When Gretchen Baxter gets home from work as a New York City book editor, she checks her Blackberry at the door. “I think we are attached to these devices in a way that is not always positive,” says Baxter, who’d rather focus at home on her husband and 12-year-old daughter. “It’s there and it beckons(召唤). That’s human nature (but)…we kind of get crazy sometimes and we don’t know where it should stop.”
Americans are connected at unprecedented(前所未有的) levels—93% now use cell phones or wireless devices; one third of those are “smart phones” that allow users to browse the web and check e-mails, among other things. The benefits are obvious: checking messages on the road, staying in touch with friends and family, efficiently using time once spent waiting around. The downside: often, we’re effectively disconnecting from those in the same room.
That’s why, despite all the technology that makes communicating easier than ever, 2010 was the year we stopped talking to one another. From texting at dinner to posting on Facebook from work or checking e-mails while on a date, the connectivity revolution is creating a lot of divided attention, not to mention social anxiety. Many analysts say it’s time to step back and reassess (再评价).
“What we’re going to see in the future is new opportunities for people to be plugged in and connected like never before,” says Scott Campbell. “It can be a good thing, but I also see new ways the traditional social construction is getting somewhat torn apart.”
Our days are filled with beeps and pings—many of which pull us away from tasks at hand or face-to-face conversations. We may feel that the distractions(干扰) are too much, but we can’t seem to stop posting, texting or surfing. “We’re going through a period of adjustment and rebalancing, ” says Sherry Turkle and she wants to remind people that technology can be turned off. “Our human purposes are to really have connections with people,” she says. “We have to reclaim it. It’s not going to take place by itself.”
1.According to Paragraph 1, Gretchen Baxter thinks _____.
A. the new technology always influences people’s life in a positive way
B. the new technology always influences people’s life in a negative way
C. the family isn’t that important compared to the new technology
D. people are too dependent on the new technology to let go
2. The underlined word “downside” in Paragraph 2 probably means _____.
A. advantage B. weakness
C. strengthD. effect
3. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The wide use of mobile devices has nothing to do with the traditional social construction.
B. Mobile devices play a less important part in American life.
C. Mobile devices create a lot of divided attention and social anxiety.
D. Many analysts speak highly of the wide popularity of mobile devices.
4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A. Something must be done to get connection with people in reality again.
B. Using mobile services can help people get con- nection with each other.
C. Mobile services have a strong impact on people’s life.
D. The connection with people can happen naturally.
A group of graduates have highly been established in their careers. One day they got together to their old university professor. Shortly they arrived, their conversation turned into complaints about in work and life. In order to his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned a large pot of coffee and a variety of cups made of porcelain(陶瓷的), plastic, glass or crystal. Some of
are plain looking, some expensive, and some are exquisite(做工精致的). The told them to help themselves to the coffee.
When the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said:
If you noticed, all the nice looking cups were taken up, behind the plain and cheap ones. it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the of your problems and stress.
all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, you consciously went for the best cups and were seeing each other’s .
Now consider this: is the coffee and the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are tools to hold and contain life, and do not change the of life. Sometimes, by concen- trating only on the cup, we to enjoy the coffee God has provided. So, don’t let the cups drive you. . . the coffee instead.
1. A. call atB. call onC. call forD. call up
2. A. afterB. beforeC. whenD. as
3. A. happinessB. joy
C. satisfactionD. stress
4. A. offerB. provideC. makeD. supply
5.A. forB. toC. withD. along
6. A. whomB. whichC. themD. it
7. A. studentsB. professor
C. sonD. wife
8. A. allB. some of
C. none ofD. both
9. A. cheapB. ordinary
C. glassD. expensive
10.A. leavingB. remaining
C. keepingD. staying
11. A. BecauseB. Since
C. WhileD. If
12. A. sourceB. resource
C. endD. solution
13. A. ThatB. What
C. AnythingD. Something
14. A. andB. soC. thusD. but
15. A. cupsB. coffeeC. eyesD. faces
16. A. WorkB. LifeC. CareerD. Study
17.A. more thanB. rather than
C. justD. not only
18. A. quantityB. quality
C. paceD. style
19. A. manageB. try
C. attemptD. fail
20. A. enjoyB. drinkC. haveD. share
(2012·杭州高二检测) Next door to ours _______, who has just returned from abroad.
A. where lives an old man
B. where does the old man live
C. lives an old man
D. does an old man live
There was a long queue for coffee. Having waited for 10 minutes, we _______ gave up.
A. absolutelyB. actually
C. eventuallyD. occasionally
(2012·济南高二检测)—Mum, I can’t see any point in studying hard.
—Come on, dear. Years of hard study will surely _______ in your future career.
A. make sureB. pay off
C. bring backD. pay back
Public places are becoming more _______ to people with disabilities.
A. easyB. accessibleC. hardD. suitable