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Smartphones are our constant companions. For many of us, their glowing screens are a ubiquitous (十分普遍的) presence, drawing us in with endless distractions. They are in our hands as soon as we wake, and command our attention until the final moments before we fall asleep.
Steve Jobs would not approve.
In 2007, Jobs took the stage and introduced the world to the iPhone. If you watch the full speech, you will be surprised by how he imagined our relationship should be with this iconic invention. This vision is so different from the way most of us use these devices now.
In his remarks, Jobs spent an extended amount of time demonstrating how the device utilized (应用) the touch screen before detailing the many ways Apple engineers had improved the age-old process of making phone calls. It’s the best iPod we’ve ever made,” Jobs exclaimed at one point. “The killer app is making calls,” he later added. Both lines drew thunderous applause.
The presentation confirms that Jobs imagined a simpler iPhone experience than the one we actually have more than a decade later. For example, there was no App Store when the iPhone was first introduced, and this was by design. Jobs was convinced that the phone’s carefully-designed native features were enough. He did not seek to completely change the rhythm of users’ daily lives. He simply wanted to take experiences we had already found important－listening to music, placing calls, generating directions－and make them better.
The minimalist (简约主义者) vision for the iPhone Jobs offered in 2007 is unrecognizable today－and that is a shame.
Under what I call the “constant companion model,” we now see our smartphones as always-on portals (通道) to information. We have become so used to it over the past decade that it is easy to forget the novelty (新奇之处) of the device. It seems increasingly clear to me that Jobs probably got it right from the very beginning: Many of us would be better-off returning to his original minimalist vision for our phones.
Practically speaking, to be a minimalist smartphone user means only using your device for a small number of features that do things of value to you. Otherwise, you simply put it away outside of these activities. This approach dethrones (废黜) this device from the position of a constant companion down to a luxury object, such as a fancy bike, that gives you great pleasure when you use it but does not dominate your entire day.
Early in his 2007 keynote, Jobs said, “Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone.” What he didn’t add, however, was the follow-up promise: “Tomorrow we’re going to reinvent your life.” The smartphone is fantastic, but it was never meant to be the foundation for a new form of existence.
If you return this innovation to its original role, you will get more out of both your phone and your life.
1.The underlined word “it” in the last but two paragraphs probably refers to .
A.information B.the smartphone
C.the always-on portal D.the constant companion model
2.According to Steve Jobs, what was the main selling point of Apple’s first iPhone?
A.It allowed the users to have access to the internet.
B.It was actually an iPod that could make phone calls.
C.It was installed with applications by third-party developers.
D.It could fulfill people’s desire to multitask in their daily lives.
3.According to the article, a minimalist smartphone user tends to .
A.expect to reinvent his life with the device
B.buy the latest model of iPhone and see it as a luxury
C.remove all the unnecessary applications from the device
D.spend more time working than playing with his device
4.The author’s purpose in writing the article is to .
A.tell readers why Steve Job created the iPhone
B.remind readers not to be addicted to their smartphones
C.show readers that smartphones can greatly change our lives
D.encourage readers to block internet access on their smartphones
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For many of us, a little time with our smartphones or iPads before sleep is the highlight of the night. But would you still think it is relaxing if you knew that it damages or destroys your sleep? Scientists say that's exactly what it does.
In ancient times, when there were no lamps, telephones or smartphones, the sun was the main source of light. When the sun went down, our brains took that as a signal to start producing melatonin(褪黑素), a chemical that helps us sleep.
However, a healthy amount of melatonin can only be produced in complete darkness.Any light in your bedroom—even the one on the alarm clock or the charging indicator on your cellphone—could disturb the process, not to mention something as bright as smartphone and iPad screens. We tend to hold these much closer than a television or laptop, which allows them to shoot far more light straight into our eyes.
“This is particularly worrisome in populations such as young adults and adolescents, who already tend to be night_owls，” said researcher Brittany Wood at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.“Lack of sleep among teens is leading to depression, selfharm, low concentration and poor performance at school，” she added.
While all lights are the enemy of sleep, not all colors of light have the same effect. Our eyes are particularly sensitive to blue light, which is common during the day. Most of the light coming from electronic screens is blue light and it fools our brain into thinking it's still daytime. By contrast, orange or red light has less influence on melatonin production, because our brains recognize it as a signal that the day is ending, according to The Telegraph.
