1 . Goldfish have pretty boring lives, so maybe it’s a good thing they can only concentrate for nine seconds! But according to new research, humans are becoming like goldfish. Our attention span (时长) is getting shorter...and it’s all because of technology.

“We move quickly from one site to another on the web, ”says Doctor Ted Selker, a computer scientist from Massachusetts, “and we are losing the ability to concentrate.” With millions of websites to choose from, the attention span of the average internet user is just seconds. There are other digital distractions (分心) too: email, instant messaging and quickie movies on websites. Some people are worried about the effect on young people. “You need time to understand and think about what you read,” says Julia Wood, from London. “Young people search the net all the time and their brains become full of useless information but there is no time to make sense of it. I am trying to persuade my pupils to read more books, so that they concentrate on one subject for longer.”

Other teachers are trying more unusual methods to improve students’ concentration. Anne Savan, from Wales, was so worried about her students that she started playing Mozart during her science lessons. She says that it had an amazing effect: “The music made them calmer, and their concentration was much better.”

But not everyone believes that there is a problem. Ray Cole, an educational psychologist says: “On the web, young people learn to make quick decisions about what is and isn’t worth reading.

They might look at five unhelpful websites very quickly, before stopping and reading a sixth useful website more carefully. In a world with so much information available, this is an important skill.”

1. Why does the writer mention “goldfish”?

A．To analyze data.	B．To introduce a topic.
C．To settle problems.	D．To suggest a way out.

2. What may cause a shorter attention span according to Dr. Ted Selker?

A．Skipping around the internet.	B．Time to digest information.
C．Traditional methods of reading.	D．Making decisions.

3. What will help students overcome a short attention span?

A．Receiving emails.	B．Texting messages.
C．Reading more books.	D．Watching quickie movies.

4. What is Ray Cole’s attitude towards looking through websites quickly?

A．Cautious.	B．Unfavorable.
C．Skeptical.	D．Supportive.

2 . “You’ll get square eyes!” my mother used to say as I sat for hour after hour glued to the TV. I ignored her, of course. Past-forward a few decades and now I’m the parent. My 5-year-old lives in a world where screens aren’t fixed pieces of furniture. You can’t even avoid them by going outside. Screens are not only in our pockets; they’re everywhere.

The concerns have grown with the screens. In the past decade, we have heard that they will damage our mental health. Many of us feel more distracted by them, feeling guiltier and more tired as a result.

The apps and websites we can access on our phones have also sparked widespread concern. Big tech companies are also good at making use of our need for social recognition, hooking us on likes, retweets and follower counts. Social media has created a culture of mass narcissism (自恋), which has led many to worry about the emotional stresses on teenagers. A quick online search brings up dozens of papers linking screen use or social media with harmful effects on mental health, including depression and suicide.

Such statements are alarming. They are also widely believed, thanks to popular books like iGen by Jean Twenge, which claims that digital technology has ruined a generation. Yet, Amy Orben at the University of Oxford, who studies the impact of digital technology and social media in particular on mental health, holds different views. She claims that the underlying data can be used to tell different stories. She also spotted shortcomings in several large studies that claimed to show correlations (相关性) between the use of devices with screens and depression in users.

Twenge stands by her own finding, pointing in turn to what she considers flaws in Orben’s research methods. For David Max, at Royal College of Child Health in London, the effect of screen time and social media use on mental health remains speculative. “We cannot regard social media overall as good or bad,” says Davie. “We don’t know whether in individual cases social media is not responsible,” he says.

The explosion of mobile phone use has revolutionized our lives. I can download movies, write articles, communicate with my family and broadcast to the world all at the push of a button. Rather than impose constraints (限制), we should take a look at our use of screens and ask how they fit with the activities and lifestyle.

Every new technology with widespread impact has given rise to new fears. So the best bet may simply be to ask yourself what level of screen use makes you and those around you happy and try to stick to it. If you find yourself over addictive, don’t panic—and certainly don’t feel guilty. Nobody knows anything worth getting scared about.

