1 . “Won't you be my neighbor?” is a famous song from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, a popular children's television show. The show, broadcast for 31 years and ending in 2001, sought to teach American children the importance of kindness and understanding towards others. But recently fewer and fewer Americans seem to know their neighbors. That may be destroying Americans communities.
Marc Dunkelman wrote a book called “The Vanishing Neighbor”. In it, he examined how American communities have changed over time. Dunkelman said most Americans have three levels of relationships: The inner circle includes family and close friends. The middle circle is more casual relationships. People in this circle include neighbors and people in community groups. The outer circle includes people who live far away but share a common interest.
In his book, Dunkelman argued that people spend most of their time and attention on the inner and outer circles. But he said the middle-circle is necessary to strengthening local communities. Relationships with neighbors are important for debate, hearing different ideas and finding compromise.
Americans used to have more middle-circle relationships. Face-to-face communication was unavoidable without cell phones or the internet. People also felt more of a duty to join community organizations.
Dunkelman argued that modern life has made middle-circle relationships less important. He said globalization, education and more women in the workforce have resulted in less middle-circle communication. Americans may be losing what it means to be a good neighbor, as Fred Rogers of Mister Rogers Neighborhood taught.
However; doing good for a neighbor is healthy “not just for our neighbor but for ourselves as well,” Dunkelman said. “Learning how to be a good citizen can be lost when we defer the problem to somebody else.”
1. What does the underlined word “that" refer to in paragraph 1?| A．The lack of close ties with neighbors. | B．The popularity of children's TV shows. |
| C．The way of teaching children to be kind. | D．The previous knowledge of communities. |
| A．Preventing digital harm. | B．Sharing opinions with others. |
| C．Bearing more family responsibilities. | D．Raising awareness of health problems. |
| A．How to Get Along with Neighbors? | B．The Inner-circle or the Middle-circle? |
| C．Why are Americans Becoming Distant? | D．Are American Communities Disappearing? |
2 . Silence is unnatural to man. He begins life with a cry and ends it in stillness. In between he does all he can to make a noise in the world, and he fears silence more than anything else. Even his conversation is an attempt to prevent a fearful silence. If he is introduced to another person, and a number of pauses occur in the conversation, he regards himself as a failure, a worthless person, and is full of envy of the emptiest-headed chatterbox. He knows that ninety-nine percent of human conversation means no more than the buzzing of a fly, but he is anxious to join in the buzz and to prove that he is a man and not a waxwork figure.
The aim of conversation is not, for the most part, to communicate ideas; it is to keep up the buzzing sound. There are, it must be admitted, different qualities of buzz; there is even a buzz that is as annoying as the continuous noise made by a mosquito. But at a dinner party one would rather be a mosquito than a quiet person. Most buzzing, fortunately, is pleasant to the ear, and some of it is pleasant even to the mind. He would be a foolish man if he waited until he had a wise thought to take part in the buzzing with his neighbors.
Those who hate to pick up the weather as a conversational opening seem to me not to know the reason why human beings wish to talk. Very few human beings join in a conversation in the hope of learning anything new. Some of them are satisfied if they are only allowed to go on making a noise into other people’s ears, though they have nothing to tell them except that they have seen two or three new plays or that they had food in a Swiss hotel. At the end of an evening during which they have said nothing meaningful for a long time, they just prove themselves to be successful conversationists.
1. According to the author, people make conversation to ________.| A．exchange ideas. | B．prove their value. |
| C．achieve success in life. | D．overcome their fear of silence. |
| A．the noise of an insect. | B．a low sound. |
| C．meaningless talks. | D．the voice of a chatterbox. |
| A．about whatever they have prepared. | B．about whatever they want to. |
| C．in the hope of learning something new. | D．in the hope of getting on well. |
| A．To discuss why people like talking about weather. |
| B．To encourage people to join in conversations. |
| C．To persuade people to stop making noises. |
| D．To explain why people keep talking. |
3 . At times you become friends in extraordinary situations with the most unexpected people. For many，the pandemic has led to new bonds of friendship being created.
Prema Malhotra, a resident of Ashok Vihar, has all plans set to celebrate Friendship Day. She says, “I started communicating with my neighbors over a game of Tambola and then we were playing it every day. Now, some of us even do video calls to entertain ourselves. Since we couldn't go out anywhere on Friendship Day, we played Antakshari, Tambola, while enjoying food and drinks from our own balconies.”
