The human brain has remained largely unchanged since it evolved. Long ago, humans had to focus on the task at hand. Yet today, our brains face a constant stream of digital information that, many scientists think, could have worrisome effects.
In October 2020, scientists published a study that supports the concern. The scientists studied media multitasking, which means people use multiple forms of digital or screen-based media at the same time. The study found that this type of multitasking may impair the ability to concentrate in young adults. This makes them unable to later recall specific situations or experiences.
For the study, scientists recruited 80 young adults aged 18 to 26. The participants were first presented with images of objects on a computer screen and asked to classify the pleasantness or the size of each one. After a 10-minute break, the subjects were then shown additional objects and asked whether the subjects were already classified or new.
During this process, the scientists measured participants’ brain activity and eye movement. This data let scientists track if the young adults were paying attention while being asked to remember the images. Then, the findings were compared to the results of a questionnaire the participants filled out before the study that asked questions about everyday attention, mind wandering and media multitasking.
The participants who reported more media multitasking had more absence of mind during the test. The pupils of their eyes were also smaller, which is a known marker of reduced attention. They also had reduced brain-signal patterns known to be associated with episodic memory—the recall of particular events.
Previous work had shown a connection between media multitasking and poorer episodic memory. The new findings offer clues as to why this might be the case.
“Individuals who are heavier media multitaskers may show worse memory because they have lower sustained attention ability,” says Kevin Madore, the paper’s lead author.
Madore says the new study stresses the need to be mindful of how we engage with media. “I think our data point to the importance of being consciously aware of attentiveness,” he says.
1. What do scientists say about media multitasking?| A．It may cause memory damage. | B．It common among teenagers. |
| C．It enables individuals to better concentrate. | D．It improves the ability to process information. |
| A．Demonstrate. | B．Maintain. | C．Draw. | D．Weaken. |
| A．Participants’ attention was closely monitored. |
| B．Filling out questionnaires isn5t a must in the research. |
| C．Participants were asked to classify objects twice. |
| D．Participants’ pupils expanded during the study. |
| A．The importance of media awareness. | B．The need to stay away from media. |
| C．The need to treat media properly. | D．The importance of developing media. |
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【推荐1】The oceans play a crucial role in lightening global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide emissions. However, in a study conducted by the University of Texas, researchers found that the oceans’ capacity to absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) would reach its maximum by 2100 and decrease to half of its current efficiency by 2300, based on a climate simulation (模拟) that was set for a worst-case emissions scenario (设想).
The decline happens because of a surface layer of low-alkalinity (碱度) water that can hinder the ability of the oceans to absorb CO₂. Alkalinity affects how much CO₂ can dissolve in seawater. Although the emissions scenario used in the study is unlikely because of global efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions, the findings reveal a previously unknown tipping point that if activated would release an important brake on global warming.
“We need to think about these worst-case scenarios to understand how our CO₂ emissions might affect the oceans not just this century, but next century and the following centuries. Climate simulations had previously shown that the oceans slow their absorption of CO₂ over time, but none had considered alkalinity as an explanation. We recalculated pieces of a 450-year simulation until we hit on alkalinity as a key cause of the slowing.” said Megumi Chikamoto, who led the research at the University of Texas Institute.
The effect begins with extreme climate change, which slows ocean currents. This leaves the surface of the oceans covered in a warm layer of fresh water that won’t mix easily with the cooler, more al kaline waters below it. That means more of it is left behind in the atmosphere. This in turn produces faster warming, which sustains and strengthens the low-alkalinity surface layer. Co-author, Pedro DiNezio, said that the discovery was a powerful reminder that the world needs to reduce its CO₂ emissions to avoid crossing this and other tipping points.
