Everyoneknowsaboutstraight-Astudents.WeseethemfrequentlyinTVsituationcomediesandinmovieslikeRevenge(报复)oftheNerds.Theygethighgradesallrightbutonlybybecomingdulllaborerstheirnosesalwaysstuckinabook.Theyarenotgoodatsocialcommunicationandlookclumsy(笨拙的)whiledoingsports.
HowthendoweaccountforDomenicaRomanorPaulMelendres?
RomanisonthetennisteamatFairmontSeniorHighSchool.Shealsosingsinthechoralgroupservesonthestudentcouncilandisamemberofthemathematicssociety.FortwoyearsshehasmaintainedA’sineverysubject.MelendresafreshmanattheUniversityofNewMexicowasstudent-bodypresidentatValleyHighSchoolinAlbuquerque.Heplayedsoccerandbasketballwellexhibitedatthesciencefairandmeanwhileworkedasareporteronalocaltelevisionstation.BeingaspeechgiveratthegraduationceremonyheachievedstraightA’sinhisregularclassesplusbonuspointsforA’sintwocollege-levelcourses.
Howdosuper-achieverslikeRomanandMelendresdoit?Brainsaren’ttheonlyanswer.“Topgradesdon’talwaysgotothebrighteststudents”declaresHerbertWalbergaprofessorofeducationattheUniversityofIllinoisatChicagowhohasconductedmajorstudiesonsuper-achievingstudents.“Knowinghowtomakethemostofyourinnate(天生的)abilitiescountsformore.Muchmore.”
InfactWalbergsaysstudentswithhighIQsometimesdon’tdoaswellasclassmateswithlowerIQ.Forthemlearningcomestooeasilyandtheyneverfindouthowtogetdown.
Hardworkisn’tthewholestoryeither.“It’snothowlongyousittherewiththebooksopen”saidoneofthemany-Astudentsweinterviewed.“It’swhatyoudowhileyou’resitting.”Indeedsomeofthesestudentsactuallyputinfewerhoursofhomeworktimethantheirlower-scoringclassmates.
Thekidsatthetopoftheclassgettherebymasteringafewbasictechniquesthatotherscanreadilylearn.
【小题1】Theunderlinedword“nerds”canprobablybe________.