1、大学英语四级改革适用（阅读）模拟试卷 114及答案与解析 Section B 0 How to Use Technology to Make You Smarter A)Can a calculator make you smarter? The QAMA(developed by Ilan Samson, an “inventor-in-residence“ at the University of California, San Diego)calculator can. You use it just like a regular calculator, plugging in the
2、numbers of the problem you want to solve but QAMA wont give you the answer until you provide an accurate estimate of what that answer will be. If your estimate is way off, youll have to go back to the problem and see where you went wrong. If your estimate is close, QAMA will serve up the precise sol
3、ution, and you can compare it to your own guess. Either way, youll learn a lot more than if you simply copied the answer that a calculator spit out. B)Ever since journalist Nicholas Carr posed a provocative question “Is Google Making Us Stupid?“ in a widely-read 2008 Atlantic magazine, weve been arg
4、uing about whether the new generation of digital devices is leading us to become smarter, or stupider, than we were before. Now psychologists and cognitive scientists are beginning to deliver their verdicts(判断 ). Here, the research on an array of technological helpers: Calculators C)Cognitive scient
5、ists long ago identified the “generation effect“ the fact that we understand and remember answers that we generate ourselves better than those that are provided us(by a calculator, for instance). But a study published last year in the Journal of Educational Psychology found that adults who tried to
6、solve arithmetic problems on their own but then obtained the answer from a calculator did just as well on a later test as those who didnt use calculators at all. If you dont have a QAMA calculator around, you can approximate its effects by holding off using a traditional calculator until youve tried
7、 to come up with a solution yourself. Auto-complete D)Frequent users of smart phones quickly get used to the “auto-complete“ function of their devices the way they need only type a few letters and the phone fills in the rest. Maybe too used to it, in fact. This handy function seems to make adolescen
8、t users faster, but less accurate, when responding to a battery of cognitive tests, according to a research published in 2009 in the journal Bioelectromagnetics. Texting E)A study led by researchers at the University of Coventry in Britain surveyed a group of eight-to twelve-year-olds about their te
9、xting habits, then asked them to write a sample text in the lab. The scientists found that kids who sent three or more text messages a day had significantly lower scores on literacy tests than children who sent none. But those children who, when asked to write a text message, showed greater use of t
10、ext abbreviations(like “c u 18r“ for “see you later“)tended to score higher on a measure of verbal reasoning ability likely because the condensed language of texting requires an awareness of how sounds relate to written English. Search engines F)The ready availability of search engines is changing t
11、he way we use our memories, reported psychologist Betsy Sparrow of Columbia University in a study published in Science last year. When people expect to have future access to information, Sparrow wrote, “they have lower rates of recall of the information itself and enhanced recall instead for where t
12、o access it. “ Its good to know where to find the information you need but decades of cognitive science research shows that skills like critical thinking and problem-solving can be developed only in the context of factual knowledge. In other words, youve got to have knowledge stored in your head, no
13、t just in your computer. E-mail G)E-mail is a convenient way to communicate, but trying to answer messages while also completing other work makes us measurably less intelligent. Glenn Wilson, psychiatrist at Kings College London University, monitored employees over the course of a workday and found
14、that those who divided their attention between e-mail and other tasks experienced a 10-point decline in IQ. Their decrease in intellectual ability was as great as if theyd missed a whole nights sleep, and twice as great as if theyd been smoking marijuana(大麻 ). For every technological trap, however,
15、theres a technological solution: When you need to get work done, use Freedom or another such program that will shut down your access to the Internet for a period of time. Websites H)Way back in 2001, reading specialists Anne Cunningham and Keith Stanovich reported in the Journal of Direct Instructio
16、n that scores on a test of general knowledge were highest among people who read newspapers, magazines and books, and lowest among those who watched a lot of TV. Watching television, they noted, is “negatively associated with knowledge acquisition“ except when the TV watching involved public televisi
17、on, news, or documentary programs. Cunningham and Stanovich didnt look at Internet use, but the same information divide exists online: high-quality, accurate information, and, well, fluff(无价值的东西 ). I)So does technology make us stupid, or smart? The answer is “both“, and the choice is up to us. 1 Chi
