When author Nicholas Carr began researching his book on whether the Internet is ruining our minds，he restricted his online access and email.His new book argues the latest technology renders us less capable of deep thinking.Carr found himself so distracted(分心的) that he couldn’t work on the book while staying as connected.After first feeling confused by his sudden lack of online connection，he was able to stay focused on one task for a long period within several weeks.
Reading on the Internet has changed how we use our brains.Facing a lot of texts，video，music and links to other web pages and blogs，our minds have become used to skimming and scanning information.As a result，we have developed sharper skills at making fast decisions，particularly visual ones，Carr wrote.
But now most of us seldom read books or long articles that would help us focus.We are becoming more like librarians—able to find information quickly and see clearly the best nuggets(有价值的资料)．That lack of focus hinders(阻碍) our longterm memory，leading many of us to feel distracted，he wrote.
“What we are losing is a whole other set of mental skills，which require not the shifting of our focus but the maintaining of our focus，” Carr said，adding that for centuries books protected our brains from distraction and focused our minds on one topic at a time.
But with devices such as Apple’s iPad becoming common，Carr predicts books also will change.“New forms of reading always require new forms of writing，” he said.Carr has a suggestion for those who feel web surfing has left them incapable of concentration—slow down，turn off the Internet and practice the skills of contemplation(沉思) and reflection.“It is pretty clear from the brain science that if you don’t exercise particular cognitive skills，you are going to lose them，” he said.“If you are constantly distracted，you are not going to think in the same way that you would think if you paid attention.”
小题1:What topic is Nicholas Carr’s new book mainly concentrating on?
A．Whether there is any need for us to surf the Internet.
B．How the Internet changes our way of thinking.
C．What we should do when we are surfing the Internet.
D．Whether our minds are being influenced by the Internet.小题2:How did Nicholas Carr feel after he limited his time online several weeks later?
A．Anxious.
B．Relaxed.
C．Concentrated.
D．Puzzled.小题3:The underlined word renders in Paragraph 1 probably means ________.
A．prevents
B．causes
C．protects
D．sharpens小题4:What’s Nicholas Carr’s suggestion for people who are often distracted by the Internet?
A．They should read more books besides surfing the Internet.
B．They should often slow down their pace of modern living.
C．They should often get away from the disturbing of the Internet.
D．They should spend more time thinking while surfing the Internet.
