1 . The Enemy Is in My Pocket
Yesterday I went to a phone store. There were no other
“How can I help you?” One of them asked me.
I replied, “I
“Um, let me check on that.” She walked to the other end of the
That moment had come after months of struggle. I
But one day, I began to wonder how important being online really is and if it made me a
So, I wanted to
I've only been doing this for a few days, but I have found myself obviously more
Where there is a
A.students | B.customers | C.friends | D.managers |
A.wonder | B.doubt | C.question | D.ask |
A.restaurant | B.store | C.street | D.market |
A.good | B.latest | C.certain | D.bad |
A.saying | B.announcing | C.giving | D.concluding |
A.Exactly | B.Finally | C.Eventually | D.Actually |
A.never | B.often | C.sometimes | D.also |
A.take charge of | B.come up with | C.keep in touch with | D.carry on with |
A.leave | B.catch | C.miss | D.make |
A.better | B.funnier | C.worse | D.stronger |
A.started with | B.ended up in | C.went with | D.succeeded in |
A.memory | B.attention | C.energy | D.money |
A.amazed | B.glad | C.puzzled | D.angry |
A.regret | B.arrange | C.enjoy | D.forget |
A.stay | B.sell | C.change | D.explore |
A.sleep | B.rest | C.work | D.play |
A.checking | B.trading | C.answering | D.seeing |
A.sensitive | B.attractive | C.positive | D.productive |
A.problem | B.will | C.road | D.lesson |
A.beside | B.before | C.without | D.by |
2 . It was January, the first day of the year. I decided to get the bank work out of the
Just then I saw his morning tea lying there,
I realized he was also missing the
A.way | B.corner | C.question | D.reach |
A.on purpose | B.by accident | C.after all | D.as usual |
A.service | B.invitation | C.greeting | D.handshake |
A.hopefully | B.curiously | C.sincerely | D.hesitantly |
A.going through | B.filling up | C.checking out | D.printing off |
A.computerized | B.canceled | C.popularized | D.broadened |
A.symptoms | B.gestures | C.signs | D.marks |
A.when | B.how | C.why | D.if |
A.untouched | B.unprepared | C.unfolded | D.undisturbed |
A.always | B.seldom | C.never | D.still |
A.reward | B.push | C.pardon | D.scold |
A.reason | B.need | C.opportunity | D.urge |
A.looked up at | B.looked down upon | C.looked forward to | D.looked back on |
A.precious | B.small | C.important | D.essential |
A.coincidence | B.suggestion | C.affair | D.arrangement |
A.impressed | B.attached | C.challenged | D.comforted |
A.hearts | B.minds | C.bodies | D.souls |
A.release | B.recommend | C.reveal | D.revise |
A.preferred | B.promised | C.managed | D.expected |
A.cautious | B.confident | C.optimistic | D.grateful |
3 . Martin was returning to work in his London office after spending two weeks with his brother in New York. He was coming back with a heavy heart. It was not just that it was the end of a wonderful holiday; it was not just that he invariably suffered badly from jet lag(时差); it was that Monday morning always began with a team meeting and , over the months, he had grown to hate them.
Martin was aware that colleagues approached these meetings with hidden agenda(会议议 程); they indulged in(沉溺于)game playing ; and he knew that people were not being honest and open. The meetings themselves were bad enough---there was all the moaning afterwards at the meeting like “I could have improved on that idea, but I wasn’t going to say.”
As this morning’s meeting began, Martin prepared himself for the usual dullness and boredom. But, as the meeting progressed, he became aware of a strange background noise. At first, he thought that he was still hearing the engine noise from the aircraft that had brought him back to London. But as he concentrated on the noise, it became a little clearer.
He realized, to his amazement, that he could actually hear what they were thinking at the same time as they were speaking. What surprised him, even more than the acquisition of this strange power, was that he discovered that what people were saying was not really what they were thinking. They were not making clear their reservations. They were not supporting views which they thought might be popular. They were not contributing their new insights. They were not volunteering their new ideas.
