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 most 1.5 million students wrote their answers in cursive(草寫字母). 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(真實性) can be confirmed. Students also find them more fascinating.

The loss of handwriting also may be a cognitive(認知的) 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(神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)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

1.C

2.A

3.C

4.B

5.D

【解析】

試題分析: 本文為議論文，屬于社會文化類。電腦鍵盤的出現(xiàn)及使用改變了傳統(tǒng)的手寫模式。人們越來越淡化手寫文化，然而手寫文對研究者們更有價值，因為可以確認它的真實性，而且年輕時掌握好的手寫技能有助于幫助兒童更好地表達他們的想法。

1.。細節(jié)理解題。由文章第一段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 most 1.5 million students wrote their answers in cursive(草寫字母). 可以看出作者在考試后關(guān)注的是手寫體，故選C。

2.推理判斷題。由文章第五段Handwritten documents are more valuable to researchers, historians say, because their authenticity(真實性) can be confirmed.可以推斷出提到該詩的目的是為了證明手寫文的價值，故選A。

3. 細節(jié)理解題。由文章倒數(shù)第二段第一句可知，故選C。

4. 推理判斷題。由文章第六段Several academic studies have found that good handwriting skills at a young age can help children express their thoughts better—a lifelong benefit.

及倒數(shù)第二段They learn the correct formation of manuscript letters through second grade, and cursive letters in third grade.可以推斷出最好的學(xué)習(xí)手寫的時間是小學(xué)時期，故選B。

5.觀點態(tài)度題。本文客觀介紹了人們的普遍做法及研究者和歷史學(xué)家的發(fā)現(xiàn)，因此作者對該話題的態(tài)度是客觀的，故選D。A 奉獻，忠誠，熱愛；B 鼓勵；C 批判的。

考點：考查社會文化類短文閱讀。