1 . Believe it or not but it is true. There are people who lose the ability to understand or use words due to brain damage. But they become extremely good at something else. They become experts at spotting liars. The condition in which people lose their power to understand or use words due to brain damage are called aphasia(失语症). A study conducted in Massachusetts, U.S., has clearly proved that aphasics make good lie detectors(测谎仪).
In the last 100 years, many doctors studying the brain have mentioned examples of this amazing power of patients suffering from aphasia. Recently, scientists conducted tests to see if all that was said about aphasics was true. They studied the powers of a mixed group of people. Some were normal; others were aphasic. And it was proved clearly that the normal volunteers still got fooled by words. The aphasics were far ahead of them in recognizing false speech. The results of the study were reported in the magazine Nature.
`Fourteen years ago, famous American doctor, Dr. Oliver Sacks, wrote about his experiences with aphasic patients in a book. He remembered a particular incident in a hospital. Patients from the aphasia room were watching TV. Their president, Ronald Reagan, was giving a speech. He was trying to put feelings into each and every word of his speech. But his speech had an opposite effect on the patients. They were not impressed. On the contrary, the whole room shook with their laughter. The aphasics knew that he did not mean a word of what he was saying.
Dr. Sacks saw aphasics as more gifted than normal people. Normal people “get carried away” by words. An aphasic cannot understand words. But he or she can still understand what is being said. He said most of the aphasics had this superior understanding. So, while normal people think of aphasic patients as brain damaged, they actually seem to understand human expressions better.
1. We can know from the first paragraph ___.| A．how aphasics get their special ability | B．that aphasics can tell if you are lying |
| C．that aphasics are good at telling lies | D．why aphasics are experts at spotting liars |
| A．get misunderstood | B．get excited | C．get fooled | D．get discouraged |
| A．can be cured totally | B．can not understand what is being said |
| C．are specially gifted in a way | D．should be treated equally and nicely |
| A．A great discovery | B．A special way of understanding |
| C．Why aphasics can’t talk | D．The great lie detectors |
2 . One of the qualities that most people admire in others is the willingness to admit one’s mistakes.It is extremely hard sometimes to say a(n)
And I had an experience recently with someone admitting to me that he had made
I was about eight years old at the time,and I had wandered into
The manager heard the
| A．pleasant | B．enjoyable | C．simple | D．difficult |
| A．an discovery | B．a friend | C．an incident | D．a mistake |
| A．boss | B．cleaner | C．cashier | D．manager |
| A．if | B．how | C．why | D．when |
| A．a story | B．the department | C．an accident | D．an incident |
| A．the shop | B．the store | C．the supermarket | D．the grocery |
| A．usual | B．lucky | C．wonderful | D．particular |
| A．where | B．after | C．until | D．though |
| A．exhibits | B．storage | C．display | D．boxes |
| A．eggs | B．boxes | C．storage | D．sale |
| A．a woman | B．a customer | C．a manager | D．a stranger |
| A．knocked on | B．knocked over | C．knocked off | D．knocked at |
| A．declared | B．began | C．decided | D．started |
| A．fault | B．task | C．eggs | D．boxes |
| A．scream | B．alarm | C．noise | D．call |
| A．to check | B．checking | C．checked | D．having checked |
| A．bad | B．good | C．lost | D．broken |
| A．to pay off | B．to pay back | C．to pay for | D．to pay out |
| A．was | B．did | C．worked | D．had |
| A．obviously | B．frequently | C．unfortunately | D．unnecessarily |
3 . We’ve all been there: in a lift, in line at the bank or on an airplane, surrounded by people who are, like us, deeply focused on their smartphones or, worse, struggling with the uncomfortable silence.
What’s the problem? It’s possible that we all have compromised conversational intelligence. It’s more likely that none of us start a conversation because it’s awkward and challenging, or we think it’s annoying and unnecessary. But the next time you find yourself among strangers, consider that small talk is worth the trouble. Experts say it’s an invaluable social practice that results in big benefits.
