Microblogging is a broadcast medium in the form of blogging. A microblog differs from a traditional blog in that its content is typically much smaller, in both actual size and aggregate file size. Microblogs “allow users to exchange small elements of content such as short sentences, individual images, or video links”.
As with traditional blogging, microbloggers post about topics ranging from the simple, such as "what I'm doing right now," to the thematic(主题的), such as "sports cars.” Commercial microblogs also exist, to promote (促进) websites, services and/or products, and to promote collaboration within an organization.
Some microblogging services offer features such as privacy settings, which allow users to control who can read their microblogs, or other ways of publishing rights besides entering the web-based interface.(界面) These may include text messaging, E-mail, or digital audio.
The first microblogs were known as tumblelogs. The term was invented in a blog post on April 12, 2005. However, by 2006 and 2007, the term microblog came into greater usage for such services provided by Tumbler and Twitter. Other leading social networking websites Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and XING also have their own microblogging features, better known as status updates.
Several studies, especially by Harvard Business School have tried to analyze the usage behavior of Microblogging services. Many of these studies show that for services such as Twitter, there is a small group of active users contributing to most of the activity.
Twitter, Facebook and other microblogging services are also becoming a platform for marketing and public relations, with a sharp growth in the number of social media marketers. The Sysomos study shows that this specific group of marketers on Twitter is much more active than general user population, with 15% following more than 2,000 people.Why is a microblog different from a traditional blog?
| A．Because a microblog doesn’t include pictures, but a traditional blog does. |
| B．Because a microblog doesn’t include videos, but a traditional blog does. |
| C．Because a microblog has smaller contents than a traditional blog in actual and total file size. |
| D．Because a microblog can only be written on the cell-phones. |
Microblogging can protect the following privacy EXCEPT_______.
| A．deciding the readers of the microblogs |
| B．allowing readers to publish their views |
| C．readers’ deleting what a microblog says |
| D．deciding whether readers can enter it |
We can infer from the passage that______.
| A．microbloggers always post about the thematic topics instead of the simple ones |
| B．microblogging has developed so quickly and brought the owners more and more benefits. |
| C．microblogging protects both the owners’ and the readers’ privacy |
| D．the studies by Harvard Business School have analyzed the usage of microblogging services |
Women work harder than men at university and get better degrees as a result, according to a study at Brunel University.
The research, which followed 200 students for four years, found that women consistently outperformed men in their studies even though they had started their courses with almost identical A-level grades.
An analysis of the results showed that while 65 percent of female graduates were awarded, only 35 percent of male graduates did as well. Girls are known to outperform boys at school, but this research showed that trend continued at university.
Fiona Smith, who led the research, said, “The research shows that the difference has something to do with schools in general.”
“It also shows something about the inequality for working women in terms of pay and promotion. Women work harder at school, harder at university, and do better at both, but they still receive less pay.”
The research found that female students were more faithful, less likely to miss lectures, and more likely to believe that their marks reflected their abilities than male students. Female students were also more likely to ask for and receive support from their professors.
Women were also more likely to choose their universities because they liked the courses offered.
In contrast, men were more likely than women to miss lectures due to “other affairs” and “laziness”, and to believe that playing sports was an important part of university life.
Generally, people think that women’s success comes from more emphasis on coursework, but the research showed that female geographers at Brunel did better in their exams than in their coursework.
Dr Smith said, “Most women feel that getting good grades is the most important part of university life. They believe that they need to work harder in order to compete in the male-dominated (男性主导的) environment they will encounter at work. Good grades are viewed as an ‘insurance policy’ for success. Men, on the other hand, prefer going out and playing sports to academic work.”
“This research shows how important it is to get all young people working hard and teach them the value of higher education,” he said.The research at Brunel University showed that women ________.
| A．did worse than men both at school and at university |
| B．got better grades than men |
| C．paid little attention to their courses |
| D．often missed classes |
Which of the following about men is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．They work as hard as women. |
| B．They spend as much time on courses as women. |
| C．They play a lot more than women. |
| D．They consider good grades to be an “insurance policy” for success. |
We can infer from the results of the research that ________.
| A．women do better both at school and at university |
| B．female students are more likely to ask for and receive support from their professors |
| C．compared with men, women are in an unfavorable condition in the male-dominated world |
| D．it’s easier for women to get rises in pay and promotion |
The main purpose of the research is to _________.
| A．give the government some advice on higher education |
| B．show us some information about higher education |
| C．show the sex difference in higher education |
| D．make all students work hard and realize the importance of higher education |
Bayfield Shopping Coupons (赠券)
1. Six Hours Free Parking
If you spend $ 100 or more in our stores you will receive six hours of free parking. When you have spent $ 100 or more, just take this coupon and your receipts to the customer service desk on level 4. They will stamp your parking ticket to allow 6 hours of free parking.
