A few months ago, it wasn't unusual for 47-year-old Carla Toebe to spend 15 hours per day online. She'd wake up early, turn on her laptop and chat on Internet dating sites and instant-messaging programs – leaving her bed for only brief breaks. Her household bills piled up, along with the dishes and dirty laundry, but it took constant complaints from her four daughters before she realized she had a problem.

　　"I was starting to feel like my whole world was falling apart – kind of slipping into a depression," said Carla. "I knew that if I didn't get off the dating sites, I'd just keep going," detaching (使脱离) herself further from the outside world.

　　Toebe's conclusion: She felt like she was "addicted" to the Internet. She's not alone.

　　Concern about excessive Internet use isn't new. As far back as 1995, articles in medical journals and the establishment of a Pennsylvania treatment center for overusers aroused interest in the subject. But as reliance on the Web grows, there are signs that the question is getting more serious attention: Last month, a study published in CNS Spectrums claimed to be the first large-scale look at Internet overuse. The American Psychiatric Association may also consider listing Internet addiction in the next edition. And scores of online discussion boards have popped up, on which people discuss negative experiences tied to too much time on the Web.

    The new CNS Spectrums study was based on results of a nationwide telephone survey of more than 2,500 adults. Like the latest survey, this one was conducted by Stanford University researchers. About 6% of respondents reported that "their relationships suffered because of excessive Internet use." About 9% attempted to conceal "nonessential Internet use," and nearly 4% reported feeling " still occupied by the Internet when offline."

　　"The Internet problem is still in its early stage," said Maressa Orzack, a Harvard University professor. No single online activity is to blame for excessive use, he said. "They're online in chat rooms, checking e-mail, or writing blogs. The problem is not limited to porn (色情) or gambling websites.”

　　“Excessive Internet use should be defined not by the number of hours spent online but in terms of losses.”said Maressa Orzack. "If it's a loss where you're not getting to work, and family relationships are breaking down as a result, then it's too much."

　　Since the early 1990s, several clinics have been established in the U. S. to treat heavy Internet users. They include the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery and the Center for Internet Behavior.

　　The website for Orzack's center lists the following among the psychological symptoms of computer addiction:

　　● Having a sense of happiness or excitement while at the computer.

　　● Longing for more and more time at the computer.

　　● Neglect of family and friends.

　　● Feeling empty, depremssed or irritable when not at the computer.

　　● Lying to employers and family about activities.

　　● Inability to stop the activity.

　　● Problems with school or job.

　　Physical symptoms listed include dry eyes, backaches, skipping meals, poor personal hygiene (卫生) and sleep disturbances.

　　“People who struggle with Internet overuse maybe depressed or have other mood disorders.” Orzack said. When she discusses Internet habits with her patients, they often report that being online offers a "sense of belonging, and escape, excitement and fun," she said. “Some people say relief…because they find themselves so relaxed.”

　　Some parts of the Internet seem to draw people in more than others. Internet gamers spend countless hours competing in games against people from all over the world. One such game, called World of Warcraft, is cited on many sites by posters complaining of a "gaming addiction."

　　Andrew Heidrich, an education network administrator from Sacramento, plays World of Warcraft for about two to four hours every other night, but that's nothing compared with the 40 to 60 hours a week he spent playing online games when he was in college. He cut back only after a full-scale family intervention (干预), in which relatives told him he'd gained weight.

　　“There's this whole culture of competition that sucks people in with online gaming, ”said Heidrich, now a father of two. People do it at the expense of everything that was a constant in their lives." Heidrich now visits websites that discuss gaming addiction regularly “to remind myself to keep my love for online games in check”.

　　Toebe also regularly visits a site where posters discuss Internet overuse. In August, when she first realized she had a problem, she posted a message on a Yahoo Internet addiction group with the subject line:“I have an Internet Addiction.”

　　“I'm self-employed and need the Internet for my work, but I'm failing to accomplish my work, to take care of my home, to give attention to my children,”she wrote in a message sent to the group. “I have no money or insurance to get professional help; I can't even pay my loan and face losing everything.”

　　Since then, Toebe said, she has kept her promise to herself to cut back on her Internet use. "I have a boyfriend now, and I'm not interested in online dating," she said by phone last week. "It's a lot better now."

1. What eventually made Carla Toebe realize she was spending too much time on the Internet?

　A. Her daughter's repeated complaints.

　B. Tiredness resulting from lack of sleep.

　C. The poorly managed state of her house.

　D. The high financial costs adding up.

2.What is the main idea of para4?

