When author Nicholas Carr began researching his book on whether the Internet is ruining our mindshe 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 connectionhe 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 a lot of textsvideomusic and links to other web pages and blogsour minds have become used to skimming and scanning information.As a resultwe have developed sharper skills at making fast decisionsparticularly visual onesCarr wrote.

But now most of us seldom read books or long articles that would help us focus.We are becoming more like librarians—able to find information quickly and see clearly the best nuggets(有价值的资料)That lack of focus hinders(阻碍) our long?term memoryleading many of us to feel distractedhe wrote.

“What we are losing is a whole other set of mental skillswhich require not the shifting of our focus but the maintaining of our focus” Carr saidadding that for centuries books protected our brains from distraction and focused our minds on one topic at a time.

But with devices such as Apple’s iPad becoming commonCarr predicts books also will change.“New forms of reading always require new forms of writing” he said.Carr has a suggestion for those who feel web surfing has left them incapable of concentration—slow downturn off the Internet and practice the skills of contemplation(沉思) and reflection.“It is pretty clear from the brain science that if you don’t exercise particular cognitive skillsyou are going to lose them” he said.“If you are constantly distractedyou are not going to think in the same way that you would think if you paid attention.”

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

AWhether there is any need for us to surf the Internet.

BHow the Internet changes our way of thinking.

CWhat we should do when we are surfing the Internet.

DWhether our minds are being influenced by the Internet.

2.How did Nicholas Carr feel after he limited his time online several weeks later?

AAnxious.? BRelaxed.

CConcentrated.? DPuzzled.

3.The underlined word renders in Paragraph 1 probably means ________.

Aprevents? Bcauses

Cprotects? Dsharpens

4.What’s Nicholas Carr’s suggestion for people who are often distracted by the Internet?

AThey should read more books besides surfing the Internet.

BThey should often slow down their pace of modern living.

CThey should often get away from the disturbing of the Internet.

DThey should spend more time thinking while surfing the Internet.

 

He wasn’t sick. He wasn’t old. And he wasn’t losing. He had a very good final season and won his last game in 2008. And then he walked away.

Lloyd Carr was 62. That’s a few years earlier than retirement(退休) age in America and many years earlier than some college football coaches say goodbye. How was Carr, who coached University of Michigan, able to leave so easily?

“ It can be intoxicating,” Carr admits. “The Saturday afternoons and the crowds. And when you win, there’s nothing like it.”

But the job needs hard work. The pressure to win. The endless training. The hours are so long that sleeping at the office is a normal thing. I reported Carr’s career at Michigan from 1995 to 2007. I saw him run onto the field before 100,000 cheering fans, saw him enjoy a share of a national championship with a 12-0 season.

And when I visited him recently in retirement, the difference was noticeable. He seems much calmer, relaxed, more at peace. He says, “As much fun as it is, there’s a period when you have other things to deal with.”

Carr knew he wanted to travel, see the world, read more, do other work. He is now connected with a children’s hospital, does some speaking, plays golf, and enjoys relaxing with his wife, Laurie, and their many grandchildren.

Several of today’s big-name coaches are all about Carr’s retirement age. Nick Saban turns 59 this month. Jim Tressel is 57. Frank Beamer is already 63. None of them seems to be slowing down.

So when, I ask Carr, is the right moment to leave such a great job?

He thinks. Finally, he says, “When you love it and can still walk away from it. That’s the right moment.”

1.Lloyd Carr stopped working as a coach because he _______.

A.was too old                            B.was injured seriously

C.had other things to experience             D.followed others’ examples

2.The underlined word “intoxicating” in Paragraph 3 probably means ______.

A.exciting           B.disappointing       C.surprising         D.puzzling

3.It can be inferred from the text that Lloyd Carr ________.

A.was always free after retirement

B.was a failure as a football coach

C.missed the time when he coached

D.enjoyed his retirement life very much

4.The author is most probably ________.

A.a football player                        B.Lloyd Carr’s assistant

C.a retired coach                         D.a sports reporter

 

The drug store was closing for the night. Young Alfred Higgins, the shop-assistant, was ready to go home. Mr. Carr, the boss, stared at him and said: “Hold on, Alfred. Maybe you'd be good enough to take the things out of your pockets and leave them here before you go.”Alfred's face got red. After a little hesitation, he took out what he had stolen. Mr. Carr said, “Maybe I should call your mother and let her know I'm going to have to put you in prison.”

