As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, realistic goal-setting generally produces the best results. That's partly because most people who set realistic goals actually work more efficiently, and put more effort, to achieve those goals.
What's far less understood by scientists, however, are the potentially harmful effects of goal-setting. Newspapers convey daily accounts of goal-setting widespread in industries and businesses up and down both Wall Street and Main Street, yet there has been surprisingly little research on how the long-advocated practice of setting goals may have contributed to the current economic crisis, and immoral behavior in general.
"Goals are widely used and promoted as having really beneficial effects. And yet, the same motivation that can push people to put more effort in a constructive way could also motivate people to be more likely to engage in immoral behaviors," says Maurice Schweitzer, an associate professor at Penn's Wharton School. His paper, entitled "'Goals Gone Wild: The Systematic Side Effects of Over-Praised Goal Setting," appears in the February issue of the Academy of Management Perspectives.
"It turns out there's no financial benefit to just having a goal-you just get a psychological benefit." Schweitzer says. "But in many cases, goals have financial rewards that make them more powerful." A major example Schweitzer and his colleagues give is the 2004 breakdown of energy-trading giant Enron(德国安然公司), where managers used financial rewards to motivate salesmen to meet specific goals. The problem, Schweitzer says, is that the actual trades were not profitable.
Other studies have shown that burdening employees with unrealistic goals can force them to lie, cheat or steal. Such was the case in the early 1990s when Sears (西尔斯公司) placed a sales quota (销售限额) on its auto repair staff. It inspired employees to overcharge for work and to complete unnecessary repairs on a companywide basis.
Schweitzer admits his research runs counter to a very large body of literature that praises the many benefits of goal-setting. Advocates of the practice have argued with his team's use of such evidence as news accounts to support his conclusion that goal-setting is widely over-praised.
In a rebuttal (反驳) paper, Dr. Edwin Locke writes: "Goal-setting is not going away. Organizations cannot grow without being focused on their desired end results any more than an individual can grow without goals to provide a sense of purpose." But Schweitzer argues the "evidence" linking goal-setting and harmful behavior should be studied to help draw attention to issues that deserve attention and further investigation. "Even a few negative effects could be so large that they outweigh many positive effects," he says.
The debate is likely to get heated on in future papers, and the practice of setting goals no doubt will continue. For now, though, the lesson seems to be to put more thought into setting goals.
"Goal-setting does help motivate people. My idea would be to combine that with careful management, a strong organizational culture, and make sure the goals that you use are going to be constructive and not significantly harmful to the organization," Schweitzer says.
1.What does Maurice Schweitzer want to show by mentioning the example of Enron?
A. Setting realistic goals can turn a failing business into success.
B. Businesses are likely to succeed without realistic goals.
C. Companies are certain to meet specific goals with financial rewards.
D. Goals with financial rewards have strong motivational power.
2.How did Sears' goal-setting affect its employees?
A. They had to work more hours to increase their sales.
B. They competed with one another to attract more customers.
C. They turned to immoral practice to reach their goals.
D. They improved their customer service on a companywide basis.
3.The underlined words "runs counter to" (Paragraph 6) can be replaced by ________.
A. agrees with B. goes against
C. fits in with D. applies to
4.What is Edwin Locke's argument against Schweitzer?
A. The practice of setting goals only helps people to develop.
B. Goal-setting is of no use motivating people to accomplish their tasks.
C. The positive effects of goal-setting outweigh its negative effects.
D. Studying goal-setting can contribute to successful business practices.
高三英语阅读理解困难题
As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, realistic goal-setting generally produces the best results. That’s partly because most people who set realistic goals actually work more efficiently, and put more effort, to achieve those goals.
What’s far less understood by scientists, however, are the potentially harmful effects of goal-setting. Newspapers convey daily accounts of goal-setting widespread in industries and businesses up and down both Wall Street and Main Street, yet there has been surprisingly little research on how the long-advocated practice of setting goals may have contributed to the current economic crisis, and immoral behavior in general.
