
2. 细节理解题。第三段中提到 “Some people seem willing to work around the clock in their narrow specialty. …These specialists could work at the office until ten each night ( 有些人似乎愿意在他们狭隘的专业领域夜以继日地工作。 …… 这些专家可以每天晚上在办公室工作到十点。 )” 由此可知，这些专家往往花大部分的时间在工作上。故选 C 。
3. 细节理解题。根据文章第四段中 “The doctor who is also a poet and philosopher is a superior doctor, one who can give so much more to his patients than just good medical skills. ( 这位既是诗人又是哲学家的医生是一位优秀的医生，他能给他的病人提供比良好的医术更多的东西。 )” 可知，作者认为一名优秀的医生可以将其他领域的知识带到工作中。故选 D 。
4. 推理判断题。文章第五段中提到 “Things are connected. Let your expertise in one field fuel your passions in all related areas. Some of your interests may not appear to be connected but, once you explore their depths, you discover that they are. （事物之间是有联系的。让你在一个领域的专长激发你在所有相关领域的热情。你的一些兴趣可能看起来没有联系，但一旦你深入探索，你就会发现它们是有联系的。） ” ；下文举出 Toni 的例子 “My editor Toni, who is also a writer, has edited several history books. She has decided to study Chinese history. Fascinated by the structural beauty of the Forbidden City as a painter, she is equally interested to learn more about Chinese philosophy. （我的编辑 Toni 也是一位作家，她编辑过几本历史书。她已决定学习中国历史。作为一名画家，她痴迷于紫禁城的建筑之美，同时也对更多地了解中国哲学感兴趣。） ” 由此可以推断，作者想通过 Toni 的例子说明看似不相关的兴趣，如果深入探索的话，在某种程度上是有联系的。故选 D 。
5. 主旨大意题。文章第一段提出观点 “There is something to be said for being a generalist, even if you are a specialist.” 作者提出即使你是一个专家，也应该当一个通才；文章第二段提出 “The drawback to being specialists is we often come to know more and more about less and less. ” 说明成为专家的不足之处是我们常常对越来越少的知识领域了解得越来越深；第四段中提到 “Generalists, …, know a lot about a wide range of subjects and view the whole with all its connections.” 说明当通才的优点往往对广泛的学科了解得很多，并从整体上来看其中的所有的联系。作者的观点是应该当一个通才。因此文章的标题应为 “Be More a Generalist Than a Specialist （做一个通才，而不是专家） ” 。故选 A 。
请认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意：每个空格只填1个单词。
Feeling extreme loneliness can increase an older person’s risk of premature (过早的)death by 14 percent, according to research by John Cacioppo, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago.
Cacioppo and his colleagues’ work shows that the impact of loneliness on premature death is nearly as strong as the impact of disadvantaged socioeconomic status, which they found increases the chances of dying early by 19 percent. A 2010 meta﹣analysis showed that loneliness has twice as much impact on early death as obesity does, he said.
The researchers looked at dramatic differences in the rate of decline in physical and mental health as people aged. Cacioppo and his colleagues have examined the role of satisfying relationships on older people to develop their resilience ([rɪˈzɪliəns] 快速恢复的能力；适应力), the ability to feel better quickly after something unpleasant, and grow from stresses in life.
The consequences for health are dramatic, as feeling isolated or separated from others can disturb sleep, elevate blood pressure, increase morning rises in the stress hormone cortisol ([‘kɔ:tɪsɒl] 皮质醇), change the gene expression in immune cells, increase depression and lower overall subjective well﹣being, Cacioppo pointed out in a talk, “ Rewarding Social Connections Promote Successful Aging.”
Cacioppo, one of the nation’s leading experts on loneliness, said older people can avoid the consequences of loneliness by staying in touch with former co﹣workers, taking part in family traditions, and sharing good times with family and friends ﹣ all of which give older adults a chance to connect with others about whom they care and who care about them.
”Retiring to Florida to live in a warmer climate among strangers isn’t necessarily a good idea if it means you are disconnected from the people who mean much to you,” said Cacioppo. Population changes make understanding the role of loneliness and health all the more important,he explained. “People have to think about how to protect themselves from depression, low subjective well﹣being and early death. “
Although some people are happy to be alone, most people develop from social situations in which they provide mutual support and establish a strong bond. Evolution encourages people to work together to survive and accordingly most people enjoy companionship compared to be alone.
It is not solitude (独处)or physical isolation itself, but rather the subjective sense of isolation that Cacioppo’s work shows to be so destructive. Older people living alone are not necessarily lonely if they remain actively engaged in social life and enjoy the company of those around them. Some aspects of aging, such as blindness and loss of hearing, however, place people at special risk of becoming isolated and lonely, he said.
| Passage outline | Supporting details |
| The main idea | Chances are that older people will die early if they feel extremely 51．. |
| 52． with loneliness | • Like disadvantaged socioeconomic status and obesity, loneliness can 53． old men’s premature death. • When 54． from others, one will find physical health impacted and tend to feel depressive and unhappy. |
| Suggestions | • Keep in touch with others and take part in 55． activities. • Choosing to live in a pleasant climate don’t necessarily make sense if the elder are disconnected from people who are 56． to them. • Think about how to57． depression, low subjective well﹣being and early death. • Work together with others to 58．, to gain mutual support and establish a strong bond. |
| Conclusions | • The sense of isolation, rather than solitude or physical isolation itself, isn’t 59．to elders. • Living alone doesn’t mean loneliness if older people live an 60． social life. |