Martin found it impossible not to respond to his new knowledge. So he started to make gentle interventions (干涉), based more on what he could hear his colleagues thinking than on what he could hear them saying. “So, John, are you really saying.....” “Susan, do you really think that?” “Tom, have you got an idea on how we could take this forward?” They looked at him, puzzled. In truth, he felt rather proud of his newly -acquired talent.
As the meeting progressed, it was clear to him that each member of the meeting was learning how to hear the thoughts of the others. The game playing started to fall away; people started to speak more directly; views became better understood; the atmosphere became more open and trusting.
The meeting ended. As people left the room, Martin found that he could still hear what they were thinking. “That was the best meeting we’ve ever had.” “All meetings should be like that,” “ In future, I’m going to say what I think.”
1. It is known from the first paragraph that Martin_____.A.just came back from his business trip in New York |
B.was found to suffer from a serious heart disease during the trip |
C.had a good time during his fortnight’s stay in New York |
D.didn’t like his work in his London office |
A.Because it had to be held every Monday morning. |
B.Because he was tired of hosting such a meeting |
C.Because he couldn’t control the meeting that was out of order. |
D.Because the meeting atmosphere wasn’t open and trusting. |
A.still hear the engine noise of the plane though he was back |
B.clearly hear what the members of the meeting were saying |
C.actually control the thoughts of the members of the meeting |
D.express what the meeting members were thinking based on their words and their thoughts |
A.Martin made people say what they were thinking immediately the meeting began. |
B.Martin was angry at the dullness of the meeting at the beginning of the meeting.. |
C.Martin led people to express their real thoughts with the meeting progressing. |
D.Many members of the meeting played games and told lies at the meeting all the time. |
A.I was thinking of making a suggestion ---but I couldn’t be bothered. |
B.I have got an idea on how we could take this forward. I think we should... |
C.The usual people say the usual things, so I have no other new ideas. |
D.I could have imagined on that idea, but I wasn’t going to say. |
4 . Utah is the second most wasteful states in the US. Everyone always complains about how much construction there is all the time— on campus you can’t walk ten steps without running into another pit— but no one seems to be doing anything about it. Every year the city has a surplus of money and they spent it on unneeded road construction. Instead, this money should be spent on developing Utah’s solar energy capabilities (能力).
People may think that solar power technology isn’t advanced enough to sustain (维持) an entire state year-round. However, Utah is one of the six states in the country getting more than enough sunlight to run completely on solar power every year according to Solar Nation. For reference, one might look at places similar to the Hotel at Oberlin in Ohio, a hotel remodeled in the summer of 2016 to run completely on solar power. Anywhere west of Ohio has no excuse for not using solar energy.
Many think it would be bad for the economy to switch to solar power because electrical workers would lose their jobs. But this isn’t necessarily true. They could transfer to solar companies. Considering how many panels (电池板,面板) would need to be built and installed (安装) and maintained, there’s plenty of work for electrical workers. Solar panel installation may be expensive at first, but as it stands currently, solar panels are expected to pay for themselves within 11 years of installation, saving solar panel owners up to $700 in electric bills per house in the first year.
Moreover, we, the humans of planet Earth, would never run out of solar energy. The sun will exist long after humanity goes. And while solar panels may be expensive, they cost the Earth much less than using coal and natural gas.
It’s bad enough that Utah is the most wasteful when it comes to the use of water. And the city is killing its citizens with air pollution. But when we have the physical capability of making changes that will ultimately save the environment and deepen our pocketbooks (财力、钱袋子), and we don’t make those changes, we’re actually lazy rather than being cautious.
1. Which of the following statements would the author agree with?A.Roads in Utah should be repaired. |
B.Money should be better used in Utah. |
C.Construction is very important to Utah. |
D.Schools in Utah are really in poor condition. |
A.To explain how solar power is used in Ohio. |
B.To show it is possible to use solar power in summertime. |
C.To show solar power can be relied on year-round in Utah. |
D.To prove many hotels are taking advantage of solar power. |
A.benefit the environment | B.prevent waste in Utah |
C.improve work efficient | D.lead to many changes in Utah |
A.To call on people to reduce energy waste. |
B.To show us the importance of using solar energy. |
C.To ask government to pay attention to air pollution. |
D.To appeal to Utah officials to develop solar energy. |
A.①②-③④-⑤ | B.①-②③-④⑤ |
C.①-②③④-⑤ | D.①②③-④⑤ |
5 . On one day my grandma died, I went for a walk to clear my mind. The small purse I carried with me was a gift from her. The bag only weighted several pounds but it felt like I was dragging heavy luggage.
