Wemaythinkwereaculturethatgetsridofourworntechnologyatthefirstsightof somethingshinyandnew,butanewstudyshowsthatwekeepusingourolddevices(装置) wellaftertheygooutofstyle.Thatsbadnewsfortheenvironmentandourwalletsas theseoutdateddevicesconsumemuchmoreenergythantheneweronesthatdothesame things. Tofigureouthowmuchpowerthesedevicesareusing,CallieBabbittandhercolleaguesat theRochesterInstituteofTechnologyinNewYorktrackedtheenvironmentalcostsforeach productthroughoutitslifefromwhenitsmineralsareminedtowhenwestopusingthe device.Thismethodprovidedareadoutforhowhomeenergyusehasevolvedsincetheearly 1990s.Devicesweregroupedbygeneration.Desktopcomputers,basicmobilephones,andbox- setTVsdefined1992.Digitalcamerasarrivedonthescenein1997.AndMP3players,smart phones,andLCDTVsenteredhomesin2002,beforetabletsande-readersshowedupin2007. Asweaccumulatedmoredevices,however,wedidntthrowoutouroldones.Theliving- roomtelevisionisreplacedandgetsplantedinthekidsroom,andsuddenlyoneday,youhave aTVineveryroomofthehouse,saidoneresearcher.Theaveragenumberofelectronic devicesrosefromfourperhouseholdin1992to13in2007.Werenotjustkeepingtheseold deviceswecontinuetousethem.AccordingtotheanalysisofBabbittsteam,olddesktop monitorsandboxTVswithcathoderaytubesaretheworstdeviceswiththeirenergy consumptionandcontributiontogreenhousegasemissions(排放)morethandoublingduring the1992to2007window. Sowhatsthesolution(解决方案)?Theteamsdataonlywentupto2007,butthe researchersalsoexploredwhatwouldhappenifconsumersreplacedoldproductswithnew electronicsthatservemorethanonefunction,suchasatabletforwordprocessingandTV viewing.Theyfoundthatmoreon-demandentertainmentviewingontabletsinsteadofTVsand desktopcomputerscouldcutenergyconsumptionby44%. 32. Whatdoestheauthorthinkofnewdevices? A. Theyareenvironment-friendly. B. Theyarenobetterthantheold. C. Theycostmoretouseathome. D. Theygooutofstylequickly. 33. WhydidBabbittsteamconducttheresearch? A. Toreducethecostofminerals. B. Totestthelifecycleofaproduct. C. Toupdateconsumersonnewtechnology. D. Tofindoutelectricityconsumptionofthedevices. 34. Whichofthefollowingusestheleastenergy? A. Thebox-setTV. B. Thetablet. C. TheLCDTV. D. Thedesktopcomputer. 35. Whatdoesthetextsuggestpeopledoaboutoldelectronicdevices? A. Stopusingthem. B. Takethemapart. C. Upgradethem. D. Recyclethem. Weveallbeenthere:inalift,inlineatthebankoronanairplane,surroundedbypeople whoare,likeus,deeplyfocusedontheirsmartphonesor,worse,strugglingwiththe uncomfortablesilence. Whatstheproblem?Itspossiblethatweallhavecompromisedconversational intelligence.Itsmorelikelythatnoneofusstartaconversationbecauseitsawkwardand challenging,orwethinkitsannoyingandunnecessary.Butthenexttimeyoufindyourself amongstrangers,considerthatsmalltalkisworththetrouble.Expertssayitsaninvaluable socialpracticethatresultsinbigbenefits. Dismissingsmalltalkasunimportantiseasy,butwecantforgetthatdeeprelationships wouldntevenexistifitwerentforcasualconversation.Smalltalkisthegrease(润滑剂)for socialcommunication,saysBernardoCarducci,directoroftheShynessResearchInstituteat IndianaUniversitySoutheast,Almosteverygreatlovestoryandeachbigbusinessdealbegins withsmalltalk,heexplains.Thekeytosuccessfulsmalltalkislearninghowtoconnectwith others,notjustcommunicatewiththem. Ina2014study,ElizabethDunn,associateprofessorofpsychologyatUBC,invitedpeople ontheirwayintoacoffeeshop.Onegroupwasaskedtoseekoutaninteraction(互动)withits waitertheothertospeakonlywhennecessary.Theresultsshowedthatthosewhochatted withtheirserverreportedsignificantlyhigherpositivefeelingsandabettercoffeeshop experience.Itsnotthattalkingtothewaiterisbetterthantalkingtoyourhusband,says Dunn.Butinteractionswithperipheral(边缘的)membersofoursocialnetworkmatterforour well-beingalso. Dunnbelievesthatpeoplewhoreachouttostrangersfeelasignificantlygreatersenseof belonging,abondwithothers.Carduccibelievesdevelopingsuchasenseofbelongingstarts withsmalltalk.Smalltalkisthebasisofgoodmanners,hesays. 32. Whatphenomenonisdescribedinthefirstparagraph? A. Addictiontosmartphones. B. Inappropriatebehavioursinpublicplaces. C. Absenceofcommunicationbetweenstrangers. D. Impatiencewithslowservice. 33. WhatisimportantforsuccessfulsmalltalkaccordingtoCarducci? A. Showinggoodmanners. B. Relatingtootherpeople. C. Focusingonatopic. D. Makingbusinessdeals. 34. Whatdoesthecoffee-shopstudysuggestaboutsmalltalk? A. Itimprovesfamilyrelationships. B. Itraisespeoplesconfidence. C. Itmattersasmuchasaformaltalk. D. Itmakespeoplefeelgood. 35. Whatisthebesttitleforthetext? A. ConversationCounts B. WaysofMakingSmallTalk C. BenefitsofSmallTalk D. UncomfortableSilence befloodedwithobjects.Whydoweoftenassumethatmoreismorewhenitcomesto kidsandtheirbelongings?ThegoodnewsisthatIcanhelpmyownkidslearnearlierthanI didhowtolivemorewithless. Ifoundthepre-holidaysagoodtimetoencourageyoungchildrentodonateless-used things,anditworked.Becauseofourefforts,ourdaughterGeorgiadiddecidetodonatealarge bagoftoystoalittlegirlwhosemotherwasunabletopayforherholidayduetoillness.She chosetosellafewlargerobje