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

       A lady and her husband stepped off the train in Boston. They walked without an  appointment（预约）into the outer  36  of Harvard’s president. But they were  37  by his secretary and kept waiting. For hours, the secretary took no notice of them,  38  that the couple would finally become  39  and go away. But they didn’t. The secretary finally decided to disturb the president, though  40  .

      A few minutes later, the president walked towards the couple with a  41  face. The lady told him, “We had a son that  42  Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard. He was  43  here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to  44  a memorial（纪念物）to him, somewhere on campus.”

     The president wasn’t  45  . Instead, he was shocked. “Madam,” he said, “we can’t put up a statue for every person who studied at Harvard and died. If we did, this   46  would look like a cemetery（墓地）,” “Oh, no,” the lady  47  quickly. “We don’t want to put up a statue. We would like to give a  48  to Harvard.” The president rolled his eyes and  49  at the couple and then exclaimed, “ A building! Do you have any  50  how much a building costs? We have spent over ＄7,500,000 on the campus building at Harvard.” For a moment the lady was silent. The president was  51  , because he could get rid of them now. Then the lady turned to her husband and said quietly, “Is that all it costs to start a  52  ? Why don’t we just start our own?” Her husband nodded.  53  their offer was turned down. Mr. and Mrs. Stanford traveled to California where they founded the University that bears their  54  , a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer  55  about.

36．A．lab                  B．library              C．hall                 D．office

37．A．watched           B．stopped              C．followed            D．interviewed

38．A．hoping             B．finding               C．realizing            D．imagining

39．A．surprised          B．disappointed         C．worried             D．troubled

40．A．hopelessly        B．carefully           C．unexpectedly        D．unwillingly

41．A．pleasant            B．funny                 C．cold                 D．sad

42．A．attended            B．visited              C．studied              D．served

43．A．clever              B．brave                 C．proud                 D．happy

44．A．set about            B．set up                C．take down             D．take over

45．A．satisfied           B．excited             C．moved               D．ashamed

46．A．house               B．part                 C．garden                 D．place

47．A．explained          B．expressed          C．refused              D．admitted

48．A．building           B．yard                 C．playground          D．square

49．A．laughed            B．shouted            C．glanced                   D．called

50．A．suggestion          B．idea                   C．thought              D．opinion

51．A．bored               B．astonished         C．interested        D．pleased

52．A．department         B．university          C．business                   D．club

53．A．Once               B．While                C．Since               D．Though

54．A．name               B．character                 C．picture               D．sign

55．A．talked              B．knew                  C．heard                 D．cared

A few days ago, I was having a meeting in my company. After walking out, I 36  for my car keys in my pocket, only to discover they were not there. 37 , I gave myself a quick personal pat   38  my clothes, but they were not in 39  of my pockets. So, I went back to the meeting room and looked for them in every place _ 40_I had been. Suddenly it occurred to me that I must have left them in the car. Worried and frightened, I quickly 41  for the parking lot.（停车场）
My wife, Diane, has 42  me many times for leaving the keys in the ignition（点火处）. My theory is the ignition is the 43  place so that I won’t lose them. Her theory is that the car will be   44 . As I rushed out of my company, I came to a terrifying 45 . Her theory was right. The parking lot was 46 .
Without hesitation, I called the 47 . I gave them my location（位置）and  48  that I had left my keys in the car, and that it had been stolen. Then I made the most 49  call of all.
“Honey,” I said in a low voice. I always call her “honey” in times like these. “I 50  my keys in the car, and it has been stolen.”
There was a period of 51 . I thought the call had been dropped, but then I heard Diane’s  52 .
“Ken,” she shouted, “I dropped you off!”
Now it was my time to be silent. 53 , I said, “In that case, would you please come and  54  
your dear husband?”
Diane answered, “I will... just as soon as I can have this policeman  55 I didn’t steal your car.”

A young man was one day taking a walk with a professor. As they went along, they saw   36  in the path a pair of old shoes. They guessed the shoes belonged to a poor man who had   37  finished his day’s work in a field close by.
　　The student   38  the professor, saying, “Let’s play the man a(n)   39 : we will hide his shoes, and we stay behind those bushes to see his   40  when he cannot find them.”
　　“My young friend,” answered the professor, “we should never   41  ourselves in that way. You are   42 , and may give yourself a greater pleasure by helping the poor man. Perhaps we put a   43  into each shoe, and watch his reaction.”
　　The student did so, and they both   44  themselves behind the bushes. The poor man soon finished his work, and came   45  the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes. While   46  his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes; but feeling something   47 , he bent down to feel what it was, and found the coin.
He was   48 , and looked at the coin again and again. He then looked around   49  on all sides, but no person was to be seen. He now put the money into his pocket, and began to put on the other shoe; but his surprise was   50  on finding the other coin.
　　His feelings overcame him; he fell upon his   51 , looked up to heaven and preyed, He spoke of his wife, sick and   52 , and his children without bread. The timely giving, from some unknown hand, would   53  from dying.
　　The student was moved and his eyes filled with tears. “Now,” said the professor, “are you not much better pleased than if you had played your   54  trick?”
The youth replied, “Thank you! Sir! I feel now the   55  of those words, which I never understood before: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

【小题18】

A．support B．learn C．treat D．save

A Love Note to My Mom
When I was a little girl, I would often accompany you as you modeled (T台展示) for fashion photographers. It was years later that I finally understood what role modeling   36  in your life. Little did I know you were   37   every penny you earned to go to   38  school.
I cannot thank you enough for   39  you told me one autumn afternoon when I was nine. After finishing my homework, I wandered into the dining room where you were buried   40  piles of law books. I was   41 . Why were you doing what I do—memorizing textbooks and studying for   42  ? When you said you were in law school, I was more puzzled. I didn’t know Moms   43  be lawyers too. You smiled and said, “In life, you can do anything you want to do.”
As young as I was, that statement kept   44  in my ears. I watched as you faced the   45  of completing your studies, starting companies with Dad, while still being a   46   and a Mom of five kids. I was exhausted just watching you       47 . With your words of wisdom in my   48  mind, I suddenly felt unlimited freedom to dream. My whole world  49 . I set out to live my life filled with  50 , seeing endless possibilities for personal and professional achievements.
Your words became my motto. I   51   found myself in the unique position of being either the first (woman doctor in Maryland Rotary)   52   one of the few women (chief medical reporters) in my field. I gained strength every time I said, “Yes, I’ll try that.”
Encouraged by your   53  , I have forged ahead(毅然前行) with my life’s journey, less afraid to make mistakes, and   54   meeting each challenge. You did it, and now I’m   55   it. Sorry, got to run. So much to do, so many dreams to live.