Help! How Can I Succeed Online if English Is Not My Primary Language? - The Smart Passive Income Blog
Help! How Can I Succeed Online if English Is Not My Primary Language?
By Pat Flynn on April 20, 2011
Last week, an SPI reader named Anne emailed me the following question:
Greetings Pat. I am a reader of your Smart Passive Income blog and want to say thank you. I want to do like you and start a blog and start writing but this is a problem because I am no good at writing and with my english. English is not my native language and it is because of this I give up before. I want to try again but I ask you for help. Please what can I do because my english is not even perfect?
Instead of replying directly to Anne’s question, I thought it would be more beneficial to share her email publicly on the blog (with her permission, of course), because I know there are a lot of other people who are in a similar situation, and also because the awesome and active SPI community here would be more than happy to offer some advice and encouragement.
I know for a fact that a good percentage of my readers are from outside the US and English is not their primary language, yet several of them have successful blogs and online businesses of their own too.
My first piece of advice would be to get rid of the idea that you have to have perfect English.
You don’t. Not even close.
Good and proper writing will help, obviously, but as long as readers can understand what you’re trying to say, you can make progress and do well online.
Take Anne’s email, for instance. Her English was not perfect, but I totally understood what she meant and was able to respond and react to her message accordingly.
You don’t need perfect English to get people to take action.
My second piece of advice is for everybody – not just those who aren’t native English speakers: whenever you write something to publish online, make sure it’s something unique. If you regurgitate material that has already been talked about before, you’re not going to stand out of the crowd, and if your writing is a little off because of the language barrier, it’s going to be even harder to make a difference.
If what you write about is unique, innovative, novel and interesting – whether it’s the actual topic you’re writing about, or the unique angle you take with something that has been talked about before, it doesn’t matter how good your English is – great content will attract people’s attention.
My third piece of advice is to try to include things other than words to convey your message.
What do I mean?
I mean things like images, pictures, info-graphics, charts and numbers, which are universally understood regardless of background and native tongue.
For those who don’t primarily speak English, these things can make it a lot easier for you to get your idea across, and at the same time it makes it a lot easier for your audience to understand you in a very memorable way.
And lastly, my fourth piece of advice is to practice, practice, practice. No matter what you want to do, and what skills you want to learn, you will never just wake up one day and suddenly become an expert. Keep learning by doing, and never give up.
Publish those blog posts, write emails, participate in forum discussions and leave comments on other blogs, and over time you’ll eventually see that your writing skills will improve.
If English is your second language, I give you major props. I’m from the U.S. myself and even I have a hard time figuring out this crazy language, and the fact that you are learning English, of all languages, on top of your own illustrates exactly how much you can do and what you can achieve.
So now I hand this off to the SPI community.
Please, if you have anything to add to this discussion, anything to say to help Anne and everyone else out there who is struggling with the language barrier online, please leave a comment.
Even if you do primarily speak English, what are your thoughts on this topic?
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科目：高中英语
题型：阅读理解
阅读短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余项。
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& &&&&&&&&&
&&& With the invention of the Internet several decades ago, do you feel that since then it has made us human beings feel more connected to the world and one another, or has it isolated（使孤立）us and made us feel more alone than ever before?
&&& What about you as an individual?
&& ● &The Internet enables us to know what’s happening in the world. We couldn't imagine talking to people everywhere in the world twenty years ago.
&& ●&It unites us because we talk to others from all around our country and tha world, but the Internet can be addicting, and keep us away from people for a while, There is an inherent (内在的) human need for direct human contact (e.g. touching, talking face to face, etc.) that the Internet has all taken away.
&& ● & &It has given me freedom beyond my imagination. I’m home-bound with many duties to attend to. My life is a bit too crowded. Duties duties duties. I get lost many times not knowing who I really am！This medium is my best friend. It just lets me BE！I can speak here without fear or favour.
&& ● & Chatting online is completely different from hanging out with friends outside or hearing their voice over the phone．I find that it’s not just the Internet that has increased this sense of isolation，even iPods，MP3s，such devices kind of separate us，make us lose focus on the everyday happenings of life．
&&& A. I think that the Internet isolates as well as unites us.
