Steve and Yaser first met in their chemistry class at an American university. Yaser was an international student from Jordan. He wanted to learn more about American culture and hoped that he and Steve would become good friends. At first, Steve seemed very friendly. He always greeted Yaser warmly before class. Sometimes he offered to study with Yaser. He even invited Yaser to have lunch with him. But after the term was over, Steve seemed distant. The two former classmates didn’t see each other very often at school. One day Yaser decided to call Steve. Steve didn’t seem very interested in talking to him. Yaser was hurt by Steve’s change of attitude. “Steve said we were friends,” Yaser complained, “and I thought friends were friends forever.” Yaser was a little confused.
As a foreigner, he doesn’t understand the way Americans view friendship. Americans use the word “friend” in a very general way. They may call both casual acquaintances(相识的人；熟人) and close companions(伙伴) “friends”. These friendships are based on common interests. When the shared activity ends, the friendship may fade(逐渐消失). Now as Steve and Yaser are no longer classmates, their “friendship” has changed. In some cultures friendship means a strong lifelong bond between two people. In these cultures friendships develop slowly, since they are built to last. American society is one of rapid change. Studies show that one out five American families moves every year. American friendships develop quickly, and they may change just quickly as well. People from the United States may at first seem friendly. Americans often chat easily with strangers. But American friendliness is not always an offer of true friendship. After an experience like Yaser’s , people who’ve been in this country for only a few months may consider Americans to be fickle(易变的). Learning how Americans view friendship can help non-Americans avoid misunderstandings. It can also help them make friends in the American way.According to the passage, ________made Yaser a little confused.
| A．Steve’s inviting him to dinner |
| B．Steve’s cold attitude |
| C．Steve’s studying with him |
| D．Steve’s misunderstanding him |
We can learn from the passage that_____.
| A．Americans use the word “friend” in a very special way and like to develop a close friendship |
| B．American friendliness is always an offer of true friendship and is of great value |
| C．Americans think the friendship will last for ever, even though the shared activity ends |
| D．Americans always base their friendships with others on common interests |
In Paragraph 2, the underlined word “they” refers to “_______”.
| A．American friendships |
| B．American families |
| C．People from the United States |
| D．misunderstandings |
This passage mainly tells us_____.
| A．that people should not make friends with Americans. |
| B．that everyone needs friends. |
| C．the importance of keeping friendships |
| D．how Americans view friendship |
If a sitcom(情景喜剧)that lasts for l0 years is considered popular，then surely one that still arouses emotions after 20 must be considered a classic．Friends first aired in the US in 1994，featuring a cast of six young men and women in New York．In the time since，it’s become one of the most famous titles in the sitcom style，aired in over 100 countries and regions in the world．
The show is typical among those who grew up in the 1990s because it explores basic yet important themes like friendship，struggling to survive in a big city，and finding independence and identity，all of which are still relevant to young audiences today．
Against the background of the Internet age，IT staff who were once marginalized(排斥)and laughed at have experienced a revival due to the popularity of hit show The Big Bang Theory，in which four talents lacking normal social skills make an attempt at living on a college campus．
At the same time，Gossip Girl，describing a young cast of New Yorkers born with silver spoons in their mouths，demonstrates the difficulties upper-class adolescents experience．The show’s fashion and mature subject matter allowed it to capture the interest of both teenagers and adults．
Although these typical TV shows span a wide timeline and feature a variety of themes，they all have a universal topic．Love，money，friendship，career aspirations and identity are things all young people struggle to understand．Why are they still fascinating? It remains to be found out．Why is the sitcom Friends typical among young people in the 1990s?
| A．Because it is a breakthrough in the producing style． |
| B．Because it is the most influential sitcom of all time． |
| C．Because it addresses the subjects faced by the youth． |
| D．Because it predicts the future of the young at that time． |
What can we learn about The Big Bang Theory?
| A．It arouses people’s enthusiasm for computers． |
| B．There are four talents who are good at everything． |
| C．It is set in the time before the Internet came into being． |
| D．It improves the conditions of the people in technological industry． |
According to the passage，Gossip Girl．
| A．attracts people of all ages |
| B．shows eye-catching style and adult subject |
| C．describes the life of ordinary girl |
| D．describes the hardships of upper-class people |
What will the author most probably talk about next?
| A．The introduction to other hit sitcoms． |
| B．The further information about the plot． |
| C．The emotional response among audience． |
| D．The analysis of the reasons for the appeal． |
Sam Berns wasn’t like any other boy. He was 17 and he had an aging disease known as progeria.