Asking yourself to keep your hands off your smartphone before bedtime might seem unreasonable, but you should at least remember to dim the screen or hold it farther away from your eyes. You could also wear a pair of orange sunglasses that take away the harmful blue light.
1.According to the passage, we can know ________.
A．it's a good habit to play with smartphones or iPads late into night
B．scientists suggest we should avoid using smartphones or iPads
C．darkness makes a great impact on the amount of melatonin
D．the sun was the only source of light in ancient times
the sun was the main source of light.”可知D项为错误结论。
2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A．The darker it is, the more melatonin will be produced.
B．The lighter it is, the more melatonin will be produced.
C．The more melatonin you have, the worse you'll sleep.
D．The more electrical equipment you have, the more melatonin will be produced.
3.The underlined part in Paragraph 4 refers to those ________.
A．who are young adults or adolescents
B．who don't perform well in school
C．who are addicted to a television or laptop
D．who are short of sleep at night and perform poorly in daily life
4.In the writer's opinion, which is a correct suggestion?
A．You should go to bed when the sun goes down.
B．You should use an orange or red light electronic screen.
C．You should wear a pair of blue sunglasses when sleeping.
D．You should avoid blue light as possible as you can before bedtime.
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For many of us, a little time with our smartphones or iPads before sleep is the highlight of the night. But would you still think it is relaxing if you knew that it damages or destroys your sleep? Scientists say that's exactly what it does.
In ancient times, when there were no lamps, telephones or smartphones, the sun was the main source of light. When the sun went down, our brains took that as a signal to start producing melatonin(褪黑素), a chemical that helps us sleep.
However, a healthy amount of melatonin can only be produced in complete darkness.Any light in your bedroom—even the one on the alarm clock or the charging indicator on your cellphone—could disturb the process, not to mention something as bright as smartphone and iPad screens. We tend to hold these much closer than a television or laptop, which allows them to shoot far more light straight into our eyes.
“This is particularly worrisome in populations such as young adults and adolescents, who already tend to be night_owls，” said researcher Brittany Wood at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.“Lack of sleep among teens is leading to depression, selfharm, low concentration and poor performance at school，” she added.
While all lights are the enemy of sleep, not all colors of light have the same effect. Our eyes are particularly sensitive to blue light, which is common during the day. Most of the light coming from electronic screens is blue light and it fools our brain into thinking it's still daytime. By contrast, orange or red light has less influence on melatonin production, because our brains recognize it as a signal that the day is ending, according to The Telegraph.
Asking yourself to keep your hands off your smartphone before bedtime might seem unreasonable, but you should at least remember to dim the screen or hold it farther away from your eyes. You could also wear a pair of orange sunglasses that take away the harmful blue light.
1.According to the passage, we can know ________.
A．it's a good habit to play with smartphones or iPads late into night
B．scientists suggest we should avoid using smartphones or iPads
C．darkness makes a great impact on the amount of melatonin
D．the sun was the only source of light in ancient times
2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A．The darker it is, the more melatonin will be produced.
B．The lighter it is, the more melatonin will be produced.
C．The more melatonin you have, the worse you'll sleep.
D．The more electrical equipment you have, the more melatonin will be produced.
3.The underlined part in Paragraph 4 refers to those ________.
A．who are young adults or adolescents
B．who don't perform well in school
C．who are addicted to a television or laptop
D．who are short of sleep at night and perform poorly in daily life
4.In the writer's opinion, which is a correct suggestion?
A．You should go to bed when the sun goes down.
B．You should use an orange or red light electronic screen.
C．You should wear a pair of blue sunglasses when sleeping.
D．You should avoid blue light as possible as you can before bedtime.
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Feeding bread to the ducks is a fond pastime for many of us, reminding us of our happy childhood trips to the local park. But did you know that bread actually poses a danger to birds, as well as the environment? Eating it can cause our feathered friends to develop a condition called Angel Wing, which is when too much bread makes birds’ feathers grow too quickly. This additional weight puts a strain on their muscles, causing their wings to twist and drop open, and if not treated fast, they can lose the ability to fly.
