Parents are often amazed at how fast their child grows and develops. New research has determined that the ability to quantify may develop much sooner than most parents realize.
Kristy vanMarle, professor of the University of Missouri, has determined that contrary to what previous studies have shown, infants(婴儿)are able to quantify substances(物质)—like sand or water—as early as 10 months. As long as the difference between the two substances is large enough, infants will choose the larger amount, especially when it comes to food.
With the assistance of her team researchers, vanMarle tested the quantifying skills of babies by presenting them with two cups: one containing a small amount of food, and one containing a larger amount. Consistently, the babies chose the larger amount.
“Several studies throughout the last 15 years have shown that infants are very good at telling how many objects they see; however, infants don’t seem to count things like water or sand,” vanMarle said. “What we’re saying is that they can quantify substances; it’s just much harder. The infants can see how much food goes into each cup and compare that in their memories. They decide which amount is larger, and they almost always select the larger one.”
“This information further refutes(驳斥)the long-held idea that babies “know nothing of the world,” vanMarle said.
“Since psychologists have begun studying infants with sensitive measures, we’ve discovered a lot of early abilities. I think for parents, it should be exciting to know that there’s somebody in there that has some fundamental and basic knowledge of the world, and that knowledge is guiding their development,” vanMarle said.
In the future, vanMarle says this kind of study could be linked to a child’s progress in math-related skills, although programs marketed to increase those abilities, such as “Baby Einstein,” still have mixed reviews when it comes to academic study.
1.The quantifying ability refers to the ability to ________.
A. get much knowledge of the world
B. identify the quantity of something
C. choose between different substances
D. obtain math-related skills
2.Babies choose the larger amount of food ________.
A. on personal preference B. by saying numbers
C. with the help of parents D. through their natural abilities
3.We can learn from the text that ________.
A. people used to think the world is known to babies
B. scholars disagree on baby-training programs
C. little research has been done on infants
D. some parents don’t care about their kids
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
Parents are often amazed at how fast their child grows and develops. New research has determined that the ability to quantify may develop much sooner than most parents realize.
Kristy vanMarle, professor of the University of Missouri, has determined that contrary to what previous studies have shown, infants(婴儿)are able to quantify substances(物质)—like sand or water—as early as 10 months. As long as the difference between the two substances is large enough, infants will choose the larger amount, especially when it comes to food.
With the assistance of her team researchers, vanMarle tested the quantifying skills of babies by presenting them with two cups: one containing a small amount of food, and one containing a larger amount. Consistently, the babies chose the larger amount.
“Several studies throughout the last 15 years have shown that infants are very good at telling how many objects they see; however, infants don’t seem to count things like water or sand,” vanMarle said. “What we’re saying is that they can quantify substances; The infants can see how much food goes into each cup and compare that in their memories. They decide which amount is larger, and they almost always select the larger one.”
This information further refutes(驳斥)the long-held idea that babies “know nothing of the world,” vanMarle said.
“Since psychologists have begun studying infants with sensitive measures, we’ve discovered a lot of early abilities. I think for parents, it should be exciting to know that there’s somebody there that has some fundamental and basic knowledge of the world, and that knowledge is guiding their development,” vanMarle said.
In the future, vanMarle says this kind of study could be linked to a child’s progress in math-related skills, although programs marketed to increase those abilities, such as “Baby Einstein,” still have mixed reviews when it comes to academic study.
1.Babies choose the larger amount of food ________.
A.by saying numbers B.with the help of parents
C.on personal preference D.through their natural abilities
2.The quantifying ability refers to the ability to ________.
A.choose between different substances
B.get much knowledge of the world
C.describe the quantity of something
D.obtain math-related skills
3.What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 4?
A.The process of doing research.
B.The scientific findings.
C.The final choice of infants.
D.The observation of infants’ behavior.
4.We can learn from the text that ________.
