1 . Prosocial behaviors are those intended to help other people. Behaviors that can be described as prosocial include feeling empathy(同感) and concern for others and behaving in ways to help or benefit other people.
Prosocial behavior has long posed a challenge to social scientists seeking to understand why people engage in helping behaviors that are beneficial to others, but costly to the individual performing the action. Why would people do something that benefits someone else but offers no immediate benefit to the doer?
Psychologists suggest that there are a number of reasons why people engage in prosocial behavior. In many cases, such behaviors are fostered during childhood and adolescence as adults encourage children to share, act kindly, and help others. Prosocial behaviors are often seen as being compelled by a number of factors including egoistic reasons (doing things to improve one's selfimage), reciprocal benefits (doing something nice for someone so that they may one day return the favor), and more altruistic reasons (performing actions purely out of empathy for another individual).
Characteristics of the situation can also have a powerful impact on whether or not people engage in prosocial actions. The bystander effect is one of the most notable examples of how the situation can impact helping behaviors. The bystander effect refers to the tendency for people to become less likely to assist a person in distress when there are a number of other people also present. For example, if you drop your purse and several items fall out on the ground, the likelihood that someone will stop and help you decreases if there are many other people present. This same sort of thing can happen in cases where someone is in serious danger, such as when someone is involved in a car accident. In some cases, witnesses might assume that since there are so many other present, someone else will have surely already called for help.
Why do people help in some situations but not in others? Experts have discovered a number of different situational variables that contribute to (and sometimes interfere with) prosocial behaviors. First, the more people that are present decreases the amount of personal responsibility people feel in a situation. People also tend to look to others for how to respond in such situations, particularly if the event contains some level of ambiguity. Fear of being judged by other members of the group also plays a role. People sometimes fear leaping to assistance, only to discover that their help was unwanted or unwarranted. In order to avoid being judged by other bystanders, people simply take no action.
Experts have suggested that some key things must happen in order for a person to take action.
1. Prosocial behaviors are motivated for all the following reasons EXCEPT ________.| A．empathy for another individual | B．instant benefits of helping others |
| C．parental influences in the early life | D．the desire to better one's selfimage |
| A．peace | B．despair |
| C．comfort | D．trouble |
| A．When hearing an injured lady crying for help, the neighbors didn't take action. |
| B．Seeing an old man slipping on the icy road, many people volunteered to help. |
| C．A woman was to give birth on the train and you were the only doctor there. |
| D．On the scene of your colleague's traffic accident, you called the police for help |
| A．possible benefits of prosocial behavior |
| B．various reasons for prosocial behavior |
| C．situational influences on prosocial behavior |
| D．skills and knowledge to provide assistance |
2 . One day, a man saw an old lady sitting inside her car at the side of the road. Though it was dark, he could see she needed help. So he stopped his car and walked towards her. The old lady was worried, even though she noticed the smile on his face. Was he going to hurt her?“I’11 help you start your car, madam. By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson,”he said.
While Anderson was fitting a spare tire(备胎)to her car, the lady began to talk to him. She thanked him much for coming to help.
Anderson just smiled as he put his tools away. The lady asked how much she should pay him. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give them the help they needed. He waited until she started her car and drove off.
A few miles down the road, the lady saw a small restaurant. She went in and a waitress came over with a sweet smile. The old lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant(怀孕的), but she never let the pains and aches change her smile when she served her
The lady finished her meal and paid with a hundred-dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change, but the old lady was gone when the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she found there was a note on the napkin(餐巾), “You don’t need to give me anything back. Somebody once helped me out the way I’m helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do—do not let this chain(链子)of love end with you.”
Under the napkin were four more$ 100 bills．
1. Why did Anderson tell his name to the old lady?| A．Because he wanted to check if the lady knew him． |
| B．Because he hoped that may help relax the lady． |
| C．Because he thought he could be paid back one day． |
| D．Because he wanted to leave his name for doing good things． |
| A．The old lady and Anderson． | B．The people who need help． |
| C．The old lady and the waitress． | D．The people who help others． |
①Thankful②Happy③Worried④Helpless⑤Willing and ready to help
| A．④③①⑤② | B．④①③②⑤ |
| C．③②①⑤④ | D．③①④⑤② |
| A．The meal cost the old lady 400 dollars． |
| B．Anderson must be helped by someone before． |
| C．The old lady was able to fit a spare tire herself． |
| D．The waitress will probably help someone later． |
| A．The Help of Strangers | B．The Power of Smile |
| C．The Chain of Love | D．The Bill of Kindness |
3 . One-year-old Tallulah turned purple and stopped moving after the sweet became stuck in her throat. Her mum Leigh-Anne said the drama began during a visit to her grandma’s house when her grandparents gave her older kids some sweets.
