阅读理解
Jason, a straight-A
student from the University of Pennsylvania, uses the term
"pseudo-working" to describe how many of us study. The pseudo-worker
looks and feels like someone who is working hard - he or she spends a long time
in the library and is not afraid to push on late into the night - but, because
of a lack of focus and concentration, he or she doesn't actually achieve much.
This phenomenon can be
seen in most colleges. For example, at Dartmouth there was a section of the
main library that was open twenty-four hours a day and the students I used to
see in there late at night crowded in groups, drinking coffee, were definitely pseudo-working.
The roommate who looks through her chemistry notes on the couch while watching
TV is pseudo-working. The guy who brings three meals, a blanket and six-pack of
Red Bull to the study zone in preparation for an all-day paper-writing marathon
is also pseudo-working.
By placing themselves
in distracting environments and insisting on working long hours, these students
are damaging their brain's ability to think clearly and efficiently to achieve
the task at hand. In the end they get half the results with twice the effort.
The bigger problem
here is that most students don't even realize that they're pseudo-working. To them pseudo-working is work - it's how they've always done it, and it's how all of their friends do it. It
never crosses their mind that there might be a better way. Straight-A students, on the other hand, know all about
pseudo-working. They fear it, and for good reason. It not only wastes time, but
it's also mentally tiring.
In fact, the most
important skill in becoming a better student is the ability to get work done
quickly and with a smallest amount of wasted effort. Some cognitive science
research concludes that about 50 minutes is the optimal learning period
to maximize the material integrated per time unit. So how do these students
achieve this goal? To understand
their way to success, consider the following
simple formula (公式): work
achieved = time spent × intensity of focus.
Pseudo-working
features a very low intensity of focus. Therefore, to achieve something by pseudo-working,
you need to spend a lot of time. The straight-A approach, on the other hand,
increases intensity in order to use less time.
(1)
Which of the following phenomenon is pseudo-working?
A . Tom is busy taking notes while attending a lecture.
B . Mike is sitting at a study lounge in preparation for a final exam quietly.
C . Jack spends a long time in the library on his essay while listening to music.
D . Alice and Sara are sitting on the couch reading their favorite books.
(2)
Compared with straight-A students, the major problem of most students is that they .
A . want to spend more time on study.
B . are eager to follow their friends' way.
C . have gotten used to their study approach.
D . are unaware of their pseudo-working.
(3)
What does the underlined word "optimal" mean in paragraph 5?
A . Possible.
B . Best.
C . Least.
D . Accurate.
(4)
Why does the author mention the formula in the text?
A . To show the benefit of working hard.
B . To prove the necessity of achieving work.
C . To emphasize the importance of concentration.
D . To explain the reason for spending much time.
答案: C
D
B
C