拓展阅读板块课文：
Smartphone: A Smart Choice?
I was a smartphone addict. My eyes were glued to the little screen whenever I walked down the street, had dinner with friends or lay in bed at night. The first thing I did when I woke up in the morning was reach for my phone. I always asked for Wi-Fi connections when I went to a new restaurant or coffee shop. A dead battery in my smartphone would make me feel stressed. Sometimes I had the uncomfortable feeling that this little machine had taken up too much of my time, and that I could have done something more meaningful than just looking at a tiny screen all day. Sliding into the habit was easy, but it was difficult to quit the habit.
Then the day came when I finally realized I had to make a change. Head down, eyes on my smartphone, I stepped into the road and a car shot past, nearly knocking me off my feet! At that very moment, I made up my mind to spend a whole week without my smartphone.
The first day was the hardest. I was used to checking the news and my friends' social media updates every few minutes, but now I did not know what to do with myself. I kept reaching for my pocket, for my smartphone that was not there. I felt lost and anxious, as if I had missed something of value. Very soon, time slowed down. The empty hours stretched out in front of me, and I felt disconnected from everyone and everything.
It was scary at first. Then somehow I began to feel free. The things that I had time for! I finally picked up the classic novel I had always wanted to read and was soon lost in the beautiful language. I kept a journal of my feelings, thoughts and daily activities to see how much progress I was making. I went out for a run and felt more alive than I had in days. The details of the scene were revealed in front of me: the soft sunlight, a bird singing from a high tree branch, the rich and earthy smell of the soil after the rain. Best of all, I began to appreciate the beauty in life with my own eyes, instead of through my smartphone camera.
My offline relationships benefited as well. I went for a long walk with an old friend. Our wide-ranging conversation went so much deeper than brief texts ever could. With eyes no longer fixed on our phones, we had a chance to really enjoy each other's company. I also made sure to spend more time with my parents. We went to the opera, played badminton, and visited museums. One night, my mother took out some family photos and we laughed about old times. I brought them up to date with what was going on in my life. We had never felt closer to each other.
By the end of the week, I almost did not want to turn my phone back on. Those seven days have given me a great appreciation for life beyond the screen. Real life—and real relationships—are more important to me now. I cannot escape from the modern world, but I can cut back on the amount of time I spend on my smartphone every day, and I do. Life beyond smartphones is richer and more beautiful, and I am going to take advantage of it.
主阅读板块课文：
The Internet: A World without Frontiers
The Internet has the power to connect people across the world to a single shared community. Billions of people in different parts of the world have joined it already, and obviously many more will follow. Even in the countryside, the Internet enables people to reach beyond their villages and get in touch with the outside world. We can achieve almost anything online—with access to the Internet come some truly life-changing advantages.
One of the greatest advantages of the Internet lies in the quick and easy access to a huge amount of information. To a certain extent, the world's knowledge is all at our fingertips. With the click of a mouse or the touch of a button, it is possible to find out almost anything we care to know, from recipes to travel packages, from military affairs to learning resources. In the time it takes to find one book in the library, we can use a search engine to bring up millions of results. No wonder the Internet has now become the first place that the majority of people turn to for information.
The Internet has also made our lives unbelievably convenient, with all sorts of goods and services provided by electronic commerce, more commonly known as e-commerce. You can have food delivered to you using food delivery apps and sites. Gone are the days of searching shop after shop for the perfect pair of boots—you can compare styles and prices quickly and easily in the comfort of your living room. Why wait hopelessly for a taxi in the cold rain? It is now simple and fast to order one with a taxi app. Sit back and relax indoors for a few warm minutes until the driver arrives. When you wish to go on holiday, you can make all your travel arrangements just in front of the computer. Forgot to carry cash? There is no need to worry—you can pay for almost everything on your smartphone.
Above all else, the Internet helps us establish and maintain social ties. With all sorts of communication software, physical distance no longer gets in the way. No matter where we are, we are able to keep in contact with loved ones, find long-lost friends and discover whole new communities who share our hobbies. An instant message, a group chat, a video call, a comment on an update—there are endless ways to share our views or let someone know we care about them.
However, while the Internet brings many valuable advantages, being connected has its problems. As with any great invention, we must be aware of these problems and be careful to use the Internet properly and responsibly. Only in this way can the Internet be a place of discovery, wonder and inspiration for everyone. It is truly a world without frontiers.