Well, parents, surprise! Lots of us are using Twitter and Facebook to find rides, and not just to school. It’s awkward to be refused when you call a friend and ask for a ride. But with Twitter, you just tweet (贴子,留言) and look for other people heading the same way.
It may sound risky, but many teens stay within their own social circles to find rides, and don’t branch out beyond friends when asking on Twitter just like me, but to some young people, especially those taking longer trips, stranger danger is less of a concern.
“I think the digital connection of young people is really key, because younger generations grew up sharing things online, sharing files, photos, music, etc, so they have been very used to sharing,” said Juliet Schor, a sociology professor at Boston College.
The sharing economy got big during the recession（经济衰退）, allowing people to access more goods and services using technology and even to share cost. And that technology, for me, is what the car was for my mom, a gateway to more freedom.
According to the researchers at the University of Michigan, 30 years ago, eight in ten American 18-year-olds had a driver’s license compared to six in ten today. So it’s not that surprising that on my 16th birthday I wasn’t rushing to get a license but an iPhone.
“Driving, for young people, does mean they have to disconnect from their technology, and that’s a negative. So if they could sit in the passenger side and still be connected, that’s going to be a plus,” Schor continued.
To me, another plus is that ridesharing represents something, something much bigger than trying to save money. I see it as evidence that people still depend on each other. My generation shares their cars and apartments the way neighbors used to share cups of sugar. For the system to work, some of us still need our own cars. But until I get my own version of the silver Super Beetle, you can find me on Twitter.The American teens like me, prefer to possess an iPhone as a birthday gift because ______.
| A．it is most fashionable and cool |
| B．they are bored with driving cars |
| C．they are fond of being connected |
| D．it is much cheaper than a car |
Professor Juliet would agree that _______.
| A．young people will sit waiting to be contacted by reading a passage |
| B．sharing economy is bound to be responsible for the recession |
| C．young people tend to share a car with strangers by means of Twitter |
| D．being connected via technology comes first for young people |
The best title for the passage is probably _______.
| A．Twitter, an Awesome Website |
| B．Cars or iPhone |
| C．Teens Use Twitter to Thumb Rides |
| D．Cool Teens on the Go |
In times of economic crisis, Americans turn to their families for support. If the Great Depression is any guide, we may see a drop in our skyhigh divorce rate. But this won’t necessarily represent an increase in happy marriages. In the long run, the Depression weakened American families, and the current crisis will probably do the same.
We tend to think of the Depression as a time when families pulled together to survive huge job losses. By 1932, when nearly one-quarter of the workforce was unemployed, the divorce rate had declined by around 25% from 1929. But this doesn’t mean people were suddenly happier with their marriages. Rather, with incomes decreasing and insecure jobs, unhappy couples often couldn’t afford to divorce. They feared neither spouse could manage alone.
Today, given the job losses of the past year, fewer unhappy couples will risk starting separate households. Furthermore, the housing market meltdown will make it more difficult for them to finance their separations by selling their homes.
After financial disasters family members also tend to do whatever they can to help each other and their communities. A 1940 book “The Unemployed Man and His Family”, described a family in which the husband initially reacted to losing his job “with tireless search for work.” He was always active, looking for odd jobs to do.
The problem is that such an impulse is hard to sustain. Across the country, many similar families were unable to maintain the initial boost in morale(士气). For some, the hardships of life without steady work eventually overwhelmed their attempts to keep their families together. The divorce rate rose again during the rest of the decade as the recovery took hold.
Millions of American families may now be in the initial stage of their responses to the current crisis, working together and supporting one another through the early months of unemployment.
Today’s economic crisis could well generate a similar number of couples whose relationships have been irreparably(无法弥补地)ruined. So it’s only when the economy is healthy again that we’ll begin to see just how many broken families have been created.In the initial stage, the current economic crisis is likely to __________.
| A．tear many troubled families apart |
| B．bring about a drop in the divorce rate |
| C．contribute to enduring family ties |
| D．cause a lot of conflicts in the family |
In the Great Depression many unhappy couples chose to stick together because_______.
| A．starting a new family would be hard |
| B．they expected things would turn better |
| C．they wanted to better protect their kids |
| D．living separately would be too costly |
In addition to job losses. What stands in the way of unhappy couples getting a divorce?
| A．Mounting family debts |
| B．A sense of insecurity |
| C．Falling housing prices |
| D．Difficulty in getting a loan |
What will the current economic crisis eventually do to some married couples?
| A．It will irreparably damage their relationship |
| B．It will undermine their mutual understanding |
| C．It will help strengthen their emotional bonds |
| D．It will force them to pull their efforts together |
What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
| A．The economic recovery will see a higher divorce rate |
| B．Few couples can stand the test of economic hardships |
| C．A stable family is the best protection against poverty. |
| D．Money is the foundation of many a happy marriage |
There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy and the other becomes unhappy. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, events and the resulting effects upon their minds.
