A few months ago, it wasn't unusual for 47-year-old Carla Toebe to spend 15 hours per day online. She'd wake up early, turn on her laptop and chat on Internet dating sites and instant-messaging programs – leaving her bed for only brief breaks. Her household bills piled up, along with the dishes and dirty laundry, but it took constant complaints from her four daughters before she realized she had a problem.
"I was starting to feel like my whole world was falling apart – kind of slipping into a depression," said Carla. "I knew that if I didn't get off the dating sites, I'd just keep going," detaching (使脱离) herself further from the outside world.
Toebe's conclusion: She felt like she was "addicted" to the Internet. She's not alone.
Concern about excessive Internet use isn't new. As far back as 1995, articles in medical journals and the establishment of a Pennsylvania treatment center for overusers aroused interest in the subject. But as reliance on the Web grows, there are signs that the question is getting more serious attention: Last month, a study published in CNS Spectrums claimed to be the first large-scale look at Internet overuse. The American Psychiatric Association may also consider listing Internet addiction in the next edition. And scores of online discussion boards have popped up, on which people discuss negative experiences tied to too much time on the Web.
The new CNS Spectrums study was based on results of a nationwide telephone survey of more than 2,500 adults. Like the latest survey, this one was conducted by Stanford University researchers. About 6% of respondents reported that "their relationships suffered because of excessive Internet use." About 9% attempted to conceal "nonessential Internet use," and nearly 4% reported feeling " still occupied by the Internet when offline."
"The Internet problem is still in its early stage," said Maressa Orzack, a Harvard University professor. No single online activity is to blame for excessive use, he said. "They're online in chat rooms, checking e-mail, or writing blogs. The problem is not limited to porn (色情) or gambling websites.”
“Excessive Internet use should be defined not by the number of hours spent online but in terms of losses.”said Maressa Orzack. "If it's a loss where you're not getting to work, and family relationships are breaking down as a result, then it's too much."
Since the early 1990s, several clinics have been established in the U. S. to treat heavy Internet users. They include the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery and the Center for Internet Behavior.
The website for Orzack's center lists the following among the psychological symptoms of computer addiction:
● Having a sense of happiness or excitement while at the computer.
● Longing for more and more time at the computer.
● Neglect of family and friends.
● Feeling empty, depremssed or irritable when not at the computer.
● Lying to employers and family about activities.
● Inability to stop the activity.
● Problems with school or job.
Physical symptoms listed include dry eyes, backaches, skipping meals, poor personal hygiene (卫生) and sleep disturbances.
“People who struggle with Internet overuse maybe depressed or have other mood disorders.” Orzack said. When she discusses Internet habits with her patients, they often report that being online offers a "sense of belonging, and escape, excitement and fun," she said. “Some people say relief…because they find themselves so relaxed.”
Some parts of the Internet seem to draw people in more than others. Internet gamers spend countless hours competing in games against people from all over the world. One such game, called World of Warcraft, is cited on many sites by posters complaining of a "gaming addiction."
Andrew Heidrich, an education network administrator from Sacramento, plays World of Warcraft for about two to four hours every other night, but that's nothing compared with the 40 to 60 hours a week he spent playing online games when he was in college. He cut back only after a full-scale family intervention (干预), in which relatives told him he'd gained weight.
“There's this whole culture of competition that sucks people in with online gaming, ”said Heidrich, now a father of two. People do it at the expense of everything that was a constant in their lives." Heidrich now visits websites that discuss gaming addiction regularly “to remind myself to keep my love for online games in check”.
Toebe also regularly visits a site where posters discuss Internet overuse. In August, when she first realized she had a problem, she posted a message on a Yahoo Internet addiction group with the subject line:“I have an Internet Addiction.”
“I'm self-employed and need the Internet for my work, but I'm failing to accomplish my work, to take care of my home, to give attention to my children,”she wrote in a message sent to the group. “I have no money or insurance to get professional help; I can't even pay my loan and face losing everything.”
Since then, Toebe said, she has kept her promise to herself to cut back on her Internet use. "I have a boyfriend now, and I'm not interested in online dating," she said by phone last week. "It's a lot better now."
1. What eventually made Carla Toebe realize she was spending too much time on the Internet?
A. Her daughter's repeated complaints.
B. Tiredness resulting from lack of sleep.
C. The poorly managed state of her house.
D. The high financial costs adding up.
2.What is the main idea of para4?
A. A study claimed to be the first large-scale look at Internet overuse.
B. The American Psychiatric Association plans to list Internet addiction in its edition.
C. There are heated discussions about negative experiences over internet overuse.
D. There is a growing concern towards internet addiction.
3. According to Professor Maressa Orzack, Internet use would be considered excessive if ______.
A. it seriously affected family relationships
B. one visited porn websites frequently
C. too much time was spent in chat rooms
D. people got involved in online gambling
4. According to Orzack, people who struggle with heavy dependence on
the Internet may feel ______.
