I'm sitting in a quiet hotel room. It's just past noon, late July, and I'm listening to the __1__ sounds of a lifeordeath struggle going on a few feet away. There's a small fly burning out the __2__ of its short life's energies in a fruitless attempt to __3__ through the glass window. The beating wings tell the moving story of the fly's __4__：Try harder.
But it's not __5__.
The crazy effort offers no hope for __6__. Ironically, the struggle is part of the __7__. It is __8__ for the fly to try hard enough to succeed in breaking through the glass. This fly is doomed. It will die there on the windowsill. Across the room, ten steps away, the door is __9__. Ten seconds of flying time and this small creature could __10__ the outside world it seeks. With only a fraction of the effort now being __11__， it could be free of this selfcreated trap. Why doesn't the fly try another approach, something dramatically __12__？ How did it get so __13__ in the idea that this particular route offers the most promise for success? What logic is there in continuing to seek a(n) __14__ by repeating the same failed action?
There is no doubt that the approach of “keep trying hard” makes sense for the fly. Regrettably, it's the same idea that will eventually __15__ the fly. Trying harder isn't __16__ the solution to achieving more. It may not offer any real __17__ for getting what you want out of life. Sometimes, trying harder is the problem. If you __18__ your hopes for a breakthrough on trying harder than ever, you may __19__ your chances of success. You should try harder by trying __20__.
一只苍蝇拍打着翅膀奋力撞击玻璃窗试图逃跑，却不知道十步远的地方就有一扇开着的门。不知变通的努力往往成为成功的障碍。努力，离不开智慧。
1．A.sweet B．desperate
C．mysterious D．curious
答案：B
解析：根据该句中的“sounds of a lifeordeath struggle”可知，我听到了几英尺外生死搏斗的绝望的声音。B项意为“拼命的，绝望的”，故B项正确。A项意为“悦耳的”，C项意为“神秘的”，D项意为“好奇的”，都与语境不符。
2．A.last B．first
C．best D．worst
答案：A
解析：根据该句中的“of its short life's energies...window”可知，有一只小苍蝇用尽了它短暂的生命的最后精力，试图飞过玻璃窗，但没有成功。the last of sth.为固定短语，意为“最后剩下的某物”，故A项正确。
3．A.put B．run
C．see D．fly
答案：D
解析：根据该句中的“a small fly...through the glass window”并结合常识可知，这只小苍蝇想飞过玻璃窗。D项意为“飞”，故D项正确。
4．A.performance B．strategy
C．contribution D．dream
答案：B
解析：根据“Try harder”并结合该句中的“The beating wings tell the moving story of the fly's”可知，“更加努力地尝试”是这只苍蝇采取的策略。B项意为“策略，行动计划”，故B项正确。A项意为“表演，表现”，C项意为“贡献”，D项意为“梦想”，都与语境不符。
5．A.working B．improving
C．moving D．living
答案：A
解析：结合下文中的“no hope”可知，这种策略并没有什么作用。A项意为“起作用”，故A项正确。
6．A.pleasure B．return
C．peace D．escape
答案：D
解析：根据上文可知，这只苍蝇拼命地拍打着翅膀想要飞出玻璃窗；结合该句中的“The crazy effort offers no hope”可知，为了逃跑而做出的疯狂的努力是没有希望的。D项意为“逃跑”，故D项正确。
7．A.prize B．design
C．trap D．success
答案：C
解析：根据下文中的“it could be...trap”可知，这样的努力只不过是陷阱的一部分。C项意为“陷阱”，故C项正确。
8．A.irresponsible B．impossible
C．reasonable D．practical
答案：B
解析：根据该段第一句中的“no hope”，并结合该句和常识可知，这只苍蝇冲破玻璃成功逃出是不可能的。B项意为“不可能的”，故B项正确。
9．A.bright B．broken
C．open D．wide
答案：C
解析：根据下文中的“the outside world it seeks”可知，这只苍蝇可以通过门逃出去；据此可知，门是开着的。C项意为“开着的”，故C项正确。
10．A.reach B．find
C．own D．leave
答案：A
解析：根据该句“Ten seconds of flying time and this small creature could __10__ the outside world it seeks”可知，只要十秒钟的飞行时间，这个小生物就能到达它所寻求的外部世界。A项意为“到达”，故A项正确。
11．A.done B．offered
C．sought D．wasted
答案：A
解析：根据上文可知，虽然门开着，可是这只苍蝇就是试图通过玻璃窗逃跑；结合该句中的“With only a fraction of the effort now being”可知，其实只要稍作尝试，这只苍蝇就可以从自创的陷阱中逃出。A项意为“做”，故A项正确。
12．A.dangerous B．demanding
C．different D．powerful
答案：C
解析：根据上文可知，这只苍蝇只试图从玻璃窗中逃跑，却不尝试从开着的门中逃出；结合该句“Why doesn't the fly try another approach, something dramatically”可知，苍蝇为什么不试试另一种截然不同的方法呢？C项意为“不同的”，故C项正确。
13．A.concerned B．worried
C．frustrated D．locked
答案：D
解析：根据语境可知，它是如何如此执着地认为这条特定的路线最有可能成功的呢？be locked in为固定搭配，意为“陷入”，故D项正确。
14．A.breakthrough B．explanation
C．improvement D．guarantee
答案：A
解析：根据该句中的“by repeating the same failed action”，并结合上文叙述的这只苍蝇不知变通，一直尝试从玻璃窗中飞出去可以判断，通过重复同样的失败行动继续寻求突破，还有什么逻辑可言？A项意为“突破”，故A项正确。
15．A.interrupt B．kill
C．encourage D．persuade
答案：B
解析：根据上文叙述的这只苍蝇不知变通，一直尝试从玻璃窗中飞出去，并结合该句中的“it's the same idea that will eventually”可知，这种不知变通的思想最终将杀死这只苍蝇。B项意为“杀死”，故B项正确。
16．A.completely B．importantly
C．necessarily D．appropriately
答案：C
解析：根据语境可知，更加努力并不一定是获得更多的解决方案。C项意为“必然地”，故C项正确。A项意为“完全地”；B项意为“重要地”；D项意为“适当地”。
17．A.experience B．promise
C．position D．challenge
答案：B
解析：根据上文可知，努力并不一定能解决问题；结合该句中的“for getting what you want out of life”可知，努力并不能保证你得到想要的东西。B项意为“承诺，保证”，故B项正确。
18．A.follow B．shift
C．get D．risk
答案：D
解析：根据“Sometimes, trying harder is the problem”可知，有时努力会成为一种问题；结合该句可知，该处指“冒着希望不能实现的风险去努力，你会错过成功的机会”。D项意为“使冒……风险”，故D项正确。
19．A.miss B．increase
C．abandon D．substitute
答案：A
解析：参见上题解析。A项意为“错过”，故A项正确。
20．A.simply B．soon
C．cleverly D．bravely
答案：C
解析：根据上文叙述的苍蝇不知变通，一直试图从玻璃窗中逃出，并结合该句中的“You should try harder by trying ____”可知，你应该用更加聪明的方式更加努力地尝试。故C正确。