“Even though I have many difficulties in my life, I don’t want people to feel bad for me,” Sam said during a TED talk.
Progeria affects approximately one in every 4 million to 8 million newborns. Right now, there are only about 200 children living with it worldwide. The genetic(基因的) change tied to it causes those with the disease to produce the protein progerin, which blocks normal cell function.
His view on life is extremely inspiring. He had to face challenges no one else could even dream of. As children with progeria age rapidly, they suffer from a loss of body fat and hair and an inability to gain weight. That didn’t keep Sam down, though.
“All in all, I don’t waste energy feeling bad for myself,” Sam said. “I surround myself with people that I want to be with. And I keep moving forward.”
This boy from Boston was so amazing, famous people and athletes wanted to take him under their own. Last Saturday night could have been an amazing moment for Sam. One of his favorite teams, the New England Patriots, wanted to make him their honorary captain during a playoff game.
Instead, it just was’t meant to be. Sam passed away before he had a chance to stand next to his team, so they held a moment of silence before the game for him.
Sam’s unbelievable view on life, and his deep effect on others, is hard to forget. He was presented with so many challenges in life but he wasn’t afraid to face them. Be more like Sam, this wonderful teen. Surround yourself with positive people, love them and move forward.We can infer from the passage that Sam Berns was ________.
| A．very fat | B．very thin |
| C．good-looking | D．young-looking |
According to the passage, Sam Berns was a boy ________.
| A．of great intelligence |
| B．of complete failure |
| C．with an optimistic view on life |
| D．with a passive view on life |
What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 3 mean?
| A．Cell. | B．Change. | C．Progerin. | D．Progeria. |
What is the main purpose of this passage?
| A．To praise Sam Berns for his hardwork. |
| B．To show how famous Sam Berns was. |
| C．To encourage readers to live a positive life. |
| D．To show how Sam Berns dealt with challenges. |
Do you know of anyone who uses the truth to deceive (欺骗)? When someone tells you something that is true, but leaves out important information that should be included, he can give you a false picture.
For example, some might say, “I just won a hundred dollars on the lottery (彩票). It was great. I took that dollar ticket back to the store and turned it in for one hundred dollars!”
This guy’s a winner, right? Maybe, maybe not. We then discover that he bought $200 worth of tickets, and only one was a winner. He’s really a big loser!
He didn’t say anything that was false, but he left out important information on purpose. That’s called a half-truth. Half-truths are not technically lies, but they are just as dishonest.
Some politicians often use this trick. Let’s say that during Governor Smith’s last term, her state lost one million jobs and gained three million jobs. Then she seeks another term. One of her opponents(对手) says, “During Governor Smith’s term, the state lost one million jobs!” That’s true. However, and honest statement would have been, “During Governor Smith’s term, the state had a net gain of two million jobs.”
Advertisers will sometimes use half-truths. It’s against the law to make false statements so they try to mislead you with the truth. An advertisement might say, “Nine out of ten doctors advised their patients to take Yucky Pills to cure toothache.” It fails to mention that they only asked ten doctors and nine of them work for the Yucky Company. This kind of deception happens too often. It’s a sad fact of life: Lies are lies, and sometimes the truth can lie as well.How much did the lottery winner lose?
| A．Two hundred dollars. | B．One hundred dollars. |
| C．Three hundred dollars. | D．Four hundred dollars. |
We may infer that the author believes people should _______.
| A．buy lottery tickets |
| B．make use of half-truths |
| C．not take anything at face value |
| D．not trust the Yucky Company |
What do the underline words “net gain” in Paragraph 5 mean?
| A．final increase | B．big advantage |
| C．large share | D．total saving |
What can we know from the example of the Yucky Pill advertisement?
| A．False statements are easy to see through. |
| B．Advertisements are based on facts. |
| C．Doctors like to act in advertisements. |
| D．Half-truths are often used to mislead people. |
Teen models are not difficult to find. An online agency features both models young as well as older. Those who are looking for child models to show off their products and make them look better can find what they are looking for by hiring children models from these online modeling agencies. This is less expensive than trying to go through large modeling agencies that often cost thousands of dollars for the client(客户).
