Question

    When author Nicholas Carr began researching his book on whether the Internet is ruining our minds, he restricted his online access and e-mail. His new book argues the latest technology renders us less capable of deep thinking. Carr found himself so distracted (分心的) that he couldn’t work on the book while staying as connected. After first feeling confused by his sudden lack of online connection, he was able to stay focused on one task for a long period within several weeks.

Reading on the Internet has changed how we use our brains. Facing much text, video, music, links to other web pages and blogs, our minds have become used to skimming and scanning information. As a result, we have developed sharper skills at making fast decision, particularly visual ones, Carr wrote.

But now most of us seldom read books, long articles that would help us focus. We are becoming more like librarians than scholars who digest and interpret information. That lack of focus hinders (妨碍)our long-term memory, leading many of us to feel distracted, he wrote.

“What we are losing is a whole other set of mental skills, the ones that require not the shifting of our focus but the maintaining of our focus,” Carr said, adding that for centuries books shielded (保护)our brains from distraction, focusing our minds on one topic at a time.

But with devices such as Apple’s iPad becoming common, Carr predicts books too will change. “New forms of reading always require new forms of writing,” he wrote. Carr has a suggestion for those who feel web surfing has left them incapable of concentration — slow down, turn off the Internet and practice the skills of contemplation (思考)and reflection. “It is pretty clear from the brain science that if you are constantly distracted, you are not going to think in the same way that you would think if you paid attention.”

1.The underline word “renders” can be replaced by ________.

A.causes

B.prevents

C.protects

D.sharpens

2.What topic is Carr’s new book mainly concentrating on?

A.Whether there is no need for us to surf the Internet

B.How the Internet changes our method of writing

C.Whether our minds are being influenced by the Internet

D.What we should do when we are surfing the Internet

3.What did Carr feel after he limited his time online several weeks later?

A.Anxious

B.Concentrated

C.Relaxed

D.Puzzled

4.Carr says we are becoming kind of librarians mainly because__________.

A.we are able to find information online quickly

B.we often feel bored of the information online

C.we are good at using our mental skills online

D.we have to focus on so much information online

5.For those who are often distracted by the Internet, Carr suggests that they should _________.

A.read more books besides surfing the Internet

B.spend less time in surfing the Internet at a deep night

C.often slow down their pace of modern living

D.often get away from the disturbing of the Internet

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.B

4.A

5.D

【解析】

这是一篇议论文。文章主要讨论了现代科技尤其是网络对于人的大脑专注力的影响。

1.词义猜测题。由上一句When author Nicholas Carr began researching his book on whether the Internet is ruining our minds, he restricted his online access and e-mail.可知，Nicholas Carr开始研究网络是否影响思考能力。划线词后面的less capable of deep thinking（深度思考能力下降）是the latest technology（最新的科技）带来的不好的结果，由此推知render的意思是“引起，导致”。故选A。

2.细节理解题。根据文章第一段中的When author Nicholas Carr began researching his book on whether the Internet is ruining our minds, he restricted his online access and e-mail.（当作家尼古拉斯·卡尔开始研究他的书《互联网是否正在毁灭我们的思想》时，他限制了自己的在线访问和电子邮件）可知，他的新书论证的主题是：我们的大脑思维是否受到互联网的影响。故选C项。

3.细节理解题。根据文章第一段末句：After first feeling confused by his sudden lack of online connection, he was able to stay focused on one task for a long period within several weeks.（刚开始的时候，他对突然间无法上网感到很困惑，但在接下来的几周内，他能够长时间专注于一项任务）可知，他感觉自己能够全神贯注了。故选B项。

4.细节理解题。根据文章第二段第2，3句内容：Facing much text, video, music, links to other web pages and blogs, our minds have become used to skimming and scanning information. As a result, we have developed sharper skills at making fast decision, particularly visual ones, Carr wrote.（面对大量的文本、视频、音乐、其他网页和博客的链接，我们的大脑已经习惯于浏览和浏览信息。结果，我们在快速决策方面，尤其是视觉决策方面，培养了更敏锐的技能，卡尔写道）可知，我们更像图书管理员是因为网络上的信息繁多，需要快速决策。故选A项。

5.细节理解题。根据文章末段第3句内容：Carr has a suggestion for those who feel web surfing has left them incapable of concentration-- slow down, turn off the Internet and practice the skills of contemplation and reflection.（对于那些觉得上网让他们无法集中注意力的人，卡尔有个建议——放慢速度，关掉互联网，练习沉思和反思的技巧）可知，对于那些经常被网络分心的人，卡尔建议他们应该远离网络的干扰。故选D项。