.

Thinking is something you choose to do as a fish chooses to live in water. To be human is to think. But thinking may come naturally without your knowing how you do it. Thinking about thinking is the key to critical thinking. When you think critically, you take control of your thinking processes. Otherwise, you might be controlled by the ideas of others. Indeed, critical thinking is at the heart of education.

The word “critical” here has a special meaning. It does not mean taking one view against another view, as when someone criticizes another person for doing something wrong. The nature of critical thinking is thinking beyond the easily seen — beyond the picture on TV, the untrue reports in the newspapers, and the faulty reasoning.

Critical thinking is an attitude as much as an activity. If you are curious about life and desire to dig deeper into it, you are a critical thinker. If you find pleasure in deep thinking about different ideas, characters, and facts, you are a critical thinker.

Activities of the mind and higher-order reasoning are processes of deep and careful thinking. They take time, and do not go hand in hand with the fast speed in today’s world: fast food, instant coffee, and self-developing film. If you are among the people who believe that speed is a measure of intelligence, you may learn something new from a story about Albert Einstein. The first time Banesh Hoffman, a scientist, was to discuss his work with Albert Einstein, he was too nervous to speak. But Einstein immediately put Hoffman at ease by saying, “Please go slowly, I don't understand things quickly.”

69. According to the passage, if we don’t think critically, we ___________.

A. may not be able think naturally 

B. will be controlled by ideas of other people

C. can control the ideas of others    

D. might be fooled by other people

70.  A critical thinker will ___________.

A. think deeply about different ideas               B. trust the reports in the newspapers

C. take one view against another view             D. criticize other people for their mistakes

71. What would be the best title for the passage?

A. The heart of education                       B. Understanding critical thinking

C. Thinking fast                              D. Thinking and intelligence

My father is a smart man. He spent many years of his life listening to people’s arguments, first as assistant district lawyer and then as a judge. My dad knows rubbish rhetoric when he hears it.
One of his favorite phrases is: “If you don’t have anything smart to say, then don’t say it at all.” Yet, for all of his legal training and life experience, he can’t help but keep talking about the Mega Millions jackpot.
We all know the odds(几率)of winning the jackpot this evening with one ticket are extraordinarily low ... 1 in 175, 711, 536, to be exact. Still, people go out and buy hundreds of tickets with the hopes of becoming wealthier beyond their dreams. Why? There are two possible explanations for this “irrationality”(不理智).
One idea is that the way we calculate odds in our heads has nothing to do with mathematical odds in the traditional sense. We don’t go to the mathematical odds table and say, “Well, this would be a terrible investment. I think I’m better off putting my money in the bank!” Rather, it has everything with the ability to picture an event happening.
My father, for instance, watches the news every night and sees people winning the lottery(彩票). Therefore, he thinks the chance of him winning the lottery is much higher than they actually are.
The second thought is that the expected effect of playing cannot be represented merely by the odds. My father and, I’m sure, others get a thrill from the mere idea of winning. He loves imagining what it would be like to actually win and losing doesn’t really affect him. Sure, he’s disappointed, but it’s “better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” When you combine the utility of thinking you can win with the utility of actually winning (no matter how small the chance of that occurring), it’s worth it for many people to spend the one dollar on a ticket.
My analysis is that both factors are at play in taking a chance on the lottery. My father and others really do underestimate the odds of winning, but the thrill of participation is not denied by a realistic assessment of the odds. Still, I would probably put my finger on the scale for the first explanation.
All told, a review of the odds of other events happening confirms that there just aren’t many events that occur with less frequency than your winning the Mega Millions jackpot. Look at the graph below, you may understand some:

In many ways, it’s like the lottery, something that features often on television and about which people fantasize, but that rarely happens.
So, when you watch, along with my Pa, to see if your lucky number is drawn this evening, keep in mind three things: that your number almost certainly won’t come up; that you are still going to have fun; and that, finally, a lot of other things are more likely to happen—but getting eaten by a shark isn’t one of them.
【小题1】It can be learned from the article that ________.

