This year the selfie earned its place as the Oxford English Dictionary’s 2013 Wo

题型：不详难度：来源：

This year the selfie earned its place as the Oxford English Dictionary’s 2013 Word Of The Year. It has taken over our culture --- and our smartphones. The rise of the selfie has become universal–between presidents, celebrities(名人) and citizens alike–and the trend is only continuing to grow.

A recent survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 54 percent of Internet users have posted original photos online. And of those hundreds of millions of photos, many are of selfie photos.
For example, currently there are nearly 62 million posted selfie photos on Instagram, the social media tool that has significantly contributed to the personal photo’s popularity. That figure, which continues to rise every day, doesn’t even begin to include the selfies shared on Facebook and Twitter.
What makes the selfie so attractive -- and why do we feel it a must to take one? According to Dr. Pamela Rutledge, psychologist and director of the Media Psychology Research Center, the desire to take, post and get “likes” on selfies goes back to a biological behavior of all humans.
“I think it influences our sense of social connection in the same way as it does when you go to a party and people say ‘Oh I love your dress,’” Rutledge told The Huffington Post. “Biological, social recognition is a real need and there is even an area of the brain that contributes to social activity.”
There is a way to adapt to the growing selfie culture. Whether you’re a selfie novice or an advanced poster, there are always things to be mindful of when you’re posting, Rutledge advises.
She offered two main principles to follow when it comes to posting on social media:
1. The Grandmother Rule
“Don’t post anything online, whether text or visual, that you don’t want grandmother or future employer to see,” Rutledge said. “Selfies especially.”
2. The Elevator Rule
“You wouldn’t say something in an elevator that you or no one else wants to hear -- the whole world of social media is an elevator,” Rutledge said. “Be aware of the breadth (宽度) of platform. It’s easy to think you’re sharing a photo with a few people, but Instagram is public and people can come across things.”
小题1:What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?

A．The selfie is taking the lead.

B．Many people are fond of smartphones.

C．The selfie will take over everything.

D．The selfie is an important new word.

小题2: According to the passage, people like “selfie” so much, because they ___________.

A．want to show off their new dresses

B．need to be acknowledged in social life

C．desire to share good things

D．mean to amuse the public

小题3: The underlined word “novice” in Paragraph 6 probably means “________”.

A．greenhand

B．publisher

C．novelist

D．celebrity

小题4:When it comes to posting on social media, Rutledge advises people to ______.

A．share photos only on Instagram

B．talk about your photos in an elevator

C．be cautious in posting things online

D．follow rules set by your grandmothers

答案

小题1:A
小题2:B
小题3:A
小题4:C

解析

试题分析：“自拍”成了一种时尚，也让其进入了牛津英语辞典的2013年度词汇。无论是名人还是普通老百姓都开始热衷于给自己拍照，为什么呢？
小题1:主旨大意题。第一段讲了“自拍”成为2013年的年度词汇的事。故选A。
小题2:细节理解题。由““I think it influences our sense of social connection in the same way as it does when you go to a party and people say ‘Oh I love your dress,’” Rutledge told The Huffington Post. ”可知人们对社会认同的需要促进了自拍。故选B。
小题3:推理判断题。无论你是菜鸟还是老手……后面是“老手”，前面就应该是“新手”。Greenhand 新手； publisher出版人；novelist小说家；celebrity名人。选A最佳。
小题4:细节理解题。由““Don’t post anything online, whether text or visual, that you don’t want grandmother or future employer to see,” Rutledge said. “Selfies especially.””可知向网上发信息时要注意自己信息的安全。故选C。

