The earliest form of writing appeared about 5, 500 years ago. In the past, hand writing was an important subject in school. Now, many students sometimes do homework on a computer and turn in their tasks online.
Many people think typing (打字) is quick and easy to read, while writing by hand may take longer than typing. But others say writing with a pen and paper is more valuable. Writing by hand has big advantages. Research shows that when we write down ideas with a pen or pencil, we make the brain active to help us learn, remember and think. Writing by hand lets people show their creativity. No two people have the same handwriting. Writing by hand can also help people concentrate. When using a computer, people can go online or play computer games easily.
Handwriting may be pretty, however, people can get their ideas and thoughts down more quickly when they type. Typing can also make it easier for people to change. Once something is written by hand, you can’t delete it. If you want to make a change, you have to write it all over again. What’s more, some people’s handwriting may be hard to read. Typing makes everything clear, and no one will have to worry about their words being clear enough.
1. When did people begin to write?2. How is the brain when we write by hand?
3. What’s the main idea of Paragraph 2?
4. How many advantages of typing are mentioned in Paragraph 3?
5. If you need to write a report, will you type or handwrite it? Why? (Give 2 reasons. )
My husband’s grandmother, aged 75, has been living with us in Beijing for a month now. Full of energy, she
When she joined us, we bought her a Beijing transportation card
Later, we taught her how to watch videos, buy clothes and vegetables on smartphones, and even play mahjong (麻将) online. It quickly became her
We realize an elderly-friendly society means the old people can get great satisfaction and
| A．hopes | B．plans | C．attends | D．volunteers |
| A．However | B．Though | C．Besides | D．Instead |
| A．but | B．so | C．or | D．while |
| A．by | B．with | C．on | D．to |
| A．computers | B．cards | C．phones | D．faces |
| A．favorite | B．perfect | C．secret | D．proper |
| A．medical | B．patient | C．polite | D．friendly |
| A．their | B．her | C．your | D．our |
| A．sorry | B．creative | C．glad | D．sad |
| A．luck | B．health | C．wealth | D．happiness |
My 100 Days Without a Mobile Phone
When was the last time you left home without your mobile phone? Can you imagine yourself living a month, or even a year without checking your mobile phone from time to time?
As a busy modern person with lots of social connections, plans and responsibilities, I just cannot afford to not be in touch with the rest of the world. Staying connected to other people is a big part of my life. However, sometimes it can be bothersome (恼人的).
One day I discovered I was terribly tired out. I tried turning notifications (通知) off. But the fear of missing out something important made me check the phone more often than before. So, I simply stopped using my phone.
Well, to tell the truth, it was not simple at all. For the first couple of days, I had a big fear that all of my friends would soon forget about me. When I had a free moment, I had no idea what to get myself distracted (分心的) with, and the worries mixed with boredom kept bothering me.
However, after three weeks without a mobile phone, I started noticing changes — changes which I liked, and which drove me to not just continue the experiment, but in fact to reorganize some of my habits.
First of all, I noticed that I became much more focused (专注的). Before, while doing something, I would often find myself wondering what was going on online. After a month of staying away from my mobile phone, I found that the urge (冲动) was already not that strong and that my ability to focus improved.
I discovered that the world is a beautiful place. Before, I would look at it through my camera mostly: take a photo, post it, get some likes. Now, I saw beautiful people walking around and I sensed the seasons change. I could understand the actual beauty of the world, and I did not need anyone else to prove the value of this beauty through likes or shares.
Now, as 100 days have passed, I can say that the experiment was worth it. I am planning to stay away from my phone for as long as possible.
1. What made the writer check the phone more often than before?2. When did the writer start noticing his changes?
3. What does the writer plan to do with his phone after the experiment?
4. Would you like to follow the writer’s example? Why or why not? (Please give two reasons.)
Do you regret for wasting too much time using phones? Do you know how to control your time on phones? Here is some useful advice given by Cathy and Mario.
Cathy
Self-control is a difficult thing to master. Some people are completely unable to control themselves when they play video games. But there are ways to deal with it. For one thing, you can ask your parents to lock your phone. For another, there are plenty of things to keep you busy. You can read a book, draw a picture, or go on a short walk outside. The world outside of your phone is big and beautiful. Check it out!
