Goldfish have pretty boring lives, so maybe it’s a good thing they can only concentrate for nine seconds! But according to a new research, humans are becoming like goldfish. Our attention span (时长) is getting shorter ...and it’s all because of technology.
“We move quickly from one site to another on the web,” said Doctor Ted Selker, a computer scientist from Massachusetts, “and we are losing the ability to concentrate.” With millions of websites to choose from, the attention span of the average internet user is just seconds. There are other digital distractions（分心）too: email, instant messaging and quickie movies on websites.
Some people are worried about the effect on young people. “You need time to understand and think about what you read,” said Julia Wood, from London. “Young people search the net all the time and their brains become full of useless information but there is no time to make sense of it. I am trying to persuade my pupils to read more books, so that they concentrate on one subject for longer.”
Other teachers are trying more unusual methods to improve students’ concentration. Anne Savan, from Wales, was so worried about her students that she started playing Mozart during her science lessons. She says that it had an amazing effect: “The music made them calmer, and their concentration was much better.”
But not everyone believes that there is a problem. Ray Cole, an educational psychologist says, “On the web, young people learn to make quick decisions about what is and isn’t worth reading. They might look at five unhelpful websites very quickly, before stopping and reading a sixth useful website more carefully. In a world with so much information available, this is an important skill.”
1.Why does the writer mention “goldfish”?
A. To introduce background. B. To compare two species.
C. To introduce a topic. D. To suggest a way out.
2.What may cause a shorter attention span according to Dr. Ted Selker?
A. Skipping around the internet. B. Time to digest information.
C. Traditional methods of reading. D. Making decisions.
3.What will help students overcome a short attention span?
A. Composing music. B. Texting messages
C. Reading more books. D. Watching quickie movies.
4.What is Ray Cole’s attitude towards looking through websites quickly?
A. Cautious. B. Unfavorable.
C. Skeptical. D. Supportive.
It has been around for centuries, but up until very recently, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) wasn’t fully accepted abroad. Proof of this can be found in The Treatment (《刮痧》), a 2001 film that tells the story of a Chinese man in the US who’s accused of abuse after he uses guasha, a form of TCM treatment, to cure his grandson’s disease.
During the last 10 years or so, however, TCM has been getting increasingly popular all over the world. A report released by the State Council Information Office on Dec. 6 says this style of health care, which includes different forms like herbal medicine and exercise, has spread to 183 countries and regions.
“We have set up 10 TCM centers outside China, and all of them are popular among locals,” Wang Guoqiang, head of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said at a news conference on Dec 6. “Governments of 86 countries and regions have signed agreements with the Chinese government on TCM corporation.”
One of the reasons behind the growing popularity of TCM is the increase of scientific research into it. And after Tu Youyou, the Chinese scientist who discovered the anti-malaria (抗疟疾) drug qinghaosu (青蒿素), won the Nobel Prize in 2015, TCM became even more famous internationally.
However, all these achievements in TCM don’t mean that it’s problem-free. Over the years, TCM has faced challenges in being able to prove that it has certain effects.
Some researchers have suggested TCM should be more exact and work together with Western medicine.
“Bringing together with Western medicine and TCM, rather than being in competition, is where the potential for great effects is,” said Bernhard Schwartlander, the China representative of the World Health Organization.
1.The film The Treatment is mentioned in the first paragraph to .
A.introduce the film to readers
B.show TCM is increasingly popular
C.arouse readers’ interest in Western medicine
D.prove that TCM is not fully accepted in western countries
2.We can learn from the passage that .
A.TCM is not exact in curing diseases
B.10 TCM centers abroad are all set up by locals
C.86 countries have cooperated with China on TCM
D.Tu Youyou’s success contributes to the popularity of TCM
3.According to Bernhard Schwartlander, TCM should .
A.combine western medicine B.face no challenge at all
C.give an exact description of its effects D.compete with western medicine
4.Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
A.A report on TCM B.Opinions about TCM
C.TCM spreads D.TCM & Western Medicine
I remember watching TV and seeing other children suffer in other parts of the world when I was a very little child. I would talk to myself, “When I grow up, when I can become rich, I'll save kids all over the world.”
