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!
1.The Pew study was conducted in _____.
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A．The United States |
B．Canada |
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C．The U.S. and Canada |
D．Europe |
2.Which of the following has happened since the invention of the Internet and email?
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A．People are talking on the phone more than ever. |
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B．Interaction through the computer has replaced a lot of person to person interaction. |
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C．Americans are turning into hermits. |
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D．Sixty million Americans have bought computers. |
3.Which of the following was NOT one of the discoveries of the Pew study?
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A．The Internet has put us in touch with more people than expected. |
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B．People use the Internet to get advice on careers, medical problems, and other questions. |
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C．For many Americans, the Internet plays an important role in helping them make important decisions. |
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D．“Internet addiction” is a growing problem among people who use computers. |
4.What does the bolded words “reach out” in the last paragraph mean?
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A．Connect with. |
B．Play a trick. |
C．Make a decision. |
D．Stay alone. |
Argentina's Lionel Messi has won the Golden Ball awarded to the European Footballer of the Year, becoming the sixth Barcelona player to take the award and the first since Brazilian Ronaldinho in 2005.
Messi beat last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo into second place while Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez finished third in the poll results released by France Football magazine early Tuesday.
Praised by Argentina great Diego Maradona as his successor, Messi won an unprecedented treble（三重） in Spain last season with Barcelona as the Catalan side swept the Champions League, the Spanish title and the Copa del Rey.
The 22-year-old Messi, the first Argentine to win the world-famous award, was the top scorer in last year's Champions League with nine goals, including his superb header（足球中的头球） in the 2-0 victory over Manchester United in the final.
Messi, who scored 473 of a possible 480 points, largely controlled the voting and won with a record-margin of 240 points. Real Madrid winger Ronaldo had 233 and Xavi had 170.
"Honestly, I knew that I was among the favorites because Barcelona had a fruitful year in 2009," Messi was quoted as saying by the magazine.
"But I didn't expect to win with such a margin. The Golden Ball is very important to me. All the players who won it were great players, and some great players never won it."
Barcelona had three players in the Top 5 with Andres Iniesta taking fourth ahead of former Barca player Samuel Eto'o.
In an outstanding season, Messi netted(把…踢进网) 38 goals in 51 games in all competitions, often leaving defenders in his wake(在…之后) with a combination of speed, extraordinary abilities and his effective left-footed strike.
Messi, who led Argentina to next year's World Cup in South Africa, recently signed a new contract with Barcelona through 2016.
Messi had a good start to this season - already scoring nine goals - and put on a great display to help his club defeat archrival Real Madrid 1-0 last Sunday.
"It won't be easy to confirm after a year like the one we just went through," Messi said.
"I hope the next one will reach the same standards. But to win the Golden Ball two years in a row is not an easy thing."
(Read by Guanny Liu. Guanny Liu is a multimedia journalist at the China Daily Web site.)
1.Which of the following is the suitable title?
A. Messi beats C. Ronaldo to win the European Footballer of the Year
B. Ronaldinho beats Messi to win the European Footballer of the Year
C. Messi beats Xavi to win the European Footballer of the Year
D. Ronaldinho beats Xavi to win the European Footballer of the Year
2. Messi has some advantages over others EXCEPT _________.
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A．a rapid speed |
B．a new contract with Barcelona |
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C．outstanding abilities |
D．his effective left-footed strike |
3. By saying “But I didn't expect to win with such a margin.”, Messi means _____.
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A．he didn’t think he won unexpectedly |
B．he didn’t want to win at all |
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C．he didn’t expect he won extraordinarily |
D．he couldn’t wait to win |
4. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
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A．Xavi Hernandez finished second in the poll. |
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B．Messi treated Maradona as his successor. |
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C．The 22-year-old Messi was the first European Footballer. |
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D．Messi said Barcelona had a fruitful year in 2009. |
Years ago in Scotland, the Clark family had a dream. Clark and his wife worked and saved, 21 plans for their nine children and themselves to 22 to the United States. It had taken years, but they had finally 23 enough money and had gotten passports and reservations for the 24 family on a new liner to the United States.
The entire family was 25 with excitement about their new life. However, seven days before their 26 , the youngest son was bitten by a dog. The doctor sewed up the boy 27 hung a yellow sheet on the Clarks’ front door. 28 the possibility of rabies (狂犬病), they were being quarantined (隔离)for fourteen days.
The family’s dreams were dashed. They would not be able to make the trip to America 29 they had planned. Watching the ship leave 30 his family, the father, filled with disappointment and anger, cursed both his son and God for their 31 .
Five days later, the tragic news spread 32 Scotland---the mighty Titanic had sunk. The 33 ship had sunk, taking hundreds of lives with it. The Clark family 34 have been on that ship, but because the son had been bitten by a dog, they were left 35 in Scotland.
When Mr. Clark heard the news, he hugged his son and thanked him for 36 the family. He thanked God 37 saving their lives and turning what he had left was a tragedy into a 38 .
Although we may not 39 understand, all things happen for a 40 .
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_________ by the teacher, Tom got into the classroom from the back door quietly.
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A．To avoid being seen |
B．Avoiding seen |
C．Avoid being seen |
D．Avoided seeing |
All of the students held the view _________ the teacher advised them to do was reasonable.
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A．that what |
B．what that |
C．that that |
D．whether what |
After the company reformed its rules and regulations, we find the business is really ________.
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A．taking off |
B．bringing in |
C．knocking off |
D．taking up |
