Picture a library without books? Well, I can’t. Ever since I was little I would go to the library and take out numerous books. From picture books to beginning chapter books to YA books, books have always been a part of my life. Unlike many people today, I don't own a Kindle or a Nook or any type of e-reader. I prefer the old-fashioned book. There is something about holding a book and being able to turn the pages that I find comforting. In today's 21st century, books may become obsolete. For me that's something I find scary.
I am a fan of the old TV science-fiction series Twilight Zone. One episode（一段情节）is about a librarian who has become obsolete. Though this episode aired in 1961, the writer of the series, Rod Serling was exactly on point when it came to predicting the future.
In fact, in San Antonio, Texas the first-ever bookless library in the country opened. The library is full of iMacs, tablets and iPads which cost a huge $2. 3 million. The library offers around 10,000 e-books. So the question is, is this what the future will soon be? Mary Graham, vice president of South Carolina's Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce states, "This is the future…If you're going to be building new library facilities, this is what you need to be doing."
It is our generation that will be the guinea pigs（试验品）of increasing technology like this. Is this a good or bad thing? Well, digital libraries may help the environment by not using paper; however, I feel like something will always be lacking with a digital book. A digital library is just the beginning.
With all of this new technology, people seem to be more absorbed in their own world. One of my biggest complaints is when I am with my friends and they can't seem to get off their smart phone and talk to me. To make plans with a friend and then have them stuck on their phone the whole time is extremely rude. Not only is it disrespectful, but it reflects the direction of where human interactions are heading. Though social media is great, it also is addicting and has negative effects.
Often when I go on Facebook it just makes me feel worse about myself. I'll see many of my 800 Facebook friends showing off their newest accomplishment or acceptance to college. Additionally, our society is becoming increasingly lazy. For instance, instead of doing mental math, people use their phone to solve 89 + 74. It is simple tasks like these that are allowing people to lack important educational and social skills.
It is up to us to find a balance between technology and human values and interactions. With new technology being created every day, we need to learn how to use it alongside our great minds. After all, inventions are supposed to benefit society not harm it. In the day of technology, who knows what's next?The underlined word "obsolete" （Paragraph l）is closest in meaning to .
| A．outdated | B．complex | C．expensive | D．meaningless |
What can we infer from the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2_______?
| A．The episode still enjoys great popularity nowadays. |
| B．Rod Serling liked making predictions about the future. |
| C．The situation of books today is similar to what Rod Serling predicted in the episode. |
| D．The episode airing in 1961 was the most entertaining of the TV science-fiction series. |
What can we learn about the library in San Antonio, Texas?
| A．It is the first-ever library in America. |
| B．It is of no practical use although it costs so much. |
| C．It holds an exhibition of much electronic equipment. |
| D．People can read e-books there with the help of the new facilities. |
Which of the following will the writer probably disagree with_______?
| A．Great as social media is, it does have some negative effects. |
| B．With the increasing use of social media, something will actually be lost. |
| C．Through social media, people can develop educational and social skills around. |
| D．As a result of social media, people may communicate less with the people around. |
The tone of the passage is best described as .
| A．Optimistic | B．Skeptical | C．Supportive | D．Objective |
BERLIN — With the crisis in Japan raising fears about nuclear power, Germany and Switzerland said on Monday that they would reassess（再次评估） the safety of their own reactors（[核] 反应堆）.
Doris Leuthard, the Swiss energy minister, said Switzerland would put off plans to build nuclear plants. She said no new ones would be permitted until experts had reviewed safety standards.
Germany will put off “the recently decided extension of the running time of German nuclear plants,” Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters. “This moratorium（延缓）will run for three months and it will allow for a thorough examination of the safety standards of the county’s 17 nuclear power plants.
The European Union called for a meeting on Tuesday of nuclear safety authorities to assess Europe’s preparedness.
Germany’s foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, called for a new risk analysis of the country’s nuclear plants, particularly regarding their cooling systems. He is the leader of the Free Democratic Party, which strongly supports nuclear power.
A previous government, led by the Social Democrats, passed a law in 2001 to close all the country’s nuclear plants by 2021. But Mrs. Merkel’s government changed that decision last year to extend the lives of the plants by an average of 12 years.
In Switzerland, Doris Leuthard said she had already asked to analyze the exact cause of the problems in Japan and draw up new or tougher safety standards “particularly in terms of seismic(地震的，与地震相关的) safety and cooling.”
