2 . How to Feel Connected

It's easy to feel disconnected from what is going on around you in today's fast-paced world.     1     You can get in touch and feel connected, however, by following the tips below:

Consider why you feel disconnected. Knowing what is making you feel disconnected can help you choose the best ways to address it.     2     Ask yourself these questions: Are you keeping yourself occupied with work too much? Do you rely on electronic communication instead of face-to-face communication? Do you lack friendships that are satisfying?

Interact with people in person. Technology is a great way to stay in touch, but sometimes you need to spend time with other people in person.     3     You can also take steps to feel more connected by making small-talk with strangers who are sharing parts of your day.

    4     Your loved ones could feel shy, so you may never know how to improve your relationship unless you ask the right questions. Asking them to open the doors can give you some insight on what you can do. Learning this information can help to strengthen your bond.

Show appreciation.     5     Unfortunately, it is something that people who are close often take for granted. Telling someone you appreciate their time, love, and efforts can strengthen your bond and help you to become more connected.

A．Ask others what they need from you.

B．A simple “thank you” goes a very long way.

C．Feeling connected gives people great confidence.

D．A gift should be delivered to friends on special occasions.

E．Sometimes you can feel isolated and distant from the ones you love.

F．Attending family events can help strengthen your relationship and keep it strong.

G．Targeting your efforts toward those issues allows you to close that distance more effectively.

3 . Last year, Americans spent over $30 billion at retail (零售) stores in the month of December alone. Aside from purchasing holiday gifts, most people regularly buy presents for other occasions throughout the year, including weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and baby showers. This frequent experience of gift-giving can create ambivalent feelings in gift-givers. Many believe that gift-giving offers a powerful means to build stronger bonds with intended receivers. At the same time, many worry that their purchases will disappoint rather than delight the intended receivers.

Anthropologists (人类学家) describe gift-giving as a positive social process, serving various political, religious, and psychological functions. Economists, however, offer a less favorable view. They think that gift-giving represents an objective waste of resources. People buy gifts that receivers would not choose to buy on their own, or at least not spend as much money to purchase. Givers are likely to spend $100 to purchase a gift that receivers would spend only $80 to buy themselves.

What is surprising is that gift-givers have considerable experience acting as both gift-givers and gift-receivers, but still tend to overspend each time they set out to purchase a meaningful gift. In the present research, psychologists find a unique explanation for this overspending problem — gift-givers equate (等同) how much they spend with how much receivers will appreciate the gift. Although a link between gift price and feelings of appreciation might seem relevant to gift-givers, such an assumption may be unfounded. Indeed, we find that gift-receivers will be less willing to base their feelings of appreciation on the gift price than givers assume.

The thoughts of gift-givers and gift-receivers being unable to account for the other party’s perspective (立场) seems puzzling because people slip in and out of these roles every day. Yet, despite the extensive experience that people have as both givers and receivers, they often struggle to transfer information gained from one role and apply it in another.

1. What does the underlined word “ambivalent” in Paragraph1 probably mean?

A．Concerned.	B．Positive.
C．Unrealistic.	D．Conflicting.

2. What do the economists think of gift-giving?

A．It strengthens the bonds between people.

B．It is economically beneficial to the receiver.

C．It is actually a process of wasting resources.

D．It increases the financial burden to the giver.

3. What can we learn from Paragraph 3?

A．Personal preferences are the least to be considered.

B．Gift-givers tend to link the gift cost to gift-receivers’ appreciation.

C．More gift-receiving experience helps prevent overspending.

D．The assumption made by gift-givers turned out to be correct.

4. According to the author, the different thoughts between the gift-givers and receivers are caused by _________.

A．a trend of overspending

B．an inability to change perspectives

C．a growing opposition to gift-giving

D．a misunderstanding of gift-receivers’ tastes

4 . “People are ruder today because they are rushed and more ‘time poor’ than ever before,” says Patsy Rowe, “ Manners have fallen off the radar(雷达).” Due to our strong attraction to electronic equipment it is a wonder that more people don’t wake up each morning and greet the singing birds with complaining about the noise. Here are some examples of rudeness.

