2 . Most of us are already aware of the direct effect we have on our friends and family. But we rarely consider that everything we think, feel, do, or say can spread far beyond the people we know. Conversely(相反地), our friends and family serve as conduits(渠道) for us to be influenced by hundreds or even thousands of other people. In a kind of social chain reaction, we can be deeply affected by events we do not witness that happen to people we do not know. As part of a social network, we go beyond ourselves, for good or ill, and become a part of something much larger.

Our connectedness carries with it fundamental implications(影响) for the way we understand the human condition. Social networks have value precisely because they can help us to achieve what we could not achieve on our own. Yet, social­network effects are not always positive. Depression, obesity, financial panic, and violence also spread. Social networks, it turns out, tend to magnify(放大) whatever they are seeded with.

Partly for this reason, social networks are creative. And what these networks create does not belong to any one individual—it is shared by all those in the network. In this way, a social network is like a commonly owned forest: We all stand to benefit from it, but we also must work together to ensure it remains healthy and productive. While social networks are fundamentally and distinctively human, and can be seen everywhere, they should not be taken for granted.

If you are happier or richer or healthier than others, it may have a lot to do with where you happen to be in the network, even if you cannot recognize your own location. And it may have a lot to do with the overall structure of the network, even if you cannot control that structure at all. And in some cases, the process feeds back to the network itself. A person with many friends may become rich and then attract even more friends. This rich­get­richer dynamic means social networks can dramatically reinforce two different kinds of inequality in our society: situational inequality and positional inequality.

Lawmakers have not yet considered the consequences of positional inequality. Still, understanding the way we are connected is an essential step in creating a more just society and in carrying out public policies affecting everything from public health to the economy. We might be better off vaccinating(接种疫苗) centrally located individuals rather than weak individuals. We might be better off helping interconnected groups of people to avoid criminal behaviour rather than preventing or punishing crimes one at a time.

If we want to understand how society works, we need to fill in the missing links between individuals. We need to understand how interconnections and interactions between people give rise to wholly new aspects of human experience that are not present in the individuals themselves. If we do not understand social networks, we cannot hope to fully understand either ourselves or the world we inhabit.

1. Why is a social network like a commonly owned forest?

A．It remains healthy and productive.

B．What it creates can be enjoyed by everyone in the network.

C．It is creative and shared by people in the whole society.

D．It tends to magnify negative things.

2. We can learn from Paragraph 4 that ________.

A．whether we are richer depends on the number of friends we make

B．the wealth we possess has nothing to do with individual continuous efforts

C．sometimes our success may be largely due to our position in social networks

D．we won't succeed unless we fully control the overall structure of the network

3. What's the author's purpose in writing the passage?

A．To introduce the characteristics of social networks.

B．To urge people to understand how our society works.

C．To show the significance of understanding social networks.

D．To explain the possible consequences of ignoring social networks.

4. What can be inferred from the first paragraph?

A．We can't be easily affected by strangers.

B．We have negative effects on other social members.

C．We are connected and form a social network.

D．We will not make a difference in a specific group.

3 . Some people are so rude. Who sends an e-mail or a text message that just says “Thank you”? Who leaves a voice mail message rather than texts you?     1     Don’t these people realize that they’re wasting your time?

Maybe I’m the rude one for not appreciating life’s little courtesies (礼节). But many social norms (规范) just don’t make sense to people drowning in digital communication.

Take the thank-you note. Daniel Post Senning, a coauthor of Emily Post’s Etiquette, asked, “At what point does showing appreciation outweigh the cost?”

    2     Think of how long it takes to listen to one of those messages. In texts, you don’t have to declare who you are or even say hello. E-mail, too, is slower than a text. The worst are those who leave a voice mail and then send an e-mail message to tell you they left a voice mail.

This isn’t the first time technology has changed our manners.     3     Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor, suggested that people say, “Ahoy!” Finally, hello won out, and the victory sped up the greeting’s use in face-to-face communications.

