Nowadays, one of the common
2 . Would you take a trip if you couldn’t use your cellphone? A new tour company called Off the Grid is asking travellers to put their cellphones away and not even use them for photos. The company founder, Zach Beattie, is developing his business, using money he saved from a tech job at a mapping company. He’s hired guides for every trip but will help lead the first few himself.
The first trip is to Lisbon, Portugal, in July. It takes 7 to 10 days, with small groups of up to 16 people. Prices range from $1,500 to $1,650, including accommodations, meals and ground transportation. The plan includes at least three excursions (远足) and two social events, with an emphasis on unique experiences over bucket-list sightseeing. The tour also includes surfing lessons, yoga on the beach, a day of sailing and dinner with a local family.
“When you’re somewhere new, there’s a lot to see and a lot of cool and interesting people to meet,” Beattie said. “Your phone can distract (使分心) you.” The phone ban won’t be enforced quite as strictly as it seems at first glance. “We want it to be voluntary,” he said. “We’re not collecting phones and throwing them in a locked trunk. It’s held by you, but put in your pocket, and you state your intentions for the week, whether that’s checking your social media once or twice a day or a total blackout.”
Tour-goers also get a “dumbphone” without Internet access that’s loaded with numbers for group leaders and other participants, both for emergencies and to promote socializing. Participants may bring regular cameras, but Beattie is hiring a photographer for each tour so there will be plenty of photos to remember the trip. Once the trip is over, participants will have access to those photos for use in social media posts.
1. What can be learned about Zach Beattie?A.He set up his business at his own expense. |
B.He is always guiding every trip personally. |
C.He forbids tourists to take along cellphones. |
D.He used to earn his living in a tour company. |
A.The trip features sightseeing. |
B.Participants live in homestays. |
C.Air ticket is covered in the cost. |
D.Tourists experience water sports. |
A.Lock their phones in a trunk. |
B.Post their photos on social media. |
C.Free themselves from their phones. |
D.Shift their focus onto dumbphones. |
A.Take photos. | B.Access the Internet. |
C.Record the trip. | D.Contact group members. |
3 . China has set new rules limiting the amount of time children can play online games. The rules limit children to just three hours of online game playing a week. That is one hour between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday most weeks.
Li Zhanguo has two children aged 4 and 8. Even though they do not have smartphones, they enjoy playing online games. Like many other parents. Li is happy with new government rules. But experts say it is unclear if such policies can help prevent addiction to online games. Children might just get addicted to social media instead. In the end, experts say, parents should be the ones to set limits and support good practice.
There has been a growing concern in China about gaming addiction among children. Government reports in 2018 found that about one in ten Chinese children were addicted to the Internet. The new rules are part of an effort to prevent young people from spending too much time on unhealthy entertainment. That includes what officials call the “irrational fan culture”
Under the new rules, the responsibility for making sure children play only three hours a day as largely on Chinese gaming companies like Net Ease and Ten cent. Companies have set up real-name registration systems to prevent young users from going past game time limits. They have used facial recognition technology to check their identities. And they have also set up a program that permits people to report what is against the law. It is unclear what punishments gaming companies may face if they do not carry out the policies. And even if such policies are performed, it is also unclear whether they can prevent online addiction.
A specialist treating Internet addiction expects about 20 percent of children will find ways to break the rules by borrowing accounts of their older relatives and find a way around facial recognition. In his opinion, short-video alps such as Douyin and Kuaishou are also very popular in China. They are not under the same restrictions as games.
1. When can children play games according to the new rules?A.Between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. On Friday. | B.Between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. On Tuesday. |
C.Between 10 p. m. and 11 p. m. On Saturday. | D.Between 10 p. m. and all p. m. On Thursday. |
A.the new rules can stop children’s addiction to social media |
B.companies are more responsible for kids ‘ obeying the rules |
C.the new rules will help prevent children playing online games |
D.parents play a greater part in limiting the time of online games |
A.Design an advanced program. | B.Use facial recognition systems. |
C.Set up real-name registration systems. | D.Borrow accounts of their older relatives. |
A.Rules Limiting Short-video alps | B.Rules Limiting Video Game Time |
C.Rules Banning Irrational Fan Culture | D.Rules Breaking Addition to Social Media |
1. How many French songs should DJs play according to the new rule?
A.40 percent. | B.60 percent. | C.90 percent. |
A.More people will not listen to their radio. |
B.No people will listen to their American songs. |
C.The English language will get deeper into their culture. |
A.To protect American culture. | B.To protect French culture. | C.To protect British culture. |
A.They hate it. | B.They don’t care. | C.They’re for it. |
Today I thought I’d blog about a question
First
Have you had any bad
Boy 579: Last year, we were having
Amy: A girl at my school had a very bad experience online. A photo of her had been posted online and she was being made fun
6 . The Internet plays a big part in human life. We use it for work and pleasure. We use it to learn a new language. We find advice on it. We use it to connect with our family and friends. We use it to stay in touch with events we care about. The list gods on and on.