A.some parents don’t care about their kids
B.people used to think the world is known to babies
C.little research has been done on infants
D.scholars disagree on baby-training programs
5.What’s the best title of the text?
A.Breakthrough in Baby Studies
B.Amazing Baby-training Ideas
C.Early Human Abilities
D.Unique Quantifying Methods
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Parents are often amazed at how fast their child grows and develops. New research has determined that the ability to quantify may develop much sooner than most parents realize.
Kristy vanMarle, professor of the University of Missouri, has determined that contrary to what previous studies have shown, infants(婴儿)are able to quantify substances(物质)—like sand or water—as early as 10 months. As long as the difference between the two substances is large enough, infants will choose the larger amount, especially when it comes to food.
With the assistance of her team researchers, vanMarle tested the quantifying skills of babies by presenting them with two cups: one containing a small amount of food, and one containing a larger amount. Consistently, the babies chose the larger amount.
“Several studies throughout the last 15 years have shown that infants are very good at telling how many objects they see; however, infants don’t seem to count things like water or sand,” vanMarle said. “What we’re saying is that they can quantify substances; it’s just much harder. The infants can see how much food goes into each cup and compare that in their memories. They decide which amount is larger, and they almost always select the larger one.”
“This information further refutes(驳斥)the long-held idea that babies “know nothing of the world,” vanMarle said.
“Since psychologists have begun studying infants with sensitive measures, we’ve discovered a lot of early abilities. I think for parents, it should be exciting to know that there’s somebody in there that has some fundamental and basic knowledge of the world, and that knowledge is guiding their development,” vanMarle said.
In the future, vanMarle says this kind of study could be linked to a child’s progress in math-related skills, although programs marketed to increase those abilities, such as “Baby Einstein,” still have mixed reviews when it comes to academic study.
1.The quantifying ability refers to the ability to ________.
A. get much knowledge of the world
B. identify the quantity of something
C. choose between different substances
D. obtain math-related skills
2.Babies choose the larger amount of food ________.
A. on personal preference B. by saying numbers
C. with the help of parents D. through their natural abilities
3.We can learn from the text that ________.
A. people used to think the world is known to babies
B. scholars disagree on baby-training programs
C. little research has been done on infants
D. some parents don’t care about their kids
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Parents are often amazed at how fast their child grows and develops. New research has determined that the ability to quantify may develop much sooner than most parents realize.
Kristy vanMarle, professor of the University of Missouri, has determined that contrary to what previous studies have shown, infants(婴儿)are able to quantify substances(物质)—like sand or water—as early as 10 months. As long as the difference between the two substances is large enough, infants will choose the larger amount, especially when it comes to food.
With the assistance of her team researchers, vanMarle tested the quantifying skills of babies by presenting them with two cups: one containing a small amount of food, and one containing a larger amount. Consistently, the babies chose the larger amount.
“Several studies throughout the last 15 years have shown that infants are very good at telling how many objects they see; however, infants don’t seem to count things like water or sand,” vanMarle said. “What we’re saying is that they can quantify substances; it’s just much harder. The infants can see how much food goes into each cup and compare that in their memories. They decide which amount is larger, and they almost always select the larger one.”
This information further refutes(驳斥)the long-held idea that babies “know nothing of the world,” vanMarle said.
“Since psychologists have begun studying infants with sensitive measures, we’ve discovered a lot of early abilities. I think for parents, it should be exciting to know that there’s somebody in there that has some fundamental and basic knowledge of the world, and that knowledge is guiding their development,” vanMarle said.
In the future, vanMarle says this kind of study could be linked to a child’s progress in math-related skills, although programs marketed to increase those abilities, such as “Baby Einstein,” still have mixed reviews when it comes to academic study.
1.The quantifying ability refers to the ability to ________.
A. choose between different substances
B. get much knowledge of the world
C. describe the quantity of something
D. obtain math-related skills
2. What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 4?
A. The process of doing research.
B. The scientific findings.
C. The final choice of infants.]
D. The observation of infants’ behavior.
3.Babies choose the larger amount of food ________.
