2025 年 12 月大学英语六级考试真题（第 2 套）

A)Projects, relationships, and jobs don't always work out as planned- and it's not always clear when to give up. We've all repeatedly heard the saying that "quitters never win," but sometimes the best decision is to cut our losses.

B)Think about that relationship you held on to even after it had run its course or the job you stayed in despite your boss making you miserable. Many of us try to hold onto the last ray of hope, thinking we can make it work, whatever "it" is. And while perseverance is generally an excellent quality, it may also incline you to over-invest in something that is no longer a good idea.

C)As an executive coach, I work with numerous passionate and hard-working leaders who don't want to "quit." But the smartest leaders learn to discern the difference between quitting too soon and holding onto something that they shouldn't.

D)We are all susceptible to the sunk-cost delusion, an unconscious bias that leads us to persist in an endeavor we have already invested time, effort, or money into — even when abandoning it would be more beneficial. We realize that we can't get back the resources we've given, so we persevere — investing in a project that should be halted, staying in a relationship that should be over, or finishing a book we no longer enjoy and should put down, because we're already halfway through it. If quitting is "not your thing," you may be especially susceptible to this bias.

E)The sunk-cost delusion causes us to overly worry about what we'll lose if we move on and not think enough about the costs of not moving on. To offset this bias, deliberately refocus your thinking on the gains so you can more objectively weigh the alternatives. Ask yourself: What might I gain by cutting my losses now? Will you be happier or have time for another (better) opportunity? Then ask yourself: What will it cost me to soldier on? For example, is it possible that you'll be throwing more good money after what you've already lost? Or that you won't have the energy to capitalize on other promising possibilities?

F)The illusion of control can also interfere with our best judgment, leading us to overestimate our ability to control events and attain a positive outcome. This bias gives us a sense of agency and can promote mental health. However, the bias can also result in escalating commitment to a losing course of action. Especially when combined with an "I'm not a quitter" mentality, feeling like we have more control over an event or person than we do puts us at risk of doubling down when we should pull out.

G)To counteract this bias, consider your situation and make a simple two-column list of what's in your control and what's not. Think rigorously. While you may be able to influence other people and various circumstances, you can't force them to change or go your way.

H)Getting clear on what you can control and what you can't is essential to making a quality decision about whether to call it quits or persevere. With a written list in hand, you can ensure you focus on what you can control and better assess whether your continued efforts are worth the expense. Expending effort and emotion on things you can't control can be both draining and disempowering.

I)Research indicates that people link their self-identity and social status to their commitments. And because we identify with our commitments, withdrawing from one can feel like a threat to our identity or status.

J)Take my client Ryan, a leader at a technology company. Ryan had invested two years and a lot of effort in a design project that wasn't delivering the needed outcomes, but the thought of abandoning it after all she had put in was hard to bear. As Ryan and I explored whether she should cancel the initiative she'd been leading or continue to persevere, she stated, "The thing is, I'm not a quitter." This singular, fixed sense of self was clouding her judgment and limiting her choices for action.

K)Our self-concept and identity are mental concepts that influence our behavior. If you strongly identify as not being a quitter, you can end up staying stuck in a course of action due to your narrow and rigid self-concept. To overcome this kind of internal obstacle, recall your other positive traits and personality characteristics. Ask yourself: What additional strengths do I have (or aspire to have) that would be helpful to employ here? For example, when I asked Ryan what other positive qualities from her personality she needed to leverage for decision making, she replied, "Discernment and bravery."

L)Now, examine your situation through the lens of each of these facets of yourself. What does the discerning part of you say? The brave part? Considering your decision through these different characteristics will enable you to see that you have more choices. It's also helpful to seek external sources of information, rather than relying solely on your thinking and instincts. But it's important to think through whose opinions you solicit.

M)Ideally, seek out people who are less invested in your decision than you are. If you're considering whether to shut down your entrepreneurial venture, for instance, reach out to other founders as opposed to just your business partner. Similarly, if you're looking for love advice, ask someone removed from the ups and downs of your relationship instead of relying only on your best friend. In all cases, I recommend describing your situation and following up with a question like: "How would you manage this situation?"

N)N) Alternately, you could also seek out hard data that illuminates your real chance of success in whatever endeavor you are contemplating. Sticking with the example of the entrepreneurial venture, numbers are your best friend. Use them to remove yourself from the love you have for this idea and consider your burn rate relative to growth plan, industry growth rates, and other factors that predict start-up success. External sources of information can help you see angles and possibilities you might not have considered.

