Social networking websites are causing alarming changes in the brains of young users, a famous scientist has warned．Sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Bebo are said to shorten attention spans （幅度）, encourage instant satisfaction and make children more self-centered．
Warnings from neuroscientist （神经系统科学家） Susan Greenfield will disturb the millions whose social lives depend on surfing their favorite websites each day．But they will strike a chord （弦） with parents and teachers who complain that many teenagers lack the ability to communicate or concentrate away from their screens．
More than 150 million use Facebook to keep in touch with friends, share photographs and videos and post regular updates of their movements and thoughts．A further six million have signed up to Twitter, the "micro-blogging" service that lets users exchange text messages about themselves．But while the sites are popular and extremely profitable, a growing number of psychologists and neuroscientists believe they may be doing more harm than good．
Baroness Tarot, an Oxford University neuroscientist believes repeated exposure could rewire the brain．Computer games and fast-paced TV shows were also a factor, she said．"My fear is that these technologies are weakening the brain to the state of small children who are attracted by buzzing noises and bright lights, who have a small attention span and live for the moment．" "I often wonder whether real conversation in real time may eventually give way to these easier and faster screen dialogues, in much the same way as killing and butchering an animal to eat has been replaced by the convenience of packages on the supermarket shelf," she said．
Psychologists have also argued that digital technology is changing the way we think．They point out that students no longer need to plan their term papers before starting to write—thanks to word processors they can edit as they go along．
A study by the Broadcaster Audience Board found teenagers now spend seven and a half hours a day in front of a screen．Educational psychologist Jane Healy believes children should be kept away from computer games until they are seven．Most games only excite the "flight or fight" areas of the brain, rather than the areas responsible reasoning．
Sue Palmer, author of Toxic Childhood, said: "We are seeing children's brain development damaged because they don't engage in the activity they have engaged in for thousands of years．I'm not against technology and computers．But before they start social networking, they need to learn to make real relationships with people．"
1..
According to the passage, social networking websites might _____．
A．make young users more selfish
B．lengthen young users' attention span
C．encourage young users constant satisfaction
D．help young users communicate better with their families
2..
A neuroscientist may worry that sites like Facebook may ______．
A．help children learn to make real relationships with people in society
B．encourage students not to plan their term papers before starting to write
C．disturb those whose social lives depend on surfing their favorite websites
D．make real conversation in real time give way to easier and faster screen dialogue
3..
From the passage we can infer that _____．
A．Baroness Tarot agrees websites cause small children's small attention span
B．Jane Healy believes computer games can do good to children's reasoning
C．Susan Greenfield's warnings have been brought to wide public attention
D．Sue Palmer's book Toxic Childhood discusses the development of networking
4..
What is the purpose of this passage?
A．To tell us the conflict between neuroscientists and psychologists on websites．
B．To present some negative opinions on social networking websites．
C．To offer advice on the problem of brain damage caused by social networking．
D．To analyse how social networking websites cause damage in the brains of teenagers．
Grandpa Nybakken loved life—especially when he could play a trick on somebody. At those times, his large Norwegian frame shook with laughter while he pretended innocent surprise, exclaiming, “Oh, forevermore!” But on a cold Saturday in downtown Chicago, Grandpa felt that God played a trick on him, and grandpa wasn’t laughing.
Grandpa worked as a carpenter. On this particular day, he was building some boxes for the clothes his church was sending to an orphanage abroad. On his way home, he reached into his shirt pocket to find his glasses, but they were gone. He remembered putting them there that morning, so he drove back to the church．His search proved fruitless.
Suddenly, he realized what had happened. The glasses had slipped out of his pocket unnoticed and fallen into one of the boxes, which he had nailed shut. His brand new glasses were heading for China!
The Great Depression was at its height, and Grandpa had six children. He had spent twenty dollars for those glasses that very morning.
“It’s not fair,” he told God as he drove home in frustration. “I’ve been very faithful in giving of my time and money to your work, and now this.”
Several months later, the director of the orphanage was on vacation in the United States．He wanted to visit all the churches that supported him, so he came to speak on Sunday night at my grandfather’s small church in Chicago．Grandpa and his family sat in their usual seats among the small congregation（教堂会众）.