The pandemic has led to people becoming more social with their neighbors. “I am a final year student and due to my busy schedule, I never got the time to connect with people around me. Because of the pandemic, I have got to know a lot of my neighbors and I can so easily bond with them. I have made a new friend who lives next to my house and we're having close conversations. Initially, the conversations used to be about the pandemic and the increasing number of cases but gradually we started sharing thoughts about career goals and study,” says Harshiti Bharti, a resident of Shastri Nagar.
Echoing similar feelings, Ankita Singh, a resident of Malviya Nagar, says, “Due to my work schedule, I never had a chance to know many people in my building. After the lockdown was carried out, a WhatsApp group was created for communication. Through that group, we checked on the elderly people and their needs. I happened to connect personally with a few elderly people in my society and I felt really good. Singing songs and participating in various games led to the creation of new friendships during this time.”
The above examples indicate that from chatting and playing games from their balconies to providing necessities for the sick and needy while practicing self-isolation, neighbors have become new friends.
1. What did Harshiti Bharti talk about with his neighbor at first?| A．Their study. | B．Their career goals. |
| C．The pandemic situation. | D．The other neighbors around them. |
| A．Helping people in need. | B．Purchasing daily necessities. |
| C．Inviting elderly people to sing. | D．Instructing people in self-isolation. |
| A．people create a new way to celebrate Friendship Day. |
| B．strict lockdown is effective in dealing with the pandemic. |
| C．neighbors communicate to kill time during the pandemic. |
| D．the pandemic makes people create new bonds with neighbors. |
4 . Most people don't need convincing that happy relationships are the key to a successful life. When Harvard researchers followed 268 men for more than 70 years, the study's founding director summarized its finding with a single sentence: Happiness is love.
The magic ratio(比例)for happy relationships
The piece comes from newsletter The Profile. Just seven days married, Polina Marinova asked The Profile readers for their best marriage tips.
A real thing for other relationships, too
It's important to note that the 5:1 ratio was not invented merely for couples.
| A．Humans are, as we all know, complex. |
| B．It’s a handy standard to keep in mind for all relationships. |
| C．The whole article is worth a read due to the excellent advice. |
| D．The tips were finally collected by a love expert John Gottman. |
| E．This ratio is actually backed by decades of research by John Gottman. |
| F．However, marriage life can be far happier if the 5:1 ratio is carried out. |
| G．The study also shows loving relationships improve your physical health and job satisfaction. |
5 . The modern manager has to play the role of coach in charge of their team. And that requires an understanding of the different personality types they may be managing, and indeed the role their own personality may play in the way they manage.
Karl Moore, a professor at McGill University in Canada, has written two recent articles on the role of different personality types in business. One of the most common divides is between introverts and extroverts. Mr. Moore calculates that around 40% of the population are introverts, 40% are extroverts and 20% are "ambiverts" who can show both characteristics.
It is easy to assume that the extroverts are most likely to go far in business. An academic study found that extroverts were 25% more likely to be in a high earning job than those who were less outgoing. It is possible that working in a high-paid job makes people more confident and outgoing, although characteristics tend to develop early in life.
But introverts should not give up hope of getting a promotion. A study in 2017 found that introverts were slightly more likely than extroverts to be appointed as chief executive.
Ambiverts can be good salespeople because they are able to listen to their customers and understand their needs but also have the energy to sell their firms' goods and services. Mr. Moore thinks that successful executives have to become ambiverts at times in order to succeed. Introverts must try to show enthusiasm, or make an inspiring speech, when the situation calls for it. And extroverts need to shut up and listen to their teams — not least because when the boss speaks first, juniors will be unwilling to disagree.
What makes life tricky for managers is that people don't have labels on their foreheads stating which kind of personality type they are. Sometimes people make it obvious. But that means managers have to spend time chatting to and observing their team members before deciding how best to get them motivated and inspired.
1. What should a manager do to manage his team?| A．He should protect his team members well. |
| B．He should be the best coach in the company. |
| C．He should have an understanding of his own personality. |
| D．He should understand his team members' characters. |
| A．The ways of becoming extroverts. | B．The cause of becoming extroverts. |
| C．The strengths of becoming extroverts. | D．The importance of becoming extroverts. |
| A．Extroverts should be more patient. |
| B．Introverts should listen to the teams. |
| C．Ambiverts are more likely to become salesmen. |
| D．A boss should employ more extroverts than introverts. |
| A．The tricky life. | B．The type of characters. |
| C．The label of team members. | D．The manager's forehead. |
6 . In February, Japan appointed Tetsushi Sakamoto as the country’s first Minister of Loneliness to address the issue of isolation for the growing number of the population who live alone.