Offer until November 14.
2. Win a $ 1,000 CD Collection
Win your choice of $1,000 worth of CDs from JB Music Store. Just buy any two CDs and your name will go into the competition. Select your own prize from our wide variety of rock, pop, jazz, and classical music.
Competition ends November 14. Prize drawn on November 21.
Check store for more information.
3. Buy One, Get One Free
Buy one shirt or tie at Daniel’s Men’s Wear, and get another shirt or tie of the same value free.
Choose from any of our dress shirts and we will give you another one at no cost.
Hurry! Offer ends November 14. Offer limited to one per customer.
4. 10% Off
Present this coupon at The Book Store to get a 10% discount on any books you buy.
We have lots of books to choose from, including children’s books, novels, travel guides, and science works. You are sure to find something that you will enjoy. Shop now for Christmas. We have plenty of toys as gifts for you and avoid the rush.
Offer here until November 14.
5. Half-price Movie Tickets
Buy a full-price movie ticket on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, and you can buy a second ticket for a friend for only half price. The latest movies are here, shown in one of our five theaters at Bayfield Shopping Center.
Offer good through December 1. Limit one per customer.
6. Free Soft Drink
Buy any meal for at least $ 6 at Mike’s Cafe, and receive a free soft drink. We serve the best fast food in the Shopping Center. Come in and try our delicious meals and our excellent service.
You won’t be disappointed! Free soft drink offer ends November 14.What are these ads for?
| A．Food you can order for delivery. | B．Places to go on vacation. |
| C．Special offers at a shopping center. | D．Things on sale in a big store. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the ads?
| A．Spending $ 50 means 3 hours of free parking. |
| B．One person can buy 4 tickets for the price of three. |
| C．After buying two CDs, you can get another two CDs for free. |
| D．At Mike’s Cafe, people can get a free soft drink after spending $ 6. |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned at this mall?
| A．Clothes store. | B．Music store. | C．Restaurant. | D．Toy store. |
We can know from this passage _________.
| A．there is more than one theater in the center |
| B．if you buy a book there, you may pay less than half the price |
| C．you may get a free one if you buy a shirt, or a tie, or a pair of shoes |
| D．you won’t get a free soft drink unless you spend more than 10 dollars on the meal |
A recent experiment held in Japan shows that it is almost impossible for people to walk exactly straight for 60 metres. Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology found 20 healthy men and asked them to walk as straight as possible to a target 60 metres away at normal speed. Each man had to walk on white paper fixed flat to the floor wearing wet colored socks. The footprints revealed that all walked in a winding rather than a straight line. Researchers found that people readjust the direction of walking every few seconds. The amount of the winding differed from subject to subject. This suggests that none of us can walk in a strictly straight line. We walk in a winding way mainly because of a slight structural or functional imbalance of our limbs (四肢). Although we may start walking in a straight line, several steps afterwards we have changed direction.
Eyesight helps us to correct the direction of walking and leads us to the target. Your ears also help you walk. After turning around a lot with your eyes closed, you can hardly stand still, let alone walk straight.
It’s all because your ears help you balance. Inside your inner ear there is a structure which contains liquids. On the sides of the organ are many tiny hair-like structures that move around as the liquid flows. When you spin (旋转) the liquid inside also spins. The difference is that when you stop, the liquid continues to spin for a while. Dizziness is the result of these nerves in your ear. When you open your eyes, although your eyesight tells you to walk in a straight line, your brain will trust your ears more, thus you walk in a curved line.The experiment held in Japan proved that _______.
| A．the participants kept readjusting their direction of walking |
| B．all the participants had a good sense of direction |
| C．the experiment was done in different ways |
| D．none of the participants finished the 60 metres |
The underlined word “subject” in Para. 1 refers to ________.
| A．a person with a functional imbalance |
| B．a person chosen to be studied in an experiment |
| C．the subject one studies at school |
| D．the direction of walking |
The purpose of writing the article is to ________.
| A．prove that ears and eyes help us to walk straight |
| B．explain why we can hardly walk in a strictly straight line |
| C．point out the importance of noticing everyday science |
| D．give background information about a latest study |
Steve Nash enjoys team success far more than personal success, and always wants to share the glory and the joy with teammates.