1. According to the passage, people give likes, retweet or count followers to __________.

A．share one’s lifestyles	B．show respect for others
C．seek social recognition	D．relieve emotional stresses

2. The underlined word “speculative” probably means “__________”.

A．doubtful	B．specific
C．important	D．abstract

3. What can be learned from the passage?

A．Teenagers are more affected by screen use both physically and mentally.

B．Orben claims it is far too early to blame screen use for ruining a generation.

C．Big tech companies help to produce many research papers on mental health.

D．Twenge mainly introduces the overall benefits of digital technology in her books.

4. The passage is written to __________.

A．encourage readers to reduce the time of screen use

B．share different opinions on the effects of screen use

C．explain why screen use may have negative effects on people

D．relieve people’s concerns and worries about the use of screens

3 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

For many parents, making sure that their children get the right amount of sleep can be stressful. This is especially true during high-pressure times such as exams     1     students study all night for the next day.     2    (unfortunate), it is often counterproductive (适得其反的) because with fewer hours to sleep, the brain doesn’t get enough time to keep     3    they’ve studied the night before.

Poor sleep will have all sorts of negative effects on teenagers, including the rise in blood pressure, and     4    (patient) behaviors. Without enough sleep, the brain can no longer work     5    (deal) with information properly and use information already     6    (learn).

So, how can parents help? If you think your child needs more sleep, try making gradual adjustments to their sleeping habits. So far, studies     7    (show) improvements in changing sleep patterns. And remember your children are going through     8     period of time in their lives when their brains and bodies are going through a lot of     9    (change). Not only is your job to help make a difference, but it’s also to ride the wave with them. It may not be easy, but they will thank you     10     your help eventually.

4 . How cool can libraries be in an era(时代) of iPods and Kindles? More than you think. Only if you now where to go.

Central Library: Seattle, Washington, United States

The Central Library in Seattle is modern and fashionable and has tourists from around the world paying visits and taking tours. It was designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and American designer Joshua Ramus. Tours began in 2006, two years after its opening.The library holds various art exhibitions, book signings and other events, while visitors can stop by the chocolate cart for a coffee and scan through the gift shop anytime.

Trinity College Library: D.ublin, Ireland

The Trinity College Library in Dublin is the oldest library in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. It is the largest single library in the world, also known as the Long Room, which contains more than 200,000 of the library’s oldest books. The Long room houses one of the oldest harps (竖琴) in Ireland. Dating to the 15th century, the old harp is the model for the symbol foreland.

Geisel Library: University of California, San Diego, United States

At first glance, it looks like a spaceship. Architect William Pereira, who helped design actual space launch facilities at Cape Canaveral in Houston, Texas, designed the library in 1970. It has been featured in sci-fi films, short stories and novels. The library hosts “Dinner in the Library,” which invites readers for cocktails, and also a special speech from well-known authors.

Bishan Public Library: Singapore

Located in the heart of Bishan, the award-winning Bishan Community Library spans 4,000 square meters. It was designed to look like a tree house. The colorful pods (吊舱) that stick out of one side of the building represent books sticking from a bookshelf. Inside the library, these pods offer private spaces for reading. Its ceiling-high glass windows also make it fun to watch people walking and reading from inside the building.

1. If you want to enjoy a movie, you can go to ________.

A．Central Library	B．Geisel Library
C．Bishan Public Library	D．Trinity College Library

2. What makes Bishan Public Library different from the others?

A．It has very large glass windows.	B．It has ever won a prize for its size.
C．Queen Elizabeth I founded the library.	D．It is the largest single library in the world.

3. What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?

A．To encourage readers to visit these libraries.

B．To make an advertisement about these libraries.

C．To offer some information about these libraries.

D．To tell readers the importance of visiting libraries.

5 . A survey said the average Asian dad spent one minute a day with his children. I was shocked. I mean, a whole minute? Every day? Get real. Once a week maybe. The fact is, many Asian males are terrible at kid—related things. In fact, I am one of them.

