Well, parents, surprise! Lots of us are using Twitter and Facebook to thumb rides, and not just to school. It’s awkward to be refused when you call a friend and ask for a ride. But with Twitter, you just look for other people heading the same way.

It may sound risky, so many teens stay within their own social circles to find rides, and don’t branch out beyond friends when asking on Twitter just like me, but to some young people, especially those taking longer trips, stranger danger is less of a concern.

“I think the digital connection of young people is really key, because younger generations grew up sharing things on line, sharing files, photos, music, etc, so they’ve been very used to sharing,” said Juliet Schor, a sociology professor at Boston College.

The sharing economy got big during the recession (经济衰退), allowing people to access more goods, services using technology and even to share costs. And that technology, for me, is what the car was for my mom, a gateway to more freedom, like what my friend Earl says, “The symbol of freedom isn’t the car any more because there’s technology out there connecting you to a car.”

According to the researchers at the University of Michigan, 30 years ago, eight in ten American 18-year-olds had a driver’s license compared to six in ten today. So it’s not that surprising that on my 16th birthday I wasn’t rushing to get a license but an iPhone.

“Driving, for young people, does mean they have to disconnect from their technology, and that’s a negative. So if they could sit in the passage side and still be connected, that’s going to be a plus.” Schor continued.

To me, another plus is that ride sharing represents something, something much bigger than trying to save money. I see it as evidence that people still depend on each other. My generation shares their cars and apartments the way neighbors used to share cups of sugar. For the system to work, some of us still need our own cars. But until I get my own version of the silver Super Beetle, you can find me on Twitter.

1.The American teens like me, prefer to possess an iPhone as a birthday gift because _______.

A. it is most fashionable and cool

B. they are bored with driving cars

C. they are fond of being connected

D. it is much cheaper than a car

2.We can learn from the text that _______.

A. Twitter is a website for teens to make friends and achieve goals

B. ride sharing can be seen as a sign that people still count on each other

C. driving cars for teens means a plus and connecting with technology

D. having a car and cost-sharing symbolize more freedom for the author’s mother

3.Professor Juliet would agree that _______.

A. young people will sit waiting to be contacted by reading a passage

B. sharing economy is bound to be responsible for the recession

C. young people tend to share a car with strangers by means of Twitter

D. being connected via technology is important for young people

4.The best title for the passage is probably _______.

A. Twitter, an Awesome Website

B. Cars or iPhone

C. Teens Use Twitter to Thumb Rides

D. Cool Teens on the Go

阅读理解

阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

You probably know who Marie Curie was,but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson.Of the outstanding ladies listed below,who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?

Jane Addams(1860-1935)

Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community(社区)by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931,Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Rachel Carson(1907-1964)

If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.

Sandra Day O’Connor(1930-present)

When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952,she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator(参议员) and ,in 1981, the first woman to join the U.S. Supreme Court. O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.

Rosa Parks(1913-2005)

On December 1,1955,in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott. It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” said Parks.

1. What is Jane Addams noted for in history?

A. Her social work.

B. Her teaching skills.

C. Her efforts to win a prize.

D. Her community background.

2. What was the reason for O’Connor’s being rejected by the law firm?

A. Her lack of proper training in law.

B. Her little work experience in court.

C. The discrimination against women.

D. The poor financial conditions.

3.Who made a great contribution to the civil-rights movement in the U.S.?

A. Jane Addams. B. Rachel Carson.

C. Sandra Day O’Connor. D. Rosa Park.

4.What can we infer about the women mentioned in the text?

A. They are highly educated.

B. They are truly creative.

C. They are pioneers.

D. They are peace-lovers.

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