As I was walking, I spotted Mary who gave me an excited hug. She asked how I was. “How are you” is a question that can turn meaningless or meaningful, depending on how you answer it. I considered going the meaningless route. Then I remembered that she is a friend from church. We once celebrated an activity together. Maybe I could lean on her for some comfort. I explained that my grandma died and I was feeling in bad shape emotionally.
Mary expressed kind regards. Then she asked the question everyone asks when you tell them someone died, “Were you two close?” It’s the main standard that determines the appropriate size someone’s sadness can take. The answer to this question depends on how someone defines closeness. I tend to feel close to people I can have heart-to-heart with. I nodded to Mary and said, “Yeah, we were.”
She nodded back, playing her role in the cultural script (剧本)we all know. Mary gathered information about the funeral arrangements, and then we parted. Seeing her was a catalyst (催化剂) to my quickly getting in touch with my sorrow. I cried loudly on the street directly.
Later that night I texted my friend Roger to tell him what had happened. I expected a text back with sympathy. Instead, the phone rang. Soon he was asking me what my favorite song was. While I hesitated, he started singing the hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul.” He finished it and prayed for me over the phone. It really made me exhilarated. I felt that a heavy burden was removed. But I cried again because of the spiritual synchronization(同步). I didn’t share stories of my grandmother or try to explain my complicated emotions over the phone.
Then I realized that courtesy (客套话) is generally good practice, but it can’t compare to personalized, thoughtful communication. And that kind of pat statement really has no place if you want to make a real connection.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?A.The author used to offer Mary advice to Mary. |
B.The author and Mary enjoyed social activities. |
C.The author and Mary often shared their secrets. |
D.The author hesitated to turn to Mary for comfort. |
A.judge how sad the author was |
B.determine what sadness it was |
C.prove that they were close friends |
D.see if the author needed comfort |
A.Mary decided to attend the funeral |
B.the author felt touched to see Mary |
C.the author got no real comfort from Mary |
D.Mary felt helpless about relieving the author’s pain |
A.Cheered me up | B.Made me satisfied |
C.Let me down | D.Kept me down |
A.A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
B.Spiritual communication is better than courtesy. |
C.Crying is an effective way to ease people’s pain. |
D.It’s hard to recover from the pain of losing a loved one. |
6 . I do think that a book can inspire ideas and ways of thinking that have the power to transform our lives. Here are some books to serve the purpose.
Thinking, Fast and slow
Daniel Kahneman is a Nobel Prize winner who has written an amazing book that dives into the mysterious world of our conscious and unconscious thinking patterns. By reading this book, you’ll gain a deeper understanding about how to make decisions and react to certain things in your life. Yes, this is a super thick book that seems challenging, but somehow the author makes it accessible and really fun to read.
The Power of Habit
Written by award-winning New York Times business reporter Charles Duhigg, this book is an awesome mix of research, stories, and revelations(启示) about habits: how we form them, how we can change them, and how knowledge about human habits is transforming everything.
The Road Less Traveled
The first words in this classic and powerful book are: Life is difficult. Without hiding the true realities of life which is filled with conflicts, difficulties, and challenging decisions, M. Scott Peck guides us to a deeper level of self-understanding and creates a path we can follow to a fuller, more peaceful life.
The Power of Now
The key message of the book is simple and powerful: The way to true happiness is through learning to live in the now, without reliving the past or racing to the future. Eckhart Tolle helps us understand how our thoughts and emotions get in the way and what to do about it.
