A new study shows students who write notes by hand during lectures perform better on exams than those who use laptops.
Students are increasingly using laptops for notetaking because of speed and legibility(清晰度). But the research has found laptop users are less able to remember and apply the concepts they have been taught.
Researchers performed experiments that aimed to find out whether using a laptop increased the tendency to make notes “mindlessly” by taking down word for word what the professors said.
In the first experiment,students were given either a laptop or pen and paper. They listened to the same lectures and were told to use their usual notetaking skills. Thirty minutes after the talk,they were examined on their ability to remember facts and on how well they understood concepts.
The researchers found that laptop users took twice as many notes as those who wrote by hand. However, the typists performed worse at remembering and applying the concepts. Both groups scored similarly when it came to memorizing facts.
The researchers' report said, “While more notes are beneficial,if the notes are taken mindlessly, as is more likely the case on a laptop, the benefit disappears.”
In another experiment aimed at testing longterm memory,students took notes as before but were tested a week after the lecture. This time, the students who wrote notes by hand performed significantly better on the exam.
These two experiments suggest that handwritten notes are not only better for immediate learning and understanding, but that they also lead to superior revision in the future.More and more students favor laptops for notetaking because they can ________.
| A.write more notes | B.digest concepts better |
| C.get higher scores | D.understand lectures better |
While taking notes, laptop users tend to be ________.
| A.skilful | B.mindless |
| C.thoughtful | D.tireless |
The author of the passage aims to ________.
| A.examine the importance of longterm memory |
| B.stress the benefit of taking notes by hand |
| C.explain the process of taking notes |
| D.promote the use of laptops |
For several days I saw little of Mr. Rochester. In the morning he seemed much occupied with business, and in the afternoon gentlemen from the neighborhood called and sometimes stayed to dine with him. When his foot was well enough, he rode out a great deal.
During this time, all my knowledge of him was limited to occasional meetings about the house, when he would sometimes pass me coldly, and sometimes bow and smile. His changes of manner did not offend me, because I saw that I had nothing to do with the cause of them.
One evening, several days later, I was invited to talk to Mr. Rochester after dinner. As I was looking at him, he suddenly turned, and asked me, “Do you think I’m handsome, Miss Eyre?”
The answer somehow slipped from my tongue before I realized it: “No, sir.”
“Ah, you really are unusual! You are a quiet, serious little person, but you can be almost rude.”
“Sir, I’m sorry. I should have said that beauty doesn’t matter, or something like that.”
“No, you shouldn’t! I see, you criticize my appearance, and then you stab(刺)me in the back! You have honesty and feeling. There are not many girls like you. But perhaps I go too fast. Perhaps you have awful faults to counterbalance your few good points.”
I thought to myself that he might have too. He seemed to read my mind, and said quickly, “Yes, you’re right. I have plenty of faults. I went the wrong way when I was twenty-one, and have never found the right path again. I might have been very different. I might have been as good as you, and perhaps wiser. I am not a bad man, take my word for it, but I have done wrong. It wasn’t my character, but circumstances that were at fault. Why do I tell you all this? Because you’re the sort of person people tell their problems and secrets to, because you’re sympathetic and give them hope.”
“Don’t be afraid of me, Miss Eyre.” He continued. “You don’t relax or laugh very much, perhaps because of the effect Lowood school has had on you. But in time you will be more natural with me, and laugh, and speak freely. You’re like a bird in cage. When you get out of the cage, you’ll fly very high. Good night.”Which of the following cannot describe Miss Eyre’s first impression of Mr. Rochester?
| A.Friendly. | B.Sociable. | C.Busy. | D.Changeable |
Why did Mr. Rochester say “…and then you stab me in the back!”?
| A.Because Jane had intended to kill him with a knife. |
| B.Because Jane had intended to be more critical. |
| C.Because Jane had regretted having a talk with him. |
| D.Because Jane had said something else to correct herself. |
From what Mr. Rochester said to Miss Eyre, we conclude that he wanted to __________.
| A.tell her all his troubles | B.tell her his life experience |
| C.change her opinion of him | D.change his circumstances |
At the end of the passage, Mr. Rochester sounded __________.
| A.rude | B.cold | C.depressing | D.encouraging |
Someday a stranger will read your e-mail without your permission or scan the websites 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 some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girlfriend, 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 equivalent (相等物) 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 pieces 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.
Thekeyquestionis:Doesthatmatter?
FormanyAmericans,theanswerapparentlyis“no.”
When opinion polls (民意测验) ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. A survey found a serious depression 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 Alessanfro Acquisti has run a series of tests that reveal people will surrender personal information like Social Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-off coupon (优惠券).
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.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 disagreements between friends. |
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 profit by revealing people’s identities. |
What do most Americans do about privacy protection?
| A.They change behaviors that might disclose their identity. |
| B.They use various loyalty cards for business deals. |
| C.They rely more and more on electronic devices. |
| D.They talk a lot but hardly do anything about it. |
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 cherish it until they lose it |
I made a promise to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would try to be a loving husband and father. Totally loving. No ifs, ands or buts.
The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The speaker was quoting a passage from the Bible about husbands being thoughtful of their wives. Then he went on to say, “Love is an act of will. A person can choose to love.” To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband. Well, for two weeks that would change.
And it did. Right from the moment I kissed Evelyn at the door and said, “That new yellow sweater looks great on you.”“Oh, Tom, you noticed,” she said, surprised and pleased. Maybe a little puzzled. After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach. I started to refuse, but then I thought, “Evelyn’s been alone here with the kids all week and now she wants to be alone with me.” We walked on the beach while the children flew their kites.
