People are being lured (引诱)onto Facebook 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 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, it’s 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.

1.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.

2.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.

3.Why does Senator Charles Schumer propose?

A．Setting guidelines for advertising on websites.

B．Banning the sharing of users’ personal information.

C．Working out regulations for social-networking sites.

D．Removing ads from all social-networking sites.

4.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 to be used in a wrong way.

D．He is upset by its frequent rule changes.

 

Ever wonder how much a cloud weighs? What about a hurricane? A meteorologist has done some estimates and the results might surprise you.

Let's start with a very simple white puffy cloud — a cumulus cloud（积云）. How much does the water in a cumulus cloud weigh? Peggy LeMone, senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, did the numbers. "The water in the little cloud weighs about 550 tons," she calculates. "Or if you want to convert it to something that might be a little more meaningful … think of elephants."

The thought of a hundred elephants-worth of water suspended in the sky begs another question — what keeps it up there?

"First of all, the water isn't in elephant sized particles（微粒）, it's in tiny tiny tiny particles," explains LeMone. And those particles float on the warmer air that's rising below. But still, the concept of so much water floating in the sky was surprising even to a meteorologist like LeMone. "I had no idea how much a cloud would weigh, actually, when I started the calculations," she says.

So how many elephant units of water are inside a big storm cloud—10 times bigger all the way around than the "puffy" cumulus cloud? Again, LeMone did the numbers: About 200,000 elephants.

Now, ratchet up the calculations for a hurricane about the size of Missouri and the figures get really massive. "What we're doing is weighing the water in one cubic meter theoretically pulled from a cloud and then multiplying by the number of meters in a whole hurricane," she explains.

The result? Forty million elephants. That means the water in one hurricane weighs more than all the elephants on the planet. Perhaps even more than all the elephants that have ever lived on the planet.

1.The weight of      is NOT mentioned in the passage.

A．a cumulus cloud    B．a tornado          C．a hurricane        D．a storm cloud

2.How did Peggy LeMone feel about the result of her calculations?

A．She found it not convincing.

B．She thought it needed further calculations.

C．She was quite surprised at it.

D．She considered the calculations inaccurate.

3.What can be inferred from the passage?

A．A storm cloud weighs about 200,000 elephants.

B．The water in a hurricane weighs more than that in any other kind of cloud.

C．There are less than forty million elephants living on the earth.

D．The water in the cloud is in very tiny partials.

 

People are being lured (引诱）onto Facebook with the promise of a fun, free service without realizing they're paying for it by giving up their 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 Face book 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 every one 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. In original business model, which involved selling ads and putting them at the side of the pages totally. 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 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 think that whatever Facebook has done so far to invade our privacy, it's only the beginning. That 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 trust. That's too high a price to pay.

1.Why do people give their personal information to Facebook according to Paragraph 1?

A.Because they can get some money from Facebook.

B.Because their information is not important.

C.Because they are promised to have a fun and free service.

D.Because they can also get other people's information.

2.What does the author say about most Facebook users?

A.They are unwilling 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 much about their personal information.

3.Why does Facebook make changes to its rules according to Elliot Schrage?

A. To give better service to its users. B. To obey to the Federal guidelines.

C. To improve its users' connection.  D. To expand its business.

4.Why does Senator Charles Schumer support publicly?

A.Setting guidelines for advertising on websites.

B.Banning the sharing of users' personal information.

C.Making regulations for social-networking sites.

D.Removing ads from all social-networking sites.

 

Day after day you are glued to your computer screen. You cannot get enough of online games, net shopping or cyber surfing. Your social life gets worse, and so does your health. Chances are that you are addicted to the Internet and you need counseling.

On November 8, an Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) diagnostic manual（诊断手册）was approved by a group of psychologists in China, who agreed that Internet addiction is a mental disease. According to a report on Xinhuanet.com, the manual for the first time gives a clear time standard for diagnosing IAD, saying that surfing the Internet for more than six hours a day, not for the purpose of studying or working, and having done so for less than three months, might be a symptom of IAD.

