When you get in your car, you reach for it. When you're at work, you take a break to have a moment alone with it. When you get into a lift, you play with it.
Cigarette? Cup of coffee? No, it's the third most addictive thing in modern life, the cell phone. And experts say it is becoming more difficult for many people to curb their longing to hug it more tightly than most of their personal relationships.
The costs are becoming more and more evident, and I don't mean just the monthly bill. Dr. Chris Knippers, a counselor at the Betty ford Center in Southern California, reports that the overuse of cell phones has become a social problem not much different from other harmful addictions: a barrier to one-on-one personal contact, and an escape from reality. Sounds extreme, but we' ve all witnessed the evidence: The person at a restaurant who talks on the phone through an entire meal, ignoring his kids around the table; the woman who talks on the phone in the car, ignoring her husband; the teen who texts messages all the way home from school, avoiding contact with kids all around him. Jim Williams, an industrial sociologist based in Massachusetts, notes that cell - phone addiction is part of a set of symptoms in a widening gulf of personal separation. He points to a study by Duke University researchers that found one-quarter of Americans say they have no one to discuss their most important personal business with. Despite the growing use of phones, e - mail and instant messaging, in other words, Williams says studies show that we don't have as many friends as our parents." Just as more information has led to less wisdom, more acquaintances via the Internet and cell phones have produced fewer friends," he says.
If the cell phone has truly had these effects, it's because it has become very widespread. Consider that in 1987, there were only l million cell phones in use. Today, something like 300 million Americans carry them. They far outnumber wired phones in the United States.From the first two paragraphs, we can know ________.
| A．cell phones have become as addictive as cigarettes |
| B．cell phone addiction is good for building personal relationships |
| C．people are longing to have their own cell phones |
| D．cell phones are the same as cigarettes |
Cell phone addiction has caused the following effects EXCEPT_________
| A．a barrier to personal contact |
| B．fewer friends |
| C．an escape from reality |
| D．a serious illness |
The underlined word "curb" in Paragraph 2 means________.
| A．ignore | B．control | C．develop | D．rescue |
The example of a woman talking on the phone in the car supports the idea that__________.
| A．women use cell phones more often than men |
| B．talking on the phone while driving is dangerous |
| C．cell phones do not necessarily bring people together |
| D．cell phones make one - on - one personal contact easy |
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．Cell phones are the New Cigarettes |
| B．Cell phones are harmful to the Society |
| C．The New Report about the Cell phone |
| D．The Disadvantages of the Cell phone |
Farmers, especially in developing countries, are often criticized for cutting down forests. But a new study suggests that many farmers recognize the value of keeping trees.
Researchers using satellite images found at least ten percent tree cover on more than one billion hectares of farmland. That is almost half the farmland in the world. Earlier estimates were much lower but incomplete. The authors of the new study say it may still underestimate the true extent worldwide.
The study found the most tree cover in South America. Next comes Africa south of the Sahara, followed by Southeast Asia. North Africa and West Asia have the least.
The study found that climate conditions alone could not explain the amount of tree cover in different areas. Nor could the size of nearby populations, meaning people and trees can live together. There are areas with few trees but also few people, and areas with many trees and many people. The findings suggest that things like land rights, markets or government policies can influence tree planting and protection.
Dennis Garrity, who heads the World Agroforestry Center, says farmers are acting on their own to protect and plant trees. The problem, he says, is that policy makers and planners have been slow to recognize this and to support such efforts.
The satellite images may not show what the farmers are using the trees for, but trees provide nuts, fruit, wood and other products. They also help prevent soil loss and protect water supplies. Even under drought(干旱)conditions, trees can often provide food and a way to earn money until the next growing season.
Some trees act as natural fertilizers. They take nitrogen(氮气)out of the air and put it in the soil. Scientists at the Center say the use of fertilizer trees can re-duce the need for chemical nitrogen by up to three-fourths. Trees also capture carbon dioxide, a gas linked to climate change.Through the study, the researchers found that .
| A．there are more trees on farmlands than expected |
| B．fewer trees are being cut in developing countries |
| C．most farmers still don’t realize the value of trees |
| D．trees play a key role in preventing climate change |
Which of the following has the least tree cover?
| A．Southeast Asia | B．West Asia. |
| C．South America. | D．Africa south of the Sahara. |
In Dennis Garrity’s opinion, .
| A．most farmers care about nothing but their own interests |
| B．there are usually few people living in areas with few trees |
| C．government plays a small role in tree planting and protection |
| D．government should support farmers in planting and protecting trees |
The sixth paragraph mainly tells about .
| A．how farmers plant trees |
| B．what products trees can bring |
| C．the importance of trees to farmers |
| D．the environmental value of tree cover |
Dreams can be familiar and strange, fantastical or boring, but some dreams might be connected to the mental processes that help us learn. In a recent study, scientists found a connection between nap-time dreams and better memory in people who were learning a new skill.
