After blogging regularly for two months, people felt they had better social support and friendship networks than those who don’t blog. Blogging can help you feel less isolated, more connected to a community and more satisfied with your friendships, both online and face-to-face, new Australian research has found.
Researchers James Baker and Professor Susan Moore from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne have written two papers investigating the psychological benefits of blogging, regularly updating personal web pages with information that invites others to comment.
The first, published in the latest issue of the journal Cyber Psychology & Behavior, compares the mental health of people intending to blog with that of people not planning to blog. Moore says the researchers messaged 600 My Space users personally and directed them to an online survey. A total of 134 completed the questionnaire; 84 intended to blog and 50 didn’t.
“We found potential bloggers were less satisfied with their friendships and they felt less socially integrated, and they didn’t feel as much part of a community as the people who weren’t interested in blogging…” Moore says. “It was as if they were saying ‘I’m going to do this blogging and it’s going to help me.’”
And it seemed to do the trick, as the researchers’ second study shows. This study, which is yet to be published, was conducted two months later. The researchers sent out questionnaires to the same group of My Space users; this time 59 responded. Bloggers reported a greater sense of belonging to a group of like-minded people and feeling more confident for they could rely on others for help. All respondents, whether or not they blogged, reported feeling less anxious, depressed and stressed after two months of online social networking.
“So going onto My Space had lifted the mood of all participants in some way,” Moore says. “Maybe they’d just made more social connections.” Moore acknowledges this early research and hopes to follow a larger group of people for a longer period time to test some of the research findings.
46. What does the passage mainly tell us?
A. The mental health of bloggers B. Blogging improves one’s social life.
C. What kind of people are likely to blog D. Blogging has become more popular.
47. It can be inferred from the fourth paragraph that ______.
A. those who were not interested in blogging didn’t have good mental health.
B. people were likely to become bloggers if they felt socially isolated
C. potential bloggers were those who had mental health problems
D. potential bloggers usually held a wrong view about blogging
48. The purpose of the second study is to find out ______.
A. what people do on My Space
B. how many people became bloggers
C. how people felt after blogging for two months
D. how many people kept blogging after two months
49. The second study shows that ______.
A. online social networking can do people good
B. only bloggers benefit from online social networking
C. not many potential bloggers became real bloggers
D. not all bloggers found the help they needed
50. The main purpose of people going on My Space is probably to ______.
A. exchange goods B. entertain themselves
C. seek help D. exchange views
My secret for staying young is simple. Put all attention to the part of you---your brain and keep it young and growing. Keep your mind awake and you’ll stay young all over. These are exciting time. Take an interest in the world around you, and stick to(坚持) learning at least one new thing every day.
No matter how old you are, it’s not too late to make your life more interesting. I know a housewife with no knowledge before who made herself into a famous industrial engineer(工业工程师).I know a retired(退休) electrical engineer who has became a highly-paid ceramin (陶器的) artist.
Get over the idea that you are ever too old to go back to school. I know a man who entered a medical college at 70.He got his degree with honor and became a doctor. Another man went to law school at 71 and now is an active lawyer(律师).Staying young is easy for those, old or young, who live in the future. You can do it if you care enough to try. Keep you mind awake and active: that’s the only elixir(万验灵丹)
41.The statement that brain to people of all ages, remains young and growing is_____.
A.impossible B.a scientific fact(科学事实)
Ｃ.supposed(或许) to be true D.a wrong conclusion( 错误结论)
42.It is wrong to______.
think oneself too old to go back to school B.keep one’s mind awake
try to stay young D.get one’s degree with honors
43.The passage tells that the man who entered college at 70 became_____.
A.an active lawyer B.an electrical engineer
C.a famous doctor D.a highly-paid ceramic artist
44.The only youth elixir is______.
to go back to school B.not to think about one’s age
to live in the future D.to keep one’s mind awake and active
45.According to the writer,you should_____learning at least one new thing every day.
A.take care of B.start C.begin D.keep on
第三部分：阅读理解 （共20小题，每题2分，满分40分）
第一节：(共15小题，满分30分)
Police in the Russian city of St. Petersburg were today searching for a rare missing leopard which was stolen yesterday when thieves attacked a TV producer and drove off in his luxury Mercedes 4×4.
The amur leopard, which was in the boot, is one of the world’s most highly endangered species, with fewer than 45 left in the wild in Russia’s remote far east. About 300 others are captive in zoos around the world.
According to its owner, Mikhail Barakin, the thieves were wearing masks. They attacked him and his driver, throwing both of them out of the vehicle, shortly after they drove to St. Petersburg with leopard from Moscow.
“She’s a female leopard cub and she’s incredibly tame,” Barakin told the Guardian this morning. “She’s just over a month old. The leopard was brought up in captivity.”
He went on, “We had been driving all night with the leopard in a travel cage. The plan was to take her to the vet. My driver and I were in the process of setting the leopard in the trunk of my Mercedes…when three masked assailants attacked us. They managed to get away with the car. My suspicion is the theft was done to order.”
Barakin said the leopard, a present from a Moscow businessman, was far more valuable than the stolen Mercedes. He has offered a ￡85,400 reward for its safe return, and says he is prepared to drop all charges if the thieves bring the animal back.
The leopard was to have been housed in a purpose-built enclosure on a country estate outside St. Petersburg, he added. Barakin said he had hired a specialist to look after it, and was planning to use the cub in TV commercials.
