Question

If you see a group of people dancing and singing on the street or in the railway station, you don’t need to feel surprised. They are a flash mob. Don’t be confused by their name. Actually, a flash mob, organized with the help of the Internet or other digital communications networks, is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, do something unusual for a period of time, such as exchanging books, coming together to look at the sky, waving their hands and shouting something at the top of their lungs for 30 seconds, and then quickly disappear before the police can arrive.

Bill Wasik, senior editor of Harper’s Magazine, organized the first flash mob in Manhattan in May 2003 and the first successful flash mob assembled on June 3, 2003 at Macy’s department store involving 100 people gathering on Macy’s Department Store. Following this, about 200 people flooded the lobby of the Hyatt hotel, applauding in one voice for fifteen seconds, and next participants pretending to be tourists on a bus trip invaded a shoe boutique in Soho. A later mob saw hundreds of people in Central Park making bird noises.

Wasik claimed that he created flash mobs as a social experiment designed to tease hipsters（追逐时尚的人）, and highlight the cultural atmosphere of agreement and of being part of “the next big thing”.

Many Web logs, chat rooms and Web groups are devoted to the craze. Though flash mobs were originally regarded as pointless, the concept has already developed for the benefit of political and social events. Flash mobbing takes advantage of the efficiency of communicating information on Websites and by email, and protesters can similarly use the “on and off” concept to be involved in political events. Such flash mob gatherings can sometimes shock or frighten people who are not aware of what is taking place. They also have enormous economic potential, such as using flash mobs to advertise a product.

The flash mob is now becoming more and more popular. People use it to do many things. For example, in 2009, hundreds of Michael Jackson’s fans took part in a flash mob to remember him, gathering outside the railway station in Liverpool, singing and dancing Michael’s famous song Beat It together. In another example, some people took part in a flash mob to warn people against negative words. Flash mobs give people from all walks of life an opportunity to come together to create a memory.

1.The purpose of flash mobs created by Wasik is to __________.

A. make flash mobs a social experiment with political, social and economic potential

B. give people an opportunity to assemble and perform some distraction

C. make fun of hipsters and emphasize the cultural atmosphere of agreement and participation

D. make communicating information efficient and help people create a memory

2.People took part in the following activities of flash mobs except that __________.

A. they pretended to take a bus trip and invaded a shoe shop in Soho

B. they got together in central Park and played birdsong

C. they gathered upon the railway station in Liverpool, singing Beat It and dancing

D. they assembled in the department store and applauded together for 15 seconds

3.Which of the following could most possibly be a flash mob according to the passage?

A. Sixteen people get together quickly on the square and do jumping and singing and leave there suddenly.

B. A group of people are busy giving out leaflets of a limousine of a brand to those walking in front of them.

C. Some tourists plan for months and go mountaineering on the first day of Horse Year.

D. Protesters from different factories sit for days in front of the city hall for low wage.

4.Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A. Flash mob: the political potential

B. Flash mob: the pop culture

C. Flash mob: the source of information

D. Flash mob: the short-term memory

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.A

4.B

【解析】

试题分析:本文是一篇说明类文章，文章主要讲述了快闪族的流行，以及他们的行为方式。

1.C细节理解题。根据 Wasik claimed that he created flash mobs as a social experiment designed to tease hipsters（追逐时尚的人）, and highlight the cultural atmosphere of agreement and of being part of “the next big thing ”可知，快闪族就是就是为了追求时髦，强调一致参与的文化氛围故选C。

2.D细节理解题。根据文章可知，D选项没有在文章中出现 可知选D。

3.A细节理解题。根据文章理解可知快闪族就是聚集在一起，娱乐完，然后赶紧离开，故选A。

4.

，故选B。

考点：考查说明类短文阅读