Passage 1
Whether it's a seemingly funny anecdote or a more malicious story, gossip is something we all can be privy to. Yet, it has become associated particularly with women. Why is it that women get this reputation while men don't
Society has trained women to be indirect communicators because when they are direct, they are labeled 'harsh','mean', 'aggressive', 'bossy', or 'difficult'. They are seen as hard to have a relationship with, difficult to work with, and difficult to be friends with. Men, however, don't seem to face the same stigma. When men are direct, they are often viewed as good leaders, competent, articulate, and determined.
So, when we punish women for being direct, we teach them to communicate indirectly. This includes gossiping and talking behind someone's back, but also includes sarcasm, passive aggression, and jabs disguised as jokes. It's important to recognize these communication tactics.
What we have to understand about gossip is that regardless of why it's used, it deteriorates a relationship because you are sharing information that is not yours to a third party. If someone has chosen to confide in you, it is not your right to pass that information on to someone else without their consent. For example, if your best friend tells you private information, that is not a free pass to tell your partner.
Having bad boundaries is unfortunately the norm, and therefore, if you are on the receiving end of gossip, it's important to let the person know that this is a behavior that bothers you. People often share things unconsciously without thinking about what information belongs to them and what doesn't, so even if it wasn't malicious, it's important to highlight this to make sure your boundaries aren't crossed again.
If gossip includes someone talking about you behind your back, it can be really hurtful, and this also will affect your trust because you will be unable to know whether the person is just saying what you want to hear and saying something different in front of different audiences, or telling you the truth.
Falling into a habit of gossiping can occur for a few reasons, including when feelings are hurt, rather than confronting the offender, a person turns to a mutual friend to vent or for support. The problem with this is it creates triangulation, drawing in people who were not originally involved with the issue. This can lead to people taking sides, often making the problem worse.
We may do this to seek validation, because we worry we have overreacted, or want others to confirm our feelings.
According to the passage, why do women tend to be associated with gossip
A. Because women like to talk more than men.
B. Because society has trained women to be indirect communicators and direct women are labeled negatively.
C. Because women have more free time to gossip.
D. Because men don't like to gossip.
What is the main idea of the passage
A. To explain why men are better leaders than women.
B. To discuss the reasons and effects of gossip and how to deal with it.
C. To describe different types of communication tactics.
D. To compare the communication styles of men and women.
If someone gossips about you behind your back, what might happen
A. You will become more popular.
B. It will have no effect on you.
C. It can hurt your feelings and affect your trust in others.
D. You will learn more about yourself.
What does the word "triangulation" in the passage probably mean
A. A triangle-shaped object.
B. A situation where three people are involved in a conflict.
C. A method of communication.
D. A type of gossip.
答案：
B
B
C
B
解析：
细节理解题。根据文中 “Society has trained women to be indirect communicators because when they are direct, they are labeled 'harsh','mean', 'aggressive', 'bossy', or 'difficult'.” 可知，社会训练女性成为间接沟通者，且当她们直接时会被贴上负面标签，这导致女性与八卦联系在一起，B 选项正确，A、C、D 选项文中未提及。
主旨大意题。文章先提出女性与八卦关联的现象及原因，接着阐述八卦对人际关系的破坏，以及在面对八卦时的应对方法，还提到了人们陷入八卦习惯的原因，整体是在讨论八卦的原因、影响及应对方法，B 选项正确，A 选项不是重点，C 选项只是部分内容，D 选项比较男女沟通方式不是主旨。
细节理解题。从 “If gossip includes someone talking about you behind your back, it can be really hurtful, and this also will affect your trust...” 可知，背后被人八卦会伤害感情并影响对他人的信任，C 选项正确，A、B、D 选项与原文不符。
猜测词义题。根据后文 “drawing in people who were not originally involved with the issue. This can lead to people taking sides, often making the problem worse.” 可知，这种情况会把原本不相关的人卷入，导致人们站队，使问题更糟，可推测 “triangulation” 指的是涉及三方的冲突情境，B 选项正确，A 选项 “三角形物体”、C 选项 “沟通方法”、D 选项 “一种八卦” 均不符合语境。
Passage 2
The world of advertising and social media often portrays the postpartum phase as a time of cozy contentment, filled with moments of mum-and-baby snuggles. However, the reality can be quite different. Ivana Poko experienced something unexpected when she gave birth to twins in 2016. Unbeknownst to her, she was suffering from postpartum rage, a mood disruption causing intense anger, aggression, and agitation in the weeks and months after giving birth.
