Well, parents, surprise! Lots of us are using Twitter and Facebook to thumb 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 look for other people heading the same way.
It may sound risky, so 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 on line, sharing files, photos, music, etc, so they’ve 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, services using technology and even to share costs. And that technology, for me, is what the car was for my mom, a gateway to more freedom, like what my friend Earl says, “The symbol of freedom isn’t the car any more because there’s technology out there connecting you to a car.”
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 passage side and still be connected, that’s going to be a plus.” Schor continued.
To me, another plus is that ride sharing 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.
1.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
2.We can learn from the text that _______.
A. Twitter is a website for teens to make friends and achieve goals
B. ride sharing can be seen as a sign that people still count on each other
C. driving cars for teens means a plus and connecting with technology
D. having a car and cost-sharing symbolize more freedom for the author’s mother
3.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 is important for young people
4.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
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
One of India’s top engineering schools has restricted Internet access in its boarding houses, saying addiction to surfing, gaming and blogging was affecting students’ performance, making them lonely and even suicidal.
Authorities at the best Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Mumbai said students had stopped socializing and many were late for morning classes or slept through them. “Now, a student doesn’t even know who lives two doors away from him because he is so busy on the Internet,” said Prakash Gopalan, dean of Student Affairs. “The old dormitory culture of companionship and socializing among students is gone. This is not healthy in our opinion.”
IITMumbai, with about 5,000 students, is one of the seven IITs across India which are considered to be among the finest engineering schools in the world. They are also a talent pool for global technology giants. But their hard courses, tough competition and lonely campus lifestyle have taken an effect on students. Depressive and dysfunctional lifestyles are known to be common among IIT students, and at least nine have committed suicide in the past five years. Students have unlimited free Internet access in their boarding houses to help them in their studies, but many also use it to surf, chat, download movies and music, blog and for gaming.
“Starting Monday, Internet access will be banned between 11 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. at IITMumbai’s 13 boarding buildings to encourage students to sleep early and to try and force them out of their shells.” Gopalan said. But the move has not gone down well with students who say they hate their lives being regulated. “Now they will say we need to listen to a lullaby (摇篮曲) to go to sleep.” said Rajiv, an electronics student.
1.According to the text, the students addicted to the Internet in IIT-Mumbai are likely to ______.
A. perform well in studies
B. participate in social activities
C. know their classmates better
D. feel lonely and even suicidal
2.The underlined word “dysfunctional” in Paragraph 3 most probably means “______”.
A. unpopular B. meaningful C. abnormal D. exciting
3.What measures have been taken in IITMumbai?
A. Students must go to bed before 11 p.m.
B. Students are forbidden to surf the Internet on campus.
C. Students have unlimited free Internet access in their dormitories.
D. Internet access is unavailable in deep night in boarding buildings.
4.We may infer from the last paragraph that ______.
A. all electronics students hate the banning order
B. some students complain about the banning order
C. there is no Internet access on the IIT campus ever since
D. more students prefer listening to music to surfing the Internet
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Some 30,000 years ago, artists who lived in caves in Europe painted pictures of the animals around them: panthers, hyenas, rhinos, cave lions, mammoths and other creatures which have been extinct for a long time.
The artwork, more than a thousand drawings, is considered the oldest group of human cave drawings which have ever been discovered. They were preserved because the cave was sealed---closed off--for more or less 23,000 years.
Fast forward to December 18, 1994, a group of French cave scientists were exploring caves in southern France. Jean Marie Chauvet, who led the group then, describes the process of discovering the cave paintings. “At that time I was in the front, Eliette just walked behind me, Christian behind. Eliette said she saw two marks with red ochre(赭石) and she said, ‘They came here.’ And at this very moment everything began. The drawings and everything linked to the parietal art(壁画). That is where it started.”
Cave art expert Jean Clotttes reviewed the paintings. “I was amazed at the number of paintings there were and paintings of their quality and particularly in front of the panel of the horses.”
Scientific analysis confirmed the prehistoric date of the artwork. Studies showed the drawings were created tens of thousands of years ago, before human history was written. The United Nations’ cultural agency UNESCO lists the cave as a World Heritage Site. They say that the drawings form a remarkable expression of early human artistic creation of grand excellence and variety.
The Chauvet Cave has been named after the explorer who first entered it. However, its environment and drawings are too fragile to be visited by human beings. So the cave is closed, and only people there for scientific purposes can go inside and see the artwork.
However, French authorities asked experts to create an exact copy of the cave, called Pont d’Arc Cavern. The copy, which we also called replica, cost more than 59 million dollars to build. It opened at the end of April in France.
Pascal Terrasse is the president of the cavern. He says everyone will be able to experience the thrill of looking at drawings made by the first humans in Europe. He says the place is magic because it is done so well. Authorities say they think as many as 400,000 people will be allowed to visit Pont d’Arc Cavern every year.
