Social networking websites are causing alarming changes in the brains of young users, a famous scientist has warned.Sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Bebo are said to shorten attention spans (幅度), encourage instant satisfaction and make children more self-centered.
Warnings from neuroscientist (神經系統(tǒng)科學家) Susan Greenfield will disturb the millions whose social lives depend on surfing their favorite websites each day.But they will strike a chord (弦) with parents and teachers who complain that many teenagers lack the ability to communicate or concentrate away from their screens.
More than 150 million use Facebook to keep in touch with friends, share photographs and videos and post regular updates of their movements and thoughts.A further six million have signed up to Twitter, the "micro-blogging" service that lets users exchange text messages about themselves.But while the sites are popular and extremely profitable, a growing number of psychologists and neuroscientists believe they may be doing more harm than good.
Baroness Tarot, an Oxford University neuroscientist believes repeated exposure could rewire the brain.Computer games and fast-paced TV shows were also a factor, she said."My fear is that these technologies are weakening the brain to the state of small children who are attracted by buzzing noises and bright lights, who have a small attention span and live for the moment." "I often wonder whether real conversation in real time may eventually give way to these easier and faster screen dialogues, in much the same way as killing and butchering an animal to eat has been replaced by the convenience of packages on the supermarket shelf," she said.
Psychologists have also argued that digital technology is changing the way we think.They point out that students no longer need to plan their term papers before starting to write—thanks to word processors they can edit as they go along.
A study by the Broadcaster Audience Board found teenagers now spend seven and a half hours a day in front of a screen.Educational psychologist Jane Healy believes children should be kept away from computer games until they are seven.Most games only excite the "flight or fight" areas of the brain, rather than the areas responsible reasoning.
Sue Palmer, author of Toxic Childhood, said: "We are seeing children's brain development damaged because they don't engage in the activity they have engaged in for thousands of years.I'm not against technology and computers.But before they start social networking, they need to learn to make real relationships with people."
【小題1】.
According to the passage, social networking websites might _____.
A.make young users more selfish |
B.lengthen young users' attention span |
C.encourage young users constant satisfaction |
D.help young users communicate better with their families |
A.help children learn to make real relationships with people in society |
B.encourage students not to plan their term papers before starting to write |
C.disturb those whose social lives depend on surfing their favorite websites |
D.make real conversation in real time give way to easier and faster screen dialogue |
A.Baroness Tarot agrees websites cause small children's small attention span |
B.Jane Healy believes computer games can do good to children's reasoning |
C.Susan Greenfield's warnings have been brought to wide public attention |
D.Sue Palmer's book Toxic Childhood discusses the development of networking |
A.To tell us the conflict between neuroscientists and psychologists on websites. |
B.To present some negative opinions on social networking websites. |
C.To offer advice on the problem of brain damage caused by social networking. |
D.To analyse how social networking websites cause damage in the brains of teenagers. |
科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解
The following is a recent survey among teenagers:
Radio Most teenagers nowadays are not regular listeners to radio. They may occasionally tune in, but they do not try to listen to a program specifically. The main reason teenagers listen to the radio is for music, but now with online sites streaming music for free they do not bother, and users can choose the songs they want instead of listening to what the radio presenter/DJ chooses. Television Most teenagers watch television, but usually there are points in the year where they watch more than average. This is due to programs coming on in seasons, so they will watch a particular show at a certain time (as long as it lasts) but then they may watch no television for weeks. Teenagers are also watching less television because of services such as BBC iPlayer, which allows them to watch shows when they want. Whilst watching TV, adverts come on quite regularly (18 minutes of every hour) and teenagers do not want to watch these, so they switch to another channel, or do something else whilst the adverts run. Newspapers No teenager that I know of regularly reads a newspaper, as most do not have the time and cannot be bothered to read pages and pages of text while they could watch the news summarized on the Internet or on TV. Internet Every teenager has some access to the Internet, be it at school or home. Home use is mainly used for fun (such as social networking) whilst school (or library) use is for work. Most teenagers are heavily active on a combination of social networking sites. Facebook is the most common, with nearly everyone with an Internet connection registered and visiting >4 times a week. Facebook is popular as one can interact with friends on a wide scale. For searching the web, Google is the dominant figure, simply because it is well known and easy to use. Some teenagers make purchases on the Internet (on sites like eBay) but this is only used by a small percentage, as a credit card is required and most teenagers do not have credit cards. Many teenagers use YouTube to watch videos (usually anime which cannot be watched anywhere else) and some use it as a music player by having a video with the music they want to listen to playing in the background. Mobile Phones 99pc of teenagers have a mobile phone and most are quite capable phones. Usually, teenagers only use their phones for texting, calling. Features such as video messaging or video calling are not used—because they are expensive. Services such as instant messaging are used, but not by everyone. It usually depends whether the phone is Wi-Fi compatible, because otherwise it is very expensive to get Internet off the phone network. As most teenagers’ phones have Bluetooth support, and Bluetooth is free, they utilize this feature often. Mobile email is not used as teenagers have no need; they do not need to be connected to their inbox all the time as they don’t receive important emails. |
The survey carried out recently is mainly concerned with ______.
