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“Life is speeding up. Everyone is getting unwell.”
This may sound like something someone would say today. But in fact, an unknown citizen who lived in Rome in AD 52 wrote it.
We all love new inventions. They are exciting, amazing and can even change our lives.
But have all these developments really improve the quality of our lives？
Picture this: You’re rushing to finish your homework on the computer. Your mobile phone rings, a QQ message from your friend appears on the screen, the noise from the television is getting louder and louder. Suddenly the computer goes blank and you lose all your work. Now you have to stay up all night to get it done. How calm and happy do you feel？
Inventions have speeded up our lives so much that they often leave us feeling stressed and tired. Why do you think people who live far away from noisy cities, who have not telephones, no cars, not even any electricity often seem to be happier？ Perhaps because they lead simpler lives.
One family in the UK went “back in time” to see what life was like without all the inventions we have today. The grandparents, with their daughter, and grandsons Benjamin, 10, and Tomas, 7, spent nine weeks in a 1940s house. They had no washing machine, microwave, computer or mobile phones.
The grandmother, Lyn, said, “It was hard physically, but not mentally.” She believed life was less materialistic. “The more things you have, the more difficult life becomes,” She said. The boys said they fought less to fight over, such as their computer. Benjamin also noticed that his grandmother had changed from being a “trendy（时髦的）, beer-drinking granny, to one who cooked things.”
Here are some simple ways to beat the stress often caused by our inventions!
Don’t be available all the time. Turn off your mobile phone at certain times of the day. Don’t check your e-mail every day.
Don’t reply to somebody as soon as they leave a text message just because you can. It may be fun at first, but it soon gets annoying.
72．The passage is mainly about .
A．problem with technology
B．improvements of our life with technology
C．the important roles technology plays in our everyday life
D．major changes which will be likely to happen to technology
73．The writer quoted（引用） what a citizen in ancient Rome said at the beginning of the story in order to .
A．share a truth about life
B．tell us what life was like long time ago
C．make us wonder what causes such a thing to happen
D．point out that you experience some big problems and they may be the same
74．Why did the family choose to spend some time in a 1940’s house？ Because .
A．they liked to live simple lives
B．they were curious about how people lived without modern inventions
C．they were troubled by modern inventions
D．living in a different time would be a lot of fun for them
75．What do you think the underlined word “available” in the first suggestion offered by the writer mean？
A．Busy on line. B．Free.. C．Be able to. D．Be found by others.
相关问题推荐
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完形填空（共20小题；每小题1 5分，共30分)
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
I believe in miracles（奇迹)because I've seen so many of them．One day，a patient was referred to me who was one hundred and two years old．“There’s a 36 in my upper jaw，”she said．“I told my own dentist it's nothing，but he 37 I come to see you”
Her eighty-year-old son accompanied her．He would 38 to add something，but she stopped him．She wanted to tell everything herself．I found a large cancer that spread over much of the
39 of her mouth．A careful examination later 40 that it was a particularly bad sort of cancer．
During her next appointment，I explained to her the 41 of the problem She clasped my
hand in hers and said，“I know you’re worried about me，but I’m just 42．”
I thought otherwise．After considerable 43 on my part，and kindness on her part because she wanted to 44 me，she agreed to have me refer her to a cancer surgeon．She saw him，but as I expected， 45 treatment．
About six months later she returned to my office，still energetic and 46 ．
“How are you？”I asked．
“I’m just fine，honey，”she responded 47 high spirits．“When can I get stared on fixing
my dentures（假牙)？”
Surprised to see her at all，I answered 48 ，“Let me take a look in your mouth and we’ll
see about it. ”
I couldn’t believe my eyes．The cancer that had 49 nearly the entire roof of her mouth was gone—only one small area of redness 50．
I had read of such things happening，but had 51 seen them with my own eyes．That was my first miracle．Since then I've seen many others，because they keep getting 52 to see．In fact，miracles are daily events for me now．And people are n miracle， 53 through them we have a chance to know ourselves and to 54 the miracles of one another．
Since my first miracle，I've come to understand that the time and place for a miracle is 55 we choose to find it．
36．A．cut B．pain C．wound D．cancer
37．A．declared B．suspected C．promised D．insisted
38．A．refuse B．continue C．attempt D．manage
39．A．roof B．coiner C．bottom D．surface
40．A．confirmed B．convinced C．considered D．concluded
41．A．possibility B．importance C．seriousness D．resolution
42．A．old B．sick C．fine D．glad
43．A．permission B．support C．approval D．effort
44．A．persuade B．please C．encourage D．astonish
45．A．declined B．provided C．received D．required
46．A．healthy B．elegant C．optimistic D．humorous
47．A．to B．in C．with D．by
48．A．worriedly B．confusedly C．patiently D．confidently
49．A．covered B．reached C．spread D．grown
50．A．cured B．faded C．expanded D．remained
51．A．ever B．also C．never D．already
52．A．easier B．rarer C．happier D．closer
53．A．or B．so C．yet D．for
54．A．read B．make C．keep D．see
55．A．whatever B．wherever C．whoever D．whichever -
下列关于人体免疫的叙述，正确的是
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A．T淋巴细胞受抗原刺激可增殖分化为效应T细胞和记忆细胞B．在细胞免疫中，B细胞分化成效应B细胞分泌特异性抗体C．非特异性免疫的第一道防线由皮肤、黏膜及抗菌蛋白等构成D．HIV病毒主要攻击B淋巴细胞，导致免疫功能严重缺陷
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Friends and Buddies
If you have free time only on Saturday, you can go to ______.