“Goals are widely used and promoted as having really beneficial effects. And yet, the same motivation that can push people to put more effort in a constructive way could also motivate people to be more likely to engage in immoral behaviors,” says Maurice Schweitzer, an associate professor at Penn’s Wharton School. His paper, titled “Goals Gone Wild: The Systematic Side Effects of Over-Praised Goal Setting,” appears in the February issue of the Academy of Management Perspectives.
“It turns out there’s no financial benefit to just having a goal---you just get a psychological benefit” Schweitzer says. “But in many cases, goals have financial rewards that make them more powerful.”
A major example Schweitzer and his colleagues give is the 2004 breakdown of energy-trading giant Enron( 德国安然公司), where managers used financial rewards to motivate salesmen to meet specific goals. The problem, Schweitzer says, is that the actual trades were not profitable.
Other studies have shown that burdening employees with unrealistic goals can force them to lie, cheat or steal. Such was the case in the early 1990s when Sears（西尔斯公司）placed a sales quota (销售限额) on its auto repair staff. It inspired employees to overcharge for work and to complete unnecessary repairs on a companywide basis.
Schweitzer admits his research runs counter to a very large body of literature that praises the many benefits of goal-setting. Advocates of the practice have argued with his team’s use of such evidence as news accounts to support his conclusion that goal-setting is widely over-praised.
In a rebuttal (反驳) paper, Dr. Edwin Locke writes: “Goal-setting is not going away. Organizations cannot grow without being focused on their desired end results any more than an individual can grow without goals to provide a sense of purpose.”
But Schweitzer argues the “evidence” linking goal-setting and harmful behavior should be studied to help draw attention to issues that deserve attention and further investigation. “Even a few negative effects could be so large that they outweigh many positive effects,” he says.
The debate is likely to get heated on in future papers, and the practice of setting goals no doubt will continue. For now, though, the lesson seems to be to put more thought into setting goals.
“Goal-setting does help motivate people. My idea would be to combine that with careful management, a strong organizational culture, and make sure the goals that you use are going to be constructive and not significantly harmful to the organization,” Schweitzer says.
1.What does Maurice Schweitzer want to show by mentioning the example of Enron?
A．Setting realistic goals can turn a failing business into success.
B．Businesses are likely to succeed without realistic goals.
C．Companies are certain to meet specific goals with financial rewards.
D．Goals with financial rewards have strong motivational power.
2.How did Sears’ goal-setting affect its employees?
A．They had to work more hours to increase their sales.
B．They competed with one another to attract more customers.
C．They turned to immoral practice to reach their goals.
D．They improved their customer service on a companywide basis.
3.The underlined words “runs counter to” (Paragraph 7) can be replaced by ________.
A．agrees with B．goes against C．fits in with D．applies to
4.What is Edwin Locke’s argument against Schweitzer?
A．The practice of setting goals only helps people to develop.
B．Goal-setting is of no use motivating people to accomplish their tasks.
C．The positive effects of goal-setting outweigh its negative effects.
D．Studying goal-setting can contribute to successful business practices.
5.According to the passage, the author tries to convey ___________.
A．the goals that most people set are unrealistic.
B．all people can improve their work quality by setting goals.
C．setting goals can provide people with a sense of purpose.
D．people should not ignore the negative effects of goal-setting.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, realistic goal-setting generally produces the best results. That's partly because most people who set realistic goals actually work more efficiently, and put more effort, to achieve those goals.
What's far less understood by scientists, however, are the potentially harmful effects of goal-setting. Newspapers convey daily accounts of goal-setting widespread in industries and businesses up and down both Wall Street and Main Street, yet there has been surprisingly little research on how the long-advocated practice of setting goals may have contributed to the current economic crisis, and immoral behavior in general.
