Summary Writing
An Extension of the Human Brain
Other people can help us compensate for our mental and emotional deficiencies (欠缺)，much as a wooden leg can compensate for a physical deficiency . To be exact , other people can extend our intelligence and help us understand and adjust our emotions. When another person helps us in such ways , he or she is participating in what I’ve called a “ social prosthetic (义肢的) system.” Such systems do not need to operate face-to face , and it’s clear to me that the Internet is expanding the range of my own social prosthetic system . It’s already a big bank of many minds . Even in its current state , the Internet has extended my memory and judgment .
Regarding memory : Once I look up something on the Internet , I don’t need to keep all the details for future use ------I know where to find that information again and can quickly and easily do particularly striking when I’m writing ; I ‘m no longer comfortable writing if I ‘m not connected to the Internet. It’s become natural to check facts as I write, taking a minute or two to dip into PubMed, Wikipedia , or other websites.
Regarding judgment: The Internet has made me smarter in matters small and large . For example , when I ‘m writing a textbook , it has become second nature to check a dozen definitions of a key term , which helps me dig into the core and understand its meaning . But more than that , I now regularly compare my views with those of many others . If I have a “ new idea”, I now quickly look to see whether somebody else has already thought of it , or something similar-and I then compare what I think with what others have thought . This certainly makes my own views clearer . Moreover , I can find out whether my reactions to an event are reasonable enough by reading about those of others on the Internet .
Directions: Complete the following passage by using the sentences given below. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.
The way individuals collectively remember , forget , and recall event , people , places , etc,has been an important topic of research on collective memory .1.He developed the concept of collective memory , arguing that individual memories are only understood within the context of a group through time and space .
2.They include theoretical concepts , the study of historical sources , oral histories , case studies , interviews, and surveys . For example , one group of researchers carried out several interviews to investigate younger and older American adults for three wars , namely , the Civil War , World War II., and the Iraq War . Although Americans of different ages recalled similar events , the interpretation of some events changed over the generations : both younger and older adults recalled the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki , however , they differed in how they rated the bombings .
More recently , memory study scholars tend to stress the significance of the media in shaping collective memories : “ Culture and individuals memory are constantly produced through the technologies of memory .” Under this perspective, research often involves content analysis of news and the use of surveys or interviews for analyzing the public memory . Alternatively , scholars have studied the role of journalists as collective memory agents by manually analyzing the stories journalists tell as professionals and the stories they
tell about their profession. 3.
However, developments in digital technologies in recent years have significantly influenced how we keep track of events both as individuals and as a collective . “The Internet doesn’t forget .” The Internet has had strong impacts on memory and the processes of remembering and forgetting. 4.. Analyzing different Web documents, researchers have shown that more recent past events are remembered more vividly in the present.
A.There are a few relatively simple things a person can do to help improve their memory
B.Meanwhile , it has converted collective memory into an observable phenomenon that can be tracked and measured online
C.Recently developed information technologies particularly the Internet , have affected how we create , stored and recall information
D.Maurice Halbwachs is generally recognized as the father of collective memory research
E.In all cases , most of the research methods applied to memory studies rely on long procedures
F.Research on collective memory is often based on various aspects
The next time a giant Big Mac or Coke flashes into your mind when you’re walking home from the pub, you may not simply have the snacks. And that picture of the model putting on Chanel — no, you’re not daydreaming.
A British startup has created a new advertising system that uses lasers to project images up to 200 metres tall from the sides of tall buildings, enabling advertisers to reach people from virtual billboards（广告牌）in the sky. Passers-by will see each image for only between one tenth and quarter of a second, as their eye eye catches the light from certain angles.
Advertising agencies and big businesses have already signalled their interest, but Skyline campaigners have branded the technology “greedy” and said that it could fill our skies with showy and tasteless brands.
The Echo system, from Lightvert, uses a high laser projector to bounce light off a narrow reflective strip fixed to the side of a building, visible up to 1km away. This creates large-scale images that are captured briefly in the viewer’s eye as a result of the “persistence of vision” effect: the same effect that leaves an imprint of a light source on your vision after you’ve turned away.
Daniel Siden, the technology’s inventor, explained: People often think this could be subversive, but it’s not subliminal advertising（隐性广告）as the imagery registers on the conscious level. It’s actually less invasive and more fun than traditional advertising. Mr.Siden said that planning experts have indicated that planning permission should not be a problem outside of conservation area. He said that the system was safe because of the distance between the projector and passers by. And images would be above the line of sight of drivers and cyclists
and below the field of vision of airline pilot. The images have been tested and shown not to cause epileptic seizures（癫痫发作）.
Because it uses only one strip of reflected light, the system needs a small amount of the power, about one-twentieth of a standard 96-sheet digital outdoor display for an image of the same height.