&&& B. I believe it unites us more than it isolates us.
&&& C. Do you feel that the Internet unites us or isolates us?
&&& D. What is happening in the world today?
&&& E. The Internet is playing a more and more important role.
&&& F. I think it has isolated us more.
&&& G. I am truly grateful for this new technology.
科目：高中英语
来源：2012年新课标版高中英语选修七 Unit3练习卷（解析版）
题型：阅读理解
People often say that the Englishman’s home
is his castle. They mean that the home is very important and personal to him.
Most people in Britain live in houses rather than flats, and many people own
their homes. This means that they can
they can paint
them, and change them in any way they like. Most houses have a garden, even if
it is a very small one, and the garden is usually loved. The house and the
garden are the private space of the individual.
People usually like to mark their space.
Are you sitting now in your home or on a train? Have you marked the space
around yourself as yours ? If you are on the train you may put your coat or
small bag on the seat beside you. If you share a flat you may have one corner
or chair which is your own.
Once I was traveling on a train to London.
I was in a section for four people and there was a table between us .The man on
the space on my side of the table at all. I was angry. Maybe he thought that he
owned the whole table .I had read a book about non-verbal communication, so I
took various papers out of my bag and put them on his briefcase! When I did
this he stiffened and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. I had invaded his
space! A few minutes later I took my papers off his case in order to read them.
He immediately moved his case to his side of the table. Of course, it is
possible that he just wanted to be helpful to me!
If you are visiting another country you may
feel that you don’t have any private space. Hotel rooms look much the same in
every country in the world. All day long ,you share public spaces with other
people. You see the local people in their private spaces and you feel lonely
and “outside”. Local people can create their private spaces by talking
about things you don’t know about .And you even feel that they like you to be
outside them so that they will enjoy being inside even more! This is one
of the difficulties of being a traveler !But if you understand it then it helps
you .Haven’t you enjoyed being part of a group and “owning” a bit of space?
1.The writer was angry as he was traveling
on a train to London because______.
A．he had no place to sit
B．someone had invaded his “space”
C．too many people shared a section with him
D．some other people talked about things he didn’t know about
2.“… you feel lonely and ‘outside’”
in paragraph 4 means that_______.
A．you are alone outside the house
B．you feel lonely because you travel on your own
C．you are alone and therefore you go outside to have some fun
D．you feel lonely and you don’t belong to that place or that group of people
3.Which of the following is TRUE according
to the passage?
A．British people dislike marking their space.
B．You always feel at home in another country.
C．Most British people prefer living in houses to flats.
D．You can’t mark your private space in a foreign country.
4.Tha main purpose of the passage is to
tell readers to _______.
A．own private spaces by living in houses
B．have one corner of their own in public places
C．realize the importance of “space”
in communication
D．create their private spaces by talking with local people
科目：高中英语
来源：2010年河北省高二下学期期末考试英语卷
题型：其他题
阅读短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余项。
&&&&&1.&&&&
With the invention of the Internet several
decades ago, do you feel that since then it has made us human beings feel more
connected to the world and one another, or has it isolated（使孤立）us and made us feel more
alone than ever before?
What about you as an individual?
● &2.The Internet enables us to
know what’s happening in the world. We couldn't imagine talking to people
everywhere in the world twenty years ago.
●3.&It unites us because we
talk to others from all around our country and tha world, but the Internet can
be addicting, and keep us away from people for a while, There is an inherent (内在的) human need for direct human
contact (e.g. touching, talking face to face, etc.) that the Internet has all
taken away.
● &4.&It has given me
freedom beyond my imagination. I’m home-bound with many duties to attend to. My
life is a bit too crowded. Duties duties duties. I get lost many times not
knowing who I really am！This medium is my best friend. It just lets me BE！I can speak here without fear
or favour.
● &5. Chatting online is
completely different from hanging out with friends outside or hearing their
voice over the phone．I find that it’s not just the Internet that has increased this sense
of isolation，even
iPods，MP3s，such devices kind of separate
us，make us lose
focus on the everyday happenings of life．
A．I think that the Internet isolates as well as unites us.
