# Let's all be friends

- 科目：雅思阅读真题（Part 3）
- 考频：中频
- 最近考试：2025.12.3北京理工大学
- 题目数：14
- 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/1da3da55-14bb-4f5f-82df-eff13d4fafd5（在线机考练习与音频请访问该页面）
- 数据更新：2026-10-29

## 题目原文

New research shows how the people we are in social contact with can influence us for better - and worse. Governments should take heed 
 
 A 
 From healthcare to climate change, governments today face a range of problems in which they must persuade people to change their behaviour. But maybe instead of relying on their powers of persuasion, governments should consider using the science of social networks as a tool to do this. True, many claims for the power of these are based on the hype surrounding major social networking websites. But the basic idea is simple: people can join together in groups with particular patterns of social links, and these patterns then have important effects on the way they behave. 
 
 B 
 The shape of these networks has surprising effects. Take an unlikely example: stage musicals. Brian Uzzi is a sociologist at Northwestern University in Chicago. He is also a big fan of musicals. Musicals have been big business for decades, but investors have to guess which shows will be a hit. Bye Bye Birdie, a profitable 1960 production, ran for 607 nights. Bring Back Birdie, its 1981 sequel, closed after just four. Intrigued, Uzzi used network science to find out why. 
 
 C 
 He investigated 321 American musicals that were launched between 1945 and 1989, paying particular attention to whether the team of director, producers, choreographers and writers had worked together before. After crunching the statistics, he discovered something remarkable. Teams who had never worked together, perhaps unsurprisingly, fared poorly: their 'weak' networks meant a lack of creative vision, and lots of failures. And at the other extreme, teams that had worked together successfully also tended to produce flops. Sometimes, lacking outside creative input, the team just rehashed the same ideas that worked the last time; sometimes, lacking newcomers, they 'developed' their vision in unwise ways. Either way, lightning rarely struck twice. But, in between, Uzzi found a point of balance. Groups with exactly the right mix of new and old participants reliably produced hits. This variation in the 'density' of the ties allowed easy communication and fostered greater creativity; new ideas from the outsiders meshed with the experience of the insiders. It made no difference whether a musical was about cats or roller-skating, or who starred in it - what mattered was the nature of the network binding its team together. 
 
 D 
 These insights have some fascinating consequences for policymaking-particularly in the area of health. According to network science, teenagers are more likely to adopt unhealthy eating habits if their friends' friends consume junk food, even if they don't personally know those individuals. Conversely, they may be encouraged to eat more healthily if their immediate friends do. This opens up opportunities for governments to reduce spending. For example, suppose a health authority has £100 and wants to improve the diets of ten people. If it invests £10 in each individual separately, it might only influence one or two. However, by investing the entire sum in persuading one or two key individuals who are central to a social network, the authority could trigger a cascade effect, influencing the entire group for a fraction of the cost. The same principle could be applied to other areas, such as encouraging physical exercise or quitting smoking. 
 
 E 
 However, the influence of networks is not always positive. The same mechanisms that can spread healthy behaviours can also amplify harmful ones. Financial panic, political extremism, and the rapid proliferation of unhealthy fads can all be accelerated by tightly-knit social networks. This presents a significant challenge for policymakers: how to harness the power of social connectivity for good while mitigating its potential for harm. Understanding the precise structure of these networks—identifying the key influencers and the strength of the connections between people—is therefore critical. Without this map of human relationships, any intervention risks being inefficient or could even produce unintended negative consequences.

## 题目与答案

### 27. Brian Uzzi’s research into Broadway musicals revealed that the success of a production was not determined by its subject matter or cast, but by the 27_____ of its creative team.

Brian Uzzi’s research into Broadway musicals revealed that the success of a production was not determined by its subject matter or cast, but by the 27_____ of its creative team.

**答案**：network

原文定位：It made no difference whether a musical was about cats or roller-skating, or who starred in it - what mattered was the nature of the network binding its team together

### 28. He found that groups composed entirely of newcomers were often unsuccessful due to a lack of 28_____ .

He found that groups composed entirely of newcomers were often unsuccessful due to a lack of 28_____ .