New mothers may find themselves acting out of character. They might struggle to control their temper, screaming or swearing, experiencing violent thoughts or urges, and maybe even expressing their anger physically by punching or throwing things. After these flashpoints, it's common for women with postpartum rage to feel angry first, then angry with themselves for being angry. Ivana explains, "I felt angry that they were born in the first place, as my life changed." And then she felt guilty for not feeling happy and enjoying it as she thought she should. She even regretted the decision to have the twins at one point in the early days because she saw them as aliens that ruined her life.
Although most people have at least heard of postpartum depression, postpartum rage is not often talked about, although evidence suggests it is just as prevalent. Dr Caroline Boyd, a clinical psychologist and author of "Mindful New Mum: A Mind-Body Approach to the Highs and Lows of Motherhood", says, "Anger is a normal, human emotion - we feel intense anger in the first year of having a baby - making anger even more prevalent than postpartum depression in Canada."
In a study published in the journal Qualitative Health Research, it was found that as many as one in three women feel intense anger in the first year of having a baby. This shows that postpartum rage is a significant issue that needs more attention and understanding.
According to the passage, what is postpartum rage
A. A mood disruption causing intense happiness and contentment.
B. A mood disruption causing intense anger, aggression, and agitation after giving birth.
C. A physical illness that new mothers often get.
D. A type of postpartum depression.
What can be inferred from the passage about postpartum rage
A. It is more common than postpartum depression in Canada.
B. It is only experienced by a few new mothers.
C. It is not a normal human emotion.
D. It is well-known and widely discussed.
What did Ivana Poko feel after giving birth to twins
A. She only felt happy and content.
B. She felt angry first and then guilty for not feeling happy.
C. She had no special feelings.
D. She felt depressed all the time.
What is the main idea of the passage
A. To introduce the joys of motherhood.
B. To describe the symptoms of postpartum depression.
C. To raise awareness of postpartum rage, a less-acknowledged but prevalent postnatal experience.
D. To compare postpartum rage with other postnatal emotions.
答案：
B
A
B
C
解析：
细节理解题。根据文中 “postpartum rage, a mood disruption causing intense anger, aggression, and agitation in the weeks and months after giving birth.” 可知，产后暴怒是指产后数周和数月内导致强烈愤怒、攻击性和烦躁的情绪紊乱，B 选项正确，A 选项 “导致强烈幸福和满足” 错误，C 选项 “身体疾病” 错误，D 选项 “产后抑郁的一种” 错误。
推理判断题。从 “Dr Caroline Boyd...says, 'Anger is a normal, human emotion - we feel intense anger in the first year of having a baby - making anger even more prevalent than postpartum depression in Canada.'” 可推断出在加拿大产后暴怒比产后抑郁更普遍，A 选项正确，B 选项与文中 “as many as one in three women feel intense anger” 矛盾，C 选项与原文 “Anger is a normal, human emotion” 不符，D 选项与 “postpartum rage is not often talked about” 相悖。
细节理解题。由 “Ivana explains, 'I felt angry that they were born in the first place, as my life changed.' And then she felt guilty for not feeling happy and enjoying it as she thought she should.” 可知，Ivana 生完双胞胎后先是感到愤怒，然后因为没有像自己认为的那样感到快乐而感到内疚，B 选项正确，A 选项 “只感到快乐和满足” 错误，C 选项 “没有特别感觉” 错误，D 选项 “一直感到抑郁” 错误。
主旨大意题。文章开篇指出产后暴怒这一现象不被大众熟知但很普遍，接着通过 Ivana 的例子以及相关研究和专家观点来阐述产后暴怒的表现、影响等，整体是为了提高人们对产后暴怒这一较少被认可但普遍存在的产后经历的认识，C 选项正确，A 选项 “介绍为人母的快乐” 不是重点，B 选项 “描述产后抑郁的症状” 不是主旨，D 选项 “比较产后暴怒与其他产后情绪” 不是主要内容。
Passage 3
Anne Pringle was surveying mushrooms at a field site in Tomales Bay State Park, just north of San Francisco, when she found herself in a predicament. She was surrounded by a sea of one of the world's most dangerous mushrooms: Amanita phalloides, commonly known as the death cap.
