The New York Times published an article recently that shows great regret for the "death of conversation".It suggests that while technology such as cell phones, e-mails, and Internet posting makes us feel more 36 than ever, they’re also driving us 37 from people around us.
Users get final connectivity 38 the price of 39 face-to-face conversation. Sherry Turkle, author of the article in The New York Times says people are 40 to a different way of being “alone together”.
Actually , 41 text messages or writing micro-blogs allows us to 42 thoughts.
43 bits and pieces of online cannot 44 a “real conversation.” Lan Guo, 19, a freshman English major from Changsha University , said that she would like to hear people’s tone of voice and see their faces in a (n) 45 . “The give and take of ideas in a conversation sharpens our minds.” she said. She also mentions that 46 ourselves in mobile technology reduces our chance of starting conversations with strangers and 47 people.
Turkle mentioned the popular 48 of “I share, therefore I am ”among this generation. Liu Xuan, a young writer from Taiwan and psychology graduate from Harvard University, thinks it’s a mindset adopted by most young people. They are so busy creating or polishing their online persona (网络人格)that they forget how to live a (n) 49 life. For example, They may 50 more about blogging about attending a party rather than enjoying being 51 .
52 , experts remind us that it’s unfair to blame mobile technology . Chen Chen, a sociology expert at China Youth &Children Research Center, points out that it is still owners of gadgets , such as cell phones and tablets , who’re avoiding personal 53 . We take advantage of these devices to hide ourselves 54 others. Texting messages or calling may be a (n) 55 to avoid contact with others, such as having eye contact. “Only by strengthening conversation can we understand each other. Simply throwing away the mobile gadgets is not a solution.” she said.
1.A.received B.shared C.connected D.respected
2.A.off B.back C.away D.down
3.A.beyond B.at C.for D.above
4.A.having B.risking C.sacrificing D.sharing
5.A.related B.committed C.devoted D.accustomed
6.A.sending B.getting C.reading D.taking
7.A.change B.exchange C.deliver D.raise
8.A.So B.And C.Or D.But
9.A.indicate B.replace C.cover D.involve
10.A.conversation B.computer C.party D.Internet
11.A.abandoning B.joining C.burying D.attaching
12.A.interviewing B.introducing C.knowing D.meeting
13.A.feeling B.concept C.fact D.truth
14.A.colorful B.interesting C.real D.meaningful
15.A.worry B.care C.ask D.debate
16.A.there B.out C.down D.in
17.A.Therefore B.Altogether C.Instead D.However
18.A.information B.space C.contact D.management
19.A.from B.of C.behind D.under
20.A.approach B.source C.result D.excuse
高三英语完型填空中等难度题
The New York Times published an article recently that shows great regret for the "death of conversation".It suggests that while technology such as cell phones, e-mails, and Internet posting makes us feel more 36 than ever, they’re also driving us 37 from people around us.
Users get final connectivity 38 the price of 39 face-to-face conversation. Sherry Turkle, author of the article in The New York Times says people are 40 to a different way of being “alone together”.
Actually , 41 text messages or writing micro-blogs allows us to 42 thoughts.
43 bits and pieces of online cannot 44 a “real conversation.” Lan Guo, 19, a freshman English major from Changsha University , said that she would like to hear people’s tone of voice and see their faces in a (n) 45 . “The give and take of ideas in a conversation sharpens our minds.” she said. She also mentions that 46 ourselves in mobile technology reduces our chance of starting conversations with strangers and 47 people.
Turkle mentioned the popular 48 of “I share, therefore I am ”among this generation. Liu Xuan, a young writer from Taiwan and psychology graduate from Harvard University, thinks it’s a mindset adopted by most young people. They are so busy creating or polishing their online persona (网络人格)that they forget how to live a (n) 49 life. For example, They may 50 more about blogging about attending a party rather than enjoying being 51 .
52 , experts remind us that it’s unfair to blame mobile technology . Chen Chen, a sociology expert at China Youth &Children Research Center, points out that it is still owners of gadgets , such as cell phones and tablets , who’re avoiding personal 53 . We take advantage of these devices to hide ourselves 54 others. Texting messages or calling may be a (n) 55 to avoid contact with others, such as having eye contact. “Only by strengthening conversation can we understand each other. Simply throwing away the mobile gadgets is not a solution.” she said.