My father is a smart man. He spent many years of his life listening to people’s arguments, first as assistant district lawyer and then as a judge. My dad knows rubbish rhetoric when he hears it.
One of his favorite phrases is: “If you don’t have anything smart to say, then don’t say it at all.” Yet, for all of his legal training and life experience, he can’t help but keep talking about the Mega Millions jackpot.
We all know the odds(几率)of winning the jackpot this evening with one ticket are extraordinarily low ... 1 in 175, 711, 536, to be exact. Still, people go out and buy hundreds of tickets with the hopes of becoming wealthier beyond their dreams. Why? There are two possible explanations for this “irrationality”(不理智).
One idea is that the way we calculate odds in our heads has nothing to do with mathematical odds in the traditional sense. We don’t go to the mathematical odds table and say, “Well, this would be a terrible investment. I think I’m better off putting my money in the bank!” Rather, it has everything with the ability to picture an event happening.
My father, for instance, watches the news every night and sees people winning the lottery(彩票). Therefore, he thinks the chance of him winning the lottery is much higher than they actually are.
The second thought is that the expected effect of playing cannot be represented merely by the odds. My father and, I’m sure, others get a thrill from the mere idea of winning. He loves imagining what it would be like to actually win and losing doesn’t really affect him. Sure, he’s disappointed, but it’s “better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” When you combine the utility of thinking you can win with the utility of actually winning (no matter how small the chance of that occurring), it’s worth it for many people to spend the one dollar on a ticket.
My analysis is that both factors are at play in taking a chance on the lottery. My father and others really do underestimate the odds of winning, but the thrill of participation is not denied by a realistic assessment of the odds. Still, I would probably put my finger on the scale for the first explanation.
All told, a review of the odds of other events happening confirms that there just aren’t many events that occur with less frequency than your winning the Mega Millions jackpot. Look at the graph below, you may understand some:

In many ways, it’s like the lottery, something that features often on television and about which people fantasize, but that rarely happens.
So, when you watch, along with my Pa, to see if your lucky number is drawn this evening, keep in mind three things: that your number almost certainly won’t come up; that you are still going to have fun; and that, finally, a lot of other things are more likely to happen—but getting eaten by a shark isn’t one of them

1. 1.

   It can be learned from the article that ________

   1. A.
      the Mega Millions jackpot is the last lottery to win in the world
   2. B.
      a judge in that country can’t talk about lottery because it is illegal
   3. C.
      the writer doesn’t buy lottery, for he never hopes to become rich
   4. D.
      In spite of little possibility, a lot of people spend money on lottery
2. 2.

   The function of the graph is to ________

   1. A.
      show chances that those things take place are fewer
   2. B.
      support the writer’s arguments on the lottery tickets
   3. C.
      indicate no one can win the Mega Millions jackpot
   4. D.
      say shark attack death will seldom happen this year
3. 3.

   Which of the following do you think the writer would probably agree with?

   1. A.
      If one has mathematical odds, he can win the prize more easily
   2. B.
      Only those who have irrationality buy hundreds of lottery tickets
   3. C.
      The Mega Millions jackpot is very popular in the writer’s country
   4. D.
      Winning lottery is a shortcut to achieve the dream of being rich
4. 4.

   The underlined phrase “at play” in the 7^th paragraph most probably means ________

   1. A.
      effective
   2. B.
      ridiculous
   3. C.
      contradictory
   4. D.
      astonishing
5. 5.

   What do you think is the best title?

   1. A.
      The Popular Mega Millions Jackpot
   2. B.
      Lottery is Merely a Trick
   3. C.
      Mega Million is Like a Shark Attack
   4. D.
      Be rich, Buy Lottery Soon

Today, almost everyone has heard of Harry Potter. The books detailing his experiences at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have aroused passion, creativity, and interest in reading throughout the world.

But have you ever considered why you are a fan of the Harry Potter series?

JK Rowling has created a list of characters and an environment for them to inhabit that appeals to both adults and children. 

The fantasy aspect of the wizarding world expands the imagination, and takes the mind to new and exciting places. Anything could happen there. Her stories contain parts of the believable and unbelievable, changing the predictability that readers commonly come across and bear in fiction. 