“Then at about 4:45 pm, Tallulah started to choke—we all went into a panic.”
“It seemed like it went on for ages. Not one of us knew what to do.”
“I rang an ambulance while my grandma and granddad tried to get the sweet to come up.”
“Tallulah was panicking at first but then she started to go purple—she almost had no oxygen left in her.”
With her daughter limp (无力的) and time running out, Leigh—Anne knew she couldn’t afford to wait for the ambulance to arrive.
“The only thing I could think was to go out into the street.” She said.
“I rushed out and screamed for someone to help while my grandma rushed out crying with Tallulah.”
At exactly the moment, Caitlin, who is studying public services at Redcar College, was passing by Queen Street. She said, “I was waiting to go to work when I heard someone screaming for help, so I ran straight over.”
The 17-year-old girl added, “Something just clicked and I went into auto mode. The little girl was completely limp, so I checked her airways and tilted (使倾斜) her over and started hitting her back. I turned her round and tapped on her chest, then after what felt like forever she coughed up the sweet and spat it out.
As soon as she started crying I felt a huge relief. I was just so pleased I was able to help.”
Caitlin was taught her lifesaving skills when she joined the Army Cadets four years ago.
1. When did Tallulah get choked?| A．While eating sweets. | B．While enjoying a drama. |
| C．While having a meal. | D．While taking some medicine. |
| A．To buy some needed tools. | B．To search for timely help. |
| C．To get a breath of fresh air. | D．To wait for the ambulance to arrive. |
| A．Brave and selfless. | B．Kind and energetic. |
| C．Determined and generous. | D．Quick-thinking and helpful. |
| A．First aid skill sounds important. | B．Screaming for help makes sense. |
| C．Eating sweets endangers baby girl. | D．Heroic teenager saves baby girl’s life. |
4 . On the night of December 8, 1992, when he was standing in a parking lot talking to friends, Tracy March jumped to the top of a car, as he had done a hundred times before. This time, though, Tracy lost his balance. His head struck the ground, hard.
All night, Cory, Tracy’s mother, stood next to her son, who was lying in a hospital bed, his brown eyes fixed in a lifeless stare. She remembered that Tracy had once mentioned organ donation. Maybe I can spare another family this pain, she thought. When the time came, she and her husband Bill signed the forms permitting his organs to be donated.
Tracy was declared dead the next day. Twenty-four hours later, in a Boston hospital, Tracy’s liver was made part of my husband, David, who was suffering from a hopeless liver disease.
Months later, we learned from the local organ bank that the donor’s parents wished desperately to meet someone who had gained life through the gift from their son. A meeting was arranged by the organ bank to bring together two families linked by the most bittersweet ties imaginable.
The meeting was risky, but worth it. We talked for 3 hours. They showed us a picture of Tracy. We learned how he had lived and died. We learned something about Bill and Cory too.
For the Marches, seeing David and knowing he was well seemed to ease their suffering. I’ll never forget seeing David’s tall figure stopped over Cory, her arms around his waist, as a mother would hug a son. For a long time they held each other tight. It was hard to know if she was saying hello or good-bye. Maybe she was saying both.
1. We learn from the passage that Tracy died _______.| A．of brain damage | B．on December 8, 1992 |
| C．24 hours after he fell off the roof of a car | D．in a car crash |
| A．Tracy told them to do so just before he died |
| B．they wanted to save others the pain of seeing dear one die |
| C．David’s life could continue in a meaningful way |
| D．they knew David was suffering from a hopeless liver disease |
| A．they saw that David looked very much like their son |
| B．they now knew for sure they had done the right thing |
| C．they now had someone to share their memories of Tracy |
| D．they saw that David had regained health with Tracy’s liver |
5 . Emma and Ryan, a married couple, were driving to a friend’s house when Emma turned to Ryan and asked, “Would you like to stop for lunch?”
Ryan replied, “No, I’m not hungry yet,” and continued driving. Meanwhile, Emma sat quietly fuming (十分恼火) in the passenger seat. Ryan could not understand why Emma was unhappy. He had thought she was asking if he was hungry, but in reality, Emma was telling him that she was hungry and wanted to stop for lunch.
