If you see a group of people dancing and singing on the street or in the railway station, you don't need to feel surprised.They are a flash mob (快闪族), which is a group of people who come together suddenly in a public place, do something unusual for a brief period of time, and then quickly break up.They are usually organized with the help of the Internet or other digital communication network.At a predetermined time, they gather and perform some distractions(消遣) such as waving their hands and exchanging books, Then, they quickly break up before the police can arrive.Using mobile phones, the flash mob can change its location if the first one has been replaced for any reason.
Bill Lasik, senior editor of Harper’s Magazine, organized the first flash mob in Manhattan in May 2003 and the first successful flash mob came together on June 3, 2003 - after the first attempt was foiled at Macy's department store.Lasik claimed that the activity was designed to make fun of hipsters (起时髦的人), and call attention to the cultural atmosphere.
Flash mob gatherings can sometimes shock people.Such an activity might seem amusing and untrue, but it also might frighten people who are not aware of what is taking place.Undoubtedly, flash mobs can serve as good political tools in any direction.They also have great economic potential, such as using flash mobs to advertise a product.
The flash mob is now becoming more and more popular.People use it to do many things.For example, in 2009, Michael Jackson's fans took part in a flash mob to remember him.Hundreds of his fans gathered singing and dancing Michael's famous song "Beat It" together.Flash mobs give people from all walks of life an opportunity to come together to create a memory.The undefined word "foiled" in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by _ 。
A.forgotten | B.prevented |
C.announced | D.confirmed |
What can you learn about the flash mob from the passage?
A.The flash mob usually breaks up quickly for lacking enough time. |
B.Once the place for the activity is determined, it can't be changed. |
C.The flash mob can be made use offing many fields just for fun. |
D.It gives people the chance to come together to do something unusual. |
The main purpose of the passage is
A.to entertain | B.to encourage |
C.to inform | D.to persuade |
The writer's attitude towards the flash mob is
A.negative | B.objective |
C.favorable | D.doubtful |
A new report says the number of foreign students at colleges and universities in the United States increased by three percent last year. This has been the first obvious increase since 2001.
American schools last fall had 583,000 foreign students. The record is 586,000. That was set in 2002 after many years of gains. But after that the numbers fell. The terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001 led to more visa (签证) requirements. Now stronger efforts are being made to get more foreign students to study in the United States.
China remained in second place in front of South Korea but behind India, whichsent almost 84,000 students last fall. The number of Japanese fell sharply by nine percent, although it remained in fourth place.
There were three percent drops from Indonesia and Kenya, the only African country in the top twenty last year. But there were obvious increases from Saudi Arabia, Nepal and Vietnam. The number of Saudi students more than doubled, rising to nearly eight thousand.
For a sixth year, the University of Southern California in Los Angeles had the most foreign students. Columbia University in New York was second. Other schools in the top five were New York University, the University of Illinois and Purdue University.
Unlike American students in other countries, who often choose history and language study, the leading area of study in the USA was business and management. Second was engineering.
The new report also says more than 220,000 Americans studied in other countries. That was during the 2005-2006 school year. It was a record number, and an increase of eight and a half percent from the year before. But only five percent of them stayed for a full year.
After 2002, the number of foreign students in the USA fell mainly because ____.
A.Americans were worried that foreign students might attack them |
B.few American universities welcomed students from abroad |
C.their own countries could offer them a better education |
D.it was harder for foreign students to get permission to study in the USA |
Which of the following Asian countries has the largest number of studentsstudying
in the USA?
A.China. | B.Japan. | C.South Korea. | D.India. |
Which subject is the most attractive to foreign students in the USA?
A.Business and management. | B.History. |
C.Engineering. | D.Language. |
We can learn from the passage that ____ .
A.Kenya is the only African country that has students in the USA |
B.now foreign students are encouraged to study in the USA |
C.the number of students studying in America always increases |
D.the number of foreign students in the USA will keep increasing in the future |
In which section of a newspaper could you most probably read this passage?
A.Culture. | B.Science. | C.Education. | D.Business. |
Chinese star Yao Ming has retired. Yao made it official Wednesday, telling a news conference that a series of foot and leg injuries forced him to end his playing career at the age of 30.
