Most people will praise many technological gadgets（小装置） that they use in their everyday lives. Technology is developing at a very fast rate, and what most people did not even think could be real a few years ago is now becoming a reality. Although many will use and advertise modern technology for many of its achievements and advancements, what many don’t realize is that it has affected and continues to affect society and people in general in a negative way.

Newspaper companies, as we all know, have been hit very hard by the advancements in technology. Big newspapers have been forced to either lay off a percentage of their work force or shut down altogether because news is readily available for free on the Internet. Music does not have to be purchased at a music store any more because MP3 files are readily available on the Internet as well, thus causing big music store chains to shut their doors for good. The movie industry has also been hit hard because DVD sales have decreased since people can pay for and download their favorite movies online.

Technology has its benefits, but when you take a look at how people communicate with one another, you will quickly see that it has a negative impact. Modern technology has allowed people to communicate with just about anyone they want to at any given time. The fact remains that people do not interact personally with one another as often as they used to. This has created a barrier for face-to-face communication among people because they no longer have to hold a meeting in an office or they no longer have to call friends or family members together to wish them a happy birthday or congratulate them on their recent success.

As a result, people don’t feel the urgent need to step outside of their home to find entertainment, such as participating in a dynamic game of basketball with friends, meeting a friend at a coffee shop, etc.

1.The first paragraph is mainly to tell us that _____.

A. technology is developing rapidly

B. many dreams have come true.

C. technology benefits us a lot

D. technology has its disadvantages

2.The author shows us the negative effects of the technology by _____.

A. telling some stories               B. giving some examples

C. listing some figures              D. doing some experiments

3.What does he underlined word “interact” in the third paragraph probably mean?

  A. argue          B. consult          C. communicate         D. work

4.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A. The negative effects of advancing technology

B. The benefits of the modern technology

C. The development of the modern technology

D. The social problems caused by the technology

 

About six years ago I was eating lunch in a restaurant in New York City when a woman and a young boy sat down at the next table, I couldn’t help overhearing parts of their conversation. At one point the woman asked, “So, how have you been?” And the boy — who could not have been more than seven or eight years old — replied. “Frankly, I’ve been feeling a little depressed lately.”

       This incident stuck in my mind because it confirmed (确认) my growing belief that children are changing. As far as I can remember, my friends and I didn’t find out we were “depressed”, that is, in low spirits, until we were in high school.

       Undoubtedly a change in children has increased steadily in recent years. Children don’t seem childlike anymore. Children speak more like adults, dress more like adults and behave more like adults than they used to.

       Whether this is good or bad is difficult to say, but it certainly is different. Childhood as it once was no longer exists. Why?

       Human development is depended not only on born biological states, but also on patterns of gaining social knowledge. Movement from one social role to another usually involves learning the secrets of the new social positions. Children have always been taught adult secrets, but slowly and in stages; traditionally, we tell sixth graders things we keep hidden from fifth graders.

       In the last 30 years, however, a secret-revelation (揭示) machine has been equipped in 98 percent of American homes. It is called television. Television passes information to all viewers alike, whether they are children or adults. Unable to resist the temptation (诱惑) , many children turn their attention from printed texts to the less challenging, more attractive moving pictures.

       Communication through print, as a matter of fact, allows for a great deal of control over the social information which children will gain. Children must read simple books before they can read complex materials.

According to the author, feeling depressed is ________.

       A．a sure sign of a mental problem in a child

       B．a mental state present in all humans, including children

       C．something that cannot be avoided in children’s mental development

       D．something hardly to be expected in a young child

Traditionally, a child is supposed to learn about the adult world _________.

       A．through connection with society

       B．gradually and under guidance

       C．naturally without being taught

       D．through watching television

According to the author, that today’s children seem adultlike results from ______.

       A．the widespread influence of television

       B．the poor arrangement of teaching content

       C．the fast pace of human scientific development

       D．the rising standard of living

What does the author think of communication through print for children?

       A．It enables children to gain more social information.

       B．It develops children’s interest in reading and writing.

       C．It helps children to read and write well.

       D．It can control what children are to learn.

