《2026年江苏13大市中考名卷优选38套英语》

C
①Do you sometimes feel too afraid to try new things? If you want to grow and get better, you need to take risks and challenge yourself. But your brain often tells you to stay safe. It might say, “Don't trouble trying something new.” Even when these thoughts aren't reasonable, our anxiety(担心) can still win. Instead of thinking about the good things that could happen, we worry more about “What if something goes wrong?”
②Avoiding all risks might seem smart, but it can make you feel unhappy. The problem is that we often make decisions based on feelings, not facts. We think, “The more scared I feel, the riskier it is.” But feelings aren't always reasonable. If we knew how to think about risks clearly, we'd know which risks are worth taking. For example, trying a new hobby like painting might feel scary at first, but it could bring you joy and new skills.
③Whether you're afraid to change your job or too nervous to ask a friend for coffee, learning to take “good risks” can improve your life. Here are good ways to help.
④Balance feelings with facts. Many times, we think fear means something risky. But that's not true. For example, driving a car feels safe because we do it every day, but giving a speech in public might make your heart beat fast. Yet the fact shows that car accidents are much more common than getting hurt while speaking! So before you avoid doing something scary, take three deep breaths and ask yourself: “What's the real risk here?”
⑤Take steps to succeed. You can do many small things to lower risks. If you're nervous about a test, make a study plan and review each day—this helps you feel more prepared. It's okay to feel butterflies in your stomach when you try something new. Facing fear helps build your mental muscle, just like exercising builds physical muscle. So, taking smart risks helps you become mentally stronger. Each time you try something scary, you will learn to deal with uncertainty and anxiety. You'll also get new skills and grow from mistakes.
If you try out for a dance team and don't make it, you can ask for the reason and then practise more. With practice, you'll get better at facing risks, and your chances of success will rise.
33. Which of the following is TRUE according to the first two paragraphs?
A. Avoiding risks is a smart way to stay happy.
B. Taking risks requires us to trust our feelings.
C. Our brain often tells us to face challenges bravely.
D. Our feelings often influence us to make decisions.
34. What does the underlined phrase “build your mental muscle” mean in the last paragraph?
A. Develop strength in your mind.
B. Exercise your body to stay healthy.
C. Think mainly about cheerful things.
D. Avoid situations that make you afraid.
35. What is the structure of this passage? (① = Paragraph 1, ② = Paragraph 2...)

36. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Taking smart risks can push us forward.
B. Trying many small things can reduce risks.
C. Learning clearly about real risks can help a lot.
D. Practising more can help deal with risks better.

答案： 33.D 推理判断。根据第二段中“The problem is that we often make decisions based on feelings，not facts.”可知，我们的决策常常受情感影响。
34.A 词义猜测。根据画线词上下文“Facing fear helps build your mental muscle，just like exercising builds physical muscle. So，taking smart risks helps you become mentally stronger.”可知，面对恐惧有助于锻炼你的“精神肌肉”，就像锻炼身体肌肉一样，因此明智地冒险可以帮助你在精神上变得更强大。此处的画线部分指“增强心理力量”。
35.C 篇章结构。①段提出问题(恐惧阻碍尝试新事物)；②段分析问题(情感驱动的风险规避)；③段过渡(提出“good risks”概念)；④⑤段分别给出具体方法(平衡情感与事实/分步骤行动)。因此文章结构为：①/②/③/④⑤。
36.A 主旨大意。根据第三段关键句“learning to take ‘good risks’ can improve your life”以及通读全文可知，本文主要探讨了如何通过理性评估风险、克服恐惧心理，并承担“明智的风险”来促进个人成长和生活改善。文章围绕“明智冒险”展开，A项“采取明智冒险助力我们前进”概括文章主旨。