The main theme of the series, including good versus evil, prejudice, love, death, sacrifice, friendship and loyalty, in actuality contributes to the ever-lasting nature of the stories. At the same time, these themes remind us of classic literature, offering mature readers tales that wear like a comfortable pair of shoes, while introducing younger readers to concepts they will meet throughout their lives. 

Much of the appeal also comes from the characters. In each book, JK Rowling introduces and describes the characters in such a way that we wonder not only about their futures, but also about their pasts. Even supporting characters are suddenly more than just extras in the background. And what of Harry Potter himself? We care about Harry, because we watch him grow from an innocent boy to a powerful wizard. We see him as both Hero and Victim. He experiences endless love and extreme pain, and as readers, we experience them with him.

This perfect combination of emotion, suspense and fantasy, together with the fact that JK Rowling is a superb storyteller is the reason why we are Harry potter fans. People are fond of Harry Potter series. With books like these, it’s hard not to be.

Harry Potter series become popular partly because ____________.

A. they remind us of the childhood and environment we had in the past

B. they take us to a world beyond our imagination and expectation

C. they offer us ever-lasting nature of the stories

D. they set an example of hero for us to follow

What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 6 mean?

A. The supporting characters are not necessary in the story.

B. Readers care only about Harry but not those supporting characters.

C. Even the supporting characters are attractive in the story.

D. Those supporting characters only appear all of a sudden.

The themes of the Harry Potter series do not contain ____________.

A. prejudice and love                          B. good and evil

C. death and sacrifice                          D. safety and peace

People care for Harry Potter because ____________.

A. they think of classic literature when reading the story

B. they find different experiences from theirs on Harry

C. they share the experiences with Harry

D. they like JK Rowling’s description very much

Today, almost everyone has heard of Harry Potter. The books detailing his experiences at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have aroused passion, creativity, and interest in reading throughout the world.

But have you ever considered why you are a fan of the Harry Potter series?

JK Rowling has created a list of characters and an environment for them to inhabit that appeals to both adults and children. 

The fantasy aspect of the wizarding world expands the imagination, and takes the mind to new and exciting places. Anything could happen there. Her stories contain parts of the believable and unbelievable, changing the predictability that readers commonly come across and bear in fiction. 

The main theme of the series, including good versus evil, prejudice, love, death, sacrifice, friendship and loyalty, in actuality contributes to the ever-lasting nature of the stories. At the same time, these themes remind us of classic literature, offering mature readers tales that wear like a comfortable pair of shoes, while introducing younger readers to concepts they will meet throughout their lives. 

Much of the appeal also comes from the characters. In each book, JK Rowling introduces and describes the characters in such a way that we wonder not only about their futures, but also about their pasts. Even supporting characters are suddenly more than just extras in the background. And what of Harry Potter himself? We care about Harry, because we watch him grow from an innocent boy to a powerful wizard. We see him as both Hero and Victim. He experiences endless love and extreme pain, and as readers, we experience them with him.

This perfect combination of emotion, suspense and fantasy, together with the fact that JK Rowling is a superb storyteller is the reason why we are Harry potter fans. People are fond of Harry Potter series. With books like these, it’s hard not to be.

Harry Potter series become popular partly because ____________.

A. they remind us of the childhood and environment we had in the past

B. they take us to a world beyond our imagination and expectation

C. they offer us ever-lasting nature of the stories

D. they set an example of hero for us to follow

What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 6 mean?

A. The supporting characters are not necessary in the story.

B. Readers care only about Harry but not those supporting characters.

C. Even the supporting characters are attractive in the story.

D. Those supporting characters only appear all of a sudden.

The themes of the Harry Potter series do not contain ____________.

A. prejudice and love               B. good and evil

C. death and sacrifice              D. safety and peace

People care for Harry Potter because ____________.

A. they think of classic literature when reading the story

B. they find different experiences from theirs on Harry

C. they share the experiences with Harry

D. they like JK Rowling’s description very much