Alfred thought his mother would come rushing in, eyes burning with anger. But, to his surprise, she arrived wearing a smile. “Hello, I'm Alfred's mother. Is he in trouble?”she said. Mr. Carr was surprised, too. He had expected Alfred's mother to come in nervously, shaking with fear, asking with wet eyes for a mercy for her son. But no, she was most calm, quiet and pleasant and was making Mr. Carr feel guilty…. Soon Mr. Carr was shaking his head in agreement with what she was saying. “Of course”, he said, “I don't want to be cruel. You are right. Sometimes, a little good advice is the best thing for a boy at certain times in his life and it often takes the youths long time to get sense into their heads.”And he warmly shook Mrs. Higgins's hand.

Back home, without even looking at Alfred, she said, “You are a bad luck. It is one thing after another, always has been. Why do you stand there so stupidly? Go to bed.”In his bedroom, Alfred heard his mother in the kitchen. There was no shame in him, just pride in his mother's strength. He felt he must tell her how great she was. As he got to the kitchen, he saw his mother drinking a cup of tea. He was shocked by what he saw. His mother's face was a frightened, broken one. It was not the same cool, bright face he saw earlier in the drug store. As she lifted the tea cup, her hand shook. And some of the tea splashed on the table. Her lips moved nervously. She looked very old. He watched his mother without making a sound. The picture of his mother made him want to cry. He felt his youth coming to an end. He saw all the troubles he brought his mother in her shaking hand and the deep lines of worry in her grey face. It seemed to him that this was the first time he had ever really seen his mother.

1.The reason why Mr. Carr felt guilty was that ________.

A.he found Alfred was in fact innocent

B.he should have called a policeman in first

C.Alfred's mother appeared polite and gentle

D.he thought he was partly responsible for it

2.Which of the following is probably said by Mrs. Higgins while talking to Mr. Carr?

A.“Please, for God's sake, you know, he is just a kid.”

B.“I can't believe it! You are treating my son like that!”

C.“You know, it takes time for a youth to truly grow up.”

D.“Punishment makes sense because it teaches about the law.”

3.What does the underlined phrase "his mother's strength"(Para. 3) refer to?

A.Mrs. Higgins's calmness and communicating skills.

B.Mrs. Higgins's attitude towards parental sufferings.

C.Mrs. Higgins's love and care for her son Alfred.

D.Mrs. Higgins's greatness as a woman.

4.After the incident, young Alfred would probably ________.

A.feel ashamed of her mother

B.change his attitudes towards life

C.learn to live an independent life

D.hate Mr. Carr for hurting her mother

 

The drug store was closing for the night and Alfred Higgins was about to go home when his new boss approached him.

“Empty your pockets please, Alfred,” Sam Carr demanded in a firm voice.

Alfred pretended to be shocked but he knew he’d been caught. From his coat he withdrew a make-up kit, a lipstick and two tubes of toothpaste.

“I’m disappointed in you, Alfred!” said the little gray-haired man.

“Sorry, sir. Please forgive me. It’s the first time I’ve ever done such a thing,” Alfred lied, hoping to gain the old man’s sympathy.

Mr Carr’s brow furrowed as he reached for the phone, “Do you take me for a fool? Let’s see what the police have to say. But first I’ll call your mother and let her know her son is heading to jail.”

“Do whatever you want,” Alfred shot back, trying to sound big. But deep down he felt like a child. He imagined his mother rushing in, eyes burning with anger, maybe in tears. Yet he wanted her to come quickly before Mr. Carr called the police.

Mr. Carr was surprised when Mrs Higgins finally arrived. She was very calm, quiet and friendly. “Is Alfred in trouble?” she asked.

“He’s been stealing from the store,” the old man coolly replied.

Mrs. Higgins put out her hand and touched Mr. Carr’s arm with great gentleness as if she knew just how he felt. She spoke as if she did not want to cause him any more trouble. “What do you want to do, Mr. Carr?”

The woman’s calm and gentle manner disarmed the once-angry store-owner. “I was going to get a cop. But I don’t want to be cruel. Tell your son not to come back here again, and I’ll let it go.” Then he warmly shook Mrs. Higgins’s hand.

Mrs. Higgins thanked the old man for his kindness, then mother and son left. They walked along the street in silence. When they arrived home his mother simply said, “Go to bed, you fool.”

In his bedroom, Alfred heard his mother in the kitchen. He felt no shame, only pride in his mother’s actions. “She was smooth!” he thought. He went to the kitchen to tell her how great she was, but was shocked by what he saw.

