人教全日制普通高中英语（必修）高三UNIT11-2

 In the final year at high school, Li Yonghong knew that a career at university was not for her. Her parents had not wanted to pay for any other type of education, but had offered her some money to set up a small business to sell cigarettes. However, that was not what she had in mind. Instead, she asked a couple of friends to lend her some money so that she could take a one-year training course to become a hairdresser.
 
       Looking back, she congratulates herself on this decision. Soon after completing her course, she found a job in a barbershop. Things went smoothly¹. As the years went by, she worked in many places, always improving her position and gradually getting more and more experience. She had made herself independent, and was able to manage her finances² well. Two years ago, she decided³ to put that money to good use. She decided to go back to school. This time she decided on a practical course to learn how to do make-up. Once again this proved to be an excellent choice. The combination of being an experienced hairdresser and knowing how to do commercial make-up for brides and bridegrooms made her much in demand.
 
      The story of Li Yonghong is not exceptional⁴. Life at high school is the time to find out not only what we are really good at, but also what we really want. It is not always easy to discover our strengths while we are still at school. Many people tend to listen to their parents or to their teachers who often have expectations that are hard to live up to. The ideal for many people at that age is to go to university, but is going to university really the ideal career for most people?
 
      At the age of 17 to 18, many young people dream of going to university, because they think a university degree is the ticket to success and happiness in life. Too many people forget that in order to become successful, you must first explore your talents and get to know yourself so as to find out where your real interests lie. Not going to university is not a shame.
 
      No matter how hard you try, working towards a career for which you are not suitable is not going to get you there. Think of the following little experiment. Write your name on a piece of paper. Now do the same with your opposite hand, the one you do not usually use for writing. How about the results this time? This example shows that we can be really good at something when we follow what feels right.
 
      It is no use for everybody to try to pursue the same career. What would the world look like full of managers and financial specialists? We must make the most of our special talents and interests. By following your own interests you will ensure that you arrive at the best possible-station in life.
 
      It has become quite common now to distinguish⁵ various people's different talents or "intelligences", and accept their influence on human functioning. People have different personality types, and connected to these types are different learning styles. Schools and universities tend to serve people whose mental, intellectual type is strongest. People whose learning style is to try, experiment and find their way through hands-on experience, often find that school life does not accommodate⁶ their learning style.
 
      These characteristics combine in unique ways in each person, forming personality types, each made up of different inner processes and ways of functioning in the world. It is important to recognize that each personality type is of equal value. No "way of being" is better than another. Each offers gifts and processes that complement⁷ the others, contributing in a unique way to the qualitative⁸ functioning of the whole, whether the "whole" is a team, a class, a family or a society.

1 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

2 finances   

n.(pl.)财源，资产

参考例句：

• I need a professional to sort out my finances. 我需要专业人士为我管理财务。
• The company's finances are looking a bIt'shaky. 这个公司的财政情况看来有点不稳定。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 exceptional   

adj.优越的，杰出的，例外的，独特的，异常的

参考例句：

• He is a man of exceptional talent.他是位具有非凡才能的人。
• He showed exceptional musical ability.他显示出特殊的音乐才能。

5 distinguish   

vt.区别，辩明，识别，辨认出；vi.区别，辨别，识别

参考例句：

• It is not easy to distinguish cultured pearls from genuine pearls.辨别真正的珍珠与养殖的珍珠不容易。
• Some people find it difficult to distinguish right from wrong.一些人认为很难辨对与错。

6 accommodate   

vt.容纳，向...提供住处，使适应，顺应

参考例句：

• You should soon accommodate yourself to the new circumstance.你应尽快适应新环境。
• Are there enough shelves to accommodate all our books?有足够的书架容纳我们所有的书吗？

7 complement   

n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足

参考例句：

• The two suggestions complement each other.这两条建议相互补充。
• They oppose each other also complement each other.它们相辅相成。

8 qualitative   

adj.性质上的，质的，定性的

参考例句：

• There are qualitative differences in the way children and adults think.孩子和成年人的思维方式有质的不同。
• Arms races have a quantitative and a qualitative aspects.军备竞赛具有数量和质量两个方面。