B
Why do some people succeed while others fail? The answer often lies in one simple quality: the ability to keep going when things get hard.
Scientists have studied this quality for years. In the 1960s, psychologist Walter Mischel did a famous experiment with young children. He placed a marshmallow in front of each child and said they could eat it immediately, or wait fifteen minutes and get two marshmallows. The children who waited turned out to be more successful in life. They had better grades, healthier relationships, and higher incomes(收入) years later. This experiment shows that self-control and patience matter greatly.
However, never giving up is not just about waiting. It is also about trying again after failure. Marie Curie spent four years processing tons of pitchblende(沥青铀矿) in a cold shed before she finally isolated radium. When asked about the hardship, she said, “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance(毅力).” Curie saw each failed attempt as valuable data, not a reason to stop.
Of course, blind persistence can be harmful. If a goal is truly wrong for you, it is wise to change direction. The key is to tell the difference between a temporary difficulty and a wrong path. Ask yourself, “Am I making progress, even slowly?” If the answer is yes, keep going.
Never giving up is like building a muscle. The more you practise it, the stronger it becomes. Start with small challenges. Finish a hard book. Learn a new skill. Each small victory trains your mind to push through bigger obstacles(阻碍). Remember, success is usually just one more try away.
() 4. What did Mischel's experiment find?
A. Young children had poor self-control.
B. Rich children waited longer for sweets.
C. Patient children became more successful.
D. Smart children liked marshmallows more.
() 5. What does the underlined word “blind” in paragraph 4 mean?
A. Accepting something without question.
B. Unable to see.
C. Completely lost.
D. Not noticing or realizing something.
() 6. What is the writer's purpose in paragraph 5?
A. To describe ways to learn new skills.
B. To explain how to build body muscle.
C. To compare different kinds of challenges.
D. To advise readers to practise persistence.
() 7. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Failure is the mother of success.
B. Success comes from never giving up.
C. Experiments help people grow better.
D. Changing goals is sometimes necessary.