No Mobile Means You’re Not in Touch
My household now has four mobile phones: one for me; one each for my eldest children, the twin boys; and one for my 15-year-old daughter. Only my 12-year-old son does not (yet) have his own mobile. In other words, we’re now in line with national figures, which show that Australia has 19 million mobile phones for a population of just over 20 million people. Among 15-to 17-year-olds, nearly nine out of 10.
The reality is that a mobile phone is the coolest thing of all for a teenager to own. It’s even more important than a television, a DVD player or access to the internet. If you don’t have a mobile you are, quite literally, out of touch.
Of course, there are good and bad sides to mobiles. In my global media world, I’ve lived with a mobile switched on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the past ten years. At the same time, here in Perth, I started a movement on talkback radio called CAMPIR (Campaign Against Mobile Phones in Restaurants). Nothing annoys me more than people who feel that an incoming mobile call is more important than the company they are with at a restaurant or even at their dining table at home, but I believe that in the long term, we will have a revolt against the intrusion of mobiles into our personal lives.
There was a study in New Zealand last year among young teenagers that showed a quarter have used text messaging to end a relationship. Here in Australia, I’ve read of people being fired by text. That’s cold. On the other hand, lots of parents---myself included---feel their children are safer if they have their mobile with them when they are away from home.
I’ve even read that the use of mobiles among kids may mean that they smoke less. Phones are a stronger status symbol than cigarettes among children and also give them something to do with their hands.
Psychologists, though, argue that mobiles are actually a way for kids to bypass their parents. They can communicate constantly with their friends without their parents knowing anything of the conversations. No matter what the future brings, I don’t expect ever to have fewer mobiles in the house. On the contrary, the next challenge is to see if I can get through the rest of this year without having to buy a mobile phone for my youngest child.
1.According to the passage, a mobile phone is the coolest thing for a teenager to possess because _________.
A.In their opinion, the mobile phone is the most fashionable possession
B.A mobile phone is the most useful tool in the life.
C.The teenager keeps in contact with others exactly by using a mobile phone.
D.The Internet is less important than the mobile phone.
2.,Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.In New Zealand most young teenagers have used text messaging to end a relationship.
B.The writer doesn’t think his children can avoid danger if they have their mobile with them .
C.The use of mobiles among kids may contribute to their less smoking.
D.Cigarettes are the strongest status symbol among children.
3.The underlined word “bypass” in the fifth paragraph probably means __________.
A. contact       B. avoid        C. inform        D. oppose
4.  It can be inferred from the passage that __________.
A. The children in the family each have a mobile phone.
B. About 60% of the children aged 15-17 have phones in Australia.
C. The writer is likely to buy a mobile phone for his youngest child this year.
D. The writer doesn’t agree that children should own a mobile phone.

No Mobile Means You’re Not in Touch

My household now has four mobile phones: one for me; one each for my eldest children, the twin boys; and one for my 15-year-old daughter. Only my 12-year-old son does not (yet) have his own mobile. In other words, we’re now in line with national figures, which show that Australia has 19 million mobile phones for a population of just over 20 million people. Among 15-to 17-year-olds, nearly nine out of 10.

The reality is that a mobile phone is the coolest thing of all for a teenager to own. It’s even more important than a television, a DVD player or access to the internet. If you don’t have a mobile you are, quite literally, out of touch.

Of course, there are good and bad sides to mobiles. In my global media world, I’ve lived with a mobile switched on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the past ten years. At the same time, here in Perth, I started a movement on talkback radio called CAMPIR (Campaign Against Mobile Phones in Restaurants). Nothing annoys me more than people who feel that an incoming mobile call is more important than the company they are with at a restaurant or even at their dining table at home, but I believe that in the long term, we will have a revolt against the intrusion of mobiles into our personal lives.

There was a study in New Zealand last year among young teenagers that showed a quarter have used text messaging to end a relationship. Here in Australia, I’ve read of people being fired by text. That’s cold. On the other hand, lots of parents---myself included---feel their children are safer if they have their mobile with them when they are away from home.

I’ve even read that the use of mobiles among kids may mean that they smoke less. Phones are a stronger status symbol than cigarettes among children and also give them something to do with their hands.

Psychologists, though, argue that mobiles are actually a way for kids to bypass their parents. They can communicate constantly with their friends without their parents knowing anything of the conversations. No matter what the future brings, I don’t expect ever to have fewer mobiles in the house. On the contrary, the next challenge is to see if I can get through the rest of this year without having to buy a mobile phone for my youngest child.