"Goals are widely used and promoted as having really beneficial effects. And yet, the same motivation that can push people to put more effort in a constructive way could also motivate people to be more likely to engage in immoral behaviors," says Maurice Schweitzer, an associate professor at Penn's Wharton School. His paper, entitled "'Goals Gone Wild: The Systematic Side Effects of Over-Praised Goal Setting," appears in the February issue of the Academy of Management Perspectives.
"It turns out there's no financial benefit to just having a goal-you just get a psychological benefit." Schweitzer says. "But in many cases, goals have financial rewards that make them more powerful." A major example Schweitzer and his colleagues give is the 2004 breakdown of energy-trading giant Enron(德国安然公司), where managers used financial rewards to motivate salesmen to meet specific goals. The problem, Schweitzer says, is that the actual trades were not profitable.
Other studies have shown that burdening employees with unrealistic goals can force them to lie, cheat or steal. Such was the case in the early 1990s when Sears (西尔斯公司) placed a sales quota (销售限额) on its auto repair staff. It inspired employees to overcharge for work and to complete unnecessary repairs on a companywide basis.
Schweitzer admits his research runs counter to a very large body of literature that praises the many benefits of goal-setting. Advocates of the practice have argued with his team's use of such evidence as news accounts to support his conclusion that goal-setting is widely over-praised.
In a rebuttal (反驳) paper, Dr. Edwin Locke writes: "Goal-setting is not going away. Organizations cannot grow without being focused on their desired end results any more than an individual can grow without goals to provide a sense of purpose." But Schweitzer argues the "evidence" linking goal-setting and harmful behavior should be studied to help draw attention to issues that deserve attention and further investigation. "Even a few negative effects could be so large that they outweigh many positive effects," he says.
The debate is likely to get heated on in future papers, and the practice of setting goals no doubt will continue. For now, though, the lesson seems to be to put more thought into setting goals.
"Goal-setting does help motivate people. My idea would be to combine that with careful management, a strong organizational culture, and make sure the goals that you use are going to be constructive and not significantly harmful to the organization," Schweitzer says.
1.What does Maurice Schweitzer want to show by mentioning the example of Enron?
A. Setting realistic goals can turn a failing business into success.
B. Businesses are likely to succeed without realistic goals.
C. Companies are certain to meet specific goals with financial rewards.
D. Goals with financial rewards have strong motivational power.
2.How did Sears' goal-setting affect its employees?
A. They had to work more hours to increase their sales.
B. They competed with one another to attract more customers.
C. They turned to immoral practice to reach their goals.
D. They improved their customer service on a companywide basis.
3.The underlined words "runs counter to" (Paragraph 6) can be replaced by ________.
A. agrees with B. goes against
C. fits in with D. applies to
4.What is Edwin Locke's argument against Schweitzer?
A. The practice of setting goals only helps people to develop.
B. Goal-setting is of no use motivating people to accomplish their tasks.
C. The positive effects of goal-setting outweigh its negative effects.
D. Studying goal-setting can contribute to successful business practices.
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
---- Why don’t you try to do exercise to lose weight?
---- I have tried everything but it has made no _____________.
A. use B. result C. conclusion D. difference
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
As any homemaker who has tried to keep order at the dinner table knows, there is far more to a family meal than food. Sociologist Michael Lewis has been studying 50 families to find out just how much more.
Lewis and his co-workers carried out their study by videotaping(录像) the families while they ate ordinary meals in their own homes. They found that parents with small families talk actively with each other and their children. But as the number of children gets larger, conversation gives way to the parents’ efforts to control the loud noise they make. That can have an important effect on the children. “In general the more question-asking the parents do, the higher the children’s IQ scores,” Lewis says. “And the more children there are, the less question-asking there is.”
The study also provides an explanation for why middle children often seem to have a harder time in life than their siblings(兄弟姐妹). Lewis found that in families with three or four children, dinner conversation is likely to center on the oldest child, who has the most to talk about, and the youngest, who needs the most attention. “Middle children are invisible,” says Lewis. “When you see someone get up from the table and walk around during dinner, chances are it’s the middle child.” There is, however, one thing that stops all conversation and prevents anyone from having attention “When the TV is on,” Lewis says, “dinner is a non-event.”
