Gossip moves so quickly that few people have time to cover their ears, even if they want to.
“I hate it when others gossip about me,” said Mandy Miraglia, 16, a high school student from California, “but to be honest, gossip about my friends makes me feel I am trusted and belong to the group.” Miraglia is not the only person feeling like that.
Gossip has long been looked down on as little more than nonsense and bad manners. But recent research has shown that gossip has many positive effects on your social life.
“There has been a trend among people to dislike gossip,” said David Sloan Wilson, Professor from the State University of New York in Binghamton, US, “but gossip appears to be a very important form of behavior in a group of friends, defining their group membership.”
For 18 months, Kevin Kniffin, from the University of Wisconsin, US, researched the behavior of 50 people. He found that gossip levels peaked when a sports team included a slacker, someone who regularly missed practices or showed up late. Other members of the team would soon start to joke about the slacker’s shortcomings behind his back, because they thought they were bad for the whole team.
Gossip about the mistakes of senior members helps newcomers rebuild their confidence after a failure.
It also helps relieve social and professional anxiety. Long-term studies show that people around the world devote from a fifth to two-thirds or more of their daily conversation to gossip, and men appear to be just as eager for gossip as women.
It is hard to judge gossip, but it is more powerful than you think. The author would probably agree that______________.
A.gossip is bad manners |
B.gossip has many good effects |
C.gossip is somewhat like nonsense |
D.gossip is more powerful than advice |
What does the underlined word “slacker” mean according to the context?
A.Someone who values the team benefit much. |
B.Someone who does not do what they should well. |
C.Someone who is active in sports. |
D.Someone who shows no much interest in sports. |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A.Gossip is a useful way of building group membership. |
B.Gossip can possibly make someone confident. |
C.Generally, women are fonder of gossip than men. |
D.Actually, everyone gossips to some degree in their daily conversation. |
Shopping for clothes is not the same experience for a man as it is for a woman. A man goes shopping because he needs something. He knows what he wants, and his purpose is to find it and buy it; the price is a less important consideration. All men simply walk into a shop and ask the assistant for what they want. If the shop has it, the salesman immediately produces it, and the business of trying it is done at once. All being well, the bargain can be and often is completed in less than five minutes, with hardly any chat and to everyone's satisfaction.
For a man, slight problems may begin when the shop does not have what he wants. Then the salesman tries to sell the customer something else—he offers the nearest he can to the thing required. He usually says, "I know this jacket is not the style you want, sir, but would you like to try it on for size? It happens to be the color you want." Few men have patience with this treatment, and the usual reply is: "This is the right color and may be the right size, but I should be wasting my time and yours by trying it on."
Now how does a woman go about buying clothes? She does so in the opposite. She has never fully made up her mind what she wants, and she is only "having a look round." She is always open to persuasion; indeed she considers of great importance what the saleswoman tells her, even what her friends tell her. She will try on any number of things. Highest in her mind is the thought of finding something that everyone thinks suits her. Most women have an excellent sense of value when they buy clothes. They are always trying to find an unexpected bargain. Faced with a roomful of dresses, a woman may easily spend an hour going from one counter to another before selecting the dresses she wants to try on. It takes a great deal of time but gives great joy. Most dress shops supply chairs for the waiting husbands.
53. When a man is buying clothes, he ___________.
A. puts price before quality B. chooses things that others think suitable for him
C. does not mind much the price he has to pay for the right things
D. buys good quality things, so long as they do not cost too much
54. When a man cannot get what he wants, he ________.
A. buys something of the same color in a slight different style
B. usually does not buy anything
C. will try on some other clothes of the same style
D. wastes no time in buying something else
55. What does the passage tell us about women shoppers for clothes ?
A. They welcome suggestions from anyone
B. Women seldom consider buying cheap clothes
C. Women often buy things without thinking D. They listen to advice but never take it
56. The most obvious difference between men and women shoppers is ________.
A. that men do not try clothes on in a shop while women do
B. that women bargain for their clothes and men don't
C. that women do their shopping standing up but men do theirs sitting down
D. the time they take over buying clothes
When a cat is frightened, its heart starts beating faster, its muscles get tense, and there are changes in the chemicals in its blood stream. If the danger continues, it will defend itself, or it will run away as fast as possible.