Child—rearing (养育) doesn’t come naturally to guys. My mother knew the names of our teachers, best friends and crushes. My dad was only vaguely aware there were short people sharing the apartment. My mother bought healthy fresh food at the market every day. My dad would only go shopping when there was nothing in the fridge except a jar of capers and a bay leaf. Then he’d buy beer. My mother always knew the right questions to ask our teachers. My dad would ask my English teacher if she could get us a discount on school fees. My mother served kid food to kids. My dad added chili sauce to everything, including our baby food.

The truth is, mothers have superpowers. My son fell off a wall once and hurt himself all over. I demanded someone bring me a computer so I could google what to do. My wife ignored me and did some sort of chanting phrase such as “Mummy kiss it better,” and cured l7 separate injuries in less than 15 seconds.

Yes, mothers are incredible people, but they are not always right. Yet honesty forces me to record the fact that mothers only know best 99.99 percent of the time.Here are some famous slip-ups.

The mother of Bill Gates: “If you’re going to drop out of college and hang out with your nerdy friends, don’t come running to me when you find yourself penniless.” The mother of Albert Einstein: “When you grow up, you’ll find that sitting around thinking about the nature of time and space won’t pay the grocery bills.” The mother of George W. Bush: “You’ll never be like your dad, who became President of the United States and started his own war.”

1. The tone for the writer to write the passage is ___.

A．cruel

B．humorous

C．disapproving

D．critical(批评的)

2. In paragraph 2 the writer makes a comparison between mothers and fathers to prove that ______.

A．females love kids more than males	B．males are not good at child—rearing
C．Males are not interested in child-rearing	D．child-rearing is difficult both for females and males

3. What does the underlined word “slip-ups” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．stories

B．shortcomings

C．mistakes

D．advantages

4. The last paragraph is mainly developed by ___.

A．providing different examples	B．following the order of space
C．making comparisons	D．analyzing causes

6 . Each year, backed up by a growing anti-consumerist movement, people are using the holiday season to call on us all to shop less.

Driven by concerns about resource exhaustion, over recent years environmentalists have increasingly turned their sights on our “consumer culture”. Groups such as The Story of Stuff and Buy Nothing New Day are growing as a movement that increasingly blames all our ills on our desire to shop.

We clearly have a growing resource problem. The produces we make, buy, and use are often linked to the destruction of our waterways, biodiversity, climate and the land on which millions of people live. But to blame these issues on Christmas shoppers is misguided, and puts us in the old trap of blaming individuals for what is a systematic problem.

While we complain about environmental destruction over Christmas, environmentalists often forget what the holiday season actually means for many people. For most, Christmas isn’t an add-on to an already heavy shopping year. In fact, it is likely the only time of year many have the opportunity to spend on friends and family, or even just to buy the necessities needed for modern life.

This is particularly, true for Boxing Day, often the target of the strongest derision(嘲弄) by anti-consumerists. While we may laugh at the queues in front of the shops, for many, those sales provide the one chance to buy items they’ve needed all year. As Leigh Phillips argues, “this is one of the few times of the year that people can even hope to afford such ‘luxuries’, the Christmas presents their kids are asking for, or just an appliance that works.”

Indeed, the richest 7% of people are responsible for 50% of greenhouse gas emissions. This becomes particularly harmful when you take into account that those shopping on Boxing Day are only a small part of our consumption “problem” anyway. Why are environmentalists attacking these individuals, while ignoring such people as Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who has his own￡1.5bn yacht with a missile defence system?

Anyway, anti-consumerism has become a movement of wealthy people talking down to the working class about their life choices, while ignoring the real cause of our environmental problems. It is no wonder one is changing their behaviours—or that environmental destruction continues without any reduction in intensity.

1. It is indicated in the 1st   paragraph that during the holiday season, many consumers .

A．ignore resource problems

B．are fascinated with presents

C．are encouraged to spend less

D．show great interest in the movement.

