A recent study shows that gossip（流言蜚语）is more powerful than truth．It suggests people believe what they hear through the grapevine(小道消息)__36__they have evidence to the contrary．

   Researchers, __37__students using a computer game, also found gossip played an important role when people __38__ decisions．"We show that gossip has a strong __39__, even when people have __40__ to the original information as well as gossip about the same information．Thus, it is __41__ that gossip has a strong controlling potential," said Ralf Sommerfeld, who led the study．

   In the study, the researchers __42__ the students money and allowed them to give it to others in a series of rounds．The students also wrote __43__ about how others played the game that everyone could review．Students tended to give __44__ money to people described as “scrooges (吝啬鬼)” and more to those described as “__45__ players”．“People only believed the gossip, not the past decisions," Sommerfeld said in a telephone interview．

   The researchers then took the game a step_46_and showed the students the actual decisions people had made．But they also supplied false gossip that contradicted that __47_．In these cases, the students_48_ their decisions to award money on the gossip, __49__ the hard evidence．

   “If you know what the people did, you should care, but they still __50__ what others said,” Sommerfeld said．Researchers have __51__ used similar games to study how people cooperate and the __52__ of gossip in groups．Scientists define gossip __53__ social information spread about a person who is not __54__．In evolutionary terms, gossip can be an important tool for people to __55__ information about others' reputations or find the way through social networks at work and in their everyday lives．

36．A．in case     B．for fear that     C．as if  D．even if    

37．A．testing     B．checking C．examining       D．experimenting

38．A．draw       B．make       C．reach       D．conclude

39．A．impression      B．difference       C．influence D．function

40．A．access      B．entrance   C．charge     D．communication

41．A．curious    B．serious     C．obvious    D．worth

42．A．impressed       B．asked       C．showed    D．gave

43．A．articles    B．notes       C．dairies     D．letters

44．A．less B．more       C．fewer       D．much

45．A．general    B．mean       C．generous D．outgoing

46．A．away       B．forward   C．ahead       D．further

47．A．existence B．evidence C．confidence      D．dependence

48．A．based       B．put   C．focused    D．passed

49．A．more than       B．less than   C．rather than      D．other than

50．A．referred to      B．listened to       C．turned to D．stuck to

51．A．soon        B．presently C．far    D．long

52．A．strength   B．energy     C．effect      D．force

53．A．as     B．for   C．to     D．by

54．A．absent      B．present     C．gone  D．missing

55．A．achieve    B．earn C．acquire    D．win

D
The advantages and disadvantages of a large population have long been a subject of
discussion among economists. It has been argued that the supply of good land is limited. To feed a large population, poor land must be cultivated and good land made full use of. Thus, each person produces less and this means a lower average income than could be obtained with a smaller population. Other economists have argued that a large population gives more opportunities for specialization such as ports, roads, and railways, which are not likely to be built unless there is a big demand to justify them.
One of the difficulties in carrying out a world-wide birth control program lies in the fact that official attitudes to population growth vary from country to country depending on the level of industrial development and the availability of food and raw materials. In a developing country where a vast expanding population is pressing hard upon the limits of food, space and natural resources, it will be the first concern of the government to place a limit on the birthrate, whatever the consequences may be. In a highly industrialized society the problem may be more complex. A decreasing birthrate may lead to unemployment because it results in a declining market for products. When the pressure of the population on housing declines, prices also decline and the building industry is weakened. Faced with considerations such as these, the government of a developed country may well prefer to see a slowly increasing population, rather than one which is stable or in decline.
54．According to the first paragraph, a smaller population may mean______ if land is limited.
A．lower productivity, and a lower average income
B．lower productivity, but a higher average income
C．higher productivity, and a higher average income
D．higher productivity, but a lower average income
55．In a developed country, people will perhaps go out of work if the birthrate_______.
A．goes up B．goes down  C．remains stable  D．is limited
56．It is not easy to carry out a worldwide birth-control program because______.
A．there are too many underdeveloped countries in the world
B．developing countries are short of food and raw materials
C．even developed countries may have some complex problems of population
D．different governments show quite opposite views to the population

B  
There was a Roman general in the 3rd century BC named Regulus who always kept his word. This fact was well known even to Rome’s enemy—Cathage. Once, he lost a battle and was taken prisoner and sent to a Carthage prison for a period of time. Finally, his captors came to him with an offer, which they hoped would cause the Romans to give in, thus ending the war.
They asked General Regulus to go back to Rome. They wanted him to tell the Romans that Carthage was winning the war and it was useless for Rome to continue fighting. They also said that if he refused to do as they asked, he would have to sail back to Cathage and serve as a prisoner of war in their prison. Since General Regulus was a man of honor, they knew he would keep his word and return to Carthage.
Regulus set sail for Rome and on his arrival, he was immediately taken to the authorities (当局). He knew how the war was progressing from the enemy's point of view. He told the Romans that they should not give up but continue fighting, as it would only be a matter of time until Rome would win the battle over Carthage. So the Romans decided to continue the war effort. Large groups of soldiers were sent to battle due to General Regulus' suggestion.
Regulus went home to see his wife and his children but only for a short time. With deep sorrow, he informed them that he had given his word that he would return to Carthage and to his prison. Though they wished he would stay, his family knew that he must keep his word and return. He returned to Carthage as promised but Rome soon won the war.
60. This passage mainly tells us that General Regulus was____.
A. a determined man                             B. a man of his word
C. loyal to his homeland                          D. a patient man
61. The underlined word “captors" (in Paragraph 1) probably refers to “____”.    
A. people who are taken prisoners             B. people who have lost a battle
C. people who have won a battle              D. people who keep others prisoners
62. After General Regulus' visit to Rome, the Romans_____.
A. continued the war                             B. made peace with Carthage
C. gave in                                      D. accepted their failure

