With the development of science and technology, new inventions, especially new electronic products, have made people’s lives easy and convenient. But as the saying puts: A coin has two sides.
One day, I was walking in the park with a friend and his cell phone rang, interrupting our conversation. There we were, walking and talking on a beautiful sunny day and…I became invisible, absent from the conversation.
The telephone used to connect you to the absent. Now it makes people sitting next to you feel absent. Why is it that the more connected we get, the more disconnected I feel? Every advance in communications technology is a tragedy to the closeness of human interaction. With email and instant messaging over the Internet, we can now communicate without seeing or talking to one another. With voice mail, you can conduct entire conversations without ever reaching anyone. If my mom has a question, I just leave the answer on her machine.
As almost every contact we can imagine between human beings gets automated, the alienation(疏远) index goes up. You can't even call a person to get the phone number of another person any more. Directory assistance is almost always fully automated.
Pumping petrol at the station? Why say good morning to the attendant when you can swipe(刷)your credit card at the pump and save yourself the bother of human contact?
Making a deposit at the bank? Why talk to a teller who might live in the neighborhood when you can just insert your card into ATM?
Pretty soon you won’t have the burden of making eye contact at the grocery shop. Some supermarket chains are using a self-scanner so you can check yourself out, avoiding those check-out people who look at you and ask how you are doing.
I am not against modern technology. I own a cell phone, an ATM card, a voice mail system, and an email account. Giving them up isn't wise…they're a great help to us. It's some of their possible consequences that make me feel uneasy.
More and more, I find myself hiding behind e-mail to do a job meant for conversation. Or being relieved that voice mail picked up a call because I didn't really have time to talk. The communications industry devoted to helping me keep in touch is making me lonelier.
So I've put myself on technology restriction: no instant messaging, with people who live near me，no cell phoning in the presence of friends, no letting the voice mail pick up when I'm at home.Which of the following would be the best title of the passage?
| A．The Advance of Communications Technology |
| B．The Consequences of Modern Technology |
| C．The Process of Communications Revolution |
| D．The Automation of Modern Communications |
Paragraphs 5 to 7 are listed as examples, which show that the use of modern communications is ___________.
| A．encouraging | B．disappointing |
| C．satisfying | D．embarrassing |
The passage implies that _______________.
| A．modern technology is bridging the people |
| B．modern technology is separating the people |
| C．modern technology is developing too rapidly |
| D．modern technology is interrupting our lives |
What does the writer think to do with the modern technology?
| A．We may use them no matter what others are doing. |
| B．We can throw them away and return to the ancient. |
| C．We can be far away from them forever. |
| D．We can use them less and communicate with the people around us. |
Dr. Wiseman started the “laugh lab” project in September 2001. It is the largest study of humor. Participants are invited to log on the laugh lab website, give a few personal details, tell their favorite jokes and judge the jokes told by other people.
Their project will last for a year, and the organizers hope to finally discover the world’s funniest joke. But there is also a serious purpose. The researchers want to know what people from different nations and cultures find funny. And they want to find out the differences between male’s and female’s sense of humor. The idea is that if we want to understand each other, we have to find out what makes us laugh.
This is a subject that has long interested psychologists (心理学家) and philosophers (哲学家). Most of the time, people are not completely honest. We do things that society expects us to and say things that help us get what we want. But laughing cannot be controlled. When we laugh, we tell the truth about ourselves.
By December 2001 over 10,000 jokes had been submitted (公认的). This gave the scientists enough evidence to make early conclusions. It seems that men and women do have different senses of humor, for example.
“Our findings show the major differences in the ways in which males and females use humor,” said Dr Wiseman. “Males use humor to appear superior (高傲的，有优越感的) to others, while women are more skilled in languages and prefer word play.”
Researchers also found that there really is such a thing as a national sense of humor. The British enjoy what is usually called “toilet humor”. But the French like their jokes short and sharp, “You’re a high priced lawyer. Will you answer two questions for $ 500?” “Yes. What’s the second question?”
The Germans are famous for not having a sense of humor. But the survey found that German participants were more likely to find submitted jokes funny than any other nationality. Perhaps that proves the point. Is this joke funny? I don’t know, but let’s say yes, just to be safe.
Dr Wiseman and his workmates also submitted jokes created by computer. But none of those who took part in the survey found any of them amusing. Perhaps this is relief (安慰). Computers already seem like they can do everything. But at least they should leave the funny things to us.The scientist started the “laugh lab” project ________.
| A．to find the funniest joke in European countries |
| B．to know what funny people are from different nations and cultures |
| C．to find out the differences between the male’s and female’s sense of humor |
| D．to get more personal details about participants |
The writer gave the examples of the British, the French and the Germans_____.
| A．to show that the French people have a better sense of humor |
| B．to prove the British people have a sense of “toilet humor” |
| C．to show people from different nations have different senses of humor |
| D．to prove that the Germans have no sense of humor |
Which statement is true according to the passage?
| A．The jokes by computer are less funny than those by humans. |
| B．The Germans cannot find the submitted jokes amusing. |
| C．Males are better at word play compared with women. |
| D．Females like to use humor to show that they are superior. |
·Put sunscreen (防晒油) on before going out in the sun.