Mario
Cut down your time spent on games during the weekdays. Remind yourself that you have to do your homework before playing. Putting a note on your desk can also help remind you to stay off your phone. Remember, it’s OK to play on your phone. You just have to make sure you don’t do it too much.
| How to control your time on phones | |
| Cathy | • Ask your parents to • Keep you busy by reading a book, |
| Mario | • • Remind yourself that you have to do your homework before • Put a note on your desk to remind you to stay off your phone. • Make sure you don’t play on your phone |
5 . For years, it has been said that newspapers are at death’s door. Each of the past few years has seen many newspapers say goodbye to their readers. But why is the situation so terrible for newspapers?
Newspapers have a long history. The first newspaper was printed in the 1600s. The industry experienced its most successful time in the early 20th century.
With the appearance of radio and TV, however, newspaper circulation（发行量）began to fall. By the mid-20 century, radio and TV had become so popular that people no longer had to depend on newspapers for news. This was especially true for the latest news.
Afternoon newspapers were the first to suffer. More and more people coming home from work turned on the TV, instead of opening a newspaper. But generally, newspapers still managed to survive（生存）. Although they couldn’t compete with TV in spreading the latest news, they could provide in-depth reports that TV news could not.
But newspapers suffered another heavier blow in the 1990s. With the appearance of the Internet, lots of information became free. Many newspaper readers realized that they could conveniently read news online for free. There seemed to be little reason any longer for them to pay for a newspaper.
So what will the future of newspapers be like? Will newspapers die? Maybe not. Many newspapers are now changing. Some are going digital（数字化的）. Some are going even farther by taking the industry to places it has never been to. After all, people still want the news. And many agree that newspapers are important for in-depth news and opinions. If newspapers were to completely disappear, there would be nothing to take their place.
1. When was the first newspaper printed?| A．In the 1600s. | B．In the 1900s. |
| C．In the early 20th century. | D．In the mid-20th century. |
| A．By going digital. | B．By working with TV. |
| C．By including more pictures. | D．By focusing on in-depth reports. |
| A．people lost interest in reading news | B．newspapers became more expensive |
| C．TV started to focus on in-depth news | D．people could read news online for free |
| A．The future of newspapers is hopeless. | B．The future of newspapers is still uncertain. |
| C．Many newspapers will die in the near future. | D．Afternoon newspapers will become popular again. |
6 . Mobile phones have become a problem for middle schools. The Education Department of China has announced that schools should ban (禁止) students from carrying mobile phones during school hours.
Mobile phone use among children has become a problem. Several children have got mobile phones from parents and relatives as gifts, and more students will want them.
An expert said mobile phone use was a distraction (分心的事) to students during school hours. Teachers were also saying that sometimes students might use phones to chat or play game in class. Some students could use them to cheat during exams.
The expert said some schools had tried to ban mobile phones. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t call up their children.
Many teachers said students should not have mobile phones at school, but if there was a good reason, they could leave their phones at school office.
Many people say that they understand why parents would want their children to have phones, but they think schools should let the students know when they can use theirs mobile phones.
The mobile phone is a double-edged sword (双刃剑) for teenagers. How to solve the problem reasonably? It’s well worth considering.
1. Schools should ban students from carrying mobile phones ________.| A．when they are busy with homework | B．when they are at lunch time |
| C．when they are having after school classes | D．When they are at school |
| A．their parents and friends | B．the makers and sellers |
| C．Their parents and relatives | D．the classmates and strangers |
| A．They might watch videos. | B．They might chat or play chess. |
| C．They could cheat in homework. | D．They might chat, play games in class or cheat in exams. |
| A．school yard | B．school office | C．school library | D．police office |
| A．Some parents were unhappy because they couldn’t call up their children. |
| B．Many people can’t understand why parents would want their children to have phones. |
| C．Students shouldn’t have mobile phones at school unless they have special reasons. |
| D．Students should have their own mobile phones at school. |
7 . Frank is a student. He likes playing with his phone very much. And he keeps the phone with him at all times. His dad thinks he is addicted (上瘾的) to his phone. But Frank doesn’ t think so. They write to each other.
Dear Frank,
You’ve heard the warnings. It’s reported that fifty percent of the teenagers depend on their phones too much. I think you have this problem too. That’s why I think you should give up your phone. Not forever, just for a week. I’m worried that you are developing some bad habits. You keep your phone with you all the time—you even check the basketball scores at the dinner table. It’s not a good idea to use your phone while you are doing homework. You can’t put your heart into your homework at all. And you may make more mistakes when you can’t fully put your heart into it. There are many good reasons to take a break from your phone. Have a try ! So what do you say? Are you ready to give up using your phone?