So it went. Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum though I usually hate museums. Relaxed and happy, that’s how the whole vacation passed. I made a new pledge to keep on remembering to choose love.
There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. On the last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression.
“What’s the matter?” I asked her.
“Tom,” she said in a voice filled with distress, “do you know something I don’t?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well…that medical checkup I had several weeks ago…our doctor…did he tell you something about me?Tom, you’ve been so good to me…am I dying?” It took a moment for it all to sink in. Then I burst out la
ughing.
“No, honey,” I said, wrapping her in my arms. “You’re not dying; I’m just starting to live.”From the story we may infer that Tom drove to the beach cottage __________.
| A.with his family | B.with Evelyn |
| C.all by himself | D.with his children |
During the two weeks on the beach, Tom showed more love to his wife because __________.
| A.she looked lovely in her new clothes |
| B.he could afford time to care for her |
| C.he was willing to be a good husband |
| D.she was seriously ill |
The author says, “There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment.” What was the one thing that went wrong?
| A.He praised her sweater, which puzzled her. |
| B.She insisted on visiting a museum, which he hated. |
| C.He knew something about her illness but didn’t tell her. |
| D.He was so good to her that she thought she would be dying. |
By saying “I’m just starting to live,” Tom means that __________.
| A.he is just beginning to understand the real meaning of life |
| B.he is just beginning to enjoy life as a loving husband |
| C.he lived an unhappy life before and is now starting to change |
| D.he is beginning to regret what he did to his wife before |
Boris Worm of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, led the international team that did the study. Professor Worm says species have recently been disappearing from oceans at increasing speed. At this rate, he says, all seafood species could collapse by 2048 and seafood supplies from the world’s ocean could be almost gone by then.
Other studies have also warned about the dangers of overfishing and the effects on ocean environments. But not everyone thinks the oceans are likely to be empty in fifty years. Some scientists said parts of the world do have problems, but others are doing a good job of protecting fish populations. Government officials in several countries with large fishing industries also questioned the research.
The study appeared earlier this month in Science magazine.
The researchers say damage to oceans affects not only fish populations but also the productivity of ecosystems. These complex systems help control water quality. The scientists say the loss of different kinds of sea life appeared to increase the risk of fish kills and beach closures from harmful algae growth.
The scientists examined the results of thirty-two experiments and observed forty-eight protected areas. They also looked at records of catches worldwide. They studied records from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization for nineteen fifty to two thousand three. And they examined archeological information and other historical records for twelve coastal areas. That research reached back over a thousand years.
Boris Worm says the findings were, in his words, "beyond anything we suspected." But he also said the situation is not too late to correct. He said that with good fisheries management, some species could completely recover in three to ten years. Which of the following isn’t the damage to the ocean?
| A.The species of fish in the ocean are reducing. |
| B.Sea water is polluted. |
| C.Sea water quality is improved. |
| D.Less productivity of ecosystem. |
The conclusion of the research led by Boris Worm is _________.
| A.unbearable | B.unbelievable |
| C.doubtful | D.Convincing |
The research led by Boris Worm _________.
| A.was conducted by scientists from Canada |
| B.referred to information of many countries |
| C.lasted from 1950 to 2003 |
| D.referred to records dating back to over 1,000 years ago. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A.It’s too late to take action to improve the situation. |
| B.Some species will recover with efforts. |
| C.Boris Worm hopes that people take the warning serious. |
| D.Boris Worm shows great concern about ecosystem. |
As the United States nears the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that killed more than 3,000 people, President Obama announced Sunday night that the al Qaeda(基地组织) leader and mastermind of that horrific day, Osama bin Laden, has been killed.
CNN reports that a senior government official confirmed that bin Laden was shot by a small team of U.S. soldiers while in a mansion with family members outside Islamabad(伊斯兰堡). His body is now in American custody(拘押) and is being handled according to Islamic customs. Three other adult men were killed in the firefight, including a son of bin Laden's, who was a senior member of the terrorist organization.
"Justice has been done," the president announced, saying that the operation he ordered after receiving intelligence information is "the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al-Qaeda."
The immediate reactions ranged from cautious to ecstatic. Crowds cheered outside the White House. But officials said a "worldwide caution" would be set for Americans in case of al Qaeda retaliation(报复).
Will bin Laden's death be the justice Americans have sought for nearly a decade?
Gordon Felt, president of Families of Flight 93, said it does bring comfort.
"This is important news for us, and for the world. It cannot ease our pain, or bring back our loved ones. It does bring a measure of comfort that the mastermind of the September 11th tragedy and the face of global terror can no longer spread his evil," Felt said.
President Obama says this victory does not close the book.
"His death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must and we will remain cautious," he noted.The underlined word “ecstatic” most probably means _________.
| A.scared | B.extremely happy and excited |
| C.doubtful | D.amazed |
The author mentions all of the items listed below EXCEPT_________.
| A.Four people were killed in the firefight. |
| B.Families of the victims in the 9/11 attacks celebrated together. |
| C.President Obama thought highly of the Anti-Terrorist Military Action |
| D.Obama thought that al Qaeda will continue attack against the United States. |
It can be inferred from the text _________.
| A.The 9/11 attacks happened on September 11, 2001. |
| B.Osama bin Laden has three sons. |
| C.Some soldiers were injured in the firefight. |
| D.More than 3000 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks. |
From the last paragraph we can learn that _________.
| A.Osama bin Laden’s death will put an end to terrorism. |
| B.President Obama doesn’t think bin Laden's death is a victory. |
| C.The United States will make efforts to defeat the al-Qaeda |
| D.The al Qaeda has a new leader now. |