With only a click of the mouse, rumors can be forwarded between microblogs very quickly. As an example, recently, perceptive netizens discovered that some photos displayed on microblogs depicting Beijing’s June rainstorm had actually been fabricated.
Sina.com is one of the major internet portals(門戶網(wǎng)站) in China with hundreds and thousands of users, and a majority of celebrities and renowned citizens have their microblog accounts on this portal. As recently as six months ago, the website decided to establish a specialized team to verify rumors and provide accurate information for its users. Tan Chao is in charge of the team.
“Before I took the job, I usually couldn’t identify what information was real and what was fake. But during the rumor verification process, we discovered that a lot of information was false, including fake photos, fake news stories and rumors that had been spread through microblogs.”
It‘s not just website portals which are taking on fact-checking responsibilities, but also a number of civic-minded netizens, who recently set up a Rumor Verification Federation on Sina.com’s microblog system to help netizens identify fake information online.
　　Dianzizheng is the team leader of the federation. He says they’ve publicized more than 150 pieces which refute rumors, which attracted more than 10 thousand visitors within two months.
　　“We live in an age of new media, so we can’t use the old methods to verify rumors. We can’t wait for the media to verify the facts with related administrative departments and then release a formal announcement. We can’t allow rumors to run rampant and then deal with it, we need to fight rumors while they’re spreading. I think that this is the best way to deal with rumors nowadays.”
　　Some experts say this demonstrates the advantages of the internet compared to other traditional media. The open platform allows information to be examined and clarified by netizens. But experts like Ding Wenguo, President of the Journalism and Communication College at the China University of Political Science and Law says this self-correction function of the internet is still quite limited.
　　“It’s still quite difficult to tell which information is true in such an open environment by just reading a number of different opinions on the same issue. This is something which we need to pay attention to. If society is deluged with too much false information, and it’s allowed to spread in such a fast manner, then people will be suspicious of all kinds of information including important information from authorities. It also exacerbates(惡化) problems relating to social communications and mutual-understanding, which in turn harms society as a whole.”
　　Experts suggest that the government should react more quickly in the internet age. Once a rumor begins to spread, administrative departments should make announcements as early as possible to dispel rumors before they lead to bad outcomes.
小題1:Sina.com decided to found a specialized team to ____.

A．limit the number of microblogs

B．a(chǎn)dvance the development of microblogs

C．prevent the spread of rumors on the Internet

D．urge the government to react quickly to the rumors

小題2:Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

A．All the rumors have been spread through microblogs.

B．Sina.com is the most popular Internet portal in China.

C．The photos displayed on microblogs might be fake.

D．Traditional media tend to get rumors examined and clarified.

小題3:The underlined word "fabricated" in the first paragraph can be replaced by "__". 

A．dug out

B．made up

C．got round

D．given away

小題4:What is the best way to prove rumors on microblogs?

A．Examining and checking while they are spreading.

B．Substituting the Internet for traditionally media.

C．Shutting down the website immediately.

D．Making announcements after they are spread.

小題5:The writer cited Ding Wenguo's words in Paragraph 8 to __. 

A．draw a conclusion	B．support an argument
C．introduce a topic	D．describe a scene

New rules will let millions of Americans know where more of their food comes from. The law is known as COOL -- Country of Origin Labeling(標簽).
American congress first passed the law in 2002. Stores have had to label seafood by country of origin since 2005. But industry pressure delayed other requirements until last week.
Products that must now be labeled include fresh fruits and vegetables, muscle meats and some kinds of nuts. But the rules are complex, and many foods are not included. For example, organ meats are free to be labeled. So are processed foods, including cooked or smoked foods.
The same food may sometimes have to be labeled and other times not. Fresh or frozen peas, for example, have to be labeled but not canned peas. Foods that are mixed with other foods are also excluded. Mixed nuts, for example, do not need to be labeled. The same is true of a salad mix that contains different things like lettuce and carrots. Or a fruit cup that combines different fruits. Also, the law doesn’t include restaurants and other food service organizations. Department of Agriculture officials say the law is really meant for larger grocery stores.
The United States has imported more and more food in recent years to save money and expand choices. Country-of-origin labeling has become more common lately but has still been limited in many stores.
Food safety is one reason why some shoppers pay close attention to where foods came from. For example, when a large number of people recently got sick from salmonella(沙門菌病), officials blamed peppers from Mexico. Yet the last big food scare involved spinach grown in California. But labeling is also a way for people to know they are getting what they want. Some want to buy local foods or foods from a particular country.
The country-of-origin labeling law gives stores 30 days to correct any violations(違反) that are found. Stores and suppliers that are found to be deliberately violating the law could be fined 1,000 dollars per violation. Federal inspectors are not to take action to enforce the law for six months to give time for an education campaign.
Some food safety activists say they are generally pleased with the law. They call it a good step that will give people more useful information.
小題1:Why has more and more food been imported to the United States in recent years?

