A few months ago, it wasn't unusual for 47-year-old Carla Toebe to spend 15 hours per day online. She'd wake up early, turn on her laptop and chat on Internet dating sites and instant-messaging programs – leaving her bed for only brief breaks. Her household bills piled up, along with the dishes and dirty laundry, but it took constant complaints from her four daughters before she realized she had a problem.
"I was starting to feel like my whole world was falling apart – kind of slipping into a depression," said Carla. "I knew that if I didn't get off the dating sites, I'd just keep going," detaching (使脱离) herself further from the outside world.
Toebe's conclusion: She felt like she was "addicted" to the Internet. She's not alone.
Concern about excessive Internet use isn't new. As far back as 1995, articles in medical journals and the establishment of a Pennsylvania treatment center for overusers aroused interest in the subject. But as reliance on the Web grows, there are signs that the question is getting more serious attention: Last month, a study published in CNS Spectrums claimed to be the first large-scale look at Internet overuse. The American Psychiatric Association may also consider listing Internet addiction in the next edition. And scores of online discussion boards have popped up, on which people discuss negative experiences tied to too much time on the Web.
The new CNS Spectrums study was based on results of a nationwide telephone survey of more than 2,500 adults. Like the latest survey, this one was conducted by Stanford University researchers. About 6% of respondents reported that "their relationships suffered because of excessive Internet use." About 9% attempted to conceal "nonessential Internet use," and nearly 4% reported feeling " still occupied by the Internet when offline."
"The Internet problem is still in its early stage," said Maressa Orzack, a Harvard University professor. No single online activity is to blame for excessive use, he said. "They're online in chat rooms, checking e-mail, or writing blogs. The problem is not limited to porn (色情) or gambling websites.”
“Excessive Internet use should be defined not by the number of hours spent online but in terms of losses.”said Maressa Orzack. "If it's a loss where you're not getting to work, and family relationships are breaking down as a result, then it's too much."
Since the early 1990s, several clinics have been established in the U. S. to treat heavy Internet users. They include the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery and the Center for Internet Behavior.
The website for Orzack's center lists the following among the psychological symptoms of computer addiction:
● Having a sense of happin
ess or excitement while at the computer.
● Longing for more and more time at the computer.
● Neglect of family and friends.
● Feeling empty, depremssed or irritable when not at the computer.
● Lying to employers and family about activities.
● Inability to stop the activity.
● Problems with school or job.
Physical symptoms listed include dry eyes, backaches, skipping meals, poor personal hygiene (卫生) and sleep disturbances.
“People who struggle with Internet overuse maybe depressed or have other mood disorders.” Orzack said. When she discusses Internet habits with her patients, they often report that being online offers a "sense of belonging, and escape, excitement and fun," she said. “Some people say relief…because they find themselves so relaxed.”
Some parts of the Internet seem to draw people in more than others. Internet gamers spend countless hours competing in games against people from all over the world. One such game, called World of Warcraft, is cited on many sites by posters complaining of a "gaming addiction."
Andrew Heidrich, an education network administrator from Sacramento, plays World of Warcraft for about two to four hours every other night, but that's nothing compared with the 40 to 60 hours a week he spent playing online games when he was in college. He cut back only after a full-scale family intervention (干预), in which relatives told him he'd gained weight.
“There's this whole culture of competition that sucks people in with online gaming, ”said Heidrich, now a father of two. People do it at the expense of everything that was a constant in their lives." Heidrich now visits websites that discuss gaming addiction regularly “to remind myself to keep my love for online games in check”.
Toebe also regularly visits a site where posters discuss Internet overuse. In August, when she first realized she had a problem, she posted a message on a Yahoo Internet addiction group with the subject line:“I have an Internet Addiction.”
“I'm self-employed and need the Internet for my work, but I'm failing to accomplish my work, to take care of my home, to give attention to my children,”she wrote in a message sent to the group. “I have no money or insurance to get professional help; I can't even pay my loan and face losing everything.”
