48 AD

　　Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Self-confidence is the most important factor for success in school or at work. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

　　Self-confidence is one very important factor for success, but there are two other equally important factors: knowledge and sensitivity. All three are required for success in any area.

　　One needs to feel one can accomplish a task. If one thinks he or she is incapable of doing something, he or she will not succeed. For example, if you think you are going to do poorly on an exam, you will probably do poorly. It is important to tell yourself that you can do well. If you have confidence in yourself, you will probably do well.

　　Even if you have a great deal of self-confidence, you won’t be able to well on the exam without knowledge. You have to understand your subject very well. With knowledge and self-confidence you have a better chance of success.

　　In areas other than exams, you will need to be sensitive to your surroundings in order to succeed. You will need to know whether to boast about yourself or be modest; you will need to know whether you should take the lead or let others. This is a difficult skill to learn, but an important one for success.

　　To be successful in school or work, you need three qualities: self-confidence, knowledge, and sensitivity. Along, none of these factors will help you succeed. But together, they ensure success.

　　49 EX

　　Why do you think some people are attracted to dangerous sports or other dangerous activities? Use specific reasons and examples to support our answer.

　　Dangerous sports or activities attract a certain type of person. This person is often a risk taker, an optimist, and a fatalist.

　　People who take risks are found both in dangerous sports and business. But it is a special person who takes a risk with his own life as opposed to his money. My father was a risk taker. He put everything be owned into his business, but he stopped playing risky sports like horseback riding and skiing. Once his business was a success and he no longer bad to worry about providing for us, he returned on the age of 60, to the risky sports that he did as a youth.

　　Someone who plays a dangerous sport must be an optimist. They cannot imagine that anything will happen to them. They never think about breaking their leg while skiing, falling off a cliff while rock climbing, falling on their head while sky diving. They live for the thrill of the moment without a thought to the many things that could go wrong.

　　Rock climbers and sports car drivers must be fatalist. They might plan for potential problems, but once they have done everything they can do, the outcome is out of their bands. A motorcyclist when jumps across a narrow canyon will get the fastest, strongest bike available that will carry him or her across the canyon, however, wind conditions or other problems might interfere and the cyclist my fall short of his goal.