“I will formally end my career,’’ said Yao, who became a household name in China before starting his NBA career with the Houston Rockets in 2002. Yao played eight seasons in the NBA.
“Today is an important day for me and holds a special meaning for both my basketball career and my future,’’ Yao said. “I had to leave the court since I suffered a stress fracture(断裂) in my left foot for the third time at the end of last year. My past six months were a painful wait. I have been thinking about my future over and over. Today I am announcing a personal decision, ending my career as a basketball player and officially retire. But one door is closing and another one is opening.’’
Yao said he would return to work with his former Chinese team, the Shanghai Sharks, with the possibility of becoming general manager. He already owns the club and wants to contribute more. “My playing career started with the club. I hope I can do something for it,’’ Yao said.
He later appeared with his family on the stage to the applause and cheers of the crowd. He thanked a lot of people — his family, former coaches, even players like Shaquille O’Neal — “for making me a better player.’’
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was among those attending the farewell(告别) conference Wednesday. Morey made the long trip from Houston. Morey said 20 hours on planes was tiring but “I would be sorry if I wasn’t here.” “It’s a big moment,’’ Morey added. “Yao had a sense of humor, a great attitude and sense of responsibility. I hope we can continue his culture in the NBA.’’
Yao Ming has retired from basketball because of _____.
A.his age | B.his bad conducts on the court |
C.his foot and leg injuries | D.his poor health |
Yao Ming was _____ before he decided to end his career as a basketball player.
A.peaceful | B.upset | C.confident | D.proud |
Yao Ming started his playing career in _____.
A.Shanghai | B.Houston | C.Beijing | D.New York |
According to the passage, which of the following words can’t be used to describe
Yao Ming?
A.Talented. | B.Responsible. | C.Humorous. | D.Cautious. |
What do you know about Daryl Morey?
A.Daryl Morey thinks highly of Yao Ming. |
B.Daryl Morey was Yao Ming’s coach. |
C.Daryl Morey is a basketball player in the Houston Rockets. |
D.Daryl Morey is not satisfied with Yao Ming’s retirement from basketball. |
Bugs Bunny's Hoping Carrot Hunt In this game you are Bugs Bunny.and your goal is to reach the finish line.A carrot truck has spilled its cargo! Gather as many carrots as you can, and when you get the big carrot, you'll be able to jump even higher! Instructions: Use the mouse to move Bugs left and right, and click to jump a gap while gathering carrots. Category: Action |
Mushroom Madness You are in charge of protecting several farms.It's up to you to make sure the mushrooms there reach maturity before the animals in the forest get their hands on them.Use your swatter(苍蝇拍)to fight off anything that comes near them; use heavier weapons if necessary. Instructions:Slap any creature that conies near your mushrooms.Use the mouse to control the swatter.If you see a "power up", click to use it.Collect coins to buy upgrades after each level. Category: Action |
Rudolph's Kick and Fly Santa's little helpers have worked all year preparing for Christmas.When Santa finally leaves to deliver his presents, the elves(精灵)head down to the snowfields with Rudolph, the reindeer, to play their favorite game: Kick and Fly! Instructions: 1.Use the mouse to aim, and click to launch an elf. 2.While in the air, click again to catch, and to gain extra height. 3.The goal is to collect as many Christmas ornaments(装饰物)possible, and get 10 points for each one. Tips: If you're heading towards an obstacle(障碍), be sure to avoid it! Category: Action |
Click Flick Your mission is to save chicks falling from the sky.Use your trampoline (蹦床) to bounce them up and direct them into a nest.But hurry—if you don't, many chicks will fall and lose their lives.There will be falling bombs, worms, nuts and eggs and you can get extra points by collecting the worms and nuts.Save the amount of chicks shown to unlock the next level! Instructions: Move the chicks left and right using keys or the mouse. Category: Adventure |
The main purpose of the passage is to ___________.
A.tell us different categories of games |
B.ask us to decide which game is the best |
C.introduce several interesting computer games |
D.let us evaluate whether we are interested in the games |
If a player has collected some worms and nuts, he ____________.
