1 . When you set a foot outside of your door to drop trash, go to a social event or go for a walk, thoughts like “I hope I don’t see anyone I know” or “please don’t talk to me” may run through your mind. I’ve also said such things to myself. Sometimes the last thing you want to do is to talk with someone, especially someone new.

Why do we go out of our ways to avoid people? Do we think meeting new people is a waste of time? Or are we just lazy, thinking that meeting someone new really is a trouble?

Communication is the key to life. We have been told that many times. Take the past generations, like our parents, for example. They seem to take full advantage of that whole “communication” idea because they grew up talking face to face while Generation-Y grew up staring at screens. We spend hours of our days sitting on Facebook. We send messages to our friends and think about all of the things we want to say to certain people that we don’t have the courage to actually do in reality.

Nowadays, we are so caught up in our little circle of friends — our comfort zone. We love it that they laugh at our jokes, understand our feelings and can read our minds. Most importantly, they know when we want to be alone. They just get us.

Holding a conversation with someone new means agreeing with things that you don’t actually believe and being someone you think they want you to be — it is, as I said before, a trouble. It takes up so much energy, and at some point or another, it is too tiring.

But meeting new people is important. Life is too short, so meet all the people you can meet, make the effort to go out and laugh. Remember, every “hello” leads to a smile — and a smile is worth a lot.

1. What do we learn about the author?

A．He likes to be alone.	B．He feels nervous lately.
C．He’s afraid of talking to others at times.	D．He’s active in attending social events.

2. What’s the problem of Generation-Y in the author’s eyes?

A．They rely on the Internet to socialize.

B．They are less confident in themselves.

C．They have difficulty in communicating.

D．They are unwilling to make new friends.

3. Why do many young people avoid meeting new people?

A．They fear to disappoint their old friends.

B．They want to take time to do meaningful work

C．They are busy with their study.

D．They think it troublesome.

4. Why does the author write the text?

A．To tell about the importance of friends.

B．To encourage people to meet new people.

C．To give tips on how to meet new people.

D．To introduce the disadvantages of Generation-Y.

2 . Diners in Japan could soon be able to taste the flavour of a bowl of soup without having to worry about their salt intake.

In what they claim is a world first, researchers have developed chopsticks that artificially create the taste of salt, as part of efforts to reduce sodium (钠) levels in some of the country’s most popular dishes.

The chopsticks work by using electrical stimulation (刺激) and a mini-computer worn on the eater’s wristband. The device (设备) transmits sodium ions (离子) from food, through the chopsticks, to the mouth where they create a sense of saltiness, according to Homei Miyashita, a professor at Meiji University in Tokyo, whose laboratory developed the device. The team said they hoped to make the chopsticks available to consumers (消费者) next year. Miyashita said, “Our device could find large consumers in Japan, where the traditional diet tends to be high in salt due to the use of ingredients such as soy sauce (酱油).”

The average Japanese adult consumes about 10 grams of salt a day, double the amount recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The health ministry has proposed reducing daily salt intake to a maximum of 7.5 grams for men and 6.5 grams for women.

The chopsticks use “very weak electricity — not enough to affect the human body — to adjust the function of ions to change the perception of taste by making food seem to taste stronger or weaker“, Kirin said in a statement. Miyashita and Kirin said clinical tests on people who follow a low-sodium diet had confirmed that the device increases the salty taste of low-sodium food by about 1.5 times. They said participants given reduced-salt soup had commented on the improved ”richness, sweetness and overall tastiness“ of the dish.

High salt intake can contribute to high blood pressure, which is the single biggest cause of heart attacks and strokes. “To prevent these diseases, we need to reduce the amount of salt we take,” said Kirin researcher Ai Sato. “If we try to avoid taking more salt in a conventional way, we would need to bear the pain of cutting our favourite food from our diet, or bear eating tasteless food.”

1. What can we know about the chopsticks?

A．They are difficult to use.

B．They are already on the market now.

C．They will affect the human body seriously.

D．They are different from traditional chopsticks.

2. What did Miyashita think of the future market of their device?

A．Promising.

B．Hopeless.

C．Worrying.

D．Unpredictable.

3. What’s the daily amount of salt recommended by WHO every adult?

A．About 10 grams.

B．About 7.5 grams.

C．About 6.5 grams.

D．About 5 grams.

4. What’s the best title of the text?

A．Traditional Japanese Diet Is High in Salt

B．High Salt Intake Can Result in Many Diseases

C．Japanese People Keep Fit by Using a New Device

D．“Electric” Chopsticks Can Make Food Seem More Salty

3 . Waiting for the bus every morning and going to school has never been better for Ryder Killam, a 5-year-old boy in a wheelchair from Westerly, Rhode Island who was born with disability (残疾) .He no longer has to wait for the school bus in the open air thanks to Westerly High School students.

