Nowadays, computer games are becoming more and more popular in many cities and towns. A lot of small shops along busy streets have been made into small game houses in order to get more money. These places are always crowded with people, especially young boys.

In the computer game houses, people spend a lot of money competing (较量) with the machines. It's hard for one to win the computer, but one can make progress after trying again and again. People have a kind of gambling psychology(赌博心理) when they play computer games. The more they lose, the more they want to win. When class is over, the school boys run to the nearby computer game houses. Little by little! (渐渐地), they forget all about their lessons and fall far behind others. Some of them can get enough money from their parents. But some of them are not lucky enough to get the money. They begin to take away other students' money and become thieves.

49. People made small shops into small game houses in order to ______.

A. make computer games more popular       B. get more money

C. help people to learn computer better        D. make people happy

50. What must be brought to play games in the game homes?

A. Tickets.   B Paper    C. Cards.   D. Money.

51. What will happen to the boys if they keep going to the game houses?

A. They will win a lot of money.

B. They will make a lot of good friends there.

C. They will fail in their study and even break laws.

D. They will live a happy life in the future.

52. What is the passage mainly about?

A. Game houses have a bad effect on young boys. 

B. More and more small shops have been made into game houses.

C. Young boys spend a lot of money playing computer games.

D. People play games better after trying again and again.

　 　 Don't talk to me. I'm busy with my iPhone.

　 Riding a London subway, a person from China will notice one major difference: in London, people do not look at each other. In fact, eye contact is avoided at all times. That's not rudeness—people are just too busy to bother looking.

　 Busy doing what, you ask? Well, they're certainly not using the time for a moment of quiet reflection(沉思). Nor are they reading a book. New technology has replaced quiet habits. Today the only acceptable form of book on the London Underground is an e-book.

　 Apple must earn a fortune from London commuters(乘车上下班的人). Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, over 40 000-yes, that's 40 000--" apps" ( programs downloaded for the iPhone ) have been designed.

　 Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-filler. One" app", called iShoot, is a game that features tanks. Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to the exit of their destination (目的地) ISteam clouds the iPhoue screen when you breathe into the microphone. You can then write in the" steam" on your phone screen.

　 For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be the distraction(消遣) of choice. It's not just teenagers who"plug in" to their music--iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages.

　 And if games e-books and music aren't enough to keep you occupied . Then perhaps you would prefer a film? The development of palm DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite TV show or film on the way to work. With all this distraction, it's amazing that people still remember to get off the train.

　 By Nicola Davison,21st Century staff

46. People in London do not make eye contact on the subway because they are busy__________.

　 A. going to work　　　　　　　　　　　　

B. reading books

　 C. thinking private things

D. playing games, reading e-books, listening to music or watching films

47. Those who like war games can download _______to their iPhones.

　 A. iShoot　 B. Tube Exits 　　C. iSteam　　　　 D. iPod

48. The underlined word “occupied” in the last paragraph probably means ________.

A.delighted　　 B.busy　　 C.amused 　　 D. controlled

49. The article tells us that___________ .

　 A. London commuters are unfriendly to strangers

　 B. Apple has earned a lot of money from selling 40 000 apps

　 C. technology is changing the way London commuters spend their traveling time

　 D. with all the new time-fillers, London commuters often forget to get off the train.

Recently, an Internet game has become a new fashion among young office workers and students. People can “farm” on a piece of “land” and “grow”, “sell” or even “steal” “vegetables”, “flowers” and “fruits” on the Net. They earn some e-money and buy more “seeds”, “pets” and even “houses”.
Joyce interviewed some young people. Here are their opinions.
Harold: I don’t quite understand why they are so mad about the childish game. Maybe they are just not confident enough to face the real world.
Allan: I enjoy putting some “bugs” (小虫子) in my friends’’ gardens and we’ve become closer because of the game. Having fun together is the most exciting thing about it.
Laura: You know, people in the city are longing for the life in the countryside. It reduces my work pressure in the office; besides, it gives me the exciting feeling of being a “thief”.
Ivy: Well, it’s just a waste of time. Teenagers playing the game spend so many hours on it that they cannot pay more attention to their study.

1. 1.

   By playing the game, people can ______.

   1. A.
      make a lot of money
   2. B.
      make many friends
   3. C.
      have great fun
   4. D.
      better their life
2. 2.

   The people “steal” someone else’s “vegetables” to ______.

   1. A.
      live a more comfortable life
   2. B.
      show their confidence in the reality
   3. C.
      earn e-money to develop their own "farm"
   4. D.
      enjoy the feelings of being children
3. 3.

   Among the people interviewed, ______ doesn’t like the game at all.

   1. A.
      Laura
   2. B.
      Harold
   3. C.
      Joyce
   4. D.
      Allan
4. 4.

   What can you learn about Laura from the passage?

   1. A.
      She is a college student.
   2. B.
      She lives in a village.
   3. C.
      She is an office worker.
   4. D.
      She wants to be a thief.