“But most of all,” he said, “I must thank you for the glasses you sent last year.”
“Even if I had the money, there was simply no way of replacing those glasses．Along with not being able to see well, I experienced headaches every day, so my co-workers and I were much in prayer about this．Then your boxes arrived．When my staff removed the covers, they found a pair of glasses lying on the top.” After a long pause, he continued, “Folks, when I tried on the glasses, it was as though they had been custom-made just for me! I want to thank you for being a part of that!”
The people listened, happy for the amazing glasses．But the director surely must have confused their church with another, they thought, there were no glasses on their list of items to be sent overseas.
But sitting quietly in the back, with tears streaming down his face, an ordinary carpenter realized the Master Carpenter had used him in an extraordinary way.
56．Which of the following is NOT true about Grandpa Nybakken according to the passage?
A．He was an outgoing man and held an active attitude towards life.
B．He had a large family to support.
C．He was a carpenter working in the church.
D．He was a loyal Christian.
By the third year of teaching I’d begun to expect Christmas break more for the school holiday and less for the excitement of the children. I was teaching fourth grade and my students had made me 16 . I just had to get through one of the hardest days of the school year.
The morning bell rang. I walked 17 through the cold into the overly heated school building. Twenty-two smiling faces 18 me at the school bus stop. I forced myself to 19 their smiles. Back into the classroom, they 20 , comparing plans for the 21 . I had to remove one student from each arm 22 I could take a seat at my desk for my morning duties. Before I could find my roll book（点名册） my desk was covered with 23 and gifts followed by a 24 of “Merry Christmas” wishes.
“Oh, thank you,” I must have 25 a million times. Each gift was truly special to me, except my 26 mood. It was kind of them to 27 me. After a while, I heard a small nervous 28 say my name. I looked up to see Brandon standing 29 by my desk, holding a small, round gift. “This is for you.”
“Thank you, Sweetheart.” I laid it on my desk with the others.
“Um, could you 30 it now?”
I gently tore at the paper and tape. “ 31 ,” he said, “it’s breakable.” Slowly I opened a small, green Christmas tree ornament（装饰物）, complete with a hook already 32 . It dawned on me what he had done. Then a nearby student said that he just pulled that off his own tree. I tried to keep my 33 back.
Later that day, I sat 34 the ornament in my hands. Was I really so important to this child that he had searched for something to give me? Now every year as I 35 pull a green Christmas ball from my ornament box, I remember the deep influence my students have on me.
1..
A. excited B. tired C. amazed D. relaxed
2..
. A. eagerly B. aimlessly C. gently D. heavily
3..
A. watched B. greeted C. delighted D. warned
4..
A. return B. forget C. ignore D. refuse
5..
A. calmed B. settled C. chatted D. argued
6..
A. study B. weekend C. vacation D. lesson
7..
A. before B. when C. after D. because
8..
A. letters B. books C. chalks D. cards
9..
A. knowledge B. collection C. series D. bunch
10..
A. confirmed B. assessed C. responded D. explained
11..
A. pleased B. low C. thrilled D. angry
12..
A. talk about B. think of C. turn to D. connect with
13..
A. call B. sound C. shout D. voice
14..
A. shyly B. bravely C. rudely D. sadly
15..
A. classify B. collect C. open D. check
16..
A. Careful B. Dangerous C. Patient D. Hasty
17..
A. exposed B. adapted C. adjusted D. attached
18..
A. trees B. hooks C. gifts D. tears
19..
A. looking into B. turning over C. giving away D. packing up
20..
A. anxiously B. hurriedly C. delicately D. casually
—Mum, where is my toy train? You promised.
—_____, my but you know mum is pretty busy today. Tomorrow, OK?
A. So it is B. So is it C. So did I D. So I did
As long as you’ve paid _________ advance we won’t charge you _________ delivery.
A. by: for B. in; with C. in; for D. by; with
At first he refused to admit he had stolen but when he was shown the videotape he ______ and admitted everything.
A. broke down B. broke away C. broke up D. broke out
