Everywhere I look outside my home I see people busy on their high-tech devices（装置）, while driving, walking, shopping, even sitting in toilets. When connected electronically, they are away from physical reality.
People have been influenced to become technology addicted. One survey reported that “addicted” was the word most commonly used by people to describe their relationship to iPad and similar devices. One study found that people had a harder time resisting the allure of social media than they did for sleep, cigarettes and alcohol.
The main goal of technology companies is to get people to spend more money and time on their products, not to actually improve our quality of life. They have successfully created a cultural disease. Consumers willingly give up their freedom, money and time to catch up on the latest information, to keep pace with their peers or to appear modern.
I see people trapped in a flu-like relationship with time-sucking technology, where they serve technology more than technology serves them. I call this technology servitude. I am referring to a loss of personal freedom and independence because of uncontrolled consumption of many kinds of devices that eat up time and money.
What is a healthy use of technology devices? That is the vital question. Who is really in charge of my life? That is what people need to ask themselves if we are to have any chance of breaking up false beliefs about their use of technology. When we can live happily without using so much technology for a day or a week, then we can regain control and personal freedom, become the master of technology and discover what there is to enjoy in life free of technology. Mae West is famous for claiming the wisdom that “Too much of a good thing is wonderful.” But it’s time to discover that it does not work for technology.
Richard Fernandez, a former CEO at Google acknowledged that “we can be swept away by our technologies.” To break the grand digital connection people must consider how life long ago could be fantastic without today’s overused technology.
1.The underlined word “allure” in Paragraph 2 probably means ______.
A. advantage B. attraction
C. adaptation D. attempt
2.From the passage, technology companies aim to ______.
A. attract people to buy their products
B. provide the latest information
C. improve people’s quality of life
D. deal with cultural diseases
3.It can be inferred from this passage that people ______.
A. consider too much technology wonderful
B. have realized the harm of high-tech devices
C. can regain freedom without high-tech devices
D. may enjoy life better without overused technology
4.What’s the author’s attitude towards the overusing of high-tech devices?
A.Objective B. Positive
C. Disapproving D. Sympathetic
Nicolai Calabria has already become one of the best 106-pound wrestlers. He has successfully climbed to the top of the highest mountain in Africa, and most importantly, he’s changed the attitude of any normal person who watches him compete.
The 17-year-old teenager has one leg. He was born that way, but his goal is to show it’s not the one thing that defines him. He would also be the first one to tell you that he just wants to prove to others and himself that he’s just like other normal ones.
When Calabria was young, his parents tried different prostheses（假肢）to find out which was most comfortable for their son as he tried to keep up with the family, who has a preference for sports.
At first, the Calabrias had their middle child in a prosthesis that looked and functioned like a real leg, but soon they decided to choose a different path when they found it wasn’t beneficial to his movement. Then the family moved him to arm crutches（手杖）and from there a new burst of energy was found.
Getting others to believe that he could take off on the soccer field took a little bit longer. When the Calabrias moved to Concord, they had a hard time persuading the town soccer team to allow a child like him to compete with able-bodied kids. After months and months of debates and meetings, the family received the answer they were looking for. Since then, witnessing a young man on crutches who competes against those with two legs has become a fixed event in the Concord community.
“At that time I had nothing but discouragement working with the soccer community; however, now I have nothing but admiration for the fact that he’s been allowed to play, and people see that he adds value to game,” his father said. “I just think it’s a great result.”
1.This passage shows us a boy with one leg __________.
A. can do what a normal teenager can
B. is realizing as many dreams as he can
C. can make a sport event more valuable
D. can add value to society
2.We can learn from Paragraph 5 that __________.
A. Calabria proved to be the most excellent player of the team
B. it was not easy for Calabria to be accepted to the town soccer team
C. Calabria’s parents didn’t allow him to play soccer at first
D. there are some other disabled children in the soccer team
3.In Paragraph 5, the underlined part probably means __________.
A. a must-see B. a planned programme
C. an extra game D. a special occasion
4.It is implied in the last paragraph that Nicolai’s father __________.
A. has been discouraged since Nicolai played soccer
B. thinks that Nicolai is playing a key role in the team
C. is very delighted that Nicolai can play soccer in the team
D. hasn’t expected that Nicolai can be allowed to play soccer
Why do Americans struggle with watching their weight, while the French, who consume rich food, continue to stay thin? Now a research by Cornell University suggests how life style and decisions about eating may affect weight. Researchers concluded that the French tend to stop eating when they feel full. However, Americans tend to stop when their plate is empty or their favorite TV show is over.
