Students and Technology in the Classroom
I love my blackberry — it’s my little connection to the larger world that can go anywhere with me. I also love my laptop computer,as it holds all of my writing and thoughts. Despite this love of technology, I know that there are times when I need to move away from these devices(设备)and truly communicate with others.
On occasion, I teach a course called History Matters for a group of higher education managers. My goals for the class include a full discussion of historical themes and ideas. Because I want students to thoroughly study the material and exchange their ideas with each other in the classroom, I have a rule — no laptop, iPads, phones ,etc .When students were told my rule in advance of the class, some of them were not happy.
Most students assume that my reasons for this rule include unpleasant experiences in the past with students misusing technology. There’s a bit of truth to that. Some students assume that I am anti-technology. There’s no truth in that at all. I love technology and try to keep up with it so I can relate to my students.
The real reason why I ask students to leave technology at the door is that I think there are very few places in which we can have deep conversions and truly engage complex ideas. Interruptions by technology often break concentration and allow for too much dependence on outside information for ideas. I want students to dig deep within themselves for inspiration and ideas. I want them to push each other to think differently and make connections between the course the material and the class discussion.
I’ve been teaching my history class in this way for many years and the evaluations reflect student satisfaction with the environment that I create. Students realize that with deep conversation and challenge, they learn at a level that helps them keep the course material beyond the classroom.
I’m not saying that I won’t ever change my mind about technology use in my history class, but until I hear a really good reason for the change, I’m sticking to my plan. A few hours of technology-free dialogue is just too sweet to give up.Some of the students in the history class were unhappy with _______.
A.the course material |
B.others’ misuse of technology |
C.discussion topics |
D.the author’s class regulations |
The underlined word “engage ”in paragraph 4 probably means _______.
A.explore | B.accept | C.change | D.reject |
According to the author, the use of technology in the classroom may _______.
A.keep students from doing independent thinking |
B.encourage students to have in-depth conversations |
C.help students to better understand complex themes |
D.affect students’ concentration on course evaluation |
It can be inferred from the last paragraph that the author _______.
A.is quite stubborn |
B.will give up teaching history |
C.will change his teaching plan soon |
D.values technology-free dialogues in his class |
第三部分:阅读理解(共20小题;每小题3分,共60分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项。
A
Not all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars. Often they relive(重温) these experiences in nightmares.
Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might reduce, or possibly erase the effect of painful memories.
In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body releasing chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research had suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are erased.
The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it. Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers’ troubling memories after war.
They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories. “Some memories can ruin people’s lives. They come back to you when you don’t want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions.” said Roger Pitman, a professor of psychiatry (精神病学) at Harvard Medical School. "This could relieve(减缓) a lot of that suffering.”
But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity. They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past. “All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are. I'm not sure we’d want to wipe those memories out.” said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist (伦理学家).
Some people fear that although the drug would first be used in only very serious cases, it would become more and more common.“People always have the ability to misuse science,” said Joseph LeDoux, a New York University memory researcher. “All we want to do is help people have better control of memories.”
56. The underlined word “it” in paragraph 4 refers to “_____.”
A. the new drugB. the research into the drug
C. the memory D. the chemical in the drug
57. Which of the following is Not the opinion of the supporters?
A.The pill can erase all the memories in the past.
B.Some memories can ruin people's life. The pill can relieve emotional suffering.
C. The pill can also help many other types of people who suffer from terrible memories.
D. The pill can prevent or treat troubling memories in soldiers after war.
58. Which of the following is Not the opinion of the opponents (反对者) ?
A. Our memories give us our identity.
B. The memories help humanity avoid mistakes of the past.
C. The drug should be used in only very serious cases.
D. People may not be sure whether they want to wipe the memories out.
59. Which of the following statements might be the main idea of the text?
A. People often suffer from bad memories.
B. The nightmares are terrible.
C. Forget bad memories and be happy.
D. The research has caused a heated argument.
C
Fix it on your own
Did you know that a bowl of rice could save your iPod if you drop it in a swimming pool by accident? Or that the camera on your phone could tell you what's wrong with your TV remote control? The experts at Geek Squad (geelsquad.co.uk) have made a gadget(小机件) rescue guide. So, let’s take a look at some of their useful advice.
● How to get more juice out of your phone battery(电池)
If your battery goes dead but you need to get a number or send one last text, try warming it up. That may give you a tiny bit of power. Take the battery from the phone and rub it between your hands. Or warm it under your arm for a few minutes. Then try to start the phone – but use it quickly.
● What to do if your gadget gets wet
First, try drying it out with a vacuum cleaner. If a vacuum cleaner isn’t at hand, fill a pot or bowl with uncooked rice and put your we gadget inside. The dry, uncooked rice will absorb all the water and, after a few hours, you should be able to use the gadget. Don’t forget to remove the battery and SIM card before you dry it.
● What to do if your TV remote control stops working
If replacing the batteries doesn’t work, get the camera function up on your phone and point the remote at the lens(镜头). When you press a button on the remote, if it's working then the glass bobble(小球) at the front of the remote will light up when you look at it on the screen of your phone. This is because the screen on a phone or digital camera picks up infrared rays (红外线), even though your eyes don't. If the glass bobble doesn’t light up, the remote is broken. If it does, the receiving device is broken.
43.If your cell phone falls into a sink, you can .
A.warm it up under your arm. B.put it into the uncooked rice.