Loneliness has been a long-standing issue in Japan. Half a million people in the country live a solitary(独身的) life. They are known as hikikomori – “those who withdraw from all social contact and often don’t leave their houses for years at a time”, according to the BBC.
“In Japanese strict social norms(行为规范), high expectations from parents and a culture of shame make Japanese society a fertile ground for feelings of inadequacy.” Takahiro Kato, who studies and treats hikikomori, told the BBC.
But the pandemic has only worsened the effects of this lifestyle. According to figures released by the National Police Agency, in 2020 Japan saw a rise in suicides for the first time in 11 years. A total of 20,919 people took their own lives, 750 more than the previous year. The majority of them were single women and students.
Before the pandemic(疫情), most people who live alone had a fairly normal routine: a full day of work, dining with friends afterward, then going home. But the pandemic forced them to stay indoors, reducing the few chances they had to socialize.
Sakamoto hopes to deal with the issue of increased feelings of isolation. At a news conference on Feb 12, he said that he hopes to “carry out activities to prevent social loneliness and isolation and to protect ties between people”.
After all, just as UK poet John Donne wrote, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”
1. What does the underlined word “inadequacy” in paragraph 3 probably mean?| A．Respecting the elderly. | B．Lacking self-confidence. |
| C．Hiding to avoid trouble. | D．Following social norms. |
| A．The pandemic put people out of work. |
| B．The pandemic made solitary people feel lonelier. |
| C．People suffered from anxiety due to the pandemic. |
| D．Being outside their routine caused inconvenience. |
| A．Man is a social animal. |
| B．Everyone is like everyone else. |
| C．People should be ashamed of being alone. |
| D．People can find ways to deal with loneliness. |
| A．The reason why there are hikikomori in Japan. |
| B．The responsibility of the Minister of Loneliness. |
| C．How the pandemic has affected people's lives in Japan. |
| D．Why Japan appointed a Minister of Loneliness. |
7 . ”Did you hear what happened to Adam last Friday?” Lindsey whispers to Tori.
With her eyes shining, Tori brags, “You bet I did. Sean told me two days ago.”
Who are Lindsey and Tori talking about? It just happens to be yours truly, Adam Freedman. I can tell you that what they are saying is (a) not nice and (b) not even true. Still, Lindsey and Tori aren’t very different from most students here at Linton High School, including me. Many of our conversations are gossip. I have noticed three effects of gossip: it can hurt people, it can give gossipers a strange kind of satisfaction, and it can cause social pressures in a group.
An important negative effect of gossip is that it can hurt the person being talked about. Usually, gossip spreads information about a topic — breakups, trouble at home, even dropping out — that a person would rather keep secret. The more embarrassing or shameful the secret is, the juicier the gossip it makes. Probably the worst type of gossip is the absolute lie. People often think of gossipers as harmless, but cruel lies can cause pain.
If we know that gossip can be harmful, then why do so many of us do it? The answer lies in another effect of gossip: the satisfaction it gives us. Sharing the latest rumor can make a person feel important because he or she knows something that others don’t. Similarly, hearing the latest rumor can make a person feel like part of the “in group.” In other words, gossip is satisfying because it gives people a sense of belonging or even superiority(优越感).
Gossip also can have a third effect: it strengthens unwritten, unspoken rules about how people should act. Professor David Wilson explains that gossip is important in policing behaviors in a group. Translated into high school terms, this means that if everybody you hang around with is laughing at what John wore or what Jane said, then you can bet that wearing or saying something similar will get you the same kind of negative attention. The do’s and don’ts conveyed through gossip will never show up in any student handbook.
The effects of gossip vary depending on the situation. The next time you feel the urge to spread the latest news, think about why you want to gossip and what effects your “juicy story” might have.
1. The author uses a conversation at the beginning of the passage to ________.| A．introduce a topic | B．present an argument |
| C．describe the characters | D．clarify his writing purpose |
| A．breaks up relationships | B．embarrasses the listener |
| C．spreads information around | D．causes unpleasant experiences |
| A．gives them a feeling of pleasure | B．helps them to make more friends |
| C．makes them better at telling stories | D．enables them to meet important people |
| A．Never become a gossiper. | B．Stay away from gossipers. |
| C．Don’t let gossip turn into lies. | D．Think twice before you gossip. |
Alice had just been appointed in the multinational bank. After one month of severe training, today was her first day to go to work.
She got up a bit earlier than usual, and decided to skip her gym workout as she did not want to risk being tired or getting late to her office on her first day. She went through her morning routine and spent a lot of time in selecting what to wear. None of her dresses seemed to appeal to her—they were either a little too casual or too dull and she definitely wanted to make an impression right from the start. Finally she settled on the white embroidered (刺绣的) dress.
