Unit 1
TV and audio devices: a review
Early history of TV
The first public showings of wireless TV transmissions were made in 1925 in the USA and in 1926 in Britain. Later, in 1928,the first long-distance TV broadcast was made between the UK and the USA. Regular public broadcasting followed shortly after, first beginning on 11May 1928 in New York and in London on 20 August 1929. Many different people contributed to the development of TV. Because of this, it is still uncertain who invented TV. Altogether, three men could be responsible.
Vladimir Zworykin, a Russian living in the USA, Philo Farnsworth, a farm boy from Utah in the USA, and John Logie Baird from Scotland all invented early forms of TV between 1923 and 1927.
A few years later, color TV was first shown in 1929. It took more than two decades, though, until 1951, for colour broadcasts to begin in the USA. By 1967, most broadcasts were in color and within five years, more colour than black-and-white TV sets were being used.
The modern age: cable TV, satellite TV, digital TV, ...
Cable TV began in 1948 in the USA, but it took 50 years before 66 per cent of American households had it. Satellites were used to broadcast TV beginning in 1962.
Some consider digital TV to be superior to satellite TV because it allows the same services to be delivered with clearer pictures than before. International standards for digital TV were established in 1989 and within five years, consumers in the USA had access to 200 channels. By 2004, digital TV signals were being received by 55 per cent of households in Britain.
In 1996, a completely new concept was introduced when the first Web TV set-top boxes came onto the market. This combines the TV set with the World Wide Web. With interactive TV programming, you can play along with game shows, respond to questionnaires and chat to other viewers.
Early history of audio devices
It all began in 1877 when Thomas Edison made the first recording of a human voice. Ten years later, the first record player was developed. It was invented by Emile Berliner, a German living in the USA. At that time, the record player had to be wound up by hand and only played a record for two minutes. In 1958, the first LPs (long-play records) came onto the market.
Tape recorders and players
1931 was the year when a German company began to make the first tape recorders, which could record and play sounds on a tape wound around a round object. In 1948, three American scientists invented the transistor, which is a small electronic device to control an electric current, but they only developed it for military use. Two young Japanese engineers had a better idea. They bought the patent and applied the technology to create the transistor radio. In 1954, the invention of the transistor led to the development of cassette recorders. Then, in 1979, the Walkman, a portable pocket-sized cassette tape player, was introduced and became so popular that Walkman was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 1986.
Sound goes digital
In 1982, the first CDs (compact discs) produced by using digital technology were made available. In 1986, when the D-50, a portable CD player, was launched, the Discman was born. In the following years, more CD recordings became available, and in 1988, for the first time ever, people were demanding more CDs than LPs.
The next new development was the MD (MiniDisc) player in1992. This is like a mini CD player but can also record music and is very easy to carry, being very small, as the name ‘mini’ indicates.
Development of MP3 technology started in 1987 in Germany and since the beginning of 1999, the popularity of MP3has increased to such a degree that major corporations are taking over the portable music player market with MP3 players. They are the next step on from the Walkman, Discman and MD player. Because of the popularity of MP3 players, music websites have sprung up all over the Internet offering MP3 music for people to purchase.
1. Who might be the inventor(s) of the first TV?
A. Vladimir Zworykin from Russia. B. Philo Farnsworth from the USA.
C. John Logie Baird from Scotland. D. All the three above.
2. The passage mentions _______ country/countries which has/have put digital TV into operation by 2004. A. only one B. two C. three D. at least four
3. Who might have attributed to the development of the Walkman?
A. Two Japanese engineers. B. Three American scientists.
C. Thomas Edison. D. Emile Berliner.
4. What is the main factor that causes the spring up of music websites all over the Internet?
A. The popularity of Walkman. B. The development of the MD player.
C. The development of MP3 technology. D. The wide use of Discman.
5. Which of the following best shows the structure of the passage?
A. B. C. D.
(T=title 1=subtitle 1 2=subtitle2 3=subtitle 3 4=subtitle 4 5=subtitle 5)
Unit 2
Two Life-saving medicines
This article will focus on two medicines that have changed people’s lives. If you open up any medicine cupboard in the world, there is a high probability that you will find aspirin and penicillin. Both of these medicines have saved millions of people’s lives since they were invented.
