People who put a smiley face at the end of a message, in an attempt to show feeling, show no feeling. I wish there was a symbol for two fingers in the air.
I had some bad news this week. My manager informed me of this news via email. It was like hearing about the death of a loved one via pigeon. Bad news should only ever be delivered face to face or voice to voice.
We seem to celebrate our numerous methods of communication, but really there is no communication at all. I talk to my plants more than I talk to my neighbors, I get text messages that take me three hours to read because they’re written like this: “Hi, I ope you av a gr8 day. Call me La8tr.” I had an email from someone this week that read, “Da ut ov 2day are really annoying me!” Ut? I had to say this 20 times before I understood it. Youth has now become ut. Haven’t we taken enough from them—now we have to take their letters?
I had an email recently from a girl who used to live over the road from me as a child. She wrote, “Hi Shazia, howz u? Im sure u used 2 live across the road from me. We sumtimes played tennis 2 gever at the park and you was in your eliment. I am married now wif 3 daughters.” Then, to my horror, she ended the email with: “Im now teachin in Leeds. Luv Clare.”
Teaching? With English like this. It’s like saying you’re a train driver when you’ve never seen a train. It was like reading modern Morse code.
Getting bad news via email makes it seem so much worse than it actually is. Just a few lines, no emotion, no comfort, not really an explanation. Just a few cold hard words. It’s an excuse. Just write a few words and the problem of delivering it is no longer yours. A close friend recently told me she was very happy to announce she was getting married—and made the announcement by email. I don’t know how she didn’t fall off her chair with excitement while writing it. If you are really happy or really sad to announce something important, wouldn’t you like a human reaction? Some euphoria, elation, tears, a punch in the face?
I receive long text messages every day with information and explanations that I don’t bother reading. They’re boring, and annoy me. In the time it took someone to write me three laborious texts, they could have called, spoken to me, made some tea. People who put a smiley face at the end of a sentence, in an attempt to show feeling, show no feeling. I wish there was a symbol for two fingers in the air, because that’s the one I’d send back.
The telegram has been responsible for reporting world-shattering events when there were very few other options(選擇權). Now we have options, and people opt for the least humane one. My mum, in an attempt to get down with the ut of today, asked me to teach her to text. Now she constantly texts me in block capitals, so it looks as if she is still angry and annoyed with me after all these years.
People don’t even write by hand any more. My doctor prints out prescriptions from his computer; even my mechanic prints out a receipt. I get typed Christmas cards and my friends send me emails. I get very excited when hand-written letters come through my door, only because they rarely do.
When I was at school, the girls used to write letters to each other, even though we sat side by side and spoke to one another all day. I think it was a way of expressing private things we were afraid to say when we were 14 and too shy. We used to write things like, “You are my best friend, can’t wait to sit next to you in math.”
I miss the personal method of communication. Once the pen was mightier than the sword, now it seems the keyboard is mightier than the pen.

1. 1.

   We can learn from paragraph 3 and paragraph 4 that the writer wants to say ________.

   1. A.
      the spelling mistakes in the messages make her very annoyed
   2. B.
      only writing letters will bring friends and neighbors much closer
   3. C.
      she talks to plants more because no one shares her joys and sorrows
   4. D.
      gestures and the pen can express a lot more than the cold keyboard
2. 2.

   According to the writer, which of the following can support her opinion?

   1. A.
      She has been separated from all his classmates many years.
   2. B.
      No doctors write prescriptions by hand because of computers.
   3. C.
      In communication, we should write more letters than send messages.
   4. D.
      Less shy than school girls, boys rarely write letters to their friends.
3. 3.

   According to the passage, we can conclude that ________.

   1. A.
      the writer is a person full of emotions and treasures friendship and affections
   2. B.
      the writer becomes excited when she gets priceless gifts from other people
   3. C.
      her classmates would write to each other because they couldn’t send messages
   4. D.
      people put a smiley face at the end of a message just to show they are happy
4. 4.

   What message is conveyed in the passage?

   1. A.
      The writer wastes much time in reading many rubbish text messages every day.
   2. B.
      Few people can write letters well in modern society owing to texting messages.
   3. C.
      Now people are too busy to communicate with each other face to face often.
   4. D.
      The writer prefers personal communication rather than electronic equipment.
5. 5.