2. It can be inferred from Paragraphs 2 and 3 that the environmentalist movement .

A．has targeted the wrong persons

B．has achieved its intended purposes

C．has taken environment-friendly measures

D．has benefited both consumers and producers

3. The example of Roman Abramovich is used to show environmentalists’ .

A．madness about life choices

B．discontent with rich lifestyle

C．ignorance about the real cause

D．disrespect for holiday shoppers

4. It can be concluded from the text that telling people not to shop at Christmas is .

A．anything less than a responsibility	B．nothing more than a bias
C．indicative of environmental awareness	D．unacceptable to ordinary people

7 . “You totally missed out!” This sentence strikes fear in the hearts of teenagers more than almost anything else. In fact, missing out on something bothers most teenagers so much that there is even a special word for that sick feeling: FOMO.       1       FOMO, which was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2013, refers to that anxious feeling people get when they realize they are not attending a social event.

    2       In   fact,   one   survey found   that two-thirds   of   people   in   this   age   group   admitted   to experiencing FOMO regularly. If you ask teenagers whether they experience social media anxiety, most would answer no. But what they do not realize is that if they are stressed or worried about what they see online, then they are possibly experiencing FOMO, especially if they are online a lot.

Then how to handle the problem of FOMO? Of course, turning off the technology seems like a natural cure for FOMO.       3       Teenagers may still worry that they are missing out, even if they are not on social media at all.

The key is to turn off the technology and do something else like reading a book, giving a friend a makeup, baking cookies—anything that allows them to focus on something other than social media.       4    

It is also important to encourage teenagers to recognize that they cannot possibly be everywhere and do everything. So, naturally, there will be parties or events that they cannot attend.       5     Photos can be deceiving (骗人的). And even though it looks as if their friends are having a good time, this may not be the case. They should never let the fact that they couldn’t be somewhere affect their view of themselves.

A．FOMO has become an even bigger problem.

B．FOMO is especially common to people aged 18 to 33.

C．In simple terms, FOMO stands for “fear of missing out”.

D．It can be extremely helpful in changing their attitudes towards life.

E．But this does not necessarily mean they are missing out on something.

F．By doing this, teenagers are not glued to their screens and are more active.

G．But just switching the phone to “off” doesn’t erase the feelings caused by FOMO.

8 . Hundreds of children are being treated for sleep problems in Wales every year. In some cases，babies，infants (婴儿)and teenagers have been admitted to hospital in north Wales alone.

The Children’s Sleep Charity said many children were suffering from lack of sleep mainly because of technology use. Public Health Wales said sleep was as important to a child’s health as healthy eating and exercise，and children with poor sleep patterns were more likely to be fat.

Statistics obtained (获得) under the Freedom of Information Act by BBC Wales found at least 408 children have been admitted to hospitals across Wales suffering from sleep disorders since March 2013.

Children aged between 0 and 4 made up the highest number of inpatients (住院病人)，with some newborns being treated for sleep-related problems from the day of birth.

Vicki Dawson，who set up the Children’s Sleep Charity (CSC)，said sleepless nights were putting both children and parents in anxiety. “Their weight and growth may also be affected as well as their mental health，”she said.

Teachers said children showing signs of sleep shortage and tiredness in class were a concern as they couldn’t concentrate for long periods.

Psychologist Amy McClelland，of Sleep Wales，saida common problem was that children were “over excited”before bed and that families should get back to basics. “Think 1950s family home. Dinner as a family，read，chat，a film maybe，lights off and then bed. ”She added.

1. What’s the main reason why children are short of sleep？

A．Less exercise.	B．Eating habits.
C．Technology use.	D．Sleep patterns.

2. Who are the majority of the inpatients with sleep-related disorders？

A．Infants.	B．Teenagers.
C．Teachers.	D．Parents.

3. What can we infer from what Amy McClelland said？

A．Chatting and films make children sleep more.

B．It is difficult for children to read before bed.

C．Being too excitedis good for sleep habits.

D．Relaxation has a bad effect on children.

4. What is the best title for the text？

A．Ways to Treat Sleep Problems	B．Sleep Problems of Welsh Children
C．Sleep Habits of Welsh Children	D．The Problems of Welsh Children

9 . This is the biggest education provider you’ve never heard of. Until now.

