Question

As Internet users become more dependent on the Internet to store information, are people remembering less? If you know your computer will save information, why store it in your own personal memory, your brain? Experts are wondering if the Internet is changing what we remember and how.

In a recent study, Professor Betsy Sparrow conducted some experiments. She and her research team wanted to know the Internet is changing memory. In the first experiment, they gave people 40 unimportant facts to type into a computer. The first group of people understood that the computer would save the information. The second group understood that the computer would not save it. Later, the second group remembered the information better. People in the first group knew they could find the information again, so they did not try to remember it.

In another experiment, the researchers gave people facts to remember, and told them where to find the information on the Internet. The information was in a specific computer folder(文件夹). Surprisingly, people later remember the folder location(位置)better than the facts. When people use the Internet, they do not remember the information. Rather, they remember how to find it. This is called “transactive memory”.

According to Sparrow, we are not becoming people with poor memories as a result of the Internet. Instead, computer users are developing stronger transactive memories; that is, people are learning how to organize large amounts of information so that they are able to find it at a later date. This doesn't mean we are becoming either more or less intelligent, but there is no doubt that the way we use memory is changing.

1.The passage begins with two questions to ___________________.

A. describe how to use the Internet.    B. introduce the main topic.

C. show the author’s attitude .    D. explain how to store information.

2.What can we learn about the first experiment?

A. Sparrow’s team typed the information into a computer.

B. The two groups remembered the information equally well.

C. The second group did not understand the information.

D. The first group did not try to remember the information.

3.In transactive memory, people ___________________.

A. remember how to find the information.

B. keep the information in mind.

C. change the quantity of information.

D. organize information like a computer.

4.What is the effect of the Internet according to Sparrow's research?

A. We are becoming more intelligent.    B. We have poorer memories than before.

C. We are using memory differently.    D. We need a better way to get information.

Answer

1. B

2. D

3. A

4. C

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。随着互联网用户越来越依赖互联网来存储信息，人们的记忆力会下降吗？专家们通过研究表明互联网正在改变我们记忆的内容和方式。

1.推理判断题。由第一段“Experts are wondering if the Internet is changing what we remember and how.”可知，专家们想知道互联网是否改变了我们所记忆的内容和记忆方式。所以判断出文章以两个问题的形式开头就是要引出文章的主题。故B选项正确。

2.细节理解题。由第二段“People in the first group knew they could find the information again, so they did not try to remember it.”可知，第一组的人知道他们可以再次找到这些信息，所以他们并没有努力去记住这些信息。所以在第一次实验中我们了解到第一组并没有努力去记住这些信息。故D选项正确。

3.细节理解题。由倒数第二段“When people use the Internet, they do not remember the information. Rather, they remember how to find it. This is called “transactive memory”可知，当人们使用互联网时，他们不记得这些信息。相反，他们记得如何找到它。这就是所谓的"交互记忆"。所以在“交互记忆"中人们记得如何查找信息。故A选项正确。

4.推理判断题。由最后一段“This doesn't mean we are becoming either more or less intelligent, but there is no doubt that the way we use memory is changing.”可知，这并不意味着我们变得更聪明了或者更不聪明了。但毫无疑问，我们使用记忆的方式正在发生变化。所以判断出Sparrow研究中表明互联网的影响是它使我们记忆的方式不同了。故C选项正确。