We like to think our intelligence is self-made; it happens inside our heads, the product of our inner thoughts alone. But the rise of Google, Wikipedia and other online tools has made many people question the impact of these technologies on our brains. Is typing in “Who has played James Bond in the movies?” the same as our knowledge about the names like Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig? Can we say we know the answer as long as we know how to rapidly get the information on Google?
Here the question is about how we define intelligence itself. The answer appears to be interesting, because the evidence from psychological studies suggests that much of our intelligence comes from how we coordinate ourselves with other people and our environment.
An influential theory among psychologists is that we're cognitive misers(认知吝啬者). This is the idea that we are unwilling to do mental work unless we have to. We try to avoid thinking things fully when a short cut is available. If you've ever voted for the presidential candidate(总统候选人) with the most honest smile, or chosen a restaurant based on how many people are already sitting in there, then you are a cognitive miser. The theory explains why we'd much rather type a zip code into Google Maps than memorize and recall the location of a place – it's so much easier to do so.
Research shows that people don't tend to rely on their memories for things they can easily access. Buildings can somehow disappear from pictures we're looking at, or the people we're talking to can be changed with someone else, and often we won't notice – a phenomenon called “change blindness”. This isn't an example of human stupidity – far from it, in fact – this is an example of mental efficiency. The mind relies on the world as a better record than memory.
Philosophers have suggested that thinking is really happening in the environment as much as it is happening in our brains. The philosopher Andy Clark called humans "natural born cyborgs(电子人)", those naturally capable of absorbing and combining new tools, ideas and abilities. In Clark's view, the route to a solution is not the issue – having the right tools really does mean you know the answers, just as much as already knowing the answer.
Rather than being forced to rely on our own resources for everything, we can share our knowledge. Technology keeps track of things for us so we don't have to, while large systems of knowledge serve the needs of society as a whole. I don't know how a computer works, or how to grow vegetables, but that knowledge is out there and I can get to benefit. The internet provides even more potential to share this knowledge. Wikipedia is one of the best examples – an increasingly large database of knowledge from which everyone can benefit.
So as well as having a physical environment – like the rooms or buildings we live or work in – we also have a mental environment, which means that when I ask you where your mind is, you shouldn’t point toward the centre of your forehead. As research shows, our minds are made up just as much by the people and tools around us as they are by the brain cells inside our skull.
【小题1】Why did the writer raise the questions in Paragraph 1?

A.To find out who has played James Bond in the movies.
B.To introduce the topic to be discussed in the passage.
C.To show that he knows the answer to the questions.
D.To attract readers’ attention by mentioning James Bond.
【小题2】What is the writer’s attitude towards the rise of technologies like Google and Wikipedia?
A.Supportive B.Objective C.Indifferent D.Neutral
【小题3】 Which of the following might the philosopher Andy Clark agree with?
A.Intelligence is something that is made by one’s brain itself.
B.Intelligence is something that only happens inside one’s head.
C.Intelligence is the product of one’s inner thoughts alone.
D.Intelligence is a mixture of the environment, people and one’s brain cells.
【小题4】It is true about the phenomenon called “change blindness” that human beings____.
A.are stupid not to notice the changes
B.are efficient in mental work
C.are blind to changes around them
D.rely on memory when dealing with things
【小题5】According to the text, how do technologies like Google, Wikipedia affect us?
A.They make us much more intelligent.
B.They make us lazier and more stupid.
C.They have little to do with our intelligence.
D.They have a negative effect on our intelligence.

A very strict officer was talking to some new soldiers whom he had to train. He had never seen them before, so he began, “My name is Stone, and I’m even harder than stone, so do what I tell you or there’ll be trouble. Don’t try any tricks (诡计) with me, and then we’ll get on well together.”
Then he went to each soldier one after the other and asked him his name, “Speak loudly so that everyone can hear you clearly,” he said, “and don’t forget to call me ‘sir’.”
Each soldier told him name, until he came to the last one. This man remained silent, and so Captain Stone shouted at him, “When I ask you a question, answer it! I’ll ask you again: What’s your name, soldier?”
The soldier was very unhappy, but at last he replied, “My name’s Stonebreaker, sir,” he said nervously.
【小题1】The officer was strict______.

