Thanks to the Web, We’re Alone Together and Loving it
There's a professor, Barry Wellman, at the University of Toronto in Canada who has come up with a term to describe the way a lot of us North Americans interact these days. And now a big research study confirms it.
Barry Wellman's term is "networked individualism." It's not the easiest concept to grasp. In fact, the words seem to contradict each other. How can we be individualistic and networked at the same time? You need other people for networks.
Here's what he means. Until the Internet and e-mail came along, our social networks involved flesh-and-blood relatives, friends, neighbors, and colleagues at work. Some of the interaction was by phone, but it was still voice to voice, person to person, in real time.
But the latest study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project confirms that for a lot of people, electronic interaction through the computer has replaced a great deal of social interchange. A lot of folks Pew talked with say that's a good thing, because of concerns that the Internet was turning us into hermits who shut out other people in favor of a make-believe world on flickering computer screens.
To the contrary, the Pew study discovered the Internet has put us in touch with more real people than we'd have ever imagined. Helpful people, too. We're turning to an ever-growing list of cyber friends for advice on careers, medical crises, child-rearing, and choosing a school or college. About 60 million Americans told the Pew that the Internet plays an important or crucial role in helping them deal with major life decisions.
So we networked individuals are pretty tricky: We're keeping more to ourselves, while at the same time reaching out to more people, all with just the click of a computer mouse!The Pew study was conducted in _____.
| A．The United States | B．Canada |
| C．The U.S. and Canada | D．Europe |
Which of the following has happened since the invention of the Internet and email?
| A．People are talking on the phone more than ever. |
| B．Interaction through the computer has replaced a lot of person to person interaction. |
| C．Americans are turning into hermits. |
| D．Sixty million Americans have bought computers. |
Which of the following was NOT one of the discoveries of the Pew study?
| A．The Internet has put us in touch with more people than expected. |
| B．People use the Internet to get advice on careers, medical problems, and other questions. |
| C．For many Americans, the Internet plays an important role in helping them make important decisions. |
| D．“Internet addiction” is a growing problem among people who use computers. |
What does the bolded words “reach out” in the last paragraph mean?
| A．Connect with. | B．Play a trick. | C．Make a decision. | D．Stay alone. |
Use your American Express Card to enjoy one-day privileges at four America’s greatest museums. Note the participating museums, and their exciting special exhibitions that will not want to miss, listed below.
Boston
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Chairs
February 11-May 8,2005
Italian furniture expert Fausto Calderai and Indian photographer Dayanita Singh present an exhibition of chairs from the museum’s collection and “chair photographs” from around the world presented in a Venetian-style hall housing world-famous masterpieces.
For more information: www. gardnermuseum. org
New York
The Noguchi Museum
Noguchi and Graham
December 1,2004-May 1,2005
Noguchi’s long-term collaboration with dancer Martha Graham is regarded by many as a high point in the history of both modern dance and art. The exhibition highlights nine of the sets created through this collaboration.
For more information: www. noguchi. org
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
In Full View: American Painting(1720—2005)
January 11—April 10,2005
Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy has been home to America’s artists for 200 years. The Academy collects and exhibits the words of famous American artists , and is well-known for training fine artists.2005 at the Academy begins with the largest exhibition of the Academy’s distinguished American collection in the institution’s history.
For more information: www. pafa.org
Seattle
Seattle Museum of glass
Murano: Glass from the Olnick Spanu Collection
Through November 7,2004
This exhibition includes over 200 pieces of beautiful glass from Murano, the island of glassblowers near Venice, Italy. Watch live glass-blowing shows in the Hot Shop and see other modern glass exhibitions.
