1 . Most people follow others blindly mainly under the effect of peer(同龄人) pressure. Some people also feel it safe to follow a large number of people. In some rare cases it might be right to follow the crowd(群众), but in most cases this can be one big mistake. Actually there are reasons why we shouldn’t follow the crowd blindly.

According to a study, people tend to follow the crowd when they aren’t sure about the direction they should take. This means a large number of people could be following others without understanding what’s right and what’s wrong！This attracts more people to follow them and the result is that most people move in a certain direction even if it isn’t right.

A man who wants to be successful always hopes for others’ guidance and he usually follows the same path of most people, but the question this man never asks himself is：are all of those people successful？Of course not！If you want to follow a crowd, then follow a successful one. However, in real life you’ll only find one successful person among hundreds of people, and that’s why following the crowd makes no sense at all.

Most people act without thinking wisely. If you always follow others because they’re greater than you in number, then sooner or later you’ll discover that you’re making decisions you might regret later.

However, should we never follow the crowd？No. I’m not trying to say you should never follow the crowd, but instead I’m just asking you to think wisely before you make a decision. If you find others are right, there is no problem in following them, but if you have doubts about the direction they’re moving in, don’t follow them blindly.

1. According to the text，most people follow others blindly mainly because         .

A．they are affected by their peers	B．they don’t believe in themselves
C．they feel it safe to stay with others	D．they are weaker than other people

2. What can we learn from Paragraph 4?

A．It needs some time to think wisely.

B．We shouldn’t regret what we have done.

C．We should think wisely before deciding to follow others.

D．Making others follow us is better than following others.

3. Which of the following will the author agree with?

A．It is wrong to follow other people.

B．Those who follow others won’t succeed.

C．Only those foolish people will follow others.

D．One should use his head before following others.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Effects of following others.

B．Benefits of making wise decisions.

C．Reasons why most people follow others.

D．Reasons why people shouldn’t follow others blindly.

2 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Harvard is older than the United States. In the early 1630s some settlers suggested that a university     1    (found) just to improve the quality of their descendants so that they could     2    (well) build the new home. Thus, it was established in 1636 by vote of the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Like many other     3    (university) at that time, Harvard at the early stage often ran into financial crisis. The school board often had to go to Europe to raise     4    (donate), but as you can predict, they often came back     5    their hands empty.

In 1638, John Harvard, pastor of Charlestown, passed away. He left his library and half his estate to the institution,     6    were the biggest donation ever since its establishment. Therefore, the university was named after his name. Today, you can find a statue of John Harvard     7    (stand) in front of the University Hall in Harvard Yard, and it is perhaps the university’s best     8    (know) landmark.

Like other world famous universities, Harvard also has many colleges and Harvard Business School is one of them. There is     9    saying in education that Harvard is the crown of American education     10    Harvard Business School is the shining diamond on it.

3 . My husband came across the program from my father-in-law’s high school graduation, 90 years ago. It was the class of 1928 and their class motto (格言) was “Build for character, not for fame.”

I’m pretty sure society has done a full reverse on that one.

These days, we have people who are famous for simply being famous. They haven’t done anything particularly impressive, but they do take great selfies.

We are all obsessed with fame these days, mainly thanks to social media. All we want is for people to follow us, friend us, like us, or share our posts. We are nearly desperate for fame.

“Build for character, not for fame,” is based on the assumption that one is looking up and ahead. That’s an encouraging idea, especially today, when most of us have our heads down, looking at the screens of our smartphones. Looking ahead and building for character takes thought and intentionality (意向性).

One can be intentional in building for fame as well, but fame often relies heavily on the right timing and connections, as well as the creation of a base of fans and supporters.

Character isn’t subject to the ideas of others. Character is built with self-discipline (自律), and a willingness to learn from difficulties. Character grows internally (内在地) and needs no applause.

Fame depends on people looking at you, while character is who you are when no one is looking.

Fame often comes with jealousy (嫉妒); a feeling that time is running out or that someone better than you is coming to steal your fans.

Character is marked by feeling content and being generous. There is satisfaction that comes with the reward of achievements, but at the same time, good character willingly holds the door open for others who are also hoping to achieve.

This commencement (毕业典礼) season, speakers will tell new graduates to get out there and build a better world.

The best way to build a better world is to build character, the kind that runs deep and can carry you through life’s storms.

Build character with courage, justice (公正) and strength. Build character by respecting yourself and respecting others. Build character with kindness, hope and love. Build for character and you will build a better world.

