Passage One
Last year, a child was born at a hospital in the UK with her heart outside her body. Few babies survive this rare condition, and those who do must endure numerous operations and are likely to have complex needs. When her mother was interviewed, three weeks after her daughter's birth, she was asked if she was prepared for what might be a daunting task caring for her. She answered without hesitation that, as far as she was concerned, this would be a “privilege”.
Rarely has there been a better example of the power of attitude, one of our most powerful psychological tools. Our attitudes allow us to turn mistakes into opportunities, and loss into the chance for new beginnings. An attitude is a settled way of thinking, feeling and/or behaving towards particular objects, people, events or ideologies. We use our attitudes to filter, interpret and react to the world around us. You weren't born with attitudes. They're all learned, and this happens in a number of ways.
The most powerful influences occur during early childhood and include both what happened to you directly, and what those around you did and said in your presence. As you acquire a distinctive identity, your attitudes are further refined by the behaviors of those with whom you identify—your family, those of your gender and culture, and the people you admire, even though you may not know them personally. Friendships and other important relationships become increasingly important, particularly during adolescence. About that same time and throughout adulthood, the information you receive, especially when ideas are repeated in association with goals and achievements you find attractive, also refine your attitudes.
Many people assume that our attitudes are internally consistent, that is, the way you think and feel about someone or something predicts your behavior towards them. However, many studies have found that feelings and thoughts don't necessarily predict behavior. In general, your attitudes will be internally consistent only when the behavior is easy, and when those around you hold similar beliefs. That's why, for example, many say they believe in the benefits of recycling or exercise, but don't behave in line with their views, because it takes awareness, effort and courage to go beyond merely stating you believe something is a good idea.
One of the most effective ways to change an attitude is to start behaving as if you already feel and think the way you'd prefer to. Take some time to reflect on your attitudes, to think about what you believe and why. Is there anything you consider a burden rather than a privilege? If so, start behaving—right now—as if that is the case.
What do we learn from the passage about attitude?
第一段讲述了母亲对待先天畸形女儿的态度—— 在她看来，照顾女儿是一种“特权” ，而非艰巨任务。第二段第四句提到，我们用态度来过滤、解释和回应我们周围的世界。C项中的respond to和 immediate environment分别与该句中的react to和the world around us为同义替换，且第一段讲述的故事以及第二段第三句均表明态度是一种行为方式，故C项是正确答案。原文提到态度是对特定对象、人、事件……意识形态的一种固定思维……行为方式，但没有提及态度塑造想法和意识形态，故A 项属于主观推理，应排除。同样，根据这句话可知D 项中的“改变” 与原文意思相反，且原文没有提及态度会改变互动方式，故D 项错误，应排除。B项原文未提及，故排除。
What can contribute to the refinement of one's attitude, according to the passage?
该句提到，当你获得一种独特的身份时，你的态度会因那些你所认同的人的行为而进一步完 善。题干中的refinement是原文中refined的名词形式，A项中的idols和原文中的the people you admire是同义转换，故A 项是正确答案。B 项文中未提及，属于无中生有，故排除。第二句还提到，你的态度会因那些你所认同的人的行为而进一步完善——你的家人、和你有着同样文化、同样性别的人，因此C项和D项均属于承反混淆，故可排除。
What do many studies find about people's feelings and thoughts?
该句提到，许多研究发现，感觉和想法并不一定能预测行为。题干中的studies, feelings and thoughts是原词复现，A项中的may not，suggest和behave分别和原文中的don't necessarily, predict和behavior 为同义转换，故A 项是正确答案。该段第三句提到，一般来说，只有当你的行为很简单，而且你周围的人也持有类似信念时，你的态度才是内在一致的，即第一句所解释的对某人或某事的想法和感觉可以预测他们的行为。因此感觉和想法在某种程度上符合的是一个人的行为而不是心理，故B项和D项错误，均排除。C项原文未提到，也排除。
How come many people don't do what they believe is good?
题干中的what they believe is good与第四段最后一句中的benefits和a good idea属于同义替换，因 此答案可定位在该句。该句提到，许多人相信循环利用或锻炼的好处，但他们却不这么做……这需要意识、努力和勇气，即他们不做他们认为是好的事情的原因是缺乏意识、努力和勇气，和D项中的“缺乏意志力” 是一个意思，故D项是正确答案。A 项和C项原文未提及，故排除。该句指出许多人是知道做某件事的好处的，但没有去做，因此实际上他们是知道应该怎么做的，故B项属于正反混淆，可排除。
What is proposed as a strategy to change attitude?
最后一段首句提到，改变态度最有效的方式之一就是开始表现得好像你已经用你喜欢的方式 去感受和思考了。B 项中的Starting to act和in a way that embodies one's aspirations分别与该句中的start behaving与feel and think the way you'd prefer to为同义替换，故B 项是正确答案。其他三项在原文中均未提及，故均可排除。