For more information: www. museumofglass. orgWhich of the following websites offers information about the furniture show?
| A．www. pafa. org |
| B．www. noguchi. org |
| C．www. museumofglass. org |
| D．www. gardnermuseum. org |
We learn from the text that Martha graham is____.
| A．a dancer | B．a painter | C．a glassblower | D．a photographer |
If you want to know the history of American painting, you may visit____.
| A．The Noguchi Museum | B．Seattle Museum of Glass |
| C．Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum | D．Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts |
Language is a way to communicate with each other. We started to learn language when we were born. However, people are used to speaking their native language, so immigrants are having many problems between the first generation and the second generation because they don’t have the same native language. Also, the second generation is losing their identity. Especially in America, there are many immigrants that came from different countries to succeed in the States. Because they suffer in lots of areas such as getting a job and trying to speak English, they want their children to speak English, not only at school, but also at home in order to be more successful. Because of this situation, their children are losing their identity and, even more, they are ignoring their parents whose English is not very good.
I think most immigrants are trying to preserve their native language in their new country, but this doesn’t help very much in getting a good job. My aunt taught Korean to her children not to help hem succeed in the U.S. she did so, hopefully, to help them establish a Korean identity. Though the second generation was born in the new country, they often get confused about their identity because they look different from others, and also, if they visit their parents’ country, they will probably feel different from other people there too. My cousins told me that when they visited Korea a few years ago, they felt different from other Koreans. They could even feel it just strolling around the street because they wore different clothes and walked differently.
We must realize that language is important and valuable for many reasons. Immigrants should make an effort not to be ignored by their children understand their background by teaching them the parents’ language. This is very important, not only for the harmony of the family, but also in helping the second generation establish their identity.According to the text, what is the problem of the first generation immigrants?
| A．They have lost their identity. |
| B．Their children are losing their identity. |
| C．Their children speak different languages. |
| D．They cannot speak their native language. |
My aunt taught her children Korean____.
| A．so that they knew they were of Korean origin |
| B．so that they would be more successful in the U.S. |
| C．because she didn’t want them to speak English |
| D．because she wanted them to respect her |
The writer’s cousins felt different in their parents’ country because they____.
| A．had never been there before | B．behaved quite differently |
| C．couldn’t understand the language | D．had different facial appearance |
According to the text, the native language is important and valuable to immigrants in that____.
A. it gives them self-confidence and better chance
B. t makes the second generation love motherland
C. it helps the second generation to understand their parents
D. it strengthens the family ties and reminds them of their identity (BCABD)
Beijing, January 25 ( Xinhuanet)—Air Canada announced that effective June 2, 2005 it will introduce non—stop service between Toronto and Beijing, further building its main Toronto hub with more non-stop flights to Asia and creating the first—ever direct link between eastern Canada and the Chinese mainland.
Air Canada will operate four non-stop flights per week from Toronto to the Chinese capital of Beijing, complementing its daily non-stop flights to Beijing and Shanghai from Vancouver, and twice daily Hong Kong flights including a new non—stop service from Toronto.
In addition, in response to increased demand on its Vancouver—Shanghai route, Air Canada will replace its 189-seat Boeing 767-300ER service with larger 282-seat A340-300 aircraft during the demand season beginning June 1,2005. With these new services, Air Canada is boosting seating capacity between Canada and China by 16 percent and providing freight forwarders with 45 percent more cargo tonnage( 货运 ) from one year ago.
“China is the fastest growing aviation(航空 )market in the world, and Air Canada’s global network is well positioned to meet the needs of international travelers and freight senders,” said Duncan Dee, senior vice president of Air Canada. “With the introduction of the first non-stop service to Beijing from our main Toronto hub, Air Canada is bringing the Americas that much closer to the Chinese mainland.” Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．There was no non-stop service between Canada and China mainland. |
| B．People in our country can fly to Canada from Beijing directly now. |
| C．More people will fly to Canada from China directly. |
| D．Air Canada is increasing the capacity of goods transportation for the first time. |
We can fly to Canada directly from ____cities in our countries.
| A．2 | B．3 | C．4 | D．5 |
According to this passage, Air Canada will take measures except that____.