18、ldren who like texting are likely to know fewer words compared with those who dont text messages. 2 QAMA will force people to find the reason for their inaccurate estimate. 3 Watching TV can help us accumulate knowledge when we watch public television, news, or documentary programs. 4 People can wor
19、k offline for a while to avoid any access to the Internet. 5 According to a study, people who accept the answer from a calculator after serious try may do as well on a later test as those who dont use calculators at all. 6 Glenn Wilson found that peoples intelligence might weaken when they divided t
20、heir attention among several tasks. 7 People who read newspapers, magazines, and books acquired more general knowledge than those who watched a lot of TV. 8 The “generation effect“ is the fact that the problems solved by ourselves are more comprehensible. 9 It is up to us whether modern technology h
21、as a good or bad effect on us. 10 According to a research in Bioelectromagnetics,“auto-complete“ function may cause inaccuracy. 10 How Safe Is Your Cell Phone? A)It takes a little extra work to get in touch with Andrea Boland. The Maine state representative answers e-mails and lists her business and
22、 home phone numbers on the Web. But unlike many politicians who use the cell phones called BlackBerrys, she keeps her cell switched off unless shes expecting a call. If she continues to remain this, everyone in Maine will think about her comments on their mobiles. B)In March, Maines legislature will
23、 begin debating a bill she submitted that would require manufacturers to put a warning label on every cell phone sold in the state declaring, “This device emits electromagnetic radiation, exposure to which may cause brain cancer.“ Her warning would continue, “Users, especially children and pregnant
24、women, should keep this device away from the head and body. “ C)For those of you now eyeing your cell phones suspiciously, its worth noting that both the National Cancer Institute(NCI)and the World Health Organization(WHO)say there isnt evidence to support the assertion that cell phones are a public
25、-health threat. But a number of scientists are worried that there has been a dangerous rush to declare cell phones safe, using studies they feel are inadequate and too often weighted toward the wireless industrys interests. An analysis published by University of Washington neurologist Henry Lai dete
26、rmined that far more independent studies than industry-funded studies have found at least some type of biological effect from cell phone exposure. D)Several countries including Finland, Israel and France have issued guidelines for cell phone use. And San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who began resea
27、rching the issue when his wife was expecting their first child, is hoping his city will adopt legislation that would have manufacturers print radiation information on cell phone packaging and handbooks and require retailers to display the data on the sales floor. E)With 270 million Americans and 4 b
28、illion people around the world using cell phonesand increasing every day a strong link between mobiles and cancer could have major public-health implications. As cell phones make and take calls, they emit low-level radio-frequency(RF)radiation. Stronger than FM radio signals, these RF waves are stil
29、l a billionth the intensity of radiation which can cause cancer such as X-rays. The wireless industry contends that RF radiation lacks the strength to alter molecules in the human body; the Federal Communications Commission maximum for cell phone-signal exposure is intended to prevent RF radiation f
30、rom heating tissue to the point that cells are damaged. Cell phone RF radiations “effect on the body, at least at this time, appears to be insufficient to produce genetic damage typically associated with developing cancer“, Dr. Robert Hoover, director of the National Cancer Institutes Epidemiology a
31、nd Biostatistics Program, testified at a 2008 congressional hearing. F)But the body of research is far from conclusive. In 1995, Lais study showing that a single two-hour exposure of RF radiation at levels considered safe by US standardsproduced the sort of genetic damage in rats brain cells that ca
32、n lead to cancer. Though subsequent researchers often funded in part by the wireless industry failed to support Lais results, a 2004 European Union-funded study reported similar findings. Dariusz Leszczynski, a research professor at Finlands Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority in Helsinki, has do
33、ne studies indicating that RF radiation may create a stress reaction in the cells that line blood vessels, leading to a dangerous breach in the blood-brain barrier. “Mobile-phone radiation may be able to indirectly hurt cells, perhaps by interfering with their ability to repair normal DNA damage,“ h
