People are being lured（引诱）onto Facebook with the promise of a fun, free service, and don’t realize that they’re paying for it by giving up loads of personal information．Facebook then attempts to make money by selling their data to advertisers that want to send targeted messages．
Most Facebook users don’t realize this is happening．Even if they know what the company is up to, they still have no idea what they’re paying for Facebook, because people don’t really know what their personal details are worth．
The biggest problem, however, is that the company keeps changing the rules．Early on, you could keep everything private．That was the great thing about Facebook—you could create your own little private network．Last year, the company changed its privacy rules so that many things—your city, your photo, your friends’ names—were set, by default（默认）, to be shared with everyone on the Internet．
According to Facebook’s vice president Elliot Schrage, the company is simply making changes to improve its service, and if people don’t share information, they have a “less satisfying experience．”
Some critics think this is more about Facebook looking to make more money．Its original business model, which involved selling ads and putting them at the side of the page, totally failed．Who wants to look at ads when they’re online connecting with their friends？
The privacy issue has already landed Facebook in hot water in Washington．In April, Senator Charles Schumer called on Facebook to change its privacy policy．He also urged the Commission to set guidelines for social-networking sites．“I think the senators rightly communicated that we had not been clear about what the new products were and how people could choose to use them or not to use them,” Schrage admits．
I suspect that whatever Facebook has done so far to invade（侵犯）our privacy, it’s only the beginning，which is why I’m considering deactivating（撤销） my account．Facebook is a handy site, but I’m upset by the idea that my information is in the hands of people I don’t trust．That is too high a price to pay．What do we learn about Facebook from the first paragraph？
| A．It is a website that sends messages to targeted users |
| B．It makes money by putting on advertisements |
| C．It earns money by selling its user’s personal data |
| D．It provides a lot of information to its users |
What does the author say about most Facebook users？
| A．They don’t know their personal data enriches Facebook |
| B．They are unwilling to give up their personal information |
| C．They don’t identify themselves when using website |
| D．They care very little about their personal information |
Why does Facebook make changes to its rules according to Elliot Schrage？
| A．To help its users make more friends |
| B．To obey the Federal guidelines |
| C．To make money by attracting more users |
| D．To offer better service to its users |
What does Senator Charles Schumer argue for？
| A．Setting guidelines for advertising on websites |
| B．Setting rules for social-networking sites |
| C．Stopping sharing user’s personal information |
| D．Removing ads from all social-networking sites |
Why does the author plan to stop using his Facebook account？
| A．He is dissatisfied with its service |
| B．He finds many of its users untrustworthy |
| C．He doesn’t want his personal data abused |
| D．He is upset by its frequent rule changes |
Laptop computers are popular all over the world. People use them on trains and airplanes, in airports and hotels. These laptops connect people to their workplace. In the United States today, laptops also connect students to their classrooms.
Westlake College in Virginia will start a laptop computer program that allows students to do schoolwork anywhere they want. Within five years, each of the 1500 students at the college will receive a laptop. The laptops are part of a $10 million computer program at Westlake, a 110-year-old college. The students with laptops will also have access to the Internet. In addition, they will be able to use e-mail to “speak” with their teachers, their classmates, and their families. However, the most important part of the laptop program is that students will be able to use computers without going to computer labs. They can work with it at home, in a fast-food restaurant or under the trees，anywhere at all!
Because of the many changes in computer technology, laptop used in higher education, such as colleges and universities, is workable(可行的). As laptops become more powerful, they become more similar to desktop computers. In addition, the portable computers can connect students to not only the Internet, but also libraries and other resources. State higher-education officials are studying how laptops can help students. State officials are also testing laptop programs at other universities, too.
