题目内容
Rumor (谣言) is the most primitive(原始的) way of spreading stories--- by passing them on from mouth to mouth, but civilized countries in normal times have better sources of news than rumor. They have radio, television, and newspapers. In times of confusion ( 混乱 ), however, rumor appears and becomes widespread. At such times the different kinds of news are in competition: the press, television, and radio against the grapevine.
Especially do rumors spread when war requires control on many important matters. The normal news sources no longer give out enough information. Since the people can not learn through legal channels all that they are anxious to learn, they pick up "news" wherever they can and when this happens, rumor grows.
Rumors are often repeated even by those who do not believe the tales. There is an interest about them. The reason is that the cleverly designed rumor gives expression to something deep in the hearts of the victims -- the fears, doubts, forbidden hopes, or daydreams which they hesitate to voice directly. Pessimistic(悲观的)rumors about defeat and disasters show that the people who repeat them are worried and anxious. Optimistic rumors about record production or peace soon come point to self- satisfaction or confidence--and often to over-confidence.
The author suggests that, in times of confusion, man often_______.
A. stops regular news services B. turns to primitive ways for support
C. distrusts his fellow man D. loses complete control of himself
The underlined word "grapevine" in Paragraph 1 probably means “_______”.
A. rumor B. newspaper C. information D. time
The author, states that during wartime the regular sources of news provide only _______.
A. false information B. optimistic reports
C. limited information D. pessimistic reports
Which of the following statements is mentioned as a reason for people to repeat a rumor?
A. They are too willing to believe.
B. They take an interest in rumor.
C. They have a strong desire to make a fool of other people.
D. They find some rumors reflect their own unexpressed beliefs.
【小题1】B
【小题1】A
【小题1】C
【小题1】D
解析:
略
We can achieve knowledge either actively or passively(被动地). We achieve it actively by direct experience, by testing and proving an idea, or by reasoning.
We achieve knowledge passively by being told by someone else. Most of the learning that takes place in the classroom and the kind that happens when we watch TV or read newspapers or magazines is passive. Conditioned as we are to passive learning, it’s not surprising that we depend on it in our everyday communication with friends and co-workers.
Unfortunately, passive learning has a serious problem. It makes us tend to accept what we are told even when it is little more than hearsay and rumor(谣言).
Did you ever play the game Rumor? It begins when one person writes down a message but doesn’t show it to anyone. Then the person whispers it, word for word, to another person. That person, in turn, whispers it to still another, and so on, through all the people playing the game. The last person writes down the message word for word as he or she hears it. Then the two written statements are compared. Typically, the original message has changed.
That’s what happens in daily life. The simple fact that people repeat a story in their own words changes the story. Then, too, most people listen imperfectly. And many enjoy adding their own creative touch to a story, trying to improve on it, stamping(打上标记)it with their own personal style. Yet those who hear it think they know.
This process is also found among scholars and authors: A statement of opinion by one writer may be re-stated as fact by another, who may in turn be quoted by yet another; and this process may continue, unless it occurs to someone to question the facts on which the original writer based his opinion or to challenge the interpretation he placed upon those facts.
【小题1】According to the passage, passive learning may occur in _______.
A.doing a medical experiment | B.solving a math problem |
C.visiting an exhibition | D.doing scientific reasoning |
A.active learning | B.knowledge | C.communication | D.passive learning |
A.a message may be changed when being passed on |
B.a message should be delivered in different ways |
C.people may have problems with their sense of hearing |
D.people tend not to believe in what they know as rumor |
A.Active learning is less important. | B.Passive learning may not be reliable. |
C.Active learning occurs more frequently. | |
D.Passive learning is not found among scholars. |
Let’s say you have a piece of wood, a nail, and a hammer. Pretend the wood is a person, and the nail is a mean rumor(谣言) about that person. If you hammer in the nail, you’re obviously hurting him or her. If you then pull out the nail, there’s still a hole in the wood, and the damage has been done.
There are many reasons why that nail of a rumor can be so harmful. Rumors are, quite simply, a form of bullying(欺侮). When a person or a group makes up a rumor about someone or decides to spread gossip, it’s usually to hurt someone, break up a friendship, or make someone less popular. It’s the same thing as teasing, only it’s done behind someone’s back instead of to his or her face.
When you spread a rumor about someone, you’re sending a signal that the person is outside of the group, and somehow less worthy of friendship than others. You’re making fun of that person or pointing out negative things about him or her. This can let others think that it’s okay to make the person feel bad, and make him or her an outsider.
We need to be able to trust our friends, and gossip and rumors can break this trust. If you tell a personal secret to a friend, and he turns around and tells it to someone else, you might feel like you will get burned if you ever get close to him again.
Letting a rumor influence your behavior is like letting someone else make a big decision for you. Let’s say you hear that the teacher plans to call a Snow Day tomorrow because a blizzard (暴风雪) is coming. Expecting a day off, you don’t do your homework. The next morning, the blizzard turns out to be nothing more than a drizzle(毛毛雨), and school isn’t off after all. You get zeroes on your work.
【小题1】To tell a rumor and a tease apart, you depend on ______.
A.whether it is done behind someone |
B.whether it is painful or not |
C.whether it is a kind of bullying |
D.whether it is spread fast. |
A.point out his or her advantages |
B.keep away from him or her |
C.not feel he or she is an outsider |
D.be hurt if getting close to him or her again. |
A.advise on how to deal with rumors |
B.teach us how to judge a rumor |
C.find out why rumors spread fast |
D.explain why rumors hurt |