Something like this also happens to people. When we are excited, angry, scared or aroused by other emotions, our bodies go through many physical changes, all of which make us more alert and ready to react. We, too, get ready to defend ourselves or run.Human beings, however, have a problem that animals never face. If we give way to our feelings and let them take over, we can get into trouble. Have you ever said something in anger ― or hit somebody - and regretted it later? Have you ever shouted at a teacher, told somebody you were lonely, or said you were in love, and then wished later you had kept your mouth shut? It isn’t always wise to express your feelings freely.
Does this mean that it’s smarter always to hide our feelings? No! If you keep the feelings of anger, sadness, and bitterness hidden away or bottled up inside, your body stays tense. Physical illnesses can develop, and you can feel disturbed badly inside.It can actual1y be bad for your health.
Feelings that you keep all bottled up inside don’t just go away. It’s as if you bought some bananas and stuck them in a cupboard. You might not be able to see them, but before long you’d smell them. And if you opened the cupboard, chances are that you’d see little fruit flies hovering all over them. They’d be rotten.
You can try to treat emotions as if they were bananas in the cupboard. You can hide them and you can pretend they don’t exist, but they’ll still be around. And at last you’ll have to deal with them, just like those bananas.
49. By taking a cat as an example, the author wants to show us that .
A. animals can’t control their feelings
B. people can’t control their feelings
C. people’s physical reactions are like those of animals in a way
D. our bodies go through many physical changes in certain situations
50. It’s mentioned in the passage that human beings get into trouble because .
A. we are not as alert as animals
B. we sometimes can’t control our feelings
C. we always do something wrong to other people
D. we don’t pay attention to our physical changes
51. The author wants to tell us in the last two paragraphs that .
A. we won’t be able to completely get away from our feelings.
B. we should treat emotions like bananas in a cupboard
C. feelings will gradually disappear when we hold them in
D. it’s good for our health to keep pleasant feelings
52. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Frightened Cats and Human Beings B. Feelings and Bananas
C. Deal with Feelings Wisely D. Express Feelings Freely
These days, if you still think the cell phone is just for talking, you’ll get laughed at. Yes, it’s true, voice-only handsets have become out of date. Today’s do-it-all mobiles have a lot in common with the computer. The only difference may be that they fit in your pocket and you pay by the minute to use them. Some of the things a cell phone can do for you will be available this year:
Surf at speed
Cell phones that let you use the Web have been around for years. So, what’s new? Well, faster third-generation(3G)networks that let you surf at anywhere. This then allows a carrier to send video, music, and games to your phone. Possible choices are from LG Electronics VX 8000 and Motorola V1150.
Listen as you go
The problem with most cell phone MP3 players is that they hold only a handful of songs. But, that’s about to change. Sony Ericsson’s new W800i can hold around 150 songs in its 500 MB memory. And Samsung’s SPH-V5400 even comes with a 1.5 GB hard drive. Mobile phones may eventually replace mini-MP3 players, especially for teens.
Say cheese
Camera cell phones are not new either. But, most of them have limitations: around 1-megapixel(百万像素). But new technology has made 2-megapixel units more common, and 3-megapixel units are showing up soon. Some 2-megapixel models, like Sony Ericsson’s K750i, offer limited zoom and focus controls. Others, like LG’s recent A7110, can even capture 30 minutes of full-motion video.
Portable TV
You say you like “watching TV”? That’s what Samsung MM-A700 wants to give you. The new model lets users watch popular TV programmes — for a fee. Other choices are Nokia’s 6620, Sanyo’s MM7400 and NEC’s N940. The NEC model lets you watch public TV — no fee.
The above are just a handful of what you’ll see in the coming months. Further down the road, your mobile phone may play a host of other roles, such as mobile credit card, position locator... So what is there that a cell phone can’t do?
45. Which of the following models should you choose to listen to the music?
A. Samsung’s SPH-V5400 and Nokia’s 6620.
B. Sony Ericsson’s W800i and Samsung’s SPH-V5400.
C. Sony Ericsson’s W800i and NEC’s N940.
D. Sanyo’s MM7400 and NEC’s N940.
46. What’s the difference between NEC’s N940 and other models?
A. It allows you to surf the Internet at a high speed.
B. It can capture 30 minutes of full-motion video.
C. It can hold as many as 150 songs.
D. It lets you watch public TV for free.
47. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. All the functions of the models mentioned in the passage are completely new.
