1 . Myspace launched in September 2003. Friendster gave inspiration to the founders of Myspace, and the social network officially went live on the web in January 2004. After its first month online, over one million people signed up. By November 2004, that number grew to 5 million. By 2006, Myspace was visited more times than Google Search and Yahoo, becoming the most visited website in the United States. In June of that year, Myspace was reportedly responsible for nearly 80 percent of all social media traffic.

As explosive as Myspace was, it paled in comparison to how quickly Facebook grew into the internet giant it is today. In April 2008, both Facebook and Myspace attracted 115 million unique global visitors per month, with Myspace still winning in the U. S. alone. In December 2008, Myspace experienced peak (顶峰) U. S. traffic with 75. 9 million unique visitors. As Facebook grew, Myspace sustain a series of downsizing and redesigns as it tried to redefine itself as a social entertainment network. It was estimated (估价) in March 2011 that the site had dropped from attracting 95 million to 63 million unique visitors within the past year.

Although several factors triggered Myspace’s fall, one argument held that the company never figured out how to innovate well enough to keep up with the competition. Officially, however, Myspace is far from dead. If you go to myspace.com, you’ll see that it is very much still alive, though it has mostly transitioned away from social networking to become a site for planning music and entertainment. As of 2019, the site boasted over 7 million monthly visits. On Myspace’s front page, you’ll find a variety of entertainment news stories not just about music, but also movies, sports, food, and other cultural topics. Profiles are still a central feature of the social network, but users are encouraged to share their own music, videos, photos, and even concert events.

1. How long has it taken Myspace to become the most visited website in America since its establishment?

A．About 2 years.	B．About 3 years.
C．About 5 years.	D．About 8 years.

2. What does the underlined word “sustain” mean in the second paragraph?

A．adapted

B．acquired

C．challenged

D．experienced

3. What is one of the main reasons for Myspace’ failure?

A．Lack of improvement.	B．Too much competition.
C．Unclear business positioning.	D．Cutting down too many workers.

4. What does Myspace mainly feature right now?

A．Profiles.	B．Social networking.
C．Entertainment news.	D．Music and entertainment.

2 . One morning soon, you’ll get on your bike and ride from one end of America to the other, because the Great American Rail Trail is 53% complete, making a cross-country bike ride closer to a reality.

The idea of a bike trail(小路) made up of scenic paths, trails and former rail lines from Washington DC to Washington State has been 30 years in the making. Now, with more than 50% of the trail up and running, the project, run by the Rails to Trails in cooperation with local authorities, is building up, with hundreds of miles of trails in development now. Though not entirely complete, the rail trail has drawn people of all types.

Last August, Ryan Gardill and a colleague biked 350 miles from Pittsburgh to Washington DC. Their travels took them through some beautiful and historical parts of the American East. “The trail connected me to our revolutionary and industrial history. Most of the towns on the trail were once important to America.”

The major goal of the trail is to provide the American public with the opportunity to explore their beautiful country, without getting in their car. A secondary objective is to bring prosperity(繁荣) back to the small towns and cities that once prospered along the country’s now diminished rail system, according to National Geographic.

One of these is Muncie, Indiana, a city located on a former rail system and a part of the Rail Trail. The city is already seeing the economic benefits of the trail. “A large majority of our customers are local, but the Rail Trail could help grow tourism,” said Jason Allardt, owner of the historic Kirk’s Bike Shop.

This is the hope for many once-prosperous towns and cities all throughout America, though it may take nearly 20 years to get the entire trail up and running.

1. What has made the trail attractive to people?

A．It’s a bike trail with good scenery.	B．It’s a rail line across the country.
C．It offers good adventurous paths.	D．Its construction lasted 30 years.

2. What can be inferred about most towns along the trail?

A．They were the basic part of the U.S. railways.

B．They are mostly located in the mountains.

C．They enjoy great popularity as destinations.

D．They’re no longer important towns in America.

3. What does the underlined word “diminished” mean in Para. 4?

A．Enlarged.

B．Protected.

C．Decreased.

D．Destroyed.

4. What can we learn about the city Muncie?

A．The Trail will link its scenery to the outside.	B．The Trail will help its economic recovery.
C．It has bike paths designed for local citizens.	D．The railway has brought about its prosperity.

3 . 阅读下面短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Cash is king, or so they say. In one form or another, human beings have been carrying around money for hundreds of years. Metal was first coined into cash between 700 and 600 BC by the Lydians, and banknotes have been in circulation since     1    (they) first use in China around 1000 AD. These days, though, habits     2     (change). Modern technology means     3     while money is still widely used, it’s more likely to be a digital transaction than a wad of notes and a handful of shrapnel. If cash is king, then it may eventually be dethroned.