A．It is economical and provides people with more choices.

B．Foreign food is of higher quality than native food.

C．Americans need more and more food recently.

D．The United States is short of food supply.

小題2:Consumers are more concerned about where foods come from because________.

A．they are curious about the origin of the food.

B．most of them are particular about the tastes

C．they are concerned about food safety

D．most of them are food safety activists

小題3:The new rules of the country-of-origin labeling law will come into effect________.

A．right now

B．in a month

C．in three months

D．in half a year

小題4:Which of the following can be inferred from the text?

A．Store owners are most likely to be the supporters of the law.

B．The government of America will possibly forbid importing peppers from Mexico.

C．Federal inspectors couldn’t take measures to enforce the law.

D．Most Americans prefer imported vegetables to the vegetables grown in local places.

Do you enjoy seeing the stars twinkling at night ? Or do you love the ocean and sea, diving and racing with lovely dolphins? With heavy burdens on their shoulders, teenagers find it hard to pull out. Even if they are free, they prefer to occupy themselves with computer games or watching TV. How to get children away from screens is a great concern for parents. Now there is some good news for those concerned parents and teachers.
A campaign is being launched to encourage children to surrender 30 minutes of screen time a day to head for the great outdoors.
The newly formed Wild Network – a collaboration of nearly 400 organizations – is attempting to attract youngsters away from television and computer screen and into fields, woods and parks.
Organizers say it is the UK's biggest ever campaign to reconnect children with nature and outdoor play, and claim it could help improve fitness, mental alertness and general well–being.
A documentary film, Project Wild Thing, will herald the launch at more than 50 cinemas across the UK from Friday. It looks at the increasingly fragile link between children and nature.
Members of the network include the National Trust, RSPB, Play England and the NHS sustainable development unit.
Andy Simpson, chairman of the Wild Network, said: "The tragic truth is that kids have lost touch with nature and the outdoors in just one generation. Time spent outdoors is down, roaming ranges have fallen drastically, activity levels are declining and the ability to identify common species has been lost."
Suggestions of how to get more time in nature include collecting conkers(板栗), camping or snail racing, and observing autumn colour on trees.
From January, the network will aim to make suggestions to politicians on how government can do more to get children muddy and bright-eyed.
This is not the first time the message of less screen, more play has been brought up. Children in the 1980s were entreated to do the same by the BBC TV series Why Don't You, which somewhat confusingly called on its viewers to "switch off your TV set, and go do something less boring instead".
小題1:What is the main purpose of the campaign in UK?

A．To save 30 minutes for watching TV programme each day.

B．To encourage children to play outdoors.

C．To see the documentary film, Project Wild Thing.

D．To teach students how to learn more efficiently in schools.

小題2:According to the organizers of Wild Network, there will be many advantages from the campaign except _______.

A．improving health conditions

B．keeping touch with nature

C．learning more about wildlife

D．teaching children how to make full use of their spare time

小題3:The underlined part “ to get children muddy and bright-eyed ” means “_______ ”.

A．to make children covered with mud

B．to urge politicians to do more things for children

C．to encourage children to take part in outdoors activities

D．to help children identify common species

小題4:Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?

A．A new campaign.	B．Less screen, more play outdoors.
C．A newly formed Wild Network.	D．Children get to know wild things.

