Fourth-grader Jaden Darnell has an Xbox 360 and a PlayStation 3. Like many other kids, he also plays games on his phone. At times, he says, it can be hard to tear himself away from a device (设备), especially when he’s playing NBA General Manager.
What makes some video games so attractive? Raph Koster, an expert on game design, says game makers employ a great deal of knowledge about what keeps people playing. He says that whether they know it or not, players like getting feedback (反馈) that they can see or hear. The game Peggle, for example, plays the song “Ode to Joy” every time you succeed at beating a level. “It gives you this amazing amount of celebration,” says Koster.
Game makers also know that once players have put in the time and effort to achieve a goal, they don’t like to give up. So some games are easy at first and become more challenging (挑战性的). At that point, the players may be offered a resource (资源) that makes winning easier. “The game creates a problem that it offers to solve for you in exchange for cash,” explains Ian Bogost, a professor who studies video games at the Georgia Institute of Technology. When players are connected to the Internet, developers can observe what they do. By recording players’ choices, game companies can find out what keeps people interested in and what makes them most likely to buy things.
Besides game developers, scientists are also paying attention to the power of games. Adam Gazzaley, a scientist at the University of California, has developed games that improve attention and memory in older adults. Now Gazzaley and his team are designing brain-building games for kids. “We think that how video games really pull you in and demand your attention can be used to help improve how the brain process (处理) information,” he says. To test the games’ effects on the mind, Gazzaley records brain activity while people play. He says that one day, doctors might advise patients to play video games to improve their intelligence.
29.It’s difficult for Jaden Darnell to ______.
A.stop playing games B.play with other kids
C.play NBA General Manager D.turn his attention to new games
30.Why do game makers create games that are easy at first and then become more challenging?
A.To attract more players. B.To make lots of money.
C.To challenge themselves. D.To test players’ intelligence.
31.What’s Adam Gazzaley’s attitude towards the future of video games?
A.Worried. B.Hopeful.
C.Doubtful. D.Uninterested.
32.What would be the best title for the text?
A.Say no to video games B.The future of video games
C.It is game time! D.More than a game?
ABBD
A. Profits enlarging B. Technology developing C. Education investing D. Benefits transferring E. Dominance disappearing F. A nation rising |
The following is an imaginary diary entry written by US president. This diary is part of Global Trends 2025, which was written by the US National Intelligence Council
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Global wealth and economic power will shift from West to East.
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The transition from old fuels to new will be slow, as will the development of new technologies that present feasible alternatives to fossil fuels or help eliminate food and water problems. All current technologies are inadequate, and new ones will probably not be commercially possible by 2025