·Take it with you.
·Use it
— after a swim.
— every hour or so while playing outdoors.
— if you get sweaty.
·Cover up when the sun is overhead
— 10 a.m.—2 p.m..
— especially at lunch time.
·Get your suntan (晒黑) gradually and not too much.
·Controlled exposure (暴露) to sunshine helps avoid skin cancer.
Ask your chemist to recommend a suitable sunscreen.
Queensland Cancer Fund
P. O. Box
Spring Hill, QLD.4000
Phone (07) 8397077
Provided for community awareness by the Queensland CancerThis passage is most likely to be ______.
| A．an article from a student text book |
| B．a direction from a bottle of medicine |
| C．a suggestion from a chemist |
| D．an advertisement from a newspaper |
Which statement is TRUE?
| A．You should frequently put on sunscreen while playing outdoors. |
| B．You’ll never have skin cancer with controlled exposure. |
| C．You mustn’t stay outside from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| D．The more you get sunshine, the better your health will be. |
According to the passage we can see that Queensland Cancer Fund wants to _____.
| A．sell sunscreen, shirt and hat |
| B．help people guard against skin cancer |
| C．encourage people to play in the sun |
| D．make money out of sunscreen |
If you want a sunscreen, you should ask _____ for advice.
| A．the seller | B．the advertiser |
| C．your doctor | D．your parents |
Feel tired lately? Has a doctor said he can’t find anything wrong with you? Perhaps he has sent you to a hospital, but all the advanced equipment there shows that there is nothing wrong with you.
Then, consider this: you might be in a state of sub-health. Sub-health, also called the third state or gray state, is explained as a borderline（界限）state between health and disease.
According to the investigation by the National Health Organization, over 45 percent of sub-healthy people are middle-aged or elderly. The percentage is even higher among people who work in management positions as well as students around exam-week.
Symptoms include a lack of energy,depression,slow reactions,insomnia,anger,and poor memory.Other symptoms include shortness of breath,sweating and aching in the waist and legs.
The key to preventing and recovering from sub-health,according to some medical experts,is to from good liwing habits,alternate work and rest,exercise regularly,and take park in open air activities.
As for meals,people are advised to eat less salt and sugar.They should also eat more fresh vegetables,fruits,fish because they are rich in nutritional elements—vitamins and other elements that are important to the body.Nutrition experts point out that it is not good to eat too much at one meal because it may cause unhealthy changes in the digestive tract. They also say that a balanced diet is very helpful in avoiding sub-health.According to this passage, which of the following is true?
| A．When you are in a state of sub-health, you should stay at home and keep silent. |
| B．When you are in a state of sub-health, you should go to see a doctor and buy some medicine. |
| C．When you are in a state of sub-health, you should have yourself examined in foreign countries. |
| D．When you are in a state of sub-health, you should find out the reasons and relax yourself. |
It may be easy for middle-aged people to get sub-healthy because _________.
| A．they have used up their energy |
| B．they have lost their living hopes |
| C．they have more pressure in life and work |
| D．they begin to get older |
The key to preventing you from falling into a state of sub-health is that you should ________.
| A．work hard | B．sleep more |
| C．form good living habits | D．take more medicine |
The underlined word “alternate” in this passage is closest in meaning to _________.
| A．arrange by turns | B．cause to take place |
| C．keep oneself busy with | D．get tired of |
Father of TV
Invention of television began in 1922 in Rigby, Idaho, the hometown of Philo Farnsworth. At the age of 16, Philo was a very shy boy. Only his science teacher, Justin Tolman, realized that Philo was a special person.
One day after school Mr. Tolman found Philo in the classroom. The boy was making drawings on the chalkboard.
“What are you doing?” Mr. Tolman asked with interest, “What are these drawings?”
“I want to invent things,” Philo answered, “and these are the drawings of one of my first inventions. I have an idea for a way of sending pictures through the air. Please, just let me tell you about it. You are the only person who can understand what I have done.” In the school library Philo had read about a man who had worked on an idea for television, but had failed. Philo was sure that his own idea was better and that he could succeed.
Mr. Tolman was not sure and asked Philo many questions about the drawings. Giving facts and figures, Philo answered every question.