Since then, Toebe said, she has kept her promise to herself to cut back on her Internet use. "I have a boyfriend now, and I'm not interested in online dating," she said by phone last week. "It's a lot better now." What eventually made Carla Toebe realize she was spending too much time on the Internet?
| A．Her daughter's repeated complaints. |
| B．Tiredness resulting from lack of sleep. |
| C．The poorly managed state of her house. |
| D．The high financial costs adding up. |
What is the main idea of para4?
| A．A study claimed to be the first large-scale look at Internet overuse. |
| B．The American Psychiatric Association plans to list Internet addiction in its edition. |
| C．There are heated discussions about negative experiences over internet overuse. |
| D．There is a growing concern towards internet addiction. |
According to Professor Maressa Orzack, Internet use would be considered excessive if ______.
| A．it seriously affected family relationships |
| B．one visited porn websites frequently |
| C．too much time was spent in chat rooms |
| D．people got involved in online gambling |
According to Orzack, people who struggle with heavy dependence on
the Internet may feel ______.
| A．discouraged | B．pressured | C．depressed | D．puzzled |
Andrew Heidrich now visits websites that discuss online gaming addiction to _____.
| A．improve his online gaming skills |
| B．control his desire for online gaming |
| C．show how good he is at online gaming |
| D．exchange online gaming experience |
Which of the following best describes the tone(口吻) of the passage ?
| A．Humorous | B．Ironic | C．Objective | D．Casual |
Everyone should visit a lighthouse at least once.
The most important reasons for such a visit is to realize how our ancestors(祖先) battled nature with the basic tools they had. They had only basic ways of creating light, and yet they found a way of using this simple technology in isolated（孤零零的）places to save ships from hitting rocks.
Secondly, visiting lighthouses will help us to understand the lives of lighthouse keepers. By their very nature, lighthouses were built on some rocks of cliffs. Thus, the lighthouse keepers often lived lonely lives. To walk around their small home, and imagine the angry storm outside beating against the walls, is to take a step towards understanding the lives they had.
The reasons for a visit to a lighthouse are not all so backward-looking in time. It is true that lighthouses were built in out-of-the-way places. But on a pleasant sunny summer day, this very isolation has a natural beauty that many people will love to experience. Therefore, with the gentle waves touching all round the lighthouse, the visitor is likely to think it is a world preferable to the busy and noisy modern life.
Another reason for considering a visit is that the lighthouses themselves can be very attractive buildings. Mankind could often not be content just to put up a basic structure, but felt the need, even in such an isolated place, to build with an artistic touch. The result is a view for tired eyes to enjoy.
Finally, lighthouses have a romantic attraction, summed up by the image of the oil-skin coated keeper climbing his winding stairs to take care of the light to warn ships and save lives.
67. What is the reason to look back into the past of a lighthouse?
A. To escape from the busy and noisy city.
B. To look for the tools used by our ancestors.
C. To experience the natural beauty of a lighthouse.
D. To learn about the living condition of lighthouse keepers.
68. The underlined phrase “out-of-the-way” in Paragraph 4 means ____________.
A. far-away B. dangerous C. ancient D. secret
69. Lighthouses were often built with an artistic touch _________.
A. to attract visitors B. to guide passing ships
C. to give a pleasant sight D. to remember lighthouse keepers
70. How many reasons are mentioned for a visit to lighthouse?
A. Three B. Four C. Five D. Six
Reading is very important to help you learn English. To learn as much as you can from reading, you need to read different kinds of English. This book provides not only different kinds of English but also a good way to check your reading ability.
There are four parts in the book:
Part 1 is Messages: In this part somebody wants to send information in writing to somebody else. There is a test on timetable and a test on text messages.