1. What may happen after the year 2300?| A．More CO₂ will be absorbed by the oceans. |
| B．The oceans will lose all their current efficiency. |
| C．The world will face even more severe warming. |
| D．The oceans will be less crucial to global warming. |
| A．Improve. | B．Weaken. | C．Protect. | D．Control. |
| A．Finding why they slow CO₂ intake is hard. |
| B．Their ability to absorb CO₂ is at their maximum. |
| C．They will decide on the future of human beings. |
| D．They will slow down CO₂ absorption very quickly. |
| A．A biology textbook. | B．A government report. |
| C．Science fiction. | D．An environmental journal. |
【推荐2】You might have heard the theory that a meteor (a huge rock from space) destroyed most life on Earth, including many dinosaurs, 66 million years ago. However, scientists have come up with a reason why this caused so many species to go extinct.
Earlier, scientists had argued that the meteor strike caused wildfires, earthquakes and tsunamis, which destroyed habitats all over the planet and made it impossible for many creatures to survive. However, the new report suggests that more attention should be given to another effect of the meteor — the trillions of tons of dust that were sent flying into the air.
This dust would have gone around in dark clouds, blocking out (封锁) the Sun and causing temperatures around the world to drop sharply. Plants, which need sunlight to live and grow, would have died, leaving animals that eat plants without food. When they died, animals that eat other animals would have had no food either. This led to the extinction of 75% of species on Earth, including most dinosaurs — although the ones that survived later became birds.
The researchers tested their theory by running computer simulations (模拟) of the effect of the meteor strike. These simulations took into consideration real measurements of dust caused by the meteor effect, taken from a site in North Dakota, US. The simulations suggested that the dust could have stayed in the atmosphere for up to I5 years after being thrown into the sky.
Philippe Claeys, co-author of the new research, said that although the meteor strike was disastrous for the dinosaurs, it probably helped humans of the future. “Dinosaurs dominated (统治) the Earth and were doing just fine when the meteor hit,” he said. “Without the impact, my guess is that mammals (哺乳动物) — including us — had little chance to become the dominant creature on this planet.”
1. What probably made so many species extinct according to the new research?| A．A huge burning rock in space. | B．Earthquakes caused by the meteor strike. |
| C．A large population of creatures on the planet. | D．Dust caused by the meteor strike. |
| A．Types of disasters. | B．Measurements of dust. |
| C．Sites of meteor strikes. | D．Lasting time of dust. |
| A．Chance favors the prepared mind. | B．God helps those who help themselves. |
| C．Where there is life, there is hope. | D．Every disadvantage has its advantage. |
| A．How Dust Destroyed Dinosaurs | B．How the Meteor Struck the Earth |
| C．How Mammals Came into Being | D．How Scientists Performed the Research |
【推荐3】Getting your kid to bed at night is seriously one of the most challenging things you'll ever have to do. Most kids are just so full of energy that they'll tire you out before they're halfway through their store of energy. An easy thing to calm down your child to get into bed is giving in and allowing some iPad screen time. However, it's really not a great idea, just like you thought.
Researchers at the Arizona State University conducted a study with 547 kids between the ages of 7 to 9. Their parents tracked how much screen time the kids were allowed along with their sleep patterns. The study found that kids who did not engage in screen time before bed slept for 23 more minutes every week and also went to sleep about 34 minutes earlier than those playing with iPad. Although that might not seem like so much more time, quality of sleep is vastly important in Children's development.
The CDC's (美国疾病控制中心)2018 National Youth Risk Survey outlines that good quality sleep can impact a child's life in many ways, including affecting grades and also weight gain. Students with an "A" average slept for 30 or more minutes per night than those with a "D" or "F" average.
A 2018 Pennsylvania State University study showed that children with irregular bedtimes had a higher risk of having increased body weight. Those with consistent and age-appropriate bedtimes when they were 9 years old had a healthier BMI (体质指数)at age 15 than those with irregular bedtimes.
Hard as it is, it's really important not to give in and hand over an iPad to your child who is about to go to bed. Just like it's important for adults to go to sleep without any distractions, it's even more important for kids.