Public caught up in argument over safety of genetically modified or simply GM products, report Zhang Lei and Zhong Nan in Beijing.
More than 300 people gathered to enjoy a bowl of porridge made from genetically modified food on Saturday, an attempt to quell public fears about the safety of the product.
The first China Golden Rice Tasting Event was held at Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan, Hubei province, sparking another round in the nationwide debate about the safety of GM crops, often called "Frankenfood" by opponents.
Similar events have been held in more than 28 cities since May, the university said.
Both the pro and anti camps have posted conflicting comments on the Internet, with each providing evidence to back up their beliefs, but the exchanges are becoming increasingly bitter.
Jiang Tao, a senior engineer at the Center for Agricultural Resources Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who is in favor of GM foods, was annoyed about what he called "amateurs" spreading rumors.
"Just look at the people who are opposed to GM foods; can you find anyone from a related field in the scientific community?" he asked. Jiang also accused the anti-GM lobby of repeatedly using outdated or inaccurate data to support an "incorrect" stance.
Chen Yunfa, an independent researcher into the Yangtze River Delta economy, recently wrote a commentary on the Internet news portal Eastday in which he criticized the actions of the 61 scientists, saying they had gone "beyond their proper duty". He suggested that large multinational corporations might be behind the letter and similar incidents, prompted by a desire to freeze China's patent hybrid rice technology out of the market.
To support his contentions, Chen said that GM rice, first produced by scientists in the US, still hasn't gained official approval from the US government. However, the US authorities have actually granted licenses to six varieties of GM rice. The commercial planting of two varieties - anti-herbicide (BAR) transgenic rice LL RICE 06 and LL RICE 62 - produced by the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis, was approved in 1999 and a license for cultivation for edible use was granted in 2000.
The public outcry for GM labeling and boycotting has hindered the advancement of the technology. Concern about GM foods has been fueled by studies like the one published by French professor Gilles-Eric Séralini in September 2012. Séralini claimed that his research involving rats proved that the GM corn fed to them caused tumor growth. Furthermore, there is growing concern that the pesticides(殺蟲劑) used on GMOs(轉基因作物)are contributing to the decline of the world’s honey bee population, leading to honey bee deaths by infecting the brains of the insects with toxins. Therefore, some experts recommend the labeling of non-GM foods so that consumers can make that decision without a regulatory burden being placed on GMOs.
However, we should be cautious about anything that may risk humans’ life. Only time will tell.
小題1:Why did more than 300 people enjoy porridge made from genetically modified food?

A．To show evidence that GM products are dangerous.

B．To support that the first China Golden Rice Tasting is safe.

C．To rid public of fears and worries about the safety of GM foods.

D．To draw public’s attention to nationwide planting of GM products.

小題2:Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．Those who are for GM products and those who are against keep arguing fiercely by holding conferences.

B．People are failing to show evidence to support their pros and cons, although they hold a firm belief of their own.

C．Some people think those against GM foods have a good knowledge of GM technology and are spreading rumors.

D．GM food may be just a way for some multinational corporations to drive China’s patent hybrid rice out of the market.

小題3:What can we infer from the second paragraph from bottom?

A．The public advocated that GM products should be labeled clearly.

B．Séralini claimed that his research proved the GM corn caused rats to grow faster.

C．Many honey bees have died because they were fed with GM corn.

D．There should be some restrictions on GM products’ selling.

小題4:What is the writer’s attitude towards GM products?

A．Supportive.

B．Suspicious.

C．Indifferent.

D．Critical.

Many skilled young people are being forced into part-time and unskilled work, the report says. It warns of a "crisis" with more than six million people so disillusioned they have given up looking for work. The ILO(International Labor Organization)wants governments to make job creation a priority. It wants more training schemes, and also tax breaks for employers.
"The youth unemployment crisis can be beaten but only if job creation for young people becomes a key priority in policymaking and private sector investment picks up significantly," said Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, executive director of the ILO's employment sector.
Since 2007, the number of young people without jobs has risen by four million - up from less than 12%, the Global Employment Trends for Youth Report says. Almost 13% of people aged between 15 and 24 - or almost 75 million - have no work, although this is slightly down on its peak in 2009.
In the European Union, one in five young people are looking for work, the report claims. Some 27.9% of youths were unemployed in North Africa last year —a rise of five percentage points on 2010. In the Middle East, the figure stood at 26.5% in the report's regional breakdown. Even in East Asia, perhaps the most economically active region, the unemployment rate was 2.8 times higher for young people than for adults, the report said.
But, the ILO report reveals, the true picture of youth unemployment is even more pessimistic. Many young people are extending their time in higher education because they cannot find jobs. Others are taking part-time unskilled work because they cannot find work in the fields they trained for.
The ILO says that more than six million young people worldwide have given up looking for work and are becomingly increasingly detached from society. By not using their skills they are losing them, the report says, and if there is no improvement in the jobs market soon, they may be not only unemployed, but unemployable.
The ILO suggests offering tax breaks to businesses hiring young people and offering more programmes to help kick-start careers.
小題1:Which of the following is true according to Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs?

A．Since 2007, the number of young people out of job has risen to 4 million.

B．Nearly 13% of the young people have no work.

C．Job creation should be made a key priority in policymaking.

