Thanks to the Web, We’re Alone Together and Loving it
There's a professor, Barry Wellman, at the University of Toronto in Canada who has come up with a term to describe the way a lot of us North Americans interact these days. And now a big research study confirms it.
Barry Wellman's term is "networked individualism." It's not the easiest concept to grasp. In fact, the words seem to contradict each other. How can we be individualistic and networked at the same time? You need other people for networks.
Here's what he means. Until the Internet and e-mail came along, our social networks involved flesh-and-blood relatives, friends, neighbors, and colleagues at work. Some of the interaction was by phone, but it was still voice to voice, person to person, in real time.
But the latest study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project confirms that for a lot of people, electronic interaction through the computer has replaced a great deal of social interchange. A lot of folks Pew talked with say that's a good thing, because of concerns that the Internet was turning us into hermits who shut out other people in favor of a make-believe world on flickering computer screens.
To the contrary, the Pew study discovered the Internet has put us in touch with more real people than we'd have ever imagined. Helpful people, too. We're turning to an ever-growing list of cyber friends for advice on careers, medical crises, child-rearing, and choosing a school or college. About 60 million Americans told the Pew that the Internet plays an important or crucial role in helping them deal with major life decisions.
So we networked individuals are pretty tricky: We're keeping more to ourselves, while at the same time reaching out to more people, all with just the click of a computer mouse!
【小題1】The Pew study was conducted in _____.
| A．The United States | B．Canada |
| C．The U.S. and Canada | D．Europe |
| A．People are talking on the phone more than ever. |
| B．Interaction through the computer has replaced a lot of person to person interaction. |
| C．Americans are turning into hermits. |
| D．Sixty million Americans have bought computers. |
| A．The Internet has put us in touch with more people than expected. |
| B．People use the Internet to get advice on careers, medical problems, and other questions. |
| C．For many Americans, the Internet plays an important role in helping them make important decisions. |
| D．“Internet addiction” is a growing problem among people who use computers. |
| A．Connect with. | B．Play a trick. | C．Make a decision. | D．Stay alone. |
科目：高中英語 來源：2013屆安徽省績中高二12月聯考英語題 題型：閱讀理解
The iPhone, the iPad, the iPod : each of Apple’s products sounds cool and has become a fad (時尚). Apple has cleverly taken advantage of the power of the letter “i” — and many other brands are following suit. The BBC’s iPlayer — which allows Web users to watch TV programs on the Internet — adopted the title in 2008. A lovely bear — popular in the US and UK — that plays music and video is called “iTeddy”. A slimmed-down version of London’s Independent newspaper came out last week under the name “i”.
In general, single-letter prefixes have been popular since the 1990s, when terms such as e-mail and e-commerce first came into use.
Most “i” products are aimed at young people and considering the major readers of Independent’s “i”, it is no surprise that they’ve selected this fashionable name.
But it’s hard to see what’s so special about the letter “i” . Why not use “a”, “b” or “c” instead? According to Tony Thorne, head of the Language Center at King’s College, London, “i” works because its meaning has become ambiguous. When Apple uses “i”, no one knows whether it means Internet, information, individual or interactive, Thorne told BBC Magazines. “Even when Apple created the iPad, it seems it didn’t have one clear definition ,” he says.
“However, thanks to Apple, the term is now associated with portability (輕便).” adds Thorne.
Clearly the letter “i” also agrees with the idea that the Western World is centered on the individual. Each person believes they have their own needs, and we love personalized products for this reason.
Along with “Google” and “Twitter”, readers of BBC Magazines voted “i” as one of the top 20 words that have come to define the last decade.
But as history shows, fads come and go. From the 1900s to 1990s, products with “2000” in their names became fashionable as the year was associated with all things advanced and modern. However, as we entered the new century, the trend inevitably（不可避免地）disappeared.
1.People use iPlayer to ____________.
A. listen to music B. make a call C. watch TV programs online D. read newspapers
2.We can infer that the Independent’s “ i ” is aimed at _____________.
A. young readers B. old readers C. fashionable women D. engineers
3. Nowadays, the “i” term often reminds people of the products that are ______________.
A. advanced B. portable C. recyclable D. environmentally friendly
4.The author of the passage would probably agree that _______________.
A. “i” products are often of high quality B. all “i” products have something to do with Internet
C. the popularity of “i” products may not last long D. iTeddy is a live bear
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科目：高中英語 來源：2010年山西大學附中高二上學期第一次階段考試英語卷 題型：單項填空
_____his timely help , Kate overcame the hardship at last.
|
A．For |
B．Thanks to |
C．As a result |
D．Because |
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科目：高中英語 來源：2010年四川省高一上學期期中考試英語卷 題型：完型填空
閱讀下面短文，掌握其大意，從每題所給的A、B、C、D四個選項中，選出最佳答案。
The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman with the white cane(棍子) made her way carefully up the steps. She 36 the driver and, using her hands to feel the 37 of the seats, walked down and found the 38 which the driver had told her was empty. Then she settled in.