1.A.received B.shared C.connected D.respected
2.A.off B.back C.away D.down
3.A.beyond B.at C.for D.above
4.A.having B.risking C.sacrificing D.sharing
5.A.related B.committed C.devoted D.accustomed
6.A.sending B.getting C.reading D.taking
7.A.change B.exchange C.deliver D.raise
8.A.So B.And C.Or D.But
9.A.indicate B.replace C.cover D.involve
10.A.conversation B.computer C.party D.Internet
11.A.abandoning B.joining C.burying D.attaching
12.A.interviewing B.introducing C.knowing D.meeting
13.A.feeling B.concept C.fact D.truth
14.A.colorful B.interesting C.real D.meaningful
15.A.worry B.care C.ask D.debate
16.A.there B.out C.down D.in
17.A.Therefore B.Altogether C.Instead D.However
18.A.information B.space C.contact D.management
19.A.from B.of C.behind D.under
20.A.approach B.source C.result D.excuse
高三英语完型填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The New York Times published an article recently that shows great regret for the "death of conversation".It suggests that while technology such as cell phones, e-mails , and Internet posting makes us feel more than ever, they’re also driving us _ from people around us.
Users get final connectivity the price of face-to-face conversation. Sherry Turkle, author of the article in The New York Times says people are to a different way of being “alone together”.
Actually , text messages or writing micro-blogs allows us to thoughts.
bits and pieces of online cannot a “real conversation.” Lan Guo, 19, a freshman English major from Changsha University , said that she would like to hear people’s tone of voice and see their faces in a (n) .“The give and take of ideas in a conversation sharpens our minds,” she said.She also mentions that ourselves in mobile technology reduces our chance of starting conversations with strangers and People.
Turkle mentioned the popular of “I share, therefore I am” among this generation. Liu Xuan, a young writer from Taiwan and psychology graduate from Harvard University, thinks it’s a mindset adopted by most young people. They are so busy creating or polishing their online persona (网络人格)that they forget how to live a (n) life. For example,They may more about blogging about attending a party rather than enjoying being .
However,experts remind us that it’s unfair to mobile technology . Chen Chen, a sociology expert at China Youth &Children Research Center, points out that it is still owners of gadgets , such as cell phones and tablets , who’re avoiding personal .We take advantage of these devices to hide ourselves others .Texting messages or calling may be a (n) to avoid contact with others, such as having eye contact. “Only by strengthening conversation can we understand each other. Simply throwing away the mobile gadgets is not a solution.”she said.
1.A.received B.shared C.connected D.respected
2.A.off B.back C.away D.down
3.A.beyond B.at C.for D.above
4.A.having B.risking C.sacrificing D.sharing
5.A.related B.committed C.devoted D.accustomed
6.A.sending B.getting C.reading D.taking
7.A.change B.exchange C.deliver D.raise
8.A.So B.And C.Or D.But
9.A.indicate B.replace C.cover D.involve
10.A.conversation B.computer C.party D.Internet
11.A.abandoning B.joining C.burying D.attaching
12.A.interviewing B.introducing C.knowing D.meeting
13.A.feeling B.concept C.fact D.truth
14.A.colorful B.interesting C.real D.meaningful
15.A.worry B.care C.ask D.debate
16.A.there B.out C.down D.in
17.A.complain B.adore C.worship D.blame
18.A.information B.space C.contact D.management
19.A.from B.of C.behind D.under
20.A.approach B.source C.result D.excuse
高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
An article published recently in the scientific journal Nature is shedding new light on an important, but so far little has been appreciated, aspect of human evolution. In this article, Professors Dennis Bramble, and Daniel Lieberman suggest that the ability to run was a decisive factor in the development of our species. According to the two scientists, humans possess a number of anatomical(人体结构的)features that make them surprisingly good runners. “We are very confident that strong selection for running,which came at the expense of the historical ability to live in trees-was helpful in the origin of the modern human body form,” says Bramble, a biology professor at the University of Utah.
Traditional thinking up to now has been that the upright body form of modern humans has come about as a result of the ability to walk, and that running is simply a by-product of walking. Furthermore, humans have usually been regarded as poor runners compared to such animals as dogs, horses or antelopes. However, this is only true if we consider fast running over short distances. Even Olympic athlete can hardly run as fast as a horse can gallop, and can only keep up a top speed for fifteen seconds or so. Horses and antelopes, on the other hand, can run at top speed for several minutes, clearly outperforming us in this respect. But when it comes to long-distance running, humans do astonishingly well. They can maintain a steady pace for miles, and their overall speed compares favorably with that of horses or dogs.
