The most common complaint about cellphones is that people talk on them to the annoyance of people around them. But more damaging may be the cellphone’s interruption of our thoughts.
We have already entered a golden age of little white lies about our cellphones, and this is in generally a healthy, protective development. “I didn’t hear it ring” or “I didn’t realize my phone had shut off” are among the lies we tell to give ourselves space where we’re beyond reach.
The concept of being unreachable is not new – we have “Do Not Disturb” signs on the doors of hotel rooms. So why must we feel guilty when it comes to cellphones? Why must we apologize if we decide to shut off the phone for a while?
The problem is that we come from a long-established tradition of difficulty with distance communication. Until the recent mass use of cellphones, it was easy to communicate with someone next to us or a few feet away, but difficult with someone across town, the country or the globe. We came to take it for granted.
But cellphones make long-distance communication common, and endanger our time by ourselves. Now time alone, or a conversation with someone next to us which cannot be interrupted by a phone, is something to be cherished. Even cellphone devotees, myself usually included, can’t help at times wanting to throw their phones away, or curse this invention.
But we don’t and won’t, and there really is no need. That we have the right to take back our private time is a general social recognition.
In other words, we don’t have to pay too much attention to the rings of our own phones. Given the ease of making and receiving cellphone calls, if we don’t talk to the caller right now, we surely will shortly later.
A cellphone call deserves no more importance than a word from the person next to us. Though the call on my cellphone may be the one-in-a-million from Steven Spielberg–who has finally read my novel and wants to make it his next movie. But most likely it is not, and I’m better off, thinking about the idea I just had for a new story, or the slice of pizza I’ll eat for lunch.
1..
What does the writer think about people telling “white lies” about their cellphones?
A. It is a way to show that you don’t like the caller.
B. It is natural to tell lies about small things.
C. It is basically a good way to protect one’s privacy.
D. We should feel guilty when we can’t tell the truth.
2..
What is the meaning of the underlined word “devotees” in Paragraph 5?
A. people who enjoy something. B. people who are bothered.
C. people who hate something. D. people who are interrupted.
3..
. According to the author, what is the most annoying problem caused by cellphones?
A. People are always thinking of the cellphone rings so that they fail to notice anything else.
B. Cellphones interrupt people’s private time.
C. People feel guilty when they are not able to answer their cellphones.
D. With cellphones it is no longer possible to be unreachable.
4..
. What does the last paragraph suggest?
A. A person who calls us from afar deserves more of our attention.
B. Steven Spielberg once called the author to talk about the author’s novel.
C. You should always finish your lunch before you answer a call on the cellphone.
D. Never let cellphones disturb your life too much.
Do you ever wonder how some things came about? For instance, who figured out that there was something worth eating inside a banana peel? Or how astonishing do you have to be to discover that an artichoke has edible parts? Well, we may not know how either of those foods was discovered, but we do know how potato chips were invented.
Potato chips originated in New England as one man’s variation on the French-fried potatoes, and their production was the result not of a sudden inspiration of cooking invention but of a fit of annoyance.
It was the summer of 1853 and Commodore Vanderbilt, a wealthy railroad magnate, was vacationing at a hotel named Moon Lake Lodge in New York. On the restaurant menu were French-fried potatoes, prepared in the thick-cut French style that was popularized in France in the 1700s and enjoyed by Thomas Jefferson as ambassador to that country.
At dinner one night, Vanderbilt complained that his French-fried potatoes were cut too thick and sent them back to the kitchen. Offended by his snobby guest, chef George Crum decided he would give Mr. Vanderbilt exactly what he asked for! He decided to annoy the guest by producing French fries too thin and crisp. The chef angrily gathered up some potatoes and sliced them paper-thin. He threw the slices into hot oil to fry, drained and salted them and then personally served the new dish to Mr. Vanderbilt.
Surprised to see the chef in the dining room, the other diners fell into silence and everyone held their breath, waiting for Vanderbilt’s reaction.
Vanderbilt immediately popped a crisp potato slice into his mouth and the loud “Crunch” broke the silence. He continued to crunch away, delighted with his new dish. The plan backfired. Vanderbilt was interested in the browned, paper-thin potatoes. Clapping a surprised Chef Crum on the back, Vanderbilt praised him on the impressive potatoes. And other diners requested Crum’s potato chips, which began to appear on the menu as “Saratoga Chips”, a house specialty. Soon they were packaged and sold, first locally, then throughout the New England area. Crum eventually opened his own restaurant, featuring chips. At that time, potatoes were peeled and sliced by hand. It was the invention of the mechanical potato peeler in the 1920s that paved the way for potato chips to rise quickly from a small specialty item to a top-selling snack food.
1..
The author wrote the first paragraph to .
A. tell us how potato chips were invented
B. introduce the topic dealt with in the passage
C. give examples of how some things came about
D. explain why we do know how those foods were discovered
2..
. According to the passage, chef George Crum .
A. invented potato chips by accident
B. opened his own restaurant, featuring potatoes
C. served the new dish to Mr. Vanderbilt in private
D. helped promote potato chips to a top-selling snack
3..
. The production of potato chips was the result of .
A. Mr. Vanderbilt’s praise for the new dish
B. Thomas Jefferson’s appreciation of the French Fries
C. George Crum’s anger at Mr. Vanderbilt
D. the invention of the mechanical potato peeler
4..
