1 . How many times have you found yourself in conversations with friends, family members or loved ones and discovered that you had completely tuned out to what they were saying? How much of our attention are we truly giving to the people who are supposed to be important to us?
According to research cited by Wright State University, while most people believe they are good listeners who don’t need to improve their listening skills, the average person only listens at about 25 percent efficiency.
So why aren’t we better listeners? As a society, we may be growing more narcissistic (自我陶醉的). A 2007 study found a rise in self-centeredness and narcissism among college students. If we, as a culture, are becoming more self-centered, how can we, as individuals, work to become more caring and compassionate communicators?
We can begin by changing our attitudes toward conversations. As Stephen R. Covey wrote in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand but to reply.” A dialogue is an opportunity to learn, to see things from a new perspective, to open your eyes to new information and possibilities. Yet, too often we engage in conversation as if it’s a debate. We speak to hear our own voices — our own pre-existing opinions. In doing so, we tend to space out when spoken to. We wait, perhaps even patiently or politely, for the other person to finish, so we can say something we feel is of value.
Playwright Wilson Mizner said, “A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while, he knows something.” Listening doesn’t just expand our knowledge on an intellectual level; it enables us to have a more personal, in-depth understanding of our closest friends. Relationships are truly enriched by an equal back-and-forth exchange in communication. When these dynamics become more one-sided, we tend to lose interest and create distance in our friendships, with less trust established, less honesty exchanged.
Thankfully, we can all improve our listening skills. Maybe we aren’t as good a listener as we believe. Do we tend to focus too much on ourselves — both in positive and negative ways? Do we get distracted by an inner coach, rather than living in the moment and really engaging in what’s being said? As we learn to quiet that inner voice in our minds, we can start to open ourselves up to others, becoming better listeners, thinkers, lovers and friends.
1. What is the author’s purpose in showing the social phenomena in Paragraph 1?| A．To show most people are confident about their listening skills. |
| B．To express his concerns about people’s lack of attention when talking. |
| C．To introduce the fact that people have low efficiency of listening in life. |
| D．To provide some information about how people behave in conversation. |
| A．To prove college students have become more self-cenfered and narcissistic over time. |
| B．To show the belief in people’s listening skills is outdated and needs to be updated. |
| C．To provide an example of how society’s narcissism affects personal relationships. |
| D．To support the argument that society is becoming more self-centered and narcissistic. |
| A．People should listen to learn and see things from a new perspective. |
| B．A good listener is popular but does not necessarily know everything. |
| C．Most people listen with the intention to understand, not to reply. |
| D．We should speak to hear our own voices and pre-existing opinions. |
| A．Become focused. | B．Feel confused. |
| C．Be absent-minded. | D．Remain anxious. |
| A．The Decline of Listening in Modern Society |
| B．Improving Listening Skills for Better Relationships |
| C．The Impact of Narcissism on Social Communication |
| D．Why We Should Listen More and Speak Less |
2 . Many parents of both boys and girls have witnessed striking differences in the way their kids use technology, with their sons generally gravitating to videogames and their daughters often spending more of their screen time scrolling through social media. Emerging research indicates that brain differences between males and females help account for the split.
Marc Potenza, a professor at Yale University, teamed up with researchers at universities in China to find out why. Using functional MRIs, which measure brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow, the team studied neural responses in young male and female gamers, particularly in the parts of the brain associated with reward processing and craving --a motivating factor in addiction. When the men and women were shown photos of people playing videogames, those parts of the men’s brains showed higher levels of activation than those parts of the women’s brains.
Brain regions that have been implicated in drug-addiction studies also were shown to be more highly activated in the men after gaming. The researchers said the results suggest men could be more biologically prone (有倾向的) than women to developing internet gaming disorder.
But girls and women aren’t free from problems when it comes to digital media. Data from Pew shows that, in general, women use social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest far more than men. Many girls and women are drawn to those photo-sharing sites because they like to form bonds and find similarities, says Rosanna
Guadagno, a social psychologist at Stanford University. Some recent studies show that girls feel the ill effects of too much social media use, such as depression and anxiety, more than boys do.
