Even if you are naturally shy, these three tricks will help you to quickly build a new social circle in any new city.
1. Take pictures
One of the great things about taking pictures at an event or party is that it gives you an excuse to get in touch with the person later. Everybody loves seeing pictures of themselves, and it’s very easy after taking a picture to say “If you’d like I can email it to you”. This can be the seed that leads to new connections. The next time you hear about a fun event email your new contacts to let them know about it.
2. Eat alone in public
You might feel self-conscious eating by yourself but it has an important benefit: you are much easier to approach when you are alone. People may be afraid of interrupting you or being rude if you are in a conversation with someone else. Bring a book or newspaper to read (this will make you feel less self-conscious). Plus, having an interesting book with you will give others an excuse to start a conversation if they’ve read it.
3. Join a class, sports team, or club
Yoga, salsa dancing, volleyball, Toastmasters (a public speaking club), a class for work, etc. Take up a new hobby or continue an old one!
These are all great places to meet new people, primarily because you will be forced to see the same people over and over again in the class. You will automatically make friends with them if you have a common interest and are forced to see each other again.
Tips:
* In the beginning, never turn down an invitation from someone, even if it’s something you wouldn’t normally do.
* Email your new friends with fun things to do instead of always asking what their plans are. If they have a better plan you can drop yours and join them. This will help establish you as someone who is contributing value instead of just taking it (people want this in a friend).
* Don’t let little things in life upset you or be a negative person. People don’t want to be around someone like that!________ can give you an excuse to start new connections.
| A．Taking pictures of others |
| B．Eating by yourself in public |
| C．Reading interesting books |
| D．Joining group activities |
When having meals, you’d better ________ if you want to make new friends.
| A．approach others to show conscious friendliness |
| B．start a conversation with those who have friends aside |
| C．invite others to your apartment to eat together |
| D．sit on your own in public places |
According to the text, which of the following is NOT mentioned as an advantage of joining a class?
| A．It helps you find out people who share a common interest with you. |
| B．It helps you find out your interest and take up a new hobby. |
| C．It offers an opportunity to meet the same people repeatedly. |
| D．It is a good way to meet new people and make friends in a new city. |
Which of the following pieces of advice is a tip from the text?
| A．Try to be outgoing and talkative instead of being shy. |
| B．Never turn down an invitation from your friends. |
| C．Offer suggestions on how to spend time together. |
| D．Always give a positive response to any request. |
By writing the text, the author intends to tell us ________.
| A．why you should change when you move to a new city |
| B．how you can make new friends in a new city |
| C．why you should make new friends in a new city |
| D．how you can keep in touch with strangers |
Now I’m a senior high school student in Grade Two . I feel that school life is a little hard , just as my friends said . However , a hard life doesn’t have to mean a boring one at all .
School life is not just about studying and getting high marks . Getting involved in student clubs can be a unique and unforgettable experience .
Wang Tian enjoys Tuesday afternoons more than any other time of the week . Why ? Well , that’s when Wang and 47 other members of the DIY ( do it yourself ) club learn to make things such as rondo flowers ( 丝网花 ) and cross-stitch（ 十字绣 ）. Wang also knows how to knit scarves and make clay accessories（ 小饰件 ）. They even sell their products to raise money for poor students !
When Chen Mo started the High School , there was a drama club and a rock band , but no street dance club . So the girl started one . “Street dancing is dynamic and helps us relax and keep fit ,” Chen said . There are around 30 students in Chen’s club . They practice dance skills on Sundays . Sometimes they go to street dance performances in the city . “We watch , learn and make friends . People in this circle are actually very nice and sweet ,” she said .
There are dozens of clubs for me to choose from , such as basketball club or science club . But I love the translation club best . The 30 club members get together once a week . With the help of a volunteer teacher , I’ve learned the general principles of professional translation . It’s the first step to becoming a good translator . Besides ,after attending this club , my English has improved a lot .
I like my school life very much . And I believe whether a life is meaningful or not depends on the person who leads it .Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage ?
| A． The members in the DIY club sell their products to raise money for the club . |
| B． There are more members in the DIY club than in the translation club . |
| C． Chen Mo joined the street dance club and played an important part in it . |
| D． The members of the translation club meet on Tuesday afternoon . |
How many clubs are mentioned in the passage ?
| A． 5 | B． 6 | C． 7 | D． 8 |
The underlined word dynamic in Paragraph 4 means __________.
| A． energetic | B． helpful | C． challenging | D． attractive |
If you want to improve your English , you’ll probably join the _______.
| A． DIY club | B． science club | C． drama club | D．translation club |
We can infer that _____________.
| A．the writer feels the new school life is hard |
| B．the writer’s friends feel the new school life is hard |
| C．the writer is pleased with his new school life |
| D．every student leads a meaningful life in the new school |
OK, I admit it: emoticons (表情符号) are popular. Some people even think they are fun. Many seem unable to get through an e-mail or Instant Message chat sentence without using one. Some feel that they add feeling and character to otherwise cold digital communications.