1.According to Jean Clottes’ words in Paragraph 4, the paintings in the cave were .
A. abstract B. superior C. creative D. inspiring
2.Which of the follow statements is TRUE about the Chauvet Cave?
A. It was closed off for more than 30,000 years.
B. It is thought to be the origin of modern parietal art.
C. The environment and artwork there are very easy to damage.
D. The majority of drawings there are about the extinct animals.
3.The purpose of creating Pndt d’Arc Cavern is to .
A. show admiration for the earliest artists in Europe
B. arouse visitors’ awareness of protecting ancient art
C. offer visitors chances to view the wonderful artwork
D. collect money for the perseverance of the Chauvet Cave
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
What does it mean to say that we live in a world of persuasion? It means that we live among competing interests. Your roommate’s need to study for an exam may take priority(优先)over pizza. Your instructor may have good reasons not to change your grade. And the object of your romantic interest may have other choices.
In such a world, persuasion is the art of getting others to give fair and favorable consideration to our point of view. When we persuade, we want to influence how others believe and behave. We may not always prevail — other points of view may be more persuasive, depending on the listener, the situation, and the merits of the case. But when we practice the art of persuasion, we try to ensure that our position receives the attention it deserves.
Some people, however, object to the very idea of persuasion. They may regard it as an unwelcome interruption into their lives. Just the opposite, we believe that persuasion is unavoidable — to live is to persuade. Persuasion may be ethical(合乎道义的) or unethical, selfless or selfish, inspiring or degrading. Persuaders may enlighten our minds or catch our vulnerability(弱点). Ethical persuasion, however, calls on sound reasoning and is sensitive to the feelings and needs of listeners. Such persuasion can help us apply the wisdom of the past to the decisions we now must make. Therefore, the most basic part of education is learning to resist the one kind of persuasion and to encourage and practice the other.
Beyond its personal importance to us, persuasion is necessary to society. The right to persuade and be persuaded is the bedrock of the American political system, guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution(美国宪法).
1.According to the passage, persuasion means ________.
A. changing others’ point of view
B. exercising power over other people
C. getting other people to consider your point of view
D. getting people to agree with you and do what you want
2.The underlined word in the second paragraph “prevail” means“________”.
A. win B. fail C. speak D. listen
3.The passage states that some people object to persuasion because they think it is ________.
A. a danger to society B. difficult to do well
C. unwelcome behavior D. never successful
4.The passage mainly discusses ________.
A. people’s different opinions towards persuasion
B. the reasons why people persuade
C. that persuasion is both good and bad
D. that persuasion is important and it is all around us
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。，选项中有两项为多余选项。
Everyone needs a break, and vacations are not meant for serious study. 1. The Spring Festival is coming up so this is the perfect time to discuss some great English language literature to take on a long train journey.
Before getting into the recommendations, you need to determine your English reading comprehension level. If you’re at the beginner level, there are two options: reading a children’s book or reading a book that you’ve read in Chinese translation. 2.If you’re at the intermediate level, popular books like pop fiction, mysteries and thrillers are good options. For advanced readers, classic works of literature or modern prize winners (Nobel, Pulitzer) are good options.
3. When I pick up a book I like, even though the first few chapters are really hard to get through, I would try to get accustomed to the language the author uses. Generally, after the first few chapters, things get a lot easier, especially if I get involved in the story.
Another great way to keep yourself motivated is to find a friend who’s interested in reading the same book. You can make goals that you both want to achieve. 4.
Some quick recommendations: Harry Potter, start with the first book and go on from there; the Narnia series; anything by US writer Michael Crichton; and if you like horror, US writer Stephen King is always unusual and fun. 5. Happy reading!
A. If you pick a book which is so challenging, it will be too stressful.
B. The most important thing is to pick a book that you’re really interested in.
C. You may also enjoy your reading when hanging out with your family.
D. You should just find a topic or author you’re interested in, and the rest will go from there.
E. You can also discuss plot lines or vocabulary issues with each other by SMS or e-mail.
F. Instead, they’re a great way to take a break and enjoy a good book.
G. This will help you get over any unfamiliar words or phrases, since you’re already familiar with the story.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
完形填空
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A，B，C和D）中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Just as you imagine, studying in new environment is difficult. Though I had _________ a preparation for my study in the United Kingdom, I _________ met many difficulties when I arrived in Britain. These difficulties _________ almost every side of your life, including language, daily_________ , feelings and study.
