As Internet users become more dependent on the Internet to store information,do people remember less?if you know your computer will store information,why do you store it in your own personal memory,your brain?Experts are wondering if the Internet is changing what we remember and how.
In a recent study,Professor Betsy Sparrow made some experiments(实验).She and her research team wanted to know how the Internet is changing memory.
In the first experiment,they asked two groups of people to put 40 unimportant facts into a computer.The first group of people understood that the computer would store the information.The second group understood that the computer would not store it.Later,the second group remembered the information better.People in the first group knew they could find the information again,so they did not try to remember it.
In the second experiment,the researchers gave people facts to remember,and told them where to find the information on the Internet.The information was in an exact in an exact computer folder(文件夹).Surprisingly,people later remember where the folder is better than the facts.When people use the Internet,they do not remember the information.However,they remember how to find it.This is called "transitive memory (交互记忆)".
According to Sparrow,we are not becoming people with poor memories as a result of the Internet.Instead,computer users are developing stronger transitive memories;that is,people are learning how to organize a lot of information so that they are able to get it at a later date.This doesn't mean we are becoming either more or less clever,but there is no doubt that the way we use memory is changing.
(1)Why does the writer begin the text with two questions?
A.To explain some thoughts.
B.To introduce the main topic.
C.To show an opinion.
D.To draw the readers' attention.
(2)What can we learn form the first experiment?
A.Sparrow put the information into the computer.
B.Both groups remember the information well.
C.Group 1 remembered the information faster.
D.Group 2 remembered the information better.
(3)What do we know about transitive memory from the second experiment?
A.People organize the information like a computer.
B.People remember how to find the information.
C.People remember how to make a folder.
D.People keep the information in mind.
(4)What's Professor Betsy Sparrow's conclusion(结论)?
A.People become more and more clever.
B.The way people use memory is changing.
C.The way people make experiments is changing.
D.People's memories become poorer than before.
阅读理解(共4小题)
A great big man, a customer, who is around 250 pounds, walked with slow heavy noisy footsteps up to the produce counter(柜台) in the supermarket. “Give me half a head of cabbage,” he told the clerk.
“All we have are whole heads,” the clerk replied in a cold voice.
“I don’t want a whole head,” the man answered, “Just half a head. Are you going to sell me half a head?”
“Wait a minute,” said the clerk. “Let me ask the manager.” She went back where the manager was. “Hey,” she said to the manager, “There’s a big, stupid, looking buffalo (水牛)out front, he wants me to sell him half a head of cabbage. Shall I tell the fool to …” Suddenly, she noticed the manager staring –not at her, but behind her. Turning, surprisingly, the clerk saw that the big and tall man had followed her and heard every word.
Quickly, the clerk turned back to the manager and said, “________ ”
On hearing this, the manager said, nodding his head to the man heavily, “She will pack it for you at once.”
根据短文内容,选择正确答案。The underlined word “staring” in the passage most probably means ________ .
A. talking
B. looking
C. askingThe big man came to the produce counter in the supermarket ________
A. in a quiet way
B. in a hurry
C. slowly and noisilyThe manager stared behind the clerk because ________.
A. the man who the clerk was talking about stood near them and heard what he said
B. he thought it was strange to buy half a head of cabbage
C. he saw a buffalo behind the clerkWhich of the following sentences is true?
A. When talking to the manager, the clerk talked about two different persons.
B. The man got what he wanted at last.
C. In fact, the clerk gave the other half to a buffalo.“ ________ ” can be the missing sentences in the passage.
A. Here he comes. Can I sell half a head of cabbage to him?
B. Look! The man who is going to buy half a head of cabbage was waiting there.
C. And this gentleman wants to buy the other half.
Jim is an Australian boy. He likes sports shoes a lot especially black ones. Now the shopping mall is on sale. He needs two pairs of black shoes and wants different bands(品牌)。How much will he save than usual ?
The Price of Each Pair of Shoes .
A.$173
B.$192
C.$88
阅读下面短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项。
B
Jessie felt her life so boring one summer day. She was so tired of watching TV, she read all her books, and her friends were on vacation.She wanted something different to do.Suddenly, she saw the lawn mower(割草机) sitting in the yard.
“ Mom,” she shouted, “ I think I will mow the lawn.” Her mom ran into the yard and said, “ Oh no, you don’t.You’re too young to mow the lawn.”
I’m fourteen years old and know how to do it,” Jessie said, Besides, it would help Dad out, and he won’t have to worry about it over the weekend.”
Mom thought for a while and then decided to let Jessie give it a try.After all, she was home and would keep an eye on her.Jessie already knew how to start the lawn mower from watching her dad.Jessie checked the gas(汽油) to make sure it was full, and put on her gardening gloves to protect her hands.Mom watched from the kitchen window.Jessie really does know how to mow the lawn.She was very careful around the flowers and trees.When she finished, she felt so good,but she was so hot.Mom brought her some ice tea and said, “You sure did a great job.Dad will be very surprised.”
