Question

    What I used to find attractive about journalism was that it brought you into contact with a huge range of interesting people, or at least people to whom interesting things had happened. But is that true? If I were coming in now, would I find journalism as attractive a job as when I first earned my pay- cheque 30 years ago?

The problem is the impact of the internet on how we write our stories. We all know the benefits that the web has provided. It has enabled journalists, along with everyone else, to find instant answers to almost any question, no matter how unusual. It has hugely quickened the gathering and spreading of news. And if the appearance of informed and readable amateur “bloggers” has forced journalists - the supposed professionals - to sharpen up our act, so much the better.

But the revolution has brought one huge negative pressure on journalists. Because the internet seems to include everything, we are deeply addicted to it. Now we spend most of our working hours in our offices, staring at screen. Oral contact with people in the outside world is heavily reduced. Face-to-face communication seems so 20th-century, such a waste of time.

This attitude not only limits the journalist’s ability to understand the complexities of the world. It also leads to what I call “hall of mirrors” reporting, in which the media village chews and chews on the same few subjects, which are often of far more interest to media staff than ordinary people.

This isn’t a cry for the days when journalists spent half their week talking to people. But it’s a request for those who claim to report the world’s affairs to get out more - to experience life at first hand, or at least to talk regularly with those who do. What many journalists report now is not reality, but virtual reality: human existence as known through a computer screen.

But perhaps that’s the way humanity in general is going. It would be funny if the communication revolution of the past 20 years ended up killing the greatest form of communication ever developed. “We should start a Campaign for Real Conversation,” I said to a colleague the other morning. “Good idea,” he replied. “Send me an e-mail.”

1.What benefits has the internet brought to journalism according to the article?

① a variety of information

② fast speed of collecting and spreading news

③ appearance of bloggers

④ better written news stories

A.①② B.②③ C.②④ D.①④

2.The underlined phrase “the greatest form of communication” refers to ____.

A.using the internet for news reporting

B.communicating with people by e-mail

C.talking to people face to face

D.“hall of mirrors” reporting

3.The author thinks ____ in the future.

A.the internet will promote the journalism industry

B.more and more journalists will go out to experience life

C.journalists will do the same as they do now

D.the internet will put an end to the journalism industry

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.C

【解析】

本文为议论文。作者原来觉得新闻工作有吸引力的地方，它能让你接触到各种各样有趣的人，或者至少是那些曾经发生过有趣事情的人。但现在不是这样，网络让人们可快速接触和收集到各种信息，如今的记者们只要在办公室盯着电脑，加工信息，不再与人面对面交流了，但也许这就是人类发展的方向。

1.细节理解题。根据第二段“We all know the benefits that the web has provided. It has enabled journalists, along with everyone else, to find instant answers to almost any question.no matter how unusual.”我们都知道网络带来的好处。无论这些问题多么不寻常，记者和所有人几乎都能够立即找到所有问题的答案。可知，网络给记者带来各种信息；“It has hugely quickened the gathering and spreading of news.”它大大加快了新闻的收集和传播。由以上的内容可推断出我们都知道网络带来的好处：提供各种不同的信息；收集和传播信息的速度快，即①②，故选A。

2.词义猜测题。根据第三段“Oral contact with people in the outside world is heavily reduced. Face-to-face communication seems so 20th-century” 与外界的口头接触大大减少。面对面的交流似乎是20世纪的事情。第六段“It would be funny if the communication revolution of the past 20 years ended up killing the greatest form of communication ever developed.” 如果过去20年的交流变革最终扼杀了有史以来最伟大的交流形式，那将是一件有趣的事情。从现在看20年前也就是20世纪时，而20世纪的面对面的交流，现在已大大减少了。因此可推断出有史以来最伟大的交流方式是面对面交流（Face-to-face communication ），与C项中的talking to people face to face是同义词转换。故选C。

3.推理判断题。根据最后一段But perhaps that’s the way humanity in general is going It would be funny if the communication revolution of the past 20 years ended up killing the greatest form of communication ever developed. 但那也许是人类的总体发展方式。如果过去20年的传播革命最终扼杀了有史以来最伟大的传播形式，那将是很有趣的。由此可推断出作者认为现在的记者报导新闻的方式是人类发展的方向。下面又以自己和同事为例：“We should start a Campaign for Real Conversation,” I said to a colleague the other morning. “Good idea,” he replied. “Send me an e-mail.”但也许这就是 “我们应该发起一场真正对话的运动，”前几天早上我对一位同事说。“好主意，”他回答。“给我发一封电子邮件。”“我们应该发起一场真正的对话运动，”一天早上我对一位同事说。“好主意，”他回答。“给我发一封电子邮件。根据以上的例子可知作者和同事的交流方式没有变化。由此可推断出未来的新闻记者也会和现在一样，故选C。