Dismissing small talk as unimportant is easy, but we can’t forget that deep relationships wouldn’t
even exist if it weren’t for casual conversation. Small talk is the grease(润滑剂) for social communication, says Bernardo Carducci, director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast. ＂Almost every great love story and each big business deal begins with small talk,＂ he explains. ＂The key to successful small talk is learning how to connect with others, not just communicate with them.＂
In a 2014 study, Elizabeth Dunn, associate professor of psychology at UBC, invited people on their way into a coffee shop. One group was asked to seek out an interaction(互动) with its waiter; the other, to speak only when necessary. The results showed that those who chatted with their server reported significantly higher positive feelings and a better coffee shop experience. ＂It’s not that talking to the waiter is better than talking to your husband,＂ says Dunn. ＂But interactions with peripheral(边缘的) members of our social network matter for our well-being also.＂
Dunn believes that people who reach out to strangers feel a significantly greater sense of belonging, a bond with others. Carducci believes developing such a sense of belonging starts with small talk. ＂Small talk is the basis of good manners,＂ he says.
1. What phenomenon is described in the first paragraph?| A．Addiction to smartphones. |
| B．Inappropriate behaviours in public places. |
| C．Absence of communication between strangers. |
| D．Impatience with slow service. |
| A．Showing good manners. | B．Relating to other people. |
| C．Focusing on a topic. | D．Making business deals. |
| A．It improves family relationships. | B．It raises people’s confidence. |
| C．It matters as much as a formal talk. | D．It makes people feel good. |
| A．Conversation Counts | B．Ways of Making Small Talk |
| C．Benefits of Small Talk | D．Uncomfortable Silence |
4 . I have been teaching the tenth-grade English for four years. Needless to say, I love my subject and vowed to one day impart(透露) my love of literature to my future students. Well, I must admit, I have made more than a difference. I have changed the way students perceive(感知) literature and have even inspired some to become English teachers.
One student in particular is named John. I met him last year when he was a student in my English class during the eighth period. He sat in the back often, saying very little. However, I sensed that he was taking in all that I taught. John was never absent nor was he late. He seemed very mature for his age.
As the year progressed, we read lots of poetry and various stories about different cultures and real-life experiences. I have always wanted literature to speak to my students so that they could find relevant connections which would finally give them that motivation to read, write and interpret. While reading and writing poetry, John wrote some beautiful poetry that spoke of his experiences as a black male in America.
On the last day of school, students were asked to write a brief autobiographical essay and to dedicate(献给) it to someone he or she thought was significant in his or her life. John dedicated his essay to me and used clip art that decorated the dedication with roses.
He stated in the essay that "some people you meet in life are flowers, but then there are those who are roses. Ms. Hopkins, Ijust want you to know that you are a rose in my life and I have enjoyed every minute of being in your class. You have shown me that I have purpose in life and that I am a poet. I will never forget you." Tears streamed down my eyes. I had had a particularly hard personal life that year and somehow that letter made it worth the struggle.
Making a significant contribution to someone's life is something money could never buy. Teaching allows teachers to make a positive difference in the life of someone.
1. What's the author's purpose to take John for example?| A．To show that her students were all excellent readers. |
| B．To develop her own idea about English literature. |
| C．To prove what she had just said was true. |
| D．To persuade her readers to change their minds. |
| A．He thought she was significant in his life. |
| B．He wanted to say to her that she was a red rose. |
| C．He expected her to know he had enjoyed her class. |
| D．He remembered she had promised to let him be a poet. |
| A．Gentle. | B．Passionate. |
| C．Humorous. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．The difference a good teacher can make |
| B．The friendship Ms. Hopkins and John developed |
| C．An experience only Ms. Hopkins and her students could have |
| D．The significant contribution everyone can make |
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词：
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Last week, I had a argument with my best friend. All of us went home with anger, After finishing dinner, I began to do my homework. Sudden, my stomach hurt badly. My parents took me the hospital immediately. The doctor said I eat unclean food and I needed to stay in the hospital for two days, that made me feel worse and worried about my lessons. To my surprised, my best friend came to see me. She was so worried about me and helped me about my lessons. We understood it each other better and were back together. Now I have realized
that friendship is very importance to me.