1.．The writer’s purpose in writing the text is to _________.
A. report on the findings of a study
B. teach parents ways to keep order at the dinner table
C. show the relationship between parents and children
D. give information about family problems
2.．Parents with large families ask fewer questions at dinner because ____________.
A. they are busy serving food to their children
B. they are tired out having prepared food for the whole family
C. they have to pay more attention to younger children
D. they are busy keeping order at the dinner table
3.．By saying “Middle children are invisible” in paragraph 3, Lewis means that middle children ______.
A. have to help their parents to serve dinner
B. find it hard to keep up with other children
C. are often kept away from the dinner table
D. get the least attention from the family
4.．Lewis’ research provides an answer to the question _________.
A. why TV is important in family life
B. why middle children seem to have more difficulties in life
C. why children in small families seem to be quieter
D. why parents should keep good order
5.．Which of the following statements would the writer agree to?
A. Parents should talk to each of their children frequently.
B. It is a good idea to have the TV on during dinner.
C. It is important to have the right food for children.
D. Elder children should help the younger ones at dinner
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
As any homemaker who has tried to keep order at the dinner table knows, there is far more to a family meal than food. Sociologist Michael Lewis has been studying 50 families to find out just how much more.
Lewis and his co-workers carried out their study by videotaping(录像) the families while they ate ordinary meals in their own homes. They found that parents with small families talk actively with each other and their children. But as the number of children gets larger, conversation gives way to the parents’ efforts to control the loud noise they make. That can have an important effect on the children. “In general the more question-asking the parents do, the higher the children’s IQ scores,” Lewis says. “And the more children there are, the less question-asking there is.”
The study also provides an explanation for why middle children often seem to have a harder time in life than their siblings(兄弟姐妹). Lewis found that in families with three or four children, dinner conversation is likely to center on the oldest child, who has the most to talk about, and the youngest, who needs the most attention. “Middle children are invisible,” says Lewis. “When you see someone get up from the table and walk around during dinner, chances are it’s the middle child.” There is, however, one thing that stops all conversation and prevents anyone from having attention: “When the TV is on,” Lewis says, “dinner is a non-event.”
1.The writer’s purpose in writing the text is to _________.
A．show the relationship between parents and children
B．teach parents ways to keep order at the dinner table
C．report on the findings of a study
D．give information about family problems
2.Parents with large families ask fewer questions at dinner because ____________.
A．they are busy serving food to their children
B．they are busy keeping order at the dinner table
C．they have to pay more attention to younger children
D．they are tired out having prepared food for the whole family
3.By saying “Middle children are invisible” in paragraph 3, Lewis means that middle children _________.
A．have to help their parents to serve dinner
B．get the least attention from the family
C．are often kept away from the dinner table
D．find it hard to keep up with other children
4.Lewis’ research provides an answer to the question _________.
A．why TV is important in family life
B．why parents should keep good order
C．why children in small families seem to be quieter
D．why middle children seem to have more difficulties in life
5.Which of the following statements would the writer agree to?
A．It is important to have the right food for children.
B．It is a good idea to have the TV on during dinner.
C．Parents should talk to each of their children frequently.
D．Elder children should help the younger ones at dinner
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
As any homemaker who has tried to keep order at the dinner table knows, there is far more to a family meal than food. Sociologist Michael Lewis has been studying 50 families to find out just how much more.
Lewis and his co-workers carried out their study by videotaping(录像) the families while they ate ordinary meals in their own homes. They found that parents with small families talk actively with each other and their children. But as the number of children gets larger, conversation gives way to the parents’ efforts to control the loud noise they make. That can have an important effect on the children. “In general the more question-asking the parents do, the higher the children’s IQ scores,” Lewis says. “And the more children there are, the less question-asking there is.”