A. discouraged B. pressured C. depressed D. puzzled
5. Andrew Heidrich now visits websites that discuss online gaming addiction to _____.
A. improve his online gaming skills
B. control his desire for online gaming
C. show how good he is at online gaming
D. exchange online gaming experience
6.Which of the following best describes the tone(口吻) of the passage ?
A. Humorous B. Ironic C. Objective D. Casual
Four years ago my sweet mom went to be with her Lord. She did it her way.
I got the call at work, and I headed home quickly. Mom and Dad lived on a small farm that they had owned since I was seven. I hated going there every weekend. There was nothing for a young girl to do but watch the one station on the old TV set, if the weather allowed reception.
My mom, on the other hand, loved the peace and quiet of the land and loved to work in the garden among her flowers and vegetables. The place was rustic, with no indoor plumbing or heat. We had a big wood stove in the kitchen that did its best to heat the little farmhouse, but it always seemed cold and too quiet to me.
In the evenings, my mom and I would sit for hours singing in the little kitchen. I sang the melody and Mom harmonized. Her favorite song was "Moon River" and we sang it over and over. Mom told me stories about how when I was a little girl, I could sing before I could talk. She loved to tell how my playpen（婴儿圈栏）sat in the kitchen next to the radio and there was one song I particularly loved called "Ivory Tower".
As time passed, I had my own children and went to visit every week or two. The kids loved the farm and the tractor rides with my dad. Me, well, I still hated the silence of the farm. While my mom loved to sit at her kitchen table and look out at her garden and flowers and retell all the old stories, I missed the hustle and bustle（喧闹）of my life at home. But I sat there listening quietly as she reminisced.
Now, I sat back in the silence and the silence was deafening so I finally leaned over to turn on an old radio. Music always comforted me.
My heart skipped a beat. "Moon River" was playing on the radio. I sat there stunned, with a tear running down my cheek, as I listened to every familiar note.
Then the radio announcer of this oldie station came on. "Here's one we haven't heard in a while," and an unfamiliar song began. I began to cry harder as I heard the words sung over the airwaves. "Come down, come down from your Ivory Tower...."
1. The writer didn’t like staying in the farm for the following reasons EXCEPT that ________.
A. it was too cold and quiet
B. she could only sing one song in the small farm
C. there was nothing more that could make her excited
D. The place was rustic, with no indoor plumbing or heat
2. From the first paragraph, we know that the writer’s mother ________.
A. passed away four years ago
B. left the small farm with Lord
C. left for Lord to live her own way
D. preferred to be with Lord
3.The underlined word reminisced in the fifth paragraph probably means ________.
A. recalled B. comforted C. shouted D. sighed
4. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage _______.
A. The writer was able to sing before she could speak.
B. The writer preferred to live a busy life in the city.
C. The writer was still quite familiar with the song "Ivory Tower".
D. The writer treasured all her childhood memories in the small farmhouse.
5. Which of the following would be the best title for this passage? _______
A. Cherish life B. My happy childhood
C. Our small farmhouse D. Mom’s music
A Charlotte, N.C., man was charged with first-degree murder of a 79-year-old woman whom police said he scared to death. In an attempt to evade policemen after a bank robbery, the Associated Press reports that 20-year-old Larry Whitfield broke into the home of Mary Parnell. Police say he didn’t touch Parnell but that she died after suffering a heart attack that was caused by terror. Can the guy be held responsible for the woman’s death? Prosecutors(公诉人) said that he can under the state’s murder rule, which allows someone to be charged with murder if he or she causes another person’s death while committing or fleeing from a severe crime like robbery—even if he or she doesn’t kill someone on purpose.
But, medically speaking, can someone actually be frightened to death? We asked Martin Samuels, chairman of the neurology department at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Absolutely, no question about it.
The body has a natural protective method called the fight-or-flight response(战或逃反应), which was originally described by Walter Cannon，the chairman of Harvard University’s physiology department from 1906 to 1942. If, in the wild, an animal is faced with a life-threatening situation, the autonomic nervous system responds by increasing heart rate, increasing blood flow to the muscles, and slowing digestion, among other things. All of this increases the chances of succeeding in a fight or running away from an aggressive beast. This process certainly would be of help to primitive humans. However, in the modern world there is obvious decline of the fight-or-flight response.
The autonomic nervous system uses the chemical messenger to send signals to various parts of the body to activate the fight-or-flight response. This chemical is toxic in large amounts; it damages the organs such as the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. It is believed that almost all sudden deaths are caused by damage to the heart. There is almost no other organ that would fail so fast as to cause sudden death. Kidney failure, liver failure, those things don’t kill you suddenly.
By the way, any strong positive or negative emotions such as happiness or sadness can cause the same result. There are people who have died in intercourse or in religious passion. There was a case of a golfer who hit a hole in one, turned to his partner and said, “I can die now”, and then he dropped dead. For about seven days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon there was an increase of sudden cardiac death among New Yorkers.