The owners of high-rise properties could use the system to make large returns from installing the laser projector and reflective strip. The company puts the cost of a unit measuring 100 metres at under ￡750,000, based on the present design, anticipating that costs will drop.
Still, some Skyline campaigners dislike the technology and believe it delivers subliminal advertising. Barbara Weiss of the Skyline Campaign, said: “It’s actually offensive. London’s latest tall buildings are not particularly well-built or well designed, but unfortunately people are forced to look at them. Adding stupid advertising that’s invasive in its nature will only make it worse.”
1.Why does the writer cite the example of Big Mac, Coke and Chanel in paragraph 1?
A.Because he attempts to promote these products to potential consumers.
B.Because he studies the association between products and images in advertising.
C.Because he tries to illustrate the effectiveness of flashing images of advertised goods.
D.Because he wants to introduce a new advertising technology to readers.
2.Which of the following statements about the Echo system is true according to the passage?
A.Pedestrians can see the flashing images on one side of the building from specific angles.
B.The system is composed of a laser projector, a reflective strip and a physical billboard.
C.The image lasts between one tenth and quarter of a second in vision even if you turn away.
D.It’s a new advertising system developed by a time-honored British company.
3.The underlined word “subversive” in paragraph 5 probably means ________.
A.Subconscious B.trouble making
C.harmless D.imaginative
4.Which party is likely to set obstacles to the application of the Echo System?
A.Environmentalists worried about energy consumption.
B.Drivers, cyclists and pilots whose sight might be affected.
C.The Skyline Campaign regarding the image as flashy.
D.The patients who suffer from epileptic seizures.
Bringing tech into the bedroom can be more harmful than helpful. Glancing at your phone before hitting the bed may be distracting and, more important, the blue light its screen emits is known to make falling asleep more difficult. But that’s not true for all gadgets. These smart-home devices want to invade your bedroom with the aim of improving your sleep.
Muse Headband, $249 Falling asleep can be more difficult than staying asleep. With its headband, Muse hopes to train the brain to handle stress more efficiently, making it easier to relax. The gadget uses sensors to measure brain activity and then feeds that data to an app that guides you through meditation exercises. A number of less expensive or free meditation apps attempt to do much of the same without the headband. | Here One Smart Earbuds, $299.99 Sometimes earplugs or the sound of the TV isn’t enough to drown out a partner’s snoring. Earbuds like these can help by allowing you to progressively drown out the volume of the world around you. And if you typically need white noise to fall asleep, you can turn on a filter for that type of sound through the accompanying app. |
Apple Iphone, $399-$769 Staring at the blue light coming from your phone before bed can lower your body’s efficiency to produce melatonin, the hormone that affects circadian rhythms. Apple’s Night Shift feature lessens this effect by making the display colors look warmer to reduce blue light. It can also remind you to get to bed at the same time to even out your sleep habits. | S+sleep Monitor, $129.99 Many devices that track sleep require special sensors worn on the body or embedded in a mattress. ResMed’s S+claims to monitor without making physical ontact. Instead, it uses motion-detection tehnology to pick up your tosses and turns throughout the night. It can also assess whether the temperature and lighting conditions in your room are |
1.All the following gadgets help you with sleep with body contact EXCEPT ________.
A.Muse Headband B.Here One Smart Earbuds
C.Apple Iphone D.S+sleep Monitor
2.What is NOT true about blue light?
A.Frequent use of cell phones leads to much emission of blue light.
B.It makes it harder for your body to produce an essential chemical.
C.The Night Shift feature can probably reduce the emission of blue light.
D.Blue light reminds you to get to bed and regulates your sleep.
3.What’s the best title for the passage?
A.Sleep, something well deserved
B.Sleep, your name is gadget
C.Sleep, a mission made impossible
D.Sleep, highly dependent on tech
Sleeper trains occupy a romantic corner of any traveler’s soul. One of Hercule Poirot’s most fascinating adventures takes place on the Simplon Orient Express, which used to run from Paris to Istanbul. A famous scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest” features a night train entering a tunnel. James Bond, meanwhile, detects a spy on a sleeper train after noticing him behave suspiciously in the dining car.
In some parts of the world, the nostalgia（怀旧）lives on. The Caledonian Sleeper, complete with smartly dressed waiters, neeps and tatties（白萝卜泥和土豆泥）and a selection of whiskies, is the best way to travel between London and Scotland. Elsewhere, however, sleepers are on their last legs . Flights across Europe have become so cheap that fewer and fewer travelers bother with sleeper trains. Sensing that the end is approaching. Andrew Martin, a British writer, has written a book about the sleeper.