Part 2 is People: In this part all the tests are about people. For example, there is an informal letter between friends. There is formal(正式的) English in biography(传记). There is a job application as a model to help with your writing, as well as testing your reading.
Part 3 is Places: In this part, too, many different kinds of English are shown, some informal and some formal. There is the informal English of a holiday postcard. There is also the formal English in a letter of complaint.
Part 4 is Things: You will find some descriptive writing in this part. There are descriptions of clothes and of a computer.
You can do these tests in any order you like, or you can do all the tests with a formal or informal text. I enjoyed writing this book and I hope you enjoy using it.
59. We can find the introduction to a product in ___________.
A. part 1B. Part 2C. Part 3D. Part 4
60. Which of the following is most probably written in informal English?
A. A letter of complaint. B. A computer handbook.
C. A letter of a friend. D. A story of a president.
61. The passage is most probably written for _________.
A. test designers B. students C. test-takers D. teachers
62. What is the best title of the book?
A. Test Your Reading B. Help with Your Writing
C. Learn Different Kinds of English D. Practice English in Different Ways
Do you have any strong opinion on co-educational or single-sex schools?
A supporter of co-educational schools would probably say that schools should be like the societies they belong to .In Hong Kong , men and women mix socially on a day-to-day basis .In many fields men are even likely to have female bosses .It is ,therefore, desirable that boys and girls grow up together ,go to school together ,and prepare themselves for a society that does not value sexual separation.
Some would go on to argue further that growing up with members of the opposite sex is important for personal development .Regular contact （接触）can remove the strange ideas about the opposite-sex and lead to more natural relationships .Single-sex conditions are seen as leading to more extreme opinions, and possibly even as encouraging homosexuality（同性恋）,though there is no proof that this is the case.
Those who are against coeducation often also fix their attention on the sexual side .Some parents fear that close contact with members of the opposite sex is dangerous for teenagers .They want their children to be attentive to their studies .Such parents feel uncomfortable with modern ways and the free mixing of the sexes.
A stronger argument comes from research into school results .Girls grow up earlier than boys ,tend to be more orderly and are likely to be better at languages .In a mixed class ,boys who might do well in a single-sex class become discouraged and take on the rule of troublemaker .Certainly in the UK this situation has greatly alarmed （惊动）the government for it to be encouraging co-educational schools to have some single-sex classes .In the UK the best schools are all single-sex ,strongly suggesting that co-education is not the best answer .This may ,however ,not be as simple as it looks .It may simply be that the famous old schools that attract the best students happen to be single-sex ,rather than that being single-sex makes them better schools.
72.In the third paragraph ,by saying “though there is no proof that this is the case” ,the writer means that___
A.students in single-sex schools will certainly become homosexual
B.students in co-educational schools cannot have extreme opinions
C.students in co-educational schools are likely to be homosexual
D.single-sex school conditions may or may not have effects on the students.
73.All the following arguments can be found in the passage EXCEPT that .
A.co-education can produce a society-like situation
B.co-educational schools may lead to love affairs between boys and girls
C.co-education will help develop a better understanding about the opposite sex
D.co-education can make boys perform well in mixed classes
74.Alarmed by the situation ,the UK government encourages .
A.co-education
B.single-sex education
C.single-sex classes in co-educational schools
D.co-educational classes in single-sex schools
75.At the end of the passage the writer suggests that .
A.single-sex schools are the best schools in the UK
B.being single-sex does not necessarily make a school better
C.co-educational schools are better for both sexes in personal development
D.because boys cannot compete with girls in study ,they go to single-sex schools
In 1837, the historian Carlyle made the first recorded use of the word " queue" (排队). He spoke of the French and their "habit of standing in a queue". Forty years later Paris was the best place to wait in line.
However, queuing became popular in Britain too. The Second World War was the golden age of queuing, and people joined any line in the hope that it was a queue for something to buy. This was the source of many Second World War jokes:
Shopkeeper to customer : Excuse me, miss, are you pregnant (怀孕)?
