Have you ever used Facebook? Many people are being lured (引诱) onto it with the promise of a fun，free service without realizing they're paying for it by giving up large amounts of personal information．Facebook then attempts to make money by selling their data to advertisers that want to send targeted messages．
Most Facebook users don't realize this is happening．Even if they know what the company is up to，they still have no idea what they're paying for Facebook because people don't really know what their personal data is worth．
The biggest problem，however，is that the company keeps changing the rules．Early on，you keep everything private．That was the great thing about Facebook — you could create your own little private network．Last year，the company changed its privacy rules so that many things — your city，your photo，your friends' names—were set，by default (默认) to be shared with everyone on the Internet．
According to Facebook's vice-president Elliot Schrage，the company is simply making changes to improve its service，and if people don't share information，they have a “less satisfying experience”．
Some critics think this is more about Facebook looking to make more money．Its original business model，which involved selling ads and putting them at the side of the page，totally failed．Who wants to look at ads when they're online connecting with their friends?
The privacy issue has already landed Facebook in hot water in Washington．In April，Senator(议员) Charles Schumer called on Facebook to change its privacy policy．He also urged the Federal Trade Commission to set guidelines for social-networking sites．“I think the senator rightly communicated that we had not been clear about what the new products were and how people could choose to use them or not to use them，” Schrage admits．
I suspect that whatever Facebook has done so far to invade our privacy is only the beginning，which is why I'm considering deactivating(撤销) my account．Facebook is a handy site，but I'm upset by the idea that my information is in the hands of people I don't know．That's too high a price to pay．
What do we learn about Facebook from the first paragraph?
| A．It is a website that sends messages to targeted users． |
| B．It makes money by putting on advertisements． |
| C．It profits by selling its users'personal data． |
| D．It provides loads of information to its users． |
What does the author say about most Facebook users?
| A．They are reluctant to give up their personal information． |
| B．They don't know their personal data enriches Facebook． |
| C．They don't identify themselves when using the website． |
| D．They care very little about their personal information． |
Why does Facebook make changes to its rules according to Elliot Schrage?
| A．To provide better service to its users． |
| B．To follow the Federal guidelines． |
| C．To improve its users'connectivity． |
| D．To expand its scope of business． |
Why does the author plan to cancel his Facebook account?
| A．He is dissatisfied with its current service． |
| B．He finds many of its users untrustworthy． |
| C．He doesn't want his personal data abused． |
| D．He is upset by its frequent rule changes． |
Are you looking for some interesting and meaningful places to take your kids to? Here are some places for you to choose before they grow up:
Alaska
Not to sound cool, but “it's a good chance to experience a trip through the icebergs. There are over 100,000 glaciers in Alaska, more than anywhere else in the world combined. You can also spot whales and other wildlife, visit the famous Denali National Park, enjoy the landscapes and even learn about the roughly 20 different native languages Spoken there
New York City
You definitely don't want to be chasing after your shopaholic teens in Manhattan, so plan your trip to the Big Apple when the kids are still young enough to enjoy the family-friendly trips! There are several family-friendly Broadway shows to see. You can also bring them for a walk in Central Park, pay a visit to the giant M&M'S store in Times Square, take a City Sightseeing Cruise, get on a boat to see the Statue of Liberty, visit the Brooklyn Children's Museum, and even enjoy a yummy street hot dog
Cape Canaveral
There are few things m the world as cool as rockets that fly to the outer space, so obviously ,a visit to Cape Canaveral's Kennedy Space Centre is one of the coolest trips you can you’re your children on. Though you won't see any more launches from this space station and its retired rockets, you can find out what it feels like to be in the Shuttle Launch Experience flight simulator Plus, it's only one hour away from Orlando, Florida, so if you visit Disney World as well, this quick side trip will be an easy one to make.
The Canadian Rockies
If you happen to visit the Canadian portion of the nor them Rocky Mountains, a visit to Banff National Park will certainly not disappoint you. There are so many great activities for the whole family to enjoy like wildlife viewing, spaceflight tours, fishing, horseback riding, and hiking. Let your children experience the beauty of the Canadian Rockies and learn more about the history of this impressive UNESCO World Heritage site. If a child wants to experience something related to spaceflight, where can he go?
| A．Alaska and New York City. |
| B．Alaska and Cape Canaveral. |
| C．Cape Canaveral and the Canadian Rockies. |
| D．New York city and Cape Canaveral. |
What can children do if they go to Alaska?
| A．See the Statue of Liberty and enjoy Broadway shows. |
| B．Visit Disney World and see some retired rockets. |
| C．Learn the history of a UNESCO world Heritage site and enjoy horse riding. |
| D．Learn some native languages and experience a trip through the icebergs. |
What does the underlined word "the Big Apple" mean in the passage?
| A．New York City | B．Manhattan |
| C．Broadway | D．Times Square |
What type of writing is this text?
| A．An exhibition guide. | B．A travelling brochure. |
| C．An announcement. | D．An art show review. |
Cheaters called “pirates” often use camcorders(便携式摄像机) and cell phones to make illegal copies of blockbusters(大片) in the local theater. These pirates then sell those recordings on the street or over the Internet for very low prices. Some share them for free.
