Section C Reading in Depth
Read the following three passages carefully and then do the exercises below.
PASSAGE 1
Can talking on a mobile phone be hazardous to your health？ It is difficult to know for sure. Some research suggests that heavy users of mobile phones are at a greater risk of developing cancerous brain tumours. However， many other studies suggest there are no links between cancer and mobile phone use.
The main problem with the current research is that mobile phones have only been popular since the 1990s. As a result， it is impossible to study long⁃term exposure to mobile phones. This concerns many health professionals who point out that certain cancers can take over twenty years to develop. Another concern about these studies is that many have been funded by the mobile phone industry or those who benefit from it.
Over five billion people now use mobile phones on a daily basis， and many talk for more than an hour a day. Mobile phone antennas （信号端口） are similar to microwave ovens.While both rely on electromagnetic radiation （EMR）， the radio waves in mobile phones are lower in frequency. Microwave ovens have radio wave frequencies that are high enough to cook food， and they are also known to be dangerous to human tissues like those in the brain.The concern is that the lower⁃frequency radio waves that mobile phones rely on may also be dangerous. It seems logical that holding a heat source near your brain for a long period of time is a potential health hazard.
Some researchers believe that other types of wireless technology may also be dangerous to human health， including cordless phones， wireless gaming consoles （游戏操作台）， and laptop or tablet computers with wireless connections. They suggest replacing all cordless and wireless devices with wired ones where possible. They also say that many cordless phones can emit （发射） dangerous levels of Electromagnetic Radiation even when they are not in use.They even suggest keeping electronic devices such as desktop and tablet computers out of the bedroom， or at least six feet from the head while we're sleeping.
A growing number of health professionals worldwide are recommending that mobile phone users err on the side of caution until more definitive studies can be conducted.They use the example of tobacco to illustrate the potential risks. Many years ago， people smoked freely and were not concerned about the effects of cigarettes on their health. Today， people know that cigarettes cause lung cancer，though it is still unknown exactly how or why.Some doctors fear that the same thing will happen with mobile phones. In May 2016， the UK's Independent newspaper reported on research by the US governmen's National Toxicology Program（国家毒理学规划处） that showed a slight increase in brain tumours among rats exposed to the type of radio frequencies commonly emitted by mobile phones. This doesn't prove that mobile phones can cause brain tumours in humans， but it does show that it's possible. As a result，many experts now recommend texting or using headsets or speakerphones instead of holding a mobile phone to the ear.
1. Which is right about using a mobile phone according to the passage？
A. It is dangerous to your health for sure.
B. It can cause cancerous brain tumours in humans.
C. It arouses controversy among researchers.
D. It wastes a lot of time.
2. Research on using mobile phones is________.
A. impossible to study the long⁃term exposure to mobile phones for their two⁃decade popularity
B. showing that cancers can develop very quickly
C. about the sufferings of over 5 billion people， such as headache， anxiety， insomnia and so on
D. funded by people who don't benefit from the industry
3. Which can replace “err on the side of caution” in the last paragraph？
A. Relax and have fun.
B. Should rather be cautious.
C. Concern about mistakes.
D. Stand on the side of using phones freely.
4. What can be implied about wireless technology according to the passage？
A. Microwave ovens are dangerous to human tissues like those in the brain.
B. Cordless phones， wireless gaming consoles， and laptop or tablet computers with wireless connections may be dangerous.
C. It may be replaced by the similar devices with wires.
D. It is popular because of its convenience.
5. Which is a better solution to avoid danger brought by mobile phones？
A. Replace mobile phones with the telephone.
B. Texting more， using headsets or speakerphones.
C. Use mobile phones as usual for no one proved the hazard yet.
D. Get rid of mobile phones.
PASSAGE 2
Serenity （静谧） is elusive in today's fast⁃paced world. A moment of complete calm and contemplation seems to be a rare and wonderful find. For me， those precious moments occur on a boat. Out on the waves， the horizon undisturbed， with a seemingly infinite stretch of sea before me. As legendary sailor Vito Dumas once said：“It's out there at sea that you are really yourself.” On deck， enjoying awe⁃inspiring views， the cares of everyday life blown away on the sea breeze， you can appreciate his point.
For me， there is no better way to travel than by sea. Flying is my nemesis. From airport chaos to the confined space of an aircraft， nothing about commercial aviation appeals to my sense of adventure—or comfort. I've spent too many hours stuffed in sardine cans at 30，000ft， hurtling high over oceans instead of enjoying them. It doesn't help that I'm a fearful flyer； many long⁃haul holidays have been ruined by the white⁃knuckle flights either side.
Favouring boat travel isn't just about managing aviophobia （飞行恐惧症）， though.Whether I'm on a short ferry crossing or a cruise， the sea provides a true sense of travel，from the impressive physical shift of a ship leaving port to its sturdy navigation of the open water.As a travel writer who hates flying，boat crossings make my leisure time and my work a pleasure. Every journey stirs my instinct and emotion. “We are tied to the ocean，” John F Kennedy said. As my ship steers towards an exciting new destination， I feel that affinity（亲和力）.