1. What do we learn about Thinking, Fast and Slow?A.It’s too abstract to understand. |
B.It helps readers to make decisions. |
C.It divides our thinking patterns into different types. |
D.It enables readers to understand themselves better. |
A.Daniel Kahneman’s | B.Charles Duhigg’s |
C.M. Scott Peck’s | D.Eckhart Tolle’s |
A.The challenges of life. |
B.A path to a better life. |
C.The author’s understanding of humans. |
D.The best way to settle conflicts. |
A.Thinking, Fast and Slow | B.The Power of Habit |
C.The Power of Now | D.The Road Less Traveled |
A.They are classic and refreshing. |
B.They are adventurous and challenging. |
C.They are accessible and full of fun. |
D.They are inspiring and helpful. |
7 . Originally, I don’t think about getting older. Perhaps it’s because I like to keep busy and just don’t think about it.
I used to be a radio broadcaster and recently I was
One of them, it turns out, is
The thought of being dead doesn’t
A.Therefore | B.However | C.Though | D.Meanwhile |
A.believe | B.regret | C.prevent | D.consider |
A.doubted | B.questioned | C.contacted | D.interviewed |
A.pay | B.enjoy | C.intend | D.allow |
A.similar | B.diverse | C.different | D.special |
A.activity | B.custom | C.tradition | D.routine |
A.chatting with | B.looking for | C.working with | D.cheering for |
A.look up to | B.look out for | C.look down upon | D.look back at |
A.permanently | B.relatively | C.accidentally | D.practically |
A.show up | B.hold up | C.move about | D.hold on |
A.worse still | B.what’s more | C.on the contrary | D.on the other hand |
A.secretly | B.gradually | C.directly | D.suddenly |
A.related | B.connected | C.bound | D.limited |
A.independently | B.optimistically | C.comfortably | D.disappointedly |
A.fed on | B.cared for | C.trained | D.educated |
A.primitively | B.occasionally | C.instantly | D.rarely |
A.understanding | B.deciding | C.knowing | D.guessing |
A.surprise | B.help | C.bother | D.excite |
A.nervous | B.sorry | C.help | D.great |
A.tiresome | B.meaningless | C.interesting | D.upsetting |
8 . Readers have never had it so good. But publishers need to adapt better to the digital world.
During the next few weeks publishers will release a great number of books, pile them onto delivery lorries and fight to get them on the display tables of bookshops in the run-up to Christmas. It is an impressive display of competitive commercial activity. It is also increasingly pointless.
More quickly than almost anyone predicted, e-books are becoming popular quickly. Amazon, the biggest e-book retailer( 零售商), has lowered the price of its Kindle — e-readers to the point where people do not fear to take them to the beach. In America, the most advanced market, about one-fifth of the largest publishers’ sales are of e-books.
For readers, this is excellent. Amazon has successfully shortened distance by bringing a huge range of books to out-of-the-way places, and it is now fighting against time, by enabling readers to download books instantly. Moreover, huge choice and low prices are helping books hold their own on digital devices. For publishers, though, it is a dangerous time. Some of the publishers’ functions—packaging books and promoting them to shops—are becoming out of date.
Yet there are still important jobs for publishers.
The music and film industries have started to pack electronic with physical versions of their products—by, for instance, providing those who buy a DVD of a movie with a code to download it from the Internet. Publishers, similarly, should combine e-books with paper books.
They also need to become more efficient. In the digital age it is stupid to take months or even years to get a book to market. And if they are to distinguish their products from self-published dross( 糟粕), they must get better at choosing books, sharpening ideas and polishing copy. If publishers are to hold readers’ attention, they must tell a better story—and edit out all the spelling mistakes as well.
