1 . Social media is one of the fastest-growing industries in today’s world. A study conducted by the US think tank (智囊团) Pew Research Center showed that 92 percent of teenagers go online daily.

The wide spread of social media has changed nearly all parts of teenagers’ lives.

Changing relationships

High school student Elly Cooper from Illinois said social media often reduces face-to-face communication.

“It makes in-person relationships harder because people give attention to their phones instead of their boyfriends or girlfriends,” Cooper said.

There’s also a greater possibility of things getting lost in translation over social media.

“If half of your relationship is over social media, you don’t really know how the other person is reacting,” Sienna Schulte, a junior student from Illinois, said.

Yet, some people believe social media has made it easier to start relationships with anyone from anywhere. Beth Kaplan from Illinois met her long-distance friend through social media. He currently lives in Scotland, but they’re still able to frequently communicate with one another.

“I can feel close to someone that I’m talking to via（通过）FaceTime,” Kaplan said.

Wanting to be “liked”

The rise of social media has changed the way teenagers see themselves.

The 19-year-old Essena O’Neill announced on the social networking service Instagram that she was quitting social media because it made her obsessed (痴迷) with appearing perfect online.

Negative comments also can do great damage to a teenager’s self-esteem (自尊).

In particular, anonymous (匿名的) social media apps such as Yik Yak may provide opportunities for cyber bullying (网络欺凌).

The app allows users within 5 miles (8 km) to create and add comments to everything. Teenagers who get negative comments on these sites can’t help but feel hurt.

Opening new doors

However, Armin Korsos, a student from Illinois, takes advantage of the comments he receives over social media to improve his videos on the social networking site Youtube.

“Social media can help people show themselves and their talents to the world in a way that was never possible before,” Korsos said.

But Korsos recognizes that social media has become a distraction (让人分心的事).“Social media, though it helps people connect with their friends and stay updated, is not all necessary.”

1. What is the article mainly about?

A．The major problems with social media.

B．The effect of social media on teenagers.

C．How teenagers benefit from social media.

D．Why social media appeals so much to teenagers.

2. How does social media change relationships, according to the article?

A．It pushes people to meet their friends more often offline.

B．It encourages people to pay more attention to those around them.

C．It enables users to understand accurately what others are talking about online.

D．It allows people to keep in touch with their friends who live far away more easily.

3. Essena O’Neill decided to disconnect herself from social media because ______.

A．she couldn’t tolerate cyberbullying on social media

B．she wanted to spend more time with her friends in reality

C．she was troubled by her desire to look perfect on social media

D．she always felt hurt by the negative information online

4. Which statement about the use of social media would Armin Korsos probably agree with?

A．The use of social media taught him to turn negative comments into motivations.

B．Social media can easily become an addiction(着迷), despite its benefits.

C．Social media is mostly a distraction to teenagers, so it is unnecessary for it to exist.

D．If used well, social media can create opportunities for teenagers to develop themselves.

2 . In May, 2014, some Chinese tourists found a Chinese-character message “Ding Jinhao once visited here” on a statue of god in a 3500-year-old Egyptian temple. An angry tourist took the photograph of the scrawl and posted it on social media Sina Weibo. It was quickly spread and there were more than 100,000 comments during two weeks. Later, a 15-year-old Chinese boy was searched out as the person who caved this message. Many netizens expressed their anger and disappointment for the uncivilized behavior. They searched and identified the boy and then posted his personal information including the address and pictures online.
Over the weekend, his school’s website was hacked, and reporters flooded into his home in the city of Nanjing. Besieged by reporters, the child’s mother offered a formal apology for her son’s behavior. “We want to apologize to the Egyptian people and to people who have paid attention to this case across China.” the boy’s mother told the local newspaper.
With China’s economy booming over the past decades, a growing number of the country’s residents have become global tourists. Earlier this month, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang addressed: “Uncivilized behavior of some of tourists is giving this country a bad reputation abroad.” The discussion about Chinese quality was carried out on many media.
On the bright side, Egypt government described the damage to the temple as superficial（表面的）and could be restored and they would forgive the boy. While the act of Ding Jinhao symbolizes a national shame, meanwhile, many people concern about the child’s development and wish he could return to anonymity once more. “The boy has known his mistake and cried all night. He has to be moved around because reporters rushes to his house for interviews.” said a reporter who talked with the parents.

