B3unit1.docx

1、B3unit1Unit 1 PersonalityUseful InformationIn a general sense, the term personality refers to all the personal and moral characteristics that determine the way a person thinks, feels and acts in his or her social and personal relations. These traits include a vast variety of attitudes and attributes

2、 such as shyness, generosity, patience, flexibility, sadness, humor, cheerfulness, selfishness, independence and aggressiveness. Most people are a mix of positive and negative traits. Personality traits that are valued in one culture may be frowned upon in another.It is difficult to know exactly how

3、 much of our personality is inherited and how much is determined by parental and peer group influences. Is there a gene for shyness or stubbornness, for example? Are we born compassionate or do we acquire certain attributes from our parents, our grandparents, our friends and other role models? Most

4、research suggests that our basic personality is inherited but that many factors shape and mould our personality as we mature. If our personality were entirely a result of our genes, then it would be virtually impossible to alter undesirable personality traits.Most individuals, at some point in their

5、 lives, realize that certain aspects of their personalities constitute drawbacks in their relationships with other people. A selfish person might discover that selfishness does not create lasting friendships. An ill-tempered or intolerant person might find cooperative teamwork very difficult. A shy

6、person might find some work situations very stressful. Recognizing ones strengths and weaknesses is an important step in the process of personal development because this can bolster self-confidence and motivate the desire to improve oneself. A person who is able to evaluate his or her strong points

7、and weak pointswith the help of parents, friends, teachers or aptitude testsis also better equipped to make wise career choices. Different jobs require different personalities. A person who has the skills and attitudes required for a particular job is more likely to be effective and successful.In re

8、cent years, various studies have shown that health and personality are interrelated. Negative attitudes can have negative effects on a persons health. In constantly looking at the dark side of things, a pessimist can become discouraged to the point of feeling helpless. This passivity can, in turn, l

9、ead to destructive behavior such as drinking too much alcohol or becoming mean and bitter. Optimists, on the other hand, attempt to make the best of a situation. Rather than regarding themselves as victims, they feel that they have control over their lives.The power of positive thinking has been use

10、d by sports psychologists for many years to help athletes control their nerves and build up their self-confidence. By visualizing themselves in a winning situation, athletes increase their chances of winning. Similar approaches are being used for treating patients. While optimism or positive thinkin

11、g cannot actually cure a disease, it appears to contribute to well-being and to keep the disease at bay. Optimism is associated with hope, and hope, at any stage in ones life, is always a mobilizing and energizing force.PART 1 Preparation1 Describing-Guessing Game2 Personality and JobJobsPersonality

12、 Traits1salespersontalkative, hard-working, persuasive, boastful, acute2teacherpatient, tolerant, unselfish, loving, humorous, enthusiastic3doctorcalm, careful, sympathetic, patient4police officerbrave, alert, independent, strong, calm5accountantcareful, honest, cautious, patient6lawyerpersuasive, e

13、xpressive, eloquent, knowledgeable7tourist guideenthusiastic, talkative, energetic, considerate, good-tempered8host / hostess of a showpassionate, expressive, quick-minded, elegant, humorous9reportercurious, impartial, open-minded, adventurous10secretarycourteous, tolerant, sensitive, considerate, e

14、fficient11spokespersonintelligent, diplomatic, cautious, matter-of-fact12engineerdown-to-earth, rigid, meticulous, careful3 Personality TestPART 2 Reading-Centered ActivitiesIn-Class Reading Pre-Reading1 Sample1 There are many factors that contribute to shyness. Some of them are low self-esteem, lac

15、k of self-confidence, limited social activities, and lack of education. Some people, I think, are born shy. Its a trait inherited from their parents. I still remember when I was a little girl, I was extremely shy. I was brought up in the country, and there werent many social activities for me to tak

16、e part in. There were very few chances for me to meet or communicate with different sorts of people. Whats more, I believed that I was ugly. So I seldom talked to people. Even when I was spoken to, I was reluctant to respond. My face would flush immediately. But after I entered college, I gained mor