1. What do the findings of the researchers at the Arizona State University suggest?| A．More sleep is necessary for children's development. |
| B．Enough sleep helps improve academic performances. |
| C．Screen time before bed leads to later and less sleep. |
| D．Children sleeping irregularly are easy to gain weight. |
| A．How is screen time affecting teenagers? |
| B．What are negative effects of irregular bedtimes? |
| C．When should you get your kid to bed at night? |
| D．Why is screen time before bed a bad idea for kids? |
| A．Parents. | B．Children. | C．Teachers. | D．Researchers. |
Can dogs and cats live in perfect harmony in the same home? People who are thinking about adopting a dog as a friend for their cats are worried that they will fight. A recent research has found a new recipe for success. According to the study, if the cat is adopted before the dog, and if they are introduced when still young (less than 6 months for cats, a year for dogs), it is highly probable that the two pets will get along swimmingly. Twothirds of the homes interviewed reported a positive relationship between their cat and dog.
However, it wasn't all sweetness and light. There was a reported coldness between the cat and dog in 25% of the homes, while aggression and fighting were observed in 10% of the homes. One reason for this is probably that some of their body signals are just opposite. For example, when a cat turns its head away it signals aggression, while a dog doing the same signals submission.
In homes with cats and dogs living peacefully, researchers observed a surprising behavior. They are learning how to talk each other's language. It is a surprise that cats can learn how to talk “Dog”, and dogs can learn how to talk “Cat”.
What's interesting is that both cats and dogs have appeared to develop their intelligence. They can learn how to read each other's body signals, suggesting that the two may have more in common than was previously suspected. Once familiar with each other's presence and body language, cats and dogs can play together, greet each other nose to nose, and enjoy sleeping together on the sofa. They can easily share the same water bowl and in some cases groom (梳理) each other.
The significance of this research on cats and dogs may go beyond pets — to people who don't get along, including neighbors, colleagues at work, and even world superpowers. If cats and dogs can learn to get along, surely people have a good chance.
1. The underlined word “swimmingly” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to “________”.
| A．early | B．sweetly |
| C．quickly | D．smoothly |
| A．They eat and sleep together. |
| B．They observe each other's behaviors. |
| C．They learn to speak each other's language. |
| D．They know something from each other's voices. |
| A．have common interests |
| B．are less different than thought |
| C．have a common body language |
| D．are less intelligent than expected |
| A．We should learn to live in harmony. |
| B．We should know more about animals. |
| C．We should live in peace with animals. |
| D．We should learn more body languages. |
【推荐2】Humans have always been curious about what Earth was like thousands of years ago. To learn more about the plants and animals that lived during that time, scientists examine their fossils or other remains. In recent years, genetics, and in particular the the study of DNA, has become an important tool for these scientists. Some people even dream of bringing ancient creatures such as dinosaurs back to life. Although no animals have been brought back yet, scientists have managed to grow a number of ancient plants from seeds. By far theoldest of these plants is a 32,000-year-old plant that has been grown again by Russian scientists.
The plant is a flower called Silenestenophylla, which used to grow in Siberia in eastern Russia. The scientists discovered seeds and fruits of the plant buried deep below the ground. They believe the seeds and fruits were put there by an ancient animal which stored them to eat during the winter. The seeds that scientists found failed to grow because they were damaged. However, the scientists were able to take genetic material from the fruit to grow a new plant. Then, this plant produced new seeds which the scientists were able to use to grow more plants.
A modern relative of the original flower still grows in Siberia, but when the ancient flower was grown, it had some important differences from the modern flower. The petals on the ancient flower were much longer and also spaced further apart. Studying the ancient flower will allow the scientists to learn more about how plants have evolved.
Before this, the oldest seed to have been grown was from a 2,000-year-year-old tree in Israel. The Russian scientists believe the reason why the Siberian seeds were preserved for so long is that they were buried in permanently frozen earth, which protected the genetic information in the seeds. The scientists believe that the permanently frozen soil in Siberia contains many other ancient seeds, so they may be able to bring back even older plants. This will help them better understand the history of plants and how they have changed over time.
