What do you do when you need to look something up? Go to the library? Open an encyclopedia? Click on to the internet? These days, most people go straight to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia. But how reliable (可靠) is it?
There’s no denying the popularity and usefulness of Wikipedia. It attracts 78 million visitors every month, and the site is available (可用的) in more than 270 different languages. It’s one of the most comprehensive (综合的) resources available, and it’s got much more information than an ordinary encyclopedia. The site is updated on a daily basis by thousands of people around the world. Anyone with an internet connection can log on and edit the contents or add a new page. And you don’t need any formal training.
Of course, there are some controls. Wikipedia has a team of more than 1,500 administrators (管理员) who check for false information. But with more than 16 million articles to keep an eye on, it isn’t easy. So, while Wikipedia benefits from being constantly updated with information from all over the world, it’s also open to “vandals” (故意破坏公物的人).
Some of the damage is easy to notice. One prankster (恶作剧者) drew devil horns and a moustache on Microsoft chairman Bill Gate’s photo, while another edited Greek philosopher Plato’s biography to say he was a “Hawaiian weather man”.
But other things are harder to spot. The most common form of vandalism involves adding tiny items of false information into the biography of a famous person. Some of this misinformation has even appeared in newspapers, with The Daily Mail, The Guardian and The Independent all having fallen victim (牺牲者) to the pranks. For example, in an introduction for British comedian Sir Norman Wisdom, one newspaper claimed that he co-wrote Dame Vera Lynn’s wartime hit “There’ll be Bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover”. He did no such thing. And in another article, it was reported that TV theme tune composer Ronnie Hazlehurst had written the song “Reach”. Once again, not true.
So, if you’re going to use any information from Wikipedia, make sure you double-check it first.
1. If you want to look something up on Wikipedia, you will find ________.| A．it is only available in English | B．it has little useful information |
| C．you can only get the information online | D．you need to go to a library to use it |
| A．It is available online in many different languages. |
| B．It may contain more false information than an ordinary encyclopedia. |
| C．It has a team of administrators to check for false information. |
| D．It’s content can be updated every day. |
| A．let you know that false information is inevitable on the site |
| B．urge Wikipedia to set stricter controls over its contents |
| C．criticize the right that the public has to edit the contents on the site |
| D．demonstrate the downsides of public editing allowed by Wikipedia |
| A．pranksters aren’t likely to edit the information about famous people |
| B．some mainstream newspapers also refer to the false information from Wikipedia |
| C．the public is not allowed by Wikipedia to edit the information about famous people |
| D．the Wikipedia administrators don’t work hard enough to check for false information on the site |
| A．We should not use Wikipedia. |
| B．The information from Wikipedia is not reliable. |
| C．We should not trust the information from Wikipedia. |
| D．We should make sure the information from Wikipedia is correct before deciding to use it. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】How GPS Weakens Memory — and What We Can Do about It
Using mobile phones to navigate (导航) has become second nature. Whether you’re heading to a new park or meeting friends at a restaurant, you just enter the address on your phone and go. Without GPS, exploring (探索) and wayfinding in new places required preparation. We had to think, check paper maps, and plan and memorize ways there. But today there is no need to think. Simply follow the turn-by-turn directions on your phone, and you’ll end up where you need to be. However, your overall sense of the place suffers. Spatial (空间的) navigation used to be a process performed by the human brain and perceptual system, but now people have surrendered it to technology.
There are areas of the brain that deal with these difficult pathfinding tasks. In particular, the hippocampus is related to spatial memory, spatial navigation and mental (在脑中的) mapping. Studies show that we can exercise the hippocampus memory through exploration and spatial navigation. For example, expert navigators like London taxi drivers have larger hippocampi compared to other people.
However, when we follow a set of turn-by-turn directions, GPS navigation apps treat us as passive passengers rather than active explorers. In turn, this stops us from being able to create proper mental maps, and has an effect on the hippocampus, which is very important for brain health.
While improvements in technology clearly have many benefits, we must remain mindful that technology can influence the brain. Our question is: Can we find a way to still use GPS but reduce the harmful effects on memory?
The challenge is to create other forms of GPS navigation that will remain easy enough for the general public, and at the same time, enable people to improve their spatial sense. Our research finds that properly designed audio beacons (音频信标) offer a much more active form of GPS navigation. For example, with an audio beacon at a hospital, when we are two miles away from the hospital, we can hear a sound through our phone. In recent experiments, we discover that this type of sensory navigation through audio beacons does better than turn-by-turn navigation in the creation of mental maps. We believe these results, at least in part, come from people taking a more active role in their navigation.
GPS navigation using audio beacons offers a good example that helps humans connect more deeply with reality; perhaps instead of turning into mindless robots, we will be able to become more deeply involved with humanity, our local environment, and life itself.