“Angel Wing can be remedied if we reach birds before it has developed too severely,” says Caroline Simpson, a trustee of UK charity Swan Lifeline, which has rescued and treated more than 30,000 birds over the last 20 years. “Otherwise the consequence can be awful—such as amputations(截肢)of the wing.” Adult swans can also develop gut and heart disease, so it’s important we do our bit to prevent this by feeding wild birds with the right kind of food.
Bread can also cause harmful changes to the natural ecosystem. Rotting bread at the bottom of rivers and lakes allows bacteria to breed, spreading disease and attracting rats and other vermin to our waterways. It can result in algal(藻类的)blooms and the presence of a mould(霉菌)called Aspergillus too, which has the potential to kill waterfowl(水禽)and other wildlife if it gets into their lungs.
But this doesn’t mean we have to stop fun trips to feed the ducks. Giving birds the right food-like frozen peas, sweetcorn and lettuce leaves-is good for both them and the environment. So, next time you visit your local park, take a healthier alternative with you and do your bit to protect our precious wildlife.
1.The underlined word “remedied” in Paragraph 2 probably means .
A.reduced B.expected C.caused D.corrected
2.Which of the following is NOT a consequence of feeding waterfowl with bread?
A.Harmful creatures will be drawn to waterways.
B.Water birds will be overfed and risk losing their bodily functions.
C.The water will be enriched thanks to the nutrients in bread.
D.The eco-balance at the bottom of rivers or lakes will be disturbed.
3.The purpose of writing this passage is to .
A.stop people from feeding waterfowl.
B.instruct people how to raise waterfowl.
C.warn people of the danger threatening waterfowl.
D.promote a safe and healthy way to feed waterfowl.
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Money can not take ______place of our happiness, which is _______common sense for many of us.
A. the ; a B. 不填; a C. the ; the D. 不填; the
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For many of us, printed books are satisfying in ways beyond the words they contain． Billions of printed books have been published, read and saved in the 600 years since movable type was invented, so why mess with a good things?
Sony Electronics is doing just that, betting that readers will be won over by the convenience of readability of its new electronic book devices． Sony's reader, the PRS-505, can hold 160 books in its fixed memory, enough to line the shelves on a good-sized wall in the average American home． The $299 device is about the size of a paperback book, but a half-inch thick and weighs less than a pound．
The Sony book reader is revolutionary not only in its storage capacity． The font（字体） is highly readable and adjustable by size． Unlike laptop computers, you can put the Sony in your purse, read it in direct sunlight and even bookmark the pages． And you can connect it to your PC to download books．
Surprisingly, though the reader has liberated the book from paper, electronic books aren't always a bargain． For example, David Baldacci's "Stone Cold" download retails（零售） for $15．19 at the Sony site, while Amazon（卓越网） will deliver a hard copy to your mailbox for $16．19．
The Sony reader also lets you store and play or display music． So what's not to like about the Sony? Well, for many bibliophiles, a lot． Book lovers like to have, hold and keep their volumes, which don't need charging． You can write notes in the margins, and enjoy the ambience they provide on your book shelves．The need for electronic reading devices is likely to grow as more people worried about the billions of tons of paper used for printed material． Many believe the time will come when devices like the Sony reader are as common as printed newspapers and magazines today．
1.According to the passage, the Sony book reader _________．
A． is as light as a laptop computer
B． can hold more than 200 books
C． is convenient to carry around
D． cannot be connected to a PC
2.What is the author’s point when he mentions “Stone Cold”?
A． Amazon’s printed books are very cheap
B． “Stone Cold” can be got from the Sony site and Amazon
C． The Sony book reader is not very cheap to use
D． The Sony book reader can benefit its buyers a lot
3.The underlined word “bibliophiles” in Paragraph 5 refers to “__________”．
A． music lovers B． book lovers
C． electronic reading devices D． Sony readers
4.According to the author, what’s the future for the electronic reading devices?
A． They’ll replace printed newspapers and magazines
B． They’ll still be more expensive than printed newspapers
C． They’ll become a must in people’s daily life
D． They’ll become more popular as time goes on
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Many of us put real effort in when we cook for others but when we are alone, we reach for the takeaway menu. Somehow it just doesn’t seem worth bothering if no one else is going to eat it.
That’s the attitude Signe Johansen wants to change and it’s the inspiration behind her new book Solo: The Joy of Cooking for One.