A. by saying numbers B. with the help of parents
C. on personal preference D. through their natural abilities
4.We can learn from the text that ________.
A. some parents don’t care about their kids
B. people used to think the world is known to babies
C. little research has been done on infants
D. scholars disagree on baby-training programs
5. What’s the best title of the text?
A. Breakthrough in Baby Studies
B. Amazing Baby-training Ideas
C. Early Human Abilities
D. Unique Quantifying Methods
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Develop Note-Taking Skills
Speech students are often amazed at how easily their teacher can pick out a speaker’s main points, evidence, and techniques. Of course, the teacher knows what to listen for and has had plenty of practice. But the next time you get an opportunity, watch your teacher during a speech. Chances are she or he will be listening with pen and paper. 1.
Unfortunately, many people don’t take notes effectively. Some try to write down everything a speaker says. They view note taking as a race, pitting their handwriting agility(敏捷) against the speaker’s rate of speech. 2. But soon the speaker is winning the race. The speaker pulls so far ahead that the note taker can never catch up. Finally, the note taker admits defeat and spends the rest of the speech grumbling in frustration.
3. They arrive armed with pen, notebook, and the best of intentions. They know they can’t write down everything, so they settle comfortably in their seats and wait for the speaker to say something that grabs their attention. Every once in a while the speaker rewards them with a joke, a dramatic story, or a startling fact. Then the note taker seizes pen, jots down a few words, and leans back dreamily to await the next fascinating tidbit(趣闻). By the end of the lecture the note taker has a set of tidbits—and little or no record of the speaker’s important ideas.
As these examples illustrate, they don’t know what to listen for, and they don’t know how to record what they do listen for. 4. But once you know what to listen for, you still need a sound method of note taking.
Although there are a number of systems, most students find the key-word outline best for listening to speeches. As its name suggests, this method briefly notes a speaker’s main points and supporting evidence in rough outline form. By separating main points from sub-points and evidence, the outline format shows the relationships among the speaker’s ideas. 5. But with a little effort you will become a better note taker.
A.Perfecting this taking requires practice.
B.Some people go to the opposite extreme.
C.As the speaker starts to talk, the note taker starts to write.
D.Taking effective notes usually helps you receive higher grades.
E.Most inefficient note takers suffer from one or both of two problems.
F.When note taking is done properly, it is sure to keep track of a speaker’s ideas.
G.The solution to the first problem is to focus on a speaker’s main points and evidence.
高三英语七选五简单题查看答案及解析
As a child, I lived on a college campus with my parents. Their students often visited and did jigsaw puzzles (拼图) with me, for which I quickly discovered my_______.I would sit alone for hours_________building a puzzle. My college “friends” would be_________next time they came.
Soon I_______ up from 500-piece puzzles to my highest _______:a 3,000-piece one. I was so_______at the thought of tearing it apart that I moved the finished puzzle_______ onto a large board and kept it as it was until we moved away and I _______ playing with puzzles.
Recently I can't help but_______my old days, when I could spend hours looking at small, oddly shaped cardboard pieces and ________them into appropriately spaced positions, enjoying myself.
I now live in a world of divided________, constantly jumping from one form of entertainment to another.________,I dislike it when I open my phone to send a quick text, but only to find myself, an hour later, clicking on countless YouTube videos that leave no impression on me. I miss being someone who didn't________ to be bombed with so many flashy external stimuli to be ________ .
I think a puzzle or two would force me to be another version of myself, a less impatient one. When I get home this summer, I'll________ the box of old toys somewhere in our basement. Maybe I'll find what I'm looking for.
