1 . There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that the influence of media is growing stronger and stronger as time passes. If you have noticed, the speed at which news travels around the world has become faster with the development and advancement in technology. Media are actually influencing people in different ways.
Whether you admit it or not, watching movies and programs on the television or our laptop, ipad and other mobile devices as we relax takes us away into this different kingdom — that is, there are parts in our being that feels we are the ones in the movie and sometimes we even feel what they are feeling as we get caught in the emotional excitement. The effect of media does not stop when the movie or program ends. And this effect might just be the cause of behavioral changes in people.
With action films, children tend to follow the movie hero, engaging themselves to violent acts thinking that it is acceptable because his hero became successful in the end. There are cartoon programs that show acts of violence and dishonest acts against others. In return, children tend to copy the characters and think that cheating other people is a way to deal with their problems. They learn to transfer these ill behaviors to friends.
There are some television shows and movies that attempt to create an atmosphere to change the view of people towards social issues such as racial discrimination (歧视). In the minds of other people, the effect can be for the better, but some unfortunately for the worse.
There had been examples in the past that young people drunk driving imitating (模仿) their favorite actress. There was also a case where somebody set a subway ticket booth on fire because he saw it in his favorite film. These are just a few examples of the disturbing influence of media on people’s behavior.
An explanation to these bad acts is that these people could not distinguish fantasy from reality. They get caught up in the kingdom of what they had been watching and the images and scenes become deeply rooted in their minds.
So the media is largely responsible for giving people false ideas and unhealthy pictures, which lead to misbehavior against other people, and can create a dangerous cycle among individuals as they attempt to do the same or even worse things to others. The sad reality is, no one is turning off their televisions or disconnecting from these influences. The only way programming of this sort will change is when people no longer buy into it, demand it, and watch it.
1. What does the author want to tell us in Paragraph 2?| A．What it is that changes our emotion. |
| B．How media affect people’s behavior. |
| C．Why we are attracted by movies and programs. |
| D．Whether people feel being taken away from the reality. |
| A．生病的 | B．不吉利的 | C．不良的 | D．难受的 |
| A．They are just the violent people. |
| B．They hope to solve social problems. |
| C．They actually can’t tell fantasy from reality. |
| D．They want to change people’s attitudes towards media. |
| A．Sympathetic. | B．Critical. | C．Supportive. | D．Cautious. |
2 . Last year, I attended a class and discussed the topic of “paper books or e-books” with my classmates. The discussion was lively, but was left
According to an article from LA Times, a study discovered that 92% of 300 college students in America and other three countries
I
However, pleasure comes at a
| A．unheard | B．untouched | C．unexplained | D．unsolved |
| A．decisions | B．preferences | C．worries | D．suggestions |
| A．refused | B．favoured | C．disliked | D．trusted |
| A．carried away | B．taken in | C．worn out | D．fed up |
| A．doubt | B．decide | C．believe | D．confirm |
| A．destroy | B．compare | C．affect | D．bring |
| A．bad | B．unique | C．common | D．strange |
| A．pages | B．stories | C．characters | D．bookmarks |
| A．price | B．loss | C．speed | D．time |
| A．waste | B．create | C．occupy | D．make |
| A．relief | B．reward | C．headache | D．mistake |
| A．In other words | B．As a result | C．In addition | D．On the other hand |
| A．affordable | B．costly | C．available | D．dependable |
| A．disadvantages | B．benefits | C．challenges | D．thoughts |
| A．involves | B．deserves | C．expresses | D．beats |
3 . Self-driving cars are just around the corner. Such vehicles will make getting from one place to another safer and less stressful. They also could cut down on traffic, reduce pollution and limit accidents. But how should driverless cars handle emergencies (突发情况)? People disagree on the answer. And that might put the brakes on this technology, a new study concludes.
To understand the challenge, imagine a car that suddenly meets some pedestrians in the road. Even with braking, it’s too late to avoid a crash. So the car’s artificial intelligence must decide whether to swerve (急转弯). To save the pedestrians, should the car swerve off the road or swerve into oncoming traffic? What if such options would likely kill the car’s passengers?