Researchers at the University of Zurich looked at how differences in brain functioning can help explain why women tend to be more prosocial—that is, helpful, generous and cooperative—than men. In the 2017 study, they hypothesized that the areas of women’s brains related to reward processing are more active when they share rewards and that those areas in men are more active when receiving, selfish rewards. Brain scans conducted on men and women, in which they chose between receiving a monetary reward only for themselves or one that involved sharing money with others, supported their theory.
Scientists say understanding those differences is critical to parents’ ability to help kids navigate the fast-changing world of tech.
1. Boys and girls differ in the way they use technology in that _______.| A．boys like using technology while girls don’t |
| B．boys prefer photo-sharing sites to video games |
| C．girls use social platforms far more than boys |
| D．girls tend to suffer from the use of technology |
| A．The team conducted the research in Yale university. |
| B．There were no changes in blood flow in female games. |
| C．Women’s brains showed higher levels of activation than men’s. |
| D．They focused on the brain’s responses to the part related to addiction. |
| A．Because they are afraid of developing internet gaming disorder. |
| B．Because using social media helps them drive away depression. |
| C．Because it functions as a way of establishing and keeping relations. |
| D．Because they are more active when exposed to social media. |
| A．women are more likely to share money with others |
| B．men are more active when receiving selfish rewards |
| C．women are more helpful, generous and cooperative than men |
| D．women’s brain function influences their prosocial behaviors |
| A．The importance of understanding these differences in brain. |
| B．The proper ways for teenagers to make use of technology . |
| C．The reasons why women are far more generous than men. |
| D．Other factors that might account for technology behavior. |
3 . Cassandra Warren was in a rush and feeling a little overwhelmed with work and planning her wedding. As she was getting invitation for her wedding in the mail one day, she addressed one to her aunt and uncle in Eugene, Oregon, about 20 minutes from where she lived.
A week later, the invitation came back. She had mistakenly written down the wrong address. A handwritten note was written on the return envelope: “I wish I knew you —this is going to be a blast. Congratulations — go and have dinner on me. I’ve been married for 40 years—it gets better with age.” A $20 bill was put inside.
Cassandra was at a bit of a professional crossroads and had been having a tough day. In fact, she’d been complaining to her fiance, Jesse Jone, about her frustrations just as she opened the misdirected envelope. Then she read the note.
“It was kind of prefect timing,” said Cassandra, who worked as a nanny. “I was really grateful for it.”
And the magic envelope wasn’t finished with its surprises. Cassandra looked closer and saw that the person had written “Live long and prosper” on the envelop, a nod to Star Trek (《星际迷航》).
“We’re kind of Star Trek fans,” she said.
Cassandra, 26, and Jesse, 24, had no idea who the mystery note writer was. But they figured the Star Trek reference was because the person noticed the corner of their invitation, which had both a Star War sword and a Harry Potter wand (魔杖).
“She assumed we’d understand her message,” Cassandra said, “Which we did.”
Cassandra, who was a counselor (顾问) for families with autistic children, went out to dinner the following night with a friend who was going overseas with military. They happily put the $20 toward their bill.
Then Cassandra stopped by a store and bought another card — a thank-you card. She wrote her aunt and uncle’s incorrect address on the envelope again -- this time on purpose —and addressed it to “Kind Stranger”.
Inside, she wrote, “Thank you for the note and taking the time to send it. Not many people would have done that. It was a big blessing after the day I was having. I am thankful for people like you still being in the world.” Don’t miss other real-life acts of kindness like this one that will warm your heart.
