Passage 1
Science writer Tom Standage draws apt parallels between the telegraph and the gem of late 20th century technology, the Internet. Both systems grew out of the cutting edge science of their time. The telegraphs land lines, underwater cables, and clicking gadgets reflected the 19th centurys research in electromagnetism. The Internets computers and high speed connections reflect 20th century computer science, information theory, and materials technology. But, while gizmos make a global network possible, it takes human cooperati on to make it happen. Standage sinsight in this regard adds depth to his technological history. It underscores the relevance to our own time of the struggles of Samuel Morse in America, William Cooke in England,and other telegraph pioneers. They made the technology work efficiently, sold it to a skeptical public, and overcame national and international bureaucratic obstacles. The solutions they found smooth the Internets way today.
Consider a couple of technical parallels. Telegrams were sent from one station to the next, where they were received and retransmitted until they reached their destination. Stations along the way were owned by different entities, including national governments. Internet data is sent from one server computer to another that receives and retransmits it until it reaches its destination. Again the computers have a variety of owners. Then there is the social impact. The Internet is changing the way we do business and communicate. It makes possible virtual communities for individuals scattered around the planet who share mutual interests. Yet important as this may turn out to be, it is affecting a world that was already well connected by radio, television, and other telecommunications. The Associated Press, Reuters,and other news services would have spread the Starr report quickly without the Internet. In this respect, the global telegraph network was truly revolutionary. The unp recedented availability of global news in real time gave birth to the Associated. Press and Reuters news services. It gave a global perspective to newspapers that had focused on local affairs. A provincialism that geographicalisolation had forced on people for millennia was gone forever. Some seers naively hailed this as a force for world peace. They predicted that tensions over cultural and ethnic differences would relax as people interacted in real time. Visionaries say the same about the Internet. While communications can smooth this process, they don't automatically make it happen. As the experience of the past century and a half has shown, peace takes the will to make it work and sustained effort by all parties.
1. What does "the gem of late 20th century technology" refer to?
A) The telegraph. B) Information theory.
C) Materials technology. D) The Internet.
2. What's the relevance to our own time of the struggles of telegraph pioneers?
A) They made today's technology work efficiently.
B) They smooth the way for the popularity of today's technology.
C) They made the Internet a global network.
D) They overcame national and international bureaucratic obstacles.
3.Why is it that the global telegraph network was truly revolutionary?
A) It has changed the way we do business and communicate.
B) It makes virtual communities possible.
C) It makes real-time global news service available.
D) It makes world peace.
4. The Associated Press and Reuters came into being thanks to ____.
A) the development of global telegraph network
B) the popularity of the Internet
C) the breakup of provincialism
D) the well-connected radio and TV system
5.All of the following facts about the telegraph and the Internet are true EXCEPT the fact that ____.
A) both develop from the most advanced science of their time
B) they are operated similarly in technical terms
C) both help to change the way we do business and communicate
D) both facilitate the communication between cultures and ethnic groups
语言注释
Passage 1
1.electromagnetism n.电磁、电磁学
2.gizmos n.小发明
3.Standages insight in this regard adds depth to his technological history. It underscores the relevance to our own time of the struggles of Samuel Morse in America, William Cooke in England,and other telegraph pioneers. 这两句中理解的难点是句与句之间代词的指代和照应。第一句中in this regard中的"this"是指人类的合作才能使全球网络成为事实。而后一句中的"it"则是指Standage对科技与人类之间的关系的深刻见解，即Standage强调美国的塞缪尔·摩尔斯、英国的威廉·库克以及其他的电报先驱所做的一切努力与我们这个时代的关系。
4.bureaucratic adj.官僚的
5.virtual adj. 虚拟的；实质的
6.provincialism n.地方主义
7.hail n. & v.赞扬
8.visionary n.空想家，幻想家
答案解析：
Passage 1
1.D
本题是细节题，要求考生根据上下文理解单句之间的关系。在文章第一段开头，作者用暗喻的手法，将互联网比作"二十世纪末的一颗璀璨的宝石"。句中the gem of late 20th century technology 指下文提到的the Internet。在本句中，the Internet是the gem of late 20th century technology的同位语。
2.B
本题是主旨题，要求考生区分论点和论据，掌握文章第二段的中心思想，即虽然这些科技发明使全球网络成为可能，但是仍然需要人类的合作才能使其成为现实。而电报先驱们为推广他们的发明而做出的努力为互联网的发展铺平了道路。选项A、C、D是具体的论据，而选项B则概括了文章的论点。因此正确答案为B。
3.C
本题是细节题。文章第四段评论了两种技术对社会的影响。但作者欲擒故纵，文章虽然先肯定了互联网对人类社会的影响，但评论的重点却是全球电报网络对人类社会的深刻影响 (Yet important as this may turn out to be, it is affecting a world that was alr eady well connected by radio,television, and other telecommunications.) 并且进一步表明自己的观点"全球电报网的形成和发展带来真正意义上的社会革命--前所未有地使人类能够及时获得世界新闻报道"。在本题中，考生在阅读中必须抓住重要的信息词，如yet，in this respect等表示语义转折和概括总结的关联词。
4.A
本题是细节题，要求考生理解文中的具体信息。题中问及美联社、路透社等新闻机构产生的原因，对于这一点，作者在第四段中做出回答(The unprecedented availability of global news in real time gave birth to ...)。在此，考生必须根据上下文进行有关推理，即电报网络的发展使即时新闻传播成为可能，而后者促使各种新闻社的产生。故正确答案为A。选项B、D与问题无关，而选项C是新闻机构产生后所带来的结果。
5.C
本题是细节题，要求考生理解文章的总体结构，把握主旨并进行概括和总结。本文讨论了电报和互联网在发展基础、发展过程、技术基础、社会影响等方面的相似之处(parallel s)。选项A(发展基础)、B(技术基础)。选项D中提及新技术为不同文化和种族的交流提供了便利在文章的最后一段也得到了印证。但文章中未提供明确的信息说明电报技术的运用改变了人们经商和交流的方式。故答案为C。
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