"I couldn't put my foot down without stepping on them," Pringle says. "It was just a valley of death. A total infestation."
That was 20 years ago, when Pringle, now a mycologist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, was doing research at the University of California, Berkeley. Despite its proliferation, there was a rumor that the deadly mushroom hadn't originated on the Golden Coast. Six years and much DNA sequencing later, Pringle proved the rumor true: North America's death cap mushroom was an invader, a fungal species likely native to Europe.
Now found thousands of miles outside that original range, death caps are the culprit behind most mushroom-related poisonings. Their powerful toxins start to attack the human body in as little as six hours after they're consumed, causing abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting that, if untreated, can result in fatal liver failure. Last August three people in Australia died from ingesting death caps, victims of an alleged poisoning. The mushroom—about five inches tall with a greenish yellow-white cap—can be easily mistaken as edible. In British Columbia, a
But death caps didn't evolve to kill people. These mushrooms are mycorrhizal fungi. They spring from a tangle of fungal threads that grow in soil and curl around tree roots, helping the trees take up nutrients. This activity underground both intrigues and worries scientists, like Pringle, who say we know too little about the fungal kingdom and what happens when these underground networks are rewired.
What happened to Anne Pringle 20 years ago
A. She discovered a new type of mushroom.
B. She was surrounded by death cap mushrooms while surveying.
C. She proved the origin of death cap mushrooms.
D. She got poisoned by death cap mushrooms.
What is the main idea of the passage
A. To introduce the appearance of death cap mushrooms.
B. To warn people not to eat mushrooms.
C. To describe Anne Pringle's research on death cap mushrooms and their characteristics.
D. To explain how to identify edible mushrooms.
According to the passage, what can we infer about death cap mushrooms
A. They are only found in North America.
B. They are beneficial to trees.
C. They are easy to identify.
D. They have no toxins.
What does the word "mycorrhizal" in the last paragraph probably mean
A. Poisonous.
B. Related to tree roots.
C. Edible.
D. Found in Europe.
答案：
B
C
B
B
解析：
细节理解题。根据文中 “Anne Pringle was surveying mushrooms at a field site in Tomales Bay State Park, just north of San Francisco, when she found herself in a predicament. She was surrounded by a sea of one of the world's most dangerous mushrooms: Amanita phalloides, commonly known as the death cap.” 可知，20 年前 Anne Pringle 在调查时被死亡帽蘑菇包围了，B 选项正确，A 选项文中未提及发现新蘑菇种类，C 选项是后来证明的，D 选项文中未说她中毒。
主旨大意题。文章主要讲述了 Anne Pringle 对死亡帽蘑菇的研究，包括她 20 年前的经历以及后来证明其起源等，还介绍了死亡帽蘑菇的一些特征，如有毒、与树根的关系等，C 选项正确，A 选项只是部分内容，B 选项不是主要目的，D 选项文章未重点讲如何识别可食用蘑菇。
推理判断题。从 “But death caps didn't evolve to kill people. These mushrooms are mycorrhizal fungi. They spring from a tangle of fungal threads that grow in soil and curl around tree roots, helping the trees take up nutrients.” 可推断出死亡帽蘑菇对树木有益，B 选项正确，A 选项它们不只在北美有，C 选项文中说容易被误认为可食用，说明不容易识别，D 选项它们有毒素。
猜测词义题。根据后文 “They spring from a tangle of fungal threads that grow in soil and curl around tree roots, helping the trees take up nutrients.” 可知这种蘑菇与树根有关，可推测 “mycorrhizal” 与树根有关，B 选项正确，A 选项 “有毒的”、C 选项 “可食用的”、D 选项 “在欧洲发现的” 均不符合语境。Passage 1
Whether it's a seemingly funny anecdote or a more malicious story, gossip is something we all can be privy to. Yet, it has become associated particularly with women. Why is it that women get this reputation while men don't
Society has trained women to be indirect communicators because when they are direct, they are labeled 'harsh','mean', 'aggressive', 'bossy', or 'difficult'. They are seen as hard to have a relationship with, difficult to work with, and difficult to be friends with. Men, however, don't seem to face the same stigma. When men are direct, they are often viewed as good leaders, competent, articulate, and determined.
