1 . While working as a graduate student in New York City, Vanessa Bohns was given the much ________ job of collecting survey data in Penn Station as part of an academic research project. Each time she________ a passer-by, she thought she would hear them tell her how________they were. Yet the bad responses rarely came; many more people were________to answer the questionnaires than she had ________.

Was it possible, she wondered, that most of us are________about whether people want to respond to our requests? Over the following decade, she________ multiple studies that confirmed this was indeed the________: in many different situations, people are often far more likely to ________than we assume.

________, it seemed that the results provided a refreshingly________view of human nature. “It started as a positive thing, like, isn’t it ________that people are more likely to do things for you than you think?” However, with time going by and more reflection on the results, Bohns has come to________ that her results reflect a broader tendency that we usually ________ how much influence our words can have over others, whether we’re asking them to________actions that are good or bad. People often________to do what they are asked because they find it too awkward to say no, even when they feel________with our requests.

Knowing this can help us understand how our requests might________other people — particularly in the workplace — and help us adjust our requests________ , in ways that respect people’s ________ and without taking what they have done for us for granted.

1.

A．appealing

B．exhausting

C．sensitive

D．ashamed

2.

A．glared

B．approached

C．passed

D．pushed

3.

A．sympathetic

B．glad

C．annoyed

D．tolerant

4.

A．upset

B．anxious

C．hesitant

D．willing

5.

A．expected

B．requested

C．promised

D．recognized

6.

A．curious

B．skeptical

C．wrong

D．cautious

7.

A．discovered

B．conducted

C．planned

D．recorded

8.

A．case

B．circumstance

C．occasion

D．condition

9.

A．ignore

B．complain

C．refuse

D．cooperate

10.

A．On the contrary

B．On the whole

C．On the surface

D．On the go

11.

A．optimistic

B．critical

C．negative

D．neutral

12.

A．strange

B．great

C．disappointing

D．normal

13.

A．deny

B．doubt

C．appreciate

D．subscribe

14.

A．misuse

B．overstate

C．distinguish

D．underestimate

15.

A．imitate

B．practise

C．measure

D．perform

16.

A．agree

B．fail

C．claim

D．pretend

17.

A．angry

B．familiar

C．happy

D．uncomfortable

18.

A．mislead

B．impress

C．affect

D．puzzle

19.

A．accurately

B．accordingly

C．smoothly

D．systematically

20.

A．boundaries

B．assumptions

C．defence

D．intention

2 . Trying to find the perfect present is about as easy as trying to read someone’s mind. Few people will actually tell you what they want for a special occasion. So what to do? Here are some tips that could help.

Start Early

Be honest-do you wait until the last minute to start looking for presents? While you are definitely not alone in this ritual, it is something you might want to try to change. Starting your shopping early can have a number of advantages, particularly when stocking up for holidays such as Christmas. If you plan in advance rather than last minute you can go shopping online which increases your gift buying possibilities as you’ll have time to factor in the delivery of the gift.

Make a List, Check It Twice

Now is the time to put your thinking cap on as you make a list. If you are lucky, you should be able to find a few good ideas in one of these lists. However, what if this list isn’t as helpful as you might have hoped? In this instance, write down different personality traits of the person you are shopping for. Then try to determine how to use this information to find a gift that is perfectly suited to them.

Think Outside the Box

If you are still coming up empty, it is time to get creative. Often, the reason you get stuck for gift ideas is because you are restricting yourself too much. An example of being creative is to think about what your friend’s office looks like. This can give you lots of ideas to give him a gift for his workspace. In the end, it’s about finding something he can use every day, something he can really appreciate.

Gift an Experience

If a regular old present isn’t doing the trick, it may be time to think a little bigger. Instead of a physical gift, you can give someone an experience that they will never forget. You may be wondering what an “experience” means exactly. Well, it can be anything that will interest the recipient. If they are an adventurer, a local or foreign trip will be excellent. On the other hand, if they are a sports enthusiast, you can buy them tickets to a significant game.

1. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Many people make a plan in advance.

B．You have many friends who do the same.

C．People tend to send gifts earlier than planned.

