Question 12 is based on the conversation you have just heard.

听力原文：

W: There’s new data out today that confirms that many Americans are not good at math, and when it comes to everyday technology skills, we are dead last when compared to other developed countries. Here’s Gabrielle Emanuel of National Public Radio.

M:（12）Let’s start with the bad news that Americans are terrible at technology skills, using email, naming a file on a computer, using a link on a webpage, or just texting someone.

W: No country scored below the U.S.?

M: Only one country. Poland performed as poorly as we did.（13）Who came out the first? Japan did the best and then Finland. If you look at data about reading and math, you’ll notice something interesting. Younger adults who went to college or graduate school were doing pretty well.（14）In literacy, they were actually doing better than their peers in other countries.

W: So that’s a bit of good news.

M: （15）But when you look at Americans who have a high school diploma, they look a lot like other countries’ high school students. We have a lot of work to do. That is especially true when it comes to math. You go to the store and there’s a sale. Buy one, get the second one half off. You decide to buy two. How much do you pay?

W: You mean high school graduates can’t do this task in general?

M: You’re right. What does that tell us about our education system? Well, it tells us that we need to think about the preparedness of our students as they leaving high school.

W: Right. And schools, employers. In fact we all need to do something about it. Thank you, Gabrielle.

12. What does the man say about Americans?

解析：B。本题目为细节题。问题为：关于美国人，男士说了什么？根据原文“Let’s start with the bad news that Americans are terrible at technology skills, using email, naming a file on a computer, using a link on a webpage, or just texting someone.”，可知对话从一些关于美国人的负面信息开始，男士表示美国人在科学技术、使用邮件、命名电脑中的文件、使用网络连接，甚至在给某人发短信方面都比较弱。选项B）They are poor at technology skills（他们运用科技技能较差），与原文信息完全一致。