Have you ever been afraid to talk back when you were treated unfairly? Have you ever bought something just because the salesman talked you into it?
Many people are afraid to assert（维护，坚持） themselves. Dr. Robert Albert, author of STAND UP, SPEAK OUT and TALK BACK, thinks it is because their self-respect is low. “There’s always a superior around------ a parent, a teacher, a boss who knows better.” But Albert and other scientists are doing something to help people assert themselves.
They offer assertiveness training courses, A. T. for short. In the A. T. course people learn that they have a right to be themselves. They learn to speak out and feel good about doing so. They learn to be aggressive without hurting other people.
In one way, learning to speak out is to get rid of fear. A group taking an A. T. course will help the timid person to lose his fear. But A. T. uses an even stronger motive to share the need. The timid person speaks out in the group because he wants to tell how he feels.
Whether or not you speak up for yourself depends on your self-respect. If your face is more important than you, you may feel less of a person. You start to doubt your answers to problems. However, once you get to feel good about yourself, you can learn to speak out.
【小题1】The problem the writer talks about is that ________________.

A．some people buy things they don’t want

B．some people are afraid to speak up for their rights

C．there are too many superiors

D．some people don’t think enough of themselves

【小题2】The cause of the problem talked about in the text is that _________.

A．some people have a low self-respect

B．there is always someone around who knows better

C．salesmen talk people into buying things they don’t want

D．people don’t share enough

【小题3】The underlined word “timid” probably means “___________” in Chinese

A．胆小的	B．优秀的
C．勇敢的	D．无知的

【小题4】One thing the A.T. course doesn’t do is to _____________.
A. share the need of people        B. show people they have a right to be themselves      
C. help people overcome fear      D. help people to assert themselves even if others suffer

Have you ever been afraid to talk back when you were treated unfairly? Have you ever bought something just because the salesman talked you into it?

Many people are afraid to assert（维护，坚持） themselves. Dr. Robert Albert, author of STAND UP, SPEAK OUT and TALK BACK, thinks it is because their self-respect is low. “There’s always a superior around------ a parent, a teacher, a boss who knows better.” But Albert and other scientists are doing something to help people assert themselves.

They offer assertiveness training courses, A. T. for short. In the A. T. course people learn that they have a right to be themselves. They learn to speak out and feel good about doing so. They learn to be aggressive without hurting other people.

In one way, learning to speak out is to get rid of fear. A group taking an A. T. course will help the timid person to lose his fear. But A. T. uses an even stronger motive to share the need. The timid person speaks out in the group because he wants to tell how he feels.

Whether or not you speak up for yourself depends on your self-respect. If your face is more important than you, you may feel less of a person. You start to doubt your answers to problems. However, once you get to feel good about yourself, you can learn to speak out.

1.The problem the writer talks about is that ________________.

   A. some people buy things they don’t want

   B. some people are afraid to speak up for their rights  

C. there are too many superiors

   D. some people don’t think enough of themselves

2.The cause of the problem talked about in the text is that _________.

   A. some people have a low self-respect  

B. there is always someone around who knows better  

C. salesmen talk people into buying things they don’t want  

D. people don’t share enough

3. The underlined word “timid” probably means “___________” in Chinese

   A. 胆小的                      B. 优秀的

   C. 勇敢的                      D. 无知的

4.One thing the A.T. course doesn’t do is to _____________.

   A. share the need of people        B. show people they have a right to be themselves      

C. help people overcome fear      D. help people to assert themselves even if others suffer

 

Employees are being flooded with too much information that has little to do with their work, according to a new survey.
On average, white-collar workers spend 51 percent of their work time receiving and processing information. Only one third of it was relevant to their work, the survey found. Information overload for white collar workers has become a global issue. The huge amount of information has already affected their efficiency in management as well as their performance at work.
Buried with e-mails
Every morning, a secretary at the human resources department of an auto parts company opens her e-mail box, only to find it crammed with at least 50 unread mails. For her, even scanning through these e-mails every day takes at least half an hour. Some of her colleagues are not so lucky — they have to read at least 100.
Bothered with calls
Telephone calls are also causing a problem. More than 40 percent white-collar workers chose mobile phones as the preferred way to communicate important and urgent business matters.
Talking saves time and energy over the clicking, reading and replying to e-mails, but phone calls are also more distracting(分心的). While answering a call, a clerk is likely to put away a much more important task at hand and start the business being talked about on the phone.
Solution? Not yet.
Many companies start with providing staff with better computers, better Internet access and more advanced gadgets(装置). For example, staff members above a certain level in one company will be provided with a blackberry phone for easier access to their e-mails. The company has also organized many lectures on efficient ways of e-mail management. Yet most white-collar workers think their companies can do more.
【小题1】What does the new survey find about white-collar workers?

A．They spend 51% of their work time on meetings.

B．Only half of the information they receive is useful.

C．Over 60% of them prefer to use the telephone.

D．Some of them have to read at least 100 e-mails every day.

【小题2】Telephone calls cause a problem because ________.

A．they take up the time to receive and send e-mails

B．they are often not answered

C．they are mostly not about business

D．they may lead to the changing of work schedule

【小题3】How do some companies try to solve the problem of information overload?

A．They start to give staff a pay rise.

B．They plan to employ more people.

C．They provide employees with more advanced equipment.

D．They organize lectures on how to reduce stress.

【小题4】What is the major issue discussed in this text?

A．Poor management leads to inefficiency at work.

B．Junk mail is causing big trouble.

C．White-collar workers suffer from information overload.

D．Better computers are in need in workplaces.

Employees are being flooded with too much information that has little to do with their work, according to a new survey.

    On average, white-collar workers spend 51 percent of their work time receiving and processing information. Only one third of it was relevant to their work, the survey found. Information overload for white collar workers has become a global issue. The huge amount of information has already affected their efficiency in management as well as their performance at work.

    Buried with e-mails

    Every morning, a secretary at the human resources department of an auto parts company opens her e-mail box, only to find it crammed with at least 50 unread mails. For her, even scanning through these e-mails every day takes at least half an hour. Some of her colleagues are not so lucky — they have to read at least 100.

    Bothered with calls

    Telephone calls are also causing a problem. More than 40 percent white-collar workers chose mobile phones as the preferred way to communicate important and urgent business matters.

    Talking saves time and energy over the clicking, reading and replying to e-mails, but phone calls are also more distracting(分心的). While answering a call, a clerk is likely to put away a much more important task at hand and start the business being talked about on the phone.

      Solution? Not yet.

    Many companies start with providing staff with better computers, better Internet access and more advanced gadgets(装置). For example, staff members above a certain level in one company will be provided with a blackberry phone for easier access to their e-mails. The company has also organized many lectures on efficient ways of e-mail management. Yet most white-collar workers think their companies can do more.

1.What does the new survey find about white-collar workers?

    A．They spend 51% of their work time on meetings.

    B．Only half of the information they receive is useful.

    C．Over 60% of them prefer to use the telephone.

    D．Some of them have to read at least 100 e-mails every day.

2.Telephone calls cause a problem because ________.

    A．they take up the time to receive and send e-mails

    B．they are often not answered

    C．they are mostly not about business

    D．they may lead to the changing of work schedule

3.How do some companies try to solve the problem of information overload?

    A．They start to give staff a pay rise.

    B．They plan to employ more people.

    C．They provide employees with more advanced equipment.

    D．They organize lectures on how to reduce stress.

4.What is the major issue discussed in this text?

    A．Poor management leads to inefficiency at work.

    B．Junk mail is causing big trouble.

    C．White-collar workers suffer from information overload.

    D．Better computers are in need in workplaces.