举一反三

A Smashing tradition: MIT Students Drop Piano
One of the highlights of the school year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology only lasts a few seconds but has a big influence. Residents of an MIT dormitory dropped an upright piano from their roof on 26^th April to celebrate the last day students can drop classes without having them appear on their college report.
About 200 onlookers watched as the piano crashed into a second piano, a baby grand, positioned on the ground six stories below for a better smash. People scrambled (争先恐后) for souvenir pieces-keys, hammers, strings and splinters. The tradition began in 1972 at the Baker House dormitory and has been observed irregularly until 2006 when it became an annual event.
Crafton Family Comes Back Home after 7 Years at Sea
While most of us will love to go on a vacation for a week or two on a small private sailboat, without doubt, spending seven precious years on sea is something most of us will never imagine or dare to do. However, that is what an American family has done. Tom Crafton and Kathy Crafton along with their three children have traveled across the world on their 43-foot sailboat named Nueva Vida. Over the past seven years the family had sailed 30,000 miles and visited more than 20 different countries. The family has recently come back to their homeland.
_____________________________________________

Living in the limelight（聚光灯）can be difficult but as these splendid pictures show for one bear the tourist train never stops. This arctic animal loves nothing more than an audience and will even climb out of his snowy bed to give the crowd a wave. The funny poses(姿态) of the friendly polar bear were caught on camera by Swedish photographer, Hams Strand.
小题1:Which of the following is true about the first incident?

A．The typical style of celebration has been kept alive every year since1972.

B．Another small piano on the ground is meant to hold the falling one.

C．The students dropped the piano in celebration of their graduation.

D．The tradition became an annual event for MIT students several years ago.

小题2:The writer thinks Crafton family’s seven-year sailing is ______.

A．unusual

B．strange

C．common

D．doubtful

小题3:What would be the best subtitle for the third incident?

A．The Limelight Makes Polar Bear Live Hard

B．Splendid Pictures of Polar Bear Attract Tourists

C．The Tourist Train Would Stop without Polar Bear

D．Polar Bear Says Hello to Tourists with a Friendly Wave

小题4:The passage is probably taken out of ______.

A．a novel

B．a magazine

C．a diary

D．a report

题型：不详难度：| 查看答案

Tiangong -- 1（or．Heavenly Palace）space module（舱）is the first step toward China’s plan to build a space station around 2020．Its launch（发射）by China has upset some countries，which are asking why China did not add on to the International Space Station that has been in place since 1998. After all, the Americans，Russians，Europeans and Japanese are using one platform to experiment in space．
Questions have also been asked about China’s final purpose in space and suggestions made that there is something as unpleasant as the theme in a James Bond movie，in which Chinese-looking enemies were at the root of some evil（邪恶的）plot to control the world．
Chinese don’t see themselves that way, and never in history have they been flag-planting settlers．Most Westerners are educated in the adventures of the great European explorers，headed by Christopher Columbus and James Cook，and followed closely by the groups of culture egotists（自大者）with a mix of guns，gold and the Bible in their hands．
In comparison，Zheng He，the great Chinese sailing master，took groups of ships to Africa and the Middle East to promote goodwill, with gifts of chinaware and art．No flags claiming（宣称） possession of distant areas．But this is strange to Western society．
In this century，it is clear that space cannot be claimed by one nation．Yet advantage of technology in space does seem to be on some minds．Former US president Ronald Reagan caused shocks and worries with his Star Wars program．So when China shot down its own satellite as a test in January 2010 there were anxieties in the West about Star Wars 1ike scenario（剧本）becoming reality in the near future．
小题1:The launch of Tiangong -- 1 __________．

