Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.
Times are tough. The nightly news is filled with stories of people who have lost their jobs due to the economic crisis, or lost their homes in a fire or natural disaster. Have you ever seen people who have just endured an awful situation? Some focus on what they have lost, and this is easy to understand. But other people focus on what they did not lose, and they start thinking about a better future.
One good piece of advice to remember is that you cannot always control situations or other people. The only thing you can control is your own personal reaction to bad situations. Sometimes a situation may really be overwhelming. However, in many cases, you really can influence our own moods by the way you think about negative situations.
Imagine two families: Both have lost their homes and all their belongings in a devastating storm. One family cannot mask their grief. They feel that everything they hold dear has been destroyed. They cannot imagine how they will ever be able to replace things and start over again. Their normal life seems to have been completely lost. In contrast, a second family is crying with joy. All of the people in their family are unharmed and safe. This family is just happy that everyone has survived. This family is already trying to figure out how they can recover. You can’t really blame the first family for experiencing a very normal reaction to a terrible situation. However, the second family certainly seems to be better off. They are thinking about making progress rather than focusing on the tragic events.
Though this scenario is extreme, everyone experiences setbacks that seem just awful at the time. This could be a job loss, illness, or problems with family members. Nobody gets through life without having some bad things happen. In these situations, try to focus on the steps you can take to remedy the situation, instead of how awful the setback is. By doing this, you will be laying the foundation for a better tomorrow. And you will not suffer as much pain today.
Actually, controlling how you feel and trying to maintain a positive attitude can help you through many tough situations. The bottom line is, no matter what the problem is, you are more likely to fix it if you can stay positive and work out a plan. Also, never be afraid to seek help when you need it. The advice of a friend, family member, or even a professional may be all it takes to get back on track.
It may sound like a cliché. While a positive attitude may not be the answer to every problem, it can certainly give you an advantage in surviving most of life’s minor setbacks.
(Adapted from “Select Readings – Upper Intermediate” by Linda Lee and Erik Gundersen)
What is the main purpose of the author in the passage?
A.To prove that optimism is better than pessimism.
B.To encourage people to maintain a positive attitude in every setback.
C.To compare the advantages of positive attitude with those of negative ones.
D.To explain the emotions people have when they are in bad situations.
Đáp án B
Mục đích chính của tác giả trong đoạn văn là gì?
Để chứng minh lạc quan tốt hơn bi quan.
Để khuyến khích mọi người duy trì thái độ tích cực trong mọi khó khăn.
Để so sánh các thuận lợi của thái độ tích cực và tiêu cực.
Để giải thích cảm xúc của mọi người trong các hoàn cảnh khó khăn.
Căn cứ vào các thông tin sau:
One good piece of advice to remember is that you cannot always control situations or other people. The only thing you can control is your own personal reaction to bad situations. (Một lời khuyên hữu ích phải nhớ là không phải khi nào bạn cũng kiểm soát được tình huống hay người khác. Điều duy nhất bạn có thể kiểm soát là các phản ứng của chính bạn trong hoàn cảnh khó khăn đó.)
In these situations, try to focus on the steps you can take to remedy the situation, instead of how awful the setback is. (Trong các tình huống này, hãy cố gắng tập trung vào các bước bạn có thể làm để vượt qua khó khăn, thay vì để ý khó khăn đó tồi tệ đến mức nào.)
The bottom line is, no matter what the problem is, you are more likely to fix it if you can stay positive and work out a plan. (Điểm mấu chốt là, cho dù khó khăn của bạn là gì đi nữa, bạn đều có thể vượt qua được nếu bạn luôn lạc quan và vạch ra 1 kế hoạch).
While a positive attitude may not be the answer to every problem, it can certainly give you an advantage in surviving most of life’s minor setbacks. (Mặc dù thái độ tích cực không phải là chìa khóa cho mọi vấn đề, nhưng nó chắc chắn sẽ cho bạn cơ hội vượt qua mọi khó khăn nhỏ trong cuộc sống).
Các dẫn chứng điều cho thấy tác giả đang khuyến khích mọi người duy trì thái độ tích cực trong mọi khó khăn.