1. The passage is mainly about ________.

A．Chinese tour in Egypt

B．the wave caused by Chinese uncivilized behavior

C．the discussion on Chinese education

D．the importance of Weibo

2. What is the citizens’ attitude towards Ding’s behavior?

A．Critical.	B．Doubtful.
C．Tolerant.	D．Supportive.

3. The writer uses the quotation by Vice Premier Wang Yang to show ________.

A．Chinese people are influential

B．China is a civilized country

C．people shouldn’t go abroad

D．some misconducts are bad for our image

4. From the last paragraph, we know ________.

A．the boy wasn’t hurt

B．the boy has caused irreparable（不可挽回的）damage to the statue

C．the boy has escaped from the public attention

D．many people hope the boy can live back a normal life

3 . The small number of newborn babies, which has been caused by high prices and the changing social situation of women, is one of the most serious problems in Asia. When people talk about it, you can hear a word invented in Japan, “DINKS”, which means Double Income No Kids.
In many major Asian cities like Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo, the cost of a house is extremely high. A young couple who want to buy their own house may have to pay about $3000,000 (though prices have fallen). For a flat with one bedroom, one dining-room, a kitchen, and a bathroom, the couple will pay about $900 a month. What’s more, if they want to have a child, the child’s education is very expensive. For example, most kindergarten charges are at least $5,000 a year. In such a situation, it’s difficult to afford children.
The number of married women who want to continue working increases rapidly because they enjoy their jobs. However, if they want to have children, they immediately have serious problems. Though most companies allow women to leave their jobs for a short time to have a baby, they expect women with babies to give up their jobs. In short, if they want to bring up children properly, both parents have to work, but it is hard for mothers to work. Indeed, women who want to continue working have to choose between having children or keeping their jobs.
In a word, Asian governments must take steps to improve the present situation as soon as possible.
1. What is the main problem being discussed in the passage?

A．The small number of newborn babies.

B．The changing social situation of women.

C．The high prices of houses and education.

D．The necessary steps of Asian government.

2. According to the passage, which of the following is true?

A．It is easy for a couple to afford a child in Asia.

B．The prices of houses in Asia are quite low now.

C．Fewer and fewer married women want to have a job.

D．The word “DINKS” appeared in an Asian country.

3. To buy a flat and send a child to kindergarten, how much will a couple pay each year?

A．$5,000.	B．$5,900.
C．$10,800.	D．$15,800.

4. The writer seems to believe that Asian governments should ________.

A．let women stay at home and have a baby

B．allow only one of the parents to go out to work

C．care for the growing needs of women for jobs

D．punish the companies that permit women to leave

4 . It’s reported that a male waiter recently poured boiling water over a female customer at a hot pot restaurant after the woman was caught complaining about the waiter’s bad service online.     1    

The female victim, surnamed Lin, reportedly got into an argument with the waiter, surnamed Zhu, when Zhu refused her repeated request for additional soup for her pot. Lin was rushed to hospital and was diagnosed with severe bums on up to 40% of her body.     2    

Many netizens criticized the waiter for being too impulsive and ignoring the possible consequences, but some also accused Lin of being too picky. Meanwhile, some came up with a question worthy of discussion:     3    

Many tragedies are caused by arguments and if the victim can control his or her anger and try to reach a compromise, the tragedies could possibly be avoided. Sometimes so-called “cowardliness” can be a form of self-protection, especially when you are faced with strangers and you know little about their personalities.

    4     When they calm down afterwards, they would regret their “ridiculous” behavior and have to pay the price for the consequences.

In May, a male driver in the southwestern city of Chengdu was captured on film intercepting a woman’s car and dragging her out of her seat, throwing her on the ground, before cruelly kicking her several times on the head, simply because the woman suddenly changed lanes in front of his car.

    5     Forgive others’ mistakes and avoid fueling others’ anger. Accordingly, you may be less likely to suffer from unexpected troubles.

A．Will the situation be out of control because of your anger?

B．Intolerance has contributed to lots of violent incidents.

C．How to keep ourselves safe when we argue with others?

D．The waiter has been arrested for further investigation and trial.

