FP 9 - UNIT 2 – PRACTICE TEST 1, 2

Decision-making plays an important role in leading a happy and successful life. Good decisions can lead to benefits while poor choices can result in losses. For those who agonize over every possibility of their choices, they get exhausted from decision fatigue. Charles Darwin is a typical example. In 1838, the English naturalist was on the horns of dilemma – whether to get married or devote his life to science.

To facilitate the process, Darwin made a list of the expected pluses and minuses of marriage. On the left-hand side, he tried to imagine what marital life would be like (“having a constant companion”, and “the likelihood that children would be part of the package”). On the right-hand side, he tried to imagine what it would be like not to marry (“not forced to visit relatives and to bend in every trifle”). Most of Darwin’s list seemed to point him toward a life of staying single. Yet he decided to marry, seemingly putting his sober list of pluses and minuses aside.

Why did Darwin ignore the calm, rational calculus he laid out? Obviously, as social beings, we want to belong to something larger than ourselves. The decisions we made do not just lead to good days or bad days. They define us and determine who we are, who we might aspire to become and who we might come to be. Darwin accepted that daily happiness was less important how he thought he should live his life, and who and what he wanted to become.

From Darwin’s lesson, the advice is to spend less time trying to figure out the best path to get to where you want to go and spend more time thinking about where you want to go in the first place.

(Adapted from How to Make a Decision When There’s No “Right” One by Russ Roberts)

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Some people are worn out by overthinking their decisions.​ (a)  

Charles Darwin jotted down the pros and cons of getting married before coming to the final decision.​ (b)  

His decision was to stay single until his death.​ (c)  

It can be inferred that we should listen to our emotions when making a tough choice.​ (d)  

• True
• False

Decision-making plays an important role in leading a happy and successful life. Good decisions can lead to benefits while poor choices can result in losses. For those who agonize over every possibility of their choices, they get exhausted from decision fatigue. Charles Darwin is a typical example. In 1838, the English naturalist was on the horns of dilemma – whether to get married or devote his life to science.

To facilitate the process, Darwin made a list of the expected pluses and minuses of marriage. On the left-hand side, he tried to imagine what marital life would be like (“having a constant companion”, and “the likelihood that children would be part of the package”). On the right-hand side, he tried to imagine what it would be like not to marry (“not forced to visit relatives and to bend in every trifle”). Most of Darwin’s list seemed to point him toward a life of staying single. Yet he decided to marry, seemingly putting his sober list of pluses and minuses aside.

Why did Darwin ignore the calm, rational calculus he laid out? Obviously, as social beings, we want to belong to something larger than ourselves. The decisions we made do not just lead to good days or bad days. They define us and determine who we are, who we might aspire to become and who we might come to be. Darwin accepted that daily happiness was less important how he thought he should live his life, and who and what he wanted to become.

From Darwin’s lesson, the advice is to spend less time trying to figure out the best path to get to where you want to go and spend more time thinking about where you want to go in the first place.

(Adapted from How to Make a Decision When There’s No “Right” One by Russ Roberts)

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What serves as the best title for the passage?

• Marriage – A Sacred Choice You’ve Ever Made

• Charles Darwin – Famous English Naturalist

• “Head Choice” versus “Heart Choice”

• Decision-making in Business

Decision-making plays an important role in leading a happy and successful life. Good decisions can lead to benefits while poor choices can result in losses. For those who agonize over every possibility of their choices, they get exhausted from decision fatigue. Charles Darwin is a typical example. In 1838, the English naturalist was on the horns of dilemma – whether to get married or devote his life to science.

To facilitate the process, Darwin made a list of the expected pluses and minuses of marriage. On the left-hand side, he tried to imagine what marital life would be like (“having a constant companion”, and “the likelihood that children would be part of the package”). On the right-hand side, he tried to imagine what it would be like not to marry (“not forced to visit relatives and to bend in every trifle”). Most of Darwin’s list seemed to point him toward a life of staying single. Yet he decided to marry, seemingly putting his sober list of pluses and minuses aside.

Why did Darwin ignore the calm, rational calculus he laid out? Obviously, as social beings, we want to belong to something larger than ourselves. The decisions we made do not just lead to good days or bad days. They define us and determine who we are, who we might aspire to become and who we might come to be. Darwin accepted that daily happiness was less important how he thought he should live his life, and who and what he wanted to become.

From Darwin’s lesson, the advice is to spend less time trying to figure out the best path to get to where you want to go and spend more time thinking about where you want to go in the first place.

(Adapted from How to Make a Decision When There’s No “Right” One by Russ Roberts)

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What does the phrase “the process” in paragraph 2 refer to?

• dilemma

• decision fatigue

• every possibility

• decision-making

Supply the correct form of the word given in each sentence.

That each item purchased in the supermarket is wrapped in plastic is a prime example of ______ that worsens plastic pollution in our oceans. (PACKAGE)

Supply the correct form of the word given in each sentence.

Lauren decided not to use ______ like paper cups, plastic cutlery, and aluminum foil trays in order to protect the environment. (DISPOSE)

Supply the correct form of the word given in each sentence.

It is ______ of you to play loud music late at night. (CONSIDER)

Supply the correct form of the word given in each sentence.

On the first day of the conference, she ______ approached the podium, not knowing how the audience would react to her speech. (HESITATE)

Supply the correct form of the word given in each sentence.

The sound of the music ______ into thinking that there were a lot of people in the house. (DECEIT)

Supply the correct form of the word given in each sentence.

Marc was ______ of his sister when his parents bought her a new laptop as a reward for her outstanding academic results. (ENVY)

Choose the correct arrangement of the sentences to make a meaningful paragraph / letter.

a. Jo has lived without cash since she quit her job as a community development officer in 2015.

b. She even wore unused clothes taken from the local charity.

c. At that time, she collected napkins from cafés to use as toilet paper and pieces of unwanted soap.

d. She also built a stove out of old bricks and used twigs for fuel.

e. When interviewed, she said that she saw the value in what others discarded.

• a – e – d – c – b

• b – d – e – c – a

• a – c – d – b – e

• b – a – c – d – e