In modern society there is a great deal of argument about petition. Some hold an optimistic attitude. They value it highly, believing that it is a natural oute of social progress and prosperity（繁荣）and that anyone who wants to be outstanding has to keep the pace. Others think otherwise. They say that petition is bad; that it sets one person against another; that the unfriendly relationship between people because of petition.
I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth depended on how well they performed at tennis and other skills. For them, playing well and winning are often life-and-death affairs. In their single-minded pursuit（追求）of success, the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten.
However, while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed, others have an opposite opinion. In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame petition. Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under petitive pressures from their parents or society. They have no choice. Teaching these young people, I often observe in them a desire to fail. They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: “I may have lost, but it doesn’t matter because I really didn’t try”. What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot. Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true petitors who try to prove themselves. Both are based on the mistaken belief that one’s self-respect relies on how well one performs pared with others. Both are afraid of not being valued. Only as this basic and often troublesome fear is overe can discover a new meaning in petition.
【小题1】What does this passage mainly talk about?A．Competition helps to set up self-respect.B．Opinions about petition are different among people.C．Competition is harmful to personal quality development.D．Failures are necessary experience in petition.【小题2】Why do some people favor petition according to the passage?A．It pushes society forward.B．It builds up a sense of duty.C．It improves personal abilities.D．It encourages individual efforts.【小题3】The underlined phrase “the most vocal” in Paragraph 3 means .A．those who try their best to winB．those who value petition most highlyC．those who are against petition most stronglyD．those who rely on others most for success【小题4】What is the similar belief of the true petitors and those with a “desire to fail”?A．One’s worth lies in his performance pared with others.B．One’s success in petition needs great efforts.C．One’s achievement is determined by his particular skills.D．One’s success is based on how hard he has tried.【小题5】Which point of view may the author agree to?A．Every effort should be paid back.B．Competition should be encouraged.C．Winning should be a life-and-death matter.D．Fear of failure should be removed in petition.B
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(答案→)B
解析：文章介绍了人们对竞争的态度和不同的观点看法，有人认为很好，有人反对。
【小题1】主旨题：阅读第一段内容可知不同的人对于竞争有不同的观点和看法，有人认为很好，有人反对。文章是关于人们对竞争的态度。故选B。
【小题2】细节题：根据第一段第二句“They value it highly, believing that it is a natural oute of social progress and prosperity,”可知他们认为竞争导致了社会的进步。故选A。
【小题3】推理题：根据第三段中“In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame petition. Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under petitive pressures from their parents or society. ”有一些人强烈地指责竞争，在这些人中最多的就是那些遭受着竞争压力的年轻人。故the most vocal就是 指那些反对竞争的人。故选C。
【小题4】推理题：从最后一段中“Both are based on the mistaken belief that one’s self-respect relies on how well one performs pared with others.”可知A项的观点与之类似，指人的价值在于与别人的比较。故选A。
【小题5】推理题：根据最后一段最后一句“Only as this basic and often troublesome fear is overe can discover a new meaning in petition”可知在竞争中要去除恐惧，只有这样我们才能理解竞争的真正的含义。故选D。