1. Why the Charlotte, N.C., man was charged?
A. Because he threatened the policemen to kill an old woman.
B. Because he caused an old woman’s terror and she died.
C. Because he beat an old woman and caused her heart attack
D. Because he murdered an old woman while robbing a bank.
2. What is Martin Samuels’ attitude to the possibility of being frightened to death?
A. Approval. B. Disapproval. C. Doubtful. D. Indifferent.
3. Which of the following about the fight-or-flight response is true?
A. The fight-or-flight response was raised and proved by Martin A. Samuels.
B. It is a natural protective method that can’t be found in all creatures but humans.
C. The ancient humans had a superior fight-or-flight response than modern ones.
D. The fight-or-flight response is beneficial to both our actions and organs.
4. What activity can we infer is less likely to damage the organs?
A. Winning a big lottery. B. Missing a dead family.
C. Watching a horror movie. D. Listening to a sweet song.
5. The purpose of the passage is_________.
A. to explain why people will die of a heart attack
B. to offer some advice on protecting us from heart failure
C. to compare different kinds of feelings to cause a death
D. to show strong emotions can cause a sudden death
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项标号涂黑。
A
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HIGHFIELD COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL SCHOOL REPORT Form Teacher: G. Baker Pupil’s Name: Simon Watkins Term: Summer 2010 Form: Ⅳ B
FORM TEACHER’S REMARKS HEADMASTER Basically satisfactory work and progress I shall be keeping an eye on his though he will now have realized, I hope, that progress in his weaker subjects in certain subject areas he needs to make speedy though his success in the sciences is improvement. most pleasing. |
1.According to the comments of the Physical Education teacher, Simon .
A.is too talkative in the class
B.likes to work with his classmates
C.doesn’t exercise his body at the right time
D.becomes weak because he doesn’t exercise at all
2.Which of Simon’s subjects will attract the headmaster’s attention in future?
A. Biology and Maths. B.History and French.
C. English and Chemistry. D. Physics and Physical Education.
3. Which of the following statements best describes Simon?
A. He has made great progress in language classes.
B. His potential has been fully reflected in science classes.
C. His grade in maths makes him a born scientist.
D. He needs to improve his attitude on certain subjects.
4. Based on the school report, which of the following statements is true?
A. Simon didn’t bother his teacher to revise French.
B. Basically, Simon did a good job in science.
C. Simon is a determined learner in English.
D. Simon is able to pay attention to history for long.
完形填空 （满分20分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后下列各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题纸上将该选项标号涂黑。
When Carol was diagnosed, her cancer had 21 to her bones. We calmly talked about what to expect. I reviewed choices for 22 and printed out new research. But 23 , I cried and struggled. Only half the patients are alive two years after diagnosis.
Carol began treatment afterwards. She felt almost 24 and went right back to work. Carol hates the idea of being 25 as a “sick” person. She likes her life 26 . Last winter, Carol suddenly found 27 difficult to swallow. She slept a lot and was slow to wake in the morning. There was continuous pressure in her chest and 28 I saw her looking thoughtful. One day, she told me, “I think I 29 never leave the hospital,” she continued, “I just want to enjoy the little things--- 30 is out of the window.” We had never spoken of that before. 31 we began an African safari, a trip she had dreamed of for years.
Morning and afternoon, we went diving and rolled into the clear water 32 down like peas in honey. In the evenings, we spent time on the pier, watching the sun set. One of the young couples on the island wondered if we were sisters. We laughed. “Friends for 34 years,” I said. I could see by their 33 that they didn’t really understand that kind of time. We have been friends 34 than they have been alive.
35 dives, we talked about where to go next. I made lists 36 she slept. Our plans were now more theoretical, and the big trip to the South Pacific one day seemed a long way off. Cancer has become part of our 37 . We are well aware that our bodies are temporary gifts. Not knowing what comes next means 38 is possible. Perhaps I will be hit by a truck, or my heart will stop. Life is 39 .
We took our last dive of the trip. When we reached the deep blue water, we spread our arm out like wings and pretended to 40 .
1.. A. spread B. delivered C. developed D. sent
2. A. directions B. medicine C. instructions D. treatment
3. A. in danger B. in tears C. in private D. in trouble
4. A. same B. common C. usual D. normal
5.A. looked B. considered C. thought D. felt
6.A. as it is B. to good purpose C. of general interest D. in a way
7. A. this B. one C. it D. that
8. A. now and then B. more or less C. here and there D. sooner or later
9. A. should B. might C. must D. need
10.A. what B. which C. that D. when
11. A. Still B. Yet C. Then D. Even
12. A. sinking B. swimming C. dropping D. disappearing
13. A. words B. voices C. faces D. actions
14. A. longer B. older C. closer D. elder
15. A. Among B. With C. Between D. Beyond
16. A. because B. though C. since D. while
17. A. leadership B. scholarship C. friendship D. membership
18. A. everything B. nothing C. anything D. something
19. A. dangerous B. colorful C. difficult D. different
20. A. enjoy B. dance C. sing D. fly
---Hello, Sally. How’s everything going?
--- __________ .
A. The same to you B. I can’t agree more
C. That’s right D. Surviving