Some people prefer to do almost everything over the Internet. To them, dealing with an actual human is like an evolutionary step backward. It feels very slow because humans don^’t work at 4G speeds. When you have dinner with friends, you will often notice someone paying more attention to his mobile phone. We have programmed ourselves to think that every new message brings life-changing news, so taking calls and checking our texts are more important than talking to the people we are with. What is worse, some people even tend to send anonymous（匿名的）rude messages by email.

However, rudeness is never acceptable. Don^’t assume it is OK to be rude if the person you^’re in touch with won^’t recognize you. If you have something awful to say, have the courage to face the person and say it, write a letter or email and sign it, or forget it. Upsetting people with unsigned messages is cruel and disgusting.

We shouldn^’t blame technology for our shortcomings. Technology is here to help us, but we should not allow it to take over our lives. An important step is acknowledging our shortcomings. People spend a lot of time pointing out bad manners but it would be even more helpful if we’d publicly acknowledge good manners when we see them.

1. What can be inferred from the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1?

A．People care little about their behavior.

B．People can tell good from bad behavior.

C．Radar is able to observe human behavior.

D．Radar can be used to predict human behavior.

2. Some people are less willing to deal with humans because__________.

A．they are growing too independent

B．they have to handle many important messages

C．they are becoming less patient

D．they have to follow an evolutionary step backward.

3. The author thinks sending unsigned awful messages is ___________.

A．disgusting	B．acceptable
C．Ridiculous	D．reasonable

4. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．We should applaud good behavior.

B．We should keep pointing out mistakes.

C．Technology will take over lives one day.

D．Technology can never be blamed

5 . One of the most important things in the world is friendship． In order to have friends， you have to be a friend． But how can you be a good friend at school？

Listen ﹣ Listen when they are talking． Don't say anything unless they ask you a question． Sometimes it's not necessary for you to have anything to say； they just need someone to talk to about their feelings．

Help them ﹣ If your friend is ever in need of something， be there to help them． You should try to put them first， but make sure you don't do everything they want you to do． Try to take an extra pencil or pen with you to classes in case they forget one． Have a little extra money in your pocket in case they forget something they need．

Be there for them ﹣ Be there for your friends to help make them feel better in hard times． Marilyn Monroe， a famous U．S． actor， once said， "I often make mistakes． Sometimes I am out of control， but if you can't stay with me at my worst， you are sure not to deserve to be with me at my best．" Always remember this! If you don't want to stay with your friends when they're in hard times， then you don't deserve to be with them when they're having a good time!

Make plans ﹣ Try to make plans with your friends． Go shopping， go for ice cream， have a party， go to a movie and so on． Take time to know each other even better by doing something you both enjoy． By planning things together， you both can have a good time． And you'll remember these things when you're all old!

1. While your friend is talking to you about his or her feelings， you should　 　．

A．give him or her some advice

B．calm him or her down

C．just listen unless asked

D．share your feelings as well

2. When we provide help for our friends， we should　 　．

A．put them before ourselves

B．try to do everything for them

C．change their bad habits first

D．ignore their faults

3. What can we learn from Marilyn Monroe's words？

A．Life without a friend is death．

B．A friend is easier lost than found．

C．A man is known by his friends．

D．A friend in need is a friend indeed．

4. What is probably the best title for the test？

A．How to find a good friend．

B．How to be a good friend．

C．How to help friends in trouble．

D．How to make more friends．

6 . The other day I was shopping at the local Chinese grocery store．There was a line at the fish counter，but only one staff person was there to take care of the customers． Some customers ordered quite an amount of fish for that staff person to work on． At last I was the second in line；all I wanted was a couple of crabs and should get out of there in no time．

Noticing it was very busy at the fish counter， another staff person came over to help． I was ready to be served， but the staff person went to the end of the line and began to help a couple of ladies with snails （蜗牛）．The customer in front of me， being served，turned around and looked at me sympathetically， and the customer behind me called to the staff person，"You should start her，"pointing at me．He was，well，ignored．

If someone asked me，"What is the most important rule to follow in America？"I would reply without hesitation，"Wait your turn at all times．"Wherever you go here in this country， you will find people waiting in a line quietly to get anything： whether in the supermarkets，department stores，bus stops，or gas stations， it's just a matter of waiting your turn．In a larger sense，"wait your turn"is more than just a guideline﹣it is a very basic norm （准则）that reflects the fundamental value of the western cultures． But in some situations your turn does not always come based on when you get there and how long you have waited in line， just like my case at the store．Even though this did not often happen， it did make me feel upset．

