.
For generations of pupils, learning key historical dates, places, and names off by heart has been the base of academic success. But for today’s youngsters, dull rote learning(死记硬背) is meaningless because such basic facts are only a mouse click via Google, Wikipedia and online libraries, according to writer Don Tapscott.
Tapscott, author of the best-selling book Wikinomics and a supporter of the “net generation”, suggests a better approach would be to teach children to think creatively so they could learn to understand and use the knowledge available online.
He said, “Teachers are no longer the fountain(源泉) of knowledge ; the Internet is. Kids should learn about history to understand the world and why things are the way they are. But they don’t need to know all the dates.”
Tapscott dismissed(摒弃) the idea that his approach is anti-learning. Instead, he argued that the ability to learn new things is more important than ever in a world where you have to process new information at lighting speed. And he believes that the old-fashioned model of education still common in today’s schools, involving having facts off pat, was designed for the industrial age. He said, “This might have been good for the mass production economy, but it isn’t suitable for the digital economy, or for the ‘net generation’ mind. Children are going to have to reinvent their knowledge base many times. So for them memorizing facts and figures is a waste of time.”
Tapscott added the brains of today’s youngsters work differently to their parents’, and that multi tasking with digital equipment, such as using the Internet while listening to their MP3 players, can help them to develop critical thinking skills.
Schools are increasingly introducing more independent study and activities, with pupils learning at their own pace and focusing on what interests them most.
68. What is important for the “net generation” in Tapscott’s opinion?
A. Using online knowledge creatively.
B. Memorizing facts and figures.
C. Learning to respect teachers.
D. Teaching their parents to think creatively.
69. The underlined part “having facts off pat” in Para. 4 probably means _______.
A. understanding online information
B. remembering facts clearly
C. mastering digital equipment
D. keeping mistakes in mind
70. According to Tapscott, _______.
A. learning history is of no use to kids
B. Teachers should learn more things from online libraries
C. Kids should not listen to MP3 players while using the Internet
D. to obtain new information is important for kids
.
“Don’t just stand there,” goes a typical bit of American advice, “do something!” This expression is normally used in a crisis situation, yet, in a sense, it describes most Americans’ entire waking life, where action—any action—is seen to be superior to inaction.
Americans routinely plan and schedule an extremely active day. Any relaxation must be limited in time, preplanned, and aimed at “recreating” their ability to work harder and more productively once the recreation is over. Americans believe leisure activities should assume a relatively small portion of one’s total life. People think that it is “sinful(有罪的)” to “waste one’s time”, “to sit around doing nothing”, or just to “daydream”.
Such a “no nonsense” attitude toward life has created many people who have come to be known as “workaholics”, or people who are addicted to their work, who think constantly about their jobs and who are frustrated if they are kept away from them, even during their evening hours and weekends.
The workaholic syndrome(综合症), in turn, causes Americans to identify themselves wholly with their professions. The first question one American will ask another American when meeting for the first time is related to his or her work: ”Where do you work?” or “Who(what company) are you with?” And when such a person finally goes on vacation, even the vacation will be carefully planned, very busy and active.
America may be one of the few countries in the world where it seems reasonable to speak about the “dignity(尊严) of human labor”, meaning by that, hard, physical labor. In America, even corporation presidents will engage in physical labor from time to time and gain, rather than lose, respect from others for such action.
64.What is mainly talked about in the passage?
A.How Americans act during a crisis situation.
B.The workaholic syndrome in America.
C.Americans’ attitude towards relaxation.
D.Americans’ “no nonsense” attitude toward life.
65.Americans hold the belief that _______.
A.they should try to enjoy life as much as possible
B.they should go all out to help others in a crisis situation
C.they should not spend too much on relaxation
D.leisure activities should be an important part of their life
66.In America, corporation presidents will _______.
A.give instructions to workers only
B.often take part in physical labor themselves
C.look down upon the laborers
D.do physical labor only when it is necessary
67.When workers see their boss doing physical labor, they’ll _______.
A.take the place of him
B.stand by and watch
C.be more respectful to him
D.laugh at him
.