His mother’s face looked frightened, broken. Not the cool, bright face he saw earlier. Her lips moved nervously. She looked very old. There were tears in her eyes.

This picture of his mother made him want to cry. He felt his youth ending. He saw all the troubles he brought her and the deep lines of worry in her grey face. It seemed to him that this was the first time he had ever really seen his mother.

1.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. It was the first time Alfred had stolen anything.

B. Alfred tried to sound big to hide his fear.

C. Mr. Carr set a trap to catch Alfred stealing.

D. Mr. Carr had planned to forgive Alfred from the beginning.

2. What does the underlined word “disarmed” probably mean?

A. annoyed                          B. made less angry

C. convinced                       D. got over

3.What was the mother’s attitude toward Alfred?

A. She felt disappointed with him.

B. She was very strict with him.

C. She was supportive of him.

D. She was afraid of him.

4.What impressed Alfred most about his mother at the drugstore was ________.

A. how angry she was

B. that she didn’t cry

C. that she was able to save him

D. how effectively she handled Mr. Carr

5. From the last paragraph, we know that Alfred ________.

A. was no longer a youth

B. felt proud of his mother

C. wanted his mother to be happy

D. felt guilty and regretful for his deed

 

The drug store was closing for the night and Alfred Higgins was about to go home when his new boss approached him.

“Empty your pockets please, Alfred,” Sam Carr demanded in a firm voice.

Alfred pretended to be shocked but he knew he’d been caught. From his coat he withdrew a make-up kit, a lipstick and two tubes of toothpaste.

“I’m disappointed in you, Alfred!” said the little gray-haired man.

“Sorry, sir. Please forgive me. It’s the first time I’ve ever done such a thing,” Alfred lied, hoping to gain the old man’s sympathy.

Mr Carr’s brow furrowed as he reached for the phone, “Do you take me for a fool? Let’s see what the police have to say. But first I’ll call your mother and let her know her son is heading to jail.”

“Do whatever you want,” Alfred shot back, trying to sound big. But deep down he felt like a child. He imagined his mother rushing in, eyes burning with anger, maybe in tears. Yet he wanted her to come quickly before Mr. Carr called the police.

Mr. Carr was surprised when Mrs Higgins finally arrived. She was very calm, quiet and friendly. “Is Alfred in trouble?” she asked.

“He’s been stealing from the store,” the old man coolly replied.

Mrs. Higgins put out her hand and touched Mr. Carr’s arm with great gentleness as if she knew just how he felt. She spoke as if she did not want to cause him any more trouble. “What do you want to do, Mr. Carr?”

The woman’s calm and gentle manner disarmed the once-angry store-owner. “I was going to get a cop. But I don’t want to be cruel. Tell your son not to come back here again, and I’ll let it go.” Then he warmly shook Mrs. Higgins’s hand.

Mrs. Higgins thanked the old man for his kindness, then mother and son left. They walked along the street in silence. When they arrived home his mother simply said, “Go to bed, you fool.”

In his bedroom, Alfred heard his mother in the kitchen. He felt no shame, only pride in his mother’s actions. “She was smooth!” he thought. He went to the kitchen to tell her how great she was, but was shocked by what he saw.

His mother’s face looked frightened, broken. Not the cool, bright face he saw earlier. Her lips moved nervously. She looked very old. There were tears in her eyes.

This picture of his mother made him want to cry. He felt his youth ending. He saw all the troubles he brought her and the deep lines of worry in her grey face. It seemed to him that this was the first time he had ever really seen his mother.

1.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. It was the first time Alfred had stolen anything.

B. Alfred tried to sound big to hide his fear.

C. Mr. Carr set a trap to catch Alfred stealing.

D. Mr. Carr had planned to forgive Alfred from the beginning.

2.What does the underlined word “disarmed” probably mean?

A. annoyed            B. made less angry

C. convinced              D. got over

3.What was the mother’s attitude toward Alfred?

A. She felt disappointed with him.           B. She was very strict with him.

C. She was supportive of him.              D. She was afraid of him.

4.What impressed Alfred most about his mother at the drugstore was ________.

A.how angry she was                   B. that she didn’t cry

C.that she was able to save him        D. how effectively she handled Mr. Carr

5.From the last paragraph, we know that Alfred ________.

A.was no longer a youth                     B. felt proud of his mother

C.wanted his mother to be happy              D. felt guilty and regretful for his deed

 

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