A. how teenagers consume media
B. what electric devices teenagers favor
C. which new trend teenagers are following
D. how teenagers contact others and make their social net
As is mentioned in the survey, the reason why teenagers watch less TV mainly lies in that ______.
A. teenagers do not watch regular programs
B. all the TV programs are on for only a few weeks
C. teenagers may turn to other devices to watch their favorite
D. the TV adverts coming on every channel are just the same
Which of the following is TRUE according to the survey?
A. Radio presenter or DJ used to invite the listeners to choose the songs they want.
B. The main source for teenagers to get news is Internet as well as newspapers.
C. Google is the most common social networking sites due to its convenience.
D. Some features of modern mobile phones are not widely used by teenagers.
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科目:高中英語 來源:2011屆上海市十校第二次聯(lián)考高三下學期英語卷 題型:閱讀理解
The following is a recent survey among teenagers:
Radio Most teenagers nowadays are not regular listeners to radio. They may occasionally tune in, but they do not try to listen to a program specifically. The main reason teenagers listen to the radio is for music, but now with online sites streaming music for free they do not bother, and users can choose the songs they want instead of listening to what the radio presenter/DJ chooses. Television Most teenagers watch television, but usually there are points in the year where they watch more than average. This is due to programs coming on in seasons, so they will watch a particular show at a certain time (as long as it lasts) but then they may watch no television for weeks. Teenagers are also watching less television because of services such as BBC iPlayer, which allows them to watch shows when they want. Whilst watching TV, adverts come on quite regularly (18 minutes of every hour) and teenagers do not want to watch these, so they switch to another channel, or do something else whilst the adverts run. Newspapers No teenager that I know of regularly reads a newspaper, as most do not have the time and cannot be bothered to read pages and pages of text while they could watch the news summarized on the Internet or on TV. Internet Every teenager has some access to the Internet, be it at school or home. Home use is mainly used for fun (such as social networking) whilst school (or library) use is for work. Most teenagers are heavily active on a combination of social networking sites. Facebook is the most common, with nearly everyone with an Internet connection registered and visiting >4 times a week. Facebook is popular as one can interact with friends on a wide scale. For searching the web, Google is the dominant figure, simply because it is well known and easy to use. Some teenagers make purchases on the Internet (on sites like eBay) but this is only used by a small percentage, as a credit card is required and most teenagers do not have credit cards. Many teenagers use YouTube to watch videos (usually anime which cannot be watched anywhere else) and some use it as a music player by having a video with the music they want to listen to playing in the background. Mobile Phones 99pc of teenagers have a mobile phone and most are quite capable phones. Usually, teenagers only use their phones for texting, calling. Features such as video messaging or video calling are not used—because they are expensive. Services such as instant messaging are used, but not by everyone. It usually depends whether the phone is Wi-Fi compatible, because otherwise it is very expensive to get Internet off the phone network. As most teenagers’ phones have Bluetooth support, and Bluetooth is free, they utilize this feature often. Mobile email is not used as teenagers have no need; they do not need to be connected to their inbox all the time as they don’t receive important emails. |
A.how teenagers consume media |
B.what electric devices teenagers favor |
C.which new trend teenagers are following |
D.how teenagers contact others and make their social net |
A.teenagers do not watch regular programs |
B.all the TV programs are on for only a few weeks |
C.teenagers may turn to other devices to watch their favorite |
D.the TV adverts coming on every channel are just the same |
A.Radio presenter or DJ used to invite the listeners to choose the songs they want. |
B.The main source for teenagers to get news is Internet as well as newspapers. |