1. GPS weakens people’s memory because it ______.| A．records the places people have been to |
| B．offers people more than one way to a place |
| C．takes the place of thinking process in wayfinding |
| D．fails to teach people how to prepare for exploring |
| A．have compared it to | B．have given it up to |
| C．have learned it from | D．have taken it away from |
| A．GPS is not widely used in London |
| B．the hippocampus memory can be exercised |
| C．hard-working drivers have larger hippocampi |
| D．active explorers are better than passive passengers |
| A．Turn-by-turn GPS navigation helps create mental maps. |
| B．Audio beacons technology will be replaced in the future. |
| C．Users’ active role should be considered in navigation technology. |
| D．GPS navigation apps have come a long way in helping with our memory. |
The more people, the more pollution. Many years ago, the problem was not so serious because there were not so many people. Man is now slowly polluting the whole world..
Air pollution is still the most serious. It’s bad to all living things in the world. Water pollution kills our fish and pollutes our drinking water. Noise pollution makes us become angry more easily.
Many countries are making rules to fight pollution. They stop people from burning coal in houses and factories in the city.
The pollution of SO2 is now the most dangerous problem of air pollution. It is caused by heavy traffic. It is sure that if there are fewer people driving, there will be less air pollution.
1. Our world is becoming much smaller _______.
| A．because the earth is being polluted day and night |
| B．thanks to science development |
| C．because of the rise in population |
| D．because the earth is blown away by the wind every year |
| A．much easier than | B．as easy as | C．as hard as | D．much harder than |
| A．Water pollution | B．air pollution | C．noise pollution | D．rubbish |
| A．it’s bad to all living things in the world | B．it makes much noise |
| C．it has made our rivers and lakes dirty | D．it makes us become angry more easily |
| A．Many countries are making rules to fight pollution. |
| B．The pollution of the earth grows as fast as the world’s population does. |
| C．From now on, maybe people should try to go to work by bus or bike instead of car ormotorbike. It is helpful to fight against the problem of SO2. |
| D．The problem of pollution is not so serious because there are so many people |
【推荐3】Every school seems to have bully（欺凌）. In fact, bullying goes on in schools all over the world. Bullying is common situation at school. We need to get to know more about bullying.
Who gets picked on?
Bullies pick on people they think don't fit in—someone who looks different or isn't as smart or as rich. For example, shy kids often get picked on because of their characters.
Forms of bullying
Physically hitting someone is the clearest form of bullying, but insulting（侮辱）, gossiping（说闲话）and making fun of others are also usual forms of bullying.
What can we do to stop bullying?
If you are the bully, think about how your actions hurt others. You can't build yourself up by putting others down When you're' feeling stressed or angry, find acceptable ways to deal with your frustrations（挫折）.
If you are the victim（受害者）, tell trusted adult and get some help. Many times adults can find ways to solve the problem. Here are some wise suggestions:
Ignore（忽略）the bully and walk away.
Hold your temper（脾气）. Maybe the bully wants you to lose control.
Don' 't fight physically. It may lead to more violence（暴力）.
Practice confidence even if you have to pretend it.
Talk with parents or teachers about it. They are sure to help you solve the problem.
Make true friends at school. That may be helpful.
1. What kind of people are usually picked on by bulies?| A．Someone who looks as samrt as others. | B．Someone who looks different. |
| C．Someone who looks as strong as a bull. | D．Someone who looks confident. |
| A．Hitting someone | B．Insulting |
| C．Deliberately（故意）being cold to someone | D．Gossiping |
| A．健康的 | B．健美的 | C．合适的 | D．合群的 |
| A．We should try to fight agaisnt school bully bravely and smartly. |
| B．We should make more friends at school. |
| C．We shouldn't look confident. |
| D．We shoudld ignore school bully |
【推荐1】How do they get my information? Did you know that when you surf the Web, many websites put secret software (软件) on your computer? The software collects a lot of information about you and sends it to Internet businesses. Your personal information can also be collected from social media (媒体) sites. There are many ways your information can be used.
What information do they collect and why? First, businesses collect your information. They find out where you live, what websites you visit, and what you do online. With this information, they can guess other things about you. For example, they can guess if you are a man or a woman, how old you are, and your interests. The businesses use this, information to decide which advertisements (广告) are best for you.
What do they do with my information? Your personal information could also be sold. Some businesses collect information just so they can sell it to other businesses. A business that collects and sells personal information is called a data broker. When data brokers sell your formation, a lot of different businesses will know your online habits. Then these businesses will advertise products or other websites to you.
What online habits are tracked? Another way your personal information can be collected is through social media. When your information is on social media, a lot of people can see it. Even if you don’t use social media, a friend might post a picture or video of you with your name on it. Pictures and videos can be shared for free on social media. If someone knows too much about you, they can steal your ID. Then they can buy things online and post messages in your name.
Conclusion (结论). All of your online habits can be recorded. Studying people’s online habits is big business. Your personal information is very valuable to businesses. That is how they know who to send their advertisements to. The Internet reaches almost every corner of the world, but the danger is that your personal information might travel that far, too.