Millions of people will be able to track each and every move by friends and family through their mobile phones，thanks to a new feature launched by Google yesterday．
The new system named “Latitude” uses a map to show exactly where a loved one is at any time, sometimes discovering their location to a few meters．Worried parents will be able to check up on where their children have got to after school, friends can meet for a quick drink if they see they are nearby and wives will be able to see if their husbands really are working late at the office．
The feature was made available immediately on millions of mobile phones that can access the web，such as the Black Berry．Within weeks Google hopes to launch a new one that will also work on computers as well．
“Once you've shared your location，you can hide it from all of your friends at once，or you can turn off Google Latitude completely at any time．” said a Google spokesman．“You can adjust your privacy settings in Latitude so that you share as much or as little about your location as you want，with whom you want．”
Google said that the company had tested the product with thousands of people to make sure that it was safe for the customers，but experts were not so sure．Simon Davies，director of Privacy International，said Latitude would open up a “privacy minefield（危险地带）”．
“It's about the little white lies．You might be avoiding going to work, and now your boss might be able to see that you're at Twickenham instead of at home．”said Ian Angell, an information expert at the London School of Economics．“You've already got mobile phone technology where husbands and wives track each other in secret．Now Google is so widely used that it will only worsen the situation．”
60. According to Google，the new system “Latitude” can ___________．
A．prove that the partner has told a lie about working late
B．tell the parents the locations of their children after school
C．provide the friends with the most suitable pub for a drink
D．help people find what their loved ones are doing at any time
61. The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 5 probably refers to ___________．
A．the new system B. the Google company
C. the mobile phone D. the privacy minefield
62. From the passage，we know that Ian Angell believed ___________．
A．Latitude keeps husbands and wives in good relationship
B．Google tricked all its customers to make more money
C．with Latitude more privacy problems would come up
D．privacy settings could protect your personal information
63. The best title of the passage might be ___________．
A．Google Allows You to Track Friends' and Families' Every Move
B．Google and BlackBerry Open the New Webs to Their Customers
C．Latitude Working on Computers is Being Developed by Google
D．Latitude Sets a Good Example on Mobile Phone Privacy Settings
.
完型填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
About two years ago while working downtown at our company’s headquarters I met a man. I’ll call him “Martin”. Martin was a short, middle-aged man with a glandular(内分泌) problem. He was fat, using a walking stick to help, and was painfully shy. Almost every morning I saw Martin on the elevator. We were usually the only people there, so I made __36 conversation as we __37_ to the 15th floor. I chatted with him about sometimes weather and sometimes about each other’s weekend.
About six months __38 our daily elevator chats, Martin came to my office and asked if I had a minute to chat. Though we worked on the same floor, I’m sure he had to __39 to find me. I invited him to sit down. He said, “I wanted to come and say __40 . The company has let me go. Today will be my last day.”
I didn’t know what to say. __41 I was too familiar with saying goodbye to co-workers, it was never __42 . Honestly, I usually avoid talking about the event because I felt __43 and at a loss for words. I told him I was __44 and asked if there was anything I could do. He said, “No, I’ll be fine, I just wanted to take the time to thank you.” I was now __45 . He explained that our daily talks had __46 a lot to him.
He thanked me not only for __47 with him in the mornings, but for speaking directly to him and others on the elevator, and for telling him a quick joke in the crowded cafeteria. It seemed that __48 had ever been his friend before—or if so they were __49 to him in public.
He said he didn’t want to __50 much of my time, as he knew I was busy and he needed to __51 his personal things. He had tears in his eyes as he shook my hand and left.
I’ve never seen him since, but I imagine he’s doing well. Meeting him __52 my life. Now when I’m in a hurry, or have a bad day, I try extra hard to speak __53 to those around me. I remind myself that it’s just as easy to say something nice as to say something __54 , and I’m awed (敬畏) at how __55 our daily actions are.
36. A. formal B. polite C. special D. usual
37. A. climbed B. ran C. rode D. moved
38. A. during B. before C. until D. after
39. A. search B. walk C. drive D. move
40. A. thanks B. goodbye C. hello D. words
41. A. But B. Because C. When D. Though
42. A. difficult B. easy C. convenient D. comfortable
43. A. astonished B. painful C. embarrassed D. amazed
44. A. calm B. nervous C. disappointed D. sorry
45. A. confused B. worried C. moved D. proud
46. A. meant B. done C. caused D. brought
47. A. working B. traveling C. chatting D. staying
48. A. someone B. everyone C. anyone D. no one
49. A. cold B. friendly C. warm D. cruel
50. A. use up B. take up C. break up D. pick up
51. A. sell B. decorate C. pack D. sort
52. A. changed B. colored C. satisfied D. controlled
53. A. directly B. loudly C. kindly D. softly
54. A. different B. rude C. serious D. interesting
55. A. surprising B. strange C. impressive D. powerful
.
–Finished the novel? How do you find it?
–_______ It’s worth reading a second time.
|
A．I didn’t get that. |
B．It’s totally fascinating! |
|
C．A friend lent it to me. |
D．I bought it from the library. |
.
–How did you know the surprising news?
–I happened ______ the event then.
|
A．to be covering |
B．to cover |
C．covering |
D．to have covered |