1. Recently, scientist have ________.| A．been able to bring a number of ancient animals back to life |
| B．begun using genetics to learn more about ancient plants and animals |
| C．started to create a dinosaur that could live on Earth today |
| D．tried to create new types of fossils to study how animals used to live |
| A．They used genetic material from an ancient fruit they discovered. |
| B．They used ancient seeds that they had found deep below the ground. |
| C．They planted the seeds deep in the ground to protect them during the cold winter. |
| D．They planted fruit in a new kind of container that they had specially designed. |
| A．The plant used to produce fewer flowers than it produces now. |
| B．The plant has evolved to have shorter petals on its flowers. |
| C．The ancient plant was a different color from its modern relative. |
| D．The modern plant is found across a wider area of Russia than the ancient one. |
| A．it is unlikely that they can grow plants from seeds that are over 2,000 years old |
| B．ancient seeds that were kept in Israel will be easier to grow than Russian seeds |
| C．they will be able to grow plants in areas where the earth is permanently frozen |
| D．the frozen soil in Siberia is able to keep the DNA of plants safe for a long time |
| A．Russian scientists would like to use frozen earth to protect seeds. |
| B．Human DNA can be used to help scientists learn more about the genetic history of plants. |
| C．The fruit and seeds of Silenestenophylla may have been buried by an ancient animal. |
| D．The first plant that had flowers grew in Siberia over 32,000 years ago. |
【推荐3】Aristotle thought the face was a window onto a person’s mind. Cicero agreed. Two thousand years passed, and facial expressions are still commonly thought to be a universally valid way to judge other people’s feelings, irrespective of age, sex and culture. A raised eyebrow suggests confusion. A smile indicates happiness.
Or do they? An analysis of hundreds of research papers that examined the relationship between facial expressions and underlying emotions has uncovered a surprising conclusion: there is no good scientific evidence to suggest that there are such things as recognizable facial expressions for basic emotions which are universal across cultures. Just because a person is not smiling, the researchers found, does not mean that person is unhappy.
This may raise questions about the efforts of information-technology companies to develop artificial-intelligence algorithms (算法) which can recognize facial expressions and work out a person’s underlying emotional state. Microsoft, for example, claims its “Emotion API” is able to detect what people are feeling by examining video footage of them. Another of the study’s authors, however, expressed scepticism. Aleix Martinez, a computer engineer at Ohio State University, said that companies attempting to obtain emotions from images of faces have failed to understand the importance of context.
For a start, facial expression is but one of a number of non-verbal ways，such as body posture, that people use to communicate with each other. Machine recognition of emotion needs to take account of these as well. But context can reach further than that. Dr Martinez mentioned an experiment in which participants were shown a close-up picture of a man’s face, which was bright red with his mouth open in a scream. Based on this alone, most participants said the man was extremely angry. Then the whole picture was shown. It was a football player with his arms outstretched, celebrating a goal. His angry-looking face was, in fact, a show of pure joy.
Given that people cannot guess each other’s emotional states most of the time, Dr Martinez sees no reason computers would be able to. “There are companies right now claiming to be able to do that and apply this to places I find really scary and dangerous, for example, in hiring people,” he says. “Some companies require you to present a video resume, which is analyzed by a machine-learning system. And depending on your facial expressions, they hire you or not, which I find really shocking.”
1. We can learn from the second paragraph that __________.| A．facial expressions are universal across cultures |
| B．it is hard to recognize some facial expressions |
| C．emotions and facial expressions may not be related |
| D．common facial expressions convey similar meanings |
| A．similar interest | B．fierce anger | C．strong support | D．great doubt |
| A．facial expression is an important way to communicate |
| B．machine recognition of emotion is not reliable at all |
| C．facial expression is not the only way to detect feelings |
| D．people may misread facial expressions for lack of context |
| A．Facial expressions are among the most universal forms of body language. |
| B．Computers can detect people’s mind by analyzing their facial expressions. |
| C．Facial expressions may not be the reliable reflection of a person’s emotions. |
| D．Companies can depend on machine recognition of emotion to hire people. |