6 . We’d arrived at Rockefeller Center station on the D train. As in many of New York’s underground stations, trains pull in at both sides of the platform. Or rather, they seem to erupt into the station first on one side, then on the other.
Abruptly, my wife stopped.
“Uh, what’s this?” she said.
I looked over her shoulder. There at our feet lay a young woman of about 20. She was on her stomach with the top half of her body on the platform, while her legs hung over the tracks kicking powerlessly.
She was stuck. She had also, clearly, been down on the tracks and discovered that climbing back up is really hard.
But unlike in our imaginings, this woman was not in panic, expecting her approaching death by the F train which would be screaming into the station in the next few minutes, if not seconds.
She was laughing! So was her friend who half-heartedly leant down to assist. The assistance was somewhat weakened by the fact that the friend was holding her smartphone. Was she hoping to capture this moment with a picture? Or composing a text?
It’s well known that people’s compulsive checking of their phones can be deadly. Among young people in America, texting is now the number one cause of car crashes. Maybe it’s also a leading cause of leaving friends to die when they fall in the river or on to the train tracks.
I stepped forward, leant out as far as I could, got hold of her leg somewhere near the knee and, together with her finally-engaged friend, dragged the young woman on to the platform.
And you can guess why she'd been on the tracks. Still laughing, but maybe chastened (内疚）by my look of horror she said, “Thanks. Sorry. My phone fell down there. ”
While I turned to hold my daughter’s hand and head upstairs, the young woman and her friend walked away. I wonder when she'll be scared.
1. What was the young woman doing on the edge of the platform?| A．Trying to get down on to the train tracks to pick up her phone. |
| B．Trying to get back on to the platform after jumping down. |
| C．Desperately waiting for someone to help her get back her phone. |
| D．Posing for her friend to capture a good picture with her smartphone. |
| A．The station was too crowded. |
| B．She did not realize the danger. |
| C．She cared too much about her phone. |
| D．Her company didn't assist her whole-heartedly. |
| A．They would cause damage to the underground system. |
| B．They knew too little about how to help others as well as themselves. |
| C．It would be too late when they understood how dangerous the situation is. |
| D．They would send misleading information to the public with their smartphones. |
7 . The other evening we had a knock at the door. It was a
We’ve lived here for almost six years and no one has ever come to
This
For those of us who want to make a(n)
| A．familiar | B．friendly | C．new | D．old |
| A．town | B．neighborhood | C．company | D．city |
| A．accepted | B．adopted | C．adapted | D．appointed |
| A．help | B．treat | C．introduce | D．enjoy |
| A．put | B．focused | C．turned | D．taken |
| A．man | B．student | C．woman | D．mother |
| A．draw | B．fix | C．offer | D．pay |
| A．forgive | B．admit | C．agree | D．consider |
| A．habit | B．concern | C．friendship | D．business |
| A．accident | B．activity | C．thought | D．experience |
| A．convenient | B．possible | C．interesting | D．difficult |
| A．make out | B．concentrate on | C．get into | D．refer to |
| A．older | B．younger | C．smarter | D．wiser |
| A．student | B．family | C．friend | D．mind |
| A．realize | B．forget | C．recognize | D．regret |
| A．suddenly | B．happily | C．actually | D．luckily |
| A．ever | B．even | C．only | D．still |
| A．environment | B．world | C．village | D．lifestyle |
| A．decision | B．adjustment | C．difference | D．discovery |
| A．carefully | B．selflessly | C．immediately | D．locally |
| A．Some kids might laugh at or make fun of them. |
| B．They also might need to get a special bus to school. |
| C．Life can be challenging for a kid with special needs. |
| D．It is good manners to offer help to kids with special needs. |
| E．Being friendly to kids with special needs is one of the best ways to be helpful. |
| F．They might need medicine or other help as they go about their daily activities. |
| G．Someone could have trouble with anxiety, but you wouldn't know it unless told about it. |
9 . No matter what type of business you run, it has to deal with things that go wrong from your customer’s point of view. Complaints can be a great source of information for organizations to make corrections as well as further improvements.