Researchers used online surveys to study people’s attitudes about such situations with driverless cars. Survey participants mostly agreed that driverless cars should be designed to protect the most people. That included swerving into walls (or otherwise sacrificing their passengers) to save a larger number of pedestrians. But there is a hitch (困境). Those same surveyed people want to ride in cars that protect passengers at all costs — even if the pedestrians would now end up dying. Jean Bonnefon is a psychologist at the Toulouse School of Economics in France. He and his colleagues reported their findings in Science.
“Autonomous cars can completely change transportation”, says study coauthor Iyad Rahwan. But, he adds, this new technology creates a moral dilemma (道德两难) that could slow its acceptance.
Makers of driverless cars are in a tough spot, Bonnefon’s group warns. Most buyers would want their car to be programmed to protect them in preference to other people. However, regulations might one day instruct that cars must act for the greater good. That would mean saving the most people. But the scientists think rules like this could drive away buyers. If so, all the potential benefits of driverless cars would be lost.
Compromises might be possible, Kurt Gray says. He is a psychologist at the University of North Carolina. He thinks that even if all driverless cars are programmed to protect their passengers in emergencies, traffic accidents will decrease. Those vehicles might be dangerous to pedestrians on rare occasions. But they “won’t speed, won’t drive drunk and won’t text while driving, which would be a win for society.”
1. The underlined word “challenge” in paragraph 2 refers to ________.| A．people’s negative attitudes towards self-driving cars |
| B．how self-driving cars reduce traffic accidents |
| C．the technical problems that self-driving cars have |
| D．how self-driving cars handle emergencies |
| A．self-driving cars’ artificial intelligence needs improvement |
| B．the busy traffic may be a problem for self-driving cars |
| C．people are in a moral dilemma about driverless cars |
| D．self-driving cars should be designed to protect drivers |
| A．Regulations are in favour of drivers. |
| B．Most people dislike self-driving cars now. |
| C．Self-driving car makers are in a difficult situation. |
| D．The potential benefits of driverless cars are ignored. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Critical. | D．Disapproving. |
4 . You probably take many steps to protect your computer from getting a virus, but what about your cell phone? Cell phones are basically mini-computers, so, believe it or not, they too can get viruses.
“Viruses and malware（恶意软件）should not be a major concern to the average consumer who uses their device to make phone calls, take pictures, and download a few well-known apps from the major app marketplaces,” Tim Katsch Vice President of iDropped said. “If a user is downloading a lot of apps, changing and exploring settings within the device, and visiting a large number of websites from unknown sources, virus and malware protection should be kept on their mind.” If your phone gets a virus it can mess up your data, put random charges on your bill, and get private information such as your bank account number, credit card information, passwords, and your location.
The most common way that you could get a virus on your phone would be through downloading an infected app. Viruses can also get on your phone when you click on strange links or open up an email that contains a virus. Connecting to an unsecured wireless network in a public place is also a way for hackers（黑客）to get private information from your device.
If you're still convinced that your phone might get a virus, there are anti-virus apps that you can download that will constantly scan your phone to make sure it hasn't developed a virus, Apps like these will also check things before you download them to ensure that they are safe. Another tip is to always look over your cell phone bill every month to make sure there aren't charges from apps that you never downloaded.
Technology is getting smarter, but so are hackers, and it's important to always be cautious with anything you do on your phone. Many people store a lot of personal information on their phones, and while that might make life a little more convenient, it can also do a lot of damage if hacked.
1. What can we learn from Tim Katsch's words?| A．The wireless network in the public places is safe to use. |
| B．Viruses and malware will most probably attack average phones. |
| C．Downloading a lot of apps will protect your phone from being hacked. |
| D．The average consumer needn't worry much about a virus or malware. |
| A．Downloading an infected app. |
| B．Clicking on close friends' links. |
| C．Connecting to your mobile data. |
| D．Changing your private information. |
| A．Harm set, harm get. |
| B．Every coin has two sides. |
| C．Kill two birds with one stone. |
| D．Technology makes life smarter. |
| A．Anti-Virus Apps Make Your Cell Phone Safe? |
| B．Viruses and Malware Damage Your Cell Phone? |
| C．Worried About Your Cell Phone Catching a Virus? |
| D．Ready to Fight Against the Hackers to Your Cell Phone? |
5 . Many high school students want to know the differences between the school life in high schools and universities. In order to help them get ready for the life in the university, four college students are invited to share their school life and give advice to high school students.
