What time is it? Most people are pretty accurate in their answer. And if you don’t know for sure, it’s very likely that you can find out. There may be a watch on your wrist; there may be a clock on the wall, desk, or computer screen; or maybe you’re riding in a car that has a clock in the dashboard(仪表板).

　 Even if you don’t have a timepiece of some sort nearby, your body keeps its own beat. Humans have an internal clock that regulates(调节) the beating of our heart, the pace of our breathing, the discharge(排出) of chemicals within our bloodstream, and many other bodily functions.

Time is something from which we can’t escape. Even if we ignore it, it’s still going by, ticking away, second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour. So the main issue in using your time well is, “Who’s in charge?” We can allow time to slip by and let it be our enemy. Or we can take control of it and make it our ally.

　 By taking control of how you spend your time, you’ll increase your chances of becoming a more successful student. Perhaps more importantly, the better you are at managing the time you devote to your studies, the more time you will have to spend on your outside interests.

　 The aim of time management is not to schedule every moment so we become slaves of a timetable that governs every waking moment of the day. Instead, the aim is to permit us to make informed choices as to how we use our time. Rather than letting the day go by, largely without our awareness, what we are going to discuss next can make us better able to control time for our own purposes.

1. The underlined word “ally” in Para.3 most likely means somebody or something that is ___.

A. your supporter and helps you　　　　 B. under your control and obeys you

C. under your influence and follows you　 D. your slave and serves you

2. The author intends to tell you that time __________.

A. could be managed by the internal clock of human bodies

B. should be well managed for our own interest

C. should be saved for outside interests

D. could be regulated by a timepiece such as a clock or a watch

3. In the next part, the author would most probably discuss with you _________.

A. how to make up for lost time　　 B. how to have a good time

C. how to make good use of time　　 D. how to keep up with the times

 

Some people believe that international sports create goodwill between the nations and that if countries play games together they will learn to live together. Others say that the opposite is true: that international competitions encourage false national pride and lead to misunderstanding and hatred. There is probably some truth in both arguments, but in recent years the Olympic Games have done little to support the view that sports encourage international brotherhood. Not only was there the tragic incident involving the murder of athletes, but the Games were also ruined by lesser incidents caused mainly by minor national competitions.
　One country received its second-place medals with visible indignation（愤慨）after a hockey final. There had been noisy scenes at the end of the hockey match, the loser’s objection to the final decision. They were sure that one of their goals should not have been disallowed and that their opponents’ victory was unfair. Their manager was very angry and he said, “This wasn’t hockey. Hockey and the International Hockey Federation are finished.” The president of the Federation said later that such behavior could result in the suspension（停赛）of the team for at least three years.
　The American basketball team announced that they would not give up the first place to Russia, after a disputable end to their competition. The game had ended in disturbance. It was thought at first that the United States had won, by a single point, but it was announced that there were three seconds still to play. A Russian player popped the ball into the basket. It was the first time the USA had ever lost an Olympic basketball match. An appeal jury discussed the matter for four and a half hours before announcing that the result would stand. The American players then voted not to receive the silver medals.
　Incidents of this kind will continue as long as sports are played competitively rather than for the love of the game. The suggestion that athletes should compete as individuals, or in non-national teams, might be too much to hope for. But in the present organization of the Olympics there is far too much that encourages aggressive patriotism（爱国主义）.
【小题1】According to the author, recent Olympic Games have ________.

A．caused national pride for athletes

B．created goodwill between the nations

C．hardly showed any international friendship

D．led to less misunderstanding between countries

【小题2】What did the manager mean by saying “Hockey and the International Hockey Federation are finished”?

A．His team would no longer take part in international games.

B．There should be no hockey matches organized by the Federation.

C．Hockey and the Federation are both ruined by the unfair decisions.

D．The International Hockey Federation should be dismissed forever.

【小题3】By taking the basketball game for example, the author wants to prove that ________.

A．too much patriotism was displayed in the games

B．the announcement to prolong the match was wrong

C．the appeal jury was too hesitant in making the decision

D．the team was right in refusing to accept the silver medals

【小题4】What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?

A．Sports should be played for the love of one’s nation.

B．Unfair decisions are common in the Olympic Games.

C．International competitions will lead to misunderstanding.

D．The organization for the Olympic Games must be reformed.