D．The youth unemployment rate can never go down.

小題2:The various figures in paragraph 3 and 4 were used to show_______.

A．The employment situation is serious only in the European Union

B．The global youth employment situation is depressing

C．East Asia enjoys a high youth employment rate

D．Compared with the situation in 2009, the youth employment in 2007 is slightly better

小題3:According to ILO, the following are caused by high youth unemployment rate except_______.

A．The government calls on young people to take up whatever job is available

B．Many young people are making their time in higher education longer

C．Some young people are taking part-time unskilled work

D．Many young people have given up looking for work

小題4:The ILO offered many solutions to the crisis of youth unemployment, including_______.
a. making job creations a priority          b. more training schemes      
c. encouraging public investment           d. tax breaks for employers     
e. offering more entrepreneurship programmes to help start careers

A．a(chǎn) b c e

B．b c d e

C．a(chǎn) c d e

D．a(chǎn) b d e

Israel has passed a law banning the use of underweight models in advertising. Known as the “Photoshop Law”, it also requires that agencies tell their audience if they’ve digitally changed pictures to make models look thinner.
The new law forbids the use of models with a body mass index of 18.5 or less, a standard based on internationally accepted measures. The figure matches the set of fixed limits by the U. S. Department of Health.
The law doesn’t set a money amount that can be gained in court from such a suit. Lawmakers realize that it may be a long and difficult process to prove in court that a company broke the new law, but they feel that simply having the law in place will accomplish what they want; stopping advertising companies from continuing to influence Israelis with images of unhealthy-looking models as the gold standard of beauty.
Some modeling agencies in Israel aren’t happy. They say that the indexes on which the law is based are arbitrary (任意的)and are not suitable for every model. Many models who are totally healthy girls might be disqualified because of the law. Some models are naturally thin and unable to gain weight and the new law would unfairly prevent them from finding jobs.
However, plus-size American supermodel Emme told CNN that she thinks the law will cause other countries to make similar measures against showing underweight models. “I think this is fantastic because so many young women and men are suffering to look in a way that is unrealistic and unhealthy,” she said.
小題1:What is “Photoshop Law” about?

A．Banning the use of underweight models.

B．Banning underweight models in advertising.

C．Banning changing pictures digitally.

D．Banning models in advertising.

小題2:The underlined word “suit” in Paragraph 3 means           .

A．a(chǎn) set of clothing

B．a(chǎn) group of rooms

C．a(chǎn)n action in court

D．a(chǎn) performance in advertising

小題3:What can we know from the passage?

A．All models are happy about the law.

B．All advertising agencies are happy about the law.

C．The law makes no sense.

D．There are arguments over the beauty standard of models.

"This past year has been one of great celebration for many. The enthusiasm which greeted the Diamond Jubilee was, of course, especially memorable for me and my family.
　　It was humbling that so many chose to mark the anniversary of a duty which passed to me 60 years ago. People of all ages took the trouble to take part in various ways and in many nations. But perhaps most striking of all was to witness the strength of fellowship and friendship among those who had gathered together on these occasions.
　  On the barges and the bridges and the banks of the river there were people who had taken their places to cheer through the mist, undaunted by the rain. That day there was a tremendous sense of common determination to celebrate, triumphing(戰(zhàn)勝) over the elements.
　　That same spirit was also in evidence from the moment the Olympic flame arrived on these shores. The flame itself drew hundreds and thousands of people on its journey around the British Isles, and was carried by every kind of deserving individual, many nominated for their own extraordinary service.
As London hosted a splendid summer of sport, all those who saw the achievement and courage at the Olympic and Paralympic Games were further inspired by the skill, dedication, training and teamwork of our athletes. In pursuing their own sporting goals, they gave the rest of us the opportunity to share something of the excitement and drama.
We were reminded, too, that the success of these great festivals depended to an enormous degree upon the dedication and effort of an army of volunteers. Those public-spirited people came forward in the great tradition of all those who devote themselves to keeping others safe, supported and comforted.
For many, Christmas is also a time for coming together. But for others, service will come first. Those serving in our armed forces, in our emergency services and in our hospitals, whose sense of duty takes them away from family and friends, will be missing those they love.
　　At Christmas I am always struck by how the spirit of togetherness lies also at the heart of the Christmas story. A young mother and a dutiful father with their baby were joined by poor shepherds and visitors from afar. They came with their gifts to worship(崇拜) the Christ child. From that day on he has inspired people to commit themselves to the best interests of others.
This is the time of year when we remember that God sent his only son 'to serve, not to be served'. He restored love and service to the centre of our lives in the person of Jesus Christ.
It is my prayer this Christmas Day that his example and teaching will continue to bring people together to give the best of themselves in the service of others.
I wish you all a very happy Christmas. "
小題1:Who most probably is the maker of this speech?