E．This incident caused an outcry among netizens and opinion leaders.

F．But it is difficult to control our anger when we have conflict with others.

G．So next time you deal with conflict, it is. more advisable to control your temper and say “sorry” with a smile.

5 . In one of the old buildings near our school，one could see an old man sitting by a large window on the first floor．His name was James．During the three years at schoo1, I had hardly ever found him missing from his usual position．

He was a high-ranking government official and lived happily with his wife．Once there was a bus accident，in which a number of passengers were seriously injured and were taken to the hospital for treatment．James was responsible for the rescue operation．It was a big hospital，but James was shocked to notice how ill-equipped it was．There were no enough life-saving drugs and life—supporting equipment． The injured and their companions had to struggle there．James attempted to help．However，though he emptied his pockets，many of them died that day．

That was a turning point in his life．He made a decision to devote his life to helping others，particularly the poor and needy patients and their companions．He began spending much of his income on these people．Since this required a lot of time and energy，he found it difficult to fulfill his official duties and therefore chose to retire，which，in turn，reduced his income considerably．

His wife was deeply worried. Most of the time，James was out and paid least attention to home affairs．Meanwhile，as he was spending a lot helping others，she had to struggle even to meet the household expenses．Though she was not opposed to his helping the poor，she urged him not to overlook his own life and home，but it had no effect on him．One day they had a heated argument and in the end she left him，never to return．Though he continued with his work，this was a great blow and did serious harm to his health and enthusiasm and was soon forced to stay indoors．That was when he took his position by the window，spending his time looking outside．

A few weeks after my graduation，I returned to school，only to find the buildings gone．I heard that they were torn down．All the people left except James．He refused to go and the next morning，he was found at his usual place by the window，dead．

1. What changed James’ view towards life?

A．The difficulties in his career．

B．The deaths in the bus accident．

C．The bad conditions in the hospital．

D．The responsibilities in the operation．

2. James chose to retire in order to____________________.

A．take care of the injured passengers

B．find a better job to increase his income

C．spare more time and energy to help others

D．stay away from the difficult official duties

3. James’ wife left because_________________________．

A．she was strongly against his deeds

B．James paid too little attention to his work

C．her work to support their daily life was too tiring

D．James failed to keep a balance between charity and home

4. The underlined word “this” in Paragraph 4 refers to ____________.

A．His decision to retire	B．The departure of his wife
C．The argument with his wife	D．His devotion to helping others

5. What is possibly the reason why James sat by the window every day?

A．He expected his wife to return.

B．He looked forward to going out.

C．He desired to watch the students.

D．He attempted to know the outside life.

6 . Suppose you become a leader in an organization. It’s very likely that you’ll want to have volunteers to help with the organization’s activities. To do so, it should help to understand why people undertake volunteer work and what keeps their interest in the work.

Let’s begin with the question of why people volunteer. Researchers have identified several factors that motivate people to get involved. For example, people volunteer to express personal values related to unselfishness, to expand their range of experiences, and to strengthen social relationships. If volunteer positions do not meet these needs, people may not wish to participate. To select volunteers, you may need to understand the motivations of the people you wish to attract.

People also volunteer because they are required to do so. To increase levels of community service, some schools have launched compulsory volunteer programs. Unfortunately, these programs can shift people’s wish of participation from an internal factor (e.g. “I volunteer because it’s important to me”) to an external factor (e.g. “I volunteer because I’m required to do so”). When that happens, people become less likely to volunteer in the future. People must be sensitive to this possibility when they make volunteer activities a must.

Once people begin to volunteer, what leads them to remain in their positions over time? To answer this question, researchers have conducted follow-up studies in which they track volunteers over time. For instance, one study followed 238 volunteers in Florida over a year. One of the most important factors that influenced their satisfaction as volunteers was the amount of suffering they experienced in their volunteer positions. Although this result may not surprise you, it leads to important practical advice. The researchers note that attention should be given to “training methods that would prepare volunteers for troublesome situations or provide them with strategies for coping with the problem they do experience”.

