阅读理解
The typical image of a
knitter(编织者) may be a white-haired
lady but in the 1940s, young male Royal Air Force pilots used needles as they
waited for their next mission. Wartime pilots crashed a lot and knitting helped
rebuild flexibility in wounded limbs (四肢) and meanwhile
settle wounded minds. They were the basis of early occupational therapy.
Today, millions of
people around the world employ the same technique. Occupational therapist Jill
Riley was part of a team from Cardiff University that surveyed more than 3,500
knitters and found that the more frequently people knitted, the calmer and
happier they felt. As one person surveyed put it, "That rhythm of making
stitch (针脚) after stitch is like deep
breathing. It's a flow where you don't have to stress about it and you've got
the rhythm happening. "
"Flow" is a
concept first named by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. As he wrote in his
book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, The best moments in our lives
are not the passive or relaxing times. The best moments usually occur if a
person's body or mind is in a voluntary effort to accomplish something
difficult and worthwhile. " An artist, Shauna Richardson, knows just how
true this is. The artist spent 18 months in a state of flow when she knitted
three seven-metre-long lions for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. To complete the
task, she says she had to concentrate all her attention and keep a state of
mind driven by rhythm and process.
Csikszentmihalyi also
describes the opposite to flow. He points out that although people are
healthier and live longer, they often end up feeling anxious and bored and cut
off from satisfying work. Because knitting is so accessible - at its heart it's
two sticks and one stitch-it helps people build confidence in their abilities. After
all, if you make a mistake, you can just pull it all out and start again.
(1)
Why does the author mention "a white-haired lady" in paragraph 1?
A . To introduce the topic.
B . To make a comparison.
C . To prove the writer's opinion.
D . To give an example.
(2)
According to the passage, how does "occupational therapy" help people?
A . Filling their free time by doing handwork.
B . Improving their bodies and minds by knitting.
C . Reducing their stress by breathing deeply.
D . Perfecting their skills by completing a task.
(3)
How do people feel in a state of flow?
A . Anxious.
B . Relaxed.
C . Bored.
D . Focused.
(4)
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A . Active Hands, Calm Minds
B . Knitting: An Easy Skill to Learn
C . Slower Rhythm, Greater Confidence
D . Flow: The Best Moments to Enjoy
答案: A
B
D
A