ASPIRIN
The date that aspirin was invented is given by medical historians as 1897,but in fact, 3,500years ago, some recipes recommended drinking a tea made from the dried leaves of a particular plant to reduce body pains. About 2,500years ago, the Greek physician Hippocrates, father of all doctors, made a juice from the bark of a kind of tree to reduce fever and pain. The active chemical in this juice (salicylic acid) helped stop the pain. It was in 1897 that a European chemist called Dr Felix Hoffmann produced acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) from some other chemicals to make a medicine for his father. The first trials of this medicine took place in 1899 when the company Hoffmann worked for began giving the medicine in powder form to physicians to use with patients. A year later, in 1900, aspirin was sold in shops as a tablet containing 500milligrams of ASA. This is one of the first medicines in the world ever to be sold as a standardized tablet. In 1950, aspirin appeared in the Guinness Book of Records as the best-selling painkiller.
Not only has aspirin saved many people’s lives by reducing fever and helping stop pain, but there are also other things that aspirin can help with. Lawrence craven, a doctor from the USA, is the author of several published reports, one of which introduced the idea in 1953 that aspirin could reduce the risk of heart attacks by thinning blood. The report was ignored. However, in 1971,Smith and Willis from the UK proved that aspirin was a blood-thinning medicine, and in 1977, a study carried out in the USA showed that the chemical ASA in aspirin could prevent a stroke, which is a type of serious illness when blood vessels in the brain burst suddenly or are blocked. Eleven years later, Dr Thun from the USA showed that ASA could reduce the risk of colon cancer by 40 per cent. In 1999, aspirin was 100 years old and yet there have been more discoveries on how it can help increase the length of people’s lives. In 2003, a Chinese doctor, Dr Yuan Minsheng, found that ASA could reduce blood sugar levels and, therefore, help people with diabetes.
PENICILLIN
Another drug that has helped increase the standard of people’s health is penicillin. This bacteria-killing medicine is considered by many to be one of the most important medicines in contemporary society. It was discovered by a Scottish scientist named Alexander Fleming in 1928. He noted that mould had grown on a special transparent jelly that had bacteria on it. He saw that the mould had killed them. Fleming tried this mould out on another bacterium and found that it killed the bacterium too. He immediately thought that this application might help in treating wounds and illnesses caused by bacteria. He named the chemical found in the mould ‘penicillin’ and tried to make it pure to be a medicine, but was unable to do that. Fleming did not give up. However, it was not until World War II that two other scientists, Howard Florey (Australian) and Ernst Chain (German born English) managed to use new chemical techniques to purify it. They were able to produce it in large quantities. Their new drug was needed immediately because of the war, so mass production started quickly. Due to the widespread use of penicillin, many lives were saved during World War II. It was a dream come true. If penicillin had not been available, many people would have died from bacterial illnesses or even minor wounds. Penicillin is also used to treat other illnesses including pneumonia, an illness that affects the lungs. So, although Fleming discovered penicillin, it was over a decade before someone else turned penicillin into the great drug of the 20th century.
In 1945, all the three scientists, Fleming, Florey and Chain, shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work, and penicillin rapidly became the powerful ‘wonder drug’ which saved millions of lives.
1. We learn from the passage that the trial use of aspirin in powder form may date back to ________.
A. 2500 years ago B. 3,500 years ago C. 1897 D. 1899
2. Aspirin has been recognized as the best-selling painkiller by the world ________.
A. for fewer than 50 years B. since 3,500 years ago
C. for more than 50 years D. ever since it was put onto the market
3. Various researches and reports show that aspirin can be used in at least ________ different ways in medical treatment.
A. five B. four C. three D. six
4. Penicillin was discovered in ________ and saved many lives in ________.
A. 1914; World War I B. 1928; World War II C. 1929; Vietnam War D. 1945; World War II
5. Penicillin can be used to treat all of the following except ________.
A. pneumonia B. wounds caused by bacteria C. diabetes D. illnesses caused by bacteria
6. Why did Fleming share the Nobel Prize with other two scientists?
A. Because they all discovered penicillin at almost the same time.
B. Because Fleming wasn’t able to discover penicillin without the other two’s help
C. Because the other two scientists succeeded in purifying penicillin.
D. Because penicillin wasn’t put into mass production until World War II.
Unit 3
THE EFFECTS OF THE INTERNET ON OUR LIVES
The Internet has positive effects on our lives
My name is Zhu Zhenfei and I am speaking for the ‘pro-Internet’ side. That is to say, I believe that the Internet has positive effects on our lives. There are two main points which must be included in any analysis of the Internet and its use. The first is its value for people who are looking for information. The second is the ability to build groups online and form friendships, which the Internet gives us.
