Question

    People have got faster at typing text messages on their phones. But how fast are we at using a smart phone compared to typing words on a traditional keyboard? A team of researchers carried out an experiment.

The researchers used an Internet-based system to test the typing speed of over 37,000 volunteers on their smart phones. The volunteers spent about six hours a day using their phones. Most of them used two thumbs to type. Both Android and iPhone users were tested. They were given 15 English sentences to type out on their phones as quickly and accurately as possible.

The research team found that people wrote about 36 words per minute. It is slower than the average rate for people using a computer keyboard. In a 2018 University of Cambridge study, the average speed for computer typists was 52 words per minute. Noting the narrowing of speed rates between smart phones and computers, the team said we have become slower at typing on keyboards over the years. 75 percent of those taking part in the study had typing speeds below 44 words per minute. But the fastest phone typists reached speeds of 80 words per minute. People using two thumbs typed 38 words per minute. Those using only one finger 29 words per minute.

According to the findings, Anna Feit, a researcher at ETH Zurich, said it makes sense that younger people have higher typing speeds because they spend a lot more time on their devices. It was found that a phone's automatic correct tool can be helpful. Users were able to type faster with it. “The given understanding is that techniques like word completion help people”, Feit said. “But we found the time spent thinking about the word suggestions often outweighs the time spent typing the letters, making you slower.”

The difference between typing on a smart phone and a keyboard is called “the typing gap". They say this gap will further narrow in future as people get less skilled with keyboards and as smart methods for typing on devices continue to improve.

1.What is the purpose of the experiment?

A.To prove typing on keyboards is the fastest way.

B.To track over 37,000 volunteers' typing habits.

C.To promote people's typing speed on smart phones.

D.To find out how faster people type on their phones.

2.Which of the following groups type the fastest according to the passage?

A.People using two thumbs in the research.

B.Those using only one finger in the research.

C.75 percent of the volunteers in the study.

D.Computer typists in the 2018 Cambridge study.

3.What can we know according to Anna Feit?

A.Automatic correct tool isn't useful. B.Word completion can't help much.

C.The aged need word suggestions. D.Typing won't be needed on phones

4.What does the author predict about “the typing gap"?

A.It will become smaller and smaller.

B.It will be replaced by word completion.

C.It will make people less skilled at typing.

D.It will slow the development of smart phones.

Answer

1.D

2.D

3.B

4.A

【解析】

本文是说明文。研究人员对人们在手机上打字的速度进行了测试，得出了一些具体数据。随着人们对键盘的熟练程度越来越低，以及在手机上打字的智能方法不断改进，作者认为在智能手机上打字和在键盘上打字之间的差距以后会越来越小。

1.推理判断题。根据第二段The researchers used an Internet-based system to test the typing speed of over 37,000 volunteers on their smart phones. (研究人员使用一个基于互联网的系统测试了37000多名志愿者在智能手机上的打字速度。)可判断出这个试验的目的是测试人们在手机上打字的速度有多快。故选D。

2.细节理解题。根据第三段In a 2018 University of Cambridge study研究介绍中提到的But the fastest phone typists reached speeds of 80 words per minute.可知在这次研究中最快的手机打字速度达到每分钟80个字，所以2018年剑桥研究中的电脑打字员打字最快。故选D。

3.推理判断题。根据第四段“The given understanding is that techniques like word completion help people”, Feit said. “But we found the time spent thinking about the word suggestions often outweighs the time spent typing the letters, making you slower.” Feit认为像填字这样的技术可以帮助人们，但研究发现，花在思考上的时间往往超过了花在打字上的时间，这让打字速度变慢了。也就是说填字技术对打字作用不大，故选B。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段They say this gap will further narrow in future as people get less skilled with keyboards and as smart methods for typing on devices continue to improve. 随着人们对键盘的熟练程度越来越低，以及在设备上打字的智能方法不断改进，未来这一差距将进一步缩小。由此推知作者认为在智能手机上打字和在键盘上打字之间的差距以后会越来越小，故选A。