11．The widespread use of Internet technology has made our lives easier but causes a big challenge to senior citizens （長者），who are not always comfortable with smartphones and so many new APPs．
Only a few senior citizens are able to enjoy the benefits that new technologies offer．According to the National Bureau of Statistics，the number of people aged 60 and above was 253.88 million in 2019，about 18.1% of China's population．But only 23% of the senior citizens were able to use the Internet．That means more than three-fourths of the elderly are deprived（被剝奪） of the digital benefits．
Many senior citizens who can't use smartphones are facing difficulties during this pandemic（流行?。瓻ven with a smartphone in hand and Internet available，many of them still feel helpless．They don't know how to call a taxi through the APPs．There have been reports of many shops turning away elders who don't know how to pay using smartphones，instead of letting them pay with cash．Worse still，as they don't know how to get the Internet-based health code（健康碼），they are refused to enter many public places．Presenting individual health code is part of the epidemic prevention（防疫） and control measures．
New technologies become popular because they are often of great use in our daily lives．But many senior citizens，especially those living in the countryside or those whose grown-up children don't live with them，are not able to use the Internet or smartphones，either because of financial（財政的） problems or because they cannot learn new things beyond a certain point．The digital gap between the elderly and the young is becoming more obvious．
However，the senior citizens should not become a silent group deprived of digital benefits．It is our responsibility to help them bridge the digital gap，and be patient with them when they face difficulties catching up．
（1）What do the statistics show in Paragraph 2？
A．There are a small number of senior citizens in China．
B．Only 23% of the senior citizens can use the computer．
C．Three fourths of the elders are unwilling to use smartphones．
D．Many elders fail to enjoy the convenience of the digital devices．
（2）What does the author try to tell us？
A．Cash is no longer accepted in most shops．
B．It's a must for everyone to have a health code．
C．Most elders need guidance on how to use the APPs．
D．Many shops now refuse to offer service to the elderly．
（3）The elderly can't enjoy digital benefits for the following reasons EXCEPT
．
A．their living areas
B．their financial conditions
C．their relationship with children
D．their difficulty in learning new things
（4）Which word best describes the author's attitude to the current situation of the elderly？
A．Positive
B．Worried
C．Negative
D．Indifferent
