1 . We’re fortunate to have access to the dynamic network technology, which provides rich resources for learning, connecting and entertaining ourselves.     1     The same tool that can enhance our work efficiency also has the power to trap us in a web of distractions (分心之事).

    2     An astonishing 84.4% of us, on average, report being distracted at work. There are some usual suspects. Emails steal the attention of 26%. Phone calls and texts influence a massive 43%. Coworkers shift the attention of 27%. And the Internet, with its infinite source of information and entertainment, distracts 41% of us. What’s more, a survey reveals that an overwhelming 67% of workers say that their work is often affected by the excessive time spent on meetings and calls.

These distractions are more than mere annoyances.     3     It is their lasting impact that makes it impossible for us to focus on any single task. In this way, they greatly reduce our work efficiency.

A study offers more insight into our struggle with distractions. It found that our brain waves pulsate (搏动) at different frequencies depending on the type of external stimuli. The rhythm is faster for automatic stimuli but slows down for tasks we consciously choose to focus on.     4    

Just think about it: You’re involved in a project, and then your phone receives a text message.     5     And regaining your focus might be harder than you anticipate, The same goes for that catchy news headline or an interesting social media post that catches your eye-pulling you away from your task and making you lost in the sea of distractions.

A．But it is double-edged.

B．Some distractions can be avoided.

C．Statistics reveal how common this issue is.

D．They’re also persistent and endless in getting our attention.

E．The sound of it is loud enough to interrupt your concentration.

F．Stimulating our interest and increasing the speed of our work are important.

G．This makes maintaining focus in the noisy world an ever-increasing challenge.

2 . Sometimes the people least likely to engage with Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Zoom are the people who can benefit from it the most.

The “silent generation”, or those born between 1928 and 1945, aren’t usually mentioned alongside the likes of Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. A study this year said that 45 percent of people over 65 use social media sites. Yet, for the majority of seniors, it is more about gathering information than sharing things about themselves.

For example, AARP has pointed out that Facebook’s largest function for older folks has been helping them keep in touch with their families, especially their grandchildren. But this doesn’t really reflect the digital connectivity (连接) many elders are experiencing.

BJ, a friend who just turned 80, does not own a computer, yet he’s one of the 4 out of 10 seniors with a smartphone, which never leaves his side. For him social media is purely social — no grandkids, just people from every stage of his eight decades. It has kept him youthful and connected. He has figured out how to make Facebook and Instagram work for him by asking his younger friends for help when he gets stuck.

Jesse Epstein, who has been teaching in a college for 44 years.He moved to Costa Rica with his wife and young child four years ago when he was 70. “I wouldn’t be able to live the life I now lead without the assistance of Zoom, Google Classroom, WhatsApp, and Microsoft Teams,” Epstein tells me on the phone, speaking from his home in Tamarindo. “My current students are all masters-level schoolteachers. I use Zoom to observe and evaluate how well they incorporate (融入) these technologies into their lessons live in the classroom. I was surprised by how much more attentive students seemed to be online than they typically were in the classroom receiving the same material.”

He keeps in touch in a very real way with friends he’s known for decades. “Networking technologies have supported all my life choices and helped me and my family achieve a level of freedom and independence which I didn’t think was possible for someone in their mid-seventies,” he adds.

1. Why are the elderly called the “silent generation”?

A．They hardly share personal experiences online.

B．They are too shy to deliver a speech in public.

C．They never keep in touch with others online.

D．They are unfortunately speech-impaired.

2. Why does the author take BJ as an example?

A．To express good attitudes towards life.

B．To explore possible ways to stay young.

C．To reflect the popularity of Facebook.

D．To show the real social connection.

3. Which is not the benefit of networking technologies according to Jesse Epstein?

A．Students are more likely to concentrate on the class.

B．All his life choices are backed by online technologies.

C．He can improve his teaching skills and methods.

D．His family members have freedom and independence.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Social Media Gives the Silent Generation a Voice

B．Social Apps Are Welcomed by People of All Ages

C．Networking Technologies Are a Double-edged Sword

D．The Silent Generation Are Eager for Connectivity

3 . 电脑是一项伟大的发明，它丰富了人们的生活，开阔了人们的视野，也能放松疲惫的心情。电脑对我们的学习生活都有帮助。但是看太多电脑对我们的学习生活也有负面影响。请同学们用自己的语言写一段文章，谈谈自己对电脑的看法。
要求：1、必须包含上述提示的内容。
2、词数在100左右。
提示词：enrich (丰富)   relax   open one’s eyes and mind   be useful to sight   do one’s lessons
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4 . At the present time, the Internet is a major part of our lives. It’s always in our hands or pockets. Whatever we are doing is somehow linked(连接) to the Internet. We start finding our connections online as well, which is quite impressive. We find a person on a social media platform (社交媒体平台),see we have a shared interest and start chatting!

Online friendships in the past were doubted and not considered reliable because you didn’t know who was behind the screen. But now, when we can go shopping online, clear bills in online banks, and virtually attend schools, why can’t we find some real friends online?

With online friends, there are several advantages. When we find something catchy in someone — the very first quality of our online friend, we only then encourage ourselves to find ways to talk to them. We can share with them our everyday things, and what’s better than texting our friends our secrets? We can be present together with them on interested forums(论坛). We can share looks just through a click. And the best part is that we can shoot them a real quick message whenever we need their expert advice.

With all these strengths of an online friend, also come some weak points which make some people afraid to find their friends online. Some people believe that the person they are talking to on the screen is not real or trying to get information about their private life. They feel uncomfortable sharing and chatting with a person who they’ve never met in real life. Another problem that comes in the way of online friends is hanging out. People can’t really hang out with their online friends. The other problem is miscommunication, which sometimes leads to the end of a friendship.

Despite all these problems, online company is a perfect form of relationship between two or more. After all, we would notice these problems in any other kind of relationship or friendship. Miscommunication or a trust issue is always present even in face-to-face communication.

1. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?

A．How the Internet has changed our daily life.

B．whether people should make online friends.

C．Why a good friendship is difficult to develop.

D．What made making friends online a reality.

2. What might the underlined word “reliable” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Easy.

B．Possible.

C．Dependable.

D．Lasting.

3. How does the author support his view?

A．By telling stories.	B．By making comparisons.
C．By explaining general rules.	D．By providing research results.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards online friendship?

A．Doubtful.

B．Neutral.

C．Unclear.

D．Supportive