Some, however, such as editor and Hollywood scriptwriter John Blumenthal, blast (抨击) the use of emoticons as “infantile (幼稚的) just like the people who use them” He believes that words themselves should be enough. “If you’re being funny, happy or sad, that should be apparent (明显的) from the comment that goes before the emoticon,” he argues.
In the eyes of Blumenthal, the use of emoticons is a gender issue. “Men don’t use emoticons very much. Maybe not at all,” he said. “Teenage girls and women seem to use them a lot. Maybe there’ s an emoticon gene.”
It’s an interesting opinion, but it is not shared by all.
In an interview with The New York Times, Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology at the University of California, said that emoticons are popular because our brains are programmed “to seek out representations of humanity”. He believes that they appeal not because they are shortcuts for the lazy, but because they tap into (融入) something beyond language. They reach to our need to be with and communicate with people.
All of these arguments may be somehow valid (正确的). Each one of us will choose to communicate in our own way. I do not have much time for emoticons. I tried to use one once and felt like I was stealing into a primary school class that I had no place being in. I’d rather let my words do the talking.
Friends, however, send me messages and e-mails full of emoticons. I have no problem with this. I don’t regard any of my friends as lazy or immature (不成熟的). It’s just a question of individuality. :)According to the article, emoticons are popular because ______.
| A．most of them look funny |
| B．they are easy for lazy people to use |
| C．they add feeling and character to a communication |
| D．a reader cannot understand a message without them |
Which of the following views would John Blumenthal agree with?
| A．Instant Message chatters are childish. |
| B．It’s enough to use language in digital communication. |
| C．Men never use emoticons. |
| D．There is an emoticon gene in everybody. |
From the text, we can conclude that the author ______.
| A．feels he has no difficulty using emoticons |
| B．thinks emoticons don’t suit him |
| C．encourage his friends to use emoticons |
| D．believes that emoticons are suitable for everyone |
What is the main point of the article?
| A．Advice on language used over the Internet. |
| B．The history of emoticons. |
| C．Arguments over the use of emoticons. |
| D．Reasons for the popularity of emoticons. |
PEOPLE who have had a painful experience may wish they could wipe the memory from their minds. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University, US, say that this may someday be possible.
A drug remains far off, but researchers have laid a foundation with their discovery that proteins can be removed from the brain’s fear center to cut memories forever.
Previous research had already shown that a special behavior therapy (治疗) could cut painful memories. But relapse (复发) was possible because the memory hadn’t necessarily disappeared.
By looking at that process, Richard Huganir and Roger Clem, two researchers from Johns Hopkins University, discovered a “window of vulnerability (脆弱的窗口)” when proteins are created. The proteins help signals travel within the brain as painful memories are made. Because the proteins are unstable, they can be easily removed with drugs or behavior therapy to cut memories.
Researchers used mice to find the window, but think the process would be the same in humans. They used electric shocks to make the mice fear a certain sound. The sound triggered (触发) the creation of the proteins, called calcium-permeable (钙通透性) AMPARS, which formed for a day or two in the fear centers of the mice’s brains.
The researchers are working on ways to reopen the window by recalling (唤醒) the painful memory and using drugs to remove the protein. They published their report online last month in Science Express.
Their research has drawn interest and concern from experts in mental healthcare.
Kate Farinholt, a mental health expert with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Maryland, US, said many people suffering from a painful event might benefit from erasing a memory. “Erasing a memory and then everything bad built on that is an amazing idea, and I can see all sorts of potential ,” she said.
But there are a lot of unanswered questions, too.