A. A study claimed to be the first large-scale look at Internet overuse.

B. The American Psychiatric Association plans to list Internet addiction in its edition.

C. There are heated discussions about negative experiences over internet overuse.

D. There is a growing concern towards internet addiction.

3. According to Professor Maressa Orzack, Internet use would be considered excessive if ______.

　A. it seriously affected family relationships

　B. one visited porn websites frequently

　C. too much time was spent in chat rooms

　D. people got involved in online gambling

4. According to Orzack, people who struggle with heavy dependence on    

the Internet may feel ______.

　A. discouraged   B. pressured    C. depressed    D. puzzled

5. Andrew Heidrich now visits websites that discuss online gaming addiction to _____.

　A. improve his online gaming skills

　B. control his desire for online gaming

　C. show how good he is at online gaming

　D. exchange online gaming experience

6.Which of the following best describes the tone(口吻) of the passage ?

 A. Humorous      B. Ironic       C. Objective      D. Casual

One of India's top engineering schools has restricted Internet access in its boarding houses, saying addiction to surfing, gaming and blogging was affecting students' performance, making them lonely and even suicidal.

Authorities at the best Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Mumbai said students had stopped socializing and many were late for morning classes or slept through them. "Now, a student doesn't even know who lives two doors away from him because he is so busy on the Internet," said Prakash Gopalan, dean of student affairs. "The old dormitory culture of companionship and socializing among students is gone. This is not healthy in our opinion."

IIT-Mumbai, with about 5,000 students, is one of seven IITs across India which are considered to be among the finest engineering schools in the world. They are also a talent pool for global technology giants. But their hard courses, tough competition and lonely campus lifestyle have taken an effect on students. Depressive and dysfunctional (不正常的) lifestyles are known to be common among IIT students, and at least nine have committed suicide in the past five years. Students have unlimited free Internet access in their boarding houses to help them in their studies, but many also use it to surf, chat, download movies and music, blog and for gaming.

Starting Monday, Internet access will be banned between 11 p.m. and 12.30 p.m. at IIT-Mumbai's 13 boarding buildings to encourage students to sleep early and to try and force them out of their "shells," Gopalan said. But the move has not gone down well with students who say they hate their lives being regulated. "Now they will say we need to listen to a lullaby (摇篮曲) to go to sleep," said Rajiv, an electronics student.

Which of the following is not the possible effect of free Internet access on students?

A. There has been a decline in students’ lessons.

B. Participation in social activities has gone down.

C. Some students feel lonely and even suicidal.

D. Students don’t even know his classmates.

What measure has been taken in IIT- Mumbai?

A. Students have unlimited free Internet access in their dormitories.

B. Students are forbidden to surf the Internet.

C. Internet access is unavailable in deep night.

D. Students must go to bed before 11 p.m.

In the passage the students are told to _____.

A. sleep through their lessons                    B. break away from the Internet

C. go to sleep along with music          D. stop surfing, make friends

We may infer from the last paragraph that _____.

A. the banning order causes some complaints among the students

B. all electronics students hate the banning order

C. more students prefer listening to music to surfing the Internet

D. there is no Internet access on the IIT campus even since.

In just two months, the latest buzzword from the Internet, diaosi, has spread so much that it can be found everywhere—from online forums(论坛) to micro blogs. Many people even call themselves diaosi. It’s not the first time a term has gone popular on the Internet in China. However, why is the word so viral that is has become a cultural phenomenon? Here, we tell you something you want to know about it.

Where it began

The word originated in Baidu. Com’s Tieba (a top Chinese bulletin board system) of soccer player Li Yi. There, fans of Li, who are called yisi in Chinese, not only talk about soccer but complain about their lives, work and relationships. Yisi, who are known for their rude and dirty language, were given the name diaosi by others who have seen their posts.

What a “diaosi” is like

The word diaosi was coined first by single, young men who feel they have dead-end lives. Generally, men in this category don’t earn enough, are not good-looking, and have difficulty winning promotion(晋升). Unlike their upper-class contemporaries(同代人), they lack influential families, useful social networks for their careers, and most importantly, suitable women to marry. “I’m just a diaosi, poor and plain-looking. Who will marry me?” The sigh can be heard, which is half self-mockery(自嘲), half reality. Many young men call themselves diaosi because they feel they are among the lowest classes of the society.

