SECTION B SKIMMING AND SCANNING
Directions: In this section there are seven passages followed by ten multiple-choice questions. Skim or scan them as required and then mark your answers on your Coloured Answer Sheet.
TEXT E First read the question. 51. The main purpose of the passage is to ____. A. illustrate the features of willpower. B. introduce ways to build up willpower. C. explain the advantages of willpower. D. define the essence of willpower. Read the text quickly and then answer the question. Willpower isnt some immutable trait were either born with or not. It is a skill that can be developed, strengthened and targeted to help us achieve our goals. "Fundamental among mans inner powers is the tremendous unrealized potency of mans own will," wrote Italian psychologist Roberto Assagioli 25 years ago. "The trained will is a masterful weapon," added Alan Marlatt of the University of Washington, a psychologist who is studying how willpower helps people break habits and change their lives. "The dictionary defines willpower as control of ones impulses and actions. The key words are power and control. The power is there, but you have to control it." Here, from Marlatt and other experts, is how to do that: Be positive. Dont confuse willpower with self-denial. Willpower is most dynamic when applied to positive, uplifting purposes. Positive willpower helps us overcome inertia and focus on the future. When the going gets tough, visualize yourself happily and busily engaged in your goal, and youll keep working toward it. Make up your mind. James Prochaska, professor of psychology at the University of Rhode Island, has identified four stages in making a change. He calls them precontemplation (resisting the change), contemplation (weighing the pros and cons of the change), action (exercising willpower to make the change), and maintenance (using willpower to sustain the change). Some people are "chronic contemplators," Prochaska says. They know they should reduce their drinking but will have one more cocktail while they consider the matter. They may never put contemplation into action. To focus and mobilize your efforts, set a deadline. Sharpen your will. In 1915, psychologist Boyd Barrett suggested a list of repetitive will-training activities —— stepping up and down from a chair 30 times, spilling a box of matches and carefully replacing them one by one. These exercises, he maintained, strengthen the will so it can confront more consequential and difficult challenges. New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley was a basketball star with the champion New York Knicks. On top of regular practice, he always went to the gym early and practised foul shots alone. He was determined to be among the best form of the foul line. True to his goal, he developed the highest percentage of successful free throws on his team. Expect trouble. The saying "Where theres a will, theres a way" is not the whole truth. Given the will, you still have to anticipate obstacles and plan how to deal with them. When professor of psychology Saul Shiffman of the University of Pittsburgh worked with reformed smokers whos gone back to cigarettes, he found that many of them hadnt considered how theyd cope with the urge to smoke. They had summoned the strength to quit, but couldnt remain disciplined. The first time they were offered a cigarette, they went back to smoking. If youve given up alcohol, rehearse your answer for when youre offered a drink. If youre expecting to jog but wake up to a storm, have an indoor workout program ready. Be realistic. The strongest will may falter when the goal is to lose 50 pounds in three months or to exercise three hours a day. Add failure undercuts your desire to try again. Sometimes its best to set a series of small goals instead of a single big one. As in the Alcoholics Anonymous slogan "One day at a time," divide your objective into one-day segments, then renew your resolve the next day. At the end of a week, youll have a series of triumphs to look back on. Be patient. A strong will doesnt develop overnight. It takes shape in increments, and there can be setbacks. Figure out what caused you to backslide, and redouble your efforts. When a friend of ours tried to give up cigarettes the first time, she failed. Analyzing her relapse, she realized she needed to do something with her hands. On her second try, she took up knitting and brought out needles and yarn every time she was tempted to light up. Within months she had knitted a sweater for her husband —— and seemed to be off cigarettes for good. Keep it up. A strong will becomes stronger each time it succeeds. If youve successfully mustered the willpower to kick a bad habit or leave a dead-end job, you gain confidence to confront other challenges. A record of success fosters an inner voice of confidence that, in the words of Assagioli, gives you "a firm foot on the edge of the precipice." You may face more difficult tasks, but youve conquered before, and you can conquer again.
51. The main purpose of the passage is to ____.
A) illustrate the features of willpower.
B) introduce ways to build up willpower.
C) explain the advantages of willpower.
D) define the essence of willpower.
TEXT F First read the question. 52. The message of the passage is that shares can now be sold ____. A. through the computer. B. in the shop. C. at the bank. D. through the mail. Read the text quickly and then answer the question. Investors seeking a cheap, no-frills way to sell privatization shares need look no further than the post box. Most stockbrokers offer bargain-basement deals on postal trades. They are ideal for selling a small holding for the lowest possible commission. But the arrangements leave investors at the mercy of the Royal Mail and a seller will not know in advance how much a sale will produce. Data processing engineer Mark Stanistreet of Bradford sold by post after buying a few National Power and PowerGen shares when they were privatized. He says: "I didnt really know where to go to for help. An information slip with the shares gave details of Yorkshire Building Societys share shop service, which offered to sell for a flat fee of ￡5." "It was an ideal first step that showed me how easy and cheap it is to sell shares. I have been investing in a small way since then. "I use Yorkshires telephone service, which has a ￡9 minimum fee." Many stockbrokers offer postal deals as part of their usual dealing services, but clients may normally sell only big company or privatization shares this way. ShareLinks minimum postal commission is 7.50, Skipton Building Societys is 9 and NatWests is 9.95.
52. The message of the passage is that shares can now be sold ____.
A) through the computer.
B) in the shop.
C) at the bank.