In Russia, the Prime Minister said his government would “draw conclusions from what’s going on in Japan.” Where can you most likely read this passage?
| A．In a newspaper. | B．In a magazine. | C．In a science report. | D．In a diary. |
How will Germany react to Japan’s nuclear crisis?
| A．Germany will close all the country’s nuclear plants. |
| B．Germany will hold a meeting of nuclear safety authorities. |
| C．Germany will change the decision made last year. |
| D．Germany will delay the extension of nuclear plants running time. |
The author mentions all the following EXCEPT ______.
| A．The moratorium in Germany will give time to examine the nuclear plants safety standards. |
| B．Switzerland will not build new nuclear plants unless they meet the experts’ safety standards. |
| C．The Social Democrats in Germany shares the same view with the Free Democratic Party. |
| D．Russia will try to learn something from the nuclear power crisis in Japan. |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．Watch Out for the Danger of Nuclear Power |
| B．Europe Is against Building Nuclear Plants |
| C．Nuclear Plants in Europe Are Delayed |
| D．Opinions on Nuclear Power Are Opposite |
With the growth of the European Union and increased globalisation, English is increasingly the lingua franc a（通用语） in European businesses, and those who speak it have become the elite （精英）of the workforce．
In the past, only a few specialists in a company were needed to communicate with foreign businesses．However, in these days of multinational companies, where workers are required to communicate with other employees from several countries, a common language is essential and English has become the logical choice．
Nowadays, even blue-collar workers in many companies are required to speak English．For example, just over three years ago, a Dutch company．United Pan-European Communications （UPC）, was contracted to build a TV studio in Amsterdam．The job involved many electricians—more than the company could find in the Netherlands．There were plenty of qualified electricians in nearby France and Belgium, but the American and Dutch executives of UPC wanted everyone on the job to speak and understand the same language．So, the UPC hired British electricians and flew them to Amsterdam every Monday, accommodating them in hotels all over the city, and flying them home on Friday evenings．
Increasingly, workers who can speak English earn salaries 25-35% higher than those who can' t．They are also eligible （有条件被选中的） for a wider range of high-level jobs．
The problem is that, while the ability to speak English is fast becoming essential for getting a good job, there is a shortage of people who can speak it．According to a recent European Commission report, only about 41% of continental Europeans can speak English, and only 29% speak it well enough to carry on a conversation．Many companies are solving this problem by setting up English language schools within the workplace．English language schools all over Europe are expanding at a huge rate, and governments are looking at ways to improve English tuition in schools．
One result of this modem urge to learn English is that a generation gap is appearing． According to a European Union study, 67% of Europeans between 15 and 24 say they can speak English while only 18% of those over 55 say they can．Increasingly, all over Europe, it is the children who are leading the parents．In European companies, workers who speak English ________．
| A．find it easy to carry on a conversation | B．have an advantage over other workers |
| C．must be white-collar workers | D．travel to many different countries |
Why did the UPC hire the British electricians?
| A．There were not enough electricians in nearby France and Belgium． |
| B．British electricians were more qualified than those in the Netherlands． |
| C．The UPC wanted all the employees to speak English． |
| D．The UPC meant to show they were rich enough to accommodate and fly them． |
What can you learn from the passage about European people?
| A．More young people can speak English well than older people. |
| B．67% Europeans can speak English very well． |
| C．18% of the people over 55 can't speak English． |
| D．Over half the people can speak English． |
I am a person who does not like to wait．I don' t like lines, being put on hold when making a phone call, arriving at an appointment to find that my companion will be delayed and of course, I don * t like waiting rooms．
However, I realize that my agony(痛苦） will not be good for me, as an increasingly, crowded world can only mean one thing—more waiting．
Owing to this, I have taken a measure and decided to turn my disappointment to productive ends．In short, I am looking for what I call "waiting in line books"．
These are books that contain material designed for being read in shortened words, so there is no extended story line to lose track of．Another requirement is that they be small enough to slip neatly into my back pocket．
The other day I went to the supermarket．Convinced that the rain would keep most people away, I was surprised to see that the place was crowded with shoppers．Every checkout was open—and jammed! But I could take out my pocket book and go to work．
The more the world demands that I wait, the more I learn from my waiting library．Look at these titles: One Hundred Things Every American Should Know; The Poetry of Robert Frost; Living Thoughts of Leading Thinkers; Still More Toasts．I have learned interesting and enriching things and much knowledge from these books．
On a recent visit to the general store, I placed my order at the counter along with six or seven other people．The one female employee seemed to have her hands full as she rushed about．"Just be patient," she said to me．
No problem．I quietly opened my dictionary of prose （散文） and poetical quotations． Perhaps the other customers regarded me as a bookish, lonely soul．But little did they realize that I was enjoying the company of Shakespeare, Thoreau, Homer and Ben Johnson．According to the passage, the world ______．
| A．needs to produce many materials to use | B．is becoming more and more crowded |
| C．loses tracks of story line increasingly | D．is crowded with shoppers everywhere |
How did the author overcome his agony of waiting?
| A．By reading books designed to be read in shortened words． |
| B．By arriving early for an appointment． |
| C．By taking measures to produce some books for readers． |
| D．By keeping most people away from the supermarket for some reasons． |
Which of the following can't be carried in the author's pocket?