In the age of the smart phone, there is no reason to ask once-acceptable questions about: the weather forecast, a business’s phone number, or directions to a house, a restaurant, or an office, which can be easily found on a digital map. But people still ask these things.     4    

How to handle these differing standards? Easy: Consider your audience. Some people, especially older ones, appreciate a thank-you message.     5     In traditional societies, the young learn from the old. But in modern societies, the old can also learn from the young. Here’s hoping that politeness never goes out of fashion but that time-wasting forms of communication do.

A．Then there is voice mail.

B．Others, like me, want no reply.

C．Who asks for a fact easily found on the Internet?

D．Won’t new technology bring about changes in our daily life?

E．And when you answer, they respond with a thank-you e-mail.

F．Face-to-face communication makes comprehension much easier.

G．When the telephone was invented, people didn’t know how to greet a caller.

4 . Even with wonderful friends, family and a partner, I don't always want to be surrounded by people. “Table for one? Or will someone else be joining you?” A dinner reservation for one person never fails to raise a few eyebrows. I actively choose to spend time alone when possible. But not everyone has the luxury of choosing to be alone, of course, many are forced into one-on-one time because they have no one.

But for those of us who spend our days surrounded by colleagues in the workplace, our evenings and weekends with family, friends and partners, all the while being constantly bombarded by WhatsApp,social media and email, time to ourselves can be a rare treat. Time to yourself not only gives you the chance to do practical things you don't normally get round to but also the activities your pals don't want to do. In a less real way, spending time alone also allows-or perhaps forces- you to sit with your own thoughts, to think about things that might normally be drowned out by conversation and the noise of companionship. When you're alone you get time to think without purpose.

It is worth noting that I'm a real introvert(性格内向者）,so perhaps sitting alone with my thoughts-refilling my energy reserves-might just be indulging personality traits that others don't have. But I believe more people could benefit from it.

Given this constant social conditioning since childhood that we should be surrounded by people , it's no wonder many hesitate to press forward at the idea of spending time alone-a sign we've failed at climbing that social ladder. And if you're an extrovert who gets their energy from other people, this must be even harder. But as someone who has come to love spending time alone, even when there are many wonderful souls in my life I can spend time with, I wish more people would give solo a go.

Reservation for one, please.

1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?

A．The author wants to be alone all the time.

B．The author feels bored with family and friends.

C．Surrounded by people, the author still feels lonely.

D．Reserving a table for one will draw disapproving looks.

2. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?

A．The benefits of alone time.

B．The weaknesses of social media.

C．The definition of being alone.

D．The ways of spending time alone.

3. How does an introvert regain their energy according to the author?

A．By eating delicious food.

B．By reflecting on their own thoughts.

C．By socializing with others.

D．By reading their favourite books.

4. The last sentence "Reservation for one, please." is intended to       .

A．quote others' words

B．answer the waiter's question

C．excite the readers' appetite

D．stress the author's determination

5 . 阅读下面短文,在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

If you're invited to an American friend's home for dinner, keep     1     mind these general rules for polite behavior.

First of all, arrive approximately on time (but not early).     2     (America) expect promptness (准时).

When you're invited to someone's home for a meal,     3     is polite to bring a small gift. Flowers or candy are always appropriate. If you have a(n)    4    (attract) item made in your native country, your host or hostess would certainly enjoy     5     (receive) that as a gift.

Wearing proper clothes and     6     beautiful smile is simply not enough. Table manners are also very important. Do not open your mouth to talk, unless you have swallowed your food. Also, chew food with your mouth     7     (close). When you want to get the food     8     is at a distance, do not stretch your hands to reach for it. Instead, ask for the food to be passed to you.

Don't leave     9     (immediate) after dinner, but don't overstay your welcome, either. When your friends seem to be getting tired and running out of conversation, take their behavior as a cue (暗示) to leave. The next day, call or write a thank­you note     10     (say) how much you enjoyed the evening.

6 . 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.

2. Why did the family go out into the street?

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.

3. Which of the following can best describe Caitlin?

A．Brave and selfless.	B．Kind and energetic.
C．Determined and generous.	D．Quick-thinking and helpful.

4. What may be the best title for the text?

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.