Michael, a normal American, stays home on workdays. He plugs into his personal computer terminal in order to connect with the office. After work he puts on his headphones, watches a movie on his home video recorder or plays baseball on the computer. On many days, Michael doesn’t talk to any other human beings, and he doesn’t see any people except the ones on television. Michael is imaginary, but his life style is very possible. The inventions of modern technology seem to be cutting us off from communicating with our fellow human beings.
The world of business is one area in which technology is separating us. Experts say, for example, that many people will soon be able to work at home. With access to a large central computer, employees such as office clerks, insurance agents, and accountants could do their job at display terminals in their own homes. They would never have to actually see the people they’re dealing with. Also, the way employees are paid will change. Workers’ salaries will be automatically paid into their bank accounts, making paper checks unnecessary. No workers will stand in line to receive their pay or cash their checks. Personal banking will change, too. Customers will deal with machines to put in or take out money from their accounts.
Another area in which technology is changing is entertainment. Music, for instance, was once a group experience. People listened to music at concert halls or in small social gatherings. For many people now, however, music is an individual experience. Walking along the street or sitting in their living rooms, they wear headphones to build a wall of music around them. Movie entertainment is changing, too. Movies used to be social events. Now, fewer people are going out to see a movie. Many more are choosing to wait for a film to appear on television or are borrowing videotapes to watch at home. Instead of laughing with others, viewers watch movies in their own living rooms.
【小题1】The underlined sentence in the first paragraph means _______.

Michael, a normal American, stays home on workdays. He plugs into his personal computer terminal in order to connect with the office. After work he puts on his headphones, watches a movie on his home video recorder or plays baseball on the computer. On many days, Michael doesn't talk to any other human beings, and he doesn't see any people except the ones on television. Michael is imaginary, but his life style is very possible. The inventions of modern technology seem to be cutting us off from communicating with our fellow human beings.

The world of business is one area in which technology is separating us. Experts say, for example, that many people will soon be able to work at home. With access to a large central computer, employees such as office clerks, insurance agents, and accountants could do their job at display terminals in their own homes. They would never have to actually see the people they're dealing with. Also, the way employees are paid will change. Workers' salaries will be automatically paid into their bank accounts, making paper checks unnecessary. No workers will stand in line to receive their pay or cash their checks. Personal banking will change, too. Customers will deal with machines to put in or take out money from their accounts.

Another area in which technology is changing is entertainment. Music, for instance, was once a group experience. People listened to music at concert halls or in small social gatherings. For many people now, however, music is an individual experience. Walking along the street or sitting in their living rooms, they wear headphones to build a wall of music around them. Movie entertainment is changing, too. Movies used to be social events. Now, fewer people are going out to see a movie. Many more are choosing to wait for a film to appear on television or are borrowing videotapes to watch at home. Instead of laughing with others, viewers watch movies in their own living rooms.

1.The underlined sentence in the first paragraph means _______.

2.What does the author discuss in the last paragraph ?

3. What is the main idea of the passage?

Last fall I hung outside my window a bird feeder(喂鸟的食槽). Knowing  36   about wild birds, I   37   that   38  I hung this bird feeder outside, numbers of beautiful birds would be swooping (飞扑) to my new addition. However, days, weeks, and months   39  , NO BIRDS.

I asked so many people what to do?   40   was I doing wrong? “Nothing,” most of them replied, “just  41  !” So I waited and waited and waited, trying everything   42  to attract these birds. I cleaned off the deck (平台),    43    the feed, and washed the feeder. I   44   made the cat go out the other door! But nothing seemed to   45   . So I waited with patience and   46  .     

    Two months later, on a Saturday afternoon, I   47   ! What came to my eyes was the most beautiful bird I have ever seen in my life! All of a   48  , hundreds upon hundreds of birds were  49   from everywhere!

What a beautiful   50   I learned from this little creature! Patience and hope, and things will  51  the beautiful things in life. Yet I had never   52  how much patience I really do have and how much I do rely on hope to   53  the questions in my heart.

So I  54   hoping and waiting, waiting and hoping. I will try to use this “little lesson” with so many other things in my life. I guess patience is a    55  after all.