A
Mike Flint was Buffett's airplane pilot. Flint had also flown four US Presidents, so we can safely say he was good at his job. According to Flint, he was talking about his career priorities (优先事项) with Buffett when he asked him to go through a 3step exercise.
STEP 1: Write down his top 25 career goals. So, Flint took some time and wrote them down.
STEP 2:Review his list and circle his top 5 goals. Again, Flint took some time, made his way through the list, and at last decided on his 5 most important goals.
STEP 3: At this point, Flint had two lists. The 5 items he had circled were on List A and the 20 items he had not circled were on List B.
Flint said that he would start working on his top 5 goals right away. And then Buffett asked him about the second list, “And what about the ones you didn't circle?”
Flint replied, “Well, the top 5 are my primary focus (焦点), but the other 20 come in a close second. I still plan to give them my efforts.”
Buffett said, “No.You've got it wrong. Everything you didn't circle just became your AvoidAtAllCost list. These things get no efforts from you until you've succeeded with your top 5.”
This is why Buffett's strategy (策略) is great. Items 6 through 25 are things you care about. So you can't help paying attention to them. And then you get 20 distractions (分心的事物) to stop you from focusing on your top 5 goals. Spending time on secondary priorities is the reason you have 20 halffinished goals instead of 5 completed ones. So force yourself to focus. The most dangerous distractions are the ones you love, but that don't love you back.
语篇解读:本文是一篇夹叙夹议文。文章通过巴菲特向他的私人飞行员芬克传授策略的事例告诉我们巴菲特策略的核心:坚定地剔除分心事物,集中精力完成优先事项。
1.What did Flint think of his items on List B?
A.They were important too.
B.They were much more difficult.
C.They were not worth his effort.
D.They were impossible goals to reach.
解析:选A 推理判断题。根据文章倒数第三段中的芬克的回答可知,在芬克看来,List B上的目标虽然不是最优先的,但是它们也很重要,他也会付出努力去完成它们的。
2.What did Buffett suggest to Mike Flint?
A.Giving up List B halfway.
B.Choosing only one priority from the 25 items.
C.Paying no attention to List B before finishing List A.
D.Reviewing all the items and deciding on another top 5.
解析:选C 细节理解题。根据文章倒数第二段巴菲特所讲的“These things get no efforts from you until you've succeeded with your top 5.”可知,他建议飞行员芬克在完成最重要的5个目标之前对其他20个目标不做任何考虑。
3.According to Buffett's strategy, .
A.getting 20 halffinished goals is useful too
B.we should break away from distractions decidedly
C.it's impossible for us to finish two tasks at a time
D.secondary priorities will prevent us from succeeding
解析:选B 推理判断题。根据文章最后一段中的“So force yourself to focus.”可知,人们在完成目标时应果断抛开分心的事物,集中精力完成优先事项。
4.What can be the best title for the passage?
A.List A or List B?
B.How to Choose Your Priorities
C.The Secret of Buffett's Great Success
D.Avoid Distractions to Focus on Your Priorities
解析:选D 标题归纳题。本文通过巴菲特向他的私人飞行员芬克传授策略的事例告诉我们巴菲特策略的核心:坚定地剔除分心事物,集中精力完成优先事项,由此可知D项作为文章标题最佳。