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I've always known my kids use digital communications gear (装置) a lot. But my cellphone
bill last month really grabbed my attention. My son had come up to nearly 2,000 incoming text
messages, and had sent nearly as many. Of course, he was out of school for the summer and
communicating more with friends from a distance. Nevertheless, he found time to hold down a
summer job and complete a college course in between all that typing with his thumb.
I was even more surprised to learn that my son is normal. Teenagers with cellphones each
send and receive 2,272 text messages a month on average, Nielsen Mobile says.
Some experts regret that all that keyboard jabber is making our kids stupid, unable to read
nonverbal cues such as facial expressions, gestures, posture and other silent signals of mood
and attitude. Unlike phones, text messaging doesn't even allow transmission of tone of voice or
pauses, says Mark Bauerlein author of a book called The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital
Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes (危害) Our Future.
Beyond that, though, I'm not sure I see as much harm as critics of this trend. I've posted before
on how I initially tried to control my kids' texting. But over time, I have seen my son suffer no
apparent ill effects, and he gains a big benefit, of easy, continuing contact with others.
I don't think texting make kids stupid. It may make them annoying, when they try to text and
talk to you at the same time. And it may make them distracted, when buzzing text messages
interrupt efforts to noodle out a math problem or finish reading for school.
But I don't see texting harming teens' ability to communicate. My son is as accustomed to
nonverbal cues as any older members of our family. I have found him more engaged and easier
to communicate with from a great distance, because he is constantly available via text message
and responds with faithfulness and speed.
1. What does the underlined word "distracted" in the fifth paragraph mean?
A. Confused.
B. Absentminded.
C. Comfortable.
D. Badtempered.
2. What would be the best title for this passage?
A. For Teens, Texting Instead of Talking
B. For Parents, Caring Much for Their Kids
C. Advantages and Disadvantages of Texting
D. The Effect of Communication
3. What is Mark Bauerlein's attitude towards texting?
A. It is so convenient for teens to communicate with others.
B. It is likely to cause trouble in understanding each other.
C. It is convenient for teens to text and call at the same time.
D. It will cause damage to the development of intelligence.
4. The author's attitude towards texting is ________.
A. suspicious
B. opposed
C. supportive
D. doubtful
5. According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. It is normal for a teen to send or receive 60 text messages a day.
B. Texting is a very popular way of communication among teens.
C. Parents don't mind teens' texting and talking at the same time.
D. The writer limited his son to sending or receiving text messages at first.