The goal of the boy’s father, Tim Killam, was to keep his little kid protected from the bad weather while waiting for the bus every morning, and getting some kind of shelter (避雨处) was actually his idea. He asked for an unused bus shelter on Facebook. After not being able to find a suitable one, he decided to contact the high school which had already finished several building projects.

The students from Westerly High School construction (建造) class, among whom is one of Ryder’s brothers, quickly put their hands to work. The bus stop was designed by pupil Mason Heald, who was in regular contact with the Killams for feedback.

The construction class, led by Dan McKenna, teaches its members building skills and is part of the high school’s Career and Technical Education programme.

“This was a design to final products and delivery (传送;递送) .It’s the best we could have asked for. It’s really what these programmes should be about,” said Michael Hobin, Westerly High School’s principal (校长) .

More people from the local community chipped in to help make the project happen. One of McKenna’s former students transported(运输)the shelter from the high school to the Killams’ address with his truck. And another neighbour helped to properly position the shelter by the bus stop.

Not only did Ryder’s daily life improve, but the students also learnt an unforgettable life lesson. They saw that with their skills and knowledge they can make a real difference in someone else’s life.

1. Why did Tim Killam turn to a high school for help?

A．Few people helped him.	B．The school was close to him.
C．He couldn’t find a right shelter.	D．His son put forward the suggestion.

2. Who might be a teacher?

A．Ryder Killam.

B．Tim Killam.

C．Dan McKenna.

D．Mason Heald.

3. What does the underlined phrase “chipped in” in paragraph 6 mean?

A．Joined in.

B．Got hungry.

C．Kept an eye on.

D．Fought over.

4. What’s the author’s attitude to what people did in building the shelter?

A．Amazed.

B．Appreciative.

C．Unclear.

D．Doubtful.

5 . I was never very neat while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her objects had its place, but my always hid somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签) everything. I always looked for everything. Overtime, Kate got neater and I got my merriser. She moved to push my dirty clothing over and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.

Who broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, “Take your shoes away! why under my bed!” Suddenly I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.

The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up. She quickly crawled (爬) under her covers, crying. Obviously. that was something she could not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy (同情) rose up in my heart.

Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bad. Cleaned the suckers and swept the floor even on her side. I got so absorbed into my work that I even didn’t notice Kate had sat up. She was watching. Her tears dried and her expression was such disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me. “Thanks.”

Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the key to living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.

1. What made Kate so angry one evening?

A．She couldn’t find her books.

B．She heard the writer shouting loud.

C．She got the news that her grandma was ill.

D．She saw the writer’s shoes beneath her bed.

2. Why did the writer tidy up the room?

A．Because she was scared by Kate’s anger.

B．Because she hated herself for being so messy.

C．Because she wanted to show her care.

D．Because she was asked by Kate to do so.

3. How is paragraph 1 mainly developed?

A．By analyzing courses.

B．By showing differences.

C．By describing a process.

D．By following time order.

4. What might be the best title for the story?

A．My Friend Kate.

B．Hard Work Pays off.

C．How to Be Organized?

D．Learning to Be Roommates.

6 . Maybe you have heard the expression—when in Rome, do as the Romans do. So when you want to do business in France, you have to get to know French culture, to make marketing plans, and to run your business by local laws.

    1     The French take great pride in their language, so anyone who does not speak it may run the risk of being disrespected by his French colleagues or business partners. Also, another reason why learning French is important is that it is a great way to show every possible French business partner that you care and respect their country's culture and language.

The first thing you should do when meeting someone new is to shake his hand firmly and always look the person in the eye. In social meeting with friends, kissing is common.

Use first names only after being invited to.     2     The French will sometimes introduce themselves using their surname first, followed by their first name.

Dress well.     3     Your business clothing is a reflection of your success and social status. Always try to be tasteful and stylish. Women are advised to dress simply but elegantly. Wearing make-up is practised widely by businesswomen.

The French are passionate about food, so lunches are common in doing business in France, which usually consist of an appetizer (开胃菜), a main meal with wine, cheese, dessert and coffee, and normally take up to two hours.     4    

Do not begin eating until the host says “bon appetite”. Pass dishes to the left, keep wrists above the table and try to eat everything on the plate.     5     This may suggest that you find the food tasteless. If eating in a restaurant, the person who invites always pays.

A．The French draw information about people based on their appearance.

B．This is a time for relationship building.

C．Remember to be as polite as possible.

D．Language should be the focus of anyone planning to do business in France.

E．Be careful with adding salt, pepper or sauces to your food.