So, when we punish women for being direct, we teach them to communicate indirectly. This includes gossiping and talking behind someone's back, but also includes sarcasm, passive aggression, and jabs disguised as jokes. It's important to recognize these communication tactics.
What we have to understand about gossip is that regardless of why it's used, it deteriorates a relationship because you are sharing information that is not yours to a third party. If someone has chosen to confide in you, it is not your right to pass that information on to someone else without their consent. For example, if your best friend tells you private information, that is not a free pass to tell your partner.
Having bad boundaries is unfortunately the norm, and therefore, if you are on the receiving end of gossip, it's important to let the person know that this is a behavior that bothers you. People often share things unconsciously without thinking about what information belongs to them and what doesn't, so even if it wasn't malicious, it's important to highlight this to make sure your boundaries aren't crossed again.
If gossip includes someone talking about you behind your back, it can be really hurtful, and this also will affect your trust because you will be unable to know whether the person is just saying what you want to hear and saying something different in front of different audiences, or telling you the truth.
Falling into a habit of gossiping can occur for a few reasons, including when feelings are hurt, rather than confronting the offender, a person turns to a mutual friend to vent or for support. The problem with this is it creates triangulation, drawing in people who were not originally involved with the issue. This can lead to people taking sides, often making the problem worse.
We may do this to seek validation, because we worry we have overreacted, or want others to confirm our feelings.
According to the passage, why do women tend to be associated with gossip
A. Because women like to talk more than men.
B. Because society has trained women to be indirect communicators and direct women are labeled negatively.
C. Because women have more free time to gossip.
D. Because men don't like to gossip.
What is the main idea of the passage
A. To explain why men are better leaders than women.
B. To discuss the reasons and effects of gossip and how to deal with it.
C. To describe different types of communication tactics.
D. To compare the communication styles of men and women.
If someone gossips about you behind your back, what might happen
A. You will become more popular.
B. It will have no effect on you.
C. It can hurt your feelings and affect your trust in others.
D. You will learn more about yourself.
What does the word "triangulation" in the passage probably mean
A. A triangle-shaped object.
B. A situation where three people are involved in a conflict.
C. A method of communication.
D. A type of gossip.
Passage 2
The world of advertising and social media often portrays the postpartum phase as a time of cozy contentment, filled with moments of mum-and-baby snuggles. However, the reality can be quite different. Ivana Poko experienced something unexpected when she gave birth to twins in 2016. Unbeknownst to her, she was suffering from postpartum rage, a mood disruption causing intense anger, aggression, and agitation in the weeks and months after giving birth.
New mothers may find themselves acting out of character. They might struggle to control their temper, screaming or swearing, experiencing violent thoughts or urges, and maybe even expressing their anger physically by punching or throwing things. After these flashpoints, it's common for women with postpartum rage to feel angry first, then angry with themselves for being angry. Ivana explains, "I felt angry that they were born in the first place, as my life changed." And then she felt guilty for not feeling happy and enjoying it as she thought she should. She even regretted the decision to have the twins at one point in the early days because she saw them as aliens that ruined her life.
