Question

    Rumors(谣言):we’ve all heard some and we’ve all spread some. In more traditional times they shook entire families. Today, they circulate differently because the way we share information has also changed.

The fact is that rumors have great potential to upset things, whether socially or personally. We don’t enjoy being on the receiving end of one, since they usually don’t have good intentions. They are somewhat veiled(掩饰的) messages.

Normally rumors are oral messages: word of mouth. The paradox(自相矛盾) is that there is no evidence to support rumors, but the more people share it, the more they see it as true. To finish defining rumors, we think that they follow certain very clear laws. Secrecy:The source is unknown. There is also a proven phenomenon that human beings usually forget the source of a message before they forget its content. Certainty: We hardly question rumors simply because of the mental effort involved. On the other hand, no one likes to doubt a person who convinces us that the information they spread is true. Change: It acts like a tree. New rumors branch out to fill in the gaps left by the initial rumor.

Another property of rumors is that they tend to become viral. Each receiver is at the same time a potential transmitter of the information. The receiver often adds their own opinion. Their manner and tone of transmitting it also changes it.

How can we end rumors? The answer is as simple as it is impossible: preventing people from communicating. A more realistic response is equally difficult, although less than the first one. It is that we should be critical of the information we receive. We should ask ourselves if the source is reliable. Ask (if possible) the person you heard it from whether they also trust the information. We should also think about if the rumor benefits someone, and if that someone started the rumor.

One rumor to be especially cautious of is a rumor about groups relatively unable to defend themselves. That’s why we say, “history is always told by the victors.” The first payment the defeated must make is to accept the victor’s version of the story.

1.What’s the author’s attitude towards rumors?

A.Critical. B.Positive.

C.Approving. D.Cautious.

2.What can we learn about rumors?

A.We have all heard some and believed them.

B.We’re happy to be the receiving end of them.

C.They may have negative influence on society.

D.They often hide good intentions in the messages.

3.How are rumors like trees?

A.Rumors keep changing, just as trees change their color.

B.Rumors are deeply rooted in reality, like tree roots in the earth.

C.New rumors have gaps, like the space between tree branches.

D.New rumors grow out of the original, like branches out of a trunk.

4.What does the underlined word “viral” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A.Something easily spread B.Something acceptable

C.Something easily defended. D.Something beneficial.

5.Which of the following may the author agree with?

A.It is easy to prevent people from spreading rumors.

B.People are often active in judging the rumors critically.

C.We should think about the hidden message of the rumors.

D.Stories told by the victors are usually better worth trusting.

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.D

4.A

5.C

【解析】

本文是议论文。介绍了什么是谣言，谣言的危害，特点及怎样避免谣言。

1.推理判断题。根据第一段In more traditional times they shook entire families.第二段The fact is that rumors have great potential to upset things, whether socially or personally.第四段Another property of rumors is that they tend to become viral.等信息可知作者认为谣言会对个人生活和社会造成混乱，作者对谣言是批评的态度。故选A。

2.推理判断题。根据第二段The fact is that rumors have great potential to upset things, whether socially or personally.可知谣言会对个人生活和社会造成混乱，给社会带来不良影响。故选C。

3.推理判断题。根据第三段Change: It acts like a tree. New rumors branch out to fill in the gaps left by the initial rumor.把谣言比作树，新谣言的出现填补了最初谣言留下的空白。这说明新的谣言从原来的地方冒出来，就像树枝从树干冒出来一样。故选D。

4.猜测词义题。根据下文可知每个接收者同时又是信息潜在的发送者。接收者通常还会添加自己的观点或改变信息。这是在说谣言的危害，像病毒一样容易传播。画线的“viral”即指像病毒一样容易传播，故选A。

5.推理判断题。根据倒数第二段It is that we should be critical of the information we receive. We should ask ourselves if the source is reliable. Ask (if possible) the person you heard it from whether they also trust the information. We should also think about if the rumor benefits someone, and if that someone started the rumor.可知我们要理性对待谣言，核实信息的准确性，可信度，评估对别人的影响，即考虑谣言的背后信息。故选C。