People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things: the pleasant parts of conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wine and the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things. Therefore, they are continually dissatisfied. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, offend (hurt) many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The intention of criticizing and being disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation. It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it realize its bad effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.
Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious results in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people offend many others; nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draws them into arguments. If they aim at getting some advantages in social position or fortune, nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone start a step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they bring on themselves public objections, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their wrongdoings. These should change this bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact(接触) with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their quarrels. People who are unhappy _______.
| A．always consider things differently from others |
| B．usually misunderstand what others think or say |
| C．always discover the unpleasant side of certain things |
| D．usually are affected by the results of certain things |
The phrase “sour the pleasure of society” most nearly means “_______”.
| A．make others unhappy | B．tend to scold others openly |
| C．have a good taste with social life | D．enjoy the pleasure of life |
We can conclude from the passage that _______.
| A．we should pity all such unhappy people |
| B．people can get rid of the habit of unhappiness |
| C．such unhappy people are dangerous to social life |
| D．unhappy people can not understand happy persons |
If such unhappy persons insist on keeping the habit, the author suggests that people should _______.
| A．prevent any communication with them |
| B．show no respect and politeness to them |
| C．persuade them to recognize the bad effects |
| D．quarrel with them until they realize the mistakes |
In this passage, the writer mainly _______.
| A．describes two types of people |
| B．laughs at the unhappy people |
| C．tells people how to be happy in life |
| D．suggests the unhappy people should get rid of the habits of unhappiness |
“I pity the empress. Poor empress.” “Do you think Zhen Huan really loves the emperor?” From campuses to offices, from shopping malls to the streets, talk about Legend of Zhen Huan is everywhere.
Unlike other long TV series, Legend of Zhen Huan, the 76-episode Qing dynasty drama series, has kept attracting new audiences along the way. It has enjoyed widespread popularity on the Chinese mainland over the past months.
The story is seemingly the same as those dramas which look into the lives of women in the imperial palace. It focuses on plots and intrigues(阴谋) within the Inner Palace during Emperor Yongzheng’s reign.
The heroine, Zhen Huan, initially a kind and innocent young lady, enters the emperor’s harem(后宫) of concubines. Discovering that the palace is a cruel and harsh place, Zhen learns how to survive on her own.
However, Legend of Zhen Huan seems to arouse more discussion than any drama series. Why? Some experts say it’s because it’s a well-made series from inside out.
Niu Hanting, deputy editor-in-chief of Art Panorama magazine, told Xinhua News Agency that the sets, props and costumes are carefully chosen. And the screenplay and dialogue are well-written. “The series takes care of every detail a good period drama should have,” Niu said. “From that aspect, it’s no coincidence that Zhen Huan could be big.” More importantly, Niu added, the TV series strikes a chord among audiences in different ways. “For example, as a woman, Zhen is hurt by the man she once loved. And as a newcomer to the palace, she finds herself caught in the fierce infighting and she has to survive,” Niu said, “Everyone may find themselves in Zhen’s position at a certain point.”
Then it’s not hard to understand why the story of Zhen Huan is even seen as a survival guide for newcomers in the workplace. Its director, Zheng Xiaolong, once admitted that in terms of society today, the “promotion” of Zhen Huan reflects a person’s career path in some way. “Whether the principles can be applied in today’s society, or not, I want to make the story as real as possible,” Zheng told Sina.com. “There are many fairytale-like series that make audiences ignore or avoid reality, and the complexity of humanity.” “But Legend of Zhen Huan, is a series that makes you think.”What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?
| A．People have pity on the empress. |
| B．Zhen Huan really loves the emperor. |
| C．Legend of Zhen Huan is very popular. |
| D．Legend of Zhen Huan is shown everywhere. |
What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 3 most probably refer to?
| A．The imperial palace. |
| B．The life of women. |
| C．Emperor Yongzheng’s reign. |
| D．The story of Zhen Huan. |
When Legend of Zhen Huan finds the palace is a cruel one, she ______.
| A．learns to survive on her own |
| B．asks others for advice |
| C．feels down and disappointed |
| D．becomes an innocent young lady |
We can learn from Niu Hanting that she ______.
| A．thinks Zhen has had effects on newcomers |
| B．makes little of Legend of Zhen Huan |
| C．speaks highly of Legend of Zhen Huan |
| D．wants newcomer to follow Zhen’s example |
This text is most probably taken from a(n) _________.
| A．textbook | B．newspaper |
| C．advertisement | D．story book |
As we all know, getting benched in sports is usually a bad thing. But at one school in Florida, a girl has taken a bench and turned it into something entirely different – a place to find friends. It’s called the Friendship Bench. And it’s the brainchild of a sixth grader at Palm Bay Elementary – a girl named Acacia Woodley.