C.press it with both of your hands. D.remove the battery after you dry it.
44.Why can a phone be used to prove the TV remote control works well?
A.Because it can receive infrared ray.
B.Because it can reflect infrared ray.
C.Because it can improve the TV remote control.
D.Because it can picture the TV remote control.
45.In which section of a newspaper can we possibly read this text?
A.Entertainment B.Finance C.Culture D.Life
46.The purpose of the passage is to give people .
A.professional guides B.necessary warnings
C.practical tips D.personal opinions
B
Avatar
Venue: Orient Pioneer Theater
Date: January 2
Price (¥): 150/180/240/300
Tel: 400 – 810 – 3721
Additional Information:
The film is directed by James Cameron. In the future, Jake, a paraplegic war veteran, is brought to another planet, Pandora, which is inhabited by the Na’vi, a humanoid race with its own language and culture. Those from Earth find themselves at odds with each other and the local culture. The fierce war unfolded …
Farewell My Concubine
Venue: National Centre for the Performing Arts
Date: January 2
Price (¥): 50/80/100/300
Tel: 400 – 810 – 8271
Additional Information:
Peking Opera tells the story of XiangYu (232BC – 202BC), the self – styled Hegemon – king of Western Chu (modern provinces of Hubei, Huan, Jiangxi, Anhui and Jiangsu) who battled to unify China with LiuBang, the final founder of the powerful Han Dynasty.
Guo Degang Cross Talk Show
Venue: Cultural Palace of Nationalities
Date : January 24 – 25
Price (¥): 100/200/300/500
Tel: 400 – 610 – 2270
Additional Information:
Guo Degang is a famous Chinese cross talk actor.
Confucius
Venue : Today Art Theater
Date : January 20
Price (¥): 100/120/150/180
Tel: 400 – 610 – 3721
Additional Information: The film is about Confucius, who was a Chinese thinker
and philosopher. His teachings and philosophy have deeply influenced Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese though and life.
40.If you want to appreciate the Chinese traditional opera, you can call
A.Tel: 400 – 810 – 3721 B.Tel: 400 – 810 – 8271
C.Tel: 400 – 610 – 2270 D.Tel: 400 – 610 – 3721
41.What can we learn from four posters?
A.Avatar, directed by James Cameron, is a scifi movie.
B.Confucius can be seen in Oriental Pioneer Theatre.
C.You can enjoy Guo Degang’s cross talk on Jan. 20.
D.Xiang Yu finally founded the powerful Han Dynasty.
42.The underlined phrases “at odds” probably means
A.in harmony B.in disagreement C.in touch D.in common
第二部分:阅读理解(共两节,满分40分)
第一节(共15题;每小题2分,满分30分)
阅读下列短文,从每题短文后所给各题的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中,选出最佳选项。
A
Chen Yurong, 55, an average woman in Wuhan, Hubei province, who was diagnosed with a fatty liver (肝), walked 10 kilometers a day for seven months, despite wind an rain, so she could donate part of a healthy liver to her son. After wearing out four pairs of shoes and losing eight kilograms, her fatty liver condition disappeared. One doctor called it a “miracle” (奇迹).
|
Hear 31 – year – old son, Ye Haibin suffered from severe Wilson’s disease, a rare disorder that causes body to keep copper. Doctors said only a liver transplant could lengthen his life. Despite her age and the knowledge that about one in 1,000 liver donators die after the transplant, Chen said she did not hesitate to donate part of her liver.
“In order to give my young granddaughter a complete family, I’dD
You can deposit money in a building society and obtain yearly interest at a certain rate.You can also borrow money from a building society.What, then, is difference between a bank and a building society? In fact, a building society does not seem to be very different from a savings bank.Many people regularly save money by depositing small amounts monthly in a building society, just as other people regularly save money by depositing small amounts monthly in a savings bank.Some people deposit large amounts in a building society as an investment.They receive higher interest than they would receive from a savings bank; their money can be invested either in building society shares or in loans to the society.
These societies are controlled by law, but they are not government organizations.They were originally started to enable people to buy houses.One of their main purposes is to provide loans for buying or building houses.Many people prefer buying a house to paying rent, but some of them cannot afford to buy a house.To cover the cost they borrow the money from a building society.The loan plus the interest is paid back in monthly amounts over an agreed number of years.Probably the payments made in this way are no more than the rent of a rented house.But at the end of the stated period, when the debt is paid, the borrower becomes the owner of the house.To protect the building society from “bad debts” he must sign a statement to say that the house belongs to the society until the debt is paid.
A building society invests the savings of its shareholders in houses and property.Unlike a bank, it does not serve as a general clearing house (清算所) for every kind of exchange or business operation.Its activities are limited compared with those of a bank.
68.A building society is different from a bank in that ____.
A.the former is limited in its activities
B.the latter is limited in function compared with the former
C.a bank doesn’t serve as a general clearing house
D.a building society can protect itself from “bad debt”
69.Some people put large amounts of money in the building society because _______.
A.they can get more profit than they do in a bank.
B.they may choose between the form of building society shares and that of loans for their investment
C.they may enjoy shares and loans at the same time
D.they like the society
70.If you borrow money from the society to buy a house, ____.
A.you have to return the money to the building society the moment it is needed.
B.you have to sign an agreement to repay the loan after a number of years
C.what you pay back monthly for the loan would be less than the rent
D.the house doesn’t belong to you unless you have repaid all the debt