C.Google is the most common social networking sites due to its convenience. |
D.Some features of modern mobile phones are not widely used by teenagers. |
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科目:高中英語 來源:2012-2013學年陜西省三原縣北城中學高二上學期期中考試英語試卷(帶解析) 題型:閱讀理解
Your teenage daughter is supposed to be doing homework, but you catch her chatting online. She tells you that she’s talking about the math test tomorrow. Before your eyes start rolling, listen up: teens are using social networking sites for more than just gossip, according to a new study by the National School Boards Association.
The students who took part in the online survey, aged 9 to 17, said they spent almost as much time on social networking online as they did watching television. And it is what these kids are talking about online that is causing such a cheer: education. Of the students who took part in the study 60 percent reported that some of the most popular social networking topics were college planning, learning outside of school, careers, and schoolwork. They also reported posting writing and art projects that might have nothing to do with schoolwork.
Ann Flynn, director of education technology for the National School Boards Association, says incorporating (合并) social networking tools into educational curriculum (課程) is the way forward. Flynn says a school in Cleveland, Ohio is posting students’ book reports on a blog for students of their own ages, parents and other teachers to read and comment on. “If someone reacts other than the teacher, a child is much more likely to take an assignment seriously,” Flynn says.
Not only students but also parents can benefit. Now parents can go online and know what the class is doing. So, next time your child says her blog is educational, get curious, sit down and check out the blog with her. You might just learn something new yourself.
【小題1】We can infer from the text that Ann Flynn .
A.supports students in using social networking sites |
B.used to think badly of students’ using social networking sites |
C.suggests schools set up their own social networking sites |
D.suggests teachers inspect what students do on social networking sites |
A.It asks each student to keep a blog. |
B.It invites parents to comment on students’ work. |
C.It welcomes comments on students’ book reports online. |
D.It lets students keep in touch with their teachers online. |
A.a stranger | B.his teachers | C.his parents | D.his classmates |
A.Because parents can make a lot of friends online. |
B.Because parents can help their children with their schoolwork. |
C.Because parents can know their children’s learning at school. |
D.Because parents can keep up with social development. |
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科目:高中英語 來源:2014屆陜西省高二上學期期中考試英語試卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解
Your teenage daughter is supposed to be doing homework, but you catch her chatting online. She tells you that she’s talking about the math test tomorrow. Before your eyes start rolling, listen up: teens are using social networking sites for more than just gossip, according to a new study by the National School Boards Association.
The students who took part in the online survey, aged 9 to 17, said they spent almost as much time on social networking online as they did watching television. And it is what these kids are talking about online that is causing such a cheer: education. Of the students who took part in the study 60 percent reported that some of the most popular social networking topics were college planning, learning outside of school, careers, and schoolwork. They also reported posting writing and art projects that might have nothing to do with schoolwork.
Ann Flynn, director of education technology for the National School Boards Association, says incorporating (合并) social networking tools into educational curriculum (課程) is the way forward. Flynn says a school in Cleveland, Ohio is posting students’ book reports on a blog for students of their own ages, parents and other teachers to read and comment on. “If someone reacts other than the teacher, a child is much more likely to take an assignment seriously,” Flynn says.
Not only students but also parents can benefit. Now parents can go online and know what the class is doing. So, next time your child says her blog is educational, get curious, sit down and check out the blog with her. You might just learn something new yourself.
