Question

Everyone looks forward to progress, whether in one’s personal life or in the general society. Progress indicates a person’s ability to change the way he is living at the moment. Progress must lead a better way of doing things. All these, however, remains true only in so far as people want to accept technology and move forward by finding new and more efficient ways of doing things.

However, at the back of the minds of many people, especially those who missed the “good old days”, efficiency comes with a price. When communication becomes efficient, people are able to contact one another no matter where they are and at whatever time they wish to. The click of a button allows people miles apart to talk or to see each other without even leaving their homes. With the communication gadgets, such as mobile phones and ipads, people often do not take the effect to visit one another personally. A personal visit carries with it the additional feature of having to be in the person’s presence for as long as the visit lasts. We cannot unnecessarily excuse our selves or turn the other person off.

With efficiency also comes mass production. Such is the nature of factories and the success of industrialization today. Factories have improved efficiency. Unskillful tasks are left to machines and products are better made and produced with greater accuracy than any human hand could ever have done. However, with the improvements in efficiency also comes the loss of the personal touch when making these products. For example, many handcrafts(手工艺品) are now produced in a factory. Although this means that supply is better able to increase demand, now that the supply is quick and efficient, the demand might fall because mass production lowers the quality of the handicraft and it is difficult to find unique designs on each item.

Nevertheless, we must not commit the mistake of analyzing progress only from one point of view. In fact, progress has allowed tradition to keep up. It is only with progress and the invention of new technology that many old products can be brought back to their old state. New technology is required for old products to stay old.

It is people’s attitude towards progress that causes the type of influence that technology has on society. Technology is flexible. There is no fixed way of making use of it. Everything depends on people’s attitude. The worst effects of progress will fall on those who are unable to rethink their attitudes and views of society. When we accept progress and adapt it to suit our needs, a new “past” is created.

1.According to Paragraph 1, progress can benefit people when they are willing to _______.

A. live a better life               B. look for better methods

C. change ways of living          D. accept technology and advance steadily

2.The underlined word “gadgets” is closest in meaning to _______.

A. tools     B. messages       C. barriers       D. skills

3.The author explains “efficiency comes with a price” by _______.

A. describing a process           B. using examples

C. following time order           D. making classification

4.Compared with home-made handicrafts, machine made products _______.

A. lack great accuracy            B. lack the personal touch

C. are of high value              D. are quite welcome

5.What can be learned about technology from Paragraph 4?

A. It can destroy old traditions.         

B. It can lead to social progress.

C. It can be used to correct mistakes.    

D. It can be used to preserve old products.

6.What can be concluded from the last paragraph?

A. Progress can suit the needs of daily life.

B. People review the past with great regret.

C. Technology should be introduced in a fixed way.

D. People’s attitude decides the use of technology.

Answer

1.D

2.A

3.B

4.B

5.D

6.D

【解析】

【文章大意】这是一篇议论文。众所周知，发展可以为人类和社会带来各种便利，但新技术的使用对社会产生何种影响取决于人们的态度。因为发展的同时，会付出一定的代价。如，大批量生产使手工产品质量的降低，产品个性的缺失，产品人文性的丧失等。呼吁先进性与传统性要协调同步发展。

1.D解析：细节理解题 文章第一段告诉我们，不论个人还是社会都需要发展，发展为的是改善现状，求得更有效的行事方法。但是，所有的这些只有在人们接受这些技术和改进（All these, however, remains true only in so far as people want to accept technology and move forward......），这样发展才能起更大作用。因此D选项符合此意。

2.A解析：词义猜测题 原文说“有了交际......，比如手机，ipads 等，人们就不会经常登门拜访（With the communication gadgets, such as mobile phones and ipads, people often do not take the effect to visit one another personally.），根据所划线部分词举的例子，我们可以猜出是指手机等交往工具。因此A选项正确。

3.B解析：写作手法理解题 该段首句提出，怀旧的人们认为：高效率带来的发展要有代价的。接着作者以人们手机，平板电脑等的使用为例加以说明。由此得知，B选项与此意吻合。

4.B解析：细节理解题 第三段告诉我们高效率带来产品的大批量的生产。但比起手工制作， 因没有个性造成与人类联系的缺失（However, with the improvements in efficiency also comes the loss of the personal touch when making these products.）。.所以B 选项正确。

5.D解析：段意理解题 第四段从发展的另一角度告诉我们，新技术可以用来保持传统。就是因为发展和新技术的运用使许多古老的东西风韵犹存（It is only with progress and the invention of new technology that many old products can be brought back to their old state.），所以D 选项正确。

6.D解析：主旨要义题 最后一段首句告诉我们，人们对发展的态度是技术给社会产生相应影响的根源（It is people’s attitude towards progress that causes the type of influence that technology has on society.）；然后作者从正反两方面论证这一中心。所以D 选项正确。