Addiction symptoms vary

Besides the long online time, some other symptoms would also help doctors diagnose IAD patients, such as having a strong desire for the Internet and feeling physical discomfort, becoming easily angry, being unable to concentrate on things or finding it difficult to sleep if unable to get online.

Apart from these conditions, other symptoms are also listed in the manual. If a net surfer cannot get out of the virtual world of Web games, which has already affected his/her capability to study or work, or he/she feels little interest in doing anything but jumping online or is afraid to communicate with others, he/she is also considered to be an IAD sufferer.

According to the World Health Organization, mental disease sufferers have two major characteristics: they bring suffering to both themselves and their families, and their abilities to be involved in social activities are affected.

Mental illness stigma（污名）

However, it has resulted in a backlash（反对）from the public, due to the fact that mental disease is a very sensitive term to Chinese.

Many netizens dropped comments expressing their doubts about the manual, saying that they could not accept they might be suffering from mental illness just because they spent too much time on the Internet.

Experts said there is a misunderstanding of the manual. Explaining that IAD sufferers are not “crazy people”, they call on society at large to change their understanding of mental disease. Mental disease covers a wide range of psychological or behavioral problems, such as depression.

New Solutions to Internet Addiction
Information about IAD	Problem: Internet addiction makes your social life and 1._____ get worse. Standard for diagnosing IAD: Internet addiction is a 2._____ disease when you surf the Internet more than six hours a day for less than three months not to3._____ or work.
4.___addiction symptoms	They are eager to surf the Internet, physically uncomfortable, easy to be angry, unable to concentrate or 5._____ to sleep. unable to get out of the 6._____ world of Web games, not 7._____ in doing anything else or afraid to communicate with others.
8.___on mental illness	Many netizens regard mental disease as a very 9. _____ term. Experts think it necessary to 10. _____ mental disease because it covers a wide range.

 

 

A little stress is good, since it helps you keep motivated to meet your goals. However, too much stress is bad for your health. Stress needs to be managed in order to prevent anxiety (焦虑). Here are some tips on how to manage stress.

Write it out

Write down everything that seems stressful, and ways to deal with each problem. You’ll find a things-to-do list much easier to manage than having all messed up in your head. Write down the tasks along with the specific times when you can do them.

One task at a time

Give each task all your attention while you’re doing it, and forget the rest. This will keep you from feeling anxious about things you have left to do. Thinking about other tasks only adds unnecessary stress, and can even stop you from doing the task you’re busy with at present. You don’t need to do everything all at once, or on your own. The feeling of being pressed to finish something on time will somehow disappear if someone is there to help you.

Give yourself a reward

Rewarding yourself for what you’ve already done, no matter how small, is a great way to motivate yourself to keep going. It will reduce stress, and make you happier to go on with the next task.

Give yourself a break

Breaks of ten to fifteen minutes are important. Visit a cafe or take a quick walk —anything to take your mind off the work for a while. If you need to stay at work, sit with your eyes closed and imagine a peaceful place or some other relaxing scenes. This will remove the stress from your muscles and mind.

1.The best title for the passage would probably be _____.

A．Stress Is Good or Not

B．How to Form Good Working Habits

C．Tips on How to Manage Stress

D．Ways to Keep Healthy

2.According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A．It’s better to plan a specific time to do the task.

B．It helps you stay motivated to think about the undone tasks.

C．It’s unnecessary for you to do all the tasks by yourself.

D．It helps if you put your attention to one task at a time.

3.Which of the following would the author agree?

A．The more stress you have, the more motivated you will be.

B．Writing down everything seems impossible.

C．Only reward yourself for your biggest achievements in your work.

D．It is necessary to have a break during your work.

4.What can we learn from the passage?

A．Stress is always bad for people.

B．Imagining a relaxing scene may help.

C．The best way to relax is by rewarding yourself.

D．Finishing tasks on time reduces stress.