**答案**：vision

原文定位：Teams who had never worked together, perhaps unsurprisingly, fared poorly: their 'weak' networks meant a lack of creative vision, and lots of failures

同义替换：「groups」↔「teams」；「entirely of newcomers」↔「had never worked together」

### 29. Conversely, teams that had a history of working together also frequently produced 29_____ because they tended to reuse old ideas.

Conversely, teams that had a history of working together also frequently produced 29_____ because they tended to reuse old ideas.

**答案**：flops

原文定位：And at the other extreme, teams that had worked together successfully also tended to produce flops

### 30. The most successful teams had a 30_____ of experienced and new members.

The most successful teams had a 30_____ of experienced and new members.

**答案**：mix

原文定位：Groups with exactly the right mix of new and old participants reliably produced hits

同义替换：「the most successful teams」↔「reliably produced hits」；「experienced and new members」↔「new and old participants」

### 31. This balance in network 31_____ promoted effective communication and creativity.

This balance in network 31_____ promoted effective communication and creativity.

**答案**：density

原文定位：This variation in the 'density' of the ties allowed easy communication and fostered greater creativity

同义替换：「network」↔「ties」；「promoted」↔「fostered」

### 32. 32 Governments are currently very effective at using social network science.

32 Governments are currently very effective at using social network science.

- YES
- NO
- NOT GIVEN

**答案**：NO

原文定位：But maybe instead of relying on their powers of persuasion, governments should consider using the science of social networks as a tool to do this

### 33. 33 Bring Back Birdie was financially successful.

33 Bring Back Birdie was financially successful.

- YES
- NO
- NOT GIVEN

**答案**：NO

原文定位：Bring Back Birdie, its 1981 sequel, closed after just four

### 34. 34 Uzzi’s study analysed musicals from the first half of the 20th century.

34 Uzzi’s study analysed musicals from the first half of the 20th century.

- YES
- NO
- NOT GIVEN

**答案**：NO

原文定位：He investigated 321 American musicals that were launched between 1945 and 1989

### 35. 35 The eating habits of a teenager can be affected by someone they have never met.

35 The eating habits of a teenager can be affected by someone they have never met.

- YES
- NO
- NOT GIVEN

**答案**：YES

原文定位：According to network science, teenagers are more likely to adopt unhealthy eating habits if their friends' friends consume junk food, even if they don't personally know those individuals

同义替换：「can be affected by someone they have never met」↔「even if they don't personally know those individuals」

### 36. 36 Investing money in central figures is guaranteed to be more cost-effective.

36 Investing money in central figures is guaranteed to be more cost-effective.

- YES
- NO
- NOT GIVEN

**答案**：NO

原文定位：However, by investing the entire sum in persuading one or two key individuals who are central to a social network, the authority could trigger a cascade effect, influencing the entire group for a fraction of the cost

### 37. The Implications of Network Science Positive use for governments: Can be used to improve public health initiatives, e.g., diet and 37_____.

The Implications of Network Science Positive use for governments: Can be used to improve public health initiatives, e.g., diet and 37_____.

**答案**：exercise

原文定位：The same principle could be applied to other areas, such as encouraging physical exercise or quitting smoking

### 38. Targeting key people in a network can create a 38_____ effect, influencing many others.

Targeting key people in a network can create a 38_____ effect, influencing many others.

**答案**：cascade

原文定位：the authority could trigger a cascade effect, influencing the entire group for a fraction of the cost

同义替换：「create」↔「trigger」

### 39. Risks and challenges: Networks can also spread 39_____ behaviours, like financial panic or extreme views.

Risks and challenges: Networks can also spread 39_____ behaviours, like financial panic or extreme views.

**答案**：harmful

原文定位：The same mechanisms that can spread healthy behaviours can also amplify harmful ones

同义替换：「spread」↔「amplify」

### 40. To use networks effectively, policymakers must understand their 40_____ .

To use networks effectively, policymakers must understand their 40_____ .

**答案**：structure

原文定位：Understanding the precise structure of these networks;is therefore critical

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