According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, a health expert, the French see eating as an important part of their life style. They enjoy food and therefore spend a fairly long time at the table, while Americans see eating as something to be squeezed between the other daily activities. Mercola believes Americans lose the ability to sense when they are actually full. So they keep eating long after the French would have stopped. In addition, he points out that Americans drive to huge supermarkets to buy canned and frozen foods for the week. The French, instead, tend to shop daily, walking to small shops and farmers’ markets where they have a choice of fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs as well as high-quality meats for each meal.
After a visit to the United States, Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women Don’t Get Fat, decided to write about the importance of knowing when to stop rather than suggesting how to avoid food. Today she continues to stay slim and rarely goes to the gym.
In spite of all these differences, evidence shows that recent life style changes may be affecting French eating habits. Today the rate of obesity or extreme overweight among adults is only 6%. However, as American fast food gains acceptance and the young reject older traditions, the obesity rate among French children has reached 17% — and is growing.
1.In what way are the French different from Americans according to Dr. Joseph Mercola?
A. They go shopping at supermarkets more frequently.
B. They squeeze eating between the other daily activities.
C. They regard eating as a key part of their lifestyles.
D. They usually eat too much canned and frozen food.
2.This text is mainly the relationship between _________.
A. Americans and the French
B. life style and obesity
C. children and adults
D. fast food and overweight
3.The text is mainly developed __________.
A. by comparison B. by space
C. by process D. by classification(分类)
4.Where does this text probably come from?
A TV interview B. A food advertisement
C. A health report D. A book review
Singapore is a dynamic city-state where you will find a harmonious mixture of culture, cuisine, arts, people and architecture. If you have at least 5 hours to spare in transit before your next flight, join us in one of our free two-hour guided tours, which runs daily at regular times. Registration for the tour must be made at least one hour before the start of the tour.
◆HERITAGE TOUR
Tour Timings:
9:00 am to 11:00 am 11:30 am to 1:30 pm 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
The heritage tour has a short stopover at the Merlion Park before going to the Colonial District, Central Business District and Chinatown or Little India. The journey to the Merlion Park offers you a entire view of Singapore's landmarks like Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer and Gardens by the Bay. The tour will bring you through a discovery journey where you will have a glimpse of a unique mixture of East and West, tradition and modernity. It will be a splendid way for you to explore the history, culture and lifestyle of multi-racial Singapore while in your transit.
◆CITY LIGHT TOUR
Tour Timings: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
As night falls, Singapore takes another look to offer an entertainment choice. The City Light Tour brings you to various attractions in Singapore. As the journey begins from Changi Airport towards Benjamin Sheares Bridge, you will get a wide view of Singapore's famous symbols- the Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands and Esplanade. Next, you will see the Helix(螺旋的) Bridge which is inspired by the double helix of our DNA structure.
1.If it is 2: 45pm now and Mike’s plane is going to take off at 8:35pm, which is the best timing for him?
A. 9:00 am to 11:00 am B. 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
C. 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm D. 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
2.People can enjoy a wide view of Singapore’s landmarks on the way to _______.
A. Little India B. Chinatown
C. the Merlion Park D. the Colonial District
3.Which of the following is TRUE about the City Light Tour______.
A. It is a great tour to explore the history, culture and lifestyle of Singapore
B. You’ll have a glimpse of a unique mixture of East and West during the tour
C. It begins from Marina Bay Sands and goes towards Benjamin Sheares Bridge
D. On the tour, you can see Helix Bridge, which looks like our DNA structure
新年即将来临，你打算用攒下的零花钱给父母买一件礼物。请以 “A present for my parents”为题写一篇文章。该文必须包括以下内容：
1.你送的礼物：一张健康俱乐部的贵宾卡；
2.你父母亲的现状：父亲是教师，工作很辛苦；母亲喜欢读书，但缺乏运动；
3.你送该礼物的原因；
4. 该礼物对他们可能产生的影响和带来的变化。
注意：1. 文章应包括以上所有信息；
2. 词数；100左右。文章的开头已经写好，不计入总词数。
A Present for My Parents
The new year is coming and I want to give my parents a present. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下短信。信中共有10处错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。请按照下列格式修改：
增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
My dentist had just pulled out one of my tooth and had told me to rest for while. My mouth were filled with cotton-wool. He knew I collected bird eggs and asks me whether my collection was growing. He then asked me a lot of other question. In answer to these questions, I could neither nod or make strange noises. Meanwhile, my tongue was busy search out the hole where the tooth had been. I suddenly felt very worried, so couldn’t say everything. When the dentist at last removed the cotton-wool, I was able to tell him of that he had pulled out the wrong tooth.