In the study,99 college students between the ages of 18 and 30 each spent an hour on a compute, trying to get through a virtual maze（迷宫）.The maze was different place each time they tired—making it even more difficult. They were also told to find a particular picture of a tree and remember where it was.
For the first 90 minutes of a five-hour break, half of the participants stayed awake and an half were told to take a short nap .Participants who stayed awake were asked to describe their thoughts. Participants who took a nap were asked about their dreams before sleep and after sleep—and they were awakened within a minute of sleep to describe their dreams.
Stickgold, a neuroscientist（神经科学家）,wanted to know what people were dreaming about when their eyes weren＇t moving during sleep.
Four of the 50 people who slept said their dreams were connected to the maze. Some dreamed about the music that had been playing when they were working ; others said they dreamed about seeing people in the maze. When these four people tried the computer maze again, they were able to find the tree faster than before their naps.
Stickgold suggests the dream itself doesn‘t help a person learn—it＇s the other way around.He suspects that the dream was caused by the brain processes associated with learning.
All four of the people who dreamed about the task had done poorly the first time, which makes Stickgold wonder if the dreams show up when a person finds a new task particularly difficult. People who had other dreams, or people who didn＇t take a nap, didn＇t show the same improvement.Before having a short nap, participants of the experiment were asked to .
| A．stay in a different place in the maze |
| B．design a virtual maze which is difficult to get through |
| C．experience the experiment and try to remember something |
| D．get through a virtual maze on a computer from the same place |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．Participants who took a nap were required to express their thoughts. |
| B．Some dreams may encourage people to invent something new. |
| C．Participants who dreamed about films could finish the task more easily. |
| D．Participants whose dreams had something to do with the maze could find the tree faster. |
According to Stickgold, .
| A．every person may dream about what they learned |
| B．people＇s brain processes may still be connected with their learning in their dreams |
| C．once people＇s eyes stop moving, they are sure to dream about something |
| D．no matter how fantastical or boring, dreams are connected with people＇s life |
What is the best title for this text?
| A．Dreams Are Strange | B．Not All Dreams Are True |
| C．Dreaming Makes Perfect | D．Stickgold, a Dream Expert |
“ Yeah！ Auntie is here! “ screamed my husband’s niece and nephew together. “ Let me get the door!” “ No, let me !” Each one’s goal was to get there first and open the door for their Auntie, Me!
I couldn’t get enough of them, of their youthful love of life, and their excitement every time I visited! To be honest, it was partially because of the Surprise Travel Bag that I carried in. It was a tradition that I started when they were young. Each time I went to see them, I would take a large bag filled with toys, coloring books, candy, magic markers and “games”.
The contents(内容) were different but the rules were not. They included: one may get a turn to choose what activity we would do; another may take a turn to go first when we played a game; ..... We shared the treats after the games and cleaned up after we played . Then, sadly, they watched the Surprise Travel Bag go away with their Auntie.
Now my niece and nephew have grown into young adults. They spend most of their visits listening to their iPods, messaging on their phones.... I completely forgot that I had put my two Surprise Travel Bags in the basement(地下室) until my husband found them this weekend.
