Don’t talk to me; I’m busy with my iPhone
Riding a London subway, a person from China will notice one major difference: in London, people do not look at each other. In fact, eye contact is avoided at all times. That’s not rudeness—people are just too busy to bother looking.
Busy doing what, you ask? Well, they’re certainly not using the time for a moment of quiet reflection, nor are they reading a book. New technology has replaced quiet habits. Today the only acceptable form of book on the London underground is an e-book.
Apple must earn a fortune from London commuters（乘车上下班的人）. Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, over 40,000—yes, that’s 40,000—“apps”（programs downloaded for the iPhone）have been designed.
Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-fillers. One “app”, called iShoot, is a game that features tanks（坦克）. Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to the exit of their destination. ISteam clouds the iPhone screen when you breathe into the microphone. You can then write in the “ steam” on your phone screen.
For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be another choice. It’s not just teenagers who “plug in” to their music—iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages.
And if games, e-books and music aren’t enough to keep you occupied, then perhaps you would prefer a film. The development of palm DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite TV show or film on the way to work. With all this entertainments, it’s amazing that people still remember to get off the train.People in London do not make eye contact on the subway because ______.
| A．they are busy reading books |
| B．they are not very polite |
| C．they are busy playing with their electronic equipment |
| D．thinking about their private things |
Those who like war games can download _____ to their iPhones.
| A．Tube Exits | B．iPod |
| C．ISteam | D．iShoot |
The underlined word “occupied” in the last paragraph probably means _____.
| A．delighted | B．amused |
| C．controlled | D．busy |
The article tells us that _____.
| A．London commuters are unfriendly to strangers |
| B．technology is changing the way London commuters spend their traveling time. |
| C．with all the new time-fillers, London commuters often forget to get off the train. |
| D．Apple has earned a lot of money from selling 40,000 iPhones |
When women sit together to watch a movie on TV, they usually talk simultaneously（同时的）about a variety of subjects, including children, men, careers and what' s happening in their lives. When groups of men and women watch a movie together, the men usually end up telling the women to shut up. Men can either talk or watch the screen -- they can' t do both -- and they don' t understand that women can. Besides, women consider that the point of all getting together is to have a good time and develop relationships -- not just to sit there like couch potatoes staring at the screen.
During the ad breaks, a man often asks a woman to explain the plot and tell him where the relationship between the characters is going. He is unable, unlike women, to read the subtle body language signals that reveal how the characters are feeling emotionally. Since women originally spent their days with the other women and children in the group, they developed the ability to communicate successfully in order to maintain relationships. For a woman, speech continues to have such a clear purpose: to build relationships and make friends. For men, to talk is to relate the facts.
Men see the telephone as a communication tool for sending facts and information to other people, but a woman sees it as a means of bonding. A woman can spend two weeks on vacation with her girlfriend and, when she returns home, telephone the same girlfriend and talk for another two hours.
There is no convincing evidence that social conditioning, the fact that girls' mothers talked them more, is the reason why girls talk more than boys. Psychiatrist Dr Michael Lewis, author Social Behaviour and Language Acquisition, conducted experiments that found mothers talked to and looked at, baby girls more often than baby boys. Scientific evidence shows parents res the brain bias of their children. Since a girl' s brain is better organized to send and receive speech ,
we therefore talk to them more. Consequently, mothers who try to talk to their sons are usually pointed to receive only short grunts in reply.While watching TV with others, women Usually talk a lot because they
| A．are afraid of awkward silence with their families and friends |
| B．can both talk and watch the screen at the Same time |
| C．think they can have a good time and develop relationships |
| D．have to explain the plot and body language to their husbands |
After a vacation with her girlfriend, a woman would talk to her again on the phone for hours in order to .
| A．experience the happy time again |
| B．keep a close tie with her |
| C．recommend her a new scenic spot |
| D．remind her of something forgotten |
What does the author want to tell us most?
| A．Women' s brains are better organized for language and communication |
| B．Women love to talk because they are more sociable than men. |
| C．Men do not like talking because they rely more on facts. |
| D．Social conditioning is not the reason why women love talking. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Women Are Socially Trained to Talk |
| B．Talking Maintains Relationships |
| C．Women Love to Talk |
| D．Men Talk Differently from Women |
Kids don’t have to pay bills，cook dinners，or manage car polls (合伙使用汽车)．But—just like adults—they have their share of daily demands and things that don’t go smoothly.If frustrations and disappointments pile up，kids can get worried.
It’s natural for all kids to worry at times，and because of personality differences，some may worry more than others.Luckily，parents can help kids manage worry and deal with everyday problems with ease.Kids who can do that develop a sense of confidence and optimism that will help them master life’s challenges，big and small.
What kids worry about is often related to the age and stage they’re at.Kids and preteens typically worry about things like grades，tests，their changing bodies，fitting in with friends，a goal they missed at the soccer game，or whether they’ll make the team.They may worry about social troubles like cliques (派系，小圈子)，peer (同龄人) pressure，or whether they’ll be bullied (欺负)，laughed at，or left out.Because they’re beginning to feel more a part of the larger world around them，preteens also may worry about world events or issues they hear about on the news or at school.Things like terrorism，war，pollution，global warming，endangered animals，and natural disasters can all become a source of worry.From the passage，we learn that________.
| A．not kids but adults may get worried about something |
| B．the worries that kids experience vary from one to another |
| C．kids worry about the same issues，regardless of their age |
| D．preteens may not worry about fire or earthquakes |
What is the third paragraph mainly about?
| A．Advice on removing kids’ worries. |
| B．The negative results of getting worried. |
| C．Why kids get worried. |
| D．What kids may worry about. |
The next paragraph might talk about________.
| A．suggestions for kids to deal with worries |
| B．the importance of avoiding getting worried |
| C．different opinions on kids getting worried |
| D．subjects that teenagers and adults worry about |
The passage is most likely intended for________.
| A．scientists |
| B．teachers |
| C．parents |
| D．doctors |
Last Sunday, I sat with Tony, my college classmate, in a well-known coffee shop in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As we our coffee, two men entered and sat on an empty table beside us. They the waiter and ordered three cups of , two on the table and one on the wall. We heard this order with great and observed that they were served with two cups of coffee they paid for three. As soon as they , the waiter pasted (粘贴) a piece of paper on the wall saying A Cup of Coffee.