Bramble and Lieberman examined twenty-six anatomical features found in humans. One of the most interesting of these is the nuchal ligament(颈背的韧带). When we run, it is this ligament that prevents our head from pitching back and forth or from side to side. Therefore, we are able to run with steady heads held high. The nuchal ligament is not found in any other surviving primates(灵长类动物), although the fossil(化石)record shows that Homo erectus, an early human species that walked upright, much as we do, also had one. Then there are our Achilles tendons(跟腱)at the backs of our legs, which have nothing to do with walking. When we run, these tendons behave like springs, helping to push us forward. Furthermore, we have low, wide shoulders, virtually disconnected from our skulls (the bony part of the head), another anatomical adaptation which allows us to run more efficiently.
But what evolutionary advantage is gained from being good long-distance runners? One assumption is that this ability may have permitted early humans to obtain food more effectively. “What these features and fossil facts appear to be telling us is that running evolved in order for our direct ancestors to compete with other carnivores (animals that eat meat) for access to the protein needed to grow the big brains that we enjoy today.” says Lieberman.
1.We can learn from the passage that the human ability to run _______.
A. was only recently described in a scientific journal
B. played an important part in human evolution
C. was considered more natural than the ability to live in trees
D. contributed to the form of human language
2.According to the second paragraph, humans _______
A. are better runners than most other animals
B. are not good at running short distances
C. compare unfavorably with horses and dogs
D. are poor long-distance runners
3.It appears that the nuchal ligament _______.
A. enables us to run with steady heads
B. is found in modern primates only
C. prevents the head from being held high
D. is a unique feature of carnivores
4.The passage does NOT tell us that _______
A. early humans had an advantage in obtaining food thanks to the running ability
B. fossils help us better understand human evolution.
C. our Achilles tendons are an adaptation for running efficiently
D. big brains may have been evolved for running long-distance
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
The Wall Street Journal recently published an excellent article penned by Wendy Bounds on a hot topic here at MNN: the air-purifying qualities of the common house plant. Given that the air inside your home can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than the air outside of it, making it clean with plants like peace lily (百合花) and asparagus fern (芦笋蕨) is an economical. artistically pleasing alternative to air purifiers. So it’s been acknowledged that a bunch of pretty putted houseplants can help you maintain a healthier home, but a smarter home?
That' s the question in light of a recent study published by the Journal of Environmental Psychology showing that the presence of plants in a room, particularly in an office environment, can shrink attention span (范围). Struggling directive attention (the kind of attention that takes effort) can be refreshed through exposure ho to naturalistic environments. Basically, taking a walk through the park can clear one’s head. But can a head be refreshed simply by being surrounded by houseplants?
To test their theory, the study’s authors rounded up a bunch of participants, put some of them in a mom with no plants and put others in a room with our plants placed around a desk, and put them all to the same series of tests. First was a Rearing Span Teat which involves reading a series of sentences aloud and remembering the Last word in each sentence. This task requires that you fluently switch between attention demanding tasks: from rending and memorizing at one moment. to writing and recalling at the next. Next came a proofreading task fallowed by another Reading Span Test.
The results? Participants working in the room with the plants improved their performance from the first Reading Span Test to the second while those working in the room lacking in greenery did not. Consequently, the benefits of working among plants is indeed evident.
1.What do we know from the first paragraph?
A.Staying indoors can help avoid the poorer air outdoors.
B.Houseplants can Function as beautiful cheap air purifiers.
C.Planting polled flowers as decorations is very interesting.
D.Air purifiers are the most effective to create a healthy home.
2.What does the underlined part in paragraph 2 probably refer to?
A.Focus one’s attention. B.Disturb one’s attention.
C.weaken one’s attention. D.Turn one’s attention away.
3.What does the test prove?
A.Working in nature helps increase productivity.
B.Houseplants will be in great demand in our life.
C.Greenery creates healthier naturalistic atmosphere indoors.
D.Working among houseplants improves mental functioning.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.Flowers: Grand Feast to Eyes B.Greenery: Effective Air-purifier
C.Houseplants: Visual Brain Food D.Potted Plants: Great! House-beautifier
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The Wall Street Journal recently published an excellent article penned by Wendy Bounds on a hot topic here at MNN: the air-purifying qualities of the common houseplant. Given that the air inside your home can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than the air outside of it, making it clean with plants like peace lily(百合花)and asparagus fern(芦笋蕨)is an economical, artistically pleasing alternative to air purifiers. So, it's been acknowledged that a bunch of pretty potted houseplants can help you maintain a healthier home, but a smarter home?