D) through the mail.
Directions: In this section there are seven passages followed by ten multiple-choice questions. Skim or scan them as required and then mark your answers on your Coloured Answer Sheet.
TEXT E First read the question. 51. The main purpose of the passage is to ____. A. illustrate the features of willpower. B. introduce ways to build up willpower. C. explain the advantages of willpower. D. define the essence of willpower. Read the text quickly and then answer the question. Willpower isnt some immutable trait were either born with or not. It is a skill that can be developed, strengthened and targeted to help us achieve our goals. "Fundamental among mans inner powers is the tremendous unrealized potency of mans own will," wrote Italian psychologist Roberto Assagioli 25 years ago. "The trained will is a masterful weapon," added Alan Marlatt of the University of Washington, a psychologist who is studying how willpower helps people break habits and change their lives. "The dictionary defines willpower as control of ones impulses and actions. The key words are power and control. The power is there, but you have to control it." Here, from Marlatt and other experts, is how to do that: Be positive. Dont confuse willpower with self-denial. Willpower is most dynamic when applied to positive, uplifting purposes. Positive willpower helps us overcome inertia and focus on the future. When the going gets tough, visualize yourself happily and busily engaged in your goal, and youll keep working toward it. Make up your mind. James Prochaska, professor of psychology at the University of Rhode Island, has identified four stages in making a change. He calls them precontemplation (resisting the change), contemplation (weighing the pros and cons of the change), action (exercising willpower to make the change), and maintenance (using willpower to sustain the change). Some people are "chronic contemplators," Prochaska says. They know they should reduce their drinking but will have one more cocktail while they consider the matter. They may never put contemplation into action. To focus and mobilize your efforts, set a deadline. Sharpen your will. In 1915, psychologist Boyd Barrett suggested a list of repetitive will-training activities —— stepping up and down from a chair 30 times, spilling a box of matches and carefully replacing them one by one. These exercises, he maintained, strengthen the will so it can confront more consequential and difficult challenges. New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley was a basketball star with the champion New York Knicks. On top of regular practice, he always went to the gym early and practised foul shots alone. He was determined to be among the best form of the foul line. True to his goal, he developed the highest percentage of successful free throws on his team. Expect trouble. The saying "Where theres a will, theres a way" is not the whole truth. Given the will, you still have to anticipate obstacles and plan how to deal with them. When professor of psychology Saul Shiffman of the University of Pittsburgh worked with reformed smokers whos gone back to cigarettes, he found that many of them hadnt considered how theyd cope with the urge to smoke. They had summoned the strength to quit, but couldnt remain disciplined. The first time they were offered a cigarette, they went back to smoking. If youve given up alcohol, rehearse your answer for when youre offered a drink. If youre expecting to jog but wake up to a storm, have an indoor workout program ready. Be realistic. The strongest will may falter when the goal is to lose 50 pounds in three months or to exercise three hours a day. Add failure undercuts your desire to try again. Sometimes its best to set a series of small goals instead of a single big one. As in the Alcoholics Anonymous slogan "One day at a time," divide your objective into one-day segments, then renew your resolve the next day. At the end of a week, youll have a series of triumphs to look back on. Be patient. A strong will doesnt develop overnight. It takes shape in increments, and there can be setbacks. Figure out what caused you to backslide, and redouble your efforts. When a friend of ours tried to give up cigarettes the first time, she failed. Analyzing her relapse, she realized she needed to do something with her hands. On her second try, she took up knitting and brought out needles and yarn every time she was tempted to light up. Within months she had knitted a sweater for her husband —— and seemed to be off cigarettes for good. Keep it up. A strong will becomes stronger each time it succeeds. If youve successfully mustered the willpower to kick a bad habit or leave a dead-end job, you gain confidence to confront other challenges. A record of success fosters an inner voice of confidence that, in the words of Assagioli, gives you "a firm foot on the edge of the precipice." You may face more difficult tasks, but youve conquered before, and you can conquer again.
51. The main purpose of the passage is to ____.
A) illustrate the features of willpower.
B) introduce ways to build up willpower.
C) explain the advantages of willpower.
D) define the essence of willpower.
TEXT F First read the question. 52. The message of the passage is that shares can now be sold ____. A. through the computer. B. in the shop. C. at the bank. D. through the mail. Read the text quickly and then answer the question. Investors seeking a cheap, no-frills way to sell privatization shares need look no further than the post box. Most stockbrokers offer bargain-basement deals on postal trades. They are ideal for selling a small holding for the lowest possible commission. But the arrangements leave investors at the mercy of the Royal Mail and a seller will not know in advance how much a sale will produce. Data processing engineer Mark Stanistreet of Bradford sold by post after buying a few National Power and PowerGen shares when they were privatized. He says: "I didnt really know where to go to for help. An information slip with the shares gave details of Yorkshire Building Societys share shop service, which offered to sell for a flat fee of ￡5." "It was an ideal first step that showed me how easy and cheap it is to sell shares. I have been investing in a small way since then. "I use Yorkshires telephone service, which has a ￡9 minimum fee." Many stockbrokers offer postal deals as part of their usual dealing services, but clients may normally sell only big company or privatization shares this way. ShareLinks minimum postal commission is 7.50, Skipton Building Societys is 9 and NatWests is 9.95.
52. The message of the passage is that shares can now be sold ____.
A) through the computer.
B) in the shop.
C) at the bank.
D) through the mail.