1. The underlined phrase “has done a full reverse on” in Paragraph 2 probably means ______.

A．has taken full advantage of

B．has done the complete opposite to

C．has made a good practice of

D．has paid a lot of attention to

2. People’s desire for fame has a lot to do with ______.

A．the rise of social media

B．the impact of well-known stars

C．their intention to make a difference

D．their satisfaction with their achievements

3. In the author’s opinion, “building for character” requires people to ______.

A．mind their behavior when being looked at

B．connect with others at the right time

C．look ahead and gladly accept other people’s advice

D．behave themselves and readily learn from hardships

4. Why does the author value “building for character”?

A．It inspires people to achieve more.

B．It honors her family’s memory.

C．It enables us to build a better world.

D．It helps us gain respect from other people.

4 . Hamburgers were first introduced to the United States in the early 20th century, and the first fast-food restaurant chain opened its doors in 1921. However, it was only after World War II that fast food became popular in the whole country.

After designing their hamburger restaurant to make food in a simpler and more effective way,the McDonald brothers reduced the costs of production. They ended up earning $275,000 by 1951which was quite a fortune for a small restaurant at that time. Along with other pioneers in the fast-food business, by 1990 fast-food restaurants had taken over the American landscape. Today, at least 50 million Americans are fed by more than 180.000 fast-food restaurants every day.

When analyzing these data, we might find it shocking that the decline of our health has moved in direct proportion(比例) to the rise of fast-food consumption.This,sadly, is not a coincidence(巧合) Since1990, various kinds of fast food have led to more consumption of calories compared to homemade meals.

The US government has conducted several surveys on this issue, and they have pointed out some alarming facts. Fast food and ultra-processed snacks are now taking the lead in more and more Americans’ daily diets. Rather than healthy food, more people prefer quick, easy treats with high calories like fried chicken and potato chips. Moreover, according to the surveys, fast-food consumption has more than doubled since the 1970s among people aged between 19 and 39. In a relatively short period of time, the fast-food industry has changed not only the way Americans eat, but also their economy and cultural landscape.The rapid development of the fast-food industry alsotriggersthe problem of increased overweight population in the US.

1. What are the first two paragraphs about?

A．The development of the fast-food industry in the world.

B．The booming of the fast-food industry in the US.

C．The influence of fast food on our health

D．The relationship between fast food and our lifestyle.

2. What does the underlined word "triggers" in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．To reduce

B．To cause

C．To increase

D．To remove

3. What is the author's attitude toward fast food?

A．Supportive

B．Unconcerned

C．Negative

D．Unclear

4. The passage is probably followed by a paragraph about_______?

A．the influence of fast food on the economy

B．the development of fast-food industry

C．the solutions to the problem of overweight population

D．the relationship between fast food and overweight

5 . China on Monday asked video sites to clean up cartoons recently uploaded online that use cartoon characters in improper and violent situations.

The National Office Against Pornographic and Illegal Publications(NOAPIP) said in a statement on Monday that it had launched a nationwide campaign to crack down on the harmful videos. " We'll keep an eye out for whether those websites carry out self-examination and clean up the videos. Any company that fails to take on its responsibility and continues spreading the videos will be severely punished, "it said.

The recent action was sparked by the translation of an English article, which was published on social network Reddit and went viral on Chinese social media. The article describes the author's experience working in an animation firm that makes cartoon copies of popular children’s characters, typically Spiderman, Elsa and Sponge Bob into scenes of violence or something improper to attract children to watch. The videos were shared on You Tube. Foreign media has reported that You Tube started closing the related accounts and declared that it had deleted more than 150, 000 videos. Whether true or false. The article made people more concerned about harmful videos on the Internet, especially those for children.

The capital also launched a campaign against online games that distort Chinese history, discredit heroes, violate the national religious policy, or promote violence or crime, to develop a healthy network environment for children.

1. What does the underlined word "viral" in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Ignore.

B．Widespread.

C．Attractive.

D．Interesting

2. Why did NOAPIP start a clean-up campaign online?

A．To satisfy people's requirement.	B．To protect the safety of children.
C．To create a healthy network environment for children.	D．To reduce violence and crime.

3. What is the best title for this passage?

A．Campaign Against Online Games	B．Unhealthy Cartoons Harm Children
C．YouTube Deals with Cartoon Copies	D．Clean up Children-targeted Harmful Cartoons

6 . In today's information age, it's nearly impossible to avoid using social media. According to USA Today, even American universities are increasingly using social media as a learning tool. Their goal is to teach students how to use social media professionally.

Jade Johnson is taking an upper­level advertising course at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. For the class, he has had to organize and promote a contest via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, channels that are commonly used by advertising firms.

''A lot of times students prefer not to use certain social media, but are forced to because of the class，'' says Jade.

Some students may be reluctant to create an account, but Jade says that it was helpful because social media skills mean better job opportunities in today's world.

More college classes are appearing that are designed specially to teach students about social media, offering them a different look into something they may use on a daily basis.

Jenna Kapsis, a senior at William Paterson University, was required to post two Tweets on Twitter and one update on Facebook per week in her Digital and Social Media Communication class. The course had a specific Facebook page where students would create discussion groups and post links.