1.A.concern B.destination C.balance D.love
2.A.dreaming of B.concentrating on C.complaining about D.hesitating about
3.A.embarrassed B.impressed C.confused D.relieved
4.A.leveled B.mixed C.showed D.sped
5.A.challenge B.design C.achievement D.champion
6.A.guilty B.light-hearted C.silly D.heartbroken
7.A.at random B.with care C.on occasion D.step by step
8.A.quit B.continued C.escaped D.forbade
9.A.analyse B.regret C.recall D.doubt
10.A.placing B.rolling C.pushing D.dragging
11.A.attention B.communication C.information D.opinions
12.A.Thankfully B.Honestly C.Additionally D.Interestingly
13.A.fail B.afford C.need D.offer
14.A.admired B.connected C.disturbed D.entertained
15.A.take over B.breaks up C.search through D.put away
高三英语完形填空简单题查看答案及解析
My parents have certainly had their troubles, and as their child I’ll never know how they made it to 38 years of marriage.They loved each other, but they didn’t seem to like each other very much.Dad was too fond of his beer, and he talked down to Mom a lot.When she tried to stand up to him, a fight would unavoidably follow.
It was my dad’s disease that began to change things.The year 1998 was the beginning of a remarkable transformation for my family.My father, Jim Dineen, the always healthy, weightlifting, never-missed-a-day-of-work kind of dad, discovered he had kidney (肾) disease.
The decision to go ahead with a transplant for my father was a long and tough one, mostly because he had liver damage too.One physician’s assistant told him, “According to your file, you’re supposed to be dead.” And for a while, doctors mistakenly thought that he would need not just a kidney transplant, but a liver transplant too.Dad’s future hung in midpoint.
When the donor testing process finally began in the spring of 2003, numerous people, including me, my uncle Tom, and my mom, came back as matches of varying degree.But Mom was the one who insisted on going further.She decided to donate a kidney to my father.She said she was not scared, and it was the right thing to do.We all stepped back in amazement.
At last a date was chosen – November 11, 2003.All of a sudden, the only thing that seemed to matter Dad was telling the world what a wonderful thing Mom was doing for him.A month before the surgery, he sent her birthday flowers with a note that read, “I love you and I love your kidney! Thank you!”
Financially, the disease was upsetting to them.So my sister and I were humbled and surprised when, shortly before his surgery day, Dad handed us a diamond jewelry that we were to give to Mom after the operation.He’d accumulated(积累) his spare dollars to buy it.
At the hospital on the day of the transplant, all our relatives and friends gathered in the waiting room and became involved in a mean euchre (尤克牌游戏) tournament.My family has always handled things with a lot of laughter, and even though we were all tense, everybody was taking bets on how long this “change of conduct” would last in my parents.
We would inform Dad that if he chose to act like a real pain on any particular day after the operation, he wasn’t allowed to blame it on PMS just because he’d now have a female kidney.
The surgeries went well, and not long afterward, my sister and I were allowed to go in to visit.Dad was in a great deal of pain but again, all he could talk about was Mom.Was she okay? How was she feeling? Then the nurses let us do something unconventional.As they were wheeling Mom out of recovery room, they rolled her into a separate position to visit Dad.It was strange to see both my parents hooked up to IVs and machines and trying to talk to each other through tears.The nurses allowed us to present the diamond jewelry to Mom so that Dad could watch her open it.Everyone was crying, even the nurses.
As I stood with digital camera in hand, I tried to keep the presence of mind to document the moment.My dad was having a hard time fighting back emotion, and suddenly my parents unexpectedly reached out to hold each other’s hands.
In my nearly 35 years of existence, I’d never seen my parents do that, and I was spellbound.I snapped a picture and later rushed home to make sure I’d captured that enormous, life-defining moment.After so many years of disagreement, it was apparent to me that they finally understood how much each loved the other.
1.From the first paragraph we can learn that _________.
A. Dad was fond of drinking
B. My parents got along well
C. Dad often beat Mom
D. Mom never obeyed Dad
2.The underlined part “Dad’s future hung in midpoint” in Para.3 suggests that _________.
A. Dad's life journey was on half way
B. Dad came to a critical moment in his life
C. Dad’s future was decided by doctors
D. Dad faced a tough decision in his life
3.Before the surgery, which of the following words can best describe the feeling of the families?