“It’s unfair for people to pirate movies, ” says 15-year-old Hadaia Azad Ezzulddin. Movie piracy “takes money out of the pockets of thousands of people in the movie industry,” she notes. Victims include famous actors and directors as well as local theater owners and their employees.
Hadaia came up with an idea that could help stop movie piracy. Hadaia’s idea uses infrared(红外线的) light. This range of light is invisible to the human eye. It is visible, however, to many types of cameras. Theater owners could place small infrared lights on their movie screens. The lights would not disturb people watching the movie. It would, however, distort the recordings made by many types of cameras.
To test her idea, Hadaia built a box with a movie screen inside. Then, she projected images on that screen through a hole in the box. She took recordings of those images, using nine different types of cameras. These included the types found in cell phones as well as camcorders. During some tests, she also turned on light emitting diodes(发光二极管), or LEDs. The LEDs were embedded（植入的） in a certain place behind the movie screen. They gave out infrared light.
Sure enough, she showed, a pirated movie included odd stripes or spots if it had been recorded while the LEDs were on. It might be possible to use the LEDs to flash the date and time on the movie screen. The information would then appear in the illegal recordings. Theater owners or police might use the information to track down the pirates.
Cutting down on piracy might get more people into theaters to watch the real movie instead of an illegal copy. Six out of every ten films now produced aren’t profitable. They don’t make enough money to recover how much was spent to make and market them. Such a poor payback can discourage filmmakers from producing anything but the types expected to become blockbuster hits. It might also keep smaller theaters from showing a wider variety of movie types.From what Hadaia says in Paragraph 2, we can infer that _______.
| A．she strongly criticizes those who video movies in the theater |
| B．the pirates don’t have to pay for the movie tickets |
| C．theater owners will increase the price of movie tickets |
| D．most people spend less money on pirates moves |
Infrared lights are put on the movie screens to _______.
| A．adjust the brightness of the movie screens |
| B．make sure the images of movies are dark |
| C．make illegal copies of movies unpleasant to see |
| D．protect the eyesight of viewers in the darkness |
What is the correct order of the steps in Hadaia’s test?
a. She projected pictures on the screen.
b. She used cameras to record the pictures.
c. She turned on the LEDs placed behind the screen.
d. She made a special box with a movie screen inside.
| A．bacd | B．bcad | C．dbac | D．dcab |
According to the last paragraph, we can know that _______.
| A．small theaters often choose to show low-cost movies |
| B．forty percent of movies now are profitable |
| C．more and more people go to theaters to fight movie piracy |
| D．filmmakers prefer to produce ordinary movies than blockbusters |
TIME is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It was created in 1923 by Briton Hadden and Henry Luce, making it the first weekly news magazine in the US. Hadden was considered carefree, liked to tease Luce and saw TIME as important but also fun. That accounted for its heavy coverage of celebrities(including politicians), the entertainment industry, and pop culture—criticized as too light for serious news.
It tells the news through people, and for many decades, the magazine’s cover depicted a single person. On Hadden’s death in 1929, Luce became the most important man at TIME and a major figure in the history of 20th-century media.
TIME is also known for its signature red border, first introduced in 1927. It has only changed four times since then. The issue released shortly after the September 11 attacks on the United States featured a black border to symbolize mourning. However, this edition was a special “extra” edition published quickly for the breaking news of the event; the next regularly scheduled issue contained the red border. Additionally, the April 28, 2008 Earth Day issue, dedicated to environmental issues, contained a green border. The next change in border was in the September 19, 2011 issue, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks with a metallic silver border. The most recent change(again with a silver border) was in the December 31, 2012 issue, noting Barack Obama’s selection as Man of the Year.
TIME has a division magazine, TIME FOR KIDS(TFK), which is especially published for children and is mainly distributed in classrooms. TFK contains some national news, a “Cartoon of the Week”, and a variety of articles concerning popular culture that the younger U.S. citizens are interested in. All the stories in TFK are written by young reporters.
