Teens don’t understand the big fuss. As the first generation to grow up in a wired world, they hardly know a time when computers weren’t around, and they eagerly catch the chance to spend hours online, chatting with friends. So what?
But researchers nationwide are increasingly worried that teens are becoming isolated, less skillful at person-to-person relationships, and perhaps numb to the cheatings that are so much a part of the e-mail world. “And a teen’s sense of self and values may be changed in a world where personal connections can be limitless,” said Sherry Turkle.
Another researcher, Robert Kraut, said he’s worried about the “opportunity costs” of so much online time for youths. He found that teens who used computers, even just a few hours a week, showed increased signs of loneliness and social isolation. “Chatting online may be better than watching television, but it’s worse than hanging out with real friends,” he said.
Today’s teens, however, don’t see anything strange in the fact that the computer takes up a central place in their social lives, “School is busy and full of pressure. There’s almost no time to just hang out,” said Parker Rice, 17. “Talking online is just catch up time.”
Teens say they feel good about what they say online or taking the time to think about a reply. Some teens admit that asking someone for a date, or breaking up, can be easier in message form, though they don’t want to do so. But they insist there’s no harm.
ADB
答案解析：
1. The researchers argue that .
A. teens may develop a different sense of values
B. nothing is wrong with teens’ chatting online
C. teens can manage their social connections
D. spending hours online does much good to teens
解析：A正确
研究者争论的是什么？
可从文中找出a teen’s sense of self and values may be changed in a world where personal connections can be limitless。读完文章可以看出研究者对青少年使用电脑是持担忧心态的。
2. Teens think that talking online can help them ________ .
A. use computers properly
B. improve their school work
C. develop an interest in social skills
D. reduce their mental pressures
解析：D正确
青少年认为在线聊天可以帮助他们什么？
可从青少年说的话中退出School is busy and full of pressure. There’s almost no time to just hang out。
3. The purpose of the text is to .
A. describe computer research results
B. draw attention to teens’ computer habits
C. suggest ways to deal with problem teens
D. discuss problems teens have at school
解析：B正确
文章的目的是什么？
文中讨论了研究者和青少年们各自的一些看法，目的很明显是引起大家对青少年使用电脑的关注。
参考译文：
青少年不了解这其中的担忧。作为生长在网线遍布的世界的第一代人，他们几乎不知道没有电脑的世界是什么样，他们急切地抓住机会在线聊天。那么这又怎么了呢？
但是研究者们越来越担心青少年变得孤寂，更不擅长人与人之间的交际，也许会对欺诈麻木，因为网络世界中充斥中大量的欺骗。“一个青少年的自我意识和价值观可能会在一个人与人之间没有障碍的联络中发生改变，” Sherry Turkle说。
另一位研究者Robert Kraut表示他担心年轻人花费大量时间在网上的“机会成本”。他发现使用电脑的青少年，就算一周只有几个小时在网上，都显示出来不断增加的孤独感和社交孤立。“在线聊天也许比看电视好些，但是不如和实际的朋友外出闲逛。”
然而现在的青少年并不明白电脑占据他们社交生活中心位置的异常之处。“学校生活是很忙碌，充满压力的。几乎没有时间去闲逛，”17岁的Parker Rice说，“网上聊天只不过是时间能够允许。”
青少年说他们喜欢在线聊天或是花时间考虑回帖。一些青少年承认邀请别人去约会或是分手，通过信息的方式要容易的多，虽然他们并不想这么做。但是他们坚持认为这是无害的。
词汇及短语：
fuss: n. 小题大做，大惊小怪；抱怨，焦急
wire： 金属丝，电线，导线
isolate：vt. 使隔离，使孤立
numb：adj. 麻木的
hang out: (呆在某处，或与某人呆在一起)闲逛，出去玩儿
例： why do you just hang out in bars?Do you want to hang out with me instead
你只呆在酒吧玩吗？何不跟我一起去玩？
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