| A．One Hundred Things Every American Should Know |
| B．The Poetry of Robert Frost |
| C．Living Thoughts of Leading Thinkers |
| D．Homer and Ben Johnson |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．The author succeeded in changing his agony into fun． |
| B．The author was a bookish and lonely soul. |
| C．Six or seven employees in the store were busy in rushing about． |
| D．There were fewer customers in the supermarket on rainy days． |
When you are little, it’s not hard to believe you can change the world. I remember my enthusiasm when, at the age of 12, I addressed（向……演讲） the people at the Rio Earth Summit. “ I 
am only a child,” I told them.” Yet I know that if all the money spent on war was spent on ending poverty and finding environmental answers, what a wonderful place this world would be. At school you teach us not to fight with others, to work things out, to respect others, to clean up our mess, not to hurt other creatures, to share, not to be greedy. Then why do you go out and do the things you tell us not to do. You grown-ups say you love us, but I challenge you, please, to make your actions reflect your words.”
I spoke for six minutes and received a standing ovation. Some of the people even cried. I thought that maybe I had reached some of them, that my speech might actually spur（刺激）action. Now, ten years from Rio, after I’ve sat through many more conferences, I’m not sure what has been achieved. My confidence in the people in power and in the power of an individual’s voice to reach them has been deeply shaken.
When I was little, the world was simple. But as a young adult, I’m learning that as we have to make choices—educa-tion, career, lifestyle—life gets more and more complicated. We are beginning to feel pressure to produce and be successful. We are taught that economic growth is progress, but we aren’t taught how to seek a happy, healthy way of living. And we are learning that what we wanted for the future when we were 12 was idealistic and naive（天真的）.
Today I’m no longer a child, but I’m worried about what kind of environment my children will grow up in. I know change is possible, because I am changing, still figuring out what I think. I am still deciding how to live my life. The challenges are great, but if we accept individual responsibility and make choices, we will rise to the challenges, and we will become part of the positive tide of the change. I hope this goal will be met through our common efforts. Thank you all.The purpose of what the speaker said at the age of 12 was to .
| A．end poverty and make schools beautiful |
| B．find environmental answers and show off |
| C．focus people’s attention on some social problems |
| D．find a wonderful place and clean it up |
What does the underlined word “ovation”in the second paragraph refer to?
| A．A long period of laughing. | B．A cold and unfriendly welcome. |
| C．An expression used for greeting. | |
| D．Great applause or cheering. |
The information in the text is presented mainly through .
| A．question and answer | B．a personal lecture |
| C．cause and effect | D．listing steps in a process |
Which of the following best describes the speaker?
| A．He is an experienced educator. |
| B．He is an impolite man. |
| C．He is a man of great worries. |
| D．He is a man of social responsibility. |
If you’re networking（建立人际关系）and nothing is happening，you might need to evaluate how you’re doing it．Maybe you show up at each event and still feel challenged by the process．You aggressively talk to people，give out your cards，call endlessly to schedule an appointment but have no real success from your efforts．To help you gain a different future，here are eight habits you should avoid.（避免）
Ineffective networkers：
1．Lack patience．They expect immediate results and want business now, not tomorrow．
2．Constantly“selling”something．They see dollar signs every time they shake hands with someone．
3．Too many choices．If they offer a variety of products，they might try too hard to tell about all of them．Offering too much infomation sends a confusing message making it difficult for people to send references．Opportunities are all around us but when you’ re networking j only focus on one．
4．Change positions too often．If they move from company to company or do something totally different，it might be difficult for people to keep up with them．
5. Lack manners and respect．They interrupt others，talk with food in their mouth，aren’t very polite and appear unprofessional．They call people during dinner or on the weekends without thinking whether the occasion is suitable．
6. Focus on themselves. Too much self-promotion can leave the other person to feel unappreciated. Every sentence begins with“I”and is all about their business．
7．“Taking”instead of“giving”．They don’t realize what other people sense when they are being very selfish．Others may think that they are being taken advantage of．
8．Poor communication and interpersonal skills．They have trouble speaking effectively，building relationships and following up．
Networking is a process that is an investment of time and money．If you find you’re doing any of these habits，consider learning how to improve on these and maximize your results while networking．You’ll start to get better at connecting with people and obtain more opportunit
ies．According to the text，some people didn’t succeed in networking because .
| A．they didn’t make efforts | B．they didn’t behave effectively |
| C．they didn’t pay enough money | D．they didn’t spend enough time |
According to the second habit，we shouldn’t when we are networking．
| A．make friends | B．talk about dollars |
| C．shake hands with everyone | D．pay attention to money only |
When talking with others，you should .
| A．give out your cards every now and then |
| B．talk about the quality of your product as much as possible |
| C．1et other people express themselves completely |
| D．interrupt others when they make a mistake |
Which of the follo
wing is not suitable for a salesman’s behavior?
| A．He offers too much self-promotion during the conversation． |
| B．He considers when he can get what he expects carefully． |
| C．He only focuses on one opportunity when networking． |
| D．He keeps his promises and doesn’t expect too much from others． |
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