Later that day, Dad came home and said to Jessie’s mom, “You didn’’t have to mow the lawn.I was going to do it on Saturday.It looks great.Thanks.”
I didn’’t mow it.Jessie did.”
Wow, our little girl is growing up!” Dad told Jessie what a great job she had done.
It was fun, and I will do it again next week,” said Jessie.
The neighbor next door came by and asked Jessie if she wanted to mow his lawn and make some money.“Sure!” said Jessie.Jessie began mowing his lawn.Two other neighbors asked so, then another three.Jessie was now mowing lawns for them all and making some money.She was no longer bored! “I won’t have time to spend my money,” she laughed to herself.In order to do something different, Jessie decided to ________.
| A.read the books |
| B.travel |
| C.mow the lawn |
| D.watch TV |
What does “keep an eye on” mean?
| A.保护 |
| B.注视 |
| C.培养 |
| D.瞄准 |
Before Jessie mowed the lawn, she ________.
| A.washed her hands |
| B.bought some gas |
| C.read some instructions |
| D.put on her gloves |
How did Jessie’s father feel when he knew Jessie had mowed the lawn?
| A.Proud |
| B.Angry |
| C.Relaxed |
| D.Worried |
What does the text mainly tell us?
| A.Neighbors should learn to help each other. |
| B.Mowing the lawn is a good way to make money. |
| C.Doing something helpful can make people happy. |
| D.Children should help their parents at an early age. |
阅读理解(共2小题)
阅读下面短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项。
A
The airport in Boswell is twenty-one miles from the city.The banks and business offices are in the centre of the city.Read the notes from the diary of Mr Simpson.
How far is it from the city to the airport in Boswell?
| A.21km. |
| B.31km. |
| C.21m. |
| D.21 miles. |
Mr Nagashima is from ________.
| A.Australia |
| B.Japan |
| C.America |
| D.Germany |
Mr and Mrs J.Grant will leave Boswell on ________.
| A.Tuesday |
| B.Wednesday |
| C.Thursday |
| D.Friday |
How many travelers will Mr Simpson meet in just over a week?
| A.107. |
| B.65. |
| C.35. |
| D.131. |
Mr Simpson is probably ________.
| A.a headmaster |
| B.a travel manager |
| C.a traveler |
| D.an engineer |
阅读下列短文, 从每小题的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
D
Almost everyone has dropped some food on the floor and still wanted to eat it.If someone saw you drop it, he or she might have shouted, “ 5-second rule!” This so–called rule says food is OK to eat if you pick it up in five seconds or less.But is that true?
Professor Anthony Hilton from Ashton University, UK, tested the rule with his students.They found that food dropped for five seconds is less likely to contain bacteria(细菌) than if it sits there for longer.
For the study, Hilton and his students tested a lot of foods——bread, pasta, cookies and candy—to see how much bacteria they had when they made contact with the floor.They allowed the food to lie on the different types of flooring—carpet(地毯), laminate (复合地板) and tile(瓷砖) — for three seconds to 30 seconds.
Not surprisingly, the longer the food was on the floor, the more bacteria it had.And the type of floor where the dropped food landed had an effect.Bacteria are least likely to transfer(转移) from carpet, while they are most likely to transfer laminate or tiled surface after more than five seconds.
The study also found that the wetter the food, the more likely it was to pick up bacteria.Although most people are happy to follow the 5-second rule, eating food dropped on the floor still carries an infection(感染) risk.“It very much depends on which bacteria are on the floor at the time.” Hilton told Forbes.What is the “5-second rule’ mean?
| A.People often shout at someone when they drop food on the floor. |
| B.Food is safe when you pick it up off the floor in less than five seconds. |
| C.It’s better to eat dropped food when it’s been on the floor for over five seconds. |
| D.Food will go bad when dropped food on the floor in five seconds or less. |
Where is Ashton University?
A.In the USA.
B.In England.
C.In China.
D.In France.Hilton’s test wanted to find out____________.
| A.if the “5-second rule” is true |
| B.the students’ favorite food |
| C.which food is easily dropped |
| D.if different types of floor have different bacteria |
According to the test, we learn the following EXCEPT ________.
| A.the dropped food had more bacteria if it sat on the floor for longer. |
| B.the dropped food on the carpet had the least bacteria. |
| C.bacteria was impossible to transfer from laminate or tiled surfaces. |
| D.the wetter food was likely to pick up bacteria. |
According to the article, the infection risk of the dropped does NOT depend on _____________.
| A.how long the food sits on the floor |
| B.what the dropped food is |
| C.what the bacteria are |
| D.what the weather is like that day |