“Completely deleting a memory is a little scary. How do you remove a memory without removing a part of someone’s life,” Farinholt said. “And is it best to do that, considering that people grow and learn from their experiences?”What have researchers at Johns Hopkins University found recently?
| A．A new drug to erase painful memories from human brains. |
| B．A special behavior therapy to erase painful memories. |
| C．Removing certain proteins from the brain can wipe painful memories. |
| D．Erasing memory damages a patient’s brain functions. |
What makes it possible to erase painful memories according to Paragraph 4?
| A．The way the brain cells are created. |
| B．The unstable character of the proteins in the brain. |
| C．The strength of the signals the proteins send. |
| D．The drugs that can stop the formation of memories. |
Which of the following shows the stages of the process done on mice?
a. removal of fear proteins b. making mice fear a certain sound
c. fear proteins created in mice brains d. making mice recall painful memories
| A．a-b-c-d | B．d-a-c-b | C．b-c-d-a | D．c-b-d-a |
What is Kate Farinholt’s opinion of the research?
| A．People may lose the chance to learn from their bad experiences. |
| B．The research will be a great breakthrough in treating painful memories. |
| C．People could suffer long-term memory loss. |
| D．People could forget happy memories as well. |
While all my classmates seem to be crazy about a one-way ticket to Mars, I’d rather say Mars is totally unsuitable for human existence. People won’t have enough food supplies there, and the terrible environment would make it impossible for them to live a long life. Besides, the journey won’t be safe. Can anybody explain to me just why people would go to Mars, never to return? Steve Minear, UK
Here are the things you can think of: the desire to explore a foreign and unique environment, the excitement of being the first humans to open up a new world, the expectation of fame and glory┅. For scientists there is another reason. Their observations and research will probably lead to great scientific achievements. Donal Trollop, Canada
There are already too many people on the Earth. I think that something before the end of the century, there will be a human colony on Mars. It will happen when people finally realize that two-way trips to the red planet Mars are unnecessary. Most of the danger of space flight is in the launches and landings. Cutting the trip home would therefore reduce the danger of accidents, save a lot of money, and open the way to building an everlasting human settlement in another world. Enough supplies can be sent on ahead, and every two years more supplies and more people will be sent to the new colony. Mars has all the materials for a colony to produce or make everything it needs, and Mars is far more pleasant than the other planets in the outer space. Paul Davies, USAThe main purpose of Steve Minear’s writing is_________. .
| A．to report his classmates’ discussion | B．to invite an answer to his question |
| C．to explain the natural state of Mars | D．to show his agreement on going to Mars |
Which of the following best states Donal Trollop’s ideas?
| A．There is a plan to send humans to Mars |
| B．There are many reasons for going to Mars |
| C．Scientists become famous by doing research on Mars |
| D．It is possible to build an Earth-like environment on Mars |
Paul Davies points out that______.
| A．humans need only a one- way ticket to Mars |
| B．two-way trips to mars will be made safe soon |
| C．It is easy to reduce the danger and cost of flights to Mars |
| D．It is cheap to build an everlasting human settlement on Mars |
What does Paul Davies think of human existence on Mars?
| A．Humans will have to bring all they need from the earth |
| B．Humans will find Mars totally unsuitable for living |
| C．Humans can produce everything they need |
| D．Humans can live longer in the colony on Mars |
Federal regulators(调整者) Wednesday approved a plan to create a nationwide emergence alert (警报) system using text messages delivered to cell phones.
Text messages have exploded in popularity in recent years, particularly among young people. The wireless industry’s trade association, CTIA, estimates（估计） more than 48 billion text messages are sent each month.
The plan comes from the Warning Alert and Response Network Act, a 2006 federal law that requires improvements to the nation’s emergency alert system. The act tasked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with coming up with new ways to alert the public about emergencies.
"The ability to deliver accurate and timely warnings and alerts through cell phones and other mobile services is an important next step in our efforts to help ensure that the American public has the information they need to take action to protect themselves and their families before, and during, disasters and other emergencies," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said following approval of the plan.
Participation in the alert system by carriers –telecommunications companies is voluntary, but it has received solid support from the wireless industry.
The program would be optional for cell phone users. They also may not be charged for receiving alerts.
There would be three different types of messages, according to the rules.
The first would be a national alert from the president, likely involving a terrorist attack or natural disaster. The second would involve "approaching threats," which could include natural disasters like hurricanes or storms or even university shootings. The third would be reserved for child abduction (绑架) emergencies, or so-called Amber Alerts.
The service could be in place by 2010.What is the purpose of the approved plan?
| A．To warn people of emergencies via messages. |
| B．To popularize the use of cell phones. |
| C．To estimate the monthly number of messages. |
| D．To promote the wireless industry. |
The improvement to the present system is in the charge of ____.
| A．CTIA | B．the Warning Alert and Response Network |
| C．FCC | D．federal regulators |
The carriers’ participation in the system is determined by _____.
| A．the US federal government | B．mobile phone users |
| C．the carriers themselves | D．the law of the United States |
Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
| A．Cell Phone Alerts Protecting Students | B．Cell Phone Alerts by Wireless Industry |
| C．Cell Phone Alerts of National Disasters | D．Cell Phone Alerts Coming Soon |
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