B．I believe it unites us more than it isolates us.
C．Do you feel that the Internet unites us or isolates us?
D．What is happening in the world today?
E. The Internet is playing a more and more
important role.
F. I think it has isolated us more.
G. I am truly grateful for this new
technology.
科目：高中英语
来源：期中题
题型：阅读理解
阅读理解&&&& People often say that the Englishman's home is his castle. They mean that the home is very important&and personal to him. Most people in Britain live in houses rather&&than flats,&&and many people own their&homes. &&&& This means that they can make them individual(个体的); they can paint them,&&and change them in any way they like. Most house have a garden,&&even if it is a very small one,&&and the garden is usually loved. The&&house and the garden are the private(私人的)space of the individual.&&&& People usually like to mark their space. Are you sitting now in your home or on a train?have you&&&&&&&& marked the space around yourself as your? If you are on the train you may put your coat or small bag on&&the seat beside you. If you share a flat you may have one corner or chair which is your own.&&&& Once I was travelling on a train to London. I was in a section for four people and there was a table&&&&& between us .The man on the space on my side of the table at all. I was angry. Maybe he thought that he&&& owned the whole table. I had read a book about non-verbal communications o I took various papers out& of my bag and put them on his briefcase! When I did this he stiffened and his eyes nearly popped(瞪出)out of his head. I had invaded(侵犯)his space! A few minutes later I took my papers off his case in order to&read them. He immediately moved his case to his side of&&the table. Of course,&&it is possible that he just& wanted to be helpful to me!&&&& If you are visiting another country you may feel that you don't have any private space. Hotel rooms look much the same in every country in the world. All day long, you share public spaces with&&other people. You see the local people in their private spaces and you feel lonely and "outside". Local people can create their private spaces by talking about things you don't know about. And you even feel that they like you to& be outside them so that they will enjoy being inside even more! This is one of the difficulties of being a&& traveler! But if you understand it then it helps you .Haven't you enjoyed being part of a group and "owning" a bit of space?1.The writer was angry as he was travelling on a train to London because______.A. he had no place to sitB. someone had invaded his "space"C. too many people shared a section with himD. some other people talked about things he didn't know about2. "… you feel lonely and 'outside'" in paragraph 4 means that_______.A. you are alone outside the houseB. you feel lonely because you travel on your ownC. you are alone and therefore you go outside to have some funD. you feel lonely and you don't belong to that place or that group of people3.In Paragraph 4 , the pronoun "them' refers to(所指) "___________".A. public spaces&&B. private spaces&&C. local people&&D. other countries4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?A. British people dislike marking their space.B. You always feel at home in another country.C. Most British people prefer living in houses to flats.D. You can't mark your private space in a foreign country.5.Tha main purpose of the passage is to tell readers to _______.A. own private spaces by living in housesB. have one corner of their own in public placesC. realize the importance of "space" in communicationD. create their private spaces by talking with local people
科目：高中英语
题型：阅读理解
The bedroom door opened and a light went on, signaling an end to nap
time．The toddle（初学走路的婴儿）, sleepy-eyed,
clambered to a swinging stand in his crib．He smiled, reached out to his father, and uttered what is fast
becoming the cry of his generation: &iPhone!&
&&&&&& Just
as adults have a hard time putting down their iPhones, so the device is now the
Toy of Choice for many 1-, 2- and 3-year-olds．The phenomenon is attracting the attention and
concern of some childhood development specialists．
Natasha Sykes, a mother of two in Atlanta, remembers the first time
her daughter, Kelsey, now 3 but then barely 2 years old, held her husband's
iPhone．&She
pressed the button and it lit up．I just remember her eyes．It was like 'Whoa!' &The parents were charmed by their daughter's
fascination．But
then, said Ms．Sykes
（herself a Black
Berry user）,
&She got serious about the phone．& Kelsey would ask for it．Then she'd cry for it．&It was like she'd always want the phone,& Ms．Sykes said．
Apple, the iPhone's designer and manufacturer, has built its success
on machines so user-friendly that even technologically blinded adults can
figure out how to work them, so it makes sense that sophisticated children
would follow．Tap a
picture on the screen and something happens．What could be more fun?