B. Camera cellphones of 3-megapixel units will appear soon.
C. It is certain that a cellphone can do anything in the near future.
D. Today’s do-it-all mobiles have nothing in common with the computer.
48. This passage may be ________.
A. an introduction to some new models of cellphones
B. an advertisement trying to persuade you to buy new cellphones
C. a science fiction trying to attract readers’ attention
D. a survey to find the development of cellphones
第二部分阅读理解(共25小题。第一节每小题2分,第二节每小题1分;满分45分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A, B, C 和 D)中,
选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A young woman carrying a three-year-old child got on a bus. The conductor hurried to give her a warm welcome and then kindly asked the other passengers to make more room for the woman and her child. On seeing this, people began to talk. “You know this conductor used to be very rude. Now suddenly he has changed his bad behavior,” said a middle-aged man.
“Yes, he should be praised and we must write a letter to the company,” said a second passenger. “That’s right,” another lady said, “I wish a newspaper reporter were here so that more people could learn from this conductor.”
Just then a gentleman who looked like a teacher turned to the conductor and said, “Excuse me, but can I know your name, please? Your excellent service must be praised...”
Before he could open his mouth, the three-year-old child sitting on the young woman’s lap interrupted, “I know his name. I call him Dad.”
41. One passenger suggested writing a letter to the company to ______ .
A. make a demand for more buses
B. thank the conductor for his good service
C. criticize the conductor for his rude behavior
D. invite a newspaper reporter to write about the conductor
42. What was the gentleman?
A. A teacher. B. A newspaper reporter.
C. Not known from the story. D. The conductor's friend from his company.
43. The word “him” in the last paragraph refers to _______.
the gentleman B. the conductor
C. the middle-aged man D. the three-year-old child
44. It is clear from the story that the conductor _______.
A. has changed his attitude towards his work
B. has now been kind and polite to all passengers
C. has not changed his rude behavior to passengers
D. has now been kind and polite to women with children
When a cat is frightened, its heart starts beating faster, its muscles get tense, and there are changes in the chemicals in its blood stream. If the danger continues, it will defend itself, or it will run away as fast as possible.
Something like this also happens to people. When we are excited, angry, scared or aroused by other emotions, our bodies go through many physical changes, all of which make us more alert and ready to react. We, too, get ready to defend ourselves or run.Human beings, however, have a problem that animals never face. If we give way to our feelings and let them take over, we can get into trouble. Have you ever said something in anger ― or hit somebody - and regretted it later? Have you ever shouted at a teacher, told somebody you were lonely, or said you were in love, and then wished later you had kept your mouth shut? It isn’t always wise to express your feelings freely.
Does this mean that it’s smarter always to hide our feelings? No! If you keep the feelings of anger, sadness, and bitterness hidden away or bottled up inside, your body stays tense. Physicalillnesses can develop, and you can feel disturbed badly inside.It can actual1y be bad for your health.
Feelings that you keep all bottled up inside don’t just go away. It’s as if you bought some bananas and stuck them in a cupboard. You might not be able to see them, butbefore long you’d smell them. And if you opened the cupboard, chances are that you’d see little fruit flies hovering all over them. They’d be rotten.
You can try to treat emotions as if they were bananas in the cupboard. You can hide them and you can pretend they don’t exist, but they’ll still be around. And at last you’ll have to deal with them, just like those bananas.
72. By taking a cat as an example, the author wants to show us that .
A. animals can’t control their feelings
B. people can’t control their feelings
C. people’s physical reactions are like those of animals in a way
D. our bodies go through many physical changes in certain situations
73. It’s mentioned in the passage that human beings get into trouble because .
A. we are not as alert as animals
B. we sometimes can’t control our feelings
C. we always do something wrong to other people
D. we don’t pay attention to our physical changes
74. The author wants to tell us in the last two paragraphs that .
A. we won’t be able to completely get away from our feelings .
B. we should treat emotions like bananas in a cupboard
C. feelings will gradually disappear when we hold them in
D. it’s good for our health to keep pleasant feelings
75. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Frightened Cats and Human Beings
B. Feelings and Bananas
C. Deal with Feelings Wisely
D. Express Feelings Freely