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Read the passage carefully. Then choose the
correct answer. |
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When we are confronted with things that we are
not confident about, our first reaction is to
avoid them. If we have stage fright, we find
excuses not to appear on stage. Some are afraid
to speak with strangers, so they shy away from
social gatherings. There are those who refuse to
go for a swim due to their fear of drowning.
There are also those who are experts in
convincing themselves that it is a futile
attempt to do something they are afraid of.
Basically, these emotional fears are like
physical handicaps because they prevent us from
living life to the fullest. Some people are
born or inflicted with real physical
abnormalities, such as blindness, loss of limbs
and physical disfigurements. There is Helen
Keller, who at the age of about two, lost her
sight and hearing. Through her courage and sheer
determination, she learnt to speak, read and
write. She went on to help others similarly
afflicted, such as soldiers blinded in wars and
blind people in poor countries. Her achievements
were so great that she was given many awards,
such as the Chevalier's Ribbon of the French
Legion of Honour.
There was a television program called
'Extraordinary People' that featured people
who rose above their circumstances to
achieve success. I remember an episode that
featured a young wheelchair-bound woman who
showed no despair towards her handicap. She was
very optimistic and trained to become a
hairdresser despite her disability.
Apart from the fears mentioned earlier that
are due to a lack of confidence, there are those
that are irrational. Those afflicted find it
difficult to harness them. These are
called phobias. For example, there are people
who are terrified of common things. A person is
said to have aquaphobia when he is terrified of
water. One of the most common phobias is
claustrophobia-this is when a person cannot
stand being in enclosed areas. Such people will
not cope well at shopping centers on weekends. A
person who has acrophobia will definitely avoid
roller coasters and skyscrapers. Unlike normal
fears and anxieties, one has to seek
professional help from psychiatrists to overcome
these peculiar phobias. |
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1. |
What is the initial reaction of some people when they face situations
they are afraid of ? |
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(A) |
They try not to get involved. |
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(B) |
They try to overcome their fears. |
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(C) |
They try to do their best if they cannot avoid them. |
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(D) |
They try to make themselves believe it is useless to even try to do
them. |
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2. |
Although Helen Keller was blind and deaf, she achieved so much because
______. |
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(A) |
she had help from others |
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(B) |
she tried to control her physical handicaps |
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(C) |
she was inspired by her achievement awards |
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(D) |
she did not let her physical handicaps stop her from persevering |
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3. |
The 'people who rose above their circumstances' ( paragraph 3 ) refers to those
who _______. |
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(A) |
overcame their disabilities to achieve their goals |
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(B) |
refused to accept their disabilities to achieve their goals |
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(C) |
were able to control their disabilities to achieve their goals |
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(D) |
allowed their disabilities to be in the way of achieving their goals |
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4. |
The word 'them' in paragraph 4 refers to
______. |
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(A) |
fears that seem rational |
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(B) |
people who are rational |
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(C) |
fears that seem ridiculous |
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(D) |
people who suffer from phobias |
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5. |
Those who suffer from acrophobia are afraid
of ______. |
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(A) |
heights |
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(B) |
acrobats |
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(C) |
buildings |
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(D) |
amusement parks |
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