A. Worried and negative.
B. Anxious and helpless.
C. Nervous but optimistic.
D. Relaxed and positive.
4.Which of the following is TRUE according the passage?
A. Dad bought a diamond jewelry to Mom for their wedding anniversary.
B. Dad asked the nurse to visit Mom soon after the operation.
C. Despite a lot of pain, Dad was eager to know Mom’s condition soon after the operation.
D. On the day of the transplant, the families involved in a mean euchre tournament to relax themselves.
5.What’s in the writer’s photo?
A. Everyone was crying, even the nurses.
B. His parents were trying to talk to each other.
C. Dad watched Mom opening the gift.
D. His parents were holding each other’s hands.
6.What’s the best title for the passage?
A. Dad’s disease B. Mom’s decision
C. The Gift of Life D. The photo of hands
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
My parents have certainly had their troubles, and as their child I’ll never know how they made it to 38 years of marriage. They loved each other, but they didn’t seem to like each other very much. Dad was too fond of his beer, and he talked down to Mom a lot. When she tried to stand up to him, a fight would unavoidably follow.
It was my dad’s disease that began to change things. The year 1998 was the beginning of a remarkable transformation for my family. My father, Jim Dineen, the always healthy, weightlifting, never-missed-a-day-of-work kind of dad, discovered he had kidney (肾) disease.
The decision to go ahead with a transplant for my father was a long and tough one, mostly because he had liver damage too. One physician’s assistant told him, “According to your file, you’re supposed to be dead.” And for a while, doctors mistakenly thought that he would need not just a kidney transplant, but a liver transplant too. Dad’s future hung in midpoint.
When the donor testing process finally began in the spring of 2003, numerous people, including me, my uncle Tom, and my mom, came back as matches of varying degree. But Mom was the one who insisted on going further. She decided to donate a kidney to my father. She said she was not scared, and it was the right thing to do. We all stepped back in amazement.
At last a date was chosen – November 11, 2003. All of a sudden, the only thing that seemed to matter Dad was telling the world what a wonderful thing Mom was doing for him. A month before the surgery, he sent her birthday flowers with a note that read, “I love you and I love your kidney! Thank you!”
Financially, the disease was upsetting to them. So my sister and I were humbled and surprised when, shortly before his surgery day, Dad handed us a diamond jewelry that we were to give to Mom after the operation. He’d accumulated(积累) his spare dollars to buy it.
At the hospital on the day of the transplant, all our relatives and friends gathered in the waiting room and became involved in a mean euchre (尤克牌游戏) tournament. My family has always handled things with a lot of laughter, and even though we were all tense, everybody was taking bets on how long this “change of conduct” would last in my parents.
We would inform Dad that if he chose to act like a real pain on any particular day after the operation, he wasn’t allowed to blame it on PMS just because he’d now have a female kidney.
The surgeries went well, and not long afterward, my sister and I were allowed to go in to visit. Dad was in a great deal of pain but again, all he could talk about was Mom. Was she okay? How was she feeling? Then the nurses let us do something unconventional. As they were wheeling Mom out of recovery room, they rolled her into a separate position to visit Dad. It was strange to see both my parents hooked up to IVs and machines and trying to talk to each other through tears. The nurses allowed us to present the diamond jewelry to Mom so that Dad could watch her open it. Everyone was crying, even the nurses.
As I stood with digital camera in hand, I tried to keep the presence of mind to document the moment. My dad was having a hard time fighting back emotion, and suddenly my parents unexpectedly reached out to hold each other’s hands.
In my nearly 35 years of existence, I’d never seen my parents do that, and I was spellbound. I snapped a picture and later rushed home to make sure I’d captured that enormous, life-defining moment. After so many years of disagreement, it was apparent to me that they finally understood how much each loved the other.
1.From the first paragraph we can learn that _________.