She waved bye to her mom and set off cheerfully towards the bus stop. But she saw a bus leaving the stop just as she crossed the street. Now she would have to wait for a good 15 minutes. 15 minutes passed and then 30 minutes and there was no sign of the bus. “It must be stuck in heavy traffic”, a kind lady who was also waiting for the bus told her. Hearing that, Alice got anxious. She had to reach her office on time. Then she saw a taxi approaching but when she tried to stop it, the taxi driver sped by without even taking a glance at her. Alice was wondering what she could do.
It was then that a car stopped near her and a man waved to her. The driver asked her where she was going and after Alice told him that she was going to the bank at Nariman Point, the man said “Oh, my office is in the nearby building. Can I give you a lift?” Alice hesitated for a moment and got into the car. They exchanged names and began to talk for a while. Then the driver switched on the radio and was absorbed in the song. Alice looked out of the window and imagined her first day at work, worrying whether she was capable of the new job, and if she could get along well with her colleagues. After about ten minutes, Alice realized they were not on the familiar route to her office.
注意:续写词数应为150左右；
Paragraph 1:
She began to worry that she might get into the car of a bad man.
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Paragraph 2:
Then the car turned around a corner and Alice saw the tall building where her office was unexpectedly.
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9 . How do we take part in dinner party in foreign countries ? Have you ever experienced it ? I hated dinner parties. But I decided to give them another shot because I'm in London. And my friend Mallery invited me. And because dinner parties in London are very different from those back in New York. There, "I'm having a dinner party" means: " I'm booking a table for 12 at a restaurant you can't afford and we'll be sharing the cheque evenly, no matter what you eat." Worse, in Manhattan, there is always someone who leaves before the bill arrives. They'll throw down cash, half of what they owe, and then people like me, who don't drink, end up paying even more. But if I try to use the same trick, the hostess will shout: "Where are you going?" And it's not like I can say I have somewhere to go: everyone knows I have nowhere to go.
But in London, dinner parties are in people's homes. Not only that, the guests are an interesting mix. The last time I went to one, the guests were from France, India, Denmark and Nigeria; it was like a gathering at the United Nations. In New York, the mix is less striking. It's like a gathering at Bloomingdale's a well-known department store.
For New Yorkers, talking about other parts of the world means Brooklyn and Queens in New York. But at Mallery's, when I said that I had been to Myanmar recently, people knew where it was. In New York, people would think it was a usual new club.
1. What does the word "shot", in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Choice. | B．Try. | C．Style. | D．Goal. |
| A．There is a strange mix of people. | B．The restaurants are expensive. |
| C．The bill is not fairly shared. | D．People have to pay cash. |
| A．Easy-going. | B．Self-centred. | C．Generous. | D．Conservative |
10 . The messages always start with something like, “Hey, I’m so sorry but ...” Something has suddenly come up — a terrible headache or a pet cat having a problem. The person I have made plans with isn’t going to make it. By this point I usually have been fully dressed, about to walk out the door, or the party has already started. However, I mostly ignore it. I have to “flake” sometimes, too.
But over the past year or so, my friends and I have started to realize that people are flaking a lot more often. When people flake, the first question that appears in our brain is “Why?” or “Is something bigger really happening?”
Think of those flakers in your friend group who can’t arrive on time to get plans started. That may be more common among some personality types. For these people, they seem to have little concern for how other people feel. Another type is what scientists call conscientiousness. People who have no conscientiousness (责任心) are bad at planning things or don’t follow through – in other words, flake.
Flaking has got more common in the last ten years. Research shows it’s just easier to flake in the age of technology. Distance allows people to cheat others. You can just make up an excuse and don’t show up. You could say technology is just distance. In other words, when you don’t want to follow the plan, it’s easier to send a message to someone to cancel the plan than to tell them face to face. Being flaked on in this way can make you feel that they are treating you as is you don’t have thoughts or feelings.
1. Which of the following is flaking according to Paragraph 1?| A．Being late for a party on purpose. | B．Sending a message to say sorry. |
| C．Canceling a plan with an excuse. | D．Dealing with more important things. |
| A．Busy and active. | B．Dishonest and lazy. |
| C．Careless and impatient. | D．Self-centered and unreliable. |
| A．How to get along with flakers. | B．How to prevent flaking. |
| C．The influence of flaking. | D．The reasons for flaking. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Annoyed. |
| C．Understanding. | D．Indifferent. |
