Question

The computer keyboard helped kill shorthand—a system of rapid handwriting, and now it’s threatening to finish off handwriting as a whole. When handwritten essays were introduced on the SAT exams for the class of 2012, just 15% of the most1.5 million students wrote their answers in cursive(草写字母). The rest? Block letters.

And those college hopefuls are just the first edge of a wave of US students who no longer get much handwriting instructions in the primary grades, frequently 10 minutes a day or less. As a result, more and more students struggle to read and write cursive.

At Keene Mill Elementary School in Springfield, all their poems and stories are typed. Children in Fairfax County schools are taught keyboarding beginning in kindergarten. Older students who never mastered handwriting say it doesn’t affect their grades.

There are those who say the culture is at a crossing, turning from the written word to the typed one. If handwriting becomes a lost form of communication, does it matter?

It was at University Virginia that researchers recently discovered a previously unknown poem by Robert, written in his unique script. Handwritten documents are more valuable to researchers, historians say, because their authenticity(真实性) can be confirmed. Students also find them more fascinating.

The loss of handwriting also may be  a cognitive(认知的) opportunity missed. Several academic studies have found that good handwriting skills at a young age can help children express their thoughts better—a lifelong benefit.

It doesn’t take much to teach better handwriting skills. At some schools in Prince George’s County, elementary school students use a program called Handwriting Without Tears for 15 minutes a day. They learn the correct formation of manuscript letters through second grade, and cursive letters in third grade.

There are always going to be some kids who struggle with handwriting because of their particular neurological(神经系统的) writing, learning issues or poor motor skills. Educators often point to this factor in support of keyboarding.

1. What is the author concerned about after 2012 Sat exams?

A. Keyboarding.      B. Shorthand.

C. Handwriting.     D. Block letters.

2. A poem by Robert mentioned in the passage is used to ____________.

A. prove how valuable handwriting is

B. explain what a famous poet he is

C. show how unique his poem is

D. stress how fascinating the documents are

3. The example of Handwriting Without Tears helps to argue that _____________.

A. the schools are responsible for the loss of handwriting

B. the loss of handwriting is a cognitive opportunity missed

C. it doesn’t take much to teach better handwriting skills

D. the culture is turning from the written word to the typed one

4.According to the author, when is a perfect time to learn handwriting?

A. Kindergarten.                 B. Primary school.

C. High school.                  D. College.

5.What is the author’s attitude towards this debate?

A. Devotion.       B. Encouragement.

C. Critical.       D. Objective.

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.C

4.B

5.D

【解析】

试题分析: 本文揭示了一个社会现象，越来越多的学生不擅长手写，而只会用电脑打字。这种从手写文字转向打字文字的转变究竟是好事还是坏事呢？在本文中作者讲述了研究人员对此的看法。他们认为用手写字在鉴定真实性方面有着很大的价值，而且还可以锻炼人的神经系统和运动系统。

1.C细节理解题。在文章首段作者提出了The computer keyboard helped kill shorthand—a system of rapid handwriting, and now it’s threatening to finish off handwriting as a whole.，表示了对手写草书几乎被打字机取代的担忧，选C。

2.A推理判断题。作者在文中表示出了对手写字几乎要被电脑打字取代的忧虑，然后讲述手写字的重要性，作者提出罗伯特的诗Handwritten documents are more valuable to researchers, historians say, because their authenticity(真实性) can be confirmed. 由此判断这首诗的提出是为了证实手写字的价值，因为它们的真实性可以得到证实，故选A。

3.推理判断题。在文章倒数第二段作者首先提出It doesn’t take much to teach better handwriting skills.然后列举了Handwriting Without Tears的例子，由此判断例子的提出是为了证实前面的论点，选C。

4.B推理判断题。作者在文章倒数第三段提出Several academic studies have found that good handwriting skills at a young age can help children express their thoughts better，然后在倒数第二段elementary school students use a program以小学生为例来进行论证观点，由此推断学习书法的最好时间是在小学期间，选B。

5.推理判断题。在文章中作者没有出现表示自己态度观点的词，只是列举事实和例子来进行客观叙述，由此判断答案选D。

考点：考查社会教育类短文阅读