In 1926, Philo sent his drawings to Washington, along with a letter asking for the patent rights on television. Since then, television has become an important business all over the world.When he lived in his hometown, Philo was _______.
| A．quite different from others | B．an active boy |
| C．an inventor | D．a hard-working boy |
When Philo said “You are the only person who can understand what I have done.” In Paragraph 4, his mood was ________.
| A．discouraged | B．trusting | C．guilty | D．hopeless |
It took Philo ____ to invent the television.
| A．2 years | B．6 years | C．4 years | D．8 years |
When Mr. Tolman saw Philo’s drawing, he _______.
| A．did not believe it was Philo’s invention |
| B．believed Philo could succeed |
| C．believed Philo was a special person |
| D．did not believe Philo could succeed |
I have only once been in trouble with the law．The whole process of being arrested and taken to court was a rather unpleasant experience at the time, but it makes a good story now． What makes it rather disturbing was the arbitrary（随意的）circumstances both of my arrest and my subsequent （随后的） fate in court．
It happened in February about twelve years ago．I had left school a couple of months before that and was not due to go to university until the following October．I was still living at home at the time．
One morning I was in Richmond, a suburb of London near where I lived．I was looking for a temporary job so that I could save up some money to go traveling．As it was a fine day and I was in no hurry, I was taking my time, looking in shop windows, strolling in the park, and sometimes just stopping and looking around me．It must have been this obvious aimlessness that led to my downfall．
It was about half past eleven when it happened．I was just walking out of the local library, having unsuccessfully sought employment there, when I saw a man walking across the road with the obvious intention of talking to me．I thought he was going to ask me the time．Instead, he said he was a police officer and he was arresting me．At first I thought it was some kind of joke
But then another policeman appeared, this time in uniform, and I was left in no doubt．
'But what for?" I asked
‘Wandering with intent to commit an arrestable offence,' he said．
‘What offence?' I asked
'Theft,' he said
'Theft of what?'I asked
'Milk bottles,' he said, and with a perfectly straight face too!
'Oh,' I said．
It turned out there had been a lot of petty thefts in the area, particularly that of stealing milk bottles from doorsteps．
Then I made my big mistake．At the time I was nineteen, had long untidy hair, and regarded myself as pan of the sixties' 'youth counterculture'．As a result, I wanted to appear cool and unconcerned with the incident, so I said, 'How long have you been following me? in the most casual and conversational tone I could manage．I thus appeared to them to be quite familiar with this sort of situation, and it confirmed them in their belief that I was a thoroughly disreputable （品行不端的） character．
A few minutes later a police car arrived．
'Get in the back,' they said．'Put your hands on the back of the front seat and don't move them．'
They got in on either side of me．It wasn't funny any more．
At the police station they questioned me for several hours．I continued to try to look worldly and familiar with the situation．When they asked me what I had been doing, I told them I'd been looking for a job．'Aha,' I could see them thinking, 'unemployed'．
Eventually, I was officially charged and told to report to Richmond Magistrates' Court the following Monday．Then they let me go．
I wanted to conduct my own defense in court, but as soon as my father found out what had happened, he hired a very good solicitor （律师）．We went along that Monday armed with all kinds of witnesses, including my English teacher from school as a character witness．But he was never called on to give evidence．My 'trial' didn't get that far．The magistrate （法官） dismissed the case after fifteen minutes．1 was free．The poor police had never stood a chance．The solicitor even succeeded in getting costs awarded against the police．
And so I do not have a criminal record．But what was most shocking at the time was the things my release from the charge so clearly depended on．I had the 'right' accent, respectable middle-class parents in court, reliable witnesses, and I could obviously afford a very good solicitor．Given the obscure nature of the charge．I feel sure that if I had come from a different background, and had really been unemployed, there is every chance that I would have been found guilty．While asking for costs to be awarded, my solicitor's case quite obviously revolved （回转） around the fact that I had a 'brilliant academic record'．
Meanwhile, just outside the courtroom, one of the policemen who had arrested me was gloomily complaining to my mother that another youngster had been turned against the police． 'You could have been a bit more helpful when we arrested you,' he said to me reproachfully （责备地）．
What did he mean? Probably that I should have looked outraged （暴怒）and said something like, 'Look here, do you know who you're talking to? I am a highly successful student with a brilliant academic record．How dare you arrest me!' Then they, probably, would have apologized perhaps even taken off their caps, and let me on my way．Judging from the first paragraph, the writer's attitude towards his story is _______．
| A．angry | B．sad |
| C．amused | D．more than just one of the above |
The first man who came up to him was ______．
| A．a uniformed policeman | B．a policeman in plainclothes |
| C．not a policeman | D．a good joker |
The court never asked the author's English teacher to give evidence because _______．
| A．the time for the trial was limited to fifteen minutes only |
| B．the author wanted to conduct his own defense in court |
| C．the case was dismissed before the trial reached that stage |
| D．he was found to be unqualified as a character witness |
The author believes that he would most probably have been declared guilty if _______．
| A．the magistrate had been less gentle |
| B．he had really been out of work |
| C．he had been born in a lower—class family |
| D．both B and C |
In the opinion of one of the policeman who had arrested the author, the whole thing might not have occurred if ______．
| A．he had protested strongly at the time |
| B．he had begged to be allowed to go home |
| C．he hadn't wandered aimlessly |
| D．he had tried to look cool |
We can see from the passage that the author ______．
| A．has broken the law only once |
| B．has never broken the law |
| C．has broken the law on more than one occasion |
| D．once broke the law without knowing it |