When people are in need of information, from current affairs and weather forecasts to travel packages and academic research, the Internet is now the first place that many people turn to. With the touch of a button or the click of a mouse, a student can acquire knowledge from the information held in the largest libraries and museums in the world, whether he or she lives in a small village or downtown in a big city. Internet users can communicate with experts on all sorts of topics, and read articles written by people who are leaders of their fields.
However, some people are sceptical. They claim that the Internet is useless and that using the Internet is a waste of time. They say children spend too much time chatting and playing games instead of focusing on their school work. However, a recent survey done in the USA showed that 80per cent of frequent Internet users use it mainly to search for answers to questions. The second most common use of the Internet, according to 70 per cent of the survey respondents, is to advance knowledge about hobbies. These statistics prove that gathering information is the primary use for the Internet.
Another truly wonderful aspect of the Internet is the way people use it to build social ties. One of the greatest benefits of Internet friendships is that they are based on common interests, rather than appearance, age or popularity. Young people from different backgrounds and different counties can form lifelong friendships. Moreover, people who are disabled and must stay in their homes can communicate with the outside world and meet others with similar interests.
Without the Internet, these people would have fewer chances of meeting people. For these reasons, I believe the Internet remains a positive tool that helps make our lives better.
The Internet has negative effects on our lives
My name is Lin Lei and I will be representing the ‘con’ side of the debate. In my opinion, the Internet has negative effects on our lives. The main drawbacks of the Internet I will address today are uncontrolled information and the change in the way people spend their time.
Of course, access to up-to-date, accurate information is an important thing for anyone who is involved in research. One of the greatest advantages of the Internet is that it provides this information. The disadvantage, though, is that it is difficult to judge whether the information is true and accurate. The amount of false information on the Internet becomes more of a problem every day. This is very troublesome because people can write anything they want, and we cannot always tell if the information is true or not. In 2003, eBay, the famous website where people buy and sell things, said that 70 per cent of their problems were with people who sold things that did not exist, or who lied about the products they were selling. University professors around the world complain that students are handing in papers using false information they found on the Internet. These problems of inaccuracy do not occur as often when people use traditional ways to find information, such as looking in books, newspapers and magazines.
Another disadvantage of the Internet is that it is affecting people’s private lives. As the Internet has gained popularity, there has been a change in the way people spend their time. Now, instead of spending time together in the evenings, some families spend their time apart because one or more members are using the computer, or are at an Internet cafe. In fact, some young people spend so much time playing computer games and using the Internet that they have become addicted to computer games. To help solve this problem, a clinic to deal with Internet addiction was opened in Beijing in 2005.
Some experts say that spending too much time building Internet relationships can damage people’s abilities to live normal lives. One university did a study about the students who had stopped their studies before completing a diploma course, and found that 43 per cent of them were heavy computer users. This study clearly shows that people who spend all their time on the Internet can feel disconnected to the people and the world round them.
These are all negative effects the Internet has on our lives, and I feel it remains important for us either to limit our use of the Internet, or to learn how to handle the problems it has caused.
1. What does the passage mainly focus on?
A. The positive effects of the Internet on our lives. B. The negative effects of the Internet.
C. Different effects of the Internet on our lives. D. How to carry out a debate.
2. How many points does the first speaker present to support her arguments?
A. One B. Two C. Three D. Four
3. The primary use of the Internet according to the statistics from a survey in the USA is ________.
A. to advance their knowledge about their hobbies
B. to acquire knowledge from the information in libraries and museums
C. to communicate with experts on all sorts of topics
D. to gather information when they are in need of them
4. The most serious problem shown by the eBay survey conducted in 2003 is ________.
A. inaccurate information B. how to deal with privacy on the Internet
C. false shopping information D. how to deal with Internet addiction
Unit 4
The first underground in the world
Welcome to the London Underground, or as it is commonly known, the Tube. It has the distinction of being the oldest and most complex underground system in the world. During the first half of the 19th century, train services to London were developed. However, most trains into London only went to the distant boundary of the city because building railway tracks into the city would have caused damage to many historic buildings. Thus, many buses were needed to transport people to the city centre. Unfortunately, the increased number of vehicles on the road choked off traffic, and the roads became so busy that no one could travel anywhere. This problem with traffic led to the development of the underground system.
