The Digital Revolution, also known as the Third Industrial Revolution, is the shift from mechanical and analogue electronic technology to digital electronics which began anywhere from the late 1950s to the late 1970s. Central to this revolution is the mass production and widespread use of digital logic circuits, and its derived technologies. These technological innovations have transformed traditional production and business techniques.
1980s
In developed nations, computers achieved ubiquity during the 1980s as they made their way into schools, homes, business, and industry. Automated teller machines, industrial robots, CGI in film and television, electronic music, bulletin board systems, and video games all fueled what became the zeitgeist of the 1980s. Millions of people purchased home computers, making household names of early personal computer manufacturers such as Apple, Commodore, and Tandy. To this day the Commodore 64 is often cited as the best selling computer of all time, having sold 17 million units (by some accounts) between 1982 and 1994.
1990s
The first public digital HDTV broadcast was of the 1990 World Cup that June; it was played in 10 theaters in Spain and Italy. However HDTV did not become a standard until the mid-2000s outside Japan.
The World Wide Web became publicly accessible in 1991, which had been available only to government and universities. In 1993 Marc Andreessen and Eric Bina introduced Mosaic, the first web browser capable of displaying inline images and the basis for later browsers such as Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer. Stanford Federal Credit Union was the first financial institution to offer online internet banking services to all of its members in October 1994.
2000s
Cell phones became as ubiquitous as computers by the early 2000s, with movie theaters beginning to show ads telling people to silence their phones. They also became much more advanced than phones of the 1990s, most of which only took calls or at most allowed for the playing of simple games.
2010s
By 2012, over 2 billion people used the Internet, twice the number using it in 2007. Cloud computing had entered the mainstream by the early 2010s. By 2015, tablet computers and smart phones were expected to exceed personal computers in Internet usage. By 2016, half of the world's population was connected.
1.According to the passage, which one of the following statements is true?
A. The digital revolution only focuses on the mass production.
B. The World Wide Web became available to government and universities in 1991.
C. Phones of the 1990s merely made calls.
D. The number of people using the Internet in 2007 is approximately 1 billion.
2.What does the underlined word in Paragraph Two refer to?
A. Wide existence. B. Abrupt disappearance.
C. Quick movement. D. Abundant amount.
3.How does the writer develop the whole passage?
A. By presenting times. B. By making comparisons.
C. By listing data. D. By drawing conclusions.
4.What is the best title for this passage?
A. The Traditional Production B. The Digital Revolution
C. The Connected Population D. The World Wide Web
With the advance of human society, along with the development of modern science and technology, people are faced with an increasing number of pollutions. One of the severe pollutions is noise pollution. Many parents express their complaints over noise pollution, especially car alarms.
Anchor
Almost anyone who has lived in a big city can tell you how irritating it is to be awakened in the middle of the night by the wail of a car alarm. The loss of sleep can drive you crazy, but this is just one in a long list of problems that such high decibel noises can cause.
Jonathan
People in this noisy neighborhood in upper Manhattan are fed up with car alarms. They're angry enough at being jolted awake several times a week, but more than that they worry about what effect these alarms will have on their children. Already studies have shown that continuous exposure to high-decibel noise can cause an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.
Andrea
By the time my child can read, he will already have been exposed to the constant roar of the traffic, but the intense siren of a car alarm is way above the level of safety.
Michael
I have a valid concern. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), exposure to noise above 85 decibels for 8 hours or more is a danger to your health. City traffic and trucks are about 90 decibels. The siren of a car alarm is about 120 decibels, about the same as a plane taking off.
The parents here are sick and tired of listening to the shrill siren of car alarms. However, it's for their children that they are most concerned. They've started a group called Parents to Silence Car Alarms. They don't think that making the owner of a car pay a fine is enough. These parents have started a campaign to have car alarms banned.
1.According to the passage, which one of the following statements is true?
A. Anchor thinks the high decibel noises only causes the loss of sleep.
B. Jonathan holds the view that exposure to decibel noises can give rise to heart disease.
C. According to NIOSH, exposure to noise above 85 for 8 hours or more threatens people's health.
D. Andrea believes the intense siren of a car alarm is acceptable.
2.According to the passage, what is the parents' attitude towards car alarms?
A. Neutral. B. Critical. C. Favorable. D. Indifferent.
3.What is the main idea of the passage?
A. People in modern society is faced with noise pollution.
B. Anyone who lives in a big city is tired of car alarms.
C. A car alarm is out of control and beyond the level of safety.
D. Parents complain about car alarms, trying to fight against them.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What is the speaker mainly talking about?
A. School routines. B. Travelling plans. C. Outdoor courses.
2.What place will the listeners visit?
A. A lake. B. A forest. C. A beach.
3.What will the students learn to do?
A. Make a birdhouse. B. Build a house. C. Design a backpack.
4.How many hours will the students spend on the courses?
A. 12. B. 15. C. 36.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What are the speakers going to do on Monday?
A. Take photos of the signs.
B. Interview some native speakers.
C. Have an interview with a manager.
2.What will the speakers visit on Tuesday?
A. The education department in North County.
B. The education department in San Diego.
C. The California University.
3.How did the woman contact Mr. Cooper?
A. She mailed him.
B. She e-mailed him.
C. She telephoned him.
4.Why do the speakers take the trip?
A. To do research on languages.
B. To report the lives of the natives.
C. To make a comparison among education departments.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What can be found in the sitting room?
A. An old bed. B. A new desk. C. A big sofa.
2.What does the woman say about the apartment?
A. It has modern furniture.
B. It is in a quiet neighbourhood.
C. It is close to public transportation.
3.What will the woman probably do?
A. Wait for the man's call.
B. See the apartment.
C. Meet the man.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What did Jay do every day in the hotel?
A. He played tennis.
B. He swam.
C. He played golf.
2.What does the man think of the hotel?
A. Noisy. B. Expensive. C. Fine.