1. In writing the first paragraph, the author intends to _______.| A．indicate how occupied Cassandra Warren was |
| B．suggest Cassandra Warren shouldn’t invite strangers |
| C．remind people to carefully prepare for weddings |
| D．tell people how the story happened by accident |
| A．To show her appreciation for the wedding invitation. |
| B．To express her best wishes for the couple’s future. |
| C．To connect with the couple over a shared interest. |
| D．To give a hint about who she really was. |
| A．Cassandra didn’t quite understand the mystory note |
| B．Cassandra was greatly touched by the stranger’s reply |
| C．Cassandra wrote her aunt and uncle a thank-you card |
| D．Cassandra was once an autistic patient of her fiancé |
| A．It added to her pleasure. | B．It made her confused. |
| C．It lifted her spirits. | D．It inspired her to do the same. |
| A．Amusing and light-hearted. | B．Emotional and appreciative. |
| C．Informative and factual. | D．Critical and skeptical. |
4 . Fancy spending your summer break improving your skills and preparing for your first job? We have gathered the best summer programs in Singapore in recent years. Now you will be able to narrow down your choices and make a decision.
StandOut Global Summer Program
At StandOut Summer School, one of your missions will be to work as an intern (实习生) with leaders in the business world who have plenty of years of experience in the field. Through this program, you can boost your knowledge by interacting with experts in fields like digital marketing, entrepreneurship (创业), investment, etc. Wherever you come from, the school will welcome you in their all-inclusive program.
NTU Summer School Program
Nanyang Technological University will take you on a unique experience in their summer camp. In NTU`s summer school, you will be able to enjoy your favorite business track out of five different options, Each track will lead you to an internship at. a top-ranked company lasting from 3 weeks to 2 months.
NUS Summer School
The National University of Singapore offers one of the leading summer camps in Singapore. The program is designed for students who are from its partner universities located all around the world. With passion as one of the university’s core values, the NUS Summer School guarantees continuous development for its students.
Singapore Management University Global Summer Program
With its third Global Summer Program starting in July, Singapore Management University offers international students an unforgettable opportunity: 4 weeks of learning in Singapore, with a week spent overseas in another Asian city to merge in an unmatched experience.
Get in touch with us to get all your questions about global summer programs answered!
1. How can students learn more about business in StandOut Global Summer Program?| A．By being an intern at a top-ranked company. |
| B．By working with experienced businessmen. |
| C．By participating in one’s favorite business track. |
| D．By interacting with professors in related fields. |
| A．Both help students start their own business. |
| B．Both invite experts to guide students. |
| C．Both expand students’ knowledge in business. |
| D．Both offer students internships at top-ranked companies. |
| A．It is open to students from all over the world. |
| B．It focuses on digital marketing and entrepreneurship. |
| C．It is only for students from its cooperation universities. |
| D．It is designed for students seeking overall development. |
| A．Internship opportunities in European cities. |
| B．Inclusion of outdoor adventure activities. |
| C．A week spent learning in an Asian city outside Singapore. |
| D．Scholarship opportunities for students from developing countries. |
| A．a university website | B．a business magazine |
| C．a corporate brochure | D．an overseas study guide |
5 . The Future Stars
General IntroductionThe Future Stars was set up in 1988 as a non-profit service center for child development devoted to providing quality child care in a loving and educational environment for children 6 weeks to 6 years of age. Our funds mainly come from public donations.
A healthy curiosity for learning is the most important quality for early childhood development. We aim at offering high quality developmentally age-appropriate activities for early childhood, the most critical time of child development, so that they can do better after they start formal schooling.
Hours of OperationChild care will be provided for the child from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday (except for holidays). Children may not arrive before 7:00 am or remain after 6:00 pm. Should an emergency arises, the parent should immediately make us know in consideration of our work arrangements. A late charge of $1.00 per minute will be assessed if the child is not picked up by 6:05 pm. Charges for these services are to be paid directly to the staff person that has been looking after your child until your arrival; not to the center. Failure to pay late charges may affect continued services with the center.
ParkingDropping off and picking up your child can be made from the two main areas, Spring Street and Seventh Street. Parking is free for parents coming to visit their children in our center. Please do not leave your purse or valuables in your car and be sure to lock your vehicle.
Tuition (学费)When it has been confirmed that a position is available for your child, you must pay a registration (注册) fee of $200 per child.
