单选题 Stress- and pressure-filled days have become an almost normal part of contemporary life, due to the ever-growing demands of careers, home maintenance, parenting responsibilities, and community involvement. Because of this, there is a general consensus that just doing all that daily needs to be done is an emotionally intense and complex process. In fact, a wit once commented, "Living these days is like a grammar lesson: The past is perfect; the present is tense. "
Technology makes it more difficult to separate ourselves from work. In times past, it was possible to have a stressful workplace, go home, and relax. Since less work was mental and more was physical, it was relatively easy to remove oneself - physically and mentally - from it. The sophisticated communication technology available today was not yet developed. In contrast to the "good old days," it is no longer possible for busy men and women to go home or go on vacation and truly " get away from it all. " It becomes difficult to relax when you are carrying a beeper that may go off any minute. The result is higher levels of stress in men and women because technology enables others to "find them anywhere. "
It is ironic that much technology is designed to make work easier and faster; presumably, this will make life easier for those who must operate the technology, but such is not the case. Witness the prophetic words of the great philosopher John Stuart Mill (1806 -1873): "It is questionable if all the mechanical inventions yet made have lightened the day's toil of any human being. " How true this is despite the promise of "miraculous" new machinery ranging from a "new and more efficient" vacuum cleaner to the most sophisticated computer. The solution to living well lies not in new and better technology, but in the selective disuse of it so that life can be enjoyed in a more emotionally fulfilling way.

单选题 This passage mainly discusses ______.
A. modern man's life that is filled with stress and pressure
B. new technology that has failed to make modern man's life comfortable
C. the negative impact of advanced technology on man's psychological well-being
D. the contrast between contemporary life and life in the past

单选题 The word "consensus" in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to ______.
A. agreement
B. disagreement
C. controversy
D. conspiracy

单选题 It can be inferred from the passage that______.
A. many people complain about their stress- and pressure-filled life for no good reason
B. the highly developed technology is actually a subtle source of high-level stress
C. all stress and pressure of contemporary life result from the development of science and technology
D. more and more people have come to realize the negative effect of new technology on their emotional well-being

单选题 Why does the author assert that the development of technology has led to a higher level of stress in men and women?
A. Looking back on the "good old days" makes modern man's life all the more stressful.
B. Now that less work is physical and more is mental, it is relatively difficult to remove oneself - physically and mentally - from it.
C. The sophisticated communication technology is keeping busy men and women "within call" no matter whether they are at home or on vacation.
D. Both Band C.

单选题 What does the author suggest as a solution for modern man to live well?
A. Looking forward to new and better technology.
B. Living a simple life.
C. Trying not to rely too much on modern technology.
D. Disuse of all those fancy gadgets.