The concept of solitude (独处) in the digital world is almost non-existent. In the world of digital technology, e-mail, social networking and online video games, information is meant to be 　 36 . Solitude can be hard to discover 　37 it has been given up. In this respect, new technologies have 　38 our culture.

The desire to be connected has brought solitude to a(n) 　39 as we’ve known it. People have become so 　40 in the world of networks and connections that one can often be contacted 　41 they’d rather not be. Today we can talk, text, e-mail, chat and blog (写博客), not only from our 　42 , but from our mobile phones as well.

Most developed nations have become 　43 on digital technology simply because they’ve grown accustomed to it, and at this point not 　44 it would make them an outsider. 　45 , many jobs and careers require people to be 　46 . From this point of view, technology has changed the culture of work. Being reachable might feel like a 　47 to those who may not want to be able to be contacted at all times.

I suppose the positive side is that solitude is still possible for anyone who 　48 wants it. Computers can be shut 　49 and mobile phones can be turned off. The ability to be “connected” and “on” has many 　50 , as well as disadvantages. Travelers have ended up 　51 on mountains, and mobile phones have saved countless lives. They can also make people feel　 52　 and forced to answer unwanted calls or 　53 to unwanted texts.

Attitudes towards our connectedness as a society 　54 across generations, Some find today’s technology a gift. Others consider it a curse. Regardless of anyone’s view on the subject, it’s hard to imagine what life would be like 　55 daily advancements in technology.

36. A. updated　　 B. received　 　　 C. shared　　 　 D. collected

37. A. though　　 B. until　 　　　　 C. once　　　　 D. before

38. A. respected　 B. shaped　　　 C. ignored　　 　 D. preserved

39. A. edge　　　 　 B. stage　　　 　 C. end　　　　 　 D. balance

40. A. sensitive　　 B. intelligent　　 C. considerate　 D. reachable

41. A. even if　 　 B. only if　　　 C. as if　　　 　 D. if only

42. A. media　　 　 B. computers　 C. databases　　 D. monitors

43. A. bent　　　 B. hard　　　　 C. keen　　　 　 D. dependent

44. A. finding　　 B. using　　　 　 C. protecting　　 D. changing

45. A. Also　　　 B. Instead　　 　 C. Otherwise　 D. Somehow

46. A. connected　 B. trained　　　 C. recommended 　　　 D. interested

47. A. pleasure　 　　 B. benefit　　　 C. burden　　　 D. disappointment

48. A. slightly　　 　 B. hardly　　　 　 C. merely　　　 D. really

49. A. out　　　　 B. down　　　 C. up 　　　　　　　　　 D. in

50. A. aspects　　 B. weaknesses　 C. advantages　 　 D. exceptions

51. A. hidden　　 B. lost　　　　 C. relaxed　　　 D. deserted

52. A. trapped　　 B. excited　　　 C. confused　　 D. amused

53. A. turn　　　 B. submit　　　 C. object　　 　　 D. reply

54. A. vary　　　 B. arise　　　　 C. spread　　 　 D. exist

55. A. beyond　　 　 B. within　　　 C. despite　　 　 D. without

The concept of solitude(独处) in the digital world is almost non-existent. In the world of digital technology, e-mail, social networking and online video games, information is meant to be 　36 . Solitude can be hard to discover 　37 it has been given up. In this respect, new technologies have 　38 our culture.

The desire to be connected has brought solitude to a(n) 　39 as we’ve known it. People have become so 　40 in the world of networks and connections that one can often be contacted 　41 they’d rather not be. Today we can talk, text, e-mail, chat and blog(写博客), not only from our 　42 , but from our mobile phones as well.

Most developed nations have become 　43 on digital technology simply because they’ve grown accustomed to it, and at this point not 　44 it would make them an outsider. 　45 , many jobs and careers require people to be 　46 . From this point of view, technology has changed the culture of work. Being reachable might feel like a 　47 to those who may not want to be able to be contacted at all times.

I suppose the positive side is that solitude is still possible for anyone who 　48 wants it. Computers can be shut 　49 and mobile phones can be turned off. The ability to be “connected” and “on” has many 　50 , as well as disadvantages. Travelers have ended up 　51 on mountains, and mobile phones have saved countless lives. They can also make people feel 　52 and forced to answer unwanted calls or 　53 to unwanted texts.

Attitudes towards our connectedness as a society 　54 across generations. Some find today’s technology a gift. Others consider it a curse. Regardless of anyone’s view on the subject, it’s hard to imagine what life would be like 　55 daily advancements in technology.

