Question

    "Did you hear what happened to Adam last Friday?" Lindsey whispers to Tori.

With her eyes shining, Tori brags, "You bet I did, Sean told me two days ago."

Who are Lindsey and Tori talking about? It just happened to be yours truly, Adam Freedman, I can tell you that what they are saying is （a） not nice and （b） not even true. Still, Lindsey and Tori aren't very different from most students here at Linton High School, including me. Many of our conversations are gossip （闲话）.I have noticed three effects of gossip: it can hurt people, it can give gossipers a strange kind of satisfaction, and it can cause social pressures in a group.

An important negative effect of gossip is that it can hurt the person being talked about. Usually, gossip spreads information about a topic—breakups, trouble at home, even dropping out—that a person would rather keep secret. The more embarrassing or shameful the secret is, the juicier the gossip it makes. Probably the worst type of gossip is the absolute lie. People often think of gossipers as harmless, but cruel lies can cause pain.

If we know that gossip can be harmful, then why do so many of us do it? The answer lies in another effect of gossip: the satisfaction it gives us. Sharing the latest rumor （传言）can make a person feel important because he or she knows something that others don't. Similarly, hearing the latest rumor can make a person feel like part of the "in group". In other words, gossip is satisfying because it gives people a sense of belonging or even superiority （优越感）.

Gossip also can have a third effect: it strengthens unwritten, unspoken rules about how people should act. Professor David Wilson explains that gossip is important in policing behaviors in a group. Translated into high school terms, this means that if everybody you hang around with is laughing at what John wore or what Jane said, then you can bet that wearing or saying something similar will get you the same kind of negative attention. The do's and don'ts conveyed through gossip will never show up in any student handbook.

The effects of gossip vary depending on the situation. The next time you feel the urge to spread the latest news, think about why you want to gossip and what effects your "juicy story" might have.

1.The author uses a conversation at the beginning of the passage to _________.

A.introduce a topic B.present an argument

C.describe the characters D.clarify his writing purpose

2.An important negative effect of gossip is that it ___________.

A.breaks up relationships B.embarrasses the listener

C.spreads information around D.causes unpleasant experiences

3.Professor David Wilson thinks that gossip can ____________.

A.provide students with written rules

B.help people watch their own behaviors

C.force school to improve student handbooks

D.attract the police's attention to group behaviors

4.What advice does the author give in the passage?

A.Never become a gossiper B.Stay away from gossipers

C.Don't let gossip turn into lies D.Think twice before you gossip

Answer

1.A

2.D

3.B

4.D

【解析】

这是一篇议论文。文章讨论了说闲话的影响，分析了人们为什么喜欢传闲话。

1.推理判断题。根据第一和第二段“"Did you hear what happened to Adam last Friday?" Lindsey whispers to Tori. With her eyes shining, Tori brags, "You bet I did, Sean told me two days ago."”可知，这两段叙述了两个人在说别人闲话的场景。根据第三段中的“Who are Lindsey and Tori talking about? It just happened to be yours truly, Adam Freedman, I can tell you that what they are saying is （a） not nice and （b） not even true. Still, Lindsey and Tori aren't very different from most students here at Linton High School, including me. Many of our conversations are gossip （闲话）. ”可知，说闲话这种事几乎人人都会做。根据“I have noticed three effects of gossip: it can hurt people, it can give gossipers a strange kind of satisfaction, and it can cause social pressures in a group. ”可知，下文主要叙述“说闲话”的三个影响。由此推知，文章开头引用两人的交谈是为了引出“说闲话”这个话题。故选A。

2.细节理解题。根据第四段中的“An important negative effect of gossip is that it can hurt the person being talked about”可知，说闲话的一个重要的负面影响是它会伤害被谈论的人。即：给被谈论的人带来不愉快的体验。故选D。

3.细节理解题。根据倒数第二段中的“Gossip also can have a third effect: it strengthens unwritten, unspoken rules about how people should act. Professor David Wilson explains that gossip is important in policing behaviors in a group. Translated into high school terms, this means that if everybody you hang around with is laughing at what John wore or what Jane said, then you can bet that wearing or saying something similar will get you the same kind of negative attention.”可知，闲话还有第三个作用：它强化了关于人们应该如何行动的不成文的规定。大卫·威尔逊教授解释说，流言蜚语对监督一个群体的行为很重要。换句话说，这意味着：如果你周围的每个人都在嘲笑约翰穿的衣服或简说的话，那么，穿着类似的衣服或说类似的话会让你得到同样的负面注意。由此推知，Professor David Wilson认为闲话可以帮助人们注意他们的行为。故选B。

4.细节理解题。根据最后一段中的“The next time you feel the urge to spread the latest news, think about why you want to gossip and what effects your "juicy story" might have.”可知，下次你想要传播最新消息的时候，想想你为什么要说闲话，你的“有趣的故事”可能会有什么影响。即：在你说闲话之前要三思。故选D。