That's the question in light of a recent study published by the Journal of Environmental Psychology showing that the presence of plants in a room, particularly in an office environment, can shrink attention span(范围). Struggling directive attention (the kind of attention that takes effort) can be refreshed through exposure to naturalistic environments. Basically, taking a walk through the park can clear one's head. But can a head be refreshed simply by being surrounded by houseplants?
To test their theory, the study's authors rounded up a bunch of participants, put some of them in a room with no plants and put others in a room with four plants placed around a desk, and put them all to the same series of tests. First was a Reading Span Test, which involves reading a series of sentences aloud and remembering the last word in each sentence. This task requires that you fluently switch between attention demanding tasks: from reading and memorizing at one moment, to writing and recalling at the next. Next came a proof-reading task followed by another Reading Span Test.
The results? Participants working in the room with the plants improved their performance from the first Reading Span Test to the second while those working in the room lacking in greenery did not. Consequently, the benefits of working among plants is indeed evident.
1.What do we know from the first paragraph?
A.Staying indoors can help avoid the poorer air outdoors.
B.Houseplants can function as beautiful cheap air purifiers.
C.Planting potted flowers as decorations is very interesting.
D.Air purifiers are the most effective to create a healthy home.
2.What does the underlined part in paragraph 2 probably refer to?
A.Focus one's attention. B.Disturb one's attention.
C.Weaken one's attention. D.Turn one's attention away.
3.What does the test prove?
A.Working in nature helps increase productivity.
B.Houseplants will be in great demand in our life.
C.Greenery creates healthier naturalistic atmosphere indoors.
D.Working among houseplants improves mental functioning.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.Flowers: Grand Feast to Eyes B.Greenery: Effective Air-purifier
C.Houseplants: Visual Brain Food D.Potted Plants: Great House-beautifier
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
There's a great article in the New York Times this week about the tradition of buying a coffee for a stranger at the same time that you buy your own. They call it caffè sospeso, the name for "suspended (暂留的) coffee" in its birthplace. In some cafes, folks in need may claim a suspended coffee and drink it without cost.
No doubt the free coffee will be welcomed by people who love coffee but for one reason or another don't have the money to buy one. But I also like the opportunity it offers customers to become philanthropists (慈善家). Every time they order a coffee, they can give one to somebody in need.
This is a tradition that began some 100 years ago in Naples, Italy. In Naples, as reported by the Times, people love this kind of giving:
"To me, the philosophy of the suspended coffee is that you are happy today, and you give a coffee to the world, as a present." — Luigi Solito
"It's a simple act of generosity: an act in which donors and recipients (接受者) never meet each other. The donor doesn't show off and the recipient doesn't have to show gratitude." —Laura Cozzolino
"Coffee consumptions started earlier than the unification (统一) of Italy by more than 200 years, so the traditions around it are very ancient. In Naples, coffee is a world in itself, both culturally and socially." — Andrea Illy
The practice of buying suspended coffees has grown in popularity — with websites popping up and hundreds of cafes from Canada to Brazil to Hungary to the US offering the service.
1.Who are suspended coffees intended for?
A. Cafe goers.
B. People who can't afford a coffee.
B. Philanthropists.
D. Coffee lovers who live in Naples.
2.How can someone get a suspended coffee?
A. He can ask for one in any cafe.
B. He can apply for one on websites.
C. He can buy one in a cafe offering the service.
D. He can drink one in a cafe that has prepaid coffees.
3.What does Laura Cozzolino think of buying suspended coffees?
A. She thinks it is a great way of charity.
B. She thinks it is a cheap gift to strangers.
C. She thinks it is an ancient Italian custom.
D. She thinks it is spreading widely in the world.
4.The underlined words in Paragraph 1 are words of ______.
A. French B. Old English
C. Italian D. American English
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
An article published in the prestigious (有威望的) scientific journal Nature sheds new light on an important, but up-to-now little appreciated, aspect of human evolution. In this article Professors Dennis Bramble and Daniel Lieberman suggest that being able to run was the necessary condition for the development of our species which enabled us to come down from the trees. This challenges traditional scientific thinking, which claims that the distinctive, upright body form of modern humans has come about as a result of the ability to walk, and that running is simply a by-product of walking. Furthermore, humans have usually been regarded as poor runners compared to such animals as dogs, horses or deer. However, this is only true if we consider running at high speed, especially over short distances. But when it comes to long-distance running, humans do astonishingly well. They can keep a steady pace for many kilometres, and their overall speed is at least the same as that of horses or dogs.
