University can be the most sociable time of your life. For most students, social media is the glue that holds packed social diaries together. Facebook will let you know if a game is cancelled, Twitter can promote your DJ set in 140 characters, and your Instagram account will remind you when there are new photos.
These tools have made the world increasingly connected, and most students wouldn’t consider shunning them at such a sociable stage of their lives. But social media is by no means a requirement at university, and many do without.
“I’m a private person and don’t feel the need to share everything with everybody I know,” says Caty Forster, 20, a student at the University of Manchester, who has never used Facebook or Twitter. Despite social media’s benefits, Forster is largely indifferent. Bethany Elgood, 25, stopped using Facebook after she discovered she had developed a bit of an anxiety towards the social media platforms that contain lots of personal details.”
I quit Facebook when I was 13. I left because, not only was I bored of passively involved in its Newsfeed, I was also experiencing anxiety. To me, Facebook meant clicking and nosing around people’s lives.
People would ask, “How do you keep in touch with people?” and “Won’t you miss out anything important?” I was in agreement with Forster, who says, “I never feel like I’m missing out too much. I don’t feel like I’d have anything valuable to share or gain from it.”
Adrienne Jolly, a careers advisor at UEA, says, “It’s hard to prove reliable statistics on social media. But it’s generally accepted that social media networks are pretty influential in this process—for better or worse.”
You might decide quitting social media isn’t practical in the long run. However, if its ugly side is bringing you down, why not consider taking leave? By doing so, I gained confidence and a strong connection with reality.
1.The author listed three kinds of social media to prove they _______.
A. are important for him and others like Caty
B. have the power to make students learn more
C. are frequently used by many university students
D. should be used by all of the students in universities
2.The underlined word“shunning”in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by “___________”
A. avoiding B. choosing
C. using D. adding
3.Why doesn’t Bethany use social media?
A. She hates to share everything with others.
B. She hopes her personal information is safe.
C. She buries herself in the busy studies every day.
D. She doesn’t care what has happened to her friends.
4.What is the attitude of Adrienne Jolly to using social media online?
A. She is completely against them. B. She herself refuses to use them.
C. She is completely for them. D. She is objective.
Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 AM. When I arrived, I found the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window.
I walked to the door and knocked, “Just a minute,” answered a weak, elderly voice.
After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her eighties stood before me. By her side was a small suitcase.
I took the suitcase to the car, and then returned to help the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the car. She kept thanking me for my kindness. “It’s nothing,” I told her. “I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated.”
“Oh, you’re such a good man.” She said. When we got into the taxi, she gave me an address, and then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”
“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.
“Oh, I’m in no hurry,” she said. “I’m on my way to a hospice(临终医院). I don’t have any family left. The doctor says I don’t have very long.”
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter(计价器).
For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked, the neighborhood where she had lived, and the furniture shop that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she’d ask me to slow down in front of a particular building and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
At dawn, she suddenly said,” I’m tired. Let’s go now.” We drove in silence to the address she had given me.
“How much do I owe you?” she asked.
“Nothing.” I said.
“You have to make a living,” she answered.
“Oh, there are other passengers,” I answered.
Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. Our hug ended with her remark, “You gave an old woman a little moment of joy.”
1.The old woman chose to ride through the city in order to ______.
A. show she was familiar with the city B. reach the destination on time
C. let the driver earn more money D. see some places for the last time
2.The taxi driver did not charge the old woman because he ______.
A. wanted to do her a favor B. shut off the meter by mistake
C. had received her payment in advance D. was in a hurry to take other passengers
3.What can we learn from the story?
A. Giving is always a pleasure.
B. People should respect each other.
C. .People should learn to appreciate others’ concern
D. An act of kindness can bring people great joy
Remembering names is an important social skill．Here are some ways to master it．
Recite and repeat in conversation．
When you hear a person’s name，repeat it．Immediately say it to yourself several times without moving your lips．You could also repeat the name in a way that does not sound forced or artificial．
Ask the other person to recite and repeat．
You can let other people help you remember their names．After you’ve been introduced to someone，ask that person to spell the name mad pronounce it correctly for you．Most people will be pleased by the effort you’re making to learn their names．
Admit you don’t know．
Admitting that you can’t remember someone’s name can actually make people relaxed．Most of them will feel sympathy if you say．“I’m working to remember names better．Yours is right on the tip of my tongue．What is it again?”
Use associations．
Link each person yon meet with one thing you find interesting or unusual．For example，you could make a mental note: "Vicki Cheng -- tall, black hair. " To strengthen your associations, write them on a small card as soon as possible.
Limit the number of new names you learn at one time.
When meeting a group of people, concentrate on remembering just two or three names. Free yourself from remembering every one. Few of the people in mass introductions expect you to remember their names. Another way is to limit yourself to learning just first names. Last names can come later.
Go early.
Consider going early to conferences, parties and classes. Sometimes just a few people show up on time. That's fewer names for you to remember. And as more people arrive, you can hear
1.How will most people feel when you try hard to remember their names?
A. They will be delighted. B. They will be annoyed.
C. They will be moved. D. They will be discouraged.
2.If you can't remember someone's name, you may _________.
A. ask others to help you B. tell him a white lie
C. ask him for pity D. tell him the truth
3.When you meet a group of people, it is better to remember _________.
A. all their names B. a couple of names first
C. just their last names D. as many names as possible
4.What does the text mainly tell us?
A. How to make use of associations. B. Importance of attending parties.
C. . Tips on an important social skill. D. How to recite and repeat names.
假设你是育才中学学生会主席李华。你校将举办一次英语演讲比赛(speech
contest)。希望附近某大学的外籍教师Smith女士来做评委。请参照以下比赛通知给她写一封信。
注意：词数100左右。
**************************************
Dear Ms. Smith,
With best wishes,
Li Hua
请改正下面短文中的错误。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多三处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加： 在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧）, 并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除： 把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉；
修改： 在错的词下划一横线,并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Today Mr. Zhang, our English teacher, told us what to improve our English writing skills. The ability to write in English is becoming increasing important in English communication as well as in examinations. Thus, it was worth focusing our attention on.
In order to write the good essay we should have an excellent command of over 2,000 frequently-used English word. It's necessary and useful for them to read or even recite beautiful English articles. Beside, as the saying goes, that "Practice makes perfect", so we should take every possible chance to write in English.
According my personal experience, keep a diary every day is a good means to achieve the aim.
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 travel or go abroad, it's necessary to mix with the locals. This allows you 1. (put) your language skills to the test and find out more about the local culture. 2. (live) abroad for a long time, I' ve put together 3. list of tips to help you make friends in a foreign country.
Firstly, say yes to everything (within reason). Obviously, if you don't feel 4.
ease, you can choose not to do something. However, don't put off trying something new. The group of students from your class who invite you out for a coffee might end up 5. (be) your friends for life!
Secondly, find a hobby or try something 6. (entire) new. Join a dance class, a walking club, or learn to cook the local food—the possibilities are endless!
Thirdly, get out of the house! Hours 7. (spend) in front of a computer with family and friends back home surely make you even more homesick. Make the most of the new and exciting place you live in.
Lastly, don't be a wallflower. When surrounded by people speaking an unfamiliar language, you may feel it difficult to be 8. (confidence) and involve 9. (you) in conversations. Even so try to make your voice heard. It's very likely 10. you will find everyone wants to know everything about you.