In 1854, it was decided that the Metropolitan Railway Company could build an underground railway between Paddington and Farringdon. This would be a shuttle between King’s Cross, St Pancreas, Euston, Paddington and the centre of London. The first tunnels were opened in 1863 and passengers were transported in carriages without windows, which were pulled through the comparatively narrow tunnels by steam engines. Can you imagine the smoke and the noise? In 1868, the next section of the underground system was opened in the south of London by another company called the Metropolitan District Railway. Sixteen years later, in 1884, the Metropolitan Railway Company and the Metropolitan District Railway linked up and provided the underground service in the middle of the city. This later became the Circle Line.
As more advanced ways of digging tunnels were developed, the first railway tunnel under the River Thames was dug in 1884. These new ways of digging accelerated the pace of the London Underground’s development. The City and South London Railway linked other places in London in the 1880s. Over the next twenty-five years, six independent deep underground lines were made. Traveling on these lines was inconvenient, though, as each line was separately owned and many were very far from each other.
Having seen the situation, a wealthy American businessman, Charles Yerkes, tried to improve the system by buying many of the different lines and setting up the Underground Group. After his acquisition of the lines, each one was given a name and most of the names are still used today. In 1933, a public organization called the London Transport Board was created. The Underground Group, the Metropolitan Line and all the different bus and train lines were placed under the authority of the Board. This organization eventually became London Transport. Between 1918 and 1938, there was much expansion as new connections were built between train lines, and new stations were built. An architect called Charles Holden was responsible for designing many of these stations and they are still in use today.
During World War II, when London was bombed, many underground stations functioned as bomb shelters. A newly-built line was used as an underground aeroplane factory, a closed station was used as an anti-aircraft centre, and the station nearest the Prime Minister’s house was used by the Prime Minister as meeting rooms so the underground system had some unusual uses during the war!
After World War II ended in 1945, more people travelled on the underground, so more lines were added. This included the Victoria Line that linked with other lines at almost every station. This helped make the system more user-friendly. The last line added was the Jubilee Line in 1977 in honour of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s crowning.
The London underground system is working to transport millions of people effectively as it has done for many years. Three million people travel on the underground every day. The network of the underground system includes twelve lines and now goes twenty-six miles out of central London. So why not take a trip on the oldest underground system today by one of the travel cards that permit you to travel all over the underground system.
