Unit 4 Breaking boundaries单元练习 2025-2026学年高中英语外研版选择性必修第二册

Ⅰ.阅读理解

A

“Oh,but it’s okay for you,you’re really confident,”a friend says.As a journalist,I’ve been to war zones,interviewed politicians,and delivered after-dinner speeches.But deep down,these occasions are a struggle.While I can make up a game face when needed,the common day-to-day situation can leave me uncomfortable.I’ll do anything to avoid making phone calls by booking online or ordering takeaways via apps.I’ve spent years longing for the day when those feelings disappear.

That day may have come,thanks to a new book.When Viv Groskop decided on a career change from journalist to stand-up comedian,she knew she’d have to master confidence,so she made it her business to understand it.Since then she’s analysed research,interviewed people,and is sharing everything she’s discovered in a new book,Happy High Status,which is published this month.

So what is Happy High Status?The way you feel when everything’s great—the calm,easy confidence that comes with low pressure situations and happy moments.The opposite is how we feel in stressful situations,when imposter syndrome,doubt about one’s own abilities despite achievements,is at an all-time high.“It’s how you are when you’re not questioning who you are.It’s just trying to bring out that more relaxed,calm version of yourself,” explains Groskop.

“You don’t need to think,when you have a physical reaction in a pressured situation,that there is something wrong with you.The trick is to take away the emotional stories you tell yourself,” she explains.“Yet you have no training as to how to feel confident when you’re doing those things.” Her advice is to take a moment—put your phone down,empty your mind of its inner worry and try to get to the low pressure version of you.

Perhaps everything I’ve worried about for so long is just part of being human,and being me,rather than some strange suffering.I’m not going to sweat it quite so much.I’m going to take a deep breath,channel the calmest,most relaxed version of me,and embrace my own Happy High Status.

1.Which is the author’s true self in daily life?

A.A confident person.

B.A pessimistic person.

C.A shy person.

D.A sociable person.

2.What is the theme of the book Happy High Status?

A.The way to get confidence.

B.The importance of being brave.

C.The way to pursue a happy life.

D.The importance of changing jobs.

3.What can be known about people when they have high imposter syndrome?

A.They are in high spirits.

B.They believe in themselves.

C.They question people around.

D.They seem in difficult situations.

4.What is the suggestion from Groskop to deal with stress?

A.Trying to stay eased.

B.Avoiding physical reaction.

C.Expecting less of ourselves.

D.Listening to emotional stories.

 

B

It’s very common for students’ grades to experience a decline upon entering high school.Different teenagers deal with the newfound pressure differently,and while some tend to rise to the challenge,others can become overwhelmed(不知所措的) by stress.An interesting study conducted at The University of Texas has found that students’ views on learning and intelligence mindsets can make all the difference when it comes to fighting academic stress.

The research team set out to learn why some students overcame the stressful transition into high school and some struggled to maintain their academic skills and standards.Their findings pointed to a direct relationship between a student’s learning mindset and their stress resilience,especially when grades begin to decline.More specifically,students’ learning mindsets were defined as whether they considered intelligence a fixed characteristic that everyone is born with,or a constantly growing one that can be improved over time.

In all,499 ninth-graders from two public high schools in Texas were surveyed during their first term.Researchers assessed each student’s perceptions of intelligence,and asked each participant to fill out daily surveys on their academic stress levels.The results showed that 68% of students saw a decline in their grades during the first 12 weeks of high school.Those worsening grades,however,didn’t cause a higher stress response for everyone.

It turned out that worsening grades only caused greater stress responses in students who showed signs of a fixed intelligence mindset,while students with a growth mindset were able to bounce back much more quickly.Researchers theorise this is because these students are more active in solving academic issues,for example,by clarifying lessons with teachers after class if they don’t understand a particular topic.

“Declining grades may get ‘under the skin’ for high school students,” explains lead author Hae Yeon Lee.“But believing that intelligence can be developed or having what is called a growth mindset can reduce the effects of academic stress.”

5.What does the underlined word “resilience” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A.The feeling of being stressed.

B.The state of being very intelligent.

C.The process of learning new things.

D.The ability to recover from difficulties.

6.How did the researcher conduct the study?

A.By observational study in classroom settings.

B.By experimental study with controlled variables.

C.By survey-based study with daily assessments.

D.By case study focusing on individual students.

7.What can be inferred about students with a fixed intelligence mindset?