59. The main purpose of the passage is to ________.

　 A. tell a story　　 B. provide facts　　 C. give advice　　 D. compare opinions

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B

　　 David, a typical American, stays home on workdays. He just plugs into his personal computer terminal(终端)to link up with his office. After work, he watches a movie on his home video recorder, or challenges himself to a game of electronic baseball. On many days, David does not talk to any other human beings, and he doesn’t see any people except the ones on television. David is imaginary, but his lifestyle is very possible. The inventions of modern technology seem to be cutting off from contact with our fellow beings.

　　 The world of business is one area in which technology is isolating(隔离) us. Experts predict, for example, that many people will soon be able to work at home. With access to a large central computer, employees such as insurance agents, secretaries, and accountants(会计) could do their jobs at display terminals in their own homes. They would never have to actually see the people they are dealing with. In addition, the way employees are paid will change. Workers’ salaries will automatically(自动地) be credited(计入…名下) to their bank accounts. No workers will stand in line to receive their pay or cash their checks. Personal banking will change too. Customers(客户) will deal with machines to save or draw money from their accounts. Bank loans(贷款)will be approved or refused, not in an interview with a loan officer, but through a display screen.

　　 Another area that technology is changing is entertainment. Music, for example, was once a group experience. People listened to music at halls or in small social gatherings. For many people now, however, music is a solitary(孤独的) experience. Walking along the street or sitting in their living room, they wear headphones to build a wall of music around them. Many more are choosing to wait for a film to appear on television or are renting videocassettes(录像带) to watch at home.

Instead of being involved with the laughter, applause, or hisses(尖叫声) of the audience, viewers watch movie in the isolation of their living rooms.

　 Our games and sports are so changing. Rather than play hide-seek games or baseball after school, children now rush to the local video arcade(有拱顶的楼) to stare at their individual(个人的) electronic playing fields. They are no longer interested in competing or interacting with each other.

　 Technology, then, seem to be driving human beings apart. Soon, we may no longer need to communicate with other human beings to do our work, entertain ourselves, or play the games we enjoy. Machines will be the co-workers and partners of the future.

58. The word “ steering” underlined in the last paragraph most probably means ________.

　 A. forcing　　　　 B. guiding　　　　 C. driving　　　　 D. moving

57. The author thinks that children are becoming overweight in that ________.

　 A. their parents often cook meals for them　 B. they are too busy to go out and play

　 C. they can’t choose what to eat　　 　　　D. there are too many fast food shops around

56. According to the text, what kind of children may eat more unhealthy food?　 ________ .

　 A. Those who often take exercise　　　　 B. Those who often watch TV

　 C. Those who often have meals at home 　　D. Those who often walk to school

54.　 A. or　　　　　　　 B. and　　　　　　　 C. so　　　　 　　　D. yet

53.　 A. myself　　　　 　　B. yourself　　　 　　　C. itself　　　　　 D. themselves

52.　 A. accept　　　 　　　B. warn　　　　 　　C. break　　　 　　　D. catch

51.　 A. relaxing　　　　　 B. interesting　　　 　　C. easy　　　　 　　D. difficult

50.　 A. before　　　　 　　B. after　　　　　　 C. throughout　 　　D. while