It that the situation was normal at this place. However, it was something （8） for Tony and me. Since we had nothing to do with the situation, we our coffee, paid the bill and left.
After a few days, we again had a to go to this coffee shop. While we were enjoying our coffee, a man entered. The way this man was dressed did not the standard nor the atmosphere of this coffee shop. Poverty (贫穷) was from the looks on his face. As he himself, he looked at the and said, “One cup of coffee from the wall.” the waiter served coffee to this man with , politeness and warmth.
After a few minutes, the man finished his coffee and left paying. We were amazed to watch all this when the waiter a piece of paper from the wall and （18） it in the dust bin.
Now it was no for us because the situation was easy to understand. Although the man didn’t know about the one who was giving this cup of coffee to him, he would have a better understanding of the wall which had a great role between the and receiver.
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Coolest Hotels in the World
Ariau Amazon Towers
The Ariau Amazon Towers hotel lets you sleep in a tree house. Eight towers make up this hotel that offers over 300 rooms. If you really want to get into the spirit, book the Tarzan suit which is large enough for a big family. You’ll be thirty feet up in the air and can travel between the towers through their wooden walkways.
Prices, starting at $300 one night for each person for a regular room and going all the way up to$3000 for the Tarzan Suite.
For more information, visit the website:http://www.ariautowers.com
The Ice Hotel
Every winter in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden kind of hotel called the Ice Hotel is built. Each year,world-famous artists are invited to design and produce works of art from the ice, many of which can be found in the rooms. You’ll have your choice between hot or cold rooms,but you will be well advised to stay at least one night in a cold room for a true experience.
Prices: starting at $318 one night for each person for either a cold room or a warm one.
For more information, visit the website:http://www.icehotel.com
Propeller Island
Propeller Island City Lodge is a very special hotel that was designed by a German artist. Each room provides you with the possibility of living in a work of art. Every single piece of furniture in the thirty rooms of the hotel has been hand-made and each room is completely different. You’ll be able to choose a room based on your own personal tastes.
Prices:starting at just $91 a night,and an additional person for only 20 extra dollars.
For more information,visit the website:http://www.propeller island.com
For information about other cool hotels in the world ,visit the website:http://www.bahamabeachclub.comWhat is special about the Ariau Amazon Towers hotel?
| A．You can sleep in the houses |
| B．You can choose any of the towers |
| C．It is designed for big families |
| D．Every room has a walkway |
For two persons spending a night in one of these hotels,they have to pay at least
| A．$111 |
| B．$182 |
| C．$600 |
| D．$636 |
Which website should you visit if you want to find out whether there exists a hotel the sea?
| A．http://www.icehotel.com |
| B．http://www.ariautowers.com |
| C．http://www .propeller-island.com |
| D．http://www.bahamabeachclub.com |
Which hotel would invite artists to come to work every year?
| A．Propeller Island City Lodge |
| B．Ariau Amazon Towers |
| C．The Ice Hotel |
| D．Bahama Beach Club |
It seems recently that more and more of my friends are facing some seemingly (似乎) unbeatable challenges in their lives. A few have lost their jobs and some have failed marriages. All too many have health problems.
I don't know if it is desperation (绝望) that causes them to turn to me for advice or whether they have come to value our friendship. But it is difficult to offer words of hope when all they feel is hopeless. They expect answers to get them back on their feet again.
I have often struggled with what to say, mostly because I have faced many of the same challenges in my own life. I remember how empty I felt after someone cheerfully offered words like "Things will get better!" "Hang in there!(坚持到底)" etc.
Now, being thought of as a source (源泉)of hope or a good example of what to do through printed words, I have even more people contacting me.
So what do I say? "Begin again."
It almost sounds too simple. But it is indeed the answer. All life challenges bring about an ending and the chance for beginning.
A job loss presents an opportunity to start over somewhere else and maybe even in another career.
A failed marriage doesn't mean you have no chance to love or to be loved. It means there are others just like you needing to be loved. Find them.
A life-threatening disease doesn't mean giving up. It means starting a new path to recovery and discovering within yourself the ability to fight back and win.
And if you are a person of faith, even death doesn't mean it's over. It means "to begin again".What did the author think of the advice offered when he was in trouble?
| A．Positive enough to encourage him to go on. |
| B．Some was effective but some was useless. |
| C．Not as effective as he had expected. |
| D．It was not worth listening to at all. |
Life challenges, in the opinion of the author, _______.
can beat a person's fighting spirits
B. can test how strong friendship is
C. can be avoided if people are careful enough.
D. mean the chance of a new beginning What does the author mean when he says "begin again"?
Stay positive no matter what difficulties you may face.
B. Turn to your friends for help when you are in trouble.
C. Success only comes after failure.
D. Only by trying many times can you find out your real strengths. What does the author probably do?
He is a famous actor.
B. He is an inspiration writer.
C. He is a physical expert.
D. He is a famous speaker.