''Some of the topics included social media manners, online marketing and current events，'' Kapsis says.

As technology continues to develop, colleges and universities will likely continue to find ways to combine it into their teaching. Whether it's to create discussion groups, carry out plans, or communicate with students, professors are ensuring that students can see the potential of mastering social media platforms.

1. According to Jade, what's the benefit of social media skills?

A．Improving students' learning efficiency.

B．Offering students a different look into things.

C．Contributing to the possibility of acquiring good jobs.

D．Bettering the communication between teachers and students.

2. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Most students are reluctant to use social media.

B．Social media skills are difficult for students to master.

C．Social media skills have been expanded to some courses.

D．The learning of social media skills is a heavy burden for students.

3. Which of the following may not be one way to combine social media into teaching?

A．Creating discussion groups.

B．Doing some experiments.

C．Carrying out plans.

D．Communicating with students.

4. Why do the US universities focus on the promotion of social media skills?

A．Because it can enhance the universities' competitiveness.

B．Because it will improve the universities' teaching quality.

C．Because it will help professors carry out researches more easily.

D．Because it will be of vital importance in this hi­tech society.

7 .

Many years ago,an experiment in education was carried out in secret at a school in England.The school had two classes for children of the same age.At the end of the school year an examination was held,in order to select the children for the classes of next year.However,the results of the exam were never made known.In secret,based on their performance in the exam,the higher performing and lower performing children were divided equally between the two classes.Only the headmaster and the psychologists knew the truth.Teachers for the next year were carefully selected for equal ability and experience.Even the classrooms were chosen with similar facilities(设备)．Everything was made as equal as possible,except for one thing:one was called“Class A”，the other,“Class B”．

In everyone's minds the children in Class A were the clever ones,and the kids in Class B were not so clever.Some of the parents of the Class A children were pleasantly surprised that their children had done so well and rewarded them with presents and praise,while the parents of some of the Class B kids complained that their children did not work hard enough and took away some of their rewards.Even the teachers taught the Class B kids in a different manner,not expecting so much from them.For a whole year the illusion existed.Then there was another end of year exam.

The results were not surprising.The children of Class A performed so much better than those of Class B．In fact,the results were just as if they had been the top half chosen from last year's exam.They had become“Class A”children.And those in the other group,though equal the year before,had now become“Class B”kids.That was what they were told for a whole year,that was how they were treated,and that was what they believed—so that was what they became.

1. According to the text,it is a fact that________．

A．the Class A kids worked harder

B．the Class A kids had better facilities

C．kids in the two classes had equal ability

D．teachers of Class A were more experienced

2. The underlined word“illusion”in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to“________”．

A．reward system.	B．false impression
C．teaching plan	D．old tradition

3. Why didn't the Class B kids perform well in the second exam?

A．Because they didn't work hard.

B．Because they had lost self­confidence.

C．Because their teachers were irresponsible.

D．Because what they learned was too difficult.

4. The experiment proved the importance of________．

A．great ambitions	B．natural talents
C．strong determination	D．outside influence

8 . Mr. Peter Johnson, aged twenty-three, battled for half an hour to escape from his trapped car yesterday when it landed upside down in three feet of water. Mr. Johnson took the only escape route—through the boot(行李箱).

Mr. Johnson’s car had finished up in a ditch(沟渠) at Romney Marsin, Kent after skidding on ice and hitting a bank. “Fortunately, the water began to come in only slowly,” Mr. Johnson said. “I couldn’t force the doors because they were jammed against the walls of the ditch and dared not open the windows because I knew water would come flooding in.”

Mr. Johnson, a sweet salesman of Sitting Home, Kent, first tried to attract the attention of other motorists by sounding the horn and hammering on the roof and boot. Then he began his struggle to escape.

Later he said, “It was really a half penny that saved my life. It was the only coin I had in my pocket and I used it to unscrew the back seat to get into the boot. I hammered desperately with a hammer trying to make someone hear, but no help came.”

It took ten minutes to unscrew the seat, and a further five minutes to clear the sweet samples from the boot. Then Mr. Johnson found a wrench and began to work on the boot lock. Fifteen minutes passed by. “It was the only chance I had. Finally it gave, but as soon as I moved the boot lid, the water and mud poured in. I forced the lid down into the mud and scrambled clear as the car filled up.”

His hands and arms cut and bruised(擦伤), Mr. Johnson got to Beckett Farm nearby, where he was looked after by the farmer’s wife, Mrs. Lucy Bates. Huddled in a blanket, he said, “That thirty minutes seemed like hours.” Only the tips of the car wheels were visible, police said last night. The vehicle had sunk into two feet of mud at the bottom of the ditch.