The sleepy-eyed toddler who called for the iPhone is one of hundreds
of iPhone-loving toddlers whose parents are often proud of their offspring's
ability to slide fat fingers across the gadget's screen and pull up photographs
of their choice．
Many iPhone apps on the market are aimed directly at preschoolers,
many of them labeled &educational,& such as Toddler Teasers: Shapes,
which asks the child to tap a circle o and Pocket Zoo,
which streams live video of animals at zoos around the world．
Along with fears about dropping and damage, however, many parents
sharing iPhones with their young ones feel guilty．They wonder whether it is indeed an educational
tool, or a passive amusement like television．The American Academy of Pediatrics is continually
reassessing its guidelines to address new forms of &screen time．& Dr．Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, a
member of the academy's council, said, &We always try to throw in the
latest technology, but the cellphone industry is becoming so complex that we
always come back to the table and wonder- Should we have a specific guideline
for them?&
Tovah P. Klein, the director of a research center for Toddler
Development worries that fixation on the iPhone screen every time a child is
out with parents will limit the child's ability to experience the wider world.
As with TV in earlier generations, the world is increasingly divided
into those parents who do allow iPhone use and those who don't. A recent post
, asked if anyone had found that their child was more
interested in playing with their iPhone than with real toys. The Don't mothers
said on the Website: &We don't let our toddler touch our iPhones ... it
takes away from creative play.& &Please ... just say no. It is not
too hard to distract a toddler with, say ... a book.&
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a psychology professor who specializes in early
language development, sides with the Don'ts. Research shows that children learn
best through activities that help them adapt to the particular situation at hand
and interacting with a screen doesn't qualify, she said.
Still, Dr. Hirsh-Pasek, struck on a recent visit to New York City by how many parents were handing over their iPhones to their little children
in tha subway, said she understands the impulse (冲动). &This is a magical phone,& she said.
&I must admit I'm addicted to this phone.&
76．The first paragraph in the
passage intends to ______.
&&&&&& A．get us to know a cute
sleepy-eyed child in a family
&&&&&& B．show us how harmful the iPhone
&&&&&& C．lead us to the topic of the
toddlers' iPhone-addict
&&&&&& D．explain how iPhone appeals to
77．According to the author,
iPhones are popular with both adults and young kids because they are______.
&&&&&& A．easy to
use&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&& B．beautiful in appearance
&&&&&& C．cheap in
price&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&& D． powerful in battery volume
78．The underlined word
&them& in the seventh paragraph refers to ______.
&&&&&& A．televisions&&&&&&&&&& B．cellphones&&&&&&&&
&& C．iPhones&&&&&
&&&&&&& D．screens
79．The tone of the author towards
parents sharing iPhones with their children is ______.
&&&&&& A．negative&& &&&&&&&& B．subjective&&&&&
&&&&& C．objective&&& &&&&&&&&& D．supportive
80．The passage mainly tells us
&&&&&& A．children's iPhone addict is
becoming a concern
&&&&&& B．iPhone is winning the hearts of
the toddlers
&&&&&& C．Apple is developing more
user-friendly products
&&&&&& D．ways to avoid children's being addicted
to iPhone games
精英家教网新版app上线啦！用app只需扫描书本条形码就能找到作业，家长给孩子检查作业更省心，同学们作业对答案更方便，扫描上方二维码立刻安装！请在这里输入关键词：
科目：高中英语
题型：阅读理解
阅读短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余项。
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& &&&&&&&&&
&&& With the invention of the Internet several decades ago, do you feel that since then it has made us human beings feel more connected to the world and one another, or has it isolated（使孤立）us and made us feel more alone than ever before?
&&& What about you as an individual?
&& ● &The Internet enables us to know what’s happening in the world. We couldn't imagine talking to people everywhere in the world twenty years ago.
