A few years ago, in one experiment in behavioural psychology, Stanley Milgram of Yale University tested 40 subjects for their willingness to obey instructions given by a “leader” in a situation in which the subjects might feel a personal dislike of the actions they were called upon to perform. Specifically, Milgram told each volunteer “teacher-subject” that the experiment was in the noble cause of education, and was designed to test whether or not punishing pupils for their mistakes would have a positive effect on the pupils’ ability to learn.
The teacher-subjects were placed before a panel of thirty switches with labels ranging from “15 volts of electricity (slight shock)” to “450 volts (danger — severe shock)” in steps of 15 volts each. The teacher-subject was told that whenever the pupil gave the wrong answer to a question, a shock was to be administered. The supposed “pupil” was in reality an actor hired by Milgram to pretend to receive the shocks by giving out cries and screams. Milgram told the teacher-subject to ignore the reactions of the pupil, and to administer whatever level of shock was called for.
As the experiment unfolded, the “pupil” would deliberately give the wrong answers to questions, thereby bringing on various electrical punishments, even up to the danger level of 300 volts and beyond. Many of the teacher-subjects balked at administering the higher levels of punishment, and turned to Milgram. In these situations, Milgram calmly explained that the teacher-subject was to carry on with the experiment and that it was important for the sake of the experiment that the procedure be followed through to the end. What Milgram was trying to discover was the number of teacher-subjects who would be willing to administer the highest levels of shock, even in the face of strong personal and moral revulsion(反感) against the rules and conditions of the experiment.
Before carrying out the experiment, Milgram explained his idea to a group of 39 psychiatrists and asked them to predict the average percentage of people who would be willing to administer the highest shock level of 450 volts. The overwhelming consensus was that basically all the teacher-subjects would refuse to obey the experimenter. The psychiatrists felt that “most subjects would not go beyond 150 volts” and only a small percentage of about one in 1,000 would give the highest shock of 450 volts.
What were the actual results? Well, over 60 per cent of the teacher-subjects continued to obey Milgram up to the 450-volt limit! In repetitions of the experiment in other countries, the percentage was even higher, reaching 85 per cent in one country. How can we possibly account for this result?
One might firstly argue that there must be some sort of built-in animal aggression instinct(本能) that was activated by the experiment. A modem sociobiologist might even go so far as to claim that this aggressive instinct was of survival value to our ancestors in their struggle against the hardships of life on the plains and in the caves, finally finding its way into our genetic make-up.
Another explanation is to see the teacher-subjects’ actions as a result of the social context in which the experiment was carried out. As Milgram himself pointed out, “Most subjects in the experiment see their behaviour in a larger context that is good and useful to society — the pursuit of scientific troth. The psychological laboratory has a strong claim to legitimacy(合法性) and gains trust and confidence in those who perform there. An action such as shocking a victim, which in isolation(单独看来) appears evil, acquires a completely different meaning when placed in this setting”.
Here we have two different explanations. The problem for us is to sort out which of these two polar explanations is more reasonable. This is the problem of modern sociobiology — to discover how hard-wired genetic programming decides the interaction of animals and humans with their environment, that is, their behaviour. Put another way, sociobiology is concerned with explaining the biological basis of all behaviour.Why did Milgram do the experiment?
| A．To discover people’s willingness for orders from leaders. |
| B．To display the power of punishment on ability to learn. |
| C．To test people’s willingness to sacrifice for science. |
| D．To explore the biological basis of social behavior. |
Which of the following is right about the experiment?
| A．The actor’s performance was vital to its success. |
| B．Its subjects were informed of its real purpose beforehand. |
| C．The electrical shock made the “pupil” give more wrong answers. |
| D．Its subjects were convinced of the effects of punishment on ability to learn. |
What does the underlined phrase “balked at” most probably mean?
| A．commented on | B．hesitated in |
| C．got rid of | D．looked down upon |
Before the experiment took place the psychiatrists _________ .
| A．believed that a shock of 150 volts was unbearable |
| B．failed to agree on how the teacher-subjects would respond to instructions |
| C．under-predicted the teacher-subjects’ willingness to follow experimental procedure |
| D．thought that many of the teacher-subjects would administer a shock of 450 volts |
Which of the following is mentioned as one possible factor that explains the teacher-subjects’ behaviour?
| A．Economic factor. | B．Biological factor. |
| C．Cultural factor. | D．Historical factor. |
What’s the author’s purpose with this article?
| A．To introduce a problem sociobiology deals with. |
| B．To explain a scientific phenomenon. |
| C．To report an experiment that focuses on education. |
| D．To argue against a scientific view. |
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.’’
| A．his age | B．his bad conducts on the court |
| C．his foot and leg injuries | D．his poor health |
| A．peaceful | B．upset | C．confident | D．proud |
| A．Shanghai | B．Houston | C．Beijing | D．New York |
Yao Ming?
| A．Talented. | B．Responsible. | C．Humorous. | D．Cautious. |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
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． |
| 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 |
| 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 |
I am a long distance runner. When I was thirty-one, I was in a serious car accident. The doctor told me that they would try to get me to walk “normally” but I would never run again—terrible news for someone who views running as the oxygen(氧气) she breathes. The doctors were right. For the next nine and a half years, I was unable to run more than twenty-five feet.
In 2006, I began self-training to take part in a 60-mile walk. Three months into preparing, I realized that walking 4-5 hours a day was too long. If only I could jog(慢跑) part of it—that would cost me less time. I started jogging without my knees aching. Slowly, I increased the distance. The doctor were proved wrong—it only took nine and a half years to do so.
While practicing, I suffered a loss—a dear friend suddenly died. His work had been to help women to accept themselves and reach their fullest potential(潜力). He believed that people should let nothing hold them back from achieving their goals. Soon after his death, a crazy thought entered my mind: what if I could run the LA Marathon? I knew that if I didn’t train to my fullest, the doctor would win. So I trained seven days a week. And I succeeded in crossing the finish line of the LA Marathons all over the United States to the astonishment of my doctors. They never believed that I would achieve that.
The aches and pains I experience while training and racing are nothing compared to the suffering people whom I respect must accept.What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 1?
| A．She didn’t believe what the doctor said. |
| B．She often felt it was hard to tolerate. |
| C．She loved running very much. |
| D．She lost heart after the accident. |
The author tried jogging because she wanted to ______.
| A．save some time | B．protect her feet |
| C．get more exercise | D．catch up with others |
Why did the author decide to join in the marathon?
| A．Because she was so sorry for the loss of a friend. |
| B．Because she was encouraged by her dead friend’s words. |
| C．Because she wanted to prove the doctors were wrong. |
| D．Because she wanted to make more friends. |
What does the underlined word “astonishment” in Paragraph 3 mean?
| A．Surprise. | B．Sadness. |
| C．Disappointment. | D．Anger. |