Acacia’s attitude toward life might be summed up best by a question she recently asked members of the Brevard County School Board – “what if we spend as much time putting the spotlight on kindness as we do on cruelty?” It’s a philosophy Acacias has learned to live her own life -despite having a lot of people would consider a handicap. She was born without a right hand. And her left hand did not form properly. But Acacia says that she has not stopped her from achieving her goals. “You need to believe in your dreams. If you don’t believe in you dreams, I can definitely tell you that they are not going to come true.” She said.
Acacia came up with the idea for the Friendship Bench after seeing kids getting bullied at school. She says she has also experienced bullying herself – kids whispering about her or picking on her because she is different. “Some people say they feel sorry for me. I tell them not to,” she said. “I don’t care that I’m different. I like being different.”
The Friendship Bench looks like a lot of other benches. It has arm sets and a place to lean on. But there are also words painted on it – words such as “hope”, “respect”, “listen” and “dream”. Acacia put the benches together with the help from her mother and brother.
Any time a kid feels he or she needs a friend, all that kid needs to do is sit on the bench. It is then up to the other kids – or grown-ups – to fill that need. “It’s a perfect idea,” Palm Bay Elementary Principal Lori said. “It’s something we’ve needed so badly.”
The Friendship Bench has been such a success at Palm Bay Elementary that other schools are now interested in installing one too. “There’s a saying in my teacher’s classroom,” Acacia said. “It says, ‘it you can dream it, you can achieve it.’”What is the function of the first sentence in Paragraph One?
| A．To explain the meaning of getting benched is sports. |
| B．To introduce the important role “bench” plays in sports. |
| C．To introduce what the author wants to say in the text to us. |
| D．To tell us that the passage is connected with the word “bench”. |
What can be learned about Acacia from the passage?
| A．She is disabled but leads an active life. |
| B．She has a deep understanding of life. |
| C．She finds it difficult to achieve her goals. |
| D．She finds herself always in need of help. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Acacia has also suffered from other kids’ bullying. |
| B．The kids who sit on the bench feel they need friends. |
| C．Grown-ups are allowed to offer their help to the one in need. |
| D．The Friendship Bench is different from others in the arm sets. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．More Friendship Benches will be installed in other schools soon. |
| B．Students stop bullying other schoolmates at Palm Bay Elementary. |
| C．The students at Palm Bay Elementary have become more friendly. |
| D．Acacia has become a very important figure at Palm Bay Elementary. |
What is the best title of this passage?
| A．Acacia’s New Invention |
| B．The Friendship Bench |
| C．Help from a Special Bench |
| D．Getting Benched in School |
C.O.P.D(慢性障碍性肺病) blocks air flow through the lungs. It makes breathing difficult. The leading cause of C.O.P.D. is cigarette smoking. Experts at the National Institutes of Health in the United States say there is no cure to the damage to the lungs.
Dawn Demeo is an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. She said, “By 2020, C.O.P.D. may be the third leading cause of death across the world.”
C.O.P.D. is a new name for emphysema（肺气肿） and chronic bronchitis（慢性支气管炎）. These are the two most common forms of the disease. Many people with C.O.P.D. have both of them. And Doctor Demeo says more women than men now die from the disease.
She is the lead author of a study by a team from Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the University of Bergen in Norway. The new study adds to findings that women may be more at risk than men from the damaging effects of smoking.
The team examined results from a Norwegian study of 954 people with C.O.P.D. Inga-Cecilie Soerheim co-wrote the team’s findings. Doctor Soerheim says they show that women suffered the same level of C.O.P.D.as men. But the female smokers were younger and had smoked a lot less.
The team also looked at two groups among the people in the study. These were people under the age of 60 and those who had smoked for less than 20 years. In both cases, women had more serious C.O.P.D. and a greater loss of lung function (功能）than men.Which of the following statements about C.O.P.D is NOT true ______.
A. Cigarette smoking is likely to cause C.O.P.D.
B. C.O.P.D. makes it hard for a person to breathe
C. C.O.P.D will be one of the most life-threatening diseases.
D. Many people with C.O.P.D. have either emphysema or chronic bronchitis.It can be known from the study that_____.
A. female smokers die faster than male ones.
B. women are more likely to suffer from the damaging effects of smoking than men.
C. women who suffer the same level of C.O.P.D as men were older and weaker.
D. in the group of people under the age of 60, men suffered more from C.O.P.D than women.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
A .Smoking Kills
B. Smoking Triggers Diseases
C. The Leading Causes of C.O.P.D.
D. Women Suffers More from C.O.P.D. than Men In which part of a newspaper would you most probably read this passage?
| A．Science | B．Health report | C．Education | D．Business report |
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