Question

Someday a stranger will read your e-mail without your permission or scan the Website you've visited，Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchases or cell phone bills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits.

In fact, it's likely that some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girl friend, a marketing company, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen ---- the 21st century replacement of being caught naked.

Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it's important to reveal yourself to friends, family and lovers in stages, at appropriate times. But few boundaries remain. The digital bread crumbs(碎屑) you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to reconstruct who you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simple Google search can reveal what you think. Like it or not, increasingly we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret.

The key question is: Does that matter?

For many Americans, the answer apparently is "no."

When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. A survey found a strong bad feeling about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying they feel their privacy is "slipping away, and that bothers me."

But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny part of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths(收费站) to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that can track automobile movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards. Privacy economist Alessandro Acquisti has run a series of tests that reveal people will give away personal information like Social Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-off coupon(优惠卷)。

But privacy does matter ---- at least sometimes. It's like health: When you have it, you don't notice it. Only when it's gone do you wish you'd done more to protect it.

1.What does the author mean by saying "the 21st century replacement of being caught naked"?

A) People's personal information is easily accessed without their knowledge.

B) In the 21st century people try every means to look into others' secrets.

C) People tend to be more frank with each other in the information age.

D) Criminals are easily caught on the spot with advanced technology.

2.What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?

A) Friends should open their hearts to each other.

B) Friends should always be faithful to each other.

C) There should be a distance even between friends.

D) There should be fewer arguments between friends.

3.Why does the author say "we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret"？

A) Modern society has finally developed into an open society.

B) People leave traces around when using modern technology.

C) There are always people who are curious about others' affairs.

D) Many search engines benefit from giving away people's identities.

4.What do most Americans do as for privacy protection?

A) They change behaviors that might disclose their identity.

B) They use various loyalty cards for business transactions(交易).

C) They rely most and more on electronic devices.

D) They talk a lot but hardly do anything about it.

5.According to the passage, privacy is like health because ___.

A) people will make every effort to keep it.   

B) its importance is rarely understood

C) it is something that can easily be lost    

 D) people don't treasure it until they lose it

Answer

1.A）［精解］ 段首处设题。根据第二段，第一句话，我们得知有人会在未经允许的情况下窃取我们的个人信息，如第一段所说的电子邮件、网址、信用卡购物及电话等，我们的个人信息赤裸裸地暴露给陌生人，毫无遮掩。A）中的 is easily accessed without their knowledge 同义与原文中的 watch you without your permission。

2.C）［精解］根据题干中关键词psychologist、friend定位到第三段第一、二句话。心理学家认为与他人保持一定界限是有益的，虽然会向朋友、家人、爱人倾诉，但是有一些事情是有底线和界限的。C）中的distance同义与原文中的boundary，跟本段第二句话 but few boundaries remain 意义一致。

3.B）［精解］第三段第三句话告诉我们：我们在使用高科技时所留下的点滴信息都会为陌生人了解我们提供线索。例如谷歌搜索引擎就会泄漏我们的想法。因此进一步得出结论：我们正生活在一个连保守秘密都很困难的世界里。B）中的trace 同义于原文中的digital bread crumbs所暗示的意思。

4.D）［精解］根据倒数第二段第一句得知，people say one thing and do another，即言行不一。随后举例说明，美国人为了一点利益而提供个人信息。D）符合题意。

5.D）［精解］段末处设题。作者把隐私同健康作比较，当拥有时，不曾注意到它，一旦失去才知其珍贵。D）中cherish同 wish you’d have done more 意义一致。