This program is planned for teenagers who have special needs with the goal of meeting within a community with other peers（同龄人). The purpose of the program is that it will lead to a better understanding of friendships. Gym, Swim, Surprise Guest, and Pizza are included. Ages 12-18, numbers of members are limited. Contact: Gloria Bass. This program is held 2 Fridays per month. Fees: $65/$85 Club Saturday Swim This program is available to anyone aged 5-14 who is challenged by mental, physical, or emotional trouble. The program will be held each Saturday afternoon, 12:00-12:30 pm or 12: 30-1:00 pm. Fees: $136/$260 Sibshops （Ages 10-13) Sibshops is a program for siblings（兄弟姊妹) of children with challenges. It includes group activities and talk treatment ways with the focus on improving sibling relationships and whole family happiness. Location: Hope Church, Wilton CT. Wednesday: 4:00-5:00 pm. Fees: $50/$65 Banana Splits Banana Splits is an educational support group for children in family trouble. Children aged 9-13 will have the opportunity to meet other children whose parents have separated or divorced, learn to recognize feelings, think of healthy coping skills and have a place to share their struggles through verbal（语言的), physical, and artistic experiences. Location: Hope Church, Wilton CT. Tuesday:4:30-5:30 pm. Fees: $50/$65A. Friends and Buddies B. Club Saturday Swim C. Sibshops （Ages 10-13) D. Banana Splits
Activities on how to lead to a better understanding of friendships are held ______.A. 2 Fridays per month B.12:00-12:30 or 12:30-1:00, Saturday afternoon C.4:00-5:00 pm, Wednesday D.4:30-5:30 pm, Tuesday
If you go to Sibshops （Ages 10-13) , you can ______.A. meet with other peers B. solve your mental problem C. improve sibling relationships D. think of healthy coping skills
Which of the following is TRUE according to the four passages？A. They are all in the same place. B. They are all free of charge. C. They all hold activities each week. D. They are all intended for children.
The purpose of this passage is to ______.A. help children deal with their trouble B. encourage children to be happy and brave C. list some problems children meet with D. advertise some programs for children
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2009年9月，由北京科兴生物制品有限公司生产的甲型H1N1流感病毒（一种RNA病毒）裂解疫苗获得国家食品药品监督管理局颁发的药品批准文号，疫苗投入使用。全球首支获得药品批准文号的甲型H1N1流感疫苗由此诞生。下列有关甲流感病毒及疫苗的叙述中，不正确的是
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A．甲流病毒容易发生基因突变，所以甲流疫苗难以制备B．感染“甲流病毒”后，人体参与免疫的细胞主要是B淋巴细胞C．少数人接种甲流疫苗后出现过敏症状的原因是自身免疫功能过强D．甲流病毒在宿主细胞内的增殖过程中要遵循碱基互补配对原则
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For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
A. anxious B. eager C. determined D. worriedA. family B. legal C. academic D. moralA. evolve B. stay C. remain D. worsenA. process B. procedure C. development D. movementA. called B. appointed C. entitled D. offeredA. awkward B. uneasy C. unnatural D. insensitiveA. once B. already C. still D. neverA. through B. throughout C. at the beginning D. in the endA. chart B. head C. describe D. manageA. opinion B. request C. permission D. promiseA. Even if B. Although C. If D. WhenA. Naturally B. Instead C. Consequently D. PeacefullyA. Once again B. Now and then C. Hopefully D. SurprisinglyA. count on B. account for C. call on D. appeal toA. earnest B. worried C. fortunate D. desperate
Until I took Dr. Offutt’s class, I was an underachieving student. But I left that class
50 _never to underachieve again. He not only taught me to think, he convinced me, as much by examples as words, that it was my _51 obligation to do so and to serve others.
Neither of us could know how our relationship would 52 over the years. When I first came back to DeMatha to teach English, I worked for Dr. Offutt, the department chair. My discussions with him as he mentored me were like graduate seminars in adolescent （青少年) 53 , classroom management and school leadership.
After several years, I was 54 department chair, and our relationship shifted again. I thought that it might be 55 to chair the department, since all of my former English teachers were 56 there, but Dr. Offutt supported me 57 . He knew when to give me advice about curriculum, texts and personnel, and when to let me 58 my own course.
In 1997, I needed his 59 about leaving DeMatha to become principal at another school. 60 he had asked me to stay at DeMatha, I might have. 61 , he encouraged me to seize the new opportunity.
Five years ago, I became the principal of DeMatha. 62 , Dr. Offutt was there for me, letting me know that I could 63 him as I tried to fill such big shoes. I’ve learned from him that great teachers have an inexhaustible wealth of lessons to teach. Even if his students don’t know it yet, I know how 64 they are: I’m still one of them.