1. When was the first underground system opened in London?
A. In 1868. B. In 1854. C. In 1863. D. In 1884.
2. Why was the underground system first developed in London?
A. Most of the railway tracks did not reach the centre of the city
B. The increased number of vehicles choked off the traffic of the city
C. The underground system transported more people without increasing traffic on the road
D. All of the above
3. The Victoria Line is important because ________.
A. it was built in honor of Queen Elizabeth’s crowning
B. it linked with other lines at almost every station
C. it was the last line added in 1977
D. more people traveled on the underground after World War II.
4. Which of the following is NOT the functions the London underground system played during World War II?
A. A bomb shelter. B. An anti-aircraft center.
C. Prime Minister’s living room . D. An aeroplane factory.
5. Who made the most important contribution to the development of London underground system?
A. Queen Elizabeth. B. Charles Yerkes. C. Charles Holden. D. Both B and C
Unit 1 电视和音响器件：回顾
电视的早期历史
无线电视传输节目首播在美国是1925年，在英国是1926。随后在1928年，英美两国之间第一次实现了长距离电视播放。之后不久便开始定期向公众播放，在纽约开播时间是1928年5月11日，在伦敦是1929年8月20日。
很多背景不同的人对的发展做出了贡献。正因为此，至今还未能确定是谁发明了电视。总而言之，有三个人贡献最大。侨居美国的俄国人费拉基米尔·兹沃尔金，来自美国犹他州的额一个农家孩子菲洛·法恩斯沃思以及苏格兰人约翰·洛吉·贝尔德，他们都在1923至1927年间分别发明出早期形成电视机。
此后不久，1929年第一次出现了彩色电视机。但是， 彩色3节目一直到1951年才得以在美国开播，这期间一共尽量里了二十多年时间。截止到1967年，大部分的电视节目都是彩色的。五年后，彩色的使用频率超过了黑白电视机。
当代：有线电视，卫星电视，数字电视……
1948年美国就出现了有线电视，但66%的美国家庭拥有有线电视是50年后的事。卫星用于传播电视节目开始于1962年。
有人认为数字电视优于卫星电视，因为数字电视传播的电视节目图像更加清晰。数字电视的国际标准制定于1989年，随后的五年时间里，美国的消费者已能接受到200个频道。到2004年，英国有55%的家庭能接受到数字电视信号。
1996年，第一批网络电视机顶盒进入市场，这也引入了一个全新的概念。这个机顶盒将电视和万维网连接起来。通过交互式的电视节目，你能边玩游戏边做问卷调查题目，还能和其他观众交谈。
音响器件的早期历史
一切始于1877年，这一年托马斯·爱迪生第一次录下了人的声音。10年后，第一台唱机出现了。这是以为侨居美国的德国人埃米尔·贝利内发明的。当时的唱机必须用手摇，而且只能播放两分钟的录音。1958年，第一批能长时间播放的唱片——LP唱片投放市场。
磁带录音机和磁带播放器
1931年，一家德国公司开始制造第一批磁带录音机。这种录音机能把声音录到一卷缠绕在圆形物体上的磁带上，而且能播放磁带上的声音。1948年，三位美国科学家发明了晶体管——一种能控制电流的小型电子器件，但当时他们只是为了军事用途进行研制。两名年轻的日本工程师想到了一个更好的办法。他们买下专利，将该技术用于生产晶体管收音机。1954年，由于晶体管的发明，人们研制出盒式录音机。接着，一种便携式袖珍盒带播放器，即随身听（Walkman）于1979年问世。随身听大受欢迎，Walkman一词于1986年被收入《牛津英语词典》。
声音数字化