A．is appreciated by countries like the USA and Japan

B．will bring trouble to the western countries in space

C．is part of China’s plan to set up a station in space

D．will help China be a member of the Space Station

小题2:It is most probable that the US，Russia，Europe and Japan ________．

A．are competing against one another in space wars

B．feel anxious about China’s setting up a space station

C．are cooperating to compete against China in space

D．have warned the world of China’s final purpose

小题3:The author of the passage mentions Zheng He _________．

A．to tell people China’s will never be enemies of world peace

B．to compare him to the great European explorers like Columbus

C．to indicate that he is the pride of the Chinese people

D．to show that the Chinese people are as great as other peoples

小题4:From the last paragraph，we can infer that _________．

A．China’s shooting down its satellite made the scenario become reality

B．some countries are trying to be ahead of the others in space exploration

C．China will be in control of the world if she starts space exploration

D．if a nation has a better technology in space，it will start a star war

题型：不详难度：| 查看答案

Mark Thompson, the BBC’s director general, is expected to announce on Thursday that the BBC will quit its entire west London home -- possibly selling the land to Chelsea football club -- as part of main plans that will see more staff moved out of the capital to Salford and elsewhere．
The move is at the heart of the BBC’s long-awaiting cost-cutting strategy（策略）which will see nearly 2,000 more jobs going at the public broadcaster, and some original programming，such as daytime shows on BBC2, eliminated to save money．
Several thousand people are employed at the west London sites，including Thompson himself and the bosses of all the BBC’s television channels．The employees are expected to be relocated（重新安排）to Broadcasting House in central London, Salford, or elsewhere．
The BBC has been broadcasting at various locations in the Shepherd’s Bush area since moving into Lime Grove in 1949．It then switched to the Television Centre in 1960，and more modern offices at nearby White City．But it is now open to selling the site, and the broadcaster has had talks about attracting Premier League clubs Chelsea or Queen’s Park Rangers as buyers．Both clubs are looking for new homes．
Earlier leaks（透露）suggest that the BBC will seek to cut spending on sports where the corporation has already decided to share coverage of Formula 1 with Sky TV -- and imports，such as Mad Men and The Killing．BBC4 is expected to focus on “arts and archive（档案）”, but Thompson has long ruled out closing any channels or radio stations．BBC1 and Radio 4 will be protected，but there are expected to be some cuts to local radio programs, which will see stations share shows outside breakfast and drive-time hours．
The corporation is already committed to remove TV Centre by 2015, but because parts of the building are listed, the football clubs have expressed an interest in the BBC’s White City offices instead，which could be knocked down. The White City building is where Thompson and the broadcaster"s commercial division, BBC Worldwide, are based．
BBC sources say the 2,500 job losses being proposed（提议）include the 650 cuts to the World Service already announced, with up to l,000 coming from BBC News．It is understood that some staff who have only just made the move to Salford could see their jobs at risk. Salford is now home to Radio5 Live, children’s programs such as Blue Peter, and sports output including Match of the Day．
小题1:Why is the BBC planning to quit its west London home?

A．The BBC wants to earn more money．

B．The BBC would like to support British football sport．

C．The BBC is planning to save money for new programs．

D．The BBC has to cut down its cost．

小题2:The underlined word “eliminated” in the second paragraph means“_________”．

A．set aside

B．cut out

C．sold out

D．put on

小题3:What will happen if the BBC moves its home ?

A．Some original programmes will be adjusted．

B．All the BBC staff will have to work outside London．

C．More people will be employed for new programs．

D．Some TV channels or radio stations will be closed．

小题4:From the passage，we can learn that ________．

A．the BBC will cover Formula 1 on its own as usual

B．the football clubs are likely to buy some of the BBC’s offices

C．the BBC’s commercial division will be open to selling the sites

D．the BBC’s offices are all in the White City of London

题型：不详难度：| 查看答案

When scientists accidentally killed what turned out to be the world’s oldest living creature, it was bad enough. Now, their mistake has been worsened after further research found it was even older – at 507 years.
The ocean quahog, a type of deep-sea clam, was dredged (捕捞) alive from the bottom of the North Atlantic near Iceland in 2006 by researchers. They then put it in a fridge-freezer, as is normal practice, unaware of its age. It was only when it was taken to a laboratory that scientists from Bangor University studied it and concluded it was 400 years old.
The discovery made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. However, by this time, it was too late for Ming the Mollusc(软体动物), named after the Chinese dynasty when its life began. Unfortunately researchers who calculated Ming’s age killed it instantly by opening its shell.
The researchers opened the ancient clam up to judge its age by counting growth rings inside. But the rings were so close together that scientists ended up having to count the rings on the outside to be accurate, leading CBS journalists to point out that if scientists had just started there, Ming could have lived on. Now, after examining the quahog more closely, using more advanced methods, the researchers have found the animal was actually 100 years older than they first thought.
Dr Paul Butler, from the University’s School of Ocean Sciences, said: “We got it wrong the first time and maybe we were a bit hasty publishing our findings back then. But we are absolutely certain that we’ve got the right age now.” The mollusc was born in 1499 – just seven years after Columbus discovered America and before Henry VIII had even married his first wife, Catherine of Aragon in 1509.
A quahog’s shell grows by a layer every year, in the summer when the water is warmer and food is plentiful. It means that when its shell is cut in half, scientists can count the lines in a similar way that trees can be dated by rings in their trunks.
Jan Heinemeier, associate professor at the University of Denmark, who helped date Ming, told Science Nordic: “The fact that we got our hands on a 507-year-old animal is incredibly fascinating, but the really exciting thing is of course everything we can learn from studying the mollusk.”
小题1:At first, the scientists found that _____________.