At Westlake College, more than 60 percent of the staff（教职员工）use computers. The laptops will allow all teachers to use computers in their lessons. As one Westlake teacher said, “Here we are in the middle of Virginia and we’re giving students a window on the world. They can see everything and do everything.”The main purpose of the laptop program is to give each student a laptop to _____.
| A．use for their schoolwork |
| B．access the Internet |
| C．work at home |
| D．connect them to libraries |
Why is the word “speak” in the second paragraph in quotation marks(引号)?
| A．They don’t really talk. |
| B．They use the computer language. |
| C．Laptops have speakers. |
| D．None of the above reasons is correct. |
Which of the following is TRUE about Westlake College?
| A．All teachers use computers. |
| B．1500 students have laptops. |
| C．It is an old college in America. |
| D．Students there can do everything. |
“A window on the world” in the last paragraph means that students can ______.
| A．attend lectures on information technology |
| B．travel around the world |
| C．get information from around the world |
| D．have free laptops |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．The program is successful. |
| B．The program is not workable. |
| C．The program is too expensive. |
| D．We don’t know the result yet. |
Harvard researchers have created a tough, low-cost, biodegradable(可生物降解的) material inspired by insects’ hard outer shells. The material’s inventors say it has a number of possible uses and someday could provide a more environmentally friendly alternative(替代物) to plastic. The material, made from shrimp(虾)shells and proteins produced from silk, is called “shrilk”. It is thin, clear, flexible and strong.
A major benefit of the material is its biodegradability. Plastic’s toughness and flexibility represented a revolution in materials science during the 1950s and 1960s. Decades later, however, plastic’s very durability(耐用性) is raising questions about how appropriate it is for one-time products such as plastic bags, or short-lived consumer goods, used in the home for a few years and then cast into a landfill（垃圾池） where they will degrade for centuries. What is the point of making something that lasts 1,000 years?
Shrilk has great potential, the inventors said. Materials from which it is made are plentiful in nature, fond in everything ranging from shrimp shells, insect bodies to living plants that makes shrilk low cost, and its mass production possible should it be used for products demanding a lot of material.
Work on shrilk is continuing in the lab. The inventors said the material becomes flexible when wet, so they’re exploring ways to use it in wet environments. They’re also developing simpler production processes, which could be used for non-medical products, like for computer cases and other products inside the home. They’re even exploring combining it with other materials like carbon fibers, to give it new properties. Paragraph 1 of the passage is mainly about shrilk’s ______________.
| A．remarkable design |
| B．interesting name |
| C．major features |
| D．basic elements |
What has become a concern about plastic?
| A．Using it properly |
| B．Producing it cheaply |
| C．Developing its properties quickly |
| D．Evaluating its contributions fairly |
According to the inventors, shrilk has great potential partly because _________ .
| A．it can help plastic degrade |
| B．it can be found in living things |
| C．its mass production has been realized |
| D．its raw materials are plentiful in nature |
What are the inventors doing in the lab?
| A．Replacing carbon fibers with shrilk |
| B．Testing shrilk’s use in wet conditions |
| C．Making shrilk out of used household goods. |
| D．Improving shrilk’s flexibility for medical purposes |
Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
| A．Recent Progress in Environment Protection |
| B．Benefits of Insects in Scientific Research |
| C．The Harm of One-time Products |
| D．A possible Alternative Plastic |
What should you think about when trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others. These may show strengths that you can use in your work. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work. So it is important to know the subjects you do well in at school. On the other hand, you may not have any specially strong subjects but your records show a general satisfactory standard. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value. A knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs.
Your school may have taught you skills, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metalwork or cookery and look for a job where you can improve these skills. If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it. If nothing else, you may have learned how to get to work on time, to follow instructions and to get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop, for example. Just as important, you may become interested in a particular industry or career you see from the inside in a part-time job.
Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself. You may be all thumbs when you handle tools; perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a column of figures. It is better to face any weakness than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record, for instance, may not be too good, yet it is an important part of your background. You should not be apologetic about it but instead recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.We can infer from the first paragraph that ________.
| A．learning better at school shows power in your job |
| B．the better you are at school subjects, the more helpful they are in your career. |
| C．learning each subject well is an ability in many jobs. |
| D．we should think about how to find our career |
From the passage we learn that if a student’s school performance is not good, he will _____.
| A．have no hope in his future work |
| B．be hopeful to find a suitable job |
| C．regret not having worked harder at school |
| D．have an opportunity of a new beginning in his future work |
All the subjects may have direct value for job hunting except _________.
| A．mathematics | B．English |
| C．history | D．technical drawing |
The underlined phrase “be all thumbs” (in Paragraph 3) probably means “_________”.
| A．heavy- handed | B．the best |
| C．important | D．skilled |
The passage mainly discusses ___________.
| A．The relationship between school performance and career |
| B．how to get a job |
| C．How to show strengths in your work |
| D．working experience and knowledge at school |
The other day I heard a few local musicians talking:
“I hate all the terrible pianos in this town. I hate that rubbish they play on the radio. They can’t even understand a bit of music.”
