Question

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(召喚). 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 (再評價).

“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(干擾) 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.

 

Answer 1

1.D

2.B

3.C

4.A

【解析】

1. D 推理判斷題。從第一段可知，Gretchen Baxter認(rèn)為人們非常迷戀這些電子設(shè)備，以至于不知道該在哪兒停下來。也就是說，人們太依賴新科技而不能放手。

2.2】B 詞義猜測題。前一句說的是新科技的優(yōu)點，本句說的是缺點，所以downside意為“缺點”。

3.3】C 細(xì)節(jié)理解題。從第三段第二句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.可知，移動設(shè)備引起了注意力分散和社會焦慮。

4.4】 A 推理判斷題。從最后一段可知，人類的意圖是與人真正地交流，可是科技對我們的干擾太多了，一時難以停下來，所以要想重新恢復(fù)人們之間真正意義上的交流，還需作出努力。