1.According to the passage, a mobile phone is the coolest thing for a teenager to possess because _________.

A.In their opinion, the mobile phone is the most fashionable possession

B.A mobile phone is the most useful tool in the life.

C.The teenager keeps in contact with others exactly by using a mobile phone.

D.The Internet is less important than the mobile phone.

2.,Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A.In New Zealand most young teenagers have used text messaging to end a relationship.

B.The writer doesn’t think his children can avoid danger if they have their mobile with them .

C.The use of mobiles among kids may contribute to their less smoking.

D.Cigarettes are the strongest status symbol among children.

3.The underlined word “bypass” in the fifth paragraph probably means __________.

A. contact       B. avoid        C. inform        D. oppose

4.  It can be inferred from the passage that __________.

   A. The children in the family each have a mobile phone.

   B. About 60% of the children aged 15-17 have phones in Australia.

   C. The writer is likely to buy a mobile phone for his youngest child this year.

   D. The writer doesn’t agree that children should own a mobile phone.

No Mobile Means You’re Not in Touch

My household now has four mobile phones: one for me; one each for my eldest children, the twin boys; and one for my 15-year-old daughter. Only my 12-year-old son does not (yet) have his own mobile. In other words, we’re now in line with national figures, which show that Australia has 19 million mobile phones for a population of just over 20 million people. Among 15-to 17-year-olds, nearly nine out of 10.

The reality is that a mobile phone is the coolest thing of all for a teenager to own. It’s even more important than a television, a DVD player or access to the internet. If you don’t have a mobile you are, quite literally, out of touch.

Of course, there are good and bad sides to mobiles. In my global media world, I’ve lived with a mobile switched on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the past ten years. At the same time, here in Perth, I started a movement on talkback radio called CAMPIR (Campaign Against Mobile Phones in Restaurants). Nothing annoys me more than people who feel that an incoming mobile call is more important than the company they are with at a restaurant or even at their dining table at home, but I believe that in the long term, we will have a revolt against the intrusion of mobiles into our personal lives.

There was a study in New Zealand last year among young teenagers that showed a quarter have used text messaging to end a relationship. Here in Australia, I’ve read of people being fired by text. That’s cold. On the other hand, lots of parents---myself included---feel their children are safer if they have their mobile with them when they are away from home.

I’ve even read that the use of mobiles among kids may mean that they smoke less. Phones are a stronger status symbol than cigarettes among children and also give them something to do with their hands.

Psychologists, though, argue that mobiles are actually a way for kids to bypass their parents. They can communicate constantly with their friends without their parents knowing anything of the conversations. No matter what the future brings, I don’t expect ever to have fewer mobiles in the house. On the contrary, the next challenge is to see if I can get through the rest of this year without having to buy a mobile phone for my youngest child.

1.According to the passage, a mobile phone is the coolest thing for a teenager to possess because _________.

A.In their opinion, the mobile phone is the most fashionable possession

B.A mobile phone is the most useful tool in the life.

C.The teenager keeps in contact with others exactly by using a mobile phone.

D.The Internet is less important than the mobile phone.

2.,Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A.In New Zealand most young teenagers have used text messaging to end a relationship.

B.The writer doesn’t think his children can avoid danger if they have their mobile with them .

C.The use of mobiles among kids may contribute to their less smoking.

D.Cigarettes are the strongest status symbol among children.

3.The underlined word “bypass” in the fifth paragraph probably means __________.

