阅读训练
Passage 7
People tend to be more impressed by evidence that seems to confirm some relationship. Thus many are convinced their dreams are prophetic (预目的）because a few have come true ； they neglect of fail to notice the many that have not.

Consider also the belief that “the phone always rings when Vm in the shower. ” If it does ring while you are in the shower, the event will stand out and be remembered. If it doesn t ring，that nonevent probably won’t even register (留下印象）:

People want to see order, pattern and meaning in the world. Consider, for example, the common belief that things like personal misfortunes,plane crashes, and deaths “happen in threes”. Such beliefs stem from the tendency of people to allow the third event to define the time period. If three plane crashes occur in a month, then the period of time that counts as their uhappening together” is one month j if three crashes occur in a year, the period of time is stretched. Flexible end points reinforce such beliefs.

We also tend to believe what we want to believe. A majority of people think they are more intelligent,more fair-minded and more skilled behind the wheel of automobile than the average person. Part of the reason we view ourselves so favorably is that we use criteria that work to our advantage. As economist Thomas Schelling explains, uEverybody ranks himself high in qualities he values： careful drivers give weight so care,skilled drivers give weight to skill,and those who are polite give weight to courtesy. ” This way everyone ranks high on his own scale.

Perhaps the most important mental habit we can learn is to be cautious (谨慎的）in drawing conclusions. The “evidence” of everyday life is sometimes misleading.

What can be inferred from the passage?

A. Happenings that go unnoticed deserve more attention.

B. In a series of misfortunes the third one is usually the most serious.

C. People tend to make use of evidence that supports their own beliefs.

D. Believers of misfortunes happening in threes are cautious in interpreting events.
参考答案
【讲解答案】
A 推理题。从文章第一、二段可知许多人因;^几个梦变成现实而确信梦的预言性，却忽视大多数 梦并没有成真。同样，人们总是抱怨“电话总在淋浴的时候响起”，只是因为在淋浴时电话确实响 起，所以便留下了这个印象。若这类亊未发生过，就不会有这样的印象，因此我们可以推断出那些 未被人注意到的事情应该引起人们更多的注意,所以A项是正确的。