   Why does the writer mention the telegram?

   1. A.
      Because she thinks the annoyance of reading text messages is originated from it.
   2. B.
      Because we have more options to keep in touch with each other than ever before.
   3. C.
      Because advanced technology partly takes the blame for lacking the human touch.
   4. D.
      Because she thinks humans today become colder with the development of society.
6. 6.

   Which of the following best describe the tone of this passage?

   1. A.
      Optimistic.
   2. B.
      Critic.
   3. C.
      Sympathetic.
   4. D.
      Pessimistic.

People who put a smiley face at the end of a message, in an attempt to show feeling, show no feeling. I wish there was a symbol for two fingers in the air.
I had some bad news this week. My manager informed me of this news via email. It was like hearing about the death of a loved one via pigeon. Bad news should only ever be delivered face to face or voice to voice.
We seem to celebrate our numerous methods of communication, but really there is no communication at all. I talk to my plants more than I talk to my neighbors, I get text messages that take me three hours to read because they’re written like this: “Hi, I ope you av a gr8 day. Call me La8tr.” I had an email from someone this week that read, “Da ut ov 2day are really annoying me!” Ut? I had to say this 20 times before I understood it. Youth has now become ut. Haven’t we taken enough from them—now we have to take their letters?
I had an email recently from a girl who used to live over the road from me as a child. She wrote, “Hi Shazia, howz u? Im sure u used 2 live across the road from me. We sumtimes played tennis 2 gever at the park and you was in your eliment. I am married now wif 3 daughters.” Then, to my horror, she ended the email with: “Im now teachin in Leeds. Luv Clare.”
Teaching? With English like this. It’s like saying you’re a train driver when you’ve never seen a train. It was like reading modern Morse code.
Getting bad news via email makes it seem so much worse than it actually is. Just a few lines, no emotion, no comfort, not really an explanation. Just a few cold hard words. It’s an excuse. Just write a few words and the problem of delivering it is no longer yours. A close friend recently told me she was very happy to announce she was getting married—and made the announcement by email. I don’t know how she didn’t fall off her chair with excitement while writing it. If you are really happy or really sad to announce something important, wouldn’t you like a human reaction? Some euphoria, elation, tears, a punch in the face?
I receive long text messages every day with information and explanations that I don’t bother reading. They’re boring, and annoy me. In the time it took someone to write me three laborious texts, they could have called, spoken to me, made some tea. People who put a smiley face at the end of a sentence, in an attempt to show feeling, show no feeling. I wish there was a symbol for two fingers in the air, because that’s the one I’d send back.
The telegram has been responsible for reporting world-shattering events when there were very few other options(選擇權). Now we have options, and people opt for the least humane one. My mum, in an attempt to get down with the ut of today, asked me to teach her to text. Now she constantly texts me in block capitals, so it looks as if she is still angry and annoyed with me after all these years.
People don’t even write by hand any more. My doctor prints out prescriptions from his computer; even my mechanic prints out a receipt. I get typed Christmas cards and my friends send me emails. I get very excited when hand-written letters come through my door, only because they rarely do.
When I was at school, the girls used to write letters to each other, even though we sat side by side and spoke to one another all day. I think it was a way of expressing private things we were afraid to say when we were 14 and too shy. We used to write things like, “You are my best friend, can’t wait to sit next to you in math.”
I miss the personal method of communication. Once the pen was mightier than the sword, now it seems the keyboard is mightier than the pen.
【小題1】We can learn from paragraph 3 and paragraph 4 that the writer wants to say ________.

One night I was sitting in my room half – listening as my 15 year – old brother fought with my 12 year – old brother Kevin．I didn’t pay attention when Kevin rushed up the stairs with the hurt on his face．

About 20 minutes later, as I was walking upstairs I heard Kevin crying inside the bathroom．I knocked on the door and asked, “Hi, Kevin, do you want to talk?”

No response(無應答)．I tried again, “Why don’t you come out of there?”