“Night Trains” is a brief history of the mode, combined with accounts of journeys Mr.Martin has taken on sleeper routes across Europe. The reader joins him on a train Munich,where he eats a tuna sandwich on board. Travelling from Paris to Venice, he thinks he has been robbed of $105. The service to Nice is cancelled, yet such is his love for sleeping aboard that he spends the night on the train as it sits on the platform.
These stories make clear that the golden age of the sleeper train is long past. How different things were in the 19th century, when a passenger on the Orient Express could dine on delicacies and good wines. The only modern-day sleeper train which comes up to the Mr. Martin’s exacting standards is the Nordland, which travels towards northern Norway.
Those who have no experience of the sleeper trains often ask sleeper enthusiasts: ”Do you sleep?” After a read of Mr. Martin’s book, the answer would seem to be a definite “no”: the noise of the train wake him up time and again. Still, it is hard not to be won over by his enthusiasm. Catch the sleeper train, before it’s too late.
1.What can we learn from the underlined sentence in paragraph two?
A.Sleeper trains are the last means of transportation for travelers.
B.Travelers tend to fall asleep toward the end of their trip.
C.Travelers are too exhausted to walk any longer.
D.Sleeper trains are becoming out of fashion.
2.After reading the book Night Trains, readers ________.
A.may enjoy the scenery on their journey from London to Scotland.
B.can have the opportunity to travel on the best train in Europe.
C.may have a basic understanding of the history of sleeper trains.
D.cannot find a similar train living up to the standards of Mr. Martin.
3.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A.The noise of the train makes it impossible for travelers to sleep well.
B.Readers may be discouraged from riding on sleeper trains.
C.The writer of the passages suggests not spending nights aboard.
D.For enthusiasts, the love for sleepers outweighs the inconvenience caused.
4.The author’s purpose of writing the passage is to ________.
A.introduce readers to a new book about sleeper trains
B.compare the advantages of sleeper trains in different periods
C.inform the readers of the rise and fall of sleeper trains
D.recall readers’ memory of an old-fashioned means of transportation
When you’re shopping at the grocery store, you probably expect that the olive oil you see came from,well, olives. And that the organic vegetables were never exposed to poisonous chemicals. Increasingly, however, there’s a chance you might be ______. In recent years, there has been a rise in reports of so-called food fraud, or attempts by various entities — including storage workers, suppliers and distributors — to alter products and mislead customers and food companies alike for ______ gain. Among the more recent examples: “natural” honey containing antibiotics and Italian companies selling “Italian olive oil” from a blend of oils that did not ______ from Italy.
By and large, the fraudsters are trying to make easy money — ______ for a whole food or pricey ingredient, then cutting it with ______ stuff secretly. But the health consequences can be ______.
How can this happen? In the U.S., the Pure Food and Drug Act has prevented the “manufacture, sale or transportation of misbranded or poisonous foods” since 1906, and similar laws exist in other countries.
But most global food regulators, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, aren’t ______ to enforce them effectively. For the most part, they focus on safety standards — ______ that foods don’t contain bacteria or viruses — and rely on companies to police their own ingredients, lest they face ______ backlash（强烈抵制）. But now that food manufacturing has become globalized, supply chains are longer, creating more opportunities for bad actors to ______. Anyone who can ______ substituting cheap ingredients for more expensive ones is going to try.
Governments are starting to fight back. In 2014, the U.K. created a food-crime unit that collects reports of food fraud. But in order to prevent fraud in the first place, the food industry needs to ______ the safeguarding of its own production network. So the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) — a trade group including officials from more than 300 food manufactures — will this year start ______ its members’ supply chains, from field to table, to identify vulnerabilities.
______, dozens of other food-industry experts recently teamed up with academics from Michigan State University to launch the Food Fraud Initiative （FFI）, a group that studies fraudsters — specifically, how they avoid safeguards — and then advises food companies on how to get rid of them. “There are plenty of criminals out there who are going to wake up and perceive some opportunity for fraud,” says John Spink, director of the FFI. “We just need to make ourselves a(n) ______ target.”
1.A.definite B.peaceful C.optimistic D.wrong
2.A.financial B.social C.technological D.potential
3.A.initiate B.originate C.withdraw D.profit
4.A.asking B.paying C.charging D.harvesting
5.A.cheaper B.faulty C.lighter D.bad
6.A.ok B.terrific C.incredible D.horrible
7.A.honored B.equipped C.justified D.promoted
8.A.maintaining B.struggling C.ensuring D.reflecting
9.A.consumer B.manufacturer C.market D.organizer
10.A.mess around B.make off C.show off D.stand aside
11.A.hold on to B.come up with C.get away with D.carry away with
12.A.minimize B.upgrade C.publicize D.abandon
13.A.recalling B.breaking C.describing D.examining
14.A.However B.Meanwhile C.Instead D.Therefore
15.A.easier B.nicer C.harder D.rarer