A．The ocean quahog got a deadly disease

B．The growth rings inside were so close together

C．it was accurate to count the growth rings outside

D．The ocean quahog was 400 years old

小题2:Why did the scientists open the ancient clam up?

A．To count the growth rings outside of the clam.

B．To study how old the clam was.

C．To see the structure of it.

D．To give an immediate operation on it.

小题3:The sixth paragraph is mainly about_____________.

A．How to calculate the age of a tree

B．Why a quahog’s shell grows by a layer each year

C．How to calculate the age of a quahog

D．Why a quahog likes it when the water is warmer

小题4:Which of the following is NOT true?

A．The researchers have got the right age of the ocean quahog.

B．The mollusc was born after Columbus discovered America.

C．The ocean quahog was named after the Chinese dynasty.

D．A quahog’s shell grows by a layer every season.

小题5:Where does the text probably come from?

A．A magazine of marine life.	B．A travel brochure.
C．A biography.	D．A science fiction.

题型：不详难度：| 查看答案

Twenty-three-year old Rio Safiyanto sells face masks, or coverings, for about 30 cents each in central Jakarta, Indonesia. He makes enough money to buy a cell phone that permits him to visit websites. He says every average person has a cellphone. He likes having one because he can talk to his family when he is away from home. And, he is especially pleased that he can use it to listen to music. It is known as a feature phone 。That is because it is cheaper and cannot perform as many actions as more advanced phones like the Apple iPhone.
These devices make up the majority of cell phones sold around the world. They have proven more successful in places like Indonesia, where some smartphones cost 700 dollars or more. Although many lower-income users are new to smartphones, they are quickly learning to use the technology.
Cell manufacturer Nokia offers a service called Life Tools. For a small monthly payment, the company sends text messages to farmers. The messages tell of weather conditions, crop prices, agricultural news and give other advice.
Local businessman Aldi Haryopratomo has developed a way for small store owners to sell things like prepaid cellphone minutes and life insurance through text messages. Ruma is the company that developed the technology. The company is working on a system that will notify people about jobs in their area.
At a recent digital technology show in Jakarta, banks offered no-interest financing for credit card purchases. Marina Luthfiani manages a mobile shop in the area. She said almost everyone can buy a smartphone because of competitive financing and credit choices. She says Indonesians like to buy the latest devices.
A report last June by Semiocast, a French internet research company, said Jakarta was the world"s top tweeting（发微博）city, ahead of Tokyo and London.
小题1:Why are feature phones popular in Indonesia?

A．It has fewer functions.

B．It can be used to enjoy music.

C．It is less expensive.

D．It is more attractive.

小题2:What is true of the service Life Tools?

A．It can sell agricultural products

B．It provides useful information to farmers

C．It is free of charge mainly for farmers.

D．It helps farmers to make production plan.

小题3:What does the underlined word “notify’ in Paragraph 4 mean?

A． Inform

B．Ask

C．Direct.

D．Help.

小题4:What is the main idea of the text?

A．Indonesians like services on the Internet

B．The Internet is widely used in Indonesia.

C．Feature phones are the only choices in Indonesia.

D．More and more Indonesians use smartphones.

题型：不详难度：| 查看答案