&& ●&It unites us because we talk to others from all around our country and tha world, but the Internet can be addicting, and keep us away from people for a while, There is an inherent (内在的) human need for direct human contact (e.g. touching, talking face to face, etc.) that the Internet has all taken away.
&& ● & &It has given me freedom beyond my imagination. I’m home-bound with many duties to attend to. My life is a bit too crowded. Duties duties duties. I get lost many times not knowing who I really am！This medium is my best friend. It just lets me BE！I can speak here without fear or favour.
&& ● & Chatting online is completely different from hanging out with friends outside or hearing their voice over the phone．I find that it’s not just the Internet that has increased this sense of isolation，even iPods，MP3s，such devices kind of separate us，make us lose focus on the everyday happenings of life．
&&& A. I think that the Internet isolates as well as unites us.
&&& B. I believe it unites us more than it isolates us.
&&& C. Do you feel that the Internet unites us or isolates us?
&&& D. What is happening in the world today?
&&& E. The Internet is playing a more and more important role.
&&& F. I think it has isolated us more.
&&& G. I am truly grateful for this new technology.
科目：高中英语
来源：2012年新课标版高中英语选修七 Unit3练习卷（解析版）
题型：阅读理解
People often say that the Englishman’s home
is his castle. They mean that the home is very important and personal to him.
Most people in Britain live in houses rather than flats, and many people own
their homes. This means that they can
they can paint
them, and change them in any way they like. Most houses have a garden, even if
it is a very small one, and the garden is usually loved. The house and the
garden are the private space of the individual.
People usually like to mark their space.
Are you sitting now in your home or on a train? Have you marked the space
around yourself as yours ? If you are on the train you may put your coat or
small bag on the seat beside you. If you share a flat you may have one corner
or chair which is your own.
Once I was traveling on a train to London.
I was in a section for four people and there was a table between us .The man on
the space on my side of the table at all. I was angry. Maybe he thought that he
owned the whole table .I had read a book about non-verbal communication, so I
took various papers out of my bag and put them on his briefcase! When I did
this he stiffened and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. I had invaded his
space! A few minutes later I took my papers off his case in order to read them.
He immediately moved his case to his side of the table. Of course, it is
possible that he just wanted to be helpful to me!
If you are visiting another country you may
feel that you don’t have any private space. Hotel rooms look much the same in
every country in the world. All day long ,you share public spaces with other
people. You see the local people in their private spaces and you feel lonely
and “outside”. Local people can create their private spaces by talking
about things you don’t know about .And you even feel that they like you to be
outside them so that they will enjoy being inside even more! This is one
of the difficulties of being a traveler !But if you understand it then it helps
you .Haven’t you enjoyed being part of a group and “owning” a bit of space?
1.The writer was angry as he was traveling
on a train to London because______.
A．he had no place to sit
B．someone had invaded his “space”
C．too many people shared a section with him
D．some other people talked about things he didn’t know about
2.“… you feel lonely and ‘outside’”
in paragraph 4 means that_______.
A．you are alone outside the house
B．you feel lonely because you travel on your own
C．you are alone and therefore you go outside to have some fun
D．you feel lonely and you don’t belong to that place or that group of people
3.Which of the following is TRUE according
to the passage?
A．British people dislike marking their space.
B．You always feel at home in another country.
C．Most British people prefer living in houses to flats.
D．You can’t mark your private space in a foreign country.
4.Tha main purpose of the passage is to
tell readers to _______.
A．own private spaces by living in houses
B．have one corner of their own in public places
C．realize the importance of “space”
in communication
D．create their private spaces by talking with local people
科目：高中英语
来源：2010年河北省高二下学期期末考试英语卷
题型：其他题
阅读短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余项。
&&&&&1.&&&&
With the invention of the Internet several
decades ago, do you feel that since then it has made us human beings feel more
connected to the world and one another, or has it isolated（使孤立）us and made us feel more
alone than ever before?
What about you as an individual?
● &2.The Internet enables us to
know what’s happening in the world. We couldn't imagine talking to people
everywhere in the world twenty years ago.