The weekly tuition fee is $98.00. You can make payments either by credit card or in cash on Monday every week. If your payment is not made by Tuesday at 9:00 am, you will be charged a $25.00 late fee.
For more information, please call 434-293-6110 or visit at www.childdevelopmentcenter.com.
1. The Future Stars is intended for ________.| A．would-be parents | B．pre-school children | C．child experts | D．teenagers |
| A．It has a history of more than three decades. |
| B．It has shorter hours of operation on holidays. |
| C．It offers free parking service for visiting parents. |
| D．It aims to improve children’s development through activities. |
| A．They may affect continued services with the center. |
| B．Parents needn’t pay late charges for them. |
| C．Parents have to inform the center of them right away. |
| D．They may greatly disturb the work arrangements of the center. |
| A．pay every Monday | B．be charged a $25.00 late fee |
| C．pay $98.00 for registration | D．pay in cash |
| A．To attract public donations. | B．To promote early education. |
| C．To tell the benefits of child care. | D．To introduce a child development center. |
6 . “They tell me that you’d like to make a statue (塑像) of me — is that correct, Miss Vinnie Ream?” The President’s deep, gentle voice helped calm the nervous girl as he showed his doubt.
Asking for the help of the President (总统) of the United States was no casual matter, especially for a seventeen-year-old girl.
“Yes, sir,” she replied, her dark eyes meeting his. “I wouldn’t have dared to ask you, but my teacher, Mr Mills, says I am ready. I plan to make it in an admirable manner.”
President Lincoln smiled. “Painters, sculptors — they’ve all tried to make the best of this ordinary face, but I’m afraid there’s not much hope. What did you have in mind, Miss Ream? A bust (半身像)?”
Before Vinnie could say yes, the President hurried on, a shade of apology in his voice. “Of course — I shouldn’t have asked. A full-length pose would be much too big a project for a young woman your size.”
Vinnie’s face turned red. She realized she looked like a child, with her tiny figure. “Small does not mean weak, sir,” she defended herself. “I was born in the country of Wisconsin. I’ve driven teams of horses and carried water. Making a full-length clay (粘土) figure would not exhaust my strength — and that is what I intend to do!”
The President’s eyes, brightened at her show of spirit. “Sorry, madam, I have underestimated you as I didn’t know your background.”
But his smile faded as he rubbed his beard with bony fingers, in thought. “Miss Ream,” he sighed, “I’d like to let you do it, but as you know, we are in the middle of a war. How could I possibly take the time to pose for a sculpture now? I hardly have a minute to myself.”
Vinnie looked around and noted the size of his office. “I work quickly,” she said. Her voice was soft but confident as she pointed to the corner near the windows. “If I were to bring my clay here and work for three hours every afternoon, I could complete most of the project while you are at your desk.”
The President seemed to consider her idea seriously. He got up and shook Vinnie’s hand warmly, “I’ve heard that you are a talented young woman, and I have found you charming and intelligent as well. I cannot make my decision immediately, but you will hear from me soon.”
The very next day, Vinnie received an invitation from the President.
1. How did President Lincoln first respond (回复) to Vinnie’s request (请求)?| A．Delighted. | B．Excited. | C．Regretful. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Her enthusiastic personality. |
| B．Mr Mills’s encouraging words. |
| C．President Lincoln’s gentle voice. |
| D．Her interest in a challenging job. |
| A．her experience from other projects |
| B．her innocent (天真的) childhood in the country |
| C．the heavy labor (劳动) she had done before |
| D．the skill she picked up in Wisconsin |
| A．achieve effects of natural lighting |
| B．keep all her tools within easy reach |
| C．observe the President at a right angle (角度) |
| D．avoid disturbing (打扰) the President’s work |
| A．A strong-willed soul can reach his goal. |
| B．Experience helps to promote excellence. |
| C．Ups and downs make one strong. |
| D．Devotion requires enthusiasm. |
7 . He really did look like a tourist, with a camera around his neck and a bottle of sunscreen cream sticking out of his bag. The fat man sat on the terrace (平台), sipping lemonade and pretending to look at a tourism brochure. His sunglasses masked his eyes, but I knew he wasn’t looking at the brochure: he hadn’t turned a page for the last ten minutes. As I brought him his dishes, he coughed up a “thank you” and looked at me briefly. I tried not to stare at the tiny scar across his left eyebrow.