“Cooking for yourself is an acceptance of your self-worth, ” Signe says. “I think it’s important that you recognize your worth all the time, not just if you live alone, but on the weekend if your partner is away or whatever. If you take the time to look after yourself, you are essentially saying you are worth the effort. ”
With nearly a third of UK households containing just one person, Signe believes it’s time to overturn the idea for solo dining. “When I’ve told people I’m writing a book on solo cooking, they’ve interpreted it as recipes for sad people, ”she says. “But for me , and for many, some of the happiest times I’ve had cooking have been when I’ve been by myself.”
Food has always been a big part of Signe’s life. Growing up in Norway, much of her childhood was spent on her grandparents’ farm, picking produce and learning to cook, before going on to study at Leiths School of Food and Wine in London.
But it’s the recent trend for self-sufficiency that motivates her to champion the idea of enjoying a more selfish approach to food preparation. “You can just make whatever you want, which is really liberating.” Besides, cooking for yourself is one of the fundamental things we should start with in life.
1.What attitude does Signe want to change in her new book?
A.Cooking only for others. B.Being selfish in the kitchen.
C.Willingness to cook when alone. D.Hesitation to order takeout food.
2.How do British people find solo dining in a traditional way?
A.It offers a way of self-care. B.It communicates a sense of joy.
C.It means recognition of self-worth. D.It indicates a feeling of unhappiness.
3.According to Signe, which of the following benefits does solo cooking include?
A.No food going to waste. B.Sadness coming to an end.
C.Enjoying the sense of freedom. D.Cooking meals with separate tastes.
4.Who would like Signe’s new book most?
A.A hostess. B.A single lady.
C.A housekeeper. D.A travelling salesperson.
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（7）阅读理解
For many of us, printed books are satisfying in ways beyond the words they contain. Billions of printed books have been published, read and saved in the 600 years since movable type was invented, so why mess with a good things?
Sony Electronics is doing just that, betting that readers will be won over by the convenience of readability of its new electronic book devices. Sony's reader, the PRS-505, can hold 160 books in its fixed memory, enough to line the shelves on a good-sized wall in the average American home. The $299 device is about the size of a paperback book, but a half-inch thick and weighs less than a pound.
The Sony book reader is revolutionary not only in its storage capacity. The font（字体） is highly readable and adjustable by size. Unlike laptop computers, you can put the Sony in your purse, read it in direct sunlight and even bookmark the pages. And you can connect it to your PC to download books.
Surprisingly, though the reader has liberated the book from paper, electronic books aren't always a bargain. For example, David Baldacci's "Stone Cold" download retails（零售） for $15.19 at the Sony site, while Amazon（卓越网） will deliver a hard copy to your mailbox for $16.19.
The Sony reader also lets you store and play or display music. So what's not to like about the Sony? Well, for many bibliophiles, a lot. Book lovers like to have, hold and keep their volumes, which don't need charging. You can write notes in the margins, and enjoy the ambience they provide on your book shelves.
The need for electronic reading devices is likely to grow as more people worried about the billions of tons of paper used for printed material. Many believe the time will come when devices like the Sony reader are as common as printed newspapers and magazines today.
1．What would be the best title for the passage?
A. The age of the electronic book reader is coming
B. Printed books are out of date
C. The Sony reader meets many readers’ needs
D. The revolution in book readers
2．According to the passage, the Sony book reader _________.
A. is as light as a laptop computer
B. can hold more than 200 books
C. is convenient to carry around
D. cannot be connected to a PC
3．What is the author’s point when he mentions “Stone Cold”?
A. Amazon’s printed books are very cheap
B. “Stone Cold” can be got from the Sony site and Amazon
C. The Sony book reader is not very cheap to use
D. The Sony book reader can benefit its buyers a lot
4．The underlined word “bibliophiles” in Paragraph 5 refers to “__________”.
A. music lovers B. book lovers
C. electronic reading devices D. Sony readers
5．According to the author, what’s the future for the electronic reading devices?
