（一）A Bad Idea

Think you can walk, drive, take phone calls, e-mail and listen to music at the same time? Well, New York's new law says you can't.　1　The law went into force last month, following research and a shocking number of accidents that involved people using electronic gadgets (小巧机械) when crossing the street.

Who's to blame?　2　"We are under the impression that our brain can do more than it often can." says Rend Marcia, a neuroscientist (神经科学家) in Tennessee. "But a core limitation is the inability to concentrate on two things at once." The young people are often considered the great multitaskers.　3　A group of 18- to 21-year-olds and a group of 35- to 39-year-olds were given 90 seconds to translate images into numbers, using a simple code.　4　But when both groups were interrupted by a phone call or an instant message, the older group matched the younger group in speed and accuracy.

It is difficult to measure the productivity lost by multitaskers. But it is probably a lot. Jonathan Spira, chief analyst at Basex, a business-research firm, estimates the cost of interruptions to the American economy at nearly $650 billion a year.　5　The surveys conclude that 28 percent of the workers' time was spent on interruptions and recovery time before they returned to their main tasks.

A. Talking on a cell phone while driving brings you joy anyway.

B. The estimate is based on surveys with office workers.

C. The younger group did 10 percent better when not interrupted.

D. However, an Oxford University research suggests this perception is open to question.

E. Scientists say that our multitasking (多任务处理) abilities are limited.

F. And you'll be fined $100 if you do so on a New York City street.

［答案解析］

1．F。［解析］And you'll be fined $100 if you do so on a New York City street. 如果你在纽约街道上这么做，你会被罚100美元。

2．E。［解析］Scientists say that our multitasking abilities are limited. 科学家们说我们的多任务处理能力是有限的。

3．D。［解析］However, an Oxford University research suggests this perception is open to question. 然而，牛津大学的一项研究提出这种认识令人质疑。

4．C。［解析］The younger group did 10 percent better when not interrupted. 如果没有干扰，年轻人所在的那个小组的表现比成年人好10％。

5．B。［解析］The estimate is based on surveys with office workers. 根据对办公室工作者进行的调查结果得出这一估计值。