Speed-reading is a necessary skill in the Internet age. We skim over articles, e-mails and We Chat to try to grasp key words and the essential meaning of a certain text. Surrounded with information from our electronic devices, it would be impossible to cope if we read word by word, line by line. But a new trend calls on people to unplug and enjoy reading slowly, listing benefits beyond the intelligent stimulation.
A recent story from The Wall Street Journal reported on a book club in Wellington, New Zealand, where members meet in a cafe and turn off their smart phones. They sink into comfortable chairs and read in silence for an hour. Unlike traditional book clubs, the point of the slow reading club isn't exchanging ideas about a certain book, but to get away from electronic devices and read in a quiet, relaxed environment. According to the Journal, the Wellington book club is just one example of a movement started by book lovers who miss the old-fashioned way of reading before the Internet and smart phones.
Slow readers, such as The Atlantic's Maura Kelly, say a regular reading habit sharpens the mind, improves concentration, reduces stress levels and deepens the ability to sympathize(共鸣，同感). Another study published last year in Science showed that reading novels helps people understand other's mental states and beliefs, a fundamental skill in building relationships. Yet technology has made us less attentive readers. Screens have changed our reading patterns from the straight and information left-to-right sequence to a wild skimming and skipping pattern as we hunt for important words and information. Reading text punctuated(加标点符号)with links leads to weaker comprehension than reading plain text. The Internet may have made us stupider, says Patrick Kingsley from The Guardian. Because of the Internet, he says, we have become very good at collecting a wide range of interesting news, but we are also gradually forgetting how to sit back, reflect, and relate all these facts to each other.
Slow reading means a return to an uninterrupted, straight pattern, in a quiet environment free of distractions. Aim for 30 minutes a day, advises Kelly from The Atlantic. “You can squeeze in that half hour pretty easily if only during your free moments, you pick up a meaningful work of literature,” Kelly said. “Reach for your e-reader, if you like．Kindles make books like War and Peace less heavy, not less substantive, and also ensure you'll never lose your place.” According to Patrick Kingsley, people are stupider partly because of_____________.
| A．the straight, left-to-right screen |
| B．the lack of reflection |
| C．wide range of interesting news |
| D．a non-stop reading pattern |
According to the passage, slow reading___________.
| A．contributes to understanding among people |
| B．promotes the current technology advances |
| C．provides people with a quiet environment |
| D．cures the memory loss of elderly people |
What's the best title for the passage?
| A．Benefit of Reading Clubs |
| B．Reading of the Internet Age |
| C．Return of Slow Reading |
| D．Influence of Speed Reading |
The Spanish exploration was the beginning of the history of San Francisco Harbor. That long history is celebrated at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. The park’s main visitor center is only a few hundred meters from the waters of the great harbor. It is a memorial to the great ships and those who sailed them.
The visitor center holds many objects linked to the past of the great harbor. There are small ships, ship equipment, and hundreds of beautiful old photographs. Many visitors stop to look at a large painting of a huge sailing ship named the Balclutha.
Visitors who look at the painting can go out through the front door of the visitor center and see the real Balclutha. People walking near Fisherman’s Wharf often do not believe their eyes when they first see the Balclutha. Almost everyone stops and looks at the huge ship. The ship looks almost new. Several years ago, more than one million dollars was spent in repairing and painting it. Now, more than two hundred thousand people a year visit the ship.
The Balclutha is perhaps the most popular ship with visitors at the Maritime Park. However, there are also several other ships which are very important to the history of the great harbor. But not all of these ships are open to the public. One that is open is a small steam-powered workboat, called the Hercules. The Hercules was a tugboat. Until 1924 it pulled ships around the harbor.
Another boat popular with visitors is the Eureka. It was built in 1890. It is the largest wooden ship still floating today. The Eureka was a ferryboat. It carried people and cars across the bay. It did this until the Golden Gate Bridge and the Oakland Bay Bridge were built.
The park also has a very unusual looking museum. It is a large building that almost looks like a ship. The museum is filled with interesting equipment. One of the most interesting objects in the museum is a small sailboat called the Mermaid, which is only large enough for one person to sit in.The underlined word “It” in Paragraph 1 refers to _________.
| A．the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park |
| B．the Spanish exploration |
| C．the main visitor center |
| D．San Francisco Harbor |
What can we know about the Balclutha according to the passage?
| A．It is the largest wooden ship. |
| B．It is worth about one million dollars now. |
| C．It is a steam-powered workboat used to pull ships. |
| D．The huge ship attracts lots of visitors every year. |
The ships are described in the passage in order to _______.
| A．show the history of the great harbor |
| B．tell us each ship has its own features |
| C．tell us which one is the most popular |
| D．tell us these ships’ functions |
We know from the passage that ________.
| A．the Eureka is still used for carrying people and cars |
| B．the Hercules has not been used for pulling ships since 1924 |
| C．the Mermaid is a small tugboat that can only hold one person |
| D．most of the ships in the park are open to the public |
The largest-ever chariot pit (战车坑) of relics with carts and horse bones has been discovered in Henan Province. It may lead to the uncovering of chariot pit groups that could be a key to understanding Chinese civilizations that existed more than 2,000 years ago.