I held the bags tightly in my arms, remembering our laughter and fun-filled get-togethers. My big decision now is to whom I will pass the Surprise Travel Bags so that the fun that the bags help to create can continue.When the author came for a visit, the children were _________.
| A．uninterested | B．excited | C．bored | D．upset |
We learn from the passage that the author would ________.
| A．change the contents in the bags |
| B．change the rules each time she visited |
| C．choose the activity for the children |
| D．leave the bag behind for the children |
The author’s purpose in writing the passage is to ________.
| A．sell her Surprise Travel Bags |
| B．show us how to travel happily |
| C．share her good memories |
| D．teach us how to play with children |
Why did the author forget the Surprise Travel Bags?
| A．Because she is too old to remember them. |
| B．Because the children have grown up and have their own interests. |
| C．Because she has put too many things in the basement. |
| D．Because she doesn’t like the children any longer. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．The Surprise Travel Bags | B．How to Play with Children |
| C．Travel with My Surprise Travel Bag | D．My Family Life |
Using too much water or throwing rubbish into our rivers are clear ways that humans can put our water supply in danger, but we also affect our water supply in less obvious ways. You may wonder how paving(铺砌) a road can lead to less usable fresh water. A major part of the water we use every day is groundwater. Groundwater does not come from lakes or rivers. It comes from underground. The more roads and parking lots we pave, the less water can flow into the ground to become groundwater.
Human activity is not responsible for all water shortages(短缺). Drier climates are of course more likely to have droughts(干旱) than areas with more rainfall, but in any case, good management can help to make sure there is enough water to meet our basic needs.
Thinking about the way we use water every day can make a big difference, too. In the United States, a family of four can use 1.5tons of water a day! This shows how much we depend on water to live, but there's a lot we can do to lower the number.
You can take steps to save water in your home. To start with, use the same glass for your drinking water all day. Wash it only once a day. Run your dishwasher only when it is full. Help your parents fix any leaks (泄露、漏洞)in your home. You can even help to keep our water supply clean by recycling batteries instead of throwing them away.Which of the following is most likely to lead to less groundwater?
| A．Using river water. | B．Throwing batteries away. |
| C．paving parking lots. | D．Throwing rubbish into lakes. |
The meaning of the underlined word mans .
| A．water on the ground | B．water from a well(井) |
| C．water from the deep earth | D．water from lakes or rivers |
What can be inferred from the text?
| A．All water shortages are because of human behavior. |
| B．It takes a lot of efforts to meet our water needs. |
| C．There is much we can do to reduce family size. |
| D．The average family in America makes proper use of water. |
The last paragraph is intended to .
| A．show us how to fix leaks at home |
| B．tell us how to run a dishwasher |
| C．prove what drinking glass is best for us |
| D．suggest what we do to save water at home |
The text is mainly about _____________.
| A．why paving roads reduces our water. |
| B．how much we depend on water to live. |
| C．why droughts occur more in dry climates. |
| D．how human activity affects our water supply. |
Computers can injure you. Most other injuries happen suddenly. For example, if you fall off a bike and break your arms, it happens very quickly. But computer injuries happen slowly.
You probably know how to ride a bike safely. Now learn to use a computer safely.
Your eyes--Too much light can injure your eyes, so never sit too close to a computer screen. Your eyes should be at least 50 centimeters (厘米) from the screen. Remember to look away from it sometimes. This gives your eyes a rest.
When you use a computer, the window should be on your left or your right. If it is behind you, the light will reflect (反射) on the screen. If the window is in front of you, the sun and the screen will both shine into your eyes.
Your hands--Hand injuries can happen because the hands are moved in the same way hundreds of times. If you use a keyboard for a long time, follow this rule: Stop sometimes and exercise your hands and fingers in different ways.
Your back--Some people sit for many hours in front of a computer. If you sit in the wrong way, you can injure your back and your neck. So you should sit with your back straight. The top part of the screen should be in front of your eyes. If you are sitting for a long time, get up every 30 minutes and exercise your arms, legs and neck.
Enjoy your computer, but use it safely.How many kinds of computer injuries are mentioned in this passage?
| A．One. | B．Two | C．Three. | D．Four. |
A computer screen may injure your eyes if .
| A．you sit 60 centimeters away |
| B．you remember to look away |
| C．your eyes are too close to it |
| D．the window is on your left or right |
Your eyes and hands will be safe if _________.
| A．you work near a window |
| B．you often take rests from working |
| C．you use a keyboard for a long time |
| D．the window is behind you |
Which sentence is NOT true according to this passage?
| A．You should sit with your back straight while you work on a computer. |
| B．Staying in front of a computer too long may injure your eyes. |
| C．When you work on a computer, your hands almost move in the same way. |
| D．The writer thinks that computer is bad for your health. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．How to protect your eyes |
| B．How to protect your hands |
| C．How to use a computer safely |
| D．How to protect your back |
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