Although most people have at least heard of postpartum depression, postpartum rage is not often talked about, although evidence suggests it is just as prevalent. Dr Caroline Boyd, a clinical psychologist and author of "Mindful New Mum: A Mind-Body Approach to the Highs and Lows of Motherhood", says, "Anger is a normal, human emotion - we feel intense anger in the first year of having a baby - making anger even more prevalent than postpartum depression in Canada."
In a study published in the journal Qualitative Health Research, it was found that as many as one in three women feel intense anger in the first year of having a baby. This shows that postpartum rage is a significant issue that needs more attention and understanding.
According to the passage, what is postpartum rage
A. A mood disruption causing intense happiness and contentment.
B. A mood disruption causing intense anger, aggression, and agitation after giving birth.
C. A physical illness that new mothers often get.
D. A type of postpartum depression.
What can be inferred from the passage about postpartum rage
A. It is more common than postpartum depression in Canada.
B. It is only experienced by a few new mothers.
C. It is not a normal human emotion.
D. It is well-known and widely discussed.
What did Ivana Poko feel after giving birth to twins
A. She only felt happy and content.
B. She felt angry first and then guilty for not feeling happy.
C. She had no special feelings.
D. She felt depressed all the time.
What is the main idea of the passage
A. To introduce the joys of motherhood.
B. To describe the symptoms of postpartum depression.
C. To raise awareness of postpartum rage, a less-acknowledged but prevalent postnatal experience.
D. To compare postpartum rage with other postnatal emotions.
Passage 3
Anne Pringle was surveying mushrooms at a field site in Tomales Bay State Park, just north of San Francisco, when she found herself in a predicament. She was surrounded by a sea of one of the world's most dangerous mushrooms: Amanita phalloides, commonly known as the death cap.
"I couldn't put my foot down without stepping on them," Pringle says. "It was just a valley of death. A total infestation."
That was 20 years ago, when Pringle, now a mycologist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, was doing research at the University of California, Berkeley. Despite its proliferation, there was a rumor that the deadly mushroom hadn't originated on the Golden Coast. Six years and much DNA sequencing later, Pringle proved the rumor true: North America's death cap mushroom was an invader, a fungal species likely native to Europe.
Now found thousands of miles outside that original range, death caps are the culprit behind most mushroom-related poisonings. Their powerful toxins start to attack the human body in as little as six hours after they're consumed, causing abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting that, if untreated, can result in fatal liver failure. Last August three people in Australia died from ingesting death caps, victims of an alleged poisoning. The mushroom—about five inches tall with a greenish yellow-white cap—can be easily mistaken as edible. In British Columbia, a
But death caps didn't evolve to kill people. These mushrooms are mycorrhizal fungi. They spring from a tangle of fungal threads that grow in soil and curl around tree roots, helping the trees take up nutrients. This activity underground both intrigues and worries scientists, like Pringle, who say we know too little about the fungal kingdom and what happens when these underground networks are rewired.
What happened to Anne Pringle 20 years ago
A. She discovered a new type of mushroom.
B. She was surrounded by death cap mushrooms while surveying.
C. She proved the origin of death cap mushrooms.
D. She got poisoned by death cap mushrooms.
What is the main idea of the passage
A. To introduce the appearance of death cap mushrooms.
B. To warn people not to eat mushrooms.
C. To describe Anne Pringle's research on death cap mushrooms and their characteristics.
D. To explain how to identify edible mushrooms.
According to the passage, what can we infer about death cap mushrooms
A. They are only found in North America.
B. They are beneficial to trees.
C. They are easy to identify.
D. They have no toxins.
What does the word "mycorrhizal" in the last paragraph probably mean
A. Poisonous.
B. Related to tree roots.
C. Edible.
D. Found in Europe.