1. What happened to the author at the store？

A．He wasn't served upon his order．

B．He was ill﹣treated by a customer．

C．He was asked to be served later．

D．He was asked to do others a favor．

2. What is the author's opinion about Queuing Rule？

A．Wait until being served．

B．Serve people as one likes．

C．Wait until your turn comes．

D．First come，later served．

3. What does the underlined word "this" in the last paragraph refer to？

A．His belief．

B．His experience．

C．His culture．

D．His rule．

4. Why did the author write the text？

A．To emphasize his kindness to others．

B．To introduce some western cultures to us．

C．To show his disbelief in Queuing Rule．

D．To express his belief and his feeling．

7 . Living with other people can be difficult, especially when each person has their own ideas about how they want to live.     1     Taking a few simple steps will help you share your living space harmoniously.

Discuss your expectations ahead of time.

    2    . This applies to finances, food, possessions, use of common areas, loud activities or parties, quiet hours and so on.

Divide up responsibilities.

Make a plan to divide up responsibilities and chores(家常杂务) between you and your roommate. For example, if your roommate is a good cook and you are not,    3    . It may also be a good idea to set up a chores schedule, where you will take turns cleaning the bathroom, taking out the trash and so on.

    4    .

Not everyone has the same ideas about day to day living as you do. Take your roommate's feelings into consideration. For instance, if you re dying to throw a party on Thursday night but your roommate has a final early the next morning, agree to postpone the party till Friday evening, instead.

Communicate effectively.

Communication is key in making the relationship work. If a problem comes up, it's better to talk about it right away than to ignore it. For example, say "Chris, it upsets me when I wake

up to find all the milk gone. If you use the last of something, can you please add it to the list?" If you simply cannot communicate openly and there is tension all the time,    5    .

A．Be prepared to compromise

B．Create a roommate agreement on Internet use

C．ask him or her to cook if you'll clean up afterward

D．you may as well find a new roommate

E．Talk about what each of you needs and wants from the other in advance

F．People may have different religious or political views that could cause conflict

G．Though having a roommate can be challenging, it can also be enjoyable and fun

8 . 根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

Do’s and Don’ts of Donating

Giving up your unused or unwanted stuff is a great way to make space in your home for the items that you do enjoy on a regular basis. Not sure where to start? Here are some do’s and don’ts of donating your belongings.

Do Prepare Your Clothes

You’ve thoroughly cleaned out your closet and drawers, and have a mountain of clothing waiting to be donated.     1     Make sure all buttons are accounted for, and that you can’t see any dirty marks, or damage.

    2    

The number one rule of donating your stuff is to make sure that it’s in good, usable condition. Don’t pass along old clothes or furniture, chipped dishes, books that are missing pages, or toys with lost pieces. Nobody wants to accept your damaged belongings. Find a local company that will recycle these items instead.

Don’t even think of donating these items

With a little common sense it’s easy to figure out items that are ideal for donations.    3    As a gentle reminder, it’s never a good idea to donate car parts, dangerous waste, construction materials and weapons.

Don’t donate large appliances

Major appliances such as stoves, fridges, freezers, washers and dryers typically reside on the ‘do not donate’ list due to health and safety reasons. All items accepted for donation must be thoroughly clean and in good working order. With secondhand appliances, it can be difficult to guarantee that they fit the bill.    4    

Don’t donate recalled items

Every so often a product recall hits the news headlines. Highchairs, toys, holiday lights for Christmas trees—the list of recalled items due to safety concerns is endless.     5     A dangerous product should be thrown away, and not passed on to an unsuspecting person. Think of the well-being of others before dropping off something that’s viewed as a hidden danger in your own home.

A．They’re all acceptable items for donation, too.

B．Instead of donating an unwanted large appliance, call your local trash collection company and arrange for their safe disposal.

C．But unfortunately some people will throw away the contents of their home without a second thought.

D．Before you bag up these pieces, inspect each one to ensure that they’re in good condition and ready to be owned by someone else.