Misunderstandings like this often occur between men and women, even among people from the same culture. Deborah Tannen, professor of linguistics at Georgetown University in the United States, has studied conversational rules.
In Emma and Ryan’s situation, Emma was making a request in the form of a question. Her style of talking is common for women. She needed Ryan to agree they were both hungry. So, Emma asked Ryan what he wanted. She was really telling Ryan what she wanted; however, Ryan did not understand this. If he had been hungry, he would have said something more direct, such as, “I’m hungry. Let’s have lunch.”
Tannen believes that most women grow up in a world where talk is used to express feelings. However, most men are raised differently and they tend to keep their feelings to themselves.
Tannen says, for men, talk is often used as a situation used outside the home to gain respect, to entertain and get attention, or to exchange information. This is why men communicate by making each other laugh, or talking about sport and work. These men do not always feel it is necessary to talk to feel close or to express their feelings. Women, on the other hand, are encouraged to speak about their feelings since this is a way to build relationships.
1. What can be inferred from Emma and Ryan’s story?| A．Emma didn’t like Ryan. |
| B．Ryan didn’t want to talk to Emma. |
| C．Ryan didn’t want to eat with Emma. |
| D．Emma wasn’t pleased with Ryan’s answer. |
| A．Different cultures. |
| B．Different characteristics. |
| C．Different ways of communicating. |
| D．Different educational background. |
| A．talk less about feelings |
| B．communicate more with others |
| C．are more likely to become angry |
| D．are better at building relationships |
| A．Why women like to express feelings |
| B．How men and women communicate |
| C．Different ways of supporting a child |
| D．Misunderstandings in social communication |
6 . “How are you” is a nice question. It's a friendly way that people in the United States greet each other. But “How are you?” is also a very unusual question. It's a question that often doesn't have an answer. The person who asks “How are you?” hopes to hear the answer “Fine.”, even if the person's friend isn't fine. The reason is that “How are you?” isn't really a question and “Fine.” isn't really an answer. They are simply other way of saying “Hello!” or “Hi!”.
Sometimes, people also don't say exactly what they mean. For example, when someone asks, “Do you agree?”, the other person might be thinking, “No, I disagree. I think you're wrong…”But it isn't very polite to disagree strongly, so the other person might say “I'm not sure…”. It's a nice way to say that you don't agree with someone.
People also don't say exactly what they are thinking when they finish talking with other people. For example, many talks over the phone finish when one person says “I've to go now.” Often, the person who wants to hang up gives an excuse,” Someone is at the door.” “Something is burning on the stove.” The excuses might be real, or it might not. Perhaps the person who wants to hang up simply doesn't want to talk any more, but it isn't polite to say that. The excuse is more polite, and it doesn't hurt the other person.
When they are greeting each other, talking about an idea, or finishing a talk, people often don't say exactly what they are thinking. It's an important way that people try to be nice to each other, and it's also a part of the game of language.
1. When a person wants to disagree with someone, it is polite to say “ ”.| A．You're wrong. I disagree. | B．I'm not sure. |
| C．I'm sure I disagree. | D．No, I disagree. |
| A．giving an excuse |
| B．hurting someone's feeling |
| C．talking to a person at the door |
| D．going to another place |
| A．Always say what you mean. |
| B．Don't disagree with people. |
| C．Never say exactly what you're thinking. |
| D．Being polite is the best policy. |
7 . 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 |
8 . In court at 9 o'clock. Apart from me there are a few old ladies who have come to the court and a class of 14-15 year-olds with their teacher.
9:05 Court starts. First case: Henry P., 47, divorced, charged with being drunk. He refused to leave a pub at closing time and caused a bit of damage when the police tried to arrest him. P. said he had had an argument with his boss and could not face going home to an empty flat.
9:50 Mrs F., 72, shoplifting (店内偷窃). Apparently Mrs F. had stolen a frozen chicken, which she had hidden under her hat (At this the school children burst out laughing and even the judges have difficulty keeping a straight face). The chicken was so cold that she fell unconscious, otherwise she would probably not have been caught. Mrs F, in tears, says she had not eaten meat for three weeks. It turns out that, although she has the old - age pension, she does not know about other forms of support.
10:30 Peter D., 19. D. stole, or rather “borrowed” a motorcycle, intending, he said, to give it back to the owner after trying it out. D.’s father is at sea and the mother is left to bring up four children, of whom Peter is the eldest, by herself.