Experts said the relics are dated more than 300 years earlier than the famous warriors (武士) in Shaanxi Province. What excited the experts were two other projects that located two huge pits with similar features.
“It is absolutely a miracle. These relics indicate that there could be a tomb group in this area, which is likely to be important for China’s archaeological (考古学的) studies,” said Ma Juncai, a leading relic researcher in the province.
In ancient China, carts, sheep, spoons and so on were buried to ensure that dead people had a happy afterlife. The number and quality of the sacrifices indicated the social status of the dead. The custom was carried into the Qin Dynasty. Emperor Qinshihuang’s tomb, located near Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, is accompanied by thousands of wood or clay figures of warriors and horses. The tomb is probably the most well-known.
The discovered pit measures 10.4 meters long, 8.4 meters wide and 5 meters deep. It holds 20 carts in different sizes. The smallest one is 1.05 meters long and 1.3 meters wide.
Experts think that 40 horses are likely to be found as well. Careful plans need to be made to deal with the demanding uncovering. “The clay is very weak and a small misstep can destroy the whole project. That’s why we need to take every step very carefully to protect these cherished cultural relics,” Ma said. What’s the passage mainly about?
| A．The dead people’s sacrifices in ancient China. |
| B．China’s archaeological studies. |
| C．The discovery of a large chariot pit in Henan. |
| D．The history of Chinese civilizations. |
According to Ma Juncai, the uncovering of the three pits is a miracle because _______.
| A．it shows there may be a tomb group there |
| B．it’s helpful in discovering Emperor Qinshihuang’s tomb |
| C．the relics are dated such a long time ago |
| D．the relics are more than 300 years older than the ones in Shaanxi |
It can be inferred from Paragraph 4 that ______.
| A．all dead people had sacrifices in ancient China |
| B．the discovered pit is the most well-known in the world |
| C．the discovered pit dates back to the Qin Dynasty |
| D．Emperor Qinshihuang wanted to maintain his power after death |
Careful plans for the uncovering are needed because ______.
| A．another 40 horses are likely to be found as well |
| B．the whole uncovering could be destroyed easily |
| C．experts are too busy to spare time for it |
| D．the government hasn’t agreed to it |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The discovery has drawn the leading experts’ attention. |
| B．A lot of cultural relics have been discovered in Henan. |
| C．40 horses have been discovered together with the chariot pit. |
| D．The discovered carts in the chariot pit are similar in size. |
The Baima is a minority group of about 1,400 people. They have lived in Northern Sichuan and Southern Gansu Provinces for centuries. They have long depended on the forests as their main source of income. But since a ban on cutting down forests was introduced in the late 1990s to fight yearly flooding, the villagers have had to look for other means of earning a living.
Several are now in the process of developing a small tourism industry as their lands are rich in forests and natural scenery and are the home of the giant pandas. Xiangshujia, in particular, is becoming a popular bed and breakfast centre for tourists heading to Wanglang to see the giant pandas. Visitors are also starting to take notice of the Baima people themselves.
As our jeep stopped in the courtyard of a house, we were greeted by the village leader Li Qin and young Baima girls dressed in traditional costumes with white feathers in their hair. As we took our places on wooden benches near an open fire, the girls began to sing traditional songs as they served us.
“The number of tourists is growing,” said Li Qin. “We realize that to attract visitors we have to show our culture by offering more traditional singing and dancing and ensuring our houses are built in the traditional way.”
Relations between the Baima people and the reserve were once tense following the ban on cutting down forests. Villagers had to make a new living. They entered the Wanglang Nature Reserve to collect wild mushrooms and herbs (药草), often at the expense of disturbing the pandas’ habitat. But things greatly improved as villagers started receiving training in how to sell things to tourists.