I walked back inside with my empty tray, shaking my head. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite place him. Then it hit me — the car accident. The mysterious stranger who helped me out of my crashed car, just before it exploded. I rushed back to his table. He was gone.
I moved his saucer and found his tip, along with a card: I am deeply grateful to you. The night of your car accident, I was on my way to rob a jewelry store. Saving your life brought things back in a right way. I now live an honest life, thanks to you. Mr. D.
I shivered (震颤). The night of my car accident, I was heading for an interview in an illegal dance club. Seeing human kindness through his heroic gesture turned my life around and bought faith back into my life. I unfolded the tip he left. Among the singles was a grand (一千块) with a pen mark underlining “Thank you.” I said a silent prayer for him and got back to work, smiling.
1. Why did the fat man look like a tourist?| A．Because he used money not the same as the locals. |
| B．Because he carried what tourist usually have on. |
| C．Because he didn’t look like a native citizen. |
| D．Because he ordered strange food and drinks. |
| A．He was drinking all the time. | B．He sat still with his sunglasses. |
| C．The page remained unturned. | D．He was staring at the writer. |
| A．A mysterious stranger helped the author out of the crashed car. |
| B．The author helped a stranger escape from the crashed car. |
| C．A mysterious man robbed the author of a grand. |
| D．The author was interviewed for an illegal dance club. |
| A．They kept in touch with each other since then. |
| B．The author had been searching for the man. |
| C．The man became a rich man years later. |
| D．The author didn’t go to that interview. |
| A．Sympathetic. | B．Grateful. | C．Worried. | D．Trusty. |
Once upon a time, in a little village called Charmington, there lived a shy and unconfident girl named Lily. Lily was a kind-hearted soul, but her lack of self-assurance often led her to doubt her own beauty and worth.
One sunny day, as Lily wandered through the streets of Charmington, she came across a charming little shop filled with shining hair accessories (配饰). Among the treasures, her eyes were attracted by a lovely bow (蝴蝶结) that seemed to callout to her. Despite her hesitation, something inside Lily told her to take a small act of self-expression and pay for the bow. She bought it and gently put it in her hair. At that very moment, a magical transformation took place. Lily felt a burst of confidence, as if the bow had given her a newfound confidence and charm.
Excited about her new accessory, Lily confidently walked down the busy streets of Charmington, unaware that the bow had slipped and dropped unnoticed from her hair. Her newfound confidence made her feel beautiful inside and out. As Lily walked, something amazing began to happen. People passing by couldn’t help but notice her beauty, the warmth that shined from herself. Strangers smiled at her, complimenting her on her look and bright smile.
Confused by their compliments, Lily touched her hair, only to realize that the bow was missing. Instead of feeling embarrassed or disheartened, she couldn’t help but be amazed by the power of her own confidence. Lily began to understand that true beauty lies not in outside decorations but in self-assurance and grace. It was her confidence that had caught the attention and admiration of those around her.
1. What was the biggest challenge for Lily? (No more than 15 words.)2. What happened to Lily’s new bow?(No more than 10 words.)
3. What does the underlined word “complimenting” probably mean? (Only 1 word.)
4. According to the passage, what is the true beauty? (No more than 15 words.)
5. In your opinion, how to build your own confidence? (No more than 20 words.)
9 . All of us have taken an instant dislike to someone, and then felt guilty about being too judgmental. But now it seems we should place more trust in our first impressions. Most people can correctly judge a total stranger following a short meeting, according to scientists.
And in general, the more confident the people are, the more likely they are to be correct in their assumptions. Jeremy Biesanz, who led a team of researchers from the University of British Columbia, said: “Many important decisions are made after very brief encounters — which employee to hire, which person to date, which student to accept”. Although our first impressions are generally accurate, it is necessary for us to recognize where they may be not good enough.