He is a self-effacing (不爱出风头的) Canadian, who grew up in hockey country. Today Steve Nash has to stand alone even if he doesn’t enjoy it. The Phoenix Sun’s point guard has to take ownership of a set of skills that sets him apart from every bigger, faster basketball player. He is considered the best basketball player in the game.
31-year old Nash was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the NBA on May 8, 2005. “It’s unbelievable,” he said. “It’s been a long road for me and I really enjoy playing as a team, just trying to be a good teammate. That is the only way for me to highlight what I do as a basketball player.”
It is the first time a Canadian has won any individual NBA honor. Of the 50 winners of the MVP award, only six have been guards: Steve Nash, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, and Bob Cousy. “I’m happy for him getting the MVP, which makes us feel like we all got the MVP,” said Phoenix forward Shawn Marion.
He may be the only one who truly believes he can reach this level. “I always try to set goals for myself and have my own time frame to accomplish them and I never give up on anything,” he said. It is not as if Nash arrived at this point without countless hours of hard work.
His interests go far beyond sports and the NBA. His social conscience is such that he wore a T-shirt bearing an anti-war slogan at the NBA all-star weekend festivities in Philadelphia in 2002.
“A lot of great moments are when you win games with your teammates. There’s nothing like sharing something with someone else,” he said. “There is a pinnacle (顶点) of a player’s career individually. In many ways, the pinnacle of a player’s career really is defined by team wins.”What does Steve Nash mean by saying the last two sentences?
| A．A player’s success is decided by his / her individual efforts. |
| B．A player won’t succeed without a team’s support. |
| C．A player will succeed sooner or later. |
| D．A team always decides a player’s success. |
Steve Nash feels happiest _______.
| A．when he is named the Most Valuable Player of the NBA |
| B．when he is 30 years old |
| C．when he plays at the NBA all-star weekend festivities |
| D．when his team wins a game |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Nash is an American basketball player. |
| B．Nash is better at basketball than Magic Johnson. |
| C．Nash is the first Canadian winner of the MVP award. |
| D．Michael Jordan is the best of the six guards. |
Which of the following is the main message that the passage wants to express?
A. Nash prefers team honor to personal honor.
B. Hard work will lead to the honor of the MVP of the NBA.
C. A Canadian can be an MVP of the NBA.
D. Setting goals is of importance to success.
There are two basic ways to see growth: one as a product, the other as a process. People have generally viewed personal growth as an external（外部的） result or product that can easily be identified and measured. The worker who gets a promotion, the student whose grades improve, the foreigner who learns a new language--- all these are examples of people who have measurable results to show for their efforts.
By contrast, the process of personal growth is much more difficult to determine, since by definition it is a journey and not the specific signposts or landmarks along the way. The process is not the road itself, but rather the attitudes and feelings people have, their caution or courage, as they go through new experiences and unexpected obstacles. In this process, the journey never really ends; there are always new ways to experience the world, new ideas to try, new challenges to accept.
In order to grow, to travel new roads, people need to have a willingness to take risks, to be faced with the unknown, and to accept the possibility that they may “fail” at first. How we see ourselves as we try a new way of being is essential to our ability to grow.
These feelings of insecurity and self – doubt are both unavoidable and necessary if we are to change and grow. If we do not face and overcome these internal fears and doubts, if we protect ourselves too much, then we cease to grow. We become trapped inside a shell of our own making.A person is generally believed to achieve personal growth when______..
| A．he has given up his smoking habit |
| B．he has made great efforts in his work |
| C．he is interested in making anything new |
| D．he has tried to determine where he is on his journey |
In the author’s eyes, one who views personal growth as a process would______.
| A．judge his ability to grow from his own achievements |
| B．succeed in climbing up the social ladder |
| C．face difficulties and take up challenges |
| D．aim high and reach his goal each time |
When the author says “a new way of being” (para. 3), he is referring to _____.
| A．a new way of taking risks |
| B．a new approach to experiencing the world |
| C．a new system of adapting to change |
| D．a new method of finding ourselves |
For personal growth, the author may not support __________. .
| A．curiosity and more chances |
| B．being quick in self – adaptation |
| C．open – minded to new experiences |
| D．avoidance of internal fears and doubts |