Another study of 302 volunteers at hospitals in Chicago focused on individual differences in the degree to which people view “volunteer” as an important social role. It was assumed that those people for whom the role of volunteer was most part of their personal identity would also be most likely to continue volunteer work. Participants indicated the degree to which the social role mattered by responding to statements such as “Volunteering in Hospital is an important part of who I am.” Consistent with the researchers’ expectations, they found a positive correlation(正相关) between the strength of role identity and the length of time people continued to volunteer. These results, once again, lead to concrete advice: “Once an individual begins volunteering, continued efforts might focus on developing a volunteer role identity....Items like T-shirts that allow volunteers to be recognized publicly for their contributions can help strengthen role identity”.

1. People volunteer mainly out of __________.

A．academic requirements	B．social expectations
C．financial rewards	D．internal needs

2. What can we learn from the Florida study?

A．Follow-up studies should last for one year.	B．Volunteers should get mentally prepared.
C．Strategy training is a must in research.	D．Volunteers are provided with concrete advice.

3. What is most likely to motivate volunteers to continue their work?

A．Individual differences in role identity.	B．Publicly identifiable volunteer T-shirts.
C．Role identity as a volunteer.	D．Practical advice from researchers.

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．How to Get People to Volunteer	B．How to Study Volunteer Behaviors
C．How to Keep Volunteers’ Interest	D．How to Organize Volunteer Activities

7 . What Theresa Loe is doing proves that a large farm isn’t a prerequisite for a modern grow-your-own lifestyle. On a mere 1/10 of an acre in Los Angeles, Loe and her family grow, can (装罐) and preserve much of the food they consume.

Loe is a master food preserver, gardener and canning expert. She also operates a website, where she shares her tips and recipes, with the goal of demonstrating that everyone has the ability to control what’s on their plate.

Loe initially went to school to become an engineer, but she quickly learned that her enthusiasm was mainly about growing and preparing her own food. “ got into cooking my own food and started growing my own herbs(香草)and foods for that fresh flavor,” she said. Engineer by day, Loe learned cooking at night school. She ultimately purchased a small piece of land with her husband and began growing their own foods.

“I teach people how to live farm-fresh without a farm,” Loe said. Through her website Loe emphasizes that ‘‘anybody can do this anywhere.” Got an apartment with a balcony (阳台)? Plant some herbs. A window? Perfect spot for growing. Start with herbs, she recommends, because “they’re very forgiving.” Just a little of the herbs “can take your regular cooking to a whole new level,” she added. “I think it’s a great place to start.” Then? Try growing something from a seed, she said, like a tomato or some tea.

Canning is a natural extension of the planting she does. With every planted food, Loe noted, there’s a moment when it’s bursting with its absolute peak flavor. “I try and keep it in a time capsule in a canning jar,” Loe said. “Canning for me is about knowing what’s in your food, knowing where it comes from.”

In addition to being more in touch with the food she’s eating, another joy comes from passing this knowledge and this desire for good food to her children: “Influencing them and telling them your opinion on not only being careful what we eat but understanding the bigger picture,” she said, “that if we don’t take care of the earth, no one will.”

1. The underlined word “prerequisite” (Para. 1) is closest in meaning to“      ”.

A．recipe	B．substitute
C．requirement	D．challenge

2. Why does Loe suggest starting with herbs?

A．They are used daily.	B．They are easy to grow.
C．They can grow very tall.	D．They can be eaten uncooked.

3. According to Loe, what is the benefit of canning her planted foods?

A．It can preserve their best flavor.	B．It can promote her online sales.
C．It can better her cooking skills.	D．It can improve their nutrition.

4. What is the “the bigger picture” (Para. 6) that Loe wishes her children to understand?

A．The knowledge about good food.	B．The way to live a grow-our-own life.
C．The joy of getting in touch with foods.	D．The responsibility to protect our earth