The study also provides an explanation for why middle children often seem to have a harder time in life than their siblings(兄弟姐妹). Lewis found that in families with three or four children, dinner conversation is likely to center on the oldest child, who has the most to talk about, and the youngest, who needs the most attention. “Middle children are invisible,” says Lewis. “When you see someone get up from the table and walk around during dinner, chances are it’s the middle child.” There is, however, one thing that stops all conversation and prevents anyone from having attention: “When the TV is on,” Lewis says, “dinner is a non-event.”
1.．The writer’s purpose in writing the text is to _________.
A. report on the findings of a study
B. teach parents ways to keep order at the dinner table
C. show the relationship between parents and children
D. give information about family problems
2.．Parents with large families ask fewer questions at dinner because ____________.
A. they are busy serving food to their children
B. they are tired out having prepared food for the whole family
C. they have to pay more attention to younger children
D. they are busy keeping order at the dinner table
3.．By saying “Middle children are invisible” in paragraph 3, Lewis means that middle children ______.
A. have to help their parents to serve dinner
B. find it hard to keep up with other children
C. are often kept away from the dinner table
D. get the least attention from the family
4.．Lewis’ research provides an answer to the question _________.
A. why TV is important in family life
B. why middle children seem to have more difficulties in life
C. why children in small families seem to be quieter
D. why parents should keep good order
5.．Which of the following statements would the writer agree to?
A. Parents should talk to each of their children frequently.
B. It is a good idea to have the TV on during dinner.
C. It is important to have the right food for children.
D. Elder children should help the younger ones at dinner
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
As any homemaker who has tried to keep order at the dinner table knows, there is far more to a family meal than food. Sociologist Michael Lewis has been studying 50 families to find out just how much more.
Lewis and his co-workers carried out their study by videotaping(录像) the families while they ate ordinary meals in their own homes. They found that parents with small families talk actively with each other and their children. But as the number of children gets larger, conversation gives way to the parents' efforts to control the loud noise they make. That can have an important effect on the children. "In general the more question-asking the parents do, the higher the children's IQ scores," Lewis says. "And the more children there are, the less question-asking there is."
The study also provides an explanation for why middle children often seem to have a harder time in life than their siblings(兄弟姐妹). Lewis found that in families with three or four children, dinner conversation is likely to center on the oldest child, who has the most to talk about, and the youngest, who needs the most attention. "Middle children are invisible," says Lewis. "When you see someone get up from the table and walk around during dinner, chances are it's the middle child." There is, however, one thing that stops all conversation and prevents anyone from having attention: "When the TV is on," Lewis says, "dinner is a non-event."
1.The writer's purpose in writing the text is to _________.
A．show the relationship between parents and children
B．teach parents ways to keep order at the dinner table
C．report on the findings of a study
D．give information about family problems
2.Parents with large families ask fewer questions at dinner because ____________.
A．they are busy serving food to their children
B．they are busy keeping order at the dinner table
C．they have to pay more attention to younger children
D．they are tired out having prepared food for the whole family
3.By saying "Middle children are invisible" in paragraph 3, Lewis means that middle children _________.
A．have to help their parents to serve dinner
B．get the least attention from the family
C．are often kept away from the dinner table
D．find it hard to keep up with other children
4.Lewis' research provides an answer to the question _________.
A．why TV is important in family life
B．why parents should keep good order
C．why children in small families seem to be quieter
D．why middle children seem to have more difficulties in life
5.Which of the following statements would the writer agree to?
A．It is important to have the right food for children.
B．It is a good idea to have the TV on during dinner.
C．Parents should talk to each of their children frequently.
D．Elder children should help the younger ones at dinner
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
As any homemaker who has tried to keep order at the dinner table knows, there is far more to a family meal than food. Sociologist Michael Lewis has been studying 50 families to find out just how much more.