1. According to the author, what publishers do before Christmas is becoming __________.A.efficient | B.satisfying | C.meaningless | D.worthwhile |
A.By analyzing. | B.By giving examples. |
C.By comparing. | D.By listing numbers. |
A.Readers will have a wider choice than before. |
B.The price of books will become much higher. |
C.Traditional publishers will be out of work. |
D.Traditional bookstores will completely disappear. |
A.Spend more time editing a good book. |
B.Change work to music and film industry. |
C.Get rid of self-published dross completely. |
D.Learn from what music and film industry did. |
A.The Disappearing Ink. |
B.The Book and Music Industry. |
C.Golden Times for Publishers. |
D.The Coming of the Digital Age. |
9 . I got addicted to cigarettes about 11 years ago. As a smoker, I certainly realizes the
For so many years I always felt unrested after a night’s
It was my birthday’s eve and I was back home by 10 pm. Usual birthday calls from friends made me
Today it’s exactly 526 days
A.mistake | B.harm | C.benefit | D.energy |
A.task | B.pleasure | C.advantage | D.competition |
A.choice | B.use | C.price | D.sight |
A.dropped | B.lit | C.saw | D.borrowed |
A.activity | B.party | C.sleep | D.dream |
A.colorful | B.comfortable | C.slight | D.terrible |
A.silently | B.angrily | C.hopelessly | D.surprisingly |
A.cut | B.shook | C.burned | D.colored |
A.answered | B.helped | C.questioned | D.enjoyed |
A.crazy | B.sleepy | C.awake | D.happy |
A.gift | B.punishment | C.warn | D.wish |
A.confused | B.scared | C.considered | D.struck |
A.hobby | B.body | C.thought | D.addiction |
A.keep up with | B.end up with | C.come up with | D.break up with |
A.expensive | B.empty | C.attractive | D.beautiful |
A.ability | B.desire | C.way | D.decision |
A.before | B.after | C.since | D.till |
A.force | B.strength | C.luck | D.money |
A.get | B.tell | C.create | D.make |
A.planned | B.agreed | C.chose | D.regretted |
10 . In show business, stars are nicknamed when people laugh at them, express their love for idols or confirm his or her stardom.
★ Homophonic(谐音) nicknames
Homophonic nicknames have brought much convenience to tons of fans. For example, if you repeatedly and quickly pronounce “Hiddleston”, the surname of Ton Hiddleston. You will find that its pronunciation is quite close to “Dou sen”. And your tongue remains struggling with the vibration( 振动) for quite a while. That’s how he gets the nickname “Dou Sen”.
★ Nicknames from roles they play
Kit Harington plays the role of Jon Snow in the TV series Games of Thrones and thus he gets the nickname “Jiong Nuo”. He acts so well that many people only know “Jiong Nuo” but have no idea about Kit Harington. While Dan Stevens gets his nickname “Big Cousin” for the teleplay Downtown Abbey in which Dan is a soulful and handsome cousin of three ladies.
★ Nicknames from appearance
When it comes to this type, the first thought of us must be Michael Fassbender, who has got a nickname “shark” because of his even teeth and magically charming smile, which is normally seen from a shark. And the nickname “Jiong Seph” for Joseph Gordon Levitt is quite easy to understand. Just two words can explain it well: His face!
★ Nicknames with a story
If one can nickname his or her idol based on a story, he or she must be a real fan. For example, Taylor Swift’s nickname “MeiMei” is originated from her several times of bad luck. Every time her wonderful singles were about to be at the top of the billboard ranking list, something unexpected would happen, and finally they ranked No. 2. Thus, her fans sympathetically gave her this cute nickname. As for James McAvoy, whose nickname is “Beauty”, he is at the top of the list called “stars who are more beautiful than Jolie and Pit”. That’s why he gets that nickname.
★ Nicknames relating to translation
“I don’t know why Chinese audience call me ‘stone sister’ . ” Apparently, Emma Stone has no idea why Chinese fans translate her family name “stone” into “shitou”. Perhaps we Chinese can better understand this kind of nicknames we give to stars.
1. The fans nickname their idols for the following reasons except _________.A.making fun of the idols | B.confirming the idols’ stardom |
C.showing their deep love for the idols | D.remembering the idols’ names easily |
A.They both have sisters in their plays. |
B.They both played roles in Games of Thrones. |
C.They get their nicknames because of their roles. |
D.They are not as handsome and famous as others. |
A.Ton Hiddleston. | B.Taylor Swift. |
C.Emma Stone. | D.Joseph Gordon Levitt. |
A.she always brings bad luck to others. |
B.some people don’t like her or her music style. |
C.her songs are not well-received by the audience. |
D.her songs can’t be the best for unexpected things. |
A.Idols and their fans. | B.Idols and their works. |
C.Idols and their nicknames. | D.Idols and their achievements. |