Passage One
Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.
Having a rival can keep you committed to achieving your goals and enhance your overall performance. But before you go out and find an entrepreneur to outcompete, ifs important to understand and avoid the traps that often come with rivalry. After all, competitive rivalry can also hinder effective decision-making and increase your willingness to take risks, behaviors that can ultimately hurt your venture's success.
Finding someone you're committed to outcompeting can be a great way to stay focused on your goals and push your venture to the next level. But when you're intently focused on outperforming your rivals, you may begin to develop a “win-at-all-costs” mentality that causes you to ignore how you achieve success. One group of researchers, for example, examined the link between rivalry and unethical behavior. They found that when people compete against their rivals, they are more willing to behave unethically to win. But such behavior may stain your reputation and strain relationships important to your success. One way to avoid this trap is to stop and reflect on what's important. While outperforming your rivals may provide short-term benefits, the loss of your integrity will have long-term consequences.
One reason having a rival can enhance your venture's performance is that it creates a level of excitement that drives you to work harder. But this eagerness to win may also hurt your venture's success, particularly when it causes you to make impulsive, insensible decisions. But it's possible to avoid such costly mistakes by making a habit of engaging in critical thinking, such as considering opposing viewpoints and conducting cost-benefit analyses, especially for those decisions that are complex and can determine the future of your venture.
The sense of eagerness that comes with having a rival can not only cause you to make poorer decisions, but it can also lead you to take greater risks that put your venture in peril. One way you can overcome the risk-inducing effects of rivalry that stand to endanger your venture's success is to remain attentive to your emotional state and actively monitor how such feelings are affecting your decision-making.
46. How can competitive rivalry benefit entrepreneurs according to the passage?
A) By enabling them to outcompete other entrepreneurs.
B) By enabling them to make their venture a success.
C) By helping them to reach long-term goals.
D) By helping them to stay goal-oriented
47. What is one of the traps entrepreneurs may often fall into when competing with rivals?
A) They may adopt strategies that are bound to ruin their venture.
B) They may resort to unethical means to outperform their rivals.
C) They may be too eager to succeed while ignoring the huge labor cost.
D) They may be intently focused on winning at the current market level.
48. What are entrepreneurs advised to do to avoid traps that often accompany rivalry?
A) Deliberate on what really matters.
B) Prioritize reaping immediate benefits.
C) Estimate the long-term consequences.
D) Reflect on what successes are achievable.
49. How can entrepreneurs avoid making impulsive and insensible decisions?
A) By engaging themselves in critical reasoning.
B) By developing a habit of keeping their integrity.
C) By criticizing themselves for previous poor performances.
D) By refraining from being too excited about their successes.
50. How can entrepreneurs overcome the risk-inducing effects of rivalry?
A) By paying close attention to their current performance.
B) By taking steps that stand to endanger their rivals' success.
C) By monitoring how their decision-making impacts their mentality.
D) By keeping their emotions in check to avoid making poor decisions.
答案解析：
46. 由题干中的关键词“How can competitive rivalry benefit entrepreneurs”定位到第一段第一句“Having a rival can keep you committed to achieving your goals and enhance your overall performance.”以及第二段第一句“Finding someone you're committed to outcompeting can be a great way to stay focused on your goals and push your venture to the next level.”。文中提到拥有竞争对手可以让企业家专注于实现目标并提升整体表现，即有助于他们保持目标导向。所以选D。
47. 由题干中的关键词“traps entrepreneurs may often fall into”定位到第二段“But when you're intently focused on outperforming your rivals, you may begin to develop a “win-at-all-costs” mentality that causes you to ignore how you achieve success. One group of researchers, for example, examined the link between rivalry and unethical behavior. They found that when people compete against their rivals, they are more willing to behave unethically to win.”。文中指出企业家在与对手竞争时可能会为了获胜而不择手段，采取不道德的行为。所以选B。
48. 由题干中的关键词“advised to do to avoid traps”定位到第二段“One way to avoid this trap is to stop and reflect on what's important.”。文中提到避免陷入陷阱的一个方法是停下来思考什么是真正重要的。所以选A。
49. 由题干中的关键词“avoid making impulsive and insensible decisions”定位到第三段“But it's possible to avoid such costly mistakes by making a habit of engaging in critical thinking, such as considering opposing viewpoints and conducting cost-benefit analyses, especially for those decisions that are complex and can determine the future of your venture.”。文中提到通过进行批判性思考来避免冲动和不明智的决策。所以选A。
50. 由题干中的关键词“overcome the risk-inducing effects of rivalry”定位到最后一段“One way you can overcome the risk-inducing effects of rivalry that stand to endanger your venture's success is to remain attentive to your emotional state and actively monitor how such feelings are affecting your decision-making.”。文中提到企业家可以通过控制情绪来避免做出不良决策，从而克服竞争带来的风险。所以选D。