36. A. updated　　 　　 B. received　 　　　 C. shared　　 　 D. collected.

37. A. though　　 　　 B. until.　　 　　　 C. once　　　 　　 D. before.

38. A. respected　 　　 B. shaped　　 　　 C. ignored　 　　 D. preserved.

39. A. edge　　　 　　　 B. stage　　　 　　 C. end　　　 　　　 D. balance.

40. A. sensitive　 　　　 B. intelligent　 　　 C. considerate 　　 D. reachable.

41. A. even if　 　　　　 B. only if　　 　　 C. as if　 　　　　 D. if only

42. A. media　　 　　　 B. computers 　　　 C. databases 　　　　 D. monitors

43. A. bent　　 　　　　　 B. hard　 　　　　　 C. keen　 　　　　 D. dependent

44. A. finding　 　　　　　 B. using　 　　　　　 C. protecting 　　 D. changing

45. A. Also　　 　　　　　 B. Instead　 　　　 C. Otherwise 　　 D. Somehow

46. A. connected 　　　 B. trained 　　　　 C. recommended D. interested

47. A. pleasure 　　　　 B. benefit 　　　　　 C. burden 　　　 D. disappointment

48. A. slightly　 　　　　 B. hardly　　 　　　 C. merely　 　　　　　　 D. really.

49. A. out　 　　　　　 B. down 　　　　 C. up　 　　　　 D. in

50. aspects　 　　　　 B. weaknesses 　 C. advantages 　　　 D. exceptions.

51. A. hidden　 　　　　　 B. lost　 　　　　　　 C. relaxed　 　　　　 D. deserted

52. A. trapped 　　　　 B. excited 　　　　 C. confused 　　　　　　 D. amused

53. A. turn　 　　　　　　 B. submit 　 　　 C. object　 　　　　 D. reply

54. A. vary　 　　　　　 B. arise　 　　　　　 C. spread　 　　　　 D. exist

55. A. beyond 　　　　 B. within　 　　　　 C. despite 　　　　　 D .without

In January of 1968, I was “surfing” TV channels when I was caught by Funny Business, a show about cartoons. I had always wanted to be a(n) 36 but never knew how to go about it. I wrote to the host of the show, cartoonist Jack Cassady, asking him for advice 37 entering the profession.

A few weeks later, I got an encouraging 38 letter from Jack, 39 all of my specific questions. He went on to warn me of the possibility of being 40 at first, advising me not to get discouraged 41 that happened. He went further, saying the cartoon 42 I sent him were good and worthy of publication.

I got very 43 and submitted my best cartoons to Playboy and New Yorker. The magazines quickly rejected me with 44 little photocopied form letters. Frustrated, I decided to 45 cartooning.

In June of 1987, I was surprised to get a second letter from Jack Cassady. It 　46 as follows:

“Dear Scott, I’m dropping you this note to again encourage you to 47 your ideas to various publications. I 48 you lots of luck, sales and good drawing.”

I hadn’t 49 thanked him for his first letter! Again, I dragged out my art brushes and set to 50 the sample strips(连环漫画) now known as Dilbert. It finally became popular.

As Dilbert 51 more successful, I came to appreciate Jack’s simple act of 52 .

How can you ever 53 a kindness like that? Just reach out to some person who badly needs encouragement and 54 it on. Do it for somebody who knows you have nothing to gain. There’s no 55 thing as a small and great act of kindness.　　　　　

36. A. actor　 　　　　　 B. writer　　　　　　　　　　　 C. photographer　　　　　 D. cartoonist

37. A. on　　　　　　　　　　 B. with　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. in 　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. to

38. A. informal　　　　　　 B. formal　　　　　　　　　　 C. handwritten　　　　　　　　　　 D. printing

39. A. asking　　　　　　　　 B. answering　　　　　　　　 C. neglecting　　　　　　　　 D. replying

40. A. published　　　　　 B. rejected　　　　　　　　　 C. recognized　　　　　　　 D. appreciated

41. A. if　　　　　　　　　　　 B. unless　　　　　　　　　　 C. since　　　　　　　　　　　 D. before

42. A. magazines　　　　　 B. books　　　　　　　　　　　 C. samples　　　　　　　　　 D. models

43. A. disappointed　　　 B. excited　　　　　　　　　　 C. interested　　　　　　　　 D. surprised

44. A. impolite　　　 B. kind　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. warm　　　　　　　　　　　 D. cold

45. A. forget about　　　 B. give in　　　　　　　　　　 C. build up　　　　　　　　　 D. get in

46. A. wrote　　　　　　　　 B. spoke　　　　　　　 　 C. told　　　　　　　　　 　 D. read

47. A. submit　　　　　　　 B. apply　　　　　　　　　　　 C. lead　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. add

48. A. expect　　　　　　　 B. hope　　　　　　　　　　　 C. wish　　　　　　　　　　　 D. may

49. A. even　　　　　　　　　 B. only　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. still　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. just