A. contact       B. avoid        C. inform        D. oppose

4.  It can be inferred from the passage that __________.

   A. The children in the family each have a mobile phone.

   B. About 60% of the children aged 15-17 have phones in Australia.

   C. The writer is likely to buy a mobile phone for his youngest child this year.

   D. The writer doesn’t agree that children should own a mobile phone.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad has been retired. But he didn’t go quietly. In his final speech, he blamed the Jewish people for the problems between Israel and the Palestinians.
“The Jews have taken land of the Muslims,” he said. “What if part of America was given to the Jews as Israel? Would the Americans let it happen? Of course not.”
His words angered many western governments, but Mahathir doesn’t care. “I like to speak my mind,” the 77-year-old explained. “Sometimes people don’t like it. But that is what leadership is all about.”
Loved by some and disliked by others, his 22 years in power have seen great changes in Malaysia. He has taken it from being one of Asia’s poorest countries to the world’s 18th largest trading nation. It is also a peaceful country with native Malaysians living alongside minority groups. Chinese make up a quarter of the population, while a further 7.4 percent are of Indian origin. Teenage girls wearing Muslim^① headscarves happily walk around large stores as ethnic Chinese play mah-jong^② in nearby cafes.
But Mahathir has made enemies at home and abroad and some people will be glad he has gone. The US was unhappy when he often blamed it for globalization. Meanwhile, critics say that he has limited the freedom of the Malaysian people in order to stay in control of the country. Despite this, he is a hero to leaders in Southeast Asia as well as those in the Islamic^③ world. “He marked out the path to success for developing nations in the region to follow,” said Thai President Thaksin Shinawatra.
Now he just wants to enjoy his retirement and insists that he will not take on a special role in government. “I’m a nobody,” he said. But many Malaysians do not agree with this.
Notes:
①    Muslim  adj. 穆斯林的
②    mah-jong  n. 麻将
③    Islamic  adj. 伊斯兰教的
Choose the best answers according to the above:

1. 1.

   What does Mahathir probably mean by saying “But that is what leadership is all about.”?

   1. A.
      The Jews have taken land of the Muslines by strong power of their leadership.
   2. B.
      America should give part of its land to Israel though its leadership is powerful.
   3. C.
      Leadership has the obligation to speak up what you think is right or wrong.
   4. D.
      As a leader of a country, you have the right to teach those in other countries what to do and how.
2. 2.

   Which is NOT true about the following?

   1. A.
      Malaysia was no longer poor after Mahathir came into power.
   2. B.
      Malaysia is a country with natives and other minorities like Jews living alongside
      peacefully.
   3. C.
      Malaysia developed a lot within Mahathir’s power but freedom of Malaysians was
      limited.
   4. D.
      Mahathir’s role in the world is both a hero to leaders in Southeast Asia but also a possible enemy of some countries.
3. 3.

   The best title of this passage would be _________.

   1. A.
      A Religion Enthusiast
   2. B.
      Mahathir’s Political Policy
   3. C.
      Mahathir Is Malaysia
   4. D.
      Hero of the World

Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad has been retired. But he didn’t go quietly. In his final speech, he blamed the Jewish people for the problems between Israel and the Palestinians.

“The Jews have taken land of the Muslims,” he said. “What if part of America was given to the Jews as Israel? Would the Americans let it happen? Of course not.”

His words angered many western governments, but Mahathir doesn’t care. “I like to speak my mind,” the 77-year-old explained. “Sometimes people don’t like it. But that is what leadership is all about.”

Loved by some and disliked by others, his 22 years in power have seen great changes in Malaysia. He has taken it from being one of Asia’s poorest countries to the world’s 18th largest trading nation. It is also a peaceful country with native Malaysians living alongside minority groups. Chinese make up a quarter of the population, while a further 7.4 percent are of Indian origin. Teenage girls wearing Muslim^① headscarves happily walk around large stores as ethnic Chinese play mah-jong^② in nearby cafes.

But Mahathir has made enemies at home and abroad and some people will be glad he has gone. The US was unhappy when he often blamed it for globalization. Meanwhile, critics say that he has limited the freedom of the Malaysian people in order to stay in control of the country. Despite this, he is a hero to leaders in Southeast Asia as well as those in the Islamic^③ world. “He marked out the path to success for developing nations in the region to follow,” said Thai President Thaksin Shinawatra.

Now he just wants to enjoy his retirement and insists that he will not take on a special role in government. “I’m a nobody,” he said. But many Malaysians do not agree with this.

Notes:

Muslim  adj. 穆斯林的

mah-jong  n. 麻将

Islamic  adj. 伊斯兰教的

Choose the best answers according to the above:

What does Mahathir probably mean by saying “But that is what leadership is all about.”?

A. The Jews have taken land of the Muslines by strong power of their leadership.

B. America should give part of its land to Israel though its leadership is powerful.

C. Leadership has the obligation to speak up what you think is right or wrong.

D. As a leader of a country, you have the right to teach those in other countries what to do and how.

Which is NOT true about the following?

A. Malaysia was no longer poor after Mahathir came into power.

B. Malaysia is a country with natives and other minorities like Jews living alongside

   peacefully.

C. Malaysia developed a lot within Mahathir’s power but freedom of Malaysians was

   limited.

D. Mahathir’s role in the world is both a hero to leaders in Southeast Asia but also a possible enemy of some countries.

The best title of this passage would be _________.

A. A Religion Enthusiast                            B. Mahathir’s Political Policy

C. Mahathir Is Malaysia D. Hero of the World