When it comes to using technology to foster education, the prevailing wisdom has been that more is better．Over the past decade, universities around the globe have invested heavily in the wired classroom, adding everything from external laptop connections to Blu-ray DVD players．But there is little evidence that these devices enhance learning－and, critics believe, they might actually hinder it, making both students and teachers passive．What if classrooms were restored to the pre-Internet days of wooden tables and chalk?
Take technology out of the classroom．Jose Nowen, dean of the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in Texas, has done just that．He wants his faculty to “teach naked”, meaning without the aid of any machines．“Just because you have a PowerPoint presentation doesn’t mean you have a good lecture,” he argues．Classroom time should be reserved for discussions with the prefessor, aimed at teaching students to think critically, argue, and raise new questions．Due to the grim economic climate at most universities, he says, avoiding new technology is also a sound way to save money．
Bowen, who teaches music, delivers content via podcasts(播客), which students must listen to on their own time．He then quizzes them on the material before every class to make sure they’ve done the work, and uses class time for discussions and research according to the recorded lessons．He’s been teaching the same material for 25 years, but since he implemented the new way, he says, his students have been more engaged and scored better on exams．College students asked by researchers to list what motivates them have consistently emphasized teacher enthusiasm, organization, and raport(融洽的关系), while naming lack of active participation as a major disincentive(遏制因素)．Last spring the British Educational Research Journal published a survey that found that 59 percent of students called at least half their lectures boring－particularly those involving PowerPoint．
Technology has a place in education, but it should be used independently by students outside the classroom．That gives them more time to absorb lectures via podcast or video, and frees teachers to spend class time coaching students in how to apply the material rather than simply absorb it．
(1)
What’s the opinion of critics about the technology used in the classrooms?
[ ]
A．
It helps enhance teaching and learning．
B．
It puts extra financial burden on schools．
C．
It may serve as an obstacle to learning．
D．
It has injected great vitality into the class．
(2)
What does Jose Bowen expect his teachers to do?
[ ]
A．
To teach the students how to use technology after class．
B．
To explain the materials clearly in their unique ways．
C．
To give PowerPoint presentation when teaching．
D．
To teach the students without the aid of technology．
(3)
According to the passage, class time should be used to ________．
[ ]
A．
discuss how to treat techonlogy
B．
learn the materials by heart
C．
promote students’ critical thinking
D．
update students on new information
(4)
What do we learn from the third paragraph?
[ ]
A．
Active participation in class stimulates students to leran．
B．
Students need tests to check what they have learned．
C．
Most students regard lectures with PowerPoint as less boring．
D．
Teachers’ influence is the most important factor in teaching．
(5)
What is the author’s attitude towards using technology in the classroom?
She took up skating at age 85, made her first movie appearance at age 114, and held a concert in the neighborhood on her 121st birthday．
Whe n it comes to long life, Jeanne Calment is the world’s recordholder．She lived to the ripe old age of 122．So is 122 the upper limit to the human life span(寿命)?If scientists come up with some sort of pill or diet that would slow aging, could we possibly make it to 150－or beyond?
Researchers don’t entirely agree on the answers．“Calment lived to 122, so it wouldn’t surprise me if someone alive today reaches 130 or 135,”says Jerry Shay at the University of Texas．
Steve Austad at the University of Texas agrees．“People can live much longer than we think,”he says．“Experts used to say that humans couldn’t live past 110．When Calment blew past that age, they raised the number to 120．So why can’t we go higher?”
The trouble with guessing how old people can live to be is that it’s all just guessing．“Anyone can make up a number,”says Rich Miller at the University of Michigan．“Usually the scientist who picks the highest number gets his name in Time magazine．”
Won’t new anti-aging techniques keep us alive for centuries?Any cure, says Miller, for aging would probably keep most of us kicking until about 120．Researchers are working on treatments that lengthen the life span of mice by 50 percent at most．So, if the average human life span is about 80 years, says Miller,“adding another 50 percent would get you to 120．”
So what can we conclude from this little disagreement among the researchers?That life span is flexible(有弹性的)，but there is a limit, says George Martin of the University of Washington．“We can get flies to live 50 percent longer,”he says．“But a fly’s never going to live 150 years．”
“Of course, if you became a new species(物种)，one that ages at a slower speed, that would be a different story,”he adds．
Does Martin really believe that humans could evolve(进化)their way to longer life?“It’s pretty cool to think about it,”he says with a smile．
(1)
What does the story of Jeanne Calment prove to us?
[ ]
A．
People can live to 122．
B．
Old people are creative．
C．
Women are sporty at 85．
D．
Women live longer than men．
(2)
According to Steve Austad at the University of Texas, ________．
[ ]
A．
the average human life span could be 110
B．
scientists cannot find ways to slow aging
C．
few people can expect to live to over 150
D．
researchers are not sure how long people can live
(3)
Who would agree that a scientist will become famous if he makes the wildest guess at longevity?
[ ]
A．
Jerry Shay．
B．
Steve Austad
C．
Rich Miller
D．
George Martin
(4)
What can we infer from the last three paragraphs?
[ ]
A．
Most of us could be good at sports even at 120．
B．
The average human life span cannot be doubled．
C．
Scientists believe mice are aging at a slower speed than before．
D．
New techniques could be used to change flies into a new species．
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