50. A. put on　　　　　　　　 B. work on　　　　　　　　　 C. give up　　　　　　　　　　 D. take on

51. A. seemed　　　　　　　 B. went　　　　　　　　 　 C. became 　　　　　　　　 D. came

52. A. love　　　　　　　　　 B. friendship　　　　　　　　 C. hurt　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. kindness

53. A. award　　　　　　　　 B. pay　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. treat　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. repay

54. A. pass 　　　　　 　　B. receive　　　　　　　　　　 C. deliver　　　 　　　 D. move

55. A. so　　　　　　　　　　 B. this　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. such　　　　　　　　　　　 D. like

I had just finished high school when a disaster hit our family. It was October 1962, and 　 21　 was out of the question. So I found a job. In 1971, my employer announced only graduates(大学毕业生) would get 　22　 . My job seemed at a dead end unless I 　 23　 further. And to graduate, I had to pass the higher secondary examination first.

　　　 I 　 24　 an admission form（表格） and rode to the Human Resource（人力资源） Management office. On arriving there, I was 　 25　 ---I couldn’t find the form. It was the last day to 　 26　 the form, and no blank forms were 　27　 at the office. I was standing there, disappointed, 　 28　 an elderly gentleman asked me why I looked so 　 29　 . I told him what happened, 　 30　 , “Now I’ll have to wait another year.”

　　　 “Well,” he said, “if you’re really serious about studying further, come with me. I have a 　 31　 blank form at home.”

　　　 It was 12:30 pm. The counter（柜台） would 　 32　 at 2 pm. His home was 10 km away and I had a slight 　33 of going somewhere with a stranger. Anyway, this was my last chance. We reached his house on my bike. He advised me to remain 　 34　 , and gave me a pen and the form. When it was 　 35　 , he told me to rush back and 　　36　 carefully. I reached the office at 1:58 pm. There were two people in line, waiting for their 　37　 . Just then, the counter official announced that no more forms would be 　 38　 after mine. I breathed a sigh of 　 39　 .

　　　 I passed the exam and later got a bachelor’s degree. I also got the promotions. I 　　40　 it all to the timely help from a true gentleman whose name I forgot to ask.

21. A. education　　　　　 B. competition　　　　　　　 C. college　　　　　　　　　　 D. employment

22. A. attention　　　　　　 B. promotions　　　　　　　 C. prizes　　　　　　　　　　　 D. approval

23. A. attempted　　　　　 B. explained　　　　　　　　 C. studied　　　　　　　　　　 D. worked

24. A. filled in　　　　　　　 B. stepped onto　　　　　　 C. put down　　　　　　　　 D. looked at

25. A. ashamed　　　　　　 B. frightened　　　　　　　　 C. embarrassed　　　　　　 D. shocked

26. A. review　　　　　　　 B. submit　　　　　　　 　 C. find　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. revise

27. A. appropriate　　　　 B. available　　　　　 　 C. practical　　　　　　　　　 D. helpful

28. A. when　　　　　　　　 B. before　　　　　　　 　 C. unless　　　　　　　　　　 D. until

29. A. serious　　　　 　 B. angry　　　　　　　 　 C. troubled　　　　　　　　　 D. tired

30. A. agreeing　　　　　　 B. suggesting　　　　 　 C. responding　　　　　　　 D. adding

31. A. special　　　　　　　 B. similar　　　　　　　 　 C. private　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. spare

32. A. close　　　　　　　　 B. move　　　　　　　　　　　 C. change　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. reset

33. A. regret　　　　　　　　 B. fear　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. sadness　　　　　　　　　 D. puzzle

34. A. quiet　　　　　　　　　 B. slow　　　　　　　　　　　 C. calm　　　　　　　　　　　 D. polite

35. A. rewritten　　　　　　 B. done　　　　　　　　　　　 C. corrected　　　　　　　　 D. read

36. A. follow　　　　　　　　 B. walk　　　　　　　　　　　 C. drive　　　　　　　　　　　 D. answer

37. A. form　　　　　　　　　 B. role　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. luck　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. turn

38. A. accepted B. chosen C. recommended　　　　　 D. recognized

39. A. relief　　　　　　　　　 B. confidence　　　　　　　 C. tension　　　　　　　　　　 D. anxiety

40. A. devote　　　　　　　 B. apply　　　　　　　　　　　 C. owe　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. connect