Again, no response．

So, joking around, I grabbed a stack of index cards and a pencil and wrote, “If you don’t want to talk, we can write notes to each other．”

An hour later I was still sitting on the floor outside the bathroom with two stacks of index cards in front of me．One was blank and one was cars from Kevin on which he had translated all his yucky feelings into words for me．As I read one of Kevin’s notes, tears came to my eyes．It said, “Nobody in this family cares about me．I’m not the youngest, and I’m not the oldest, and I’m not talented．Tommy thinks I’m stupid and Dad wishes he had the other Kevin as a kid because he’s better at basketball．And you’re never around to even notice me．”

Tears came to my eyes again as I wrote back to him．“You know Kevin, I really do love you and I’m sorry I don’t always show it．I am here for you and you are loved in this family．”

There was no response for a while, but then I heard a tearing sound coming from inside the bathroom．Kevin, who had run out of index cards wrote on a torn – up paper cup, “Thanks．”

I wrote back “For what?” It returned to me with “Loving me” written on it．Since then, I try my best never to half – notice my family members anymore．Kevin and I have closer relationship now, and sometimes when one of us notices that the other is upset we’ll smile and say “Write it on a paper cup．”

60．Why did Kevin stay inside the bathroom alone crying?

A．Because he lost in the fight with Tommy． B．Because the author didn’t help him win Tommy．

C．Because he felt no love from the family members．

D．Because he hurt him when rushing up the stairs．

61．The underlined word “yucky” (Para．6) most probably means “           ”．

A．unpleasant              B．exciting    C．doubtful   D．frightening

62．What could be the reason that Kevin’s Dad doesn’t like him?

A．Kevin likes fighting with others．   B．Kevin is not good at playing basketball．

C．Kevin doesn’t want to talk to others． D．Kevin is not talented as his brother．

63．What did the author learn from the incident?

A．It’s hard to comfort young brothers at home．

B．It’s dangerous to half – notice someone in the family．

C．It’s important for family members to show their love．

D．The best way to communicate with family members is by writing．

One night I was sitting in my room half – listening as my 15 year – old brother fought with my 12 year – old brother Kevin．I didn’t pay attention when Kevin rushed up the stairs with the hurt on his face．

About 20 minutes later, as I was walking upstairs I heard Kevin crying inside the bathroom．I knocked on the door and asked, “Hi, Kevin, do you want to talk?”

No response(無應答)．I tried again, “Why don’t you come out of there?”

Again, no response．

So, joking around, I grabbed a stack of index cards and a pencil and wrote, “If you don’t want to talk, we can write notes to each other．”

An hour later I was still sitting on the floor outside the bathroom with two stacks of index cards in front of me．One was blank and one was cars from Kevin on which he had translated all his yucky feelings into words for me．As I read one of Kevin’s notes, tears came to my eyes．It said, “Nobody in this family cares about me．I’m not the youngest, and I’m not the oldest, and I’m not talented．Tommy thinks I’m stupid and Dad wishes he had the other Kevin as a kid because he’s better at basketball．And you’re never around to even notice me．”

Tears came to my eyes again as I wrote back to him．“You know Kevin, I really do love you and I’m sorry I don’t always show it．I am here for you and you are loved in this family．”

There was no response for a while, but then I heard a tearing sound coming from inside the bathroom．Kevin, who had run out of index cards wrote on a torn – up paper cup, “Thanks．”

I wrote back “For what?” It returned to me with “Loving me” written on it．Since then, I try my best never to half – notice my family members anymore．Kevin and I have closer relationship now, and sometimes when one of us notices that the other is upset we’ll smile and say “Write it on a paper cup．”

60．Why did Kevin stay inside the bathroom alone crying?

A．Because he lost in the fight with Tommy． B．Because the author didn’t help him win Tommy．

C．Because he felt no love from the family members．

D．Because he hurt him when rushing up the stairs．

61．The underlined word “yucky” (Para．6) most probably means “           ”．

A．unpleasant              B．exciting    C．doubtful   D．frightening

62．What could be the reason that Kevin’s Dad doesn’t like him?

A．Kevin likes fighting with others．   B．Kevin is not good at playing basketball．

C．Kevin doesn’t want to talk to others． D．Kevin is not talented as his brother．

63．What did the author learn from the incident?

A．It’s hard to comfort young brothers at home．

B．It’s dangerous to half – notice someone in the family．

C．It’s important for family members to show their love．

D．The best way to communicate with family members is by writing．