The researchers arranged for two groups of more than 100 people to meet in a meeting. Much like speed-dating, the volunteers spoke to everyone in their group for three minutes each. At the end of each three-minute chat, they were asked to rate each other’s personalities, and how well they thought their impressions “would coincide with someone who knows this person very well”.
To find out what the person was “really” like, the scientists had his friends and family fill out his personality reports. Generally speaking, the more confident the volunteers felt in accurately rating another’s personality, the closer their ratings were to those of the other person’s friends and family, the researchers said.
However, the participants with the highest accuracy were those who rated themselves moderately(适度)accurate — those highly confident of their judgment were less successful. The scientists concluded that, although we know people are different from each other, a good judge of character knows that in many ways people are mostly alike. For example, almost everyone would prefer being kind to being unfriendly.
Therefore, while first impressions can be generally accurate, they are not conclusive in working out whether somebody really is “better” than someone else.
1. The volunteers joined a meeting which was ______.| A．interesting | B．complex | C．serious | D．brief |
| A．agree with | B．appeal to | C．get along with | D．set an example to |
①Being talkative ②Good social relationships
③A proper degree of confidence ④Knowing that people are mostly alike
| A．①② | B．②③ | C．③④ | D．④① |
| A．many important decisions are made with the help of strangers |
| B．people tend to have better impressions on friends than on strangers |
| C．we shouldn’t depend on first impressions completely to judge others |
| D．accurate judgments on others can help us make as many friends as possible |
| A．We should not doubt our ability to judge others. |
| B．Our first impressions on a stranger are usually accurate. |
| C．Confidence determines whether people can succeed or not. |
| D．It’s an important task to make a good judgment about strangers. |
10 . Pooja Rai was a young architecture student in 2014 when she went with a friend to give food to a local orphanage. She was surprised at what she saw.
Kids were playing with anything they could get their hands on. One group was rolling around a broken metal pipe. Two boys were trying to play badminton, using old shoes as rackets. “Play shouldn’t just be part of a rich kid’s lifestyle. All kids have a right to enjoy their childhoods.” Rai says.
Over the next few weeks, she talked with friends about collecting money for a playground. And that’s when she thought of old tires. Around 100 million tires are thrown away in India every year. Could they reuse them as playground materials and help the environment, too?
That idea became a reality in 2015, using old tires—all cleaned, carefully looked over to make sure they are safe to use, and painted in bright colors. The following year, she created Anthill Creations, which has built 275 playgrounds across India—celebrating the power of play in public spaces orphanages, and schools.
“Our work always begins with talks with kids about what they want from this space.” says Rai. Sometimes it can take a few hours, or a few visits, until children are ready to open up. She also draws on her experience as an architect. “I found that spaces are powerful in shaping people’s behavior.” she says.
Most of the play spaces Rai designs feature large tire sculptures of cars, buildings, or animals, paired with more classic elements of swings and jungle gyms.
In one girl’s school in Bengaluru, the children wanted their play space to be shaped into a boxing ring, with tires doubling up as punching bags. “Their teacher was unsure about it.” Rai remembers. “But the girls said they didn’t want people to see them as weak. They wanted to practice self-defense and grow stronger.” In December 2019, this playground became a reality.
1. What did Rai find out about the kids in a local orphanage?| A．They behaved badly. | B．They were badly treated. |
| C．They had nothing to do but play. | D．They were short of play equipment. |
| A．She renewed them in a tire shop. |
| B．She turned them into artistic works. |
| C．She used them to design play spaces. |
| D．She sold them to raise money for hungry kids. |
| A．Children’s needs. | B．Children’s experiences. |
| C．Her favourite childhood games. | D．An architect friend’s suggestions. |
| A．They needed to build their confidence. |
| B．They wanted to win their teachers’ trust. |
| C．They finally had their dream playground. |
| D．They often helped with collecting old tires. |
| A．Talented and hard-working. | B．Creative and kind-hearted. |
| C．Realistic and lonely. | D．Poor but caring. |