“Diaosi” culture reflects social changes

According to Zhu Chongke, a professor in the School of Asia-Pacific Studies at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, the popularity of this word diaosi stems from the fact that is was created by common people and thus resonates(共鸣) with a huge population. “Labeling yourself a diaosi offers a way for people to mock themselves and relieve pressure, hence it spread quickly,” he told Xinhua Agency. “The attitude is basically: ‘I already have little to lose, so why don’t I mock myself for gun?’.” The phenomenon reflects a larger social issues. These young people have no influential family background, no chances of receiving promotion at work or no economic strength to find a proper woman to marry. It reflects a deep sense of loss.

1.Diaosi refers to the ones with following features except       .

A. the ones who don’t earn much.

B. the ones who are not good-looking.

C. the ones who have difficulty winning promotion

D. the ones who have suitable people to marry.

2.The word “diaosi” is so popular because         .

A. It was used to describe the fans of soccer player Li Yi.

B. It was created by common people and resonates with a huge population.

C. It is new and interesting.

D. It helps people who are among the lowest classes mock themselves.

3.Which of the following is NOT true?

A. It’s not the first time a term like “diaosi” has gone popular on the Internet.

B. The name “diaosi” was given by those people who are among the lowest classes.

C. Many young people call themselves diaosi because they have a deep sense of loss.

D. Calling yourself diaosi can probably mock yourselves and release pressure.

4.The author’s attitude to diaosi is       .

A. positive           B. negative       C. neutral(中立的)        D. indifferent

下面短文中有10处语言错误。请再有错误的地方增加，删除或修改某个单词。

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写上该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写上修改后的词。

注意：1.每处错误及修改均仅限一词；

          2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。

Dear Sir/Madam,

I learned from the newspaper that your company needs a English secretary. I’m really interested in this position and hoped I can work for you.

I’m 18 years old and will be graduated from Xinxing Foreign Language School this July. I’m an excellent student, among the top 5 in my class of 50 students. I’m good at English, specially spoken English. I often use the computer and I type very fast. On my spare time, I read a lot of. Poems is my favorite. I enjoy music very much either. Being an active young person, I like sports and outdoor activities. However, I’m easy to get along and I like to make friends.

I’m looking forward to your reply.

Li Hua

There is famous story about British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge．He was writing a poem when he was interrupted by a knock at the door．
This was an age before telephones．Someone was delivering a message．When Colcridge got back to his poem, he had lost his inspiration．His poetic mood had been broken by the knock on his
door．His unfinished poem, which could otherwise have been a masterpiece, would now never be more than a fragment(碎片,片段)．
This story tells how unexpected communication can destroy an important thought, which brings us to the cell phone．
The most common complaint about cell phones is that people talk on them to the annoyance of people around them．But marc damaging may be the cell phone’s disruption of our thoughts．
We have already entered a golden age of little white lies about our call phones, and this is by and large a healthy, productive development．" I didn't hear it ring" or " I didn't realize my cell phone had shut off" arc among the lies we tell to give ourselves space where we’re beyond reach．
The notion or idea of being unreachable is not a new concept-we havoc "Do Not Disturb" signs on the doors of hotel rooms． So why must we feel guilty when it comes to cell phones? Why must we apologize if we decide to shut off the phone for a while?
The problem is that we come from a long-established tradition of difficulty with distance communication．Until the recent mass deployment of cell phones, it was easy to communicate with someone next to us or a few feet away, but difficult with someone across town, the country or the
globe．We came to take it for granted．
But cell phones make long-distance communication common, and endanger our time by ourselves．Now time alone, or conversation with someone next to us which cannot be interrupted by a phone, is something to be cherished．Even cell phone devotees, myself usually included, can't help at times wanting to throw their cell phone away, or curse the day they were invented．
But we don't and won't, and there really is no need．All that's required to take back our private time is a general social recognition that we have the right to it．
In other words, we have to develop a healthy contempt for the rings of our phones．Given the case of making and receiving cell phone calls, if we don-t talk to the caller right now, we surely will shortly later．
A cell phone call deserves no greater priority than a random word from a person next to us．Though the call on my cell phone may be the one-in-a-million from Steven Spielberg-who has  finally read my novel and wants to make it his next movie．But most likely it is not, and I'm better
off thinking about the idea I just had for a new story, or the pizza I’ll eat for lunch．
【小题1】What's the point of the anecdote about poet Coleridge in the first three paragraphs?