1.We can infer from the text that Ann Flynn .
A.supports students in using social networking sites
B.used to think badly of students’ using social networking sites
C.suggests schools set up their own social networking sites
D.suggests teachers inspect what students do on social networking sites
2.How does the school in Cleveland mentioned in the text use social net-working sites?
A.It asks each student to keep a blog.
B.It invites parents to comment on students’ work.
C.It welcomes comments on students’ book reports online.
D.It lets students keep in touch with their teachers online.
3.A student will not probably take an assignment seriously if he gets comments from .
A.a stranger B.his teachers C.his parents D.his classmates
4.Why can parents benefit from social networking sites?
A.Because parents can make a lot of friends online.
B.Because parents can help their children with their schoolwork.
C.Because parents can know their children’s learning at school.
D.Because parents can keep up with social development.
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科目:高中英語 來源:2010-2011學年上海市十校第二次聯(lián)考高三下學期英語卷 題型:閱讀理解
The following is a recent survey among teenagers:
Radio Most teenagers nowadays are not regular listeners to radio. They may occasionally tune in, but they do not try to listen to a program specifically. The main reason teenagers listen to the radio is for music, but now with online sites streaming music for free they do not bother, and users can choose the songs they want instead of listening to what the radio presenter/DJ chooses.
Television Most teenagers watch television, but usually there are points in the year where they watch more than average. This is due to programs coming on in seasons, so they will watch a particular show at a certain time (as long as it lasts) but then they may watch no television for weeks. Teenagers are also watching less television because of services such as BBC iPlayer, which allows them to watch shows when they want. Whilst watching TV, adverts come on quite regularly (18 minutes of every hour) and teenagers do not want to watch these, so they switch to another channel, or do something else whilst the adverts run.
Newspapers No teenager that I know of regularly reads a newspaper, as most do not have the time and cannot be bothered to read pages and pages of text while they could watch the news summarized on the Internet or on TV.
Internet Every teenager has some access to the Internet, be it at school or home. Home use is mainly used for fun (such as social networking) whilst school (or library) use is for work. Most teenagers are heavily active on a combination of social networking sites. Facebook is the most common, with nearly everyone with an Internet connection registered and visiting >4 times a week. Facebook is popular as one can interact with friends on a wide scale. For searching the web, Google is the dominant figure, simply because it is well known and easy to use. Some teenagers make purchases on the Internet (on sites like eBay) but this is only used by a small percentage, as a credit card is required and most teenagers do not have credit cards. Many teenagers use YouTube to watch videos (usually anime which cannot be watched anywhere else) and some use it as a music player by having a video with the music they want to listen to playing in the background.
Mobile Phones 99pc of teenagers have a mobile phone and most are quite capable phones. Usually, teenagers only use their phones for texting, calling. Features such as video messaging or video calling are not used—because they are expensive. Services such as instant messaging are used, but not by everyone. It usually depends whether the phone is Wi-Fi compatible, because otherwise it is very expensive to get Internet off the phone network. As most teenagers’ phones have Bluetooth support, and Bluetooth is free, they utilize this feature often. Mobile email is not used as teenagers have no need; they do not need to be connected to their inbox all the time as they don’t receive important emails. |
1. The survey carried out recently is mainly concerned with ______.
A. how teenagers consume media
B. what electric devices teenagers favor
C. which new trend teenagers are following
D. how teenagers contact others and make their social net
2. As is mentioned in the survey, the reason why teenagers watch less TV mainly lies in that ______.
A. teenagers do not watch regular programs
B. all the TV programs are on for only a few weeks
C. teenagers may turn to other devices to watch their favorite
D. the TV adverts coming on every channel are just the same
3. Which of the following is TRUE according to the survey?
A. Radio presenter or DJ used to invite the listeners to choose the songs they want.
B. The main source for teenagers to get news is Internet as well as newspapers.
C. Google is the most common social networking sites due to its convenience.
D. Some features of modern mobile phones are not widely used by teenagers.
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