Are you worried by the rising crime rate? If you are, you probably know that your house, possessions(财产) and person are increasingly in danger of suffering from great rise in the cases of burglary(夜盗;抢劫) and attack.
Figures show an ever-increasing crime rate, but it is only too easy to imagine "It will never happen to me". Unfortunately, statistics show that it really can happen to you and, if you live in a large city, you run twice the risk of being a victim.
Fortunately, there is something definite which you can do. Protect Alarms can help to protect your house with a burglar alarm system which is effective, simple to operate and easily affordable.
You must remember that owning a burglar alarm is no indication(暗示) that your house is packed with valuable possessions. It quite simply indicates to unwelcome visitors that yours is one house they will not break into easily, so they carry on to an unprotected house where their job is made a lot easier.
Send now for our free leaflet telling you how we can Protect Alarm your house quickly, easily and cheaply. Complete and tear off the slip below and post it to us. Postage is free. Also, telephone us on 327 6721 where we have a round-the-clock answering service. It costs nothing to find out about Protect Alarm.
【小题1】 Anyone who takes an interest in the crime rate will, according to the text, be aware that ___________.

A．more burglars are being caught than ever before

B．people have more possessions to worry about nowadays

C．burglars are more at risk than they used to be

D．homes are more likely to be broken into nowadays

【小题2】 It seems that people who live in cities are ____________

A．more often victims than those living in other areas

B．of the opinion that statistics are wrong

C．twice as well as people living in other areas

D．of the opinion that burglars only rob unprotected homes

【小题3】The article claims that possessing an alarm system will _________.
A. show burglars that you have something worth stealing
B. persuade burglars not to break into your house
C. make the burglars’job less complicated
【小题4】The underlined word "Figures" in the second paragraph can be replaced by"       "

A．Illustrations

B．Fingers

C．Numbers

D．Mathematics

About six years ago I was eating lunch in a restaurant in New York City when a woman and a young boy sat down at the next table, I couldn't help overhearing parts of their conversation. At one point the woman asked, “So, how have you been?” And the boy—who could not have been more than seven or eight years old—replied. “Frankly, I've been feeling a little depressed lately.”

    This incident stuck in my mind because it confirmed my growing belief that children are changing. As far as I can remember, my friends and I didn't find out we were “depressed”, that is, in low spirits, until we were in high school.

    Undoubtedly a change in children has increased steadily in recent years. Children don't seem childlike anymore. Children speak more like adults, dress more like adults and behave more like adults than they used to.

    Whether this is good or bad is difficult to say, but it certainly is different. Childhood as it once was no longer exists. Why?

    Human development depends not only on born biological states, but also on patterns of gaining social knowledge. Movement from one social role to another usually involves learning the secrets of the new social positions. Children have always been taught adult secrets, but slowly and in stages; traditionally, we tell sixth graders things we keep hidden from fifth graders.

    In the last 30 years, however, a secret-revelation（揭示） machine has been equipped in 98 percent of American homes. It is called television. Television passes information to all viewers alike, whether they are children or adults. Unable to resist the temptation （诱惑）,  many children turn their attention from printed texts to the less challenging, more attractive moving pictures.

Communication through print, as a matter of fact, allows for a great deal of control over the social information which children will gain. Children must read simple books before they can read complex materials.

1. According to the author, feeling depressed is ____________.

    A. a sure sign of a mental problem in a child

    B. a mental state present in all humans, including children

    C. something that cannot be avoided in children's mental development

    D. something hardly to be expected in a young child

2.According to the author, that today's children seem adult-like results from ____________.

    A. the widespread influence of television

    B. the poor arrangement of teaching content

    C. the fast pace of human scientific development

    D. the rising standard of living

3. What does the author think of communication through print for children?

    A. It enables children to gain more social information.

    B. It develops children's interest in reading and writing.

    C. It helps children to read and write well.

    D. It can control what children are to learn.

4. What does the author think of the change in today's children?

    A. He feels their adult-like behavior is so funny.

    B. He thinks the change worthy of note.

    C. He considers it a rapid development.

    D. He seems to be upset about it.

 

 

His aunt’s letters_________him of those beautiful days when they used to live together in his hometown.

   A. call up    B．call for        C．call on         D．call at