“I’m never playing in that club again. Too many drunks and nobody listens to us.”
But, one younger musician said, “There are a few clubs that book my band a few nights a month, and I’m trying to find other places to play. I’m also looking to book a few summer festivals this year.”
I’ve heard that you are the average of the five people whom you spend the most time with, or to put it another way, you are who your friends are.
Attitudes are important. Whether they’re positive or negative, they’re rubbing off on you. If you’re around people who complain about lack of work and about other musicians, or blame others, and you play the role of victim, chances are you will start to as well. So it’s time to take a look at the people you call “friends”.
This is an easy exercise: Make a list of the people who you hang out with, and simply stop spending time with the negative people on your list. Set a new standard for yourself and don’t become friends with people who fall below that standard.
Keep successful people around you and your own chances for success will be much better. Ask them how they do it. Ask if they will help you get the work you’re looking for, or maybe give you some advice to help you on your career path.Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
| A．A friend in need is a friend indeed |
| B．How to make friendship last for ever |
| C．You are who your friends are |
| D．Friends are the most important in one’s success |
The underlined sentence “they’re rubbing off on you” in Paragraph 6 means ______.
| A．they’ll push you ahead |
| B．they’ll influence you |
| C．they’ll cover your shortcomings |
| D．they’ll help you achieve your goal |
The musicians’ words at the beginning are written mainly to show ______.
| A．the musicians’ living conditions are quite poor |
| B．people have poor taste in music |
| C．people have different attitudes towards the same thing |
| D．young people have greater chances of succeeding |
By taking the exercise mentioned in Paragraph 7, you can ______.
| A．improve a lot in making more friends |
| B．come to the right way of making friends |
| C．develop a better relationship with your friends |
| D．arrange the time with your friends properly |
The passage is mainly written for ______.
| A．musicians | B．managers |
| C．negative people | D．people wanting to succeed |
My wife Julie and I were out on the road that runs around where we live, when we saw an old worn-out dog stumbling (蹒跚) painfully up the road. We stopped, bent down, talked gently to the dog and patted it. I checked and there was a collar with a phone number. I called but no one answered.
The dog was painfully thin. So Julie ran home to get some of our dog’s food while I tried to encourage the dog. After Julie came back, we sat down on the sidewalk while our new friend made short work of the food. Eventually we got her home.
After trying for many times we got a response from the number. A lady came around with a bunch of flowers for us. She explained that Tara had been her father’s dog. She was very old and got lost that morning. So, Tara was safely returned home.
Here is the truth of the story:
Actually Julie and I were out that morning because I was leaving. She was trying to persuade me to come back, but I wasn’t hearing anything that made that sound likely.
I was about to turn and go when an old black dog walked between us and almost fell down. Suddenly we had something more important than our problem to worry about. There was a creature in need right before us and we had to work together to help it.
We did help it. And here I am writing the story in my own home, in my own family.
In the song “Love Is Not a Fight” Warren Barfield talks about marriage. At one point he sings, “And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door.”
Sometimes angels come disguised (伪装) as dogs.How was the dog when found?
| A．Too weak to walk. |
| B．Thin and worn out. |
| C．Unable to eat food. |
| D．Homeless but gentle. |
From paragraph 2, we know that_______________________.
| A．the dog didn’t go with the writer |
| B．the writer had his own pet dog |
| C．the dog belonged to one of the couple’s friend |
| D．the dog didn’t eat any of the food |
The underlined part “our problem” in the passage refers to the fact that .
| A．the writer didn’t want to take Julie’s advice |
| B．an old black dog appeared in front of them |
| C．Julie disagreed with the writer’s travel on business |
| D．the couple had some trouble with their marriage |
We can infer from the passage that ___________________.
| A．the couple finally took the dog home |
| B．the dog was abandoned by its owner |
| C．the couple also solved their own problem after helping the dog |
| D．it is God that send the dog to help the couple |
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．An Angel Dog |
| B．A Helpful Couple |
| C．Saving the Dog |
| D．A Famous Song |