Question

    The networked computer is an amazing device. It is the first media machine that serves as  the mode of production (you can make stuff), means of distribution (you can upload stuff to the network), site of _____ (you can download stuff and interact with it), and place of praise     and criticism (you can comment on the stuff you have downloaded or uploaded). _____, the computer is the 21st century’s culture machine.

But for all the reasons there are to _____ the computer, we must also act with caution.  This is because the networked computer has started a secret war between downloading and uploading—between passive consumption and active  _____—whose outcome will shape   our collective future in ways we can only begin to imagine.

All animals download, but only a few upload anything besides faces and their own bodies. Humans are _____ in their capacity to not only make tools but then turn around and use them to create superfluous( 过 剩 的 ) material goods (paintings, sculpture and architecture) and superfluous experiences (music, literature, religion and philosophy). _____, it is precisely    these superfluous things that define human culture and ultimately what it is to be human. Downloading and consuming culture requires great  skills, but _____ to  move  beyond downloading is to rob oneself of a defining ingredient of humanity.

Despite the possibilities of our new culture  machines, most people are  still _____ download mode, brought about by television watching. Even after the _____ of widespread social media, a pyramid of production remains, with a small number of people uploading material, a slightly larger group commenting on or modifying that content, and a huge percentage  remaining satisfied to just _____.

The networked computer offers the first chance in 50 years to _____ the flow caused    by TV viewing, to encourage thoughtful downloading and, even more importantly, meaningful uploading. The computer offers the opportunity to bring about a complete _____ from the   culture of television and a shift from a consumption model to a production model. This is  a historic opportunity. Fifty years of television dominance has given birth to an unhealthy culture. The _____ is now in our collective grasp. It involves controlling our intake, or downloading, and _____ our levels of activity—uploading.

Of course people will still download. Nobody uploads more than a tiny percentage of the culture they consume. But using the networked computer as a download-only device, or even a download-mainly device, is a _____ opportunity that history affords us. Therefore, the goal must be to establish a balance between consumption and production.

1.A.celebration B.conversations C.reception D.ceremonies

2.A.Without doubt B.In return C.In particular D.By contrast

3.A.liberate B.celebrate C.concern D.reject

4.A.request B.support C.defense D.creation

5.A.unique B.familiar C.efficient D.loyal

6.A.In addition B.In fact C.For instance D.By the way

7.A.striving B.comparing C.failing D.attempting

8.A.optimistic about B.unfamiliar with C.stuck in D.ashamed of

9.A.transformation B.emergence C.encounter D.maintenance

10.A.consume B.neglect C.combine D.innovate

11.A.enhance B.quicken C.reverse D.extend

12.A.outcome B.exposure C.break D.evolution

13.A.puzzle B.cure C.regret D.favor

14.A.analyzing B.maintaining C.featuring D.increasing

15.A.wasted B.treasured C.multiplied D.revised

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.B

4.D

5.A

6.B

7.C

8.C

9.B

10.A

11.C

12.C

13.B

14.D

15.A

【解析】

本文是说明文。文章介绍了互联网计算机对人类生产创造的意义，我们必须平衡好用互联网计算机被动消费和主动创造二者之间的关系。

1.考查名词词义辨析。句意：它（互联网计算机）是第一台媒体机器，作为生产模式（你可以制作素材）、分配方式（你可以上传素材到网络）、接收站（你可以下载素材并与之互动）、表扬和批评地点（你可以评论你下载或上传的素材）。A. celebration庆祝；B. conversations会话；C. reception接收；D. ceremonies仪式。括号内所说的你可以下载素材并与之互动是互联网计算机的接收功能，故C项正确。

2.考查介词短语辨析。句意：毫无疑问，互联网计算机是21世纪的文化机器。A. Without doubt毫无疑问；B. In return作为回报；C. In particular尤其、特别；D. By contrast相比之下。根据上文对互联网计算机四方面功能的介绍可知，这些功能使它毫无疑问地成为21世纪的文化机器，故A项正确。

3.考查动词词义辨析。句意：但尽管有为计算机欢呼的种种理由，我们也必须谨慎行事。A. liberate释放；B. celebrate庆祝、欢呼；C. concern涉及；D. reject拒绝。上文提到的网络计算机的功能是我们为计算机欢呼的理由，故B项正确。

4.考查名词词义辨析。句意：这是因为互联网计算机在被动消费和主动创造、下载和上传之间展开了一场秘密战争，其结果将以我们只能开始想象的方式塑造我们的集体未来。A. request请求；B. support支持；C. defense防卫；D. creation创造。与“被动消费”相对的自然是“主动创造”，故D项正确。