8 . 阅读下面短文，根据所读内容在表格中的空白处填入恰当的单词。注意：每个空格只填一个单词。
       Put a group of strangers in a room together, and they'll probably start a conversation. “Hot today, isn’t it?” one might say. “You said it.” another replies.
       Why do we talk so much about the weather? When we meet new people, we don’t begin by telling them our life story. We start with small talk, a polite conversation about something like traffic or weather.
       Research suggests that small talk can build new friendships. When we begin conversations with new people, we want to feel comfortable, and so do they. We use small talk to find common interests. Once we have a common interest, a friendship can begin.
       Small talk even helps people get hired. In order to impress at a job interview, you need to bond with the interviewer right away. Proper small talk can make that first impression get you the job.
       So, how can you make small talk lead to a new friendship or job? First off, find common ground. Select something around you that you share with the other person.
       Next, keep the conversation going. Compliment(赞美) the other person to make himor her feel comfortable, and ask questions to show interest.
       Third, keep eye contact(接触). When you look people in the eye, they feel you appreciate what they are saying. It makes you appear honest and builds trust.
       Naturally, shy people might not have enough confidence to start up conversations with strangers. Talking to someone you don’t know is not the easiest thing to do! Some experts say with more practice, small talk does get easier.
       Some people avoid small talk because they dislike discussing things like traffic or weather. For them, they are just too small. However, when you think about it, small talk is anything but small. In fact, it is actually a very big deal!

Title	Small Talk: A Big     1
Introduction	We are likely to make small talk when we     2     meet people.
3	❖ Small talk can help people form     4     friendships.
	❖Small talk can also help people get a     5     .
Advice	❖Find some topics     6     with the other person.
	❖Keep the talk going by making compliments and     7     questions. ❖Keep eye contact in conversation to build     8     .
	❖     9     more in order to make small talk easier.
Conclusion	Small talk really     10     a lot to us.

9 . Most people know that awkward feeling when you step into an elevator（电梯） with other people and try not to make eye contact.
But new research suggests it may be down to a subconscious（潜意识的）power struggle being played out as you make your way up or down.
A study found that people decide where they stand based on a micro social grading, established within seconds of entering the lift.
Rebekah Rousi, a Ph.D. student in Cognitive Science, conducted a study of elevator behavior in two of the tallest office buildings in Adelaide, Australia.
As part of her research, she took a total of 30 lift rides in the two buildings, and discovered there was an established order to where people tended stand.
In a blog, she writes that more senior men seemed to direct themselves towards the back of the elevator cabins.
She said: 'In front of them were younger men, and in front of them were women of all ages.'
She also noticed there was a difference in where people directed their stare half way through the ride.
Men watched the monitors(监控器), looked in the side mirrors (in one building) to see themselves, and in the door mirrors (of the other building) to also watch others.
'Women would watch the monitors and avoid eye contact with other users (unless in conversation) and the mirrors,' she writes.
The student concluded it could be that people who are shyer stand toward the front, where they can't see other passengers, whereas brave people stand in the back, where they have a view of everyone else.
1. According to Rebekah Rousi, senior men intend to stand ______ of the elevator cabins.

A．in the front	B．in the middle
C．near the side mirrors	D．at the back

2. The underlined word “ them ” in paragraph 7 refers to ______.

A．senior men	B．younger women
C．younger men	D．Women

3. Why do women choose to stand in the front?

A．Because they are too shy to make eye contact with others.

B．Because they can have a view of everyone else.

C．Because they want to show their power.

D．Because they want to watch the monitors.

10 . 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，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Smiling is a great way to make yourself stand out while helping your body to function better. Smile to improve your health, your stress level, and your attractiveness.    1    We are drawn to people who smile. There is an attraction factor. We want to know a smiling person and figure out what is so good because anxieties can push people away, but a smile draws them in. Smiling Changes Our Mood Next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile.    2    Smiling can trick the body into helping you change your mood. Smiling Relieves Stress Stress can really show up in our faces. Smiling helps to prevent us from looking tired or worn down.    3    The stress should be reduced and you'll be better able to take action. Smiling lowers your blood pressure. When you smile, there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure. Give it a try if you have a blood pressure monitor (血压计) at home. Sit for a few minutes and take a reading. Then smile for a minute and read it again while still smiling.    4    Smiling lifts the face and makes you look younger.The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. Don't go for a face lift, just try smiling your way through the day --- you'll look younger and feel better.    5    Try this test: Smile. Now try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It's hard. When we smile, our body is sending the rest of us a message that “Life is good!"

A．Smiling helps you stay positive.

B．Smiling makes us attractive.

C．Do you notice the difference?

D．Smiling can bring you luck and sorrow.

E．When you are stressed, take time to put on a smile.

F．There's a good chance that your mood will change for the better.

G．As long as you try smiling daily, it can make you look younger.