We increasingly rely on social media to talk to friends, GPS to navigate and the web for information. But is that wise?
Google is making you stupid, your iPhone’s making you anxious and your social networks are making you anti-social. Modem technology is driving each of us into a cognitive (认知的) disorder, and if we aren’t careful we’ll be beaten into a stupor (麻木).
Of course, the real story isn’t as clear as all that But stories continue because the sense that something is eroding our mental abilities feels right We struggle to remember our own phone number, while only a few years ago we could recall dozens. Online, readers prefer short, simple stories to long, subtle pieces, and we all know someone who breaks out in a sweat when separated from their smartphone.
So what’s really happening? The first thing to consider is that this kind of ‘neuro-anxiety’ about the tools we use is nothing new. In 370 BC, Plato warned that the Greeks’ “trust in writing77 would “discourage the use of their own memory”. Sound familiar?
The reality is that our brains do change when we use a smartphone or computer — but they also change when we use a pen, a screwdriver, or any other tool for that matter. They change when we mow the lawn, play golf or cook dinner. Our experiences continually shape the way the brain works So the question isn’t really ‘is tech changing our brains?’ but ‘how are our brains adapting to living in today’s screen-first, always-online, networked world?’
Scientifically speaking, we’re a long way from definitive answers, but we looked at the latest research and talked to leading experts in their fields to discover how they think our brains are being affected….
【小题1】In Paragraph Two, the author tries to tell us       of modern technology.

A．the bad effects	B．the benefits
C．the overuse	D．the diversity

【小题2】The author takes Plato for example in Paragraph Four to       .

A．warn people not to use writing tools

B．present the development of technology

C．show people’s anxiety about technology always exists

D．explain writing tools have an influence on people’s memory

【小题3】From the last two paragraphs, we can infer that       .

A．modem technology has the greatest effect on our brains

B．our brains are always changing no matter what we do

C．it’s easy to find out how our brains adapt to the modem world

D．the latest research about modem technology is quite helpful

【小题4】What’s the author’s attitude toward modem technology?

A．indifferent	B．opposed
C．doubtful	D．objective

How much weight a baby gains during its first month could determine its IQ, as a new research suggests. The study found that children who gain more weight, and whose heads grow quickly during the first month of life, tend to have a higher IQ when they start school.
Researchers at the University of Adelaide, in Australia^ studied 13,800 children who were born at full-term. They found that those who put on 40% of their birth weight in the first four weeks had an IQ 1.5 points higher than those who only put on 15% of their birth weight. Those who experienced the biggest growth in head circumference (头围) also had the highest IQs by the age of six.
“Head circumference is an indicator of brain volume, so a greater increase in head circumference in a newly-born baby suggests more rapid brain growth,” says the led author of the study, Dr. Lisa Smithers.
She added, “Overall, newly-born children who grew faster in the first four weeks had higher IQ scores later in life. Those children who gained the most weight scored especially high on verbal (言语) IQ at age 6. This may be because the neural (神经的) structures for verbal IQ develop earlier in life, which means the rapid weight gain during the first month could be having a direct cognitive benefit for the children.”
Previous studies have shown the association between early postnatal (产后的) diet and IQ, but this is the first study of its kind to focus on the IQ benefits of rapid weight gain in the first month of life. Dr. Smithers says the study further highlights the need for successful feeding of newly-born babies. “We know that many mothers have difficulty establishing breastfeeding in the first week of their babies’ life,” Dr. Smithers said.
“The findings of our study suggest that if babies are having feeding problems, there needs to be early intervention (干预) in the management of that feeding.”
【小题1】The study mainly shows that ________.

A．head circumference is certainly connected to IQ.

B．babies’ heads grow quickly during the first month.

C．full-term babies tend to be cleverer than premature babies. (早产儿)

D．the more weight newly-born babies gain, the higher IQ they are likely to have.

【小题2】How did the researchers get their conclusion from the study?

A．By asking questions.

B．By making comparison.

C．By having a discussion.

D．By referring to documents.

【小题3】According to Dr. Lisa Smithers, we can learn that ________.

A．a kid’s verbal IQ scores reach its highest at age six.

B．this study helps parents find feeding problems.

C．quick weight gain benefits newly born babies on verbal IQ.

D．this study reminds parents of the need for breastfeeding.

【小题4】The study differs from previous ones that _________.

A．it associates early postnatal diet with IQ.

B．it pays attention to the IQ of newly-born babies.

C．it emphasizes the significance of successful feeding.

D．it first focuses on the relation between IQ and weight gain in the first month of life.

You can’t always predict a heavy rain or remember your umbrella. But designer Mikhail Belyaev doesn’t think that forgetting to check the weather forecast before heading out should result in you getting wet. That’s why he created lampbrella, a lamp post with its own rain sensing umbrella.
The designer says he came up with the idea after watching people get wet on streets in Russia. “Once, I was driving on a central Saint Petersburg street and saw the street lamps lighting up people trying to hide from the rain. I thought it would be appropriate to have a canopy（伞蓬）built into a street lamp.” he said.
The lampbrella is a standard-looking street lamp fitted with an umbrella canopy with a built-in electric motor which can open or close the umbrella on demand. Sensors（传感器）first ensure that it starts raining and the motors open up in response to their sensors and then people can protect themselves from the rain under the canopies.
In addition to the rain sensor, there’s also a 360° motion sensor on the fiberglass street lamp which detects whether anyone’s using the lampbrella. After three minutes of not being used, the canopy is closed.
According to the designer, the lampbrella would move at a relatively low speed, so as not to cause harm to the pedestrians. Besides, it would be grounded to protect from possible lightning strike. Each lampbrella would offer enough shelter for several people. Being installed（安装）at 2 meters off the ground, it would only be a danger for the tallest of pedestrians.
While there are no plans to take lampbrella into production, Belyaev says he recently introduced his creation to one Moscow Department, and insists his creation could be installed on any street where a lot of people walk but there are no canopies to provide shelter.
【小题1】What do we know from Belyaev’s words in Paragraph2?

A．His creation was inspired by an experience.

B．It rains a lot in the city of Saint Petersburg.

C．Street lamps are protected by canopies.

D．He enjoyed taking walks in the rain.

【小题2】Which of the following shows how the lampbrella works?

A．Motor→Canopy→Sensors.	B．Sensors→Motor-Canopy.
C．Motor→Sensors→Canopy.	D．Canopy→Motor→Sensors.

【小题3】What does paragraph 5 mainly tell us about the lampbrella?

A．Its moving speed.	B．Its appearance.
C．Its disadvantages.	D．Its safety.

【小题4】What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．The designer will open a company to promote his product.

B．The lampbrella could be put into immediate production.

C．The designer is confident that his creation is practical.

D．The lampbrella would be put on show in Moscow.