Lewis and his co-workers carried out their study by videotaping(录像) the families while they ate ordinary meals in their own homes. They found that parents with small families talk actively with each other and their children. But as the number of children gets larger, conversation gives way to the parents’ efforts to control the loud noise they make. That can have an important effect on the children. “In general the more question-asking the parents do, the higher the children’s IQ scores,” Lewis says. “And the more children there are, the less question-asking there is.”
The study also provides an explanation for why middle children often seem to have a harder time in life than their siblings(兄弟姐妹). Lewis found that in families with three or four children, dinner conversation is likely to center on the oldest child, who has the most to talk about, and the youngest, who needs the most attention. “Middle children are invisible,” says Lewis. “When you see someone get up from the table and walk around during dinner, chances are it’s the middle child. ” There is, however, one thing that stops all conversation and prevents anyone from having attention: “When the TV is on,” Lewis says, “dinner is a non-event.”
1.The writer’s purpose in writing the text is to _________.
A. show the relationship between parents and children
B. teach parents ways to keep order at the dinner table
C. report on the findings of a study
D. give information about family problems
2.Parents with large families ask fewer questions at dinner because ____________.
A. they are busy serving food to their children
B. they are busy keeping order at the dinner table
C. they have to pay more attention to younger children
D. they are tired out having prepared food for the whole family
3.By saying “Middle children are invisible” in paragraph 3, Lewis means that middle children _________.
A. have to help their parents to serve dinner
B. get the least attention from the family
C. are often kept away from the dinner table
D. find it hard to keep up with other children
4.Lewis’ research provides an answer to the question _________.
A. why TV is important in family life
B. why parents should keep good order
C. why children in small families seem to be quieter
D. why middle children seem to have more difficulties in life
5.Which of the following statements would the writer agree to?
A. It is important to have the right food for children.
B. It is a good idea to have the TV on during dinner.
C. Parents should talk to each of their children frequently.
D. Elder children should help the younger ones at dinner
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Johnson hasn’t felt any effect the new dieting recipe has ________ him since he tried to lose weight three months ago.
A. for B. to C. on D. with
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Anyone who has been a parent knows that raising children is a tough job. It is filled with as many difficult and moments as with moments of joy. Children don’t come with an instruction manual(说明书). And each child is . So parents sometimes feel , not knowing what to do.
But in raising children—as in all of life—what we do is by our culture. Naturally then, American parents teach their children basic American . To Americans, the goal of parents is to help children become . From childhood, each child may get his or her own room. As children grow, they get more to make their own choices. Teenagers choose their own forms of entertainment, as well as the friends to share them with. When they reach young adulthood, they their own jobs and marriage partners. Of course, many young adults seek their parents’ advice and approval for the choice they make. But once they “ the nest ” at around 18 to 21 years old, they want to be on their own, not tied to their mother’s apron strings (围裙带).
The between parents and children in America is very informal. American parents try to treat their children as individuals—not as of themselves. They them to achieve their own dreams . Americans praise and encourage their children to give them the to succeed. When children become adults, their relationship with their parents becomes more like a among equals. But contrary to popular belief, most adult Americans don’t make their parents pay for room and board when they come to visit. Even as adults, they respect and honor their parents.
1.A. delightful B. meaningful C. hopeful D. painful
2.A. strange B. different C. new D. similar
3.A. excited B. frightened C. puzzled D. surprised
4.A. influenced B. made C. controlled D. changed
5.A. services B. standards C. languages D. values
6.A. brave B. active C. independent D. optimistic
7.A. freedom B. space C. time D. money
8.A. love B. change C. design D. choose
9.A. still B. then C. thus D. therefore
10.A. build B. get C. enter D. leave
11.A. conversation B. relationship C. competitionD. gap
12.A. friends B. children C. teenagers D. extensions
13.A. allow B. force C. forbid D. persuade
14.A. dependence B. trust C. belief D. confidence
15.A. friendship B. citizenship C. membership D. leadership
高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析