A new genera tion addiction is quickly spreading all over the world. Weboholism(网瘾), a twentieth century disease, affects people from different ages. They surf the net, use e-mail and speak in chat rooms. They spend many hours on the computer, and it becomes a compulsive habit. They cannot stop, and it affects their lives.

Ten years ago, no one thought that using computers could become compulsive behavior that could affect the social and physical life of computer users. Such behavior has seriously affected teenagers and college students. They are likely to log(写日志) on computers and spend long hours at different websites.

They become hooked(着迷) on computers and gradually their social and school life is affected by this situation. They spend all free time surfing and don’t concentrate on homework, so this addiction influences their grades and success at school. Because they can find everything on the websites, they hang out there. Moreover, this addiction to websites influences their social life.

They spend more time in front of computers than with their friends. The relation with their friends changes. The virtual life becomes more important than their real life. They have a new language that they speak in the chat rooms and it causes cultural changes in society.

Because of the change in their behavior, they begin to isolate themselves from society and live with their virtual friends. They share their emotions and feelings with friends who they have never met in their life. Although they feel confident on the computer, they are not confident with real live friends they have known all their life. It is a problem for the future. This addictive behavior is beginning to affect all the world.

1.The main idea of the passage is about__________.

A. the cause of weboholism

B. the advantage of weboholism

C. the popularity of weboholism

D. the effect of weboholism

2.We can infer from the passage that_______.

A. weboholism has the greatest effect on teenagers

B. students can hardly balance real and virtual life

C. people are addicted to games on the Internet

D. virtual life is more vivid and attractive than real life.

3.Which of the following is NOT true of weboholism?

A. It contributes to the development of the web.

B. The chat room language may change social culture.

C. The problem will be getting more and more serious later.

D. People addicted to the web often become inactive in real life.

Johnny Smith was a good math student at a high school. He loved his computer. He came home early every day, and then he worked with it till midnight. But Johnny was not a good English student, not good at all. He got an F in his English class. One day after school Johnny joined his computer to the computer in his high school office. The school office computer had the grades of all the students: the math grades, the science grades, the grades in arts and music, and the grades in English. He found his English grade. An F! Johnny changed his English grade from an F to A. Johnny' parents looked at his report card. They were very happy.

"An A in English!" said Johnny's Dad. "You're a very clever boy, Johnny."

Johnny is a hacker(黑客). Hackers know how to take information from other computers and put new information in. Using a modem(调制调解器), they join their computers to other computers secretly. School headmasters and teachers are worried about hackers. So are the police, for some people even take money from bank computer account and put it into their own ones. And they never have to leave home to do it! They are called hackers.

1.Johnny changed his English grade with the computer in _______.

A. the classroom B. the school office

C. a bank near his house D. his own house

2.When Johnny's parents saw the report, they were happy because _______.

A. Johnny was good at math

B. Johnny loved computers

C. Johnny could join one computer to another

D. they thought Johnny was not poor in English any longer

3.Who are worried about hackers in the story?

A. Johnny's parents

B. School headmasters, teachers and the police

C. Only the police

D. Many school headmasters and teachers

4.What should the hackers know well, do you think, after you read this story?

A. Information B. Bank computer accounts

C. Computers D. Grades

You may have never heard of Lanthanum, Cerium or Neodymium, but these elements (元素) and others known as “rare earth” play a major role in modern technology. They can actually be found in many places on the earth, but not in quantities that can be mined. Only a few countries — China, America, India, Australia, Brazil and Malaysia have any that can be mined enough to be traded.

Even though some of these elements such as Cerium are as abundant as Copper, they are not found in concentrated amounts on the earth’s surface. They are often mixed together with other metals, which makes extraction (提取) of these elements an expensive and an environmentally messy process. It was due to this reason that the term “rare earth” was invented.

Rare earth metals are used widely in our life. Rechargeable car batteries, computers, iPhones, DVD players, computer monitors, televisions, lighting, lasers, glass polishing, and superconductors all use quantities of rare earth metals. Also, with the advancement in “green” technology like solar panels, these shiny materials are becoming more important than ever. An average electric car uses 10 pounds of Lanthanum for its rechargeable battery!

America has large deposits (存储量) of rare earths and has one of the first mines. It was opened in Southern California in 1940. The element “Europium” was the first metal to be separated in quantity for use in color televisions. However, in the 1980’s and 1990’s, as China started producing these elements in Inner Mongolia, the mines in America and elsewhere could not keep pace. The mine in Mountain Pass, California also failed environmental regulations and shut down in 2002.

Now, recognizing the importance of having more than one supplier of this important resource, other rare earth owning countries like India and Australia are either dusting off their rare earth mines or speeding up their production. It is believed that the debate over rare earths will become louder in the coming months and years.

1.What can we learn about rare earths?

A. They are actually as abundant as Copper.

B. They can be mined easily as other metals.

C. They can only be found in a few countries.

D. They are not really as rare as they are named.

2.Compared with China, America _____.

A. paid more attention to Europium

B. has larger deposits of rare earths

C. started producing rare earths earlier

D. has more rare earth mines

3.It can be inferred from the text that rare earths _____.

A. are now in great demand

B. can now be used in few fields

C. are harmful to the environment

D. will soon be replaced by other metals

违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com

精英家教网