17、e self-confidence. I came to realize that appearance is only skin-deep. Whats more important is ones knowledge, ones personal qualities, ones character, and ones good virtues.2 Everyone feels shy sometimes. But being too shy can limit many aspects of ones life. Thereare several ways to overcome shyn

18、ess. First we should remember that nobody can be perfect, so theres no reason to feel discouraged if we have some shortcomings. On the contrary, we should know our strengths and emphasize our good aspects to build our self-confidence. We need not focus on our weaknesses because we can improve oursel

19、ves, for example, by studying hard and reading widely to enrich our knowledge. Try to make more friends, and encourage ourselves to get involved in more activities in school. We can also observe friends or even strangers who arent shy to learn from them personally. We should not take other peoples c

20、omments too seriously, but trust ourselves. We should feel positive about ourselves and enjoy our experiences.ExercisesPost-ReadingReading Comprehension1 1 Introduction: (Para. 1)Shyness is the cause of much unhappiness for a great many people.2 Reasons why shyness can have a negative effect: (Paras

21、. 2-3)Peoples self-concept has a profound effect on all areas of their lives.People with high self-esteem usually act with confidence.People with low self-esteem are likely to be passive and easily influenced by others.3 Ways of overcoming shyness: (Paras. 4-15)A Recognize your personal strengths an

22、d weaknesses.B Set reasonable goals.C Dont waste time and energy on destructive feelings such as guilt and shame.D Dont be afraid to speak up and give your point of view.E Dont make negative comments about yourself.F Accept criticism thoughtfully.G Profit from failures and disappointments by viewing

23、 them as learning experiences.H Dont associate with people who make you feel inadequate.I Set aside time to relax, enjoy hobbies, and reevaluate your goals regularly.J Practice being in social situations.4 Conclusion: (Para. 16)The better we understand ourselves, the easier it becomes to live up to

24、our full potential.2 1 F 2 T 3 T 4 T 5 F 6 T 7 F 8 F3 Sample I think the most effective ways of overcoming shyness are the first and seventh steps. Recognizing our personal strengths and weaknesses is useful because if we know ourselves better, we can feel more self-confident. We can be more objecti

25、ve instead of being blind. The seventh step is to profit from failures and disappointments as learning experiences. If we allow ourselves to get discouraged and sad when we fail, then we will feel more unsure of ourselves. But if we think of a failure as a learning experience, we are adopting a posi

26、tive attitude. By analyzing objectively why we failed and planning how to set about doing things differently we will be more likely to succeed next time. Modesty is used to describe a reserved appraisal of ones merits, abilities or success. The opposite of modesty is arrogance or boastfulness. Modes

27、t people dont want to talk about their abilities or achievements. Modest people know their strengths and their worth, but choose to downplay their greatness and be humble. So modesty is the result of confidence. Shyness is used to describe the uncomfortable feeling one has in the company of others.

28、It often implies a lack of self-confidence and a timid, reserved manner. Modesty is a good personality trait while shyness in many cases is undesirable. Being shy isnt necessarily a bad thing. It is appropriate and normal to be shy in some circumstances, for example, in the presence of teachers, you

29、r boss, your parents friends or your prospective in-laws; when you are dating someone, especially the first time; when you are with strangers; when you are in a new environment; when youre facing a large audience. In fact, it can even be helpful to be a little shy. When you are shy and keep silent,

30、you may spend a little time observing the surroundings and people around before jumping right into the new situation.Vocabulary1 “Self-“ is a prefix which means “of, to or by oneself or itself”. Words with the prefix “self-” appearing in the text: self-conscious, self-concept, self-assurance, self-w

31、orth, self-confidence, self-esteem, self-destructive, self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-rejection, self-confident.1 self-conscious (worried and embarrassed about what you look like or what other people think of you)2 self-confidence (belief in ones own ability, power, judgment, etc.; confidence

32、in oneself)3 self-esteem (the feeling that you are someone who deserves to be liked, respected, or admired)4 self-destructive (with thoughts or actions that are counter to ones own best interests)5 self-worth (the value you give to your life and achievements)6 self-concept (ones conception or general idea of ones own basic character and nature)7 Self-awareness (realistic knowledge and judgment about oneself)8 self-assurance/self-confidence (the belief that you are ab