●3.&It unites us because we
talk to others from all around our country and tha world, but the Internet can
be addicting, and keep us away from people for a while, There is an inherent (内在的) human need for direct human
contact (e.g. touching, talking face to face, etc.) that the Internet has all
taken away.
● &4.&It has given me
freedom beyond my imagination. I’m home-bound with many duties to attend to. My
life is a bit too crowded. Duties duties duties. I get lost many times not
knowing who I really am！This medium is my best friend. It just lets me BE！I can speak here without fear
or favour.
● &5. Chatting online is
completely different from hanging out with friends outside or hearing their
voice over the phone．I find that it’s not just the Internet that has increased this sense
of isolation，even
iPods，MP3s，such devices kind of separate
us，make us lose
focus on the everyday happenings of life．
A．I think that the Internet isolates as well as unites us.
B．I believe it unites us more than it isolates us.
C．Do you feel that the Internet unites us or isolates us?
D．What is happening in the world today?
E. The Internet is playing a more and more
important role.
F. I think it has isolated us more.
G. I am truly grateful for this new
technology.
科目：高中英语
来源：期中题
题型：阅读理解
阅读理解&&&& People often say that the Englishman's home is his castle. They mean that the home is very important&and personal to him. Most people in Britain live in houses rather&&than flats,&&and many people own their&homes. &&&& This means that they can make them individual(个体的); they can paint them,&&and change them in any way they like. Most house have a garden,&&even if it is a very small one,&&and the garden is usually loved. The&&house and the garden are the private(私人的)space of the individual.&&&& People usually like to mark their space. Are you sitting now in your home or on a train?have you&&&&&&&& marked the space around yourself as your? If you are on the train you may put your coat or small bag on&&the seat beside you. If you share a flat you may have one corner or chair which is your own.&&&& Once I was travelling on a train to London. I was in a section for four people and there was a table&&&&& between us .The man on the space on my side of the table at all. I was angry. Maybe he thought that he&&& owned the whole table. I had read a book about non-verbal communications o I took various papers out& of my bag and put them on his briefcase! When I did this he stiffened and his eyes nearly popped(瞪出)out of his head. I had invaded(侵犯)his space! A few minutes later I took my papers off his case in order to&read them. He immediately moved his case to his side of&&the table. Of course,&&it is possible that he just& wanted to be helpful to me!&&&& If you are visiting another country you may feel that you don't have any private space. Hotel rooms look much the same in every country in the world. All day long, you share public spaces with&&other people. You see the local people in their private spaces and you feel lonely and "outside". Local people can create their private spaces by talking about things you don't know about. And you even feel that they like you to& be outside them so that they will enjoy being inside even more! This is one of the difficulties of being a&& traveler! But if you understand it then it helps you .Haven't you enjoyed being part of a group and "owning" a bit of space?1.The writer was angry as he was travelling on a train to London because______.A. he had no place to sitB. someone had invaded his "space"C. too many people shared a section with himD. some other people talked about things he didn't know about2. "… you feel lonely and 'outside'" in paragraph 4 means that_______.A. you are alone outside the houseB. you feel lonely because you travel on your ownC. you are alone and therefore you go outside to have some funD. you feel lonely and you don't belong to that place or that group of people3.In Paragraph 4 , the pronoun "them' refers to(所指) "___________".A. public spaces&&B. private spaces&&C. local people&&D. other countries4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?A. British people dislike marking their space.B. You always feel at home in another country.C. Most British people prefer living in houses to flats.D. You can't mark your private space in a foreign country.5.Tha main purpose of the passage is to tell readers to _______.A. own private spaces by living in housesB. have one corner of their own in public placesC. realize the importance of "space" in communicationD. create their private spaces by talking with local people
科目：高中英语
题型：阅读理解
The bedroom door opened and a light went on, signaling an end to nap
time．The toddle（初学走路的婴儿）, sleepy-eyed,
clambered to a swinging stand in his crib．He smiled, reached out to his father, and uttered what is fast
becoming the cry of his generation: &iPhone!&
&&&&&& Just
as adults have a hard time putting down their iPhones, so the device is now the
Toy of Choice for many 1-, 2- and 3-year-olds．The phenomenon is attracting the attention and
concern of some childhood development specialists．
Natasha Sykes, a mother of two in Atlanta, remembers the first time
her daughter, Kelsey, now 3 but then barely 2 years old, held her husband's
iPhone．&She
pressed the button and it lit up．I just remember her eyes．It was like 'Whoa!' &The parents were charmed by their daughter's
fascination．But
then, said Ms．Sykes
（herself a Black
Berry user）,
&She got serious about the phone．& Kelsey would ask for it．Then she'd cry for it．&It was like she'd always want the phone,& Ms．Sykes said．
Apple, the iPhone's designer and manufacturer, has built its success
on machines so user-friendly that even technologically blinded adults can
figure out how to work them, so it makes sense that sophisticated children
would follow．Tap a
picture on the screen and something happens．What could be more fun?