In some advertising campaigns, the magazine has suggested that the letters TIME stand for “The International Magazine of Events”.TIME has a history of _______.
| A．about 90 years | B．about 70 years |
| C．about 50 years | D．about 150 years |
Why did some people dislike TIME in the beginning?
| A．It had kept its cover the same since the 1920s. |
| B．It didn’t report important events quickly enough. |
| C．It didn’t have a serious tone for important events. |
| D．Henry Luce was in charge of the magazine for too long. |
Why did TIME change its red border for the first time?
| A．To remember the 10th anniversary of an attack. |
| B．To show great sadness about the deaths. |
| C．To remind readers to protect the environment. |
| D．To call on readers to vote for Obama. |
What do we know about TFK?
| A．It mainly contains popular culture. |
| B．It has a division magazine called TIME. |
| C．It is designed for kids and teachers. |
| D．It has young reporters writing articles. |
Deborah Cohen is a senior natural scientist at the Rand Corp and the author of the book A Big Fat Crisis: The Hidden Forces Behind the Obesity Epidemic and How We Can End It. According to the book, there are lots of misunderstandings of obesity.
1. If you’re obese, blame your genes.
Obesity rates have increased. Yet, between 1980 and 2000, the number of Americans who are obese has doubled—too quickly for genetic factors to be responsible.
At restaurants, a dollar puts more calories on our plates than ever before, because restaurant meals usually have more calories than what we prepare at home, so people who eat out more frequently have higher rates of obesity than those who eat out less.
2. If you’re obese, you lack self-control.
Research shows that if we are faced with too much information, we have a tendency to make poor dietary choices. Our world has become so rich in temptation that we can be led to consume too much in ways we can’t understand. Even the most vigilant(警觉的) people may not be up to the task of controlling themselves.
3. Lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables is responsible for obesity.
Although the US Department of Agriculture estimates that fewer than 5 percent of Americans live in the “food deserts”, about 65 percent of the nation’s population is overweight or obese. For most of us, obesity is not related to access to more fresh fruits and vegetables, but to the choices we make in supermarkets.
4. The problem is not that we eat too much, but that we don’t exercise.
Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign is based on the idea that if kids exercise more, childhood obesity rates will decrease. But there was no significant decrease in physical activity levels as obesity rates climbed in the 1980s and 1990s. In fact, although a drop in work-related physical activity may account for up to 100 fewer calories burned, leisure physical activity appears to have increased. The problem is that we eat too much.The author mentioned Deborah Cohen’s book in Paragraph 1 to _______.
| A．draw readers’ attention |
| B．introduce the topic |
| C．introduce the author of the book |
| D．advertise the book |
What is the relationship between obesity and the place where you eat?
| A．The more you eat out, the higher rates of obesity you have. |
| B．The less you eat at home, the lower rates of obesity you have. |
| C．The less you eat out, the higher rates of obesity you have. |
| D．The more you eat at home, the higher rates of obesity you have. |
What’s the best title of this passage?
| A．Obesity leads to a big fat crisis. |
| B．Four rules to help you avoid obesity. |
| C．Four misunderstandings of obesity. |
| D．Lacking self-control leads to obesity. |
Both of Jessica’s parents were lawyers and expected her to follow suit. So she went to law school, got a job at a great firm in Washington, DC, and worked as a lawyer for a decade. But her heart was never in it. “I had a big salary but no personal satisfaction,” she says.
Jessica found pleasure in the same thing that had brought her joy since joining the church choir at the age of 12. “Singing always felt like communicating something real at a spiritual and emotional level,” says Jessica. Yet she never considered it a career option. “That seemed like something people did in fairy tales, and I would never let my parents down,” she says.
It was her mom’s diagnosis of brain cancer in 2009 that made Jessica realize she had to write her own happy-ever-after. “Work was busy and my mother was ailing. So I was flying back and forth from Washington, DC to Houston to see her,” Jessica says. “I finally said, ‘Enough!’ and quit.” While caring for her mom, Jessica made a plan. She would spend her savings and study music for a year, and then open a part-time law practice so she could pursue her passion. Before her mother passed away two years later, she encouraged Jessica to follow her dream. Her song Live This Life was inspired by her mom, and her dad came to watch her perform at clubs.
In 2012, Jessica moved to Nashville to try singing and songwriting. A decade of presenting cases in court gave her the confidence to sing for a crowd. “At 20, I would have been too shy to perform,” says Jessica.
“Doing music is so free,” Jessica says. “There’s no pressure to be a star. Success, to me, isn’t a dollar amount or a record deal; it’s doing what I love.”Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Jessica wasn’t satisfied with the pay she got as a lawyer. |
| B．Jessica didn’t know what she truly loved for ten years. |
| C．Jessica didn’t really like working as a lawyer. |
| D．Jessica was grateful for her parents’ arrangement for her. |
What does the underlined word “ailing” in Paragraph 3 mean?
| A．Crazy. | B．Sick. |
| C．Worried. | D．Unhappy. |
What was Jessica’s mother’s attitude toward her singing?
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Negative. | D．Unknown. |
By telling Jessica’s story, the writer most probably wants to _______.
| A．show that family members’ support is important |
| B．show that singing can be a practical career |
| C．tell us the importance of choosing a right job |
| D．encourage us to pursue our dreams |
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