A little boy was spending his Saturday morning playing in his sandbox. While creating roads in the soft sand, he   36  a large rock in the middle of the sandbox.

The boy   37  around the rock, managing to move it out from the dirt. With much   38 , he tried to push the rock out of the sandbox. When the boy got the rock to the edge(边缘) of the sandbox,   39 , he found that he couldn’t   40  it up and over the little wall. The rock was too   41  for his small body.

As he   42  to accept his failure, the little boy dug, pushed, and pried(撬动), but every time he thought he had made some   43 , the rock rolled and then fell back into the sandbox. The little boy   44  again and again, but the only   45  was to have the rock roll back.

  46 , he burst into tears. All this time the boy’s father   47  him from his living room. The moment the tears fell, a   48  voice rose above the boy’s head. It was his father.  49 , but firmly(坚定地) he said, “Son, why didn’t you use all the   50  that you had? The boy replied with tears, “But I did, Daddy, I did! I   51  all that I had!” “No, son, you didn’t,”  52  the father kindly. “You didn’t   53  me to help you.” With that the father picked up the rock and   54  it out of the sandbox.

Are you discovering that you don’t have the strength to move your “rocks” away? There is ONE who is always willing to   55  you with the strength you need. We also need that strength, especially in our daily life.

1.                A．hid            B．left            C．put  D．discovered

2.                A．walked         B．jumped         C．traveled  D．dug

3.                A．courage        B．pride           C．effort    D．pleasure

4.                A．however        B．still            C．thus D．even

5.                A．put            B．raise           C．take D．break

6.                A．large           B．difficult         C．hard D．much

7.                A．decided        B．refused         C．agreed   D．planned

8.                A．inventions      B．progress        C．mistakes D．changes

9.                A．tried           B．failed          C．thought   D．started

10.               A．success        B．goal           C．result D．wish

11.               A．Gradually       B．lately          C．Properly   D．Finally

12.               A．watched        B．helped         C．followed   D．taught

13.               A．loud           B．happy          C．sweet D．strict

14.               A．Angrily         B．Movingly       C．Suddenly  D．Gently

15.               A．knowledge      B．strength        C．tools  D．ability

16.               A．wasted         B．brought        C．used  D．carried

17.               A．replied         B．corrected       C．shouted   D．praised

18.               A．advise         B．force          C．ask   D．want

19.               A．collected       B．threw          C．chose D．broke

20.               A．provide        B．lend           C．show D．pass

A Carefully edit it

B. Keep thank-you letters short

C. Just do it ------ and do it quickly

D. Be genuine in your appreciation

E. Stress some of your key selling points

F. Add points not addressed in interviews

Tips for writing a job-search interview

thank-you letter

1._________________

You should try to send out your thank-you letters within 24 hours of your interview---- no longer than about two or three days afterward. If you have a hard time writing letters and don't want to write any, fight that urge and force yourself to write something. Studies continue to show that the vast majority of job-seekers do not send thank-you letters. As a result, by doing so, you will stand out from other applicants. The speed is of great importance, so you can either email your thank-you letters or drop them off the next day.

2.________________

Write your thank-you note from the heart. Everyone values authentic communications, so rather than using a boring thank-you letter from the Internet, use your own words and feelings to write your letter. Find a way to express your genuine feelings of appreciation and connection with the interviewer. One word of caution: Don’t give fake praise and appreciation; keep it honest and simple.

3.________________

One of the main goals of an employment interview is to determine if there is a good fit between the interviewee (you, the job-seeker) and the employer. Thus, one of your key goals in your thank-you letter should be to clearly express your strong fit with the organization. At the same time, it’s also good to mention a few of your key selling points ------ points that exactly match the requirements of the position you are seeking. Even a thank-you letter is a chance to market yourself.

4._________________

Job interviews are stressful situations and even with excellent preparation, we can sometimes forget to mention something that may be a key selling point. If that happened to you, no worries as you can add the point in your thank-you letter. As you are summarizing your fit with the position and employer, you simply add the additional point you forgot to make in the interview.

5.__________________

One of the worst things you can do is to write an amazing thank-you letter, but realize after you sent it that it had a misspelling, or poor construction. Especially check and double-check the spelling of the name of the employer. Write a draft of your letter and come back to it later to edit it. Read it aloud to check how it flows. Have someone else read it for errors. Review your final version carefully before sending it.