Gadgets for Work and Play

    It’s 7：45 in the morning，and 26-year-old Steve Clarkson is going to work．1．As he leaves the house．he turns on his MP3 player and puts on his headphone．He is ready to go．

    Today，for millions of people，gadgets(小机件)like Clarkson’s ale a normal part of life．“I’m a reporter for a magazine，and I’m usually not in the office．  2，” says Clarkson．Today many people can check e-mails，send messages，or surf the Web，using their mobile phones．

    Tina Fang is studying photography in New York City．“Some of these gadgets are expensive，but they can save your money in the long run，I have a digital camera．3 ．

    I listen to music on my MP3 player，and I Call download and read books on it，too．I use the camera and MP3 for both learning and fun．”

It’s now 9：45．4  She has a gadget that lets her send e-mails，play games，and take notes．She is in class right now．“ 5 ”，laughs Clarkson．“These gadgets are fun，but sometimes they can distract(分散注意力)people，too．”

完形填空

Stop and listen! What do you __1__? You may hear many different sounds. Some of the sound __2__ noise. Noise is a loud or unwanted sound. Noise can be caused by many kinds of machines, __3__, cars, planes, farm tractors (拖拉机) and so on. And, to some people, rock music is __4__ a noise. What happens __5__ people who live near noisy machines or use them over a period of time? Doctors have found that these people have trouble __6__. But, more importantly, constant loud noise can cause a loss of __7__.

Scientists use a unit of measure __8__ a decibel to check the loudness of a sound. The sound of a quiet room, for example, measures 35 decibels. Talking measures __9__ 40 and 65 decibels. Sounds from traffic and from some rock bands can measure over 120 decibels. Noise at this high level __10__ the greatest hearing loss.

Many students ask me how they can check their progress. I think a good way to see if you are learning well is to do a self-assessment(自我评价).

A self-assessment is often in the form of questions about what you have learned in this unit. By answering these questions, you can find out how you have learned. In this way, you can learn more about yourself and about your strengths and weaknesses. Once you know your strengths, you will be more confident; once you know your weaknesses, you can concentrate on(集中注意力) improving them. Many textbooks today have a self-assessment page at the end of each unit. It’s a good idea to do self-assessments regularly. You can do it at the end of the day or week, or after each unit. A self-assessment doesn’t take long. Once you do it regularly, you will find that it can really help you become a better learner.

(　 )36. How can students check their progress according to the writer?

　　　　 A. By asking their teachers.　　　　　

　　　　 B. By asking their classmates.

　　　　 C. By talking with their parents.　　　

　　　　 D. By doing a self- assessment.

(　 )37. What do you need to do after a self-assessment?

　　　　 A. To get ready for the next unit.

　　　　 B. To improve the weaknesses.

　　　　 C. To listen to what others say about it.

　　　　 D. To write the questions down.

(　 )38. How can a self-assessment help you according to the writer?

　　　　 A. By doing a self-assessment, you can find out whether you can pass the exam.

　　　　 B. By answering self-assessment questions, you can learn more about yourself.

　　　　 C. By doing a self-assessment, you will be more confident.

　　　　 D. By doing a self-assessment, you will become stronger than before.

(　 )39. What does the underlined word “strength” mean in Chinese?

　　　　 A. 长处　　　　　　　　　　 B. 好处　　　

　　　　 C. 力量　　　　　　　　　　 D. 成绩

(　 )40. Which of the following is NOT true?

　　　　 A. Doing a self-assessment is a good way to see if you learn well.

　　　　 B. You will answer questions when you do a self-assessment.

　　　　 C. It takes a long time for students to do a self-assessment.

　　　　 D. It’s good to do self-assessments regularly.