1. Why do businesses collect your personal information?| A．To make advertisements. | B．To put it on social media. |
| C．To enter your secret software. | D．To guess other things about you. |
| A．Manage Internet businesses. | B．Advertise products on the net. |
| C．Collect and sell personal information. | D．Make videos for people online. |
| A．Followed | B．Avoided | C．Required | D．Punished |
| A．You should change your online habits. | B．Online advertisements are unbelievable. |
| C．Online shopping is common in the world. | D．Your personal information can travel online. |
| A．Have you learnt to surf the internet? | B．Someone’s always watching you online... |
| C．Many people will pay for their information. | D．How many Internet businesses do you know? |
【推荐2】Picture this: You’re searching the Internet and come across a website with interesting articles. Some are news stories. Their goal is to share information. Others only look like news stories. They’re actually advertisements, or ads. The goal of an ad is to get you to buy something. How do you, the reader, tell the difference between a news story and an ad?
Back when I was growing up, it was easier. We got most of our information from newspapers. Big news stories appeared on the front page, and ads were boxed off and clearly labeled. But on the Internet, the two are often shown together. It can be hard to tell which is which.
That’s why my research group did a study. My research team showed kids the home page of a popular digital magazine. We asked them to tell us which was a news story and which was an ad.
Most were great at identifying certain types of ads. “It has a coupon (优惠券) code, a big company logo, and the words limited (有限的) time offer”, one student wrote about an ad on the site. So where did kids get sturnped?
Some ads seem exactly the same as real news stories. They have titles and contain information. But they may also include the words sponsored content. Sponsored content is a way of saying that something is an ad. Companies paid money for it to appear so that readers will see their stories, buy their products, and like what the company stands for.
As a reader, you have a right to know who’s behind the information. So look for the phrase sponsored content. (And look carefully. Sometimes, it will be written in tiny letters.) The Internet is a sea of information. To use it well, we not only have to know how to swim but also how to avoid the sharks. Learning to tell the difference between an ad and a news story is an important stop to becoming Internet-smart.
1. The goal of the news stories on a website is often to ________.| A．get you to buy something | B．help you to learn languages | C．compare prices for you | D．share information with you |
| A．find out sponsored content | B．tell news stories from ads on a digital magazine |
| C．share the experience of being fooled by online ads | D．look out for the ads that looked quite like news stories |
| A．buy things | B．read the ads | C．find it difficult | D．tell the difference |
| A．it is a paid ad | B．it is a real news story | C．you need to pay to read it | D．you will he paid if you read it |
| A．introduce the study he did | B．explain what sponsored content is |
| C．describe what a news story looks like | D．warn kids to stay alert (警惕的) to ads online |
【推荐3】Everybody knows how important it is for students to get a good night’s sleep every night. Most experts agree that teenagers need to get 8 hours of sleep a night. However, I know that most of you get much less sleep than that.
I read an interesting article in a teachers’ magazine recently. They did a study of 848 students in Wales. Worryingly, the results showed that teenagers are facing a new problem. They may go to bed and get up at appropriate (恰当的) times but a growing number are waking up in the middle of the night not to use the bathroom or have a snack but because of a new phenomenon: FOMO-fear of missing out!
According to the article, schoolchildren are suffering because of a growing trend to wake up during the night to check social media. Afraid of missing a comment or chance to take part in a chat, teenagers are waking at all times of the night, going online.All this happens when they should be sound asleep.
The study shows that students who use social media during the night are more likely to suffer from sadness and anxiety. Experts are worried about this growing trend and the report shows some worrying statistics (数据) that I’d like to share with you.
23% of 12 to 15-year-olds wake up nearly every night to use social media. Another 15% wake up at night once a week for the same reason. One in three students are tired all the time.
So I’d like to ask you to be responsible when it comes to social media. Be brave! Switch off your mobile phones at night. The world won’t end and your social media will be waiting to greet you in the morning! I give you my word that you won’t have missed anything important.
1. Why do many teenagers get less sleep than they need?| A．They have been used to staying up late. |
| B．They use social media during the night |
| C．They have no choice but to get up early. |
| D．They eat snacks in the middle of the night |
| A．Teenagers who get enough sleep. |
| B．Experts who did the study in Wales. |
| C．Teachers who write articles for a magazine. |
| D．Students who check social media during the night. |
| A．23%. | B．15%. | C．One third. | D．Half. |
| A．All the experts agree that teenagers need to get 8 hours of sleep a night. |
| B．More and more teenagers are waking up to use social media in the middle of the night. |
| C．If the teenagers don’t use social media at night, they will miss something important. |
| D．It is not appropriate for teenagers to eat snacks at night. |
| A．Go to bed and get up early. | B．Be online during the night. |
| C．Say no to social media bravely. | D．Shut off mobile phones at night. |