Many of those who are selling children’s products and have websites for parents and children are looking for teen models. As a result, there is more of a need for young models to participate in the field of modeling. The best way for clients to hire models that will not end up costing them a fortune is to use an online modeling site. An online modeling site will have portfolios(档案) of models young as well as old. Someone who is looking for teen models can find a variety of different children when they take a look at these sites.
Online teen models usually work for less money than offline models, although they are still paid well enough to make it worth their while to model. Clients who are looking for young models can go on an online modeling agency to look for portfolios of the teens that they will want to use in their advertising campaigns. Parents or guardians must agree to the modeling offers and the agency will act as a go-between for both the teen models as well as the clients who are looking for young models.
Clients can look through portfolios for the young models and get the ones that are right for what they are looking for to advertise for them. It is now affordable for anyone to hire teen models when using an online modeling agency site. Parents of young models can also use these sites to get their teens a chance to get a head start in the world of modeling.What is the main advantage of online modeling agencies?
| A．They can help the clients to train teen models in a short time. |
| B．They can offer teen models that cost clients less money. |
| C．They can make the products look much better. |
| D．They can advertise for the clients and cost them less money. |
To hire teen models, the clients are advised to.
| A．find modeling agencies |
| B．look through newspapers |
| C．make use of online modeling sites |
| D．advertise on the Internet |
According to the author, the agency plays a part of .
| A．looking for teen models |
| B．judging good teen models |
| C．hiring good teen models |
| D．working as a middleman |
The online modeling sites can offer teen models a good chance to.
| A．beat the other models |
| B．become famous in the future |
| C．make a lot of money for future use |
| D．have an advantage from the beginning |
There are many commonly held beliefs about eye glasses and eyesight that are not proven facts. For instance, some people believe that wearing glasses too soon weakens the eyes. But there is no evidence to show that the structure of eyes is changed by wearing glasses at a young age. Wearing the wrong glasses, however, can prove harmful. Studies show that for adults there is no danger, but children can develop loss of vision if they have glasses inappropriate for their eyes.
We have all heard some of the common myths about how eyesight gets bad. Most people believe that reading in dim light causes poor eyesight, but that is untrue. Too little light makes the eyes work harder, so they do get tired and strained. Eyestrain also results from reading a lot, reading in bed, and watching too much television. However, although eyestrain may cause some pain or headaches, it does not permanently damage eyesight.
Another myth about eyes is that they can be replaced, or transferred from one person to another. They are close to one million nerve fibers(纤维) that connect the eyeball to the brain, so it is impossible to attach them all in a new person. Only certain parts of the eye can be replaced. But if we keep clearing up the myths and learning more about the eyes, some day a full transplant may be possible.If a child wears appropriate glasses, _______.
| A．the structure of his eyes will keep the same as before |
| B．it is harmful |
| C．the structure of his eyes will be changed |
| D．he will lose sight |
If an adult wears inappropriate glasses, _______.
| A．his eyes will be weakened |
| B．he will suffer a lot from the loss of vision |
| C．it will make no difference to his eyes |
| D．the structure of his eyes will be changed |
With the technology we now have, doctors_____.
| A．can transfer certain parts of the eye in a new person |
| B．can transplant the whole eye in a new person |
| C．still can’t do eye transplant even certain parts of the eye |
| D．know almost nothing about eyes |
The author of the passage tends to _______.
| A．explain wearing glasses is no harm to children |
| B．correct people’s wrong beliefs about eyes |
| C．explain the importance of protecting our eyes |
| D．imagine what doctors can do with the eye in the future |