D．Other people also buy presents at the last moment.

2. What can be done if you find your list of little help in choosing a gift?

A．Listing the character features of your friends.

B．Thinking it over before making a decision.

C．Asking your friends what they like best.

D．Doing shopping with your friends.

3. What do we know about Think Outside the Box?

A．Presents should be unique and special.

B．Practical presents can be a good option.

C．Offices are usually designed for creation.

D．Appreciation could be shown through gifts.

4. According to the last paragraph, which can be the best gift idea for a photographer?

A．Dining in a Michelin-starred restaurant.

B．Visiting a science museum in your town.

C．Buying a smart phone with an advanced camera.

D．Taking a trip to Mount Tai in the coming summer.

5. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To show the significance of pleasing friends.

B．To offer some tips on buying friends presents.

C．To suggest several ways on how to make friends.

D．To stress the importance of buying gifts for friends.

3 . Why does social media trigger feelings of loneliness and inadequacy? Because instead of being real life, it is, for the most part, impression management, a way of marketing yourself, carefully choosing and filtering the picture and words to put your best face forward.

Online “friends” made through social media do not follow the normal psychological progression of a interpersonal relationship. You share neither physical time nor emotional conversations over the Internet. You simply communicate photographs and catchy posts to a diverse group of people whom you have “friended” or “followed” based on an accidental interaction. This is not to say that your social media friends can't be real friends. They absolutely can, but the two are not the same. Generally speaking, there are no unfiltered comments and casually taken photos on our social media pages. And, rightfully so, because it wouldn't feel safe to be completely authentic and vulnerable with some of our “friends” whom we don't actually know or with whom trust has yet to be built.

Social media can certainly be an escape from the daily routines, but we must be cautioned against the negative effects, such as addiction, on a person's overall psychological well-being.

As humans，we are eager for social connection. Scrolling (滚动) through pages of pictures and comments, however, does not provide the same degree of fulfillment as face to face interactions do. Also, we tend to idealize others' lives and compare our downfalls to their greatest accomplishments, ending in feelings of loneliness and inadequacy.

Social media can lead people on the unhealthy quest for perfection. Some people begin to attend certain events or travel to different places so that they can snap that “perfect” photo. They begin to seek validation through the number of people who “like” their posts. In order for it to play a psychologically healthy role in your social life, social media should supplement an already healthy social network. Pictures and posts should be byproducts of life's treasured moments and fun times, not the planned and calculated image that one is putting out into cyberspace in an attempt to fill insecurities or unmet needs.

Ultimately, social media has increased our ability to connect with various types of people all over the globe. It has opened doors for business and allowed us to stay connected to people whom we may not otherwise get to follow. However, social media should feel like a fun experience, not one that contributes to negative thoughts and feelings. If the latter is the case, increasing face to face time with trusted friends, and minimizing time scrolling online, will prove to be a reminder that your social network is much more rewarding than any “like”, “follow” or “share” can be.

1. What does the author imply social media may do to our life?

A．It may facilitate our interpersonal relationships.

B．It may filter our negative impressions of others.

C．It may make us feel isolated and incompetent.

D．It may render us vulnerable and inauthentic.

2. Why do people post comments selectively on social media?

A．They do not find all their online friends trustworthy.

B．They do not want to lose their followers.

C．They want to avoid offending any of their audience.

D．They are eager to boost their popularity.

3. What are humans inclined to do according to the passage?

A．Exaggerate their life's accomplishments.

B．Strive for perfection regardless of the cost.

C．Paint a rosy picture of other people's lives.

D．Learn lessons from other people's downfalls.

4. What does the author advise people to do when they find their online experience unconstructive?

A．Use social media to increase their ability to connect with various types of people.

B．Stay connected to those whom they may not otherwise get to know and befriend.

C．Try to prevent negative thoughts and feelings from getting into the online pages.

D．Strengthen ties with real-life friends instead of caring about their online image.

4 . 阅读下面的短文，并根据短文内容回答后面的问题。

Like many children across the United States, Emerson Weber, 11, is sheltering at home, which makes it hard to connect with people the way she'd like. So the fifth-grader decided to ramp up her letter writing.

