Question

Everyone looks forward to progress, whether in one’s personal life or in the general society. Progress indicates a person’s ability to change the way he is living at the moment. Progress must lead a better way of doing things. All these, however, remains true only in so far as people want to accept technology and move forward by finding new and more efficient ways of doing things.

However, at the back of the minds of many people, especially those who missed the “good old days”, efficiency comes with a price. When communication becomes efficient, people are able to contact one another no matter where they are and at whatever time they wish to. The click of a button allows people miles apart to talk or to see each other without even leaving their homes. With the communication gadgets, such as mobile phones and ipads, people often do not take the effect to visit one another personally. A personal visit carries with it the additional feature of having to be in the person’s presence for as long as the visit lasts. We cannot unnecessarily excuse our selves or turn the other person off.

With efficiency also comes mass production. Such is the nature of factories and the success of industrialization today. Factories have improved efficiency. Unskillful tasks are left to machines and products are better made and produced with greater accuracy than any human hand could ever have done. However, with the improvements in efficiency also comes the loss of the personal touch when making these products. For example, many handcrafts(手工藝品) are now produced in a factory. Although this means that supply is better able to increase demand, now that the supply is quick and efficient, the demand might fall because mass production lowers the quality of the handicraft and it is difficult to find unique designs on each item.

Nevertheless, we must not commit the mistake of analyzing progress only from one point of view. In fact, progress has allowed tradition to keep up. It is only with progress and the invention of new technology that many old products can be brought back to their old state. New technology is required for old products to stay old.

It is people’s attitude towards progress that causes the type of influence that technology has on society. Technology is flexible. There is no fixed way of making use of it. Everything depends on people’s attitude. The worst effects of progress will fall on those who are unable to rethink their attitudes and views of society. When we accept progress and adapt it to suit our needs, a new “past” is created.

1.According to Paragraph 1, progress can benefit people when they are willing to _______.

A. live a better life B. look for better methods

C. change ways of living D. accept technology and advance steadily

2.The underlined word “gadgets” is closest in meaning to _______.

A. tools B. messages C. barriers D. skills

3.The author explains “efficiency comes with a price” by _______.

A. describing a process B. using examples

C. following time order D. making classification

4.Compared with home-made handicrafts, machine made products _______.

A. lack great accuracy B. lack the personal touch

C. are of high value D. are quite welcome

5.What can be learned about technology from Paragraph 4?

A. It can destroy old traditions.

B. It can lead to social progress.

C. It can be used to correct mistakes.

D. It can be used to preserve old products.

6.What can be concluded from the last paragraph?

A. Progress can suit the needs of daily life.

B. People review the past with great regret.

C. Technology should be introduced in a fixed way.

D. People’s attitude decides the use of technology.

 

Answer 1

1.D

2.A

3.B

4.B

5.D

6.D

【解析】

【文章大意】這是一篇議論文。眾所周知，發(fā)展可以為人類和社會帶來各種便利，但新技術(shù)的使用對社會產(chǎn)生何種影響取決于人們的態(tài)度。因為發(fā)展的同時，會付出一定的代價。如，大批量生產(chǎn)使手工產(chǎn)品質(zhì)量的降低，產(chǎn)品個性的缺失，產(chǎn)品人文性的喪失等。呼吁先進性與傳統(tǒng)性要協(xié)調(diào)同步發(fā)展。

1.D解析：細節(jié)理解題 文章第一段告訴我們，不論個人還是社會都需要發(fā)展，發(fā)展為的是改善現(xiàn)狀，求得更有效的行事方法。但是，所有的這些只有在人們接受這些技術(shù)和改進（All these, however, remains true only in so far as people want to accept technology and move forward......），這樣發(fā)展才能起更大作用。因此D選項符合此意。

2.A解析：詞義猜測題 原文說“有了交際......，比如手機，ipads 等，人們就不會經(jīng)常登門拜訪（With the communication gadgets, such as mobile phones and ipads, people often do not take the effect to visit one another personally.），根據(jù)所劃線部分詞舉的例子，我們可以猜出是指手機等交往工具。因此A選項正確。

3.B解析：寫作手法理解題 該段首句提出，懷舊的人們認為：高效率帶來的發(fā)展要有代價的。接著作者以人們手機，平板電腦等的使用為例加以說明。由此得知，B選項與此意吻合。

4.B解析：細節(jié)理解題 第三段告訴我們高效率帶來產(chǎn)品的大批量的生產(chǎn)。但比起手工制作， 因沒有個性造成與人類聯(lián)系的缺失（However, with the improvements in efficiency also comes the loss of the personal touch when making these products.）。.所以B 選項正確。

5.D解析：段意理解題 第四段從發(fā)展的另一角度告訴我們，新技術(shù)可以用來保持傳統(tǒng)。就是因為發(fā)展和新技術(shù)的運用使許多古老的東西風(fēng)韻猶存（It is only with progress and the invention of new technology that many old products can be brought back to their old state.），所以D 選項正確。

6.D解析：主旨要義題 最后一段首句告訴我們，人們對發(fā)展的態(tài)度是技術(shù)給社會產(chǎn)生相應(yīng)影響的根源（It is people’s attitude towards progress that causes the type of influence that technology has on society.）；然后作者從正反兩方面論證這一中心。所以D 選項正確。