The Alison project—Advanced Learning Interactive Systems Online—has already signed up more than two million students to more than 500 online courses. It’s adding another 200,000 each month and founder Mike Feerick is confident this expansion (扩张) could grow even more rapidly and reach a billion students towards the end of the decade.

So how has it stayed below the radar? While the new wave of online courses—so-called Moocs, such as Coursera and edX, have become darlings of the digital media, why has Alison not the same attention?

Mr. Feerick says the big difference is who they are trying to reach. It’s the academic versus vocational (职业的) divide being played out in the digital market.

“The people we’re helping do not have a huge voice,” says Mr. Feerick. While the Moocs are associated with high-status universities, Alison’s focus is on the great numbers of people around the world needing to improve their vocational skills and training.

There are courses in subjects such as computer skills, learning English, basic accountancy building a website, food safety, introductions to legal studies. Within the coming months, India is expected to become the biggest source of learners, overtaking the UK and US. Nigeria and the Philippines are rapidly growing market.

Mr. Feerick wants to use online technology to offer free lessons in the most important basic skills that people need. As he puts it, 99% of the people are learning the same 1% of information again and again.

His other challenge to the established order is to question the necessity of exam certificates (资格). If people are studying for a specific skill, such as learning to touchtype or a language, he argues the key question is whether they can put the lessons into practice.

1. What does the underlined phrase “below the radar” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Trying to catch up.	B．Failing to attract notice.
C．Failing to meet demands.	D．Trying to become successful.

2. The Alison project is different from Coursera and edX in that ________.

A．it has more subjects	B．it offers free courses
C．it doesn’t make money.	D．it focuses on basic skills

3. What do we learn about the Alison project?

A．It aims to improve the learners’ academic scores.

B．It is mainly supported by high-status universities.

C．It will attract many learners in developing countries

D．Most of its learners are from Asia at the present time

4. Which word can best describe Mike Feerick according to the last paragraph?

A．Practical.	B．Creative.
C．Diligent.	D．Generous.

10 . My 1l-year-old daughter has been awarded an academic scholarship to a private school. It’s only a small discount, but the scholarship means she’ll skip the waiting list—provided my husband and I can cover $20,000 a year. Should we pay the private school fees,or choose free education instead?

I always assumed my children would go to a private school, like I did. Not because my family is wealthy, but because I believe that the best education is private. It took years for me to make peace with the fact that my two children attended our local public primary school. They’ll go to a private high school, I told myself. Yet here we are. My eldest is now in her last year of primary school,and my husband and I will struggle to afford private school. If so, I could increase my work hours. My law degree was supposed to be my ticket to a good job and a secure income, but that’s not quite how it turned out.

During many sleepless nights, I felt troubled by the decision. Although I want the best for my daughter, I have my own dreams too. I can’t sacrifice(牺牲) everything for my precious girl. I explain that I want to be a positive role model for my daughter, and an unhappy parent is a terrible strain on a family. I point out that not even the privilege(特殊待遇) of private school will protect my children from disappointment or struggle. And finally, it’s decided. My daughter is going to the public school behind our home. She couldn’t be more pleased.

It’s taken me a little longer, but now I’m satisfied. More than my fancy private school education, it’s my family that shaped me. With high school now 25 years in the past, I can no longer remember the mathematical problems and Shakespearean quotes I once knew so perfectly. The lessons from my childhood home, however, have proved impossible to forget.

1. From the passage we know that ________.

A．the scholarship her daughter won could cover most of her school fees

B．her two children attended their local private primary school

C．the writer had a good job and a secure income

D．it took a long time for her to make the final decision

2. Why did the writer want her daughter to go to a private school at first?

A．Because her daughter earned an academic scholarship.

B．Because she wanted her daughter to receive the best education.

C．Because she wanted her daughter to skip the waiting list.

D．Because her daughter’s potential was wasted at the public primary school.

3. The underlined word “strain” in Paragraph 3 refers to ________.

A．anger	B．comfort
C．burden	D．relief

4. What does the passage indicate?

A．Parents should make every sacrifice for their children.

B．Finance should be taken into account when it comes to education.

C．Private school education is not as good as public school education.

D．Rather than school education, family influences a person most.