As far as the Internet being a part of our lives — well, that train has left the station — there is no possibility of going back to an Internet-free life. But can using the Internet too much be bad for our health? It might be, say researchers. A new study finds that heavy Internet use may be connected with high blood pressure (血压)in a young group: teenagers.
The study results show that tens who spend at least 14 hours a week only online may cause high blood pressure, which makes your heart and blood vessels(血管) work too hard. Over time, this extra pressure increased your risk of a heart attack. High blood pressure can also cause other diseases.
The Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan did the study. 335 young people, from 14 to 17 years old, took part in it. 134 of the teens are described as “heavy Internet users” And researchers find that out of these 134 tens, 26 have high blood pressure. The rescarchers say the study is the first to connect heavy web use with high blood pressure.
The lead researcher is Andrea Cassidy-Bushrow. She says, “Using the Internet is part of our daily life, but it shouldn't ruin us.” Ms Cassidy-Bushrow adds that it is important for teens to stop to have a rest regularly from their computers or smartphones and do some kinds of physical activities. She also suggests that parents shouldn't let their children use the Internet for more than two hours a day, five days a week.
1. What does the underlined part “that train has left the station” mean in Paragraph 2?A.The train has stopped at the wrong station. |
B.Life without the Internet is nowhere to be found. |
C.The train has changed its course. |
D.There is something wrong with the station. |
A.The advantaged of Internet use. | B.The harm of high blood pressure. |
C.The harm of Internet over use to tens. | D.Ways to prevent high blood pressure. |
A.Teenagers shouldn't use the Internet. |
B.The Internet will ruin human life in the future. |
C.Regular breaks are necessary when using the Internet. |
D.Smartphones are more harmful than computers. |
A.Heavy Internet users are mostly teenagers |
B.How to prevent teenagers from the Internet |
C.Every coin has two sides—so does the Internet |
D.Too much Internet use may be bad for teenagers |
7 . Pullman is a superb writer and Seagull is a brilliant communicator. They had a debate after Seagull posted a question on his social media platform: “When you were trying to create an environment for learning, what were your best pieces of classical music to listen to?” He received hundreds of suggestions — and one negative reply, from Pullman: “That’s not what classical music is for. Treat it with respect.”
That did it! Everyone — professional musicians, students, teachers — weighed into the argument, and the majority supported Seagull and were criticizing Pullman.
It’s easy to see why people are annoyed. We all want classical music to be as accessible as possible, especially to the young. If some of them are using Bach or Schubert as a tool to help them study, what’s the problem? They may also develop an attachment to classical music.
So is Pullman ridiculous and supercilious by objecting to classical music being used as background music? At first sight, his idea seems stuffy and extreme. By suggesting that classical music should be “treated with respect” and not used as background music, Pullman seems to be closing classical music of to millions of people.
It’s worth pointing out, however, that he isn’t the first to express concerns about classical music being devalued by becoming too commonplace in today’s technologically shaped world. In Benjamin Britten’s 1964 speech, the composer expressed exactly the same worries as Pullman. Britten suggested, “The true musical experience demands some preparation, some effort, a journey to a special place, saving up for a ticket, some homework perhaps”. In short, it demands as much effort from listeners as from composers and performers.
I don’t agree with such an extreme viewpoint, but I do think it touches on a reality. You will never fully grasp the beauty of classical music if you half-hear it only in the background. That doesn’t necessarily matter. Music can be enjoyed on many levels. What Pullman and Britten are really saying is that, in a drive for “accessibility”, we shouldn’t deny the emotional and intellectual complexity underpinning (构成) much classical music.
1. What did Seagull’s posting result in?A.Great admiration for Seagull. |
B.Public criticism of classical music. |
C.A discussion about learning environments. |
D.An argument over the role of classical music. |
A.Self-important. | B.Open-minded. | C.Impatient. | D.Considerate. |
A.To show his affection for classical music. |
B.To introduce young people to classical music. |
C.To demonstrate classical music is demanding. |
D.To support Pullman’s idea over classical music. |
A.Favorable. | B.Doubtful. | C.Objective. | D.Uninterested. |
8 . The Internet is a global network, which allows digital information to travel around the world. Let’s view some most popular uses of the Internet.
Information search
We search for information every day.
One of the most significant and popular use of the Internet is email. Email is a common thing that a majority of people check after they have logged (登录) on to the Internet.
Online shopping
Education
The Internet plays an important role in effectively shaping today’s school education process. It has the availability and the quality of learning for many students. They can study what they want and whenever they feel the most productive.
We are witnessing the rise of informal education where college graduates have online access and can sharpen their skills and get faster progress in a specific field.
A.Communication |
B.Online bill payments |
C.Our habits of buying things have changed a lot |
D.They can also attend classes or take exams online at home |
E.It is done by typing a question for which we seek specific information |
F.Many other personal businesses create their online shops every day |
G.The email has enabled easier and faster communication between people |
When you are surfing the Internet, you can be anyone or anything. Avatars are a key part while people use the Internet to communicate. and express themselves. The first simple 2D avatars
Capital cities usually contain a wide variety of people. This
Therefore, more buildings are