A. Dad was fond of drinking
B. My parents got along well
C. Dad often beat Mom
D. Mom never obeyed Dad
2.The underlined part “Dad’s future hung in midpoint” in Para.3 suggests that _________.
A. Dad's life journey was on half way
B. Dad came to a critical moment in his life
C. Dad’s future was decided by doctors
D. Dad faced a tough decision in his life
3.Before the surgery, which of the following words can best describe the feeling of the families?
A. Worried and negative.
B. Anxious and helpless.
C. Nervous but optimistic.
D. Relaxed and positive.
4.Which of the following is TRUE according the passage?
A. Dad bought a diamond jewelry to Mom for their wedding anniversary.
B. Dad asked the nurse to visit Mom soon after the operation.
C. Despite a lot of pain, Dad was eager to know Mom’s condition soon after the operation.
D. On the day of the transplant, the families involved in a mean euchre tournament to relax themselves.
5.What’s in the writer’s photo?
A. Everyone was crying, even the nurses.
B. His parents were trying to talk to each other.
C. Dad watched Mom opening the gift.
D. His parents were holding each other’s hands.
6.What’s the best title for the passage?
A. Dad’s disease B. Mom’s decision
C. The Gift of Life D. The photo of hands
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
People have got faster at typing text messages on their phones. But how fast are we at using a smart phone compared to typing words on a traditional keyboard? A team of researchers carried out an experiment.
The researchers used an Internet-based system to test the typing speed of over 37,000 volunteers on their smart phones. The volunteers spent about six hours a day using their phones. Most of them used two thumbs to type. Both Android and iPhone users were tested. They were given 15 English sentences to type out on their phones as quickly and accurately as possible.
The research team found that people wrote about 36 words per minute. It is slower than the average rate for people using a computer keyboard. In a 2018 University of Cambridge study, the average speed for computer typists was 52 words per minute. Noting the narrowing of speed rates between smart phones and computers, the team said we have become slower at typing on keyboards over the years. 75 percent of those taking part in the study had typing speeds below 44 words per minute. But the fastest phone typists reached speeds of 80 words per minute. People using two thumbs typed 38 words per minute. Those using only one finger 29 words per minute.
According to the findings, Anna Feit, a researcher at ETH Zurich, said it makes sense that younger people have higher typing speeds because they spend a lot more time on their devices. It was found that a phone's automatic correct tool can be helpful. Users were able to type faster with it. “The given understanding is that techniques like word completion help people”, Feit said. “But we found the time spent thinking about the word suggestions often outweighs the time spent typing the letters, making you slower.”
The difference between typing on a smart phone and a keyboard is called “the typing gap". They say this gap will further narrow in future as people get less skilled with keyboards and as smart methods for typing on devices continue to improve.
1.What is the purpose of the experiment?
A.To prove typing on keyboards is the fastest way.
B.To track over 37,000 volunteers' typing habits.
C.To promote people's typing speed on smart phones.
D.To find out how faster people type on their phones.
2.Which of the following groups type the fastest according to the passage?
A.People using two thumbs in the research.
B.Those using only one finger in the research.
C.75 percent of the volunteers in the study.
D.Computer typists in the 2018 Cambridge study.
3.What can we know according to Anna Feit?
A.Automatic correct tool isn't useful. B.Word completion can't help much.
C.The aged need word suggestions. D.Typing won't be needed on phones
4.What does the author predict about “the typing gap"?
A.It will become smaller and smaller.
B.It will be replaced by word completion.
C.It will make people less skilled at typing.
D.It will slow the development of smart phones.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
“Smombies”— people walking while staring at their smartphones are very real and a growing cause for concern. To let people pay more attention to their surroundings to avoid serious accidents, government in a small German town has come up with a more positive solution — embedding (嵌入) traffic lights in the pavement to make them noticed by people always looking down at their phones.