Emerson, who already wrote an average of five to ten letters per week, decided to drop an extra note to her own mailman. "In return, she's gotten dozens of letters, a sign of how important human connection is during the pandemic," said her dad, who shared the story on the Internet.

In her note to mailman Doug Scott, Emerson wrote, "The reason why you are very important in my life is that I don't have a phone so how else am I supposed to stay in touch with my friends? You make it possible!" She put the letter in the mailbox and the next day received a package with two notes and stamps inside. One letter was from Scott and the other from his supervisor(主管)at the US Postal Service(USPS), who wanted to share how touched they were by her message.

Emerson's note eventually landed in the corporate newsletter(时事通讯)of the USPS. Then, the unexpected happened. Letters poured in from postal workers from across the country. "The power of connection is what we are delivering, as we bring medicines, letters and goods to people staying at home," USPS spokesman David Rupert said. Because we are hard at work, we are helping keep them safe and connected."

Now, Emerson is writing up to 25 letters each week to respond to her new postal pen pals. "I just think now we need to be thankful for them because we need them during this time," she said.

Emerson's dad admitted he was shocked by the response at first but believed there was a message in this. He explained, "At present, any sort of human contact has more meaning."

1. What does the underlined phrase "ramp up" in Para. I probably mean? (no more than I words)
2. Why did Emerson write to Doug Scott? (no more than 8 words)
3. What happened to Emerson after her note was published in the USPS' newsletter? (no more than 8 words)
4. What was Emerson's father's attitude to her action during the pandemic? (no more than 12words)
5. Do you think what Emerson did is meaningful? Please give your reason. (no more than 20words)

5 . Recently my friend invited me to her residential hall, which is an African-American themed hall. They have lots of meetings and outings there. So I thought it would be fun. On this particular day they were having a pancake breakfast, just a time to mix. I was excited to be there, too.

I walked in at a time when the mini-party was at its peak. I found my friend; excitedly, we hugged and she led me to a seat in the back. We sat there for some time. I sensed some sort of discrimination. I wondered, were we just isolating ourselves or were we facing discrimination?

My friend’s breakfast came in first, and it was a plate full of colors. My mouth watered. I have always liked rainbow dishes: they make me hungry. She let me pick pancakes and fruit; we ate and only then began to talk.

The black American contemporary music was extremely loud. Some boys and girls were beating the tables and some guys on the stage were dancing in what looked like a kind of competition.

We talked about various subjects: hair, boys, shoes and books. And then we got to it. “What do African Americans think of Africans?”

We argued. I told her I thought African Americans were haughty. Why did they sideline us? When we met in a narrow passage and our eyes met, they quickly looked aside before we greeted. Why? Weren’t we all black? I mean, wasn’t this exactly the reason why there was an African-American themed house to begin with?

Did they look down upon us because they grew up in America and we in Sub-Saharan Africa? Oh yes, I felt this was it! They believed that we were HIV-positive and that the giraffes were right behind our huts.

My friend uttered, “No!” And then she continued：

“I also thought so at one point but after living with these guys, I got to a different conclusion altogether. These guys are not from Africa. They were not born there and may have never been there. We can’t expect them to naturally like us or bond. We are different. Skin color is the skin color.”

1. It can be inferred from Paragraph 2 that the author ________.

A．is an African American	B．is an American African
C．was late for the party	D．was crazy about parties

2. What does the author think of the breakfast?

A．Delicious.	B．Just so-so.
C．A bit salty.	D．A little sweet.

3. The underlined word “haughty’’ in Paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to“________”.

A．kind-hearted	B．modest
C．fashionable	D．proud

4. What can be inferred from Paragraph 4?

A．They had a good time at the party.

B．They turned down the music for me.

C．Some of them broke the tables.

D．They had a competition at the party.

5. Which statement is NOT true according to this text?

A．The author was brought up in Sub-Saharan Africa.

B．The friend had the same idea as the author before.

C．The African Americans are born in America.

D．The African Americans have nothing in common with Africans.