Secondly,
Thirdly, talk with the client and discover the best means to resolve his problem.
In this case it’s important to let your customer know an estimation of how long it will take to take action on his complaint.
Fourthly, a simple “Thank you”is one way to let the customers know you appreciate the time and effort they’ve taken to inform you about a problem of your company’s service or product that you need to know about.
Finally, create a procedure for recording different types of customer complaints.
| A．Listen to your customer’s complaints and you can improve your service. |
| B．There will be times when you’ll be unable to resolve the issue immediately. |
| C．When receiving a complaint, you should apologize for the failure the customer has identified. |
| D．They are a valuable source of information to determine various root causes that need to be addressed within your company. |
| E．So it’s important to learn to deal with customers’ complaints efficiently. |
| F．Don't feel ashamed of the failure in your service or product. |
| G．You should also show your customer that you do understand him by giving full attention. |
10 . A
Thanks to a young waiter, I only recently discovered that a friend of 20 years was once a yo-yo virtuoso(溜溜球大师).
“Oh, stop it!” Jackie said when I started laughing during our dinner. “I was, too. And I knew how to ‘Walk the Dog.’ ”
“Wow, really?” said our waiter, Jumario Simmons, flashing a big smile at us.
“Don’t encourage her,” I said.
“What else could you do?” he asked.
“I did ‘Round the World,’” Jackie said, now ignoring me completely. “That cradle(婴儿时期的) thing, too.”
I’d asked Jumario what he did when he wasn’t waiting on tables. The 24-year-old waiter was so smart that I knew there had to be more to his story. It turns out that he won a regional yo-yo competition last year. He also gives free lessons to kids. “It gives them something to do,” Jumario said. “Keeps them off the streets.”
One of the great things about eating out is the table talk with strangers, which reminds us that everyone has a life and a name. But the other day I heard that some restaurants are ending this talk between diners and servers. I listened to the reporter describe how their improvements are allowing customers to text orders from their tables to speed up service.
The reporter got my attention with this sentence: “Five minutes after typing ‘I’m at table 3’, a meal arrives at the table.” But there wasn’t a “please” with this order, which should have been a request, by the way. If you’ve ever waited on tables, you know that the last thing you need is yet another way for a customer to be unpleasant.
Most servers are constantly mediating(调解) between customers’ requests for substitutions and overworked cooks’ accusations of treason. Except at high-end restaurants, servers also have to hover like mothers of preschoolers so that we might consider them worthy of a large enough tip to lift their pay to minimum wage.
Texting a server from a table a few feet away is equal to moving our fingers and shouting, “Hey, you!” It was rude in 1957, and it’s rude now. You won’t ever find me texting a waiter or waitress.
1. What do we know from the text?
| A．The waiter knows Jackie well. |
| B．The waiter is good at playing yo-yo. . |
| C．Jackie plays yo-yo in her spare time. |
| D．The author has a great interest in playing yo-yo. |
| A．improve their service |
| B．reduce the cost of service |
| C．show respect for diners |
| D．stop talks between diners and servers |
| A．The pay of servers. |
| B．The work of servers. |
| C．The customers’ request. |
| D．The work of mothers of preschoolers. |
| A．indifferent | B．negative |
| C．curious | D．positive |
| A．how to wait on tables |
| B．the friendship between old friends |
| C．where to eat out |
| D．the relationship between customers and waiters |