36. We can infer from the passage that the three assailants ______.
A. probably came for the leopard B. would return the leopard safely
C. didn’t know there was a leopard in the car D. were known to Mikhail Barakin
37. The leopard was believed to be more valuable because ______.
A. it was already tamed B. it could be kept as a pet
C. it would be used in TV commercials D. it was an endangered species
38. Mikhail Barakin drove the leopard to ______.
A. put her in a bigger place B. use it in TV commercials
C. put her in better care D. keep her in the zoo
39. If the thieves brought the leopard back, Mikhail Barakin would ______.
A. send them to prison B. give them a reward
C. give them the car as a reward D. not charge them
40. The underlined word “boot” in Paragraph 2 probably refers to ______.
A. a special cage B. a type of shoe
C. the trunk of a car D. a kind of camera
第二节：语法填空（共10小题；每小题1分, 满分10分）
We eat for many
different reasons but not always for the right reason. Most people choose to
eat something just 26 the food tastes delicious.
27 , if we choose based 28
taste alone, regardless of nutrition(营养) or healthy eating
habits, then gaining weight is inevitable. Changing your eating habits means 29
you need to look at the nutritional value as well as the amount of fat.
Healthy eating habits come from eating foods that are low 30 fat. Learn to read labels so that you can make good decisions; every 31 (package) food product has a label that tells you the nutritional value, 32 number of calories and fat content.
Eating habits usually stay the same as we grow from childhood to adulthood. 33 (fortune), our metabolism（新陈代谢）tends 34 (slow) down as we get older. If you are raised on sugar and high-fat foods, the amount of fat keeps building as you get older 35 the cycle is broken by good eating habits or exercise, and perfectly both.
第一节 完形填空 (共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)
Many years ago, I owned a service station and roadhouse on the main road between Melbourne and Adelaide.
One very cold, wet night at about 3:30 a.m., there was a 11 on the front door of our house. A young man, wet from head to toe, explained that he had 12 out of petrol about 30 km up the road. He had left his pregnant(怀孕的) wife and his two children 13 at the car and said that he would hitchhike(搭便车) back.
Once I had filled a can with petrol, I took him back to his car where his two-year-old and four-year-old children were both 14 , saying that they were cold. Once the car had started, I suggested that he 15 me back.
Before leaving, I had turned the heater 16 in the roadhouse, so that when we went in, it was nice and 17 .While the little ones played and ran around ,I prepared bread and butter for the children, and hot chocolate for the 18 .
It was about 5 a.m. before they left .The young fellow asked me how much he 19 me and I told him that the petrol pump(加油泵) had shown $15.He offered to pay “call-out fee”, but I wouldn’t accept it.
About a month later, I received a 20 from Interstate, a large bus company that we had been trying to 21 to stop off at our roadhouse for a long time. It 22 out that the young fellow I had helped was its general manager, the most 23 person in the company.
In his letter, he thanked me again and 24 me that, from then on, all their buses would stop at my service station. In this 25 , a little bit of kindness was rewarded with a huge amount of benefits.
11. A.kick B. hit C. beat D. knock
12. A.driven B. used C. come D. run
13. A.away B. behind C. over D. out
14. A.sleeping B. crying C. quarrelling D. fighting
15. A.allow B. ring C. lead D. follow
16. A.on B. off C. in D. over
17. A.neat B. hot C. warm D. attractive
18. A.drivers B. guests C. customers D. adults
19. A.gave B. paid C. owed D. offered
20. A.call B. letter C. check D. notice
21. A.get B. force C. require D. hope
22. A.pointed B. turned C. worked D. found
23. A.generous B. successful C. serious D. powerful
24. A.praised B. persuaded C. informed D. convinced
25. A.lesson B. business C. aspect D. case
信息匹配（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）
请阅读下列应用文及相关信息，并按照要求匹配信息。请在答题卡上将对应题号的相应选项字母涂黑。
首先，请阅读下列不同类型汽车的信息：
Toyota Electron - 2006 (new): Toyota's new car is both powerful and economical. Using a combination of fuel and electricity this car will not only save money on petrol bills, but it will also save the environment. Has air conditioner and leather seats. Price: $17,500
BMW Series 7 - 2006 (new): Judged the "Car of Year" by Wheels Magazine this is the best high-class car on the market. It is big enough for 5 people but is smooth and fast. Has all the latest safety equipment and computer mapping system. Price: $84,900
Porsche 911 - 2006 (new): This newest Porsche is packed with the latest safety equipment and engine technology. It can hold 2 people and the roof can come down automatically for you to enjoy the fresh air. Has DVD entertainment system and computer mapping system. Price: $72,000
Chrysler Minibus - 2005 (second-hand): With its unique seating design, this vehicle can hold up to 14 people. Silver outside with black leather inside and in excellent condition.
Has 2 automatic sliding doors plus DVD entertainment system. Price: $19,200
Ford Fairlane - 1998 (second-hand): With a traditional Ford design, this car is dark blue and is an ideal second car for the family. Mechanically in good condition. Has air-conditioner and CD player. Price: $6,900
Honda Civic - 1996 (second-hand): This small, white, two-door car is easy to park and cheap to run. Inside and outside both in excellent condition. It uses very little fuel and is the perfect car for city driving. Has CD player. Price: $2,500
请阅读下列购车者的信息，然后匹配购车者与拟购买的汽车：
Robert Anderson. Robert has just been appointed the manager of a large international company. He wants to get a car that will impress his business colleagues yet is also suitable for transporting his wife and three children.
Julie Sunderland. Julie has recently moved into the city where she is studying. She needs a car that is cheap to buy and run so she can get to university and to her part-time job.
Bill Woodward. Bill is the coach of the local football team and needs a car that can take the players and equipment to and from their games.
Mary Alderson. Mary's rich dad promised he would buy her a new car for graduating from university. She wants something that is safe, that will allow her to enjoy listening to music and show off to her friends.
Kate Power. Kate needs to get a car to travel to her new job. But she feels guilty about the pollution she will cause so she wants a car that will do the least amount of harm to the environment.