A.because the soldiers were new.B.with any of his soldiers, new or old.
C.because he was named Stone.D.only when he was before soldiers.
【小题2】 According to what the officer said,_______.
A.obeying his orders would sometimes bring no trouble.
B.trouble would come if anybody made tricks.
C.he always got on well with his soldiers.
D.he often had trouble with his soldiers.
【小题3】The last soldier remained silent because_______
A.he didn’t like the way the officer spoke to them.
B.he wanted to see what would happen if he disobeyed his order.
C.the question was difficult for him to answer.
D.he was afraid the officer would be angry when he heard his name.
【小题4】According to the officer, how to answer the question, “How old are you ?”
A.(sadly)Twenty, sir.B.(clearly)Twenty.
C.(loudly)Twenty, sirD.(quickly)Ten years younger than you, sir
【小题5】Which is the best title for the passage?
A.A Clever AnswerB.A Terrible Answer
C.A Sorry AnswerD.A Strange Answer

A very strict officer was talking to some new soldiers whom he had to train. He had never seen them before, so began, “My name is Stone, and I’m even harder than stone, so do what I tell you or there’ll be trouble. Don’t try any tricks (诡计) with me, and then we’ll get on well together.”

   Then he went to each soldier one after the other and asked him his name, “Speak loudly so that everyone can hear you clearly,” he said, “and don’t forget to call me ‘sir’.”

   Each soldier told him name, until he came to the last one. This man remained silent and so Captain Stone shouted at him, “when I ask you a question, answer it! I’ll ask you again: “What’s your name, soldier?”

   The soldier was very unhappy, but at last he replied,“My name’s Stonebreaker, sir,”he said nervously (紧张地).

1.According to what the officer said, _____

A. trouble would come if anybody made tricks.

B. obeying his orders would sometimes bring no trouble.

C. he always got on well with his soldiers.

D. he often had trouble with his soldiers.

2.The last soldier remained silent because _____

A. he didn’t like the way the officer spoke to them.

B. he was afraid the officer would be angry when he heard his name.

C. he wanted to see what would happen if he disobeyed his order.

D. the question was funny for him to answer.

3. According to the officer, how to answer the question, “How old are you ?” _____

A. (sadly) Twenty, sir.            

B. (clearly) Twenty.

C. (quickly) Ten years younger than you, sir  

D. (loudly) Twenty, sir

 

The world is filled with smart, talented, educated and gifted people.We meet them every day. A few days ago, my car was not running well.I pulled it into a garage and the young mechanic had it fixed in just a few minutes.He knew what was wrong by simply listening to the engine.I was amazed.The sad truth is that great talent is not enough.

I am constantly shocked at how little talented people earn. I heard the other day that less than 5 percent of Americans earn more than $100,000 a year. A business consultant who specializes in the medical trade was telling me how many doctors and dentists struggle financially. It was this business consultant who gave me the phrase, “They are one skill away from great wealth.”

There is an old saying that goes, "Job means 'just over broke(破产)".And unfortunately, I would say that the saying applies to millions of people.Because schools do not think financial intelligence is intelligence, most workers "live within their means".They work and they pay the bills.Instead I recommend to young people to seek work for what they will learn, more than what they will earn.

When I ask the classes I teach, “How many of you can cook a better hamburger than McDonald's?” almost all the students raise their hands. I then ask, “So if most of you can cook a better hamburger, how come McDonald's makes more money than you?” The answer is obvious: McDonald's is excellent at business systems. The world is filled with talented poor people. They focus on perfecting their skills at building a better hamburger rather than the skills of selling and delivering the hamburger.

1.The author mentions the mechanic in the first paragraph to show that      

A. he is just one of the talented people

B. he is ready to help others

C. he has a sharp sense of hearing

D. he knows little about car repairing

2.The underlined part in the third paragraph can be best replaced by____   

A. spend more than they can afford

B. 1ive within what they earn

C. 1ive in their own circle

D. do in their own way

3.Why do talented people earn so little according to the author?

A. They don’t work hard enough.

B. They have no specialized skills.

C. They don't make full use of their talents.

D. They lack financial intelligence.

4.The main purpose of the author is to tell us____      

A. how young people can find a satisfactory job

B. What schools should teach about finance

C. why so many talented people are poor

D. how McDonald's makes much money

 

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

 

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