5.考查形容词词义辨析。句意：人类的独特之处在于他们不仅能制造工具，而且还会用它们来创建多余的物质(绘画、雕塑和建筑)和多余的体验(音乐、文学、宗教和哲学) 。A. unique独特的；B. familiar熟悉的；C. efficient有效率的；D. loyal忠诚的。空前提到了所有的动物都会下载，但只有少数上传除了自己的脸和身体以外的东西，此处是人类与动物的比较，突出与其他动物相比，人类的独特之处在于他们不仅能制造工具，而且还会用这些工具继续创造多余的东西，故A项正确。

6.考查介词短语辨析。句意：事实上，正是这些多余的东西定义了人类文化，并最终定义了什么是人类。A. In addition此外；B. In fact事实上；C. For instance例如；D. By the way顺便问一下。上文说与其他动物相比，人类的独特之处在于他们不仅能制造工具，而且还会用这些工具继续创造多余的东西，因此此处是说事实上，正是这些多余的东西定义了人类，故B项正确。

7.考查动词词义辨析，句意：下载和消费文化需要高超的技巧，但如果不能超越下载的范畴，就等于剥夺了人性的一种决定性因素。A. striving努力；B. comparing比较；C. failing未能；D. attempting尝试。上文说人类的独特之处在于他们不仅能制造工具，而且还会用这些工具继续创造多余的东西，正是这些多余的东西定义了人类，因此如果不能超越下载的范畴，就等于剥夺了人性的一种决定性因素，故C项正确。

8.考查形容词短语辨析。句意：尽管我们的新文化机器带来了各种可能性，但大多数人仍然停留在看电视带来的下载模式。A. optimistic about对……保持乐观；B. unfamiliar with对……不熟悉；C. stuck in陷入；D. ashamed of对……感到羞愧。根据空前表示让步的“Despite”可知，尽管我们的新文化机器带来了各种可能性，但大多数人仍然停留在看电视带来的下载模式上，故C项正确。

9.考查名词词义辨析。句意：即使在广泛的社交媒体出现之后，生产的金字塔依然存在，一小部分人上传材料，一小部分人对内容进行评论或修改，还有很大一部分人只满足于消费。A. transformation转换；B. emergence出现；C. encounter遭遇；D. maintenance维护。根据空后的“of widespread social media, a pyramid of production remains”可知，在广泛的社交媒体出现之后，生产的金字塔仍然存在，故B项正确。

10.考查动词词义辨析。句意同上。A. consume消费；B. neglect忽视；C. combine联合；D. innovate创新。根据空前的“a small number of people uploading material, a slightly larger group commenting on or modifying that content, and a huge percentage remaining satisfied to just.”可知，一小部分人上传材料，一小部分人对内容进行评论或修改，而很大一部分人只满足于消费，故A项正确。

11.考查动词词义辨析。句意：互联网计算机提供了50年来第一次扭转人们看电视（消费）的机会，鼓励有思想的下载，更重要的是，有意义的上传。A. enhance加强；B. quicken加快；C. reverse颠倒、扭转；D. extend延伸。下文说计算机提供了一个彻底打破电视文化、从消费模式转变为生产模式的机会，因此此处是说互联网计算机扭转了50年来人们只是看电视的局面，故C项正确。

12.考查名词词义辨析。句意：计算机提供了一个彻底打破电视文化、从消费模式转变为生产模式的机会。A. outcome结果；B. exposure暴露；C. break打破、间断；D. evolution演变。根据空后的“from the culture of television and a shift from a consumption model to a production model.”可知，互联网计算机提供了一个彻底打破电视文化的机会，故C项正确。

13.考查名词词义辨析。句意：治疗方法现在就在我们的共同掌握之中。A. puzzle谜团；B. cure治疗、疗法；C. regret遗憾；D. favor偏袒。空前说五十年的电视统治产生了一种不健康的文化，因此此处指对这种不健康文化的治疗方法，故B项正确。

14.考查动词词义辨析。句意：它包括控制我们的接收或下载，增加我们的活动上传水平。A. analyzing分析；B. maintaining维护；C. featuring以……为特色；D. increasing增加。要想利用互联网计算机进行更多的生产创造，自然是要增加上传，故D项正确。

15.考查动词词义辨析。句意：但是，把联网计算机作为一个只能下载的设备，甚至是一个以下载为主的设备，历史证明这个机会就被浪费了。A. wasted浪费；B. treasured珍爱；C. multiplied增加；D. revised修正。空后说因此，目标必须是在消费和生产之间建立平衡，因此此处是说如果只用互联网计算机用来下载的话，那么这个机会就被浪费了，故A项正确。