The underlined word “backfired” in the 6th paragraph probably means .
A. developed in a successful way B. made a big difference
C. happened in a particular way D. had an opposite result
I was shopping in the supermarket when I heard a young voice.
“Mom, come here! There’s this lady here my size!”
The mother rushed to her son; then she turned to me to apologize.
I smiled and told her, “It’s okay.” Then I talked to the boy, “Hi, I’m Darryl Kramer. How are you?”
He studied me from head to toe, and asked, “Are you a little mommy?”
“Yes, I have a son,” I answered.
“Why are you so little?” he asked.
“It’s the way I was born,” I said. “Some people are little. Some are tall. I’m just not going to grow any bigger.” After I answered his other questions, I shook the boy’s hand, and left.
My life as a little person is filled with stories like that. I enjoy talking to children and explaining why I look different from their parents.
It takes only one glance to see my uniqueness. I stand three feet nine inches tall. I was born an achondroplasia dwarf. Despite this, I did all the things other kids did when I was growing up.
I didn’t realize how short I was until I started school. Some kids picked on me, calling me names. Then I knew. I began to hate the first day of school each year. New students would always stare at me as I struggled to climb the school bus stairs.
But I learned to smile and accept the fact that I was going to be noticed my whole life. I decided to make my uniqueness an advantage rather than a disadvantage. What I lacked in height, I made up for in personality.
I’m 47 now, and the stares have not diminished as I’ve grown older. People are amazed when they see me driving. I try to keep a good attitude. When people are rude, I remind myself, “Look what else I have — a great family, nice friends.”
It’s the children’s questions that make my life special. I enjoy answering their questions. My hope is that I will encourage them to accept their peers (a person of the same age, class, position, etc.), whatever size and shape they come in, and treat them with respect.
1... Why did the mother apologize to the author?
A. Because the boy ran into the author.
B. Because the boy laughed at the author.
C. Because the boy said the author was fatter than him.
D. Because she thought the boy’s words had hurt the author.
2.. When did the author realize that she was too short?
A. When she began to go to school. B. When she was 47 years old.
C. When she grew up. D. When she met the boy in the supermarket.
3.. Which of the following word can best replace the underlined word “diminished”?
A. dismissed B. increased C. decreased D. discriminated
4.. How does the author feel about people’s stares?
A. Angry. B. Calm. C. Painful. D. Discouraged.
I was sure that I was to be killed. I became terribly nervous. I felt blindly in my pockets to see if there were any cigarettes, which had 31 the search of jailers (people who guard prisoners). I found one and because of my shaking hands, I could 32 get it to my lips. But I had no matches, they had taken those.
I 33 through the bars at my jailer. He did not make eye contact with me. I called out to him, “Have you got a light?” He looked at me, 34 and came over to light my cigarette. As he came close and 35 the match, his eyes accidentally locked with mine. At that moment, I 36 . I don't know why I did that. Perhaps it was 37 , perhaps it was because, when you get very close, one to another, it is very 38 not to smile. In any case, I smiled. In that instant, it was as though a 39 jumped across the gap between our two hearts, our two human souls. I know he didn't want to, but my smile leaped through the bars and 40 a smile on his lips, too. He lit my cigarette but stayed 41 , looking at me directly in the eyes and continuing to smile.
I kept smiling at him, now 42 of him as a person and not just a jailer. “Do you have 43 ?” he asked. “Yes, here.” I took out my wallet and nervously felt for the 44 of my family. He, too, took out the pictures of his family and began to talk about his plans and hopes for them. My eyes were 45 with tears. I said that I 46 that I'd never see my family again, never have the chance to see them grow up. 47 came to his eyes, too. 48 , without another word, he 49 my cell and silently led me out. There, at the edge of town, he 50 me. And without another word, he turned back toward the town.
My life was saved by a smile. Yes, the smile ― the unaffected, unplanned, natural connection between people.
1... A. caught B. broken C. met D. escaped
2.. A. barely B. consequently C. continuously D. constantly
3... A. saw B. looked C. went D. broke
4.. A. trembled B. ignored C. shrugged D. hesitated
5... A. struck B. seized C. counted D. found
6.. A. sobbed B. smelled C. sighed D. smiled
7.. A. defence B. delight C. nervousness D. despair
8... A. hard B. easy C. simple D. clear
9... A. humor B. spark C. hatred D. sense
10... A. spread B. generated C. brought D. Forced
11.. A. near B. distant C. away D. up
12.. A. afraid B. sure C. aware D. awake
13..A. enemies B. pets C. friends D. kids
14... A. photos B. drawings C. films D. outlines
15.. A. fixed B. blocked C. filled D. packed
16.. A. hoped B. feared C. wondered D. annoyed
17.. A. Anger B. Sadness C. Sympathy D. Tears
18.. A. Accidentally B. Instantly C. Suddenly D. Occasionally
19.. A. grasped B. unlocked C. shut D. fastened
20.. A. offended B. saved C. shot D. released
Several times he almost brought himself to the point of speaking to them but his courage ________ him.
A. slipped B. escaped C. failed D. lost
We have strong ________ for believing that the newly-invented material is not only popular but also a monument to the eco-friendly lifestyle.
A. grounds B. reasons C. causes D. purposes