1982年，运用数字技术生产的第一批CD——激光唱片出现了。1986年，一种便携式CD播放机D—50投放市场，这表示CD随身听（Discman）诞生了。随后几年中，更多的CD唱片出现了。及至1988年，人们对CD唱片的需求有史以来第一次超过了LP唱片。
接下来的新进展是1992年出现的迷你光盘播放机。这种播放机就像一个微型的CD播放机，不同的是它能录下音乐。而且如其名称“迷你”（微型）所示，这种播放机体积小，十分便于携带。
德国于1987年开始研发MP3技术。自1999年初以来，MP3越来越受欢迎，因此许多大公司凭借MP3播放器占领了便携式音乐播放机市场。MP3播放器是继随身听，CD随身听和迷你光盘播放机后的新一代产品。由于MP3播放器的普及，在互联网上如雨后春笋般出现了许多提供MP3音乐供人们选购的音乐网站。
Unit 2 两种挽救生命的药物
这篇文章将着重讲述两种改变人类生活的药物。倘若你打开世界上任何一个药柜，都很可能找到阿司匹林和青霉素。自这两种药物被发明以来，它们已挽救了数百万人的生命。
阿司匹林
医学史家认为阿司匹林方面时间是1897年，但事实上，早在3500年前就有一些药方建议人们饮用一种由特殊植物的干叶制成的茶来减轻身体的病痛。大约2500年前，医生之父，古希腊医师希波克底就用一种由树皮制成的汤药来退烧和减轻疼痛。汤药中起作用的化学物质（水杨酸）能止痛。1897年，一位名叫费利克斯·霍夫曼的欧洲药剂师从其他化学物质中提取乙酰曼供职的公司开始将该药以粉末形式提供给医师，让他们用于病人。一年以后，阿司匹林被制成片剂在药店出售，每片含有500毫克的乙酰水杨酸。这是世界上首批以标准片剂出售的药品之一。1950年，阿司匹林成为吉尼斯记录中最畅销的止痛药。
阿司匹林不仅因退烧止痛而挽救了很多人的生命，它还有其他用途。美国的一位医生劳伦斯·克雷文发表了好几篇报告，其中1953年一篇报告提出了阿司匹林可以稀释血液，从而减少心脏病发作的观点。该报告并没有引起人们的注意。但是，1971年，英国医生史密斯和威利斯证实阿司匹林是一种能够稀释血液的药物。1977年，美国的一项研究证明，阿司匹林中的化学物质乙酰水杨酸能预防中风。中风是由于大脑血管爆裂或梗塞而产生的一种突发疾病。11年后，美国医生图恩指出，乙酰水杨酸可以降低40%的结肠癌发病率。到1999年，阿司匹林已有一百年的历史，然而关于它如何帮助延长人类寿命方面还有更多的发现。2003年，中国医生袁敏生发现，乙酰水杨酸可以降低血糖，因而能帮助糖尿病患者。
青霉素
另外一种帮助人类提高健康水平的药物是青霉素。许多人认为这种杀菌药是当代社会中最重要的药物之一。它是由苏格兰科学家亚历山大·费莱明于1928年发现的。他注意到，带有细菌的一种特殊的，透明的果子冻上长起了霉。他观察到细菌的细胞透亮，这意味着这些细胞死了，是那些霉杀死了它们。费莱明将这种霉放在另外一种细菌上做试验，结果发现霉同样杀死了那种细菌。他立刻想到把它应用到由细菌引起的伤口和疾病的治疗。他把霉里的化学物质命名为青霉素并尽力提纯该物质以便制药，但没能做成。费莱明没有放弃。然而，一直到第二次世界大战时，另外两位科学家——澳大利亚人霍华德·费洛里和出生于德国的英国人恩斯特·钱恩——才得以运用新的化学技术提纯该物质，而且能够大量生产它。由于战争，这种新药成了急需，因此很快开始批量生产。正因为青霉素的广泛引用，二战期间很多生命得以挽救。于是，当年的梦想变成了现实。如果没有青霉素，很多人会死于有细菌引起的疾病，甚至是死于小小的伤口。青霉素也用于治疗其他的疾病，其中包括肺炎，这是一种侵袭肺部的疾病。因此，尽管费莱明发现了青霉素，却是十多年后由别人将它制成了二十世纪的了不起的药物。
由于费莱明，费洛里和钱恩的贡献，1945年他们共同获得诺贝尔奖的生理学或医药学奖，而青霉素因挽救了数百万人的生命，很快成为了一种强大的“神奇药品”。
Unit 3 因特网对我们生活的影响
因特网对我们生活的正面影响
我叫朱珍菲，我代表支持因特网的一方发言。也就是说，我相信因特网对我们生活产生了正面的影响。对因特网及其应用进行的任何分析都必须包括以下两点：第一是因特网对于搜索信息的人具有的价值；第二是因特网所给予我们在网上组织团队和建立友谊的能力。
如今，当人们需要信息时，无论是时事新闻，天气预报还是旅游线路，学术研究，因特网都是很多人的首选。轻按键盘或点击鼠标，无论是住在小村庄还是大都会的闹市区，学生们都可以从世界上最大的图书馆和博物馆中获取知识。因特网能够让人们同专家讨论任何话题，也可以使人们阅读各个领域的领头人物所撰写的文章。
但同时，也有人持怀疑态度。他们认为因特网没有用处，使用它是浪费时间。他们说，孩子们花大量时间聊天或打游戏，而不是集中精力学习。但美国最近的一次调查显示，80%经常使用因特网的人上网其主要目的是为了找到问题的答案。根据79%的被调查者的说法，因特网的第二个最常见的用途是增长有关业余爱好的知识。这些数字都证明，获取信息是人们使用因特网的主要目的。
