C. Entries without e-mail addresses are not accepted?

D. Yocan send pictures taken at any time?

24. What can The Irish Times use participants’ photos to do?

A. Promote itself as a better newspaper?

B. Advertise other photographic competitions?

C. Display all of the photos each Friday?

D. Sell the photos for money?B

Everyone seems to be living for someone else.

I had once helped a friend run a watermelon stall. I noticed something interesting: almost every buyer would lift the melon up to their ear, and tap it, apparently trying to listen to something. I wondered what they expected to hear. Finally I could no longer hold back my curiosity and asked a customer— an elderly gentleman— about this. Hearing my question, he roared with laughter. Then he replied in a self-mocking(自嘲) tone, “ Young lady, I have been doing this for more than fifty years. But all I know is that everybody would stare at yoas if yowere a fool if yojust pick up a melon and leave! ”

Not long after that, my watermelon stall friend sent me an invitation to her wedding, which really surprised me. I asked her, “ Why are yoseized by a sudden desire to get married? I don’ t remember ever hearing yomention that you’ ve got a boyfriend. ” She answered while counting money, “ Everyone has to get married anyway, so it is better to get married sooner than later. ”

I could think of no word to refute(反驳) her. It seems that everybody is living for everybody else and has forgotten the need of their own heart. It may be safe and save a lot of worries by following others’ suit in doing things. The use of WE or US will give one a steady and sure sense of pride. But why do people usually feel uneasy when using “ I” ? ?

I find all these things somewhat funny. We have got used to following others’ example. We feel at ease and justified simply because this is a way of US, a way which has been practiced by so many people. But is this massive practice really right?

25. Why did the elderly gentleman tap the watermelon before buying it?

A. Because he expected to hear something?

B. Because he was a fool?

C. Because he just wanted to follow the crowd?

D. Because it was his habit and it was hard for him to give it up ?

26. Which word can replace the underlined word“ justified” in the last paragraph?

A. reasonable B. embarrassed C. excited D. disappointed

27. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A. It may be safe to do what most people do?

B. People should live for others and forget their own heart?

C. The writer felt unexpected when her friend wanted to get married?

D. The use of We or I will give speakers themselves quite different senses?

28. In which section of a magazine can yoread the passage?

A. Nature and Art B. Sport and Health

C. Science and Technology D. Culture and SocietyC

The modern open office was originally designed for team building but now it is mostly distinguished by its high noise levels and lack of privacy.?

The noise of the open office is one of employees’ chief complaints, and research shows that the constant noise can actually destroy our motivation. In a study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, 40 female workers suffered from open - plan office noise for three hours. Another group experienced three hours of blessed quiet. Afterwards, both groups were given puzzles which had no

solution. The participants who’ d been treated to a quiet work setting kept working hard at the puzzles, while the participants who’ d stood the noisy conditions gave up after fewer attempts.?

Look around any open - plan office today and yowill see that many workers deal with this problem by wearing earplugs or headphones. Although it might seem that importing one’ s own noise wouldn’ t be much of a solution, experts say that this approach could be effective in at least one aspect.

Another frequent complaint is the lack of privacy in an open office. Designers and managers believed that workers would be more likely to have casual conversations that can inspire new ideas. However, research shows conversations among employees in open offices tend to be short and skin - deep.?

The original promoters also hoped that the setting would make co - workers available to help one other. That’ s great for the help seeker; not so great for the help giver who has her own work to do.?

29. What was the original purpose of open - plan offices?

A. To spare more room. B. To promote cooperation?

C. To reduce work stress. D. To save office expenses?

30. What’ s experts’ opinion about wearing earplugs?

A. It will make more noise. B. It destroy workers’ motivation?

C. It is helpful in a way. D. It will fix the problem completely?

31. What can we learn about open offices?