At the age of 17, I began my career here in America, and by 18, I started my first charity organization. I went on to team up with other organizations in the following years, and met, helped, and even lost some of the most beautiful souls, from six-year-old Jasmina Anema who passed away in 2010 from leukemia(白血病）---her story inspired thousands to volunteer as donors, to 2012 when my grandmother lost her battle with cancer, which is the very reason and the driving force behind the Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF). We’re all human. And we all just want a chance: a chance at life, a chance in education, a chance at a future, really. And at CLF, our mission is to impact as many lives as possible, but it starts with just one.
People make it seem too hard to do charity work. The truth is, you don't have to be rich to help others. You don't need to be famous. You don’t even have to be college-educated. But it starts with your neighbor, the person right next to you, the person sitting next to you in class, the kid down the block in your neighborhood. You just do whatever you can to help in any way that you can. And today, I want to challenge each of you to make a commitment to help one person, one organization, one situation that touches your heat. My grandmother always used to say, “If you’ve got a dollar, there’s plenty to share.”
1.What did the author want to do at a young age?
A. Watch TV B. Help other children
C. Become wealthy D. Grow up quickly
2.Which of the following directly caused the author to create and develop the CLF?
A. A six-year-old kid’s request.
B. Many volunteers’ inspiration for it
C. Her grandmother’s death of cancer.
D. Other organizations’ encouragement.
3.What does the underlined word “one”in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. A life B. A chance
C. A task D. An organization
4.What does the author suggest people do in the last paragraph?
A. Do charity work when you are rich.
B. Challenge their friends to offer help.
C. Work very hard to get a college education.
D. Do little things to help those around them.
Welcome to Arundel Castle which is situated in West Sussex, England. The castle has a history of nearly 1000 years and has welcomed visitors traveling from all over the world. Arundel Castle also plays a starring role in many films.
The Gardens
The White Garden is planted with soft white Iceberg Roses, and Snow White Lilies.
The Rose Garden is newly planted with lovely old-fashioned English roses that are at their very best in June and July.
The Organic Kitchen Garden produces a wide range of seasonal fruit and vegetables, pears, cherries and apples.
The Castle Shop
In the Castle Shop, you will discover a wide and interesting range of gift ideas for everyone. It offers gifts and souvenirs designed to appeal to all tastes and pockets. Foods, china, books, and stationery (文具)are all available. Many are sold in this Castle Shop only.
At Arundel Castle we pride ourselves on supporting local suppliers and actively encourage environmentally friendly products.
The Arundel Festival 2014
Saturday 16th to Monday 25th August
The annual Arundel Festival gets bigger and better every year. It is one of the most amazing, diverse and easily accessible arts festivals in the UK, offering a mix of visual arts, music, theatre and street entertainment.
Parking
Coaches and mini-buses can drop off at the main Castle entrance in Mill Road and park in the main town car park that is opposite the Castle entrance. Please inform us when making your booking of how many parking permits are required.
1.When visiting the castle, you can___.
A.get old-fashioned English roses as gifts B.see how the local gifts are being made
C.get seasonal fruit and vegetables for free D.buy eco-friendly products in the Castle Shop
2.Where can you park the coach?
A.In Mill Road B.Inside the Castle
C.In the main town car park D.At the main Castle entrance
3.How long does the Arundel Festival last this year?
A.10 days B.One week C.16 days D.One month
假定你是李华，打算寒假去英国伦敦旅行一星期，学习当地的文化，并顺便拜访你的英国朋友Jack。请你写信告知，内容包括：
1. 到伦敦的时间以及要呆多久；
2. 请他推荐值得参观的景点；
3. 询问他方便被拜访的时间。
4. 期待答复。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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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作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，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：在错的词下划一横线，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；
3. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Last summer I go to Hangzhou with two Americans. I became their guide. First, we went to the West Lake, that is a famous place of interest in Hangzhou. We looked around it by the boat. After that, we went shop. The sellers couldn’t speak English. Though it was very harder, I tried my best to listen their words carefully and translate the sentences. They bought many things with their help. Next, we went to a small zoo but took some pictures. When we felt hungry, we went out and had lunch. After lunch, we visited some old house. All of us had a greatly time that day.