A. They’ll replace printed newspapers and magazines
B. They’ll still be more expensive than printed newspapers
C. They’ll become a must in people’s daily life
D. They’ll become more popular as time goes on
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Most of us in China are used to paying for everything with our phones. 1. At least, this was the case for Lim Swee Say from Singapore, who found his first experience with Chinese payment methods quite impressive. Lim was waiting in line to buy nuts at a street stall (货摊) in Shanghai and saw other customers show their phones and take the nuts without giving cash. 2. It seems that Singapore falls behind in mobile payments. Some Chinese tourists find it inconvenient when they have to use cash in Singapore.
3. According to Xinhua News Agency, many countries now accept mobile payment services for Chinese tourists, with WeChat Pay covered in 13 overseas countries and regions and Alipay over 200. It’s now common to see the familiar green or blue logos in tourist destinations around the world, from a tiny shop in the Scottish Highlands to a huge department store in New York.
Mobile payments are now a normal part of life in China, and the trend is sweeping other nations. According to Forrester Research, in America, mobile payments rose by 37 per cent in 2016. 4.
This may be partly because western mobile payment services require businesses to install expensive equipment before customers can use them. 5.
A. He was trying to figure out how they got paid.
B. Foreign tourists don’t like to pay with their mobile phones.
C. But in China, all it takes is a QR code (二维码) and a phone.
D. Soon after, he realized that the customers were using WeChat Pay.
E. Still, Chinese mobile payments were nearly 50 times greater than those in the US.
F. But for foreign visitors who aren’t familiar with this method, it may seem strange.
G. The popularity of Chinese mobile payments has pushed some foreign companies to accept them.
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We are always told that TV is not good for us. If it is true, how come the TV-addicted kids of our young generation nowadays are much smarter than we are? In my family, the only persons who can work the TV remote control well are the children.
Probably TV really educates us. For example, we can learn a very useful medical fact: A man that has been shot always has time to speak a broken sentence when he is dying. “The killer was…” (dies)
But I suppose the biggest things that we learn from TV can be regarded as “Life Skills”. Bad things simply happen on either stormy or dark nights. Emotional breakdowns make people wander in the heavy rain without raincoats or umbrellas. And contrary to the scientists, the crack of lightning and the accompanying flash come on at exactly the same time, wherever the scenes are.
I’ve even got to know useful geographical facts from science-fiction shows: Aliens only speak the language of English no matter which planet they come from.
To make good use of something that we learn from TV can make our security better. Consider these truths. When you are really attacked by 20 bad guys, you needn’t worry about your being outnumbered. The criminals will hang back and take turns to approach you in ones and twos just so you can conveniently defeat them all. Bad guys who are completely covered in black clothes always remove their black masks to reveal that they are in fact, aha, women.
TV often teaches us a lot of important information as well about escaping from danger. Watch and learn. (1) If anyone is running after you down a passage, you will find that boxes have been conveniently placed near all the walls you need to jump over. (2) If you are tall and handsome, you can run from any number of armed criminals, and every shot will miss you.
Be warned, however, if your name card says “henchman” (帮凶) and you are part of a group of plain-looking people trying to catch a handsome individual, a single shot will kill you. But don’t be anxious: TV also delivers useful information for bad guys. All cars are inflammable (易燃的) and have amazing shock absorbers that enable them to fly into the air and land without damage — except police cars.
TV even teaches us about TV. Whenever anyone turns on a TV, it shows a news flash about someone they know. They then turn the box off immediately after that news item.
1. When the writer says “A man that has been shot always has time to speak a broken sentence when he is dying” (Paragraph 2), he shows his________.
A. humor B. sympathy C. deep concern D. medical knowledge
2. We can learn from Paragraph 3 that in the real world________.
A. bad things cause people to break down in the rain
B. bad things never happen on dark and stormy nights
C. people with emotional problems like to walk in the rain without umbrellas
D. you can’t hear the crack of lightning and see the accompanying flash exactly at the same time
3. On TV what usually happens when a person turns it on?
A. The program shown is always about the importance of TV.
B. The person always turns off the TV when it’s time for news.
C. The news shown is always about someone the person knows.
D. TV always shows news about famous people.
4. What’s the main idea of this passage?
A. Life skills can be learned from TV.
B. What happens in TV is quite different from reality.
C. Watching TV makes people more creative.
D. TV plays an important role in society.
5. The writer of this passage takes a(n) ________ attitude towards TV plays.
A. positive B. casual C. negative D. indifferent