因特网另一个精彩之处是人们通过它建立社会联系。网络友谊最大的好处之一在于它是基于共同的兴趣爱好而形成的，而非取决于人们的外貌，年龄或人气。来自不同国家，有着不同背景的年轻人在网上找到了终生的友谊。还有那些必须待在家中的残疾人也可以通过因特网与外部世界进行交流和沟通，结识有相同爱好的人们。如果没有因特网，这些人就没有那么多机会与别人交流了。
综上所述，我相信因特网是件有利的工具并且可以让我们生活得更好。
因特网对我们生活的负面影响
我叫林雷。我代表反方发言。我认为因特网对我们的生活产生了负面影响。就其缺点，我想主要谈谈缺乏监控的信息以及人们在时间使用方式上的改变。
当然，对于做研究的人们来说，获得最新的，精确的信息是重要的。因特网最大的一个好处就是，它能提供这种信息。但是，它的缺点是人们很难判断这些信息是否真实准确。因特网上虚假的信息已日渐成为一个棘手的问题，因为人们可以随心所欲地写东西，而我们不能总是辨别信息的真实与否。2003年，eBay这家著名的电子商务网站指出，70%的麻烦都是由于那些贩卖不存在的东西或者是对销售的产品进行虚假宣传的人引起的。全世界的大学教授都在抱怨，他们的学生在提交给他们的论文中使用了在网上找到的虚假信息。如果人们用传统的方法，例如从书报杂志中查到信息的话，这些由不精确信息引起的问题就不会如此频繁出现了。
因特网还有一个缺点是，它影响了人们的私生活。随着因特网的普及，人们使用时间的方式也发生了变化。如今，有些家庭的成员们到了晚上并不聚在一起，而是各做各的事情：有的在玩电脑，有的则待在网吧。事实上，有的年轻人将大量的时间花在玩电脑游戏和上因特网上，结果越来越上瘾。为了解决这个问题，北京市在2005年设立了一个门诊机构，专门治疗有网瘾的人。
一些专家说，用大量时间建立网络人际关系只会伤害人们过正常生活的能力。某大学曾对没毕业就停止学业的学生做过一个调查，发现43%的人痴迷于电脑。这项研究清楚地说明，将所有时间放在网络上的人会觉得自己与周围的人和世界切断了联系。
以上就是因特网对我们生活所造成的一些负面影响。在我看来，限制使用因特网，或者说处理好因特网所引起的问题还是很重要的。
Unit 4 世界上第一条地铁
欢迎来到伦敦地铁——通常它也被称为“管子”。伦敦地铁久负盛名，因为它是世界上最古老且最复杂的地铁系统。在19世纪上半叶，旧有了通往伦敦的火车交通服务。但是大部分通往伦敦的火车只到伦敦城的远郊，因为在拾取内修建铁路会损害许多古建筑。这就需要大量公共汽车把人们运送到市中心。不幸的好似马路上增加的车辆把道路堵得水泄不通，交通变得如此拥堵以致于所有的人都寸步难移。这样，交通问题形成了地铁得以发展的契机。
1854年，大都会铁路公司被授权在帕丁顿和法林顿之间建了一条地下铁路。这便成为王十字火车站、圣潘克里斯、尤斯顿、帕丁顿和伦敦中心之间的快速通道。首批地铁隧道于1863年开通，它们紧靠地面。旅客们乘坐的是没有窗户的火车，这些火车由蒸汽机驱动穿梭于相对狭窄的隧道。你能想象到那浓烟和噪音吗？1968年地铁系统的另一段在伦敦南部由一家叫大都会区铁路的公司开通运行。16年后于1884年大都会铁路公司与大都会区公司取得联系共同为城市中部提供地铁服务。此线后来变成了环线。
随着开挖隧道方法的日渐进步，第一条穿过泰晤士河底的地铁隧道于1884年竣工。这些新的隧道开挖方法加快了伦敦地铁发展的脚步。19世纪80年代伦敦市线和南伦敦铁路线与伦敦其他地区线路连了起来。在以后的25年里又有六条独立的深层地铁线建成。然后搭乘这些线路很不方便，因为每条线都分别各归其主而且许多线路之间相距甚远。
见此情形，意为美国富商查尔斯·耶基斯通过购买许多不同的地铁线并建立地铁集团来尽力改善地铁系统。收购后他给每条线起了名字，很多名字至今还在使用。1933年一个叫做伦敦客运总署饿公共机构成立。地铁集团、大都会支线以及所有的公交、火车线都归该署掌管。这个机构最终成为伦敦交通运输管理局。1918年与1938年之间，随着地铁线之间建立了不少新的交叉以及新火车站的建成，伦敦地铁有了大的扩张。一位名叫查尔斯·霍尔登的建筑师负责设计了许多新火车站，它们至今仍在使用。
第二次世界大战期间，当伦敦被轰炸时，许多地铁站成了防空洞。一条新建的地铁线被用作地下飞机制造厂，一个已关闭的地铁站被用作反空袭中心，最靠近首相住所的那个站被首相用作政府行政会议室。所以地铁系统在二战时期发挥了特殊的作用。
1945年二战结束后，更多的人乘坐地铁，于是更多的地铁线建成。其中包括维多利亚线，它所有的站几乎都和其他线相连。这使得地铁系统对乘客来说更加方便。最后一条新建的路线叫朱比利线，是于1977年为纪念伊丽莎白女王登基25周年而修建的。
伦敦地铁每年成功运送成百万的乘客，且多年如此。每天有三百万人乘坐地铁。整个地铁网络包括12条，现在地铁已延伸到距离伦敦中心26英里以外的地区。所以今天为什么不乘坐世界上最古老的地铁观光一番呢？来吧，到我们的售票处买一张旅行卡，你就可以畅游整个地铁系统。
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