Student | School life | Advice |
Huang Jing (Guangxi) | High school: I lived with my parents. I walked to school every day because it was near my home. University: I have to live in a dormitory (宿舍) with four roommates. | Learn to take good care of yourself. |
Lu Qiang (Hubei) | High school: I spent most of the time having classes and doing my homework. University: I have more time to learn what I'm interested in. | Form the habit of learning by yourself. |
Yan Tingli (Zhejiang) | High school: I didn't like PE classes at all and I seldom did sports. University: PE classes are very important to us. We have to pass the PE tests to graduate. | Do sports regularly. |
Zhong Zhi (Anhui) | High school: I stayed at school all day long and learned from books. University: I take some part-time jobs to get some working experience. | Take part in some social activities. |
| A．Guangxi. | B．Hubei. | C．Zhejiang. | D．Anhui. |
| A．Taking care of yourself. | B．Forming the habit of learning by yourself. |
| C．Doing sports regularly. | D．Taking part in some social activities. |
| A．Huang Jing. | B．Lu Qiang. | C．Yan Tingli. | D．Zhong Zhi. |
| A．To make some friends. | B．To improve his English. |
| C．To enjoy good food. | D．To get some working experience. |
| A．Parents. | B．High school students. |
| C．Doctors. | D．Middle school teachers. |
6 . Some of the greatest problems we face today are the destruction (破坏)of our environment.Brown clouds, polluted water, endangered wild animals..., these problems seem so huge.
So my family does what we can. We take cloth bags to stores instead of using plastic bags. We walk where we don’t have to drive.
But does it do any good? When I am the only one in line at the market with cloth bags, am I doing any good? Does my walking to stores make any real difference to the world?
I recently learned something about flamingos(火烈鸟)which like to get together in groups of a thousand or more Every year when the time comes for migration (迁徙), a few of them first take off from the lake. But none of the others seem to notice, so the small group returns. However, the next day they try again. This time a few more fly along with them, but most of them still pay no attention, so they return again. They try for several times. Every time a few more birds join in but ,since the thousands of others still take no notice, the great migration plan is once more stopped.
Then one day something changes. The same small group of birds once again starts flying and a small number more join in just as before, then more. Finally, they all take flight and the migration really begins. What a spectacular sight it must be--thousands of flamingos taking off into the sky at once!
A few can make a difference. Even if you’re the one to take the first step, and continue trying,others will someday take notice and together we will solve even our greatest problems.
1. Where would you most probably read this passage?| A．A guidebook. | B．A movie poster. |
| C．An animal magazine. | D．A personal blog |
| A．There are only cloth bags in stores. |
| B．All the people use cloth bags in stores. |
| C．He thinks plastic bags are more expensive. |
| D．He wants to do some good to the environment. |
| A．Disappointing. | B．Fantastic. |
| C．Terrible | D．Surprising |
| A．To show that the writer loves to see the migration of flamingos. |
| B．To tell readers to continue trying and it can make a difference. |
| C．To introduce a special kind of flamingo to readers. |
| D．To show that there' re many problems in the world. |
7 . Just several days ago, a violent storm hit our community. I looked out of the window and witnessed a tree being
After the storm had passed, the tree gracefully returned to its
For a long time I couldn’t understand why this tree
I couldn’t but ask myself how deep the roots are in my life.
Faced with
| A．crushed | B．abused | C．broken | D．removed |
| A．height | B．thickness | C．flexibility | D．outline |
| A．answered for | B．depended on | C．catered for | D．touched on |
| A．held | B．tied | C．pulled | D．raised |
| A．achieve | B．reach | C．establish | D．maintain |
| A．current | B．final | C．original | D．comfortable |
| A．explore | B．avoid | C．chase | D．survive |
| A．counts | B．differs | C．concerns | D．reveals |
| A．fixed | B．transferred | C．escaped | D．caught |
| A．strange | B．obvious | C．possible | D．reasonable |
| A．surroundings | B．resources | C．probability | D．stability |
| A．beating | B．stand | C．chance | D．turning |
| A．However | B．Therefore | C．Nevertheless | D．Besides |
| A．misbehaving | B．struggling | C．withdrawing | D．misunderstanding |
| A．security | B．deadline | C．money | D．community |
| A．surprises | B．choices | C．storms | D．changes |
| A．smile | B．bend | C．hesitate | D．advance |
| A．opportunities | B．challenges | C．tasks | D．differences |
| A．trick | B．argue | C．force | D．admit |
| A．courage | B．ambition | C．value | D．strength |
8 . Getting less sleep has become a bad habit for most American kids. According to a new survey(调查) by the National Sleep Foundation, 51% of kids aged 10 to 18 go to bed at 10 pm or later on school nights, even though they have to get up early. Last year the Foundation reported that nearly 60% of 7- to 12-year-olds said they felt tired during the day, and 15% said they had fallen asleep at school.