Bramble and Lieberman examined 26 physical features found in humans. One of the most interesting of these is the nuchal ligament(项韧带). When we run, this ligament prevents our head from moving back and forth or from side to side. Therefore, we are able to run with steady heads held high. The nuchal ligament is not found in any other surviving primates, such as apes and monkeys. Then there are our Achilles tendons (跟腱) at the backs of our legs, which connect our calf (小腿肚) muscles to our heel bones — and which have nothing to do with walking. When we run, these tendons behave like springs, helping to push us forward. Furthermore, we have low, wide shoulders virtually disconnected from our skulls(颅骨), a physical development which allows us to run more efficiently.
But what evolutionary advantage is gained from being good long-distance runners? Perhaps it permitted early humans to obtain food more effectively. "What these features and facts appear to be telling us is that running evolved in order for our direct ancestors to compete with other meat-eating animals for access to the protein needed to grow the big brains that we enjoy today," says Lieberman. Some scientists put forward the theory that early humans chased animals for great distances in order to exhaust them before killing them.
"Research on the history of humans' ability to move has traditionally been controversial," says Lieberman. "At the very least, I believe this theory will motivate many researchers to reevaluate and further investigate how humans learned to run and walk and why we are built the way we are. "
1.In paragraph 1, what do the two professors suggest about humans' ability to run?
A.It is an evolutionary by-product of walking.
B.It helps to form people's ability to climb trees.
C.It has played an important role in human evolution.
D.It has not been adequately studied by scientists before.
2.What is true about the physical characteristics examined by the professors?
A.Achilles tendons assist people to walk long distances.
B.The human skull helps people to run more efficiently.
C.people's shoulders allow them to look from side to side.
D.The nuchal ligament enables people to hold their head steady.
3.According to paragraph 3, scientists believe that early humans_________.
A.always came across dangerous situations in life
B.ran after animals for long distances when hunting
C.often failed to find food because they couldn't run fast
D.developed their hunting skills by running long distances
4.Professor Lieberman thinks the new theory will _________.
A.completely explain how running developed
B.revolutionize the theory of human evolution
C.encourage more in-depth studies on the topic
D.be widely supported within the scientific community
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
New York Times---( DINITIA SMITH )Tomorrow is the 433d anniversary of Shakespeare's birth.A recent survey shows that more people are watching him, reading him and studying him than ever before.
Consider the recent yearly conference of the Shakespeare Association of America in Washington, where more than 600 people who study or admire Shakespeare from 18 countries took in topics like ''Whither Attribution Studies,'' ''Unpopular Shakespeare'' and ''Sex Me Here,'' a talk on breast-feeding and Lady Macbeth.
''The national media is saying that fewer students' taking Shakespeare,'' Barbara Mowat, the editor of The Shakespeare Quarterly, observed in a speech at the conference.''But Shakespeare is thriving.'' The association's membership has increased by a third since 1990.
The Shakespeare business is so good these days that W.W.Norton is introducing a huge new collections of the plays into the already crowded field just in time for tomorrow's birthday anniversary.Priced at $44.95, ''The Norton Shakespeare: Based on the Oxford Edition'' runs for 3,420 pages, offering introductions, illustrations and notes and three versions(版本) of ''King Lear.''
Today, movies and videos have made the plays even more accessible.Last year, ''William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet'' was No.1 at the box office when it opened, and it grossed nearly $50 million.In New York in January, crowds lined up in the freezing cold to see Kenneth Branagh's four-hour ''Hamlet.'' The students select a scene and then have a violent discussion about it.'' Influenced by films, professors are increasingly teaching students by having them perform the plays.
1.Why people from 18 countries came to Washington this year?
A.To celebrate Shakespeare’s 433d birth day only.
B.To watch some plays by Shakespeare as planned.
C.To celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday and study his works.
D.To discuss how to teach students using Shakespeare’s plays.
2.What does the underlined word “ field” in the fourth paragraph refer to?
A.Washington D.C. B.Shakespeare Association.
C.The birthday anniversary. D.The Shakespeare business.
3.Which of the many plays by Shakespeare was most popular the year before?
A.King Lear. B.Hamlet.
C.Macbeth. D.Romeo and Juliet.
4.What does the author want to prove by using so many examples about Shakespeare?
A.More and more people are becoming interested in Shakespeare.
B.Shakespeare business is being run well in America nowadays.
C.Plays by Shakespeare can be used at school for more studies.