E．Don’t donate damaged items.

F．Clothes aren’t the only household items that can be donated.

G．Never donate recalled items!

9 . A Strange Greeting, a True Feeling. Last week I was invited to a doctor’s meeting at the Ruth hospital for incurables. In one of the wards, a patient, an old man, got up shakily from his bed and moved towards me. I could see that he hadn't long to____, but he came up to me and placed his right foot close to mine on the floor.
“Frank！” I cried in astonishment. He couldn’t____, as I knew, but all the time____his foot against mine.
My____raced back more than thirty years to the____days of 1941, when I was a student in London. The____was an air-raid shelter, in which I and about one hundred other people slept every night. Two of the regulars were Mrs. West and her son Frank.
____ wartime problems, we shelter-dwellers got to____each other very well. Frank West____me because he wasn’t ____, not even at birth. His mother told me he was 37 then, but he had____of a mind than a baby has. His “____” consisted of rough sounds——sounds of pleasure or anger and ____more. Mrs. West, then about 75, was a strong, capable woman, as she had to be, of course, because Frank ____on her entirely. He needed all the____of a baby.
One night a policeman came and told Mrs. West that her house had been flattened by a 500-pounder (炮弹). She____nearly everything she owned.
When that sort of thing happened, the rest of us helped the ____ones. So before we____that morning, I stood beside Frank and____my right foot against his. They were about the same size. That night, then, I took a pair of shoes to the shelter for Frank. But as soon as he saw me he came running and placed his right foot against mine. After that, his____to me was always the same.1.

A．work

B．live

C．stay

D．expect

2.

A．answer

B．speak

C．smile

D．laugh

3.

A．covering

B．moving

C．fighting

D．pressing

4.

A．minds

B．memories

C．thoughts

D．brains

5.

A．dark

B．better

C．younger

D．old

6.

A．cave

B．place

C．sight

D．scene

7.

A．Discussing

B．Solving

C．Sharing

D．Suffering

8.

A．learn from

B．talk to

C．help

D．know

9.

A．needed

B．recognized

C．interested

D．encouraged

10.

A．common

B．normal

C．unusual

D．quick

11.

A．more

B．worse

C．fewer

D．less

12.

A．word

B．speech

C．sentence

D．language

13.

A．not

B．no

C．something

D．nothing

14.

A．fed

B．kept

C．lived

D．depended

15.

A．attention

B．control

C．treatment

D．management

16.

A．lost

B．needed

C．destroyed

D．left

17.

A．unlucky

B．troublesome

C．angry

D．unpopular

18.

A．separated

B．went

C．reunited

D．returned

19.

A．pushed

B．tried

C．showed

D．measured

20.

A．nodding

B．greeting

C．meeting

D．acting

10 . A man, who sometimes takes my bus, is in rags. His life seems different from that of the others. He looks exhausted and carries nothing. He appears along a downtown street, seemingly out of nowhere. We sometimes want to know where he sleeps at night.
A few weeks ago he boarded the bus. A few stops later, a young woman boarded. She swiped (刷) her bus-card, only to find the machine would not accept it. The driver told her to pay the $2.25 fare. “I just bought this card,” she said. “I paid the money...”
The driver said she could take the card back to the sales office and explain the problem. In the meantime she would have to pay the fare for that day. The woman became confused and distressed. The rest of us just watched, wondering how the problem would be solved. Suddenly the man rose from his seat, dropped a few coins into the fare box.
“You’re lucky,” the bus driver said quietly. “He paid for you.” Silence fell over the bus. The rest of us had watched the woman’s discomfort, but he felt it. We lawyers, journalists and business people headed downtown to help fix the world. He fixed her world.
I haven’t seen him since that day. Some people believe angels occasionally drop down and move among us. All I know is that I have a new respect for the simple act of kindness. It speeds us along on our way.
1. According to the first paragraph, the author _______.

A．thinks highly of the man

B．often gives the man some help

C．knows the man very well

D．considers the man strange

2. What does the underlined word “distressed” probably mean?

A．exited

B．generous

C．bored

D．anxious

3. What did the writer learn from the man?

A．to show concern for other people.

B．to lead a happy life like the man.

C．to share what he has with us.

D．to believe that people are born kind.