O)O) When something that seemed so promising at the start doesn't turn out the way we imagined, we can become overly self-critical. Nobody likes to feel that they've made a poor decision, especially if making intelligent decisions is a quality you hold in high esteem. The most effective strategy here is to give yourself a break. Practicing self-compassion increases your resilience, emotional intelligence, compassion toward others, and can boost your performance as well as help you develop a growth mindset.

P)P) Instead of deliberating and criticizing yourself, focus instead on what you can learn from this situation. For example, Ryan recognized she had developed various new skills and leadership capabilities from leading the design project. And despite ultimately deciding to drop it, she was still happy she had tried and grateful for what the experience taught her.

Q)Q) Undeniably, perseverance can help us succeed. But for your wellbeing, it's important to learn how to distinguish quitting too soon and clinging to a losing course of action. While letting go can be difficult, it will free up your time, energy, and mental space to imagine new possibilities and pursue new opportunities.

As interdependent beings we cannot thrive independent of others. We like to work with people who are like-minded, with whom we share a common interest, or who also believe in a cause we are serious about. This is evident in how we have organised ourselves into various collective groups such as nations, regions, communities, organisations, and families. Does the group you belong to have a strong collective consciousness or shared beliefs? Is there interdependence among its members? Do you consider this group a significant part of your existence? If your answers are affirmative, then you are experiencing a micro version of solidarity. What is solidarity? Its simplest definition in the dictionary is: "...a unifying opinion, feeling, purpose or interest among a group of people." In this increasingly diverse society we live in, solidarity takes on a complex and multifaceted character as it forms bonds of interdependence among unique individuals living in a fast-changing environment and working within a complex division of labour. One facet of solidarity fits well with the principles of communitarianism. In this setting, individuals give up their own interests to serve the common good. However, its strict adherence to social cohesiveness and exclusiveness restricts expression and practice of individual differences and preferences. Consequently, individuality and autonomy is sacrificed to maintain the unity of the group. Solidarity is also viewed as a reaction to the extreme emphasis on individualism and freedom of choice. It goes against the liberal idea of unrestricted individuals who see society as a hindrance to their freedom to make choices and to act according to what is good for them regardless of how these will affect others. But despite its many facets, social theorists have viewed solidarity as a key factor in bringing about order and progress in society. They believe that for human society to survive as it becomes more diverse, more new bonds need to be formed based on the differences. In the light of this, they regard a genuine solidarity as more than just shallow relationships based on common interests. Solidarity is not just a product of strategic calculations of how much it will benefit the self. It is not an exclusive class founded on the you-and-me-against-the-world principle. Rather, it is inclusive and is not forced. Acting out of solidarity means supporting and standing up for each other — in recognition that one's fate is in the fate of the other. It is a bond characterised by cooperative practices and strengthened by the concern for the well-being of others or the common good. It fights for the protection of human dignity and listens to and acts on the cries of the most vulnerable.

People who repeatedly give unwanted advice can be well-meaning and genuinely want to help. Others might do this out of a sense of self-worth around the ability to influence others. One study found that people with a high tendency to seek power were more likely to give advice than those with an opposite tendency. Under the guise of unselfishness, people may be driven to give you unwanted advice because it makes them feel powerful or in control. They may not be fully aware of this drive, however. These people may also display a problematic degree of emotional vulnerability, becoming upset very quickly, and taking a long time to calm down. It is possible that their emotions were only validated in childhood when they were at their loudest, encouraging them to adopt responses to discomfort that are excessive in most situations. When someone is giving advice in order to make themselves feel more powerful, there is underlying anxiety to their behavior that recipients of the advice tend to notice. It can be tempting in this situation to react harshly to the advice giver and to accuse them of being manipulative, but this approach might produce an undesirable result. If the act of giving advice is contributing actively to someone's feelings of self-worth, an outright rejection may be perceived as a threat, activating their fight-or-flight response, possibly causing them to double down on their validation-seeking behavior, or leading to a larger conflict. The key is to validate without over-identifying. You can let them know that you have heard them and appreciate where they are coming from without taking on the potentially damaging narrative that you could not have gotten by without their help. You had better say something like, "Thanks for the idea. I have my own plan for handling this, but I really appreciate your perspective and will take it into consideration. Can I let you know when I need help in the future?" If you have trouble setting boundaries tactfully, prioritize working on your own ability to self-regulate. As uncomfortable as it may make you continuously receiving unwanted advice, if you can respond with compassion, the situation will likely diffuse much faster. Though it is usually not the intended outcome of giving unsolicited advice, many who receive it often feel stressed, offended, or simply annoyed by unwanted suggestions. Setting a boundary in this regard, if you feel you need one, is perfectly reasonable and something that can bring you increased emotional safety. It is best to set boundaries in a way that takes into account the individual's underlying reasons for doing what they are doing to avoid unnecessary conflict and more stress.