D.Shakespeare belongs not only to Britain but also to the USA.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
You may have heard about the many benefits of yoga, but a recent New York Times story, has stirred up more than a little controversy in the yoga community.
"How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body," by science writer William J. Broad, quotes a long-time yoga teacher who "...has come to believe that 'the vast majority of people' should give up yoga altogether. It's simply too likely to cause harm." He goes on to describe a number of cases where people have been injured doing yoga, including himself.
The research in the article isn't groundbreaking: doing any form of exercise you could potentially hurt yourself. If you look at the injury rates of other physical activities, the number of injuries sustained from yoga would pale in comparison.
Practicing yoga is just like anything in life: You have to push yourself in order to grow. But you also have to know your limits and when you're breaking them. If you stick to your comfort zone, you'll never be able to increase your flexibility. If you push to the point where you're not only uncomfortable, but in real pain, you'll likely injure yourself.
The reasons that yoga causes "serious injury”, according to the Times story, range from students' physical weaknesses to inexperienced teachers pushing too hard to the growing number of inflexible "urbanites who sit in chairs all day" trying hard to twist themselves into difficult postures.
Yoga is called a "practice" for a reason. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to tackle every pose. It doesn't matter if you can touch the floor with your palms during your first forward bend or your thousandth, or if you never get there.
We go to the mat to learn to better listen to what our bodies are telling us, and to better hear that quiet inner voice drowned out by the noise of our busy lives. It's a shame to discourage the majority of people from practicing yoga and missing out on all of the mind-body benefits that going to the mat has to offer.
1.The underlined word is best replaced by __.
A. Injure B. Benefit C. Push D. Shape
2.What does author mainly want to tell us in the 3rd paragraph?
A. All physical activities are equally harmful.
B. Yoga causes much less injuries than other physical activities.
C. Similar researches have been done before.
D. Yoga, like any other form of exercise, can hurt people.
3.Which is not mentioned among the reasons for yoga being likely to cause injury?
A. Teachers lack the knowledge of students’ limits.
B. Modern lifestyle decreases our flexibility.
C. The body doesn’t tell when you are in real pain.
D. Students themselves might not be in good physical condition.
4.What is the author’s attitude towards practicing yoga?
A. It’s a shame not to practice yoga.
B. One should push the limits in order to be perfect.
C. The majority should give up yoga for it may cause harm.
D. One should enjoy the physical and mental benefit that yoga brings.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The New York Times announced Wednesday that it intended to charge frequent readers for access to its Web site, a step being debated across the industry that nearly every major newspaper has so far feared to take.
Starting in early 2011, visitors to NYTimes.com will get a certain number of articles free every month before being asked to pay a flat fee for unlimited access. Subscribers(订阅者) to the newspaper’s print edition will receive full access to the site.
But executives(执行主管) of The New York Times Company said they could not yet answer fundamental questions about the plan, like how much it would cost or what the limit would be on free reading. They stressed that the amount of free access could change with time, in response to economic conditions and reader demand.
Still, publishers fear that income from digital subscriptions would not compensate for the resulting loss of audience and advertising revenue.
NYTimes.com is by far the most popular newspaper site in the country, with more than 17 million readers a month in the United States, according to Nielsen Online, and analysts say it is easily the leader in advertising revenue, as well. That may make it better positioned than other general-interest papers to charge — and also gives The Times more to lose if the move backfires.
The Times Company has been studying the matter for almost a year, searching for common ground between pro- and anti-pay camps — a debate mirrored in dozens of media-watching blogs — and the system will not go into effect until January 2011. Executives said they were not bothered by the prospect of absorbing barbs(冷嘲热讽) for moving cautiously.
“There’s no prize for getting it quick,” said Janet L. Robinson, the company’s president and chief executive. “There’s more of a prize for getting it right.”
1.The first paragraph serves as a __________.
A. conclusion B. comment C. lead-in D. background
2. We may know from the passage that __________.
A. non-paying readers will get no access to NYTimes.com
B. readers will be charged more to read more articles on NYTimes.com
C. visitors to NYTimes.com frequently will get more free online articles
D. subscribers to the print edition will enjoy free access to the site as well
3. Which of the following best describes The Times Company's attitude towards its announcement?
A. rude B. serious C. hurried D. doubtful
4. The passage is mainly about_________.
A. the Times to offer free access to its web site
B. the Times to increase audience to its web site
C. the Times to attract advertisement to its web site
D. the Times to charge for frequent access to its web site
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析