It had been a year since Susan, 34, 39 a medical misdiagnosis (誤診), was suddenly thrown into a world of 40 . Mark, her husband, was an Air Force officer and he loved Susan with all his heart. He 41 her how to rely on her other 42 specifically her hearing, to determine where she was and 43 to adapt herself to the new environment. He helped her befriend the bus drivers who could 44 for her, and save her a seat.
45 , Susan decided that she was ready to try the 46 on her own. Monday morning, she said good-bye and for the first time, they went their 47 ways.
On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was 48 the bus, the driver said, “Lady, I 49 envy you.” Susan had no 50 what the driver was talking about, and asked, “What do you 51 ?”
The driver answered, “You know, every morning for the 52 week, a fine-looking gentleman 53 a military uniform has been standing across the corner 54 you as you get off the bus. He 55 you cross the street safely and he watches until you enter your office building. You are one lucky lady.”
Tears of gratitude poured down Susan’s cheeks.
1.A. thanked B. asked C. discovered D. paid
2.A. location B. shape C. size D. cost
3.A. ticket B. bus C. seat D. bag
4.A. according to B. instead of C. thanks to D. due to
5.A. anger B. darkness C. happiness D. light
6.A. asked B. encouraged C. taught D. praised
7.A. feelings B. sights C. senses D. abilities
8.A. how B. when C. where D. who
9.A. make out B. watch out C. find out D. work out
10.A. Finally B. Luckily C. However D. Besides
11.A. visit B. trip C. bus D. work
12.A. opposite B. separate C. difficult D. usual
13.A. getting on B. getting in C. getting off D. getting up
14.A. must B. may C. will D. do
15.A. idea B. opinion C. way D. thought
16.A. want B. mean C. say D. suggest
17.A. next B. old C. past D. following
18.A. by B. on C. with D. in
19.A. searching B. watching C. calling D. noticing
20.A. looks out B. takes up C. believes in D. makes sure
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科目：高中英語 來源：2013屆山東省高一下學期期末考試英語題 題型：單項填空
It was John we won the game.
A. because; who B. because of; whom C. as; that D. thanks to; that
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科目：高中英語 來源：20102011年遼寧省高二期末測試英語試題 題型：閱讀理解
Dear Economist,
My newly-wedded wife and I are deeply in love．There is, however, one issue that threatens the happiness of our marriage．I absolutely insist on shopping at Walmart．My wife, meanwhile, would rather avoid Walmart at all costs．
I have recently tried to convince her that not only does Walmart offer the lowest prices known to man, but that the chain is also a force for good―lower prices mean better standards of living for all consumers, increased global trade means a tighter-knit(緊密團結的) international community, and efficient operations translate into higher productivity growth for the economy．My wife complains about poor labour policies, the “fact” that Walmart squeezes suppliers, and that it puts local shops out of business．
Who is right? Will our marriage survive?
Brian Gee
Dear Brian,
I have to agree with you about Walmart．Jason Furman, then an economist at New York University, now an adviser to President Obama, famously argued in 2005 that Walmart was unwittingly (不知不覺地) a progressive success story．The chain’s prices don’t much affect me (I prefer Whole Foods) but Furman estimated that they benefited low-and-middle-income Americans to the sum of around $250 billion a year．
Walmart does not pay much, so it may depress wages．Then again, it may increase wages by offering jobs to the otherwise-unemployed．Either way, the benefits of low prices to Walmart shoppers far outweigh any seemingly reasonable costs to Walmart employees．And while it is true that Walmart employees tend to be poor, the same is true of Walmart shoppers．
Armed with this information you can face your wife with confidence．You are sure to win the conversation．The divorce is likely to be more argued．
Economist
1.What concerns Brian Gee so much that he wrote the letter?
|
A．His wife refuses to shop at Walmart． |
|
B．They are faced with a divorce． |
|
C．They can’t afford the costs of shopping at Walmart． |
|
D．They are in conflict about shopping at Walmart． |
2.Brian Gee’s wife tends to hold the opinion that _________．
|
A．it is wrong for Walmart to depress its employees’ wages |
|
B．consumers’ lives have improved thanks to Walmart |
|
C．Walmart’s business operation increases productivity in economy |
|
D．Walmart’s business increases global trade |
3.What can be inferred from the reply letter?
|
A．Some employees accept the low pay to keep the job． |
|
B．Walmart appeals to only poor consumers and poor employees． |
|
C．Employees suffer from Walmart’s low prices more than consumers． |
|
D．Jason Furman, a New York University economist, spoke highly of Walmart． |
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