“Our aim was to deter the villagers, because they often disturbed the pandas’ habitat, and to ensure they could have a long-lasting means of earning a living,” emphasized Chen Youping, director of the Wanglang Nature Reserve. “All the money from the reserve goes back into the community and conservation projects,” said Chen. “We take into consideration first the animals and then tourism.”From Paragraph 1 we learn that ________.
| A．the Baima has the longest history among all the minority groups in China |
| B．the Baima people live in most areas of Sichuan and Gansu Provinces |
| C．forests are the main source of firewood for the Baima people |
| D．in order to fight floods, the Baima people are forbidden to cut down forests |
We can infer that the Baima girls wore their traditional costumes to greet visitors mainly because _______.
| A．they wanted to look more beautiful |
| B．their leader Li Qin asked them to do so |
| C．it was a way to show their culture to attract visitors |
| D．it was necessary before they sang traditional songs |
Which of the following was NOT an effect of the ban on cutting down forests?
| A．The Baima people had a tense relationship with the reserve. |
| B．Villagers had to look for other means of making a living. |
| C．The pandas’ habitat was often disturbed by villagers. |
| D．Villagers stopped selling things to tourists. |
The underlined word “deter” in the last paragraph can be replaced by “________”.
| A．punish | B．stop | C．encourage | D．threaten |
Wine drinkers tend to buy healthier food than beer drinkers, according to a Danish study published on Tuesday on the website of a weekly medical magazine.
People who bought wine at the store were also more likely to buy fruit, vegetables, fish, lean meat (瘦肉) and milk than beer buyers did, said the study.
Beer buyers were more likely to buy frozen dinners, cold cuts, pork, sugary products, and soft drinks.
The study was conducted by four researchers from the National Institute of Public Health over the course of six months.
Alcohol researchers Erik Schulenburg and Marten Greenback and two other doctors collected 3.5 million receipts from 98 stores. The customers at the stores represented a large number of Danish people, they said.
“Our results confirm international studies which show that wine drinkers tend to eat more fruit, vegetables and fish and rarely eat fats, compared to those who like other kinds of alcoholic drinks,” they concluded.
Wine buyers also tended to have higher education levels, higher earnings and be in better mental health, they added.
Their interest in consumers’ shopping bags followed a series of studies in the Danish media. The studies suggested that wine drinkers ran a lower risk of cardiovascular (心血管的) disease and some types of cancer than beer drinkers.The passage mainly tells us that wine drinkers ______.
| A．eat more vegetables than beer drinkers |
| B．usually buy healthier food than beer drinkers |
| C．are mostly healthier than beer drinkers |
| D．run a lower risk of diseases than beer drinkers |
According to the passage, beer buyers are less likely to buy ______.
| A．cold cuts | B．pork | C．soft drinks | D．vegetables |
The researchers did the study mainly by means of ______.
| A．handing out papers with a list of questions |
| B．collecting receipts from stores |
| C．watching what customers bought at stores |
| D．visiting some families throughout the country |
Which of the following is NOT a feature of wine drinkers according to the passage?
| A．Rarely eating fats. | B．Being in better mental health. |
| C．Exercising more. | D．Having higher education levels. |
Someday a stranger will read your e-mail without your permission or scan the Website you've visited，Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchases or cell phone bills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits.
In fact, it's likely that some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girl friend, a marketing company, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen ---- the 21st century replacement of being caught naked.
Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it's important to reveal yourself to friends, family and lovers in stages, at appropriate times. But few boundaries remain. The digital bread crumbs(碎屑) you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to reconstruct who you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simple Google search can reveal what you think. Like it or not, increasingly we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret.
The key question is: Does that matter?
For many Americans, the answer apparently is "no."
When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. A survey found a strong bad feeling about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying they feel their privacy is "slipping away, and that bothers me."
But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny part of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths(收费站) to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that can track automobile movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards. Privacy economist Alessandro Acquisti has run a series of tests that reveal people will give away personal information like Social Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-off coupon(优惠卷)。
But privacy does matter ---- at least sometimes. It's like health: When you have it, you don't notice it. Only when it's gone do you wish you'd done more to protect it.
51. What does the author mean by saying "the 21st century replacement of being caught naked"?
A) People's personal information is easily accessed without their knowledge.
B) In the 21st century people try every means to look into others' secrets.
C) People tend to be more frank with each other in the information age.
D) Criminals are easily caught on the spot with advanced technology.
52.What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?
A) Friends should open their hearts to each other.
B) Friends should always be faithful to each other.
C) There should be a distance even between friends.
D) There should be fewer arguments between friends.
53. Why does the author say "we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret"？
A) Modern society has finally developed into an open society.
B) People leave traces around when using modern technology.
C) There are always people who are curious about others' affairs.
D) Many search engines benefit from giving away people's identities.
54. What do most Americans do as for privacy protection?
A) They change behaviors that might disclose their identity.
B) They use various loyalty cards for business transactions(交易).
C) They rely most and more on electronic devices.
D) They talk a lot but hardly do anything about it.
55. According to the passage, privacy is like health because ___.
A) people will make every effort to keep it.
B) its importance is rarely understood
C) it is something that can easily be lost
D) people don't treasure it until they lose it
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