第二节：完形填空 (共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分)

We often talk about ourselves as if we have permanent genetic defects (缺陷) that can never be changed. “I’m impatient.” “I’m always behind.” “I always put things 　36 　!” You’ve surely heard them. Maybe you’ve used them to describe 　37 　.

These comments may come from stories about us that have been 　38　 　for years-often from　 39　 　childhood. These stories may have no　 40　 　in fact. But they can set low expectations for us. As a child, my mother said to me, “Marshall, you have no mechanical (操作机械的) skills, and you will never have any mechanical skills for the rest of your life.” How did these expectations　 41　 　my development? I was never 　42　 　to work on cars or be around 　　43 　. When I was 18, I took the US Army’s Mechanical Aptitude Test. My scores were in the bottom for the entire nation!

Six years later,　 　44 　, I was at California University, working on my doctor’s degree. One of my professors, Dr. Bob Tannbaum, asked me to write down things I did well and things I couldn’t do. On the positive side, I　 　45　 　down, “research, writing, analysis, and speaking.” On the　 46　 　side, I wrote, “I have no mechanical skills.”

Bob asked me how I knew I had no mechanical skills. I explained my life 　47　 　and told him about my　 48　 　performance on the Army test. Bob then asked, “ 　49　 　is it that you can solve　　 50　　 mathematical problems, but you can’t solve simple mechanical problems?”

Suddenly I realized that I didn’t　 　51　 　from some sort of genetic defect. I was just living out expectations that I had chosen to 　52 　. At that point, it wasn’t just my family and friends who had been　 　53　 　my belief that I was mechanically hopeless. And it wasn’t just the Army test, either. I was the one who kept telling myself, “You can’t do this!” I realized that as long as I kept saying that, it was going to remain true. 　54　 　, if we don’t treat ourselves as if we have incurable genetic defects, we can do well in almost　 　55　 　we choose.

36. A. away　　　　　　　 B. off　　　　　　　 C. up 　　　　　　　　 D. down

37. A. them　　　　　　　 B. myself　　　　　　 C. yourself　　　 D. others　

38. A. said　　　　　　　　 B. spoken　　　　　　 C. spread　　　 D. repeated　

39. A. as long as　 　　　　　　　　 B. as far back as　　　 C. as well as　　 D. as much as　

40. A. basis　 　　　　　　　　　　　 B. plot　　　 　　　　　C. cause　 　　　　　 D. meaning　

41. A. lead　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. improve　　　　　 C. affect　　　　 D. change　

42. A. encouraged 　　　　　　　 B. demanded　　　　 C. hoped　　　　 D. agreed　

43. A. means　 　　　　　　　　　　 B. tools　　　　　　 C. facilities　　　 D. hammers　

44. A. therefore　 　　　　　　　　 B. somehow　　　　 C. instead　　　　 D. however　

45. A. settled　 　　　　　　　　　 　B. turned　　　　　　 C. took　 　　　　　　　 D. got

46. A. passive　 　　　　　　　　　　 B. active　　　　　　 C. negative　 　　　　 D. subjective　

47. A. experiences　 　　　　　　 B. trips　　　　　　 C. roads　　　　 D. paths　

48. A. unexpected　 　　　　　　 B. poor　　　　　　 C. excellent　　　 D. average　

49. A. When　 　　　　　　　　　　 B. What　　　　　　 C. How　　　　 D. Why　

50. A. complex　 　　　　　　　　　 B. advanced　　　　 C. common　　　 D. primary　

51. A. arise　 　　　　　　　　　　　 B. separate　　　　　 C. suffer　　　　 D. come　

52. A. believe　 　　　　　　　　　 　B. suspect　　　　　 C. adopt　　　　 D. receive　

53. A. weakening　 　　　　　　　 B. strengthening　　　 C. abandoning　　 D. accepting　

54. A. As a result　 　　　　　　 　B. At the same time　　 C. In addition　　 D. On the contrary　

55. A. anything 　　　　　　　　　 　B. something　　　　 C. nothing　　　 D. all