1. What is the best title for this newspaper article?

A．The Story of Mr. Johnson, A Sweet Salesman

B．Car Boot Can Serve As The Best Escape Route

C．Driver Escapes Through Car Boot

D．The Driver Survived A Terrible Car Accident

2. Which of the following objects is the most important to Mr. Johnson?

A．The hammer.

B．The coin.

C．The screw.

D．The horn.

3. Which statement is true according to the passage?

A．Mr. Johnson’s car stood on its boot as it fell down.

B．Mr. Johnson could not escape from the door because it was full of sweet jam.

C．Mr. Johnson’s car accident was partly due to the slippery road.

D．Mr. Johnson struggled in the pouring mud as he unscrewed the back seat.

4. “Finally it gave” (Paragraph 5) means that _______.

A．Luckily the door was torn away in the end	B．At last the wrench went broken
C．The lock came open after all his efforts	D．The chance was lost at the last minute

5. It may be inferred from the passage that _______.

A．the ditch was along a quiet country road	B．the accident happened on a clear warm day
C．the police helped Mr. Johnson get out of the ditch	D．Mr. Johnson had a tender wife and was well attended

9 . After spending 13 years raising three boys, Stephanie Connolly wanted to get back into the workforce, but she was worried that her computer skills were obsolete. Not only was the long employment break a concern, but she had never used Microsoft Office programs. Her last employer had only used WordPerfect.

A year later, Connolly is so skilled in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint that she is helping others, and has just completed a fixed amount of work as a teaching assistant in a computer class. She's also on the job hunt, armed with a new resume (简历), interview skills, and the latest knowledge of how to conduct Internet job searches, fill out Web­based applications, and upload resumes.

''I can walk through the doors of the company and feel very confident. The course instructors have given that to me'' said Connolly, who owed her development to classes offered by the Harvard Allston Workforce Development Collaboration (HAWDC)．The collaboration is part of a series of programs, and neighborhood improvements that began with an agreement reached between Harvard University and the city of Boston five years ago.

The agreement grew out of discussions between the University and the city over the construction of Harvard's science Complex in Allston. Although the construction paused in 2009, the implementation (实施) of the non­construction­related aspects of the agreement has continued.

What has meant to the neighbors is the opening of the Harvard Allston Education Portal, a community­centered education facility that serves as Harvard's front door to the neighborhood and access to certain University programs and facilities. Information about the agreement's benefits to the community, as well as about Harvard's deep ties with Cambridge and Boston, is available on the new community­oriented Public Affairs website.

1. The underlined word ''obsolete'' in Paragraph 1 probably means ''________''．

A．out of reach	B．out of date
C．out of order	D．out of danger

2. Which of the following words can best describe Connolly's attitude to the HAWDC?

A．Critical.	B．Grateful.
C．Indifferent.	D．Neutral.

3. According to the passage, Harvard Allston Education Portal ________．

A．benefits people living in Boston

B．raises money from the local people

C．is merely accessible to college students

D．makes people concerned about the environment

4. In which part of Harvard University's website can we find this passage?

A．Multimedia.	B．Harvard Science.
C．Arts & Culture.	D．Campus & Community.

10 . Today, people all over the world are moving out of small villages in the country to go and live in big, noisy cities. They are moving from the peaceful hills, mountains, fields, rivers and streams of the countryside to the busy world of streets, buildings, traffic and crowds. This movement from rural areas to urban areas has been going on for over two hundred years.

In many countries, the main reason why people come to live in towns and cities is work.After one or two large factories have been built in or near a town, people come to find work, and soon an industrial area begins to grow.There is usually a residential area nearby, where the factory workers can live.The families of these workers need schools, hospitals and shops, so more people come to live in the area to provide these services and a city grows.

In every major city in the world, there is a business district where the big companies have their main offices. In the United States, this area is usually in the city centre downtown. It is here that you can see the huge skyscrapers office blocks. The people who work here often travel a long way to work each day. Many of them live in the suburbs of the city, far away from the industrial area and the city centre. Some suburbs are very pleasant, with nice houses and big gardens.There are usually parks for children to play in and large department stores where you can buy all you need.

But what is the future of the big cities? Will they continue to get bigger? Perhaps not. Some major cities have actually become smaller in the last ten years, and it is quite possible that one day we will see people moving out of the major cities and back into smaller towns and villages.

1. Why do people move to live in cities or towns?

A．Because they can live more comfortably there.	B．Because they prefer noisy life to peaceful life.
C．Because they want to find work.	D．Because they are sure of having better life there.

2. In the United States, many people work in the centre of a big city __________．

A．while living on the far away edge of the city	B．and live there
C．but live in another city	D．but live far away out of the city

3. We can infer that this movement from rural areas to urban areas ________．

A．has been going on for more than 2,000 years	B．will continue in the future
C．may not continue in the future	D．is sure to stop