F．Use Monsieur or Madame before the surname.

G．Make an appointment with your business partner in advance.

8 . Researchers in Australia, who studied 1 , 500 people and their lifestyle, have found that having good friends can help you live longer. An American study of 1 0,000 students, over a period of 35 years, also found that if you make more friends than the average person at school, you’ll receive a higher salary（薪水） in later life. People need good social skills at work to manage people and work in a team successfully. These are the same skills we use to make friends at school.

On average(平均), teenagers aged between 1 5 and 1 7 have 500 “friends”on their favourite social networking site. Adults have 1 30. So if you believe this research, you might live for a long time and be very rich.

However, according to Professor Robin Dunbar from the University of Oxford, it probably won’t make any difference. Dunbar studied the number of messages between users of a popular social networking website, each of whom had between 200 and 2,000 friends. He found that they always communicate with a maximum (最大量) of 1 50 people.

Among these 1 50, Dunbar believes that around five people are close friends. You’ve mostly known them for a long time; they are probably old friends and you share all your good and bad experiences with them. Then there are ten more friends. Although they’re close to you, you may not keep in touch with them every week. Next there are 35 people who you might spend time with because of a shared interest. You aren’t close. And finally, there’s a large group of 1 00. You see or speak to these people at least once a year, but you don’t know them well. Beyond this number, Bunbar says, it’s impossible to make any relationship meaningful.

If you have a lot of online “friends”,try this experiment: First take away anyone you haven’t been in touch with for a year. Then remove people you can’t remember and, finally, take away friends who you wouldn’t mind losing touch with. How many do you have left? How many of these people are actually good friends? According to the research, these are the only people that really matter.

1. What are the studies mentioned in the first paragraph mainly about?

A．The number of friends you should have.

B．The advantages of having a lot of friends.

C．Some social skills you may need at work.

D．Some useful advice on how to make friends.

2. According to the American study in para.1 , the most popular students at school ________.

A．are likely to spend more money	B．may not be as popular at work
C．seem to get better paid-- job	D．will work harder in later years.

3. What does the underlined part “this number”in paragraph 4 refer to ?

A．10.	B．35.
C．100.	D．150.

4. . What does the text mainly want to show?

A．You need to spend more time with your friends.

B．There is a lot of research on the influence of friends.

C．Friends are sometimes more important than family.

D．It’s more important to have good friends.

5. The text probably comes from ________.

A．science magazine	B．textbook
C．travel journal	D．newspaper

9 . The Internet plays a big part in human life. We use it for work and pleasure. We use it to learn a new language. We find advice on it. We use it to connect with family and friends. We use it to stay in touch with events we care about.The list goes on and on.

As far as the Internet being a part of our lives, well, that train has left the station. There is no going back to an Internet-free life. But can using the Internet too much be bad for our health? It might be, say researchers. A new study finds that heavy Internet use may be connected to high blood pressure in a young group: teenagers.

The study results show that teens who spend at least 14 hours a week only online may cause high blood pressure, which makes their hearts and blood vessels(血管) work too hard. Over time, this extra pressure increases the risk of a heart attack. High blood pressure can also cause heart and other diseases.

The Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan did the study. 335 young people, from 14 to 17 years old, took part in it. 134 of the teens were described as “heavy Internet users”. And researchers found that out of these 134 teens, 26 had high blood pressure. The researchers said the study was the first to connect heavy Web use with high blood pressure.

The lead researcher is Andrea Cassidy-Bushrow. She says, “Using the Internet is part of our daily life, but it shouldn’t ruin(毁坏) us.” Ms. Cassidy-Bushrow adds that it is important for teens to stop to have a rest regular from their computers or smartphones and do some kind of physical activity. She also suggests that parents shouldn’t let their children use the Internet for more than two hours a day, five days a week.

1. What does the underlined part “that train has left the station”mean in Paragraph 2?

A．The train has changed its course.

B．Life without the Internet is nowhere to be found.

C．The Internet brings great changes to people’s life.

D．The Internet has improved people’s life.

2. What can we know about the study according to Paragraph 4?

A．There was no similar study like it before.

B．Most of the young people had high blood pressure.

C．Adult people aged above 17 took part in the study.

D．Over half of the teens in the study were heavy Internet users.

3. Which of the following would Andrea Cassidy-Bushrow probably agree with?

A．That teenagers shouldn’t use the Internet.

B．That the Internet will ruin human life in the future.

C．That smartphones are more harmful than computers.

D．That regular breaks are necessary when using the Internet.

4. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．Heavy Internet users are mostly teenagers.

B．Every coin has two sides—so does the Internet.

C．Too much Internet use may be bad for teenagers.

D．How to prevent teenagers from using the Internet.