34、e says. “Given the scientific uncertainty, its early to say the use of cell phones is safe.“ G)If RF radiation increases the chances of developing brain cancer, it should show up in long-term studies of cell phone users. But many studies have found no clear connection, including a 2007 Danish Cancer
35、 Society study of 421 000 cell phone users, which led many in the media to conclude that mobiles are harmless. Now, “ peer-reviewed scientific evidence has overwhelmingly indicated that wireless devices do not pose a risk,“ says John Walls, a spokesman for CTIA, a global wireless association. H)Ther
36、e are problems with many of these studies, however. For starters, the Danish one which reviewed the medical records of people who had signed up for cell phones from 1982 to 1995 didnt include all the business users, who were among the earliest users and most intensive users, because they were not bi
37、lled directly. Also, the study looked only at tumors that were diagnosed by 2002 not long after daily use of cell phones became widespread. Brain cancers can take several decades to develop, so it might be many years before measuring the cancer rates. “The latency(潜伏 )period we have is far too short
38、,“ says Dr. Siegal Sadetzki, a cancer researcher at Israels Gertner Institute whose studies have found some connections between cell phone use and salivary-gland(唾液腺 )tumors. “And today, people are using the phone much more heavily. “ I)Sadetzki served as Israels principal investigator in the Interp
39、hone study, which was conducted over the past several years by 13 countries, most of them European. The Interphone results initially were to be published in 2006, but the final report has been postponed repeatedly, and the study investigators are reportedly deeply divided. In the US, which isnt one
40、of the Interphone countries, the National Toxicology Program is launching studies of the health effects of cell phones. But peer-reviewed results wont be available until at least 2014. J)Thats a long time to wait for the last result. The good news is that there are easy ways for those concerned abou
41、t RF radiation to cut down on exposure. Using your cell phones speaker or connecting a wired headset while keeping the handset away from your body drastically reduces RF exposure. Bluetooth headsets help too, but they still emit some radiation. And given the potentially more serious risks for childr
42、en, who have thinner skulls than adults, parents might want to wait before handing teens their first phone or at least ensure they use it mostly for texting. K)Meanwhile, a start-up, Pong Research, is selling cell phone cases that significantly reduce radiation exposure by channeling waves away from
43、 the head. Alfred Wong, Pongs chief scientist and a professor emeritus(荣誉退休者 )of physics at UCLA, says, “I think its best to avoid as much of the risk as possible until the verdict is in. “ L)Thats exactly what Boland and other advocates of warning labels are arguing. Its true that cell phone use ha
44、s yet to be linked to cancer risk. “Scientifically speaking, we dont have the proof yet,“ says Sadetzki, “But as a public-health concern, Im saying we definitely should adopt precautions.“ 11 When people are answering phones, cell phones will release low-level radio-frequency radiation. 12 Using you
45、r cell phones speaker to answer the phone is an effective way to reduce RF exposure. 13 The NCI and the WHO believe there is no evidence to show that cell phones are a public-health threat. 14 In his research, Dr. Siegal Sadetzki finds the latency period we have is far too short. 15 Mobile phone rad
46、iation may indirectly damage cells perhaps by disturbing their ability to repair normal DNA damage. 16 It is difficult to get in touch with Andrea Boland, for she turns off her cell phone most of the time. 17 As 270 million Americans and 4 billion people around the world are using cell phones, many
47、people are concerned about the link between mobiles and cancer. 18 According to Henry Lai, the cell phone exposure can cause some type of biological effect. 19 Sadetzki thinks it necessary to take precautions against the cell phone use, though no scientific evidence has directly related it to human
48、health. 20 Lais and Dariusz Leszczynskis researches both conclude that radiation can damage brain cells. 20 The Serious Risks of Rushing New Teacher Evaluation Systems A)One of the primary policy reforms now being employed in states and districts nationwide is teacher evaluation reform. Well-designe
49、d evaluations, which should include measures that capture both teacher practice and student learning, have great potential to inform and improve the performance of teachers and, thus, students. Furthermore, most everyone agrees that the previous systems were not really practical, failed to provide useful feedback, and needed replacement. B)The attitude among many policymakers and advocates is that we must implement these systems and begin using them rapidly for decisions about teachers, while design fl