The safety measure was taken. Authorities in Augsburg decided to act, installing ground level traffic lights at two tram (电车) stops last Tuesday. The lights flash red when a tram is coming, or when the regular traffic light turns red. “We realized that the normal traffic light isn't in the line of sight of many pedestrians these days,” said Tobias Hermes, a city official. “So we decided to have an extra set of lights — the more lights we have, the more people are likely to notice them.”
Some Augsburg people appear to be quite happy with the idea. “I think it makes sense,” Jack Smith said, speaking to The Augsburg Alleghenies. “One always sees young people these days running over red lights. This makes it more obvious that you need to stop.”
Others, however, found the need for ground traffic lights unnecessary and even frightening. “I find it scary that smartphone users are so engrossed that they need to install lights in the ground so that they notice the tram coming,” one person told the local paper.
But do this kind of pavement-embedded lights actually work? One interviewed teenager believes not really. “To be honest, I didn't even notice it,” he told The Augsburg Alleghenies. "Maybe it’d be useful at night, but I didn’t realize it was there until just now.”
1.From the text we can know that smombies refer to people
A.who are fond of walking.
B.who look at phones while walking.
C.whose smartphones are embedded traffic lights.
D.who pay more attention to their surroundings.
2.What can we learn from Tobias Hermes?
A.The tram is the main cause of traffic accidents.
B.The tram's lights should flash while running.
C.Many people can't see normal traffic lights clearly.
D.The pavement-embedded lights are easier to be seen.
3.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “engrossed” in Paragraph 4?
A.Disturbed. B.Scared.
C.Engaged. D.Inspired.
4.What can be a suitable tide for the text?
A.The Serious Smartphones Problems.
B.Advocate People to Celebrate Traffic Rules.
C.The Importance of Ground Traffic Lights.
D.Ground Traffic Lights for People Staring at Their Smartphones.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
“Smombies”—people walking while staring at their smart phones—are very real and a growing cause for concern. Tired of having to constantly alert both locals and tourists to pay more attention to their surroundings to avoid serious accidents, authorities of a small German town have come up with a more positive solution—embedding(嵌入) traffic lights in the pavement to make them visible to people constantly looking down at their phones.
The seemingly ridiculous safety measure was put in place. Authorities in Augsburg decided to act, installing ground level traffic lights at two tram(有轨电车) stops last Tuesday. The lights flash red every time a tram is approaching, or when the regular traffic light turns red. “We realized that the normal traffic light isn't in the line of sight of many pedestrians these days,” said Tobias Hermes, a city administration official. “So we decided to have an additional set of lights—the more we have, the more people are likely to notice them.”
Some Augsburg residents appear to be quite happy with the idea.“I think it makes sense,” Jack Smith said, speaking to The Augsburger Allgemeine. “One always sees young people these days running over red lights. This makes it more obvious that you need to stop.”
Others, however, found the need for ground traffic lights disturbing and even frightening. “I find it scary that smart phone users are so engrossed that they need to install lights in the ground so that they notice the tram coming,” one person told the local paper.
But do this kind of pavementembedded lights actually work? Well, if one interviewed teenager is to be believed, not really. “To be honest I didn't even notice it,” he told The Augsburger Allgemeine. “Maybe it'd be useful at night, but yeah, I didn't realize it was there until just now.”
The word “smombie”—a mashup of the words smart phone and zombie—was born in Germany. It was voted “youth word of the year” in 2015, but the serious consequences of this behaviour are no laughing matter.
1.Which of the following about “smombies” is TRUE?
A. It refers to people who are fond of walking.
B. It refers to people who are looking at phones while walking.
C. It refers to people who concern others very much.
D. It refers to people who hate locals and tourists.
2.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “engrossed” in Paragraph 4?
A. Disturbed. B. Frightened.
C. Addicted. D. Encouraged.
3.What may be the best title for the text?
A. Ground traffic lights for people looking at smart phones
B. Effective ways to educate people to obey traffic rules
C. The meanings of ground traffic lights
D. The serious problem of traffic safety
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