11:00 Mrs A., 45, a doctor’s wife, president of a local ladies’ club, was caught leaving a fashion shop wearing two dresses, only one of which belonged to her. Admitting that she had wanted to steal the dress, she could not explain why.
1. What did Henry P. do when he was caught?| A．He damaged the pub. | B．He attacked the police. |
| C．He bothered other customers. | D．He quarreled with his boss. |
| A．Active. | B．Amusing. | C．Pitiful. | D．Ridiculous. |
| A．Henry P. | B．Mrs F. | C．Peter | D．Mrs A. |
9 . Two of the hardest things to accomplish in this world are to acquire wealth by honest effort and,having gained it,to learn how to use it properly.Recently I walked into the locker room of a rather well known golf club after finishing a round.It was in the late afternoon and most of the members had left for their homes.But a half-dozen or so men past middle age were still seated at tables talking aimlessly and drinking more than was good for them.These same men can be found there day after day,and,strangely enough,each one of these men had been a man of affairs and wealth, successful in business and respected in the community.If material prosperity were the chief necessity for happiness, then each one should have been happy.Yet,it seemed to me,something very important was missing,else（否则）there would not have been the constant effort to escape the realities of life through scotch and soda.They knew,each one of them,that their productivity had ceased（停止）.When a fruit tree ceases to bear its fruit,it is dying.And it is even so with man.
What is the answer to a long and happy existence in this world of ours?I think I found it long ago in a passage from the book of Genesis which caught my eye while I was looking through my Bible.The words were few,but they became memorably impressed on my mind.“In the sweat of the face shall you eat the bread.”
To me,that has been a challenge from my earliest recollections(memories).In fact,the battle of life,of existence,is a challenge to everyone.The immortal words of St.Paul,too,have been and always will be a great inspiration to me.At the end of the road I want to be able to feel that I have fought a good fight,I have finished the course,I have kept the faith.
1. The underlined sentence “In the sweat of the face shall you eat the bread” means “ ”.| A．Bread tastes delicious when sweat pours off your face |
| B．Bread comes from the sweat on your face |
| C．Failure is the mother of success |
| D．No pains,no gains |
| A．was a wealthy person in the community |
| B．was fond of associating with celebrities（名人） |
| C．held a positive attitude towards an active life |
| D．kept a secret of the reason why he was so impressed |
| A．To use wealth properly,eat,drink and be merry. |
| B．If you cease to struggle,you cease to live. |
| C．As life is but like a dream,a man is like a fruit tree. |
| D．Where there is a will,there is a way. |
“Hey, David, how are you?” one of the senior partners at the firm asks you.
“Good, thank you, Dr. Greer,” you reply. You’ve really been wanting to make a connection with the senior leadership at the firm, and this seems like a great opportunity. But as you start to think of something to say, your American colleague breaks in to steal your spotlight.
“So Arnold”, your colleague says to your boss, in such a casual manner that it makes your German soul cringe(畏缩), “So what’s your Super bowl prediction? I mean, you’re a Niners fan, right?”
The conversation moves on, and you walk silently back to your desk with your coffee. You know how important small talk is in the U.S., and you feel jealous of people who can do it well.
There’s nothing small about the role that small talk plays in American professional culture. People from other countries are often surprised at how important small talk is in the U.S. and how naturally and comfortably people seem to do it ------ with peers, men, women, and even with superiors. You can be the most technically skilled worker in the world, but your ability to progress in your job in the United States is highly dependent on your ability to build and maintain positive relationships with people at work. And guess what skill is critical for building and maintaining these relationships? Small talk.
What can you do if you are from another culture and want to learn to use small talk in the U.S. to build relationships and establish trust? Work hard to hone(磨练) your own version of American-style small talk. Watch how others do it. You don’t have to mimic what they do; in fact, that would likely backfire because people would see you as inauthentic. But if you can develop your own personal version, that can go a long way toward making you feel comfortable and competence．
1. The author introduces the topic of the passage by______.
| A．describing an interesting scene |
| B．offering a plot |
| C．making comparisons |
| D．telling a small jokes |
| A．They usually make small talk in work breaks． |
| B．They hate making small talk． |
| C．They don’t make so much small talk． |
| D．They are good at making small talk too． |
| A．American workers’ ability to make progress． |
| B．American workers’ attitude towards superiors． |
| C．The special meaning of small talk． |
| D．The role small talk plays in work settings． |
| A．have a warm atmosphere |
| B．have the opposite effect |
| C．have a good result |
| D．have a hard time |