Customer : Well, I wasn't when I joined the queue.
Today, according to research in America, we (in Britain) can spend up to 5 years of our lives queuing－ as compared to twelve months looking for things we have lost. But things may be changing. Many people no longer have the patience to stand in a queue. The law of the jungle (丛林) has begun to operate at bus stops, with people using their arms to push others out of the way.
One way to make life easier is to introduce "queue management". Customers at supermarket cheese counters can now take a ticket with a number which appears on a screen when it is their turn. And while they wait for their number, they can do a bit of shopping.
In some booking offices there is also a system telling customers how long they may have to wait before they are served.
One of the latest technical progress is the use of an electronic scanner (电子识别器) which can read all the contents of your shopping basket or trolley in just a few seconds. If these become popular, queuing in supermarkets may become a thing of the past.
But some people just like queuing. One man queued all night for Harrods famous January sale, and then returned home for breakfast at nine o' clock the next morning without going into the shop.
68. The joke in Paragraph 2 implies that the young woman _______.
A. has been waiting in the queue for a long time B. doesn't need to stand in the queue
C. enjoys standing in the queue D. has stood in the wrong line
69. According to the passage, which of the following is true?
A. The British spend more time queuing than looking for lost things.
B. The Americans criticized the British for their way of queuing.
C. The British are always patient when they wait in line.
D. People queue only when they want to buy something.
70. The British try to solve the problem of queuing by all the following EXCEPT _______.
A. making a law to prevent queuing
B. telling the customers the waiting time
C. using numbered tickets to put the customers in order
D. checking the price of the goods customers buy with a scanner
71. We can infer from the passage that ________.
A. queue management doesn't work well B. there is still queuing in England
C. we don't see much queuing in Paris D. the French like queuing more than the British
"Have you ever been out on a boat and felt it lifted up by a wave? Or have you jumped in the water and felt the rush of energy as waves came over you?" asked Jamie Taylor of the Wave Energy Group at the University of Edinburgh. "There is certainly a lot of energy in waves," he said.
Scientists are working to use that energy to make electricity. Most waves are created when winds blow across the ocean. "The wind starts out by making little ripples (涟漪) , but if they keep on blowing, those ripples get bigger and bigger and turn into waves," Taylor said. " Waves are one of nature 's ways of picking up energy and then sending it off on a journey.
When waves come toward the shore, people can set up dams to block the water and send it through a large wheel called a turbine (涡轮机) . The turbine can then power an electrical generator to produce electricity.
"The resource is huge," said Janet Swain of the Worldwatch Institute. "We will never run out of wave power. " Besides, wave energy does not create the same pollution as other energy sources, such as oil or coal. Oceans cover three-quarters of the Earth's surface - that would make wave power seem ideal for creating energy throughout the world, though there are some weak points yet to overcome.
Swain said that wave power still costs too much money. She also said that its effects on sea animals are still unknown. What is more, wave power could affect fishing and boat traffic.
Traditional sources of energy like oil and gas may someday run out. " Demand for energy to power our TVs and computers, drive our cars, and heat and cool our homes is rising rapidly throughout the world," Swain said. In the future when you turn on a light, an ocean wave could be providing the electricity!
64. The writer uses the two questions at the beginning of the passage to _______.
A. test the readers' knowledge about waves B. draw the readers' attention to the topic
C. show Jamie Taylor's importance D. invite the readers to answer them
65. The underlined phrase "picking up" (paragraph 2) is closest in meaning to _______.
A. starting again B. speeding up C. gathering D. improving
66. We can make better use of wave energy if we _______.
A. shorten its journey to thousands of homes B. build more small power stations on the oceans
C. reduce the cost of turning it into electric power
D. quicken the steps of producing electricity
67. It can be inferred that some day we might not worry about ________.
A. air pollution B. our boat traffic C. our power supply D. our supply of sea fish