And I'm not alone. “The journey is part of the holiday，” says travel writer and author Helen Ochyra. “I'll stand out on deck， whatever the weather， and watch the ropes being untied， the boat slipping away from the dock and the landscape drifting farther and farther away.
“Ferry travel doesn't feel like a journey that has to be made. It feels like one you want to make. On a recent trip my husband and I left the mainland just before sunset and， standing on deck， we watched the sky turn orange and a pod of porpoise （海豚） playing in the loch.I've spotted whales breaching， watched gannets risk their necks diving for fish and seen some of the best sunsets I can remember—all on ferries.”
Tom Bourlet， founder of the Spaghetti Traveller blog， agrees： “On a plane， it's difficult to make out much more than grassland； on the ferry， there is something exhilarating about seeing land slowly getting closer.”
He kicked off his ferry habit en route to the Isle of Man （曼岛）：“I booked the ferry because airports always feel stressful. From sitting in an over⁃priced airport to waiting on cramped planes， travel seemed like a nuisance. I love embracing new cultures and seeing amazing sights， but can't stand plane journeys. Since I began taking ferries， this experience has drastically changed. On my first visit to the Isle of Man， I managed to catch the sunset and， beer in hand， felt pretty chuffed with my choice of ferry over plane.”
1. Which of the following supports the writer's view on traveling？
A. Traveling by sea is the only way to find serenity.
B. I enjoy traveling by sea for more than one reason.
C. Ferry makes me tired and I have no idea about my writing.
D. I have a lot of good experiences of flying.
2. According to Helen Ochyra， a holiday includes the following EXCEPT________.
A. the journey on a ferry
B. the feeling of departure when the ferry leaves the loch
C. the flying time on a plane
D. enjoying various views at sea
3. What can one do at sea according to the passage？
A. To find a moment of complete calm and contemplation.
B. To find oneself truly forgetting trifles in life.
C. To enjoy the amazing vast view of the sea.
D. All of the above.
4. What does the underlined word “nemesis” in Para. 2 mean？
A. Favorite person.
B. Rivals or hatred.
C. Hobbies.
D. Happy events.
5. What can be inferred from the passage？
A. Only the writer has the aviophobia.
B. Traveling is popular among those people who like flying.
C. Quite a few people choose ferry instead of plane because it saves time.
D. Ferry Travel is more interesting and comfortable than flight.
PASSAGE 3
Time and how we experience it have always puzzled us. Physicists have created fascinating theories， but their time is measured by a pendulum （钟摆） and is not psychological time， which leaps with little regard to the clock or calendar. As someone who understood the distinction observed， “When you sit with a nice girl for two hours it seems like a minute ， but when you sit on a hot stove ， a minute seems like two hours.”
Psychologists have long noticed that larger units of time， such as months and years， fly on swifter wings as we age.They also note that the more time is structured with schedules and appointments， the more rapidly it seems to pass. For example， a day at the office flies compared with a day at the beach. Since most of us spend fewer days at the beach and more at the office as we age， an increase in structured time could well be to blame for why time seems to speed up as we grow older.
Expectation and familiarity also make time seem to flow more rapidly. Almost all of us have had the experience of driving somewhere we've never been before. Surrounded by unfamiliar scenery， with no real notion of when we'll arrive， we experience the trip as lasting a long time. But the return trip， although exactly as long， seems to take far less time. The novelty of the outward journey has become routine.Thus taking a different route on occasions can often help slow the clock.
When days become as identical as beads（小珠子）on a string， they mix together， and even months become a single day. To counter this， try to find ways to interrupt the structure of your day—to stop time， so to speak.
Learning something new is one of the ways to slow the passage of time. One of the reasons the days of our youth seems so full and long is that these are the days of learning and discovery. For many of us， learning ends when we leave school， but this doesn't have to be.
1. According to the passage， when people live a routine life， time seems to________.
A. slow down B. stop
C. be in a psychological sense D. speed up
2. The word “novelty” （Line 5， Para. 3） could be best replaced by “________”.
A. unfamiliarity B. excitement
C. illusion D. amusement
3. The passage is trying to________.
A. state the principles of time
B. explain how we experience time physically
C. explain why time flies and how to slow it down
D. show the different ideas of physicists and psychologists on time
4. “When you sit with a nice girl for two hours it seems like a minute， but when you sit on a hot stove， a minute seems like two hours.” （Line 4 5， Para. 1） indicates that________.
A. time should not be measured by a pendulum
B. physical time is different from psychological time
C. physical theory has nothing to do with the true sense of time
D. psychological time is quite puzzling with little regard of a clock
5. How can we live a psychologically long life according to the author？
A. We could live in a boring environment.
B. We should not have too much routine work.
C. We should not have too many appointments.
D. We should keep learning in our lifetime.