上海外语教育大学英语综合教程2unit4Thevirtualworld

Unit4ThevirtualworldTheadvantagesanddisadvantagesoftheInternetToday,Internethasbecomethemosteverpowerfultoolformanthroughouttheworld.TheInternetisacollectionofvariousservicesandresources.However,people’sopinionsarestilldividedonthispoint.ThosewhoareinfavoroftheInternetclaimthatithasalotofadvantages.Firstly,informationsearchingisnolongeratoughjobwiththehelpofallkindsofsearchengines.Secondly,wecancontactfriendsorbusinesspartnersviae-mailsorsoftwaresuchasInternetMeetingandYahooMessenger.Lastbutnotleast,wecantakepartingroupsormailingliststotalkwithfriendsofthesameinterest.ThosewhoareopposedtotheInternetholdthatdisadvantagesaremany.Inthefirstplace,theInternetcostsconsiderabletime,moneyandenergyespeciallyforthosewithlessself-control.Inthesecondplace,surfingontheInternetforalongtimeharmstheeyesalot.Finally,moreandmoreyoungpeopleareindulgedinonlinegames,Internetchatandevenpornography,whichareextremelyharmfultotheirfuturedevelopment.There’saphenomenondeservingourmostattention—therapiddevelopmentofE-commerce,whichcontributesagreatdealtoyoungpeople’srelianceontheInternet.Electroniccommerce,commonlyknownase-commerce,consistsofthebuyingandsellingofproductsorservicesoverelectronicsystemssuchastheInternetandothercomputernetworks.TheamountoftradeconductedelectronicallyhasgrownextraordinarilysincethespreadoftheInternet.WiththehelpoftheInternetandthepopularizationofcomputers,shoppingontheInternethasbecomeacommonplaceinourlife.Hereconsumerscanbuyalmosteverythingtheyneed.ShoppingontheInternethasalotofadvantages,ofwhichthemostimportantisperhapsitsconvenience.Peopledon'thavetowastealotoftheirenergyandprecioustimetogofromoneshoptoanothertochoosethecommoditiestheylike.Thisisespeciallydesirabletotheold,thesickandthebusypeoplewhocannotgototheshopsinperson.Thegoodscomeinallshapes,sizesandcolorsontheInternet.Alltheyneedtodoistositinfrontoftheircomputersandclickthemouse.However,shoppingontheInternetalsohasitsdisadvantages.Thefirstdisadvantageisthattheconsumerscan'tseethegoodsortrythemonpersonally.Sometimes,therealgoodsmaynotbethesameaswhattheyhaveseenonthecomputer.TheseconddisadvantageisthatsomeshopsontheInternetarenotregistered.Theseshopsmerelyaimatdefraudingthecustomersoftheirmoney.What’smore,theprivacyofthecustomerscannotbeguaranteed,whichseemsunavoidableasaconsequenceoftheonlinetransactions.Lastbutnotleast,althoughnobodycoulddenyhowconvenienttheE-businessis,itcertainlycausesthereductionofface-to-facecommunicationbetweencustomersandbusinessmen.NetSynthesisNetsynthesisisthecombinationofpsychologicalandphysicalphenomenainvolvingawidevarietyofsymptoms.网络成瘾症日益增多，有很多地方开办了电脑疾病门诊。如果以下问题答“是”，你一定有网络成瘾的倾向。1、如果有一段时间不上网，你是否就会变得明显地焦躁不安、不可抑制地想上网、时刻担心自己错过了什么，甚至做梦也是关于网络；2、你是否原打算只上网15分钟，但最终竟超过4小时以上；3、你每月的电话费单是否越来越长。4、是不是自从你买了电脑，你的父母、朋友、姐妹、兄弟、老板、恋人就开始抱怨你成天不见人影。5、是不是你每天通宵达旦，蜷缩在黑漆漆的小角落里，两只眼睛牢牢地胶在一个闪着蓝幽幽光芒的屏幕上。6、是不是大家找你会先去校门口的那个网吧，而不是你的寝室。7、是不是你从一大早坐在电脑前面，太阳下到山的那一边的时候，才想起功课只做了一点点。8、你是否意识到上网带来的严重问题，但仍然继续花费大量时间上网。If,tomostofthequestions,youranswersarepositive,youareaddictedtotheInternet.AlthoughyoumayfeelreluctanttoadmityouaregettingmoreandmoredependentontheInternet,thefactisthatyouwillbeatalossifyouhavetoleadalifewithoutacomputer.Allinall,wecansafelycometotheconclusionthattheadvantagesoftheInternetoutweighitsdisadvantages.ThepasttwentyyearswitnessedthefastdevelopmentoftheInternetalongwithnationaleconomy.AbrighterfutureisawaitingusifwecouldadoptmoresensibleattitudestowardstheInternet.Vocabulary1virtual(1)beingoractingaswhatisdescribede.g.Ourdeputymanageristhevirtualheadofourcompany.(2)createdandexistingonlyinacomputer2accent:localwayofpronouncingwords3interpret:explaininterpretadifficultpoeminterpret(forsb):giveaspontaneousspokentranslationfromonelanguagetoanother4clipped:withashortandclearsoundclip:(1)cutsthwithscissorse.g.clipone’sfinger-nails(2)omitsomewordswhenspeaking5tone:soundwithreferencetoquality,pitch,orvolumeHetalksinadeeptone.sweettonetonein:gowellwithe.g.Ithinkblackshoeswouldtoneinbetterwithyourcoat.6fluid:notsolid,notfixed,abletobechanged;liquide.g.Thesituationisstillfluid.7stretch:(1)becomelonger,wider,etc.e.g.Myworkingdaystretchesfrom7inthemorningto8atnight.(2)spreadoutoveranareaoraperiodoftime;extend绵延，伸展e.g.Theforeststretchesforthousandsofmiles.Thesummerholidaystretchesaheadofthem.8telecommuter:onewhoworksfromhome,communicatingwiththeworkplaceusingacomputerterminal9submit:submitted(p.p.)(1)submittosb/sth:yieldtosb/sthe.g.Irefusetosubmit.(2)submitsth(tosb/sth):givesthtosb/sththatitcouldbeformallyconsiderede.g.submitanessaytothetutorsubmitplanstothecommittee10edit:reviseorcorrect11E-mail:electronicmailsentthroughtheInternet12communicate:exchangenews,information,ideasetcwithsbe.g.WeonlycommunicatewitheachotherbyE-mail.13relationship:arelationbetweenpeople;astateofconnectednessbetweenpeoplee.g.interpersonalrelationshipbusinessrelationship14attimes:sometimese.g.Generallyspeaking,heisapunctualman.However,hemaybelateattimes.15endless:havingorseemingtohavenoende.g.Theroadseemedendless.Theaudiencebegantolosetheirpatienceintheendlessspeech.16takei