| A．it will introduce non-stop service between Toronto and Beijing. |
| B．It will replace its 189—seat Boeing 767-300ER service with 282-seat A340-300 aircraft forever. |
| C．It will increase the capacity of cargo tonnage. |
| D．It will increase the number of flights. |
What’s the main idea of this passage?
| A．Air Canada will open non-stop flight between China and Canada. |
| B．Air Canada will open non-stop flight between Beijing and Toronto. |
| C．China is becoming the largest aviation market in the world. |
| D．The distance between Canada and China will become short. |
American schools do not have separate classes for boys and girls. If boys want to cook or to sew, they can learn these things in classes that are no longer just for girls. If girls want to repair cars, they can now learn this in school. Most students like to have boys and girls on the same baseball team.
Many boys and girls dress alike in school. They were blue jeans and sport shirts. Some have long hair and some have short hair. Sometimes a boy has longer hair than a girl.
Even the language is different. Students learn to say fire fighter instead of fireman, police officer instead of policeman, and letter carrier instead of mailman. A person does not need to be a man to fight a fire or to deliver the mail.
Most people think that these changes are good. They give all people an equal chance to be happy and to do what they want to do with their lives. Fathers like to tell their sons that they can grow up to be president. Today, mothers can tell the same things to there daughters.Students in American schools learn to say police officer instead of policeman because____.
| A．boys don’t like to be a policeman |
| B．girls don’t like to be a policeman |
| C．police officer sounds better than policeman |
| D．a police officer can be a policeman or policwoman |
We may infer from the text that in the past in American schools____.
| A．there were many differences between boys and girls |
| B．boys could do everything but girls couldn’t |
| C．boys and girls were the same in everything |
| D．girls only learned how to sew and cook |
The underlined word “ They” in the last paragraph refers to ____.
| A．American schools | B．these changes | C．most people | D．American students |
What does “mailman” mean?
| A．Milkman | B．Postman | C．Writer | D．Reporter |
What do most people think of the changes in American schools?
| A．Surprising | B．Strange | C．Good | D．Bad |
Narcissus was a beautiful looking boy. He had long, flowing, blond hair, beautiful, bright, blue eyes and even, white teeth. Many young ladies fell in love with him including the nymph（女神）: Echo.
Nymphs were lively spirits who lived near streams and lakes and protected trees in the forest. Echo had upset the Queen of the Gods; Hera. As a punishment Hera made Echo unable to speak except to repeat the last three words of the person she was talking to.
Poor Echo fell in love with Narcissus but could never tell him how she felt. Narcissus teased her and she ran away with tears pouring down her face. Aphrodite, the goddess of love saw what happened and decided to punish Narcissus. As he came to a pool of water Narcissus saw his reflection (影子)and fell in love with the vision he saw. It was of course his own reflection.
Poor Narcissus watched his own reflection, every time he tried to touch the face of the vision he loved it broke up on the shimmering surface of the water. Narcissus stopped eating, lost his beautiful looks and desired to get his love. In the end he anguished gradually and died.
Aphrodite took pity on him and made a flower grow in his place on the bank of the lake. Narcissus flowers (水仙花) can be found to this day growing wherever you can find water and trees. Echo fell in love with Narcissus because_________.
| A．Narcissus was good-looking. |
| B．Echo was a lively spirit |
| C．Narcissus loved her, too. |
| D．Echo took pity on Narcissus |
Why did Aphrodite, the goddess of love, punish Narcissus?
| A．Aphrodite envied Echo because she loved Narcissus |
| B．She thought Narcissus didn’t respect and made Echo sad. |
| C．Narcissus fell in love with the vision, not Echo. |
| D．Echo was trapped in love and didn’t protect trees in the forest any longer. |
What does the underlined word “anguished” in the fourth paragraph mean?
| A．become increasingly thin and weak |
| B．become very hungry |
| C．become very fat |
| D．become out of mind |
What is the main purpose of writing the passage?
| A．To tell people a sad love story |
| B．To tell people how Narcissus flowers came |
| C．To tell the true meaning of beauty and ugliness |
| D．To tell people not affect others’ love |