_________ the fact that I have studied English for quite a long time, I was well_________ to learn that the British people speak seemingly _________ English from what I have learned at home. When I picked up my luggage in the airport, I _________ a long crack on my suitcase. Anxious and a little bit angry, I rushed to a man in uniform and told him my suitcase was _________ . With a smile on his face, he seemed to be explaining something to me. But I was totally puzzled by what he was saying. _________ , the suitcase was still OK to use. I managed to pull it to the train station.
To my surprise, after more than two hours, there was still not a _________ train coming into the station. Finally, I was told that all trains had been cancelled that day due to the _________ of the railway workers who were demanding a pay rise.
After a good deal of bother, I finally reached Liverpool. _________ , I found it even harder to understand the local English. I even _________ whether the local people were really speaking English. _________ , they could hardly understand what I was saying though I had tried my best to pronounce right. I could never really _________ how to be the place I supposed to go _________ they told me the way. However, the good thing is that most British people are friendly and eager to help. They usually_________ me to the bus stop where I could take the bus to the places I wanted to go.
It takes time to be used to the local accent. What I want to emphasized here is that you should hold on to talk with the local people even if there are difficulties in _________ . Before you go anywhere, write down the _________ . Remember a dictionary around you could also be helpful.
1.A. made B. kept C. got D. set
2.A. even B. still C. yet D. almost
3.A. contain B. mean C. cover D. reach
4.A. matters B. events C. business D. troubles
5.A. Except B. Though C. Despite D. Besides
6.A. satisfied B. shocked C. glad D. worried
7.A. advanced B. strange C. same D. different
8.A. watched B. recognized C. found D. knew
9.A. robbed B. broken C. destroyed D. lost
10.A. All right B. Not at all C. Never mind D. No problem
11.A. single B. only C. alone D. just
12.A. fight B. strike C. break D. march
13.A. Luckily B. Unfortunately C. Honestly. D. Personally
14.A. guessed B. puzzled C. doubted D. considered
15.A. However B. Similarly C. Even so D. Therefore
16.A. take out B. figure out C. give out D. bring out
17.A. even if B. as if C. only if D. when
18.A. fetched B. pointed C. sent D. showed
19.A. communication B. touch C. understanding D. greeting
20.A. direction B. number C. address D. route
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
语法填空
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入合适的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
Many people travel during the holiday season but do not make sure that their houses and homes 1. (protect). Crimes go up 2. (rapid) during the winter an summer holiday seasons. Here are some things that you should keep in mind when you go on holiday.
Always give 3. (strange) the feeling that you are at home. Have the snow 4. ( clean ) off your stairs or out of your driveway during the winter season. You might ask someone to park his/her car in 5. (you) driveway.
Tell your newspaper deliverer that you are not at home. 6. (have) a pile of newspapers and other mail on your doorsteps tells people that you are not at home, so you could also have a neighbor 7. a relative get your mail every day.
Fix a timer(定时器) in some of your rooms 8. turns lights on and 9. during different time of the day. Some TVs also come with a timer that you could set to be turned on during certain time. Have motion(运动) sensitive lights outside your house that keep thieves away 10. you are not at home.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
单词拼写
1.The idea, which is intended to __________ (促进) friendship, is highly praised and supported by the teachers and students alike.
2._________(基本上) I agree with your plans, but there are a few small points I’d like to discuss.
3.The poet expressed his burning __________(激情) for the woman he loved.
4.In past ten years, there has been a __________ (逐渐的) change in the climate.
5.I’m ___________ (确信)that she is innocent.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
短语填空
1.If he carries on driving like that, he will ___________(结束)in hospital.
2.I can always find someone I ________________(与......有相似之处) with.
3.Can you ______________ (理解)what she’s trying to say?
4.All I am, or can be, I ____________ (归功于)my angel mother.
5.You must _____________ (适应)the customs of the society you live in.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
短文改错
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出改正后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
When I was 10，once my parents were away on business，but I had to stay at home alone for a day.I got up early in the morning，thinking about different activity I could do.The first idea was that I could play computer games all through the day without blamed by my mother.Minutes later，I said to me，“Why don't I do something meaningful ? ” So I planned to cook the meal for my parents.I tried to recall how my mother usually did in the kitchen and arrange everything on my own.With a whole day's effort，I finally made it.I felt it very happy when I saw my parents eating the meal cheerful.They couldn't help say that their son had grown up.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
书面表达
目前，许多学校对学生采取封闭式管理，学生对此看法不一。请根据下表所提供的信息，用英语写一篇100词左右的短文，客观地介绍讨论情况，并谈谈你的看法。
| 有的同学认为 | 有的同学认为 |
| 学校限制我们的自由；学生和社会接触少；学生的兴趣和爱好不能得到充分的 发展。…… | 学校是学习知识的地方：学生应该安心 在学校里学习；学生缺乏自觉性，离开了老师，可能会…… |
| 你的看法： |
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析