Love,
Dad
Dear Dad,
I know you think I depend on my phone too much. But I’m just using technology to help my life to be better. My phone helps me in many ways.
Do you remember that time when the car broke down? I sent a message to tell you that I was going to be late. If I didn’t, you would be worried about me. My phone helps me with my homework too. I can look up anything in a second. It’s really hard to be successful today if you don’t have a phone. Social media, games, and apps might seem silly to you, but they help me to keep in touch with my friends. I promise to cut back my phone use, and I won’t use it at the dinner table anymore. But giving it up for a week would be a mistake and it wouldn’t change anything in the long term.
Love,
Frank
1. How long does Frank’s dad advise him to give up his phone?| A．For a week | B．For a month | C．For a year | D．Forever |
| A．Thirty percent | B．Forty percent | C．Fifty percent | D．Sixty percent |
| A．They make him smart. | B．They make him relaxed. |
| C．They help him make lots of money. | D．They help him keep in touch with his friends. |
| A．use it at the dinner table | B．use it at home |
| C．spend less time on it | D．give it up forever |
| A．Frank thinks it is a waste of to use phones. | B．Frank sometimes uses his phone to look up something. |
| C．All teenagers depend on their phones too much. | D．Frank’s dad thinks it’s OK to check basketball scores at dinner time. |
8 . 假如你是九年级一班的学生王佳，你班最近开设了一节班会课，同学们围绕 “中学生能否使用手机”的话题展开了热烈讨论。请根据下面表格中的要点提示，写一篇英语短文。
赞成 | 不赞成 |
| 1.可以拍照片 2.空余时间可以听音乐 3.容易和父母或朋友联系 | 1.对眼睛有害 2.和朋友聊天浪费时间 3.有的同学会玩游戏 |
| 你的观点：... ... | |
注意：1. 文中不得出现真实的人名、校名和地名；
2. 词数在80-100之间，已给出的文字不计入总词数。
Our class have a discussion about whether we can use mobile phones. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9 . Nowadays there seems to be an app for everything. And mobile apps have been a part of our life. The following apps are part of the most popular apps.
 Ctrip: It can be the best helper when you feel it hard to buy the train or airline tickets. You can buy tickets anywhere at anytime. |
 Ximalaya Reading: It has lots of books, including poems, short stories, novels and even fairy tales for children. We can download book recordings and listen to them. It has more than 1 million valuable resources( 资源). |
 Baby Bus: It is a very good friend for children under three years old. Kids can learn to speak and draw pictures with the help of this app. |
 World Heroes: It may help you learn more English words while you’re playing games, so if you have problems remembering the new words when you learn English, use it! |
1. Ctrip is a useful APP for _______.
| A．buying tickets | B．learning English | C．playing games |
| A．one million | B．over one million | C．less than one million |
| A．learn to speak | B．draw pictures | C．Both A and B |
| A．Ctrip | B．Ximalaya Reading | C．World Heroes |
| A．Introduction of mobile App for reading. |
| B．Introduction of some popular mobile apps. |
| C．Introduction of mobile apps for learning English. |
 | I especially like the fact that I have easy access(进入) to the Internet. And it’s great that I have Google Maps on my phone, so that when I get lost I can just look up where I am find my way back. But I don’t really ant to say—I depend too much on the phone. That’s the worst part. |
 | I love the fact that my mobile phone has the Internet. That’s the best thing about having the Internet everywhere. The worst thing is that people can reach you, especially by calling you. Just send me an email. That would be great. |
 | I have a very old phone, so I can’t really do much with it. However, it’s also kind of nice because it makes me be more of a face to face person, instead of always being on my phone. So that’s good. |
 | I have one of the simplest mobile phones, which I actually really like because I’m not really tempted(受诱惑的) to be on it all the time. So compared with texting people, talking with people around gives me more pleasure. |
1. What does Laura do when she gets lost?
| A．She calls for a taxi at once. | B．She uses Google Maps on the phone. |
| C．She asks the police for help. | D．She makes a phone call to her family. |
| A．have a private world | B．Keep in touch with friends |
| C．receive emails in time | D．use the Internet everywhere |
| A．turn off their phones sometimes | B．talk with people face to face |
| C．stay on their phones all the time | D．change their phones for better ones |
| A．why they need their mobile phones | B．whether to say goodbye to mobile phones |
| C．how to surf the Internet on their mobile phones | D．what they like and dislike about their mobile phones |