A.is playing Mushroom Madness | B.will lose the game quite soon |
C.will get 10 points for each one | D.will get extra points and get ahead |
Which of the following statements about the games is TRUE according to the
passage?
A.Bugs Bunny needs to be fast to win. |
B.All four games are in the same category. |
C.Players can only use the mouse to control the targets. |
D.The number of elves decides whether a player wins in Rudolph's' Kick and Fly. |
If a player wants to become stronger to drive animals away, he should try to _____.
A.find a "power up" or use heavier weapons |
B.collect falling bombs as quickly as possible |
C.click the elf while it's in the air |
D.get the big carrot while running |
In which game are there obstacles you must avoid?
A.Bugs Bunny's Hopping Carrot Hunt. | B.Mushroom Madness. |
C.Rudolph's Kick and Fly. | D.Click Flick. |
Effective(有效的)listening is important for improving communication between people. The sad part is that we want others to listen to us, but we ourselves are bad listeners, therefore creating barriers(障碍) to effective listening. Here are some common barriers to effective listening and some ways of overcoming them.
Before the speaker finishes speaking, you think you know the answer already and interrupt him or her. This is one of the most common barriers to effective listening. Respect is important for good listening. If you think you know the answer, you still should listen carefully to what’s being said, and then make ready a few questions and answers, wait for several seconds and then start speaking.
Whenever a speaker speaks, many a time listeners try to help the speaker. Though it may seem as if you’re trying to help, actually it isn’t so. In fact you should set up a separate(单独的) meeting for advising the speaker. If you feel you have anything to say, which the speaker may not know, you should politely ask if you may suggest anything.
In a heated discussion, the speakers sometimes don’t agree to each other’s opinions and treat it as a competition, and then it becomes a barrier to good listening. To overcome this, you should express your opinions after the speaker has finished speaking. Speak out wherever you disagree, but also if you agree on anything, you should point it out.Why is effective listening important? (No more than 8 words.)2分
______________________________________________According to Paragraph 2, what prevents effective listening? (No more than 8 words.)2分
_________________________________________________What will you do if you really want to say anything the speakers may not know? (No more than 10 words.)3分
__________________________________________________How can you avoid treating a heated discussion as a competition? (No more than 10 words.)3分
__________________________________________________
Internet use appears to cause a drop in psychological health, according to a research at Carnegie Mellon University.
Even people who spent just a few hours a week on the Internet experienced more depression(沮丧) and loneliness than those who used Internet less frequently, the two-year study showed. And it wasn’t that people who were already feeling bad spent more time on the Internet, but that using the Net actually appeared to cause the bad feeling.
Researchers are puzzled by the results, which were completely the opposite to their experiences. They expected that the Net would prove socially healthier than television, since the Net allows users to choose the information and to communicate with others.
The fact that Internet use reduces time available for family and friends may explain the drop in well-being, researchers supposed. Faceless, bodiless “virtual” communication may be less psychologically satisfying than actual conversation, and the relationships formed through it may be shallower. Another possibility is that knowing the wider world via the Net makes users less satisfied with their lives.
“But it’s important to remember this is not about the technology; it’s about how it is used,” says psychologist Christine Riley of Intel, one of the study founders. “It really points to the need for considering social factors in terms of how you design applications(应用) and services for technology.”The best title of the passage probably is .
A.Internet May Cause Depression |
B.The Danger of Internet![]() ![]() ![]() |
C.Communication with Others by Internet |
D.Puzzled by the Results |
Why did the results of research puzzle the researchers?
A.People could choose their information through Internet. |
B.They had expected the opposite results. |
C.People can communicate with others. |
D.They had thought Internet was much healthier. |
Which of the following may be the cause of depression?
A.Net users found their living conditions bad. |
B.Net users already had mental problems. |
C.Deep relationships were formed through Internet. |
D.Net users had less time to communicate with other people. |
The writer’s attitude towards technology is .
A.social factors must be considered while using technology |
B.technology was to blame for depression |
C.the problem doesn’t lie in technology |
D.applications and services for technology must be designed |