The sleepy-eyed toddler who called for the iPhone is one of hundreds
of iPhone-loving toddlers whose parents are often proud of their offspring's
ability to slide fat fingers across the gadget's screen and pull up photographs
of their choice．
Many iPhone apps on the market are aimed directly at preschoolers,
many of them labeled &educational,& such as Toddler Teasers: Shapes,
which asks the child to tap a circle o and Pocket Zoo,
which streams live video of animals at zoos around the world．
Along with fears about dropping and damage, however, many parents
sharing iPhones with their young ones feel guilty．They wonder whether it is indeed an educational
tool, or a passive amusement like television．The American Academy of Pediatrics is continually
reassessing its guidelines to address new forms of &screen time．& Dr．Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, a
member of the academy's council, said, &We always try to throw in the
latest technology, but the cellphone industry is becoming so complex that we
always come back to the table and wonder- Should we have a specific guideline
for them?&
Tovah P. Klein, the director of a research center for Toddler
Development worries that fixation on the iPhone screen every time a child is
out with parents will limit the child's ability to experience the wider world.
As with TV in earlier generations, the world is increasingly divided
into those parents who do allow iPhone use and those who don't. A recent post
, asked if anyone had found that their child was more
interested in playing with their iPhone than with real toys. The Don't mothers
said on the Website: &We don't let our toddler touch our iPhones ... it
takes away from creative play.& &Please ... just say no. It is not
too hard to distract a toddler with, say ... a book.&
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a psychology professor who specializes in early
language development, sides with the Don'ts. Research shows that children learn
best through activities that help them adapt to the particular situation at hand
and interacting with a screen doesn't qualify, she said.
Still, Dr. Hirsh-Pasek, struck on a recent visit to New York City by how many parents were handing over their iPhones to their little children
in tha subway, said she understands the impulse (冲动). &This is a magical phone,& she said.
&I must admit I'm addicted to this phone.&
76．The first paragraph in the
passage intends to ______.
&&&&&& A．get us to know a cute
sleepy-eyed child in a family
&&&&&& B．show us how harmful the iPhone
&&&&&& C．lead us to the topic of the
toddlers' iPhone-addict
&&&&&& D．explain how iPhone appeals to
77．According to the author,
iPhones are popular with both adults and young kids because they are______.
&&&&&& A．easy to
use&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&& B．beautiful in appearance
&&&&&& C．cheap in
price&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&& D． powerful in battery volume
78．The underlined word
&them& in the seventh paragraph refers to ______.
&&&&&& A．televisions&&&&&&&&&& B．cellphones&&&&&&&&
&& C．iPhones&&&&&
&&&&&&& D．screens
79．The tone of the author towards
parents sharing iPhones with their children is ______.
&&&&&& A．negative&& &&&&&&&& B．subjective&&&&&
&&&&& C．objective&&& &&&&&&&&& D．supportive
80．The passage mainly tells us
&&&&&& A．children's iPhone addict is
becoming a concern
&&&&&& B．iPhone is winning the hearts of
the toddlers
&&&&&& C．Apple is developing more
user-friendly products
&&&&&& D．ways to avoid children's being addicted
to iPhone games
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