How much sleep you need depends a lot on your age. Babies need a lot of rest: most of them sleep about 18 hours a day! Adults need about eight hours. For most school-age children, ten hours is ideal(理想的). But the new National Sleep Foundation survey found that 35% of 10- to 12-year-olds get only seven or eight hours. And guess what almost half of the surveyed kids said they do before bedtime? Watch TV.
“More children are going to bed with TVs on, and there are more opportunities(机会) to stay awake, with more homework, the Internet and the phone,” says Dr. Mary Carskadon, a sleep researcher at Brown University Medical School. She says these activities at bedtime can get kids all excited and make it hard for them to calm down and sleep. Other experts say part of the problem is chemical. Changing levels of body chemicals called hormones not only make teenagers’ bodies develop adult characteristics, but also make it hard for teenagers to fall asleep before 11 pm.
Because sleepiness is such a problem for teenagers, some school districts have decided to start high school classes later than they used to. Three years ago, schools in Edina, Minnesota, changed the start time from 7:25 am to 8:30 am. Students, parents and teachers are pleased with the results.
1. What is the new National Sleep Foundation survey on?| A．American kids’ sleeping habits. | B．Teenagers’ sleep-related diseases. |
| C．Activities to prevent sleeplessness. | D．Learning problems and lack of sleep. |
| A．7 hours. | B．8 hours. |
| C．10 hours. | D．18 hours. |
| A．They are affected by certain body chemicals. |
| B．They tend to do things that excite them. |
| C．They follow their parents’ examples. |
| D．They don’t need to go to school early. |
9 . Should we allow modern buildings to be built next to older buildings in a historic area of a city? In order to answer this question, we must first examine whether people really want to preserve the historic feel of an area. Not all historical buildings are attractive. However, there may be other reasons—for example, economic (经济的) reasons—why they should be preserved. So, let us assume that historical buildings are both attractive and important to the majority of people. What should we do then if a new building is needed?
In my view, new architectural styles can exist perfectly well alongside an older style. Indeed, there are many examples in my own home town of Tours where modern designs have been placed very successfully next to old buildings. As long as the building in question is pleasing and does not dominate (影响) its surroundings too much, it often improves the attractiveness of the area.
It is true that there are examples of new buildings which have spoilt (破坏) the area they are in, but the same can be said of some old buildings too. Yet people still speak against new buildings in historic areas. I think this is simply because people are naturally conservative(保守的)and do not like change.
Although we have to respect people’s feelings as fellow users of the buildings, I believe that it is the duty of the architect and planner to move things forward . If we always reproduced what was there before, we would all still be living in caves. Thus, I would argue against copying previous architectural styles and choose something fresh and different , even though that might be the more risky choice.
1. What does the author say about historical buildings in the first paragraph?| A．Some of them are not attractive. |
| B．Most of them ate too expensive to preserve. |
| C．They are more pleasing than modern buildings. |
| D．They have nothing to do with the historic feel of an area. |
| A．We should reproduce the same old buildings. |
| B．Buildings should not dominate their surroundings. |
| C．Some old buildings have spoilt the area they are in. |
| D．No one understands why people speak against new buildings. |
| A．destroy old buildings |
| B．put things in a different place |
| C．respect people’s feelings for historical buildings |
| D．choose new architectural styles |
| A．To explain why people dislike change. |
| B．To argue that modern buildings can be built in historic areas. |
| C．To warn that we could end up living in caves. |
| D．To admit how new buildings have ruined their surroundings. |