A．Queen of Great Britain.	B．King of Great Britain.
C．Prime Minister of Great Britain.	D．Mayor of London.

小題2: What might be the main purpose of this speech?

A．To make a summary of what has been done in the past years.

B．To offer congratulations on the arrival of Christmas.

C．To hold an anniversary celebration of an event.

D．To express respect for and loyalty to God.

小題3:Which of the following is NOT mentioned by the speaker?

A．Enthusiasm and Friendship.

B．Dedication and effort.

C．Sacrifice and service.

D．Civilization and peace.

小題4:Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The speaker was too busy to attend the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

B．Volunteers played a key role in the success of the Diamond Jubilee.

C．The speaker showed great respect for those still at work at Christmas.

D．The strength of the Christmas story lies in the worship of Jesus Christ.

With his game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer, Jeremy Lin (林書豪) finished the New York Knicks' dramatic reversed(扭轉) victory to defeat the Toronto Rapters.
The Knicks have won six games in a row, and Jeremy Lin has put up impressive numbers during the continuous period of competitions. Although the season is still young, the Knicks have reversed course in just one week from the NBA's most disappointing team to a playoff (季后賽) contestant. Lin, not team's high-paid stars, has saved the Knicks season and likely coach D'Antoni's job.
After nearly 15 years of disappointing, sometimes unsuccessful seasons, Madison Square Garden is alive again, and New York City can't stop talking about the Knicks. To put things into perspective（角度）, consider this: Just several years back, Knicks fans protested nightly outside of the Garden calling for the team's ownership to fire their resented coach Isiah Thomas.
Now, Madison Square Garden Co. shares are at a record high, the Knicks' average household television rating is up 70 percent since Lin joined the starting lineup (首發(fā)陣容), and jersey sales are increasing very quickly. I watched the Knicks-Lakers game at a bar in Harlem, and have not felt that kind of energy from fans since the great playoff between the Knicks and Miami Heat in the late 1990s.
Beyond the Knicks, Lin may be saving the NBA as well. Just a few months back, the NBA took a massive credibility（威信）hit during a multi-month lockout（停工）, where the owners did not allow the players to go back to play until they accept the new salary levels. As a consequence, the season did not even begin until Christmas Day. Over the past few years, LeBron James' (勒布朗﹒詹姆斯) relatively long and unpleasant free-agent (自由職業(yè)球員) events, combined with poor play around the league, have angered fans and damaged the league's brand.
Lin is leading a one-week NBA basketball revival. His legendary story has inspired Asian-Americans, increased NBA sales in China, and turned the basketball world upside down.
小題1:The passage is mainly about______

A．why the New Yorkers thought well of Jeremy Lin

B．why Jeremy Lin became a member of the Knicks

C．how the Knicks defeated its opponents in a great playoff

D．how Jeremy Lin saved the Knicks, probably including the NBA

小題2:According to the passage, Jeremy Lin's excellent performance saved the following except___

A．The NBA

B．Coach Isiah Thomas

C．The Knicks

D．Madison Square Garden Co.’s shares

小題3:The underlined word “young” in Paragraph 2 probably means "______"

A．not old yet.	B．not completely grown.
C．in the development	D．in the early stage

小題4:The NBA suffered the credibility crisis months ago because____

A．The NBA delayed the season because of players’ wage disagreements

B．the NBA was disappointed at James’ free-agent event.

C．The NBA canceled the basketball match for the coming Christmas

D．James had a bad performance in the basketball court

小題5:Which one of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．These Knicks’ stars who were paid well saved the Knicks season

B．The Knicks didn’t satisfy its fans for nearly 15 years until this season

C．The fans objected to dismissing Coach Isiah Thomas outside the Garden

D．The owners and the players didn’t agree on raising the TV ratings

Chinese media and Internet users on Monday condemned(譴責) a lack of morals in society after a toddler(學步的小孩)was struck twice by two different vans and left bleeding on the road as more than a dozen bystanders did nothing to help the seriously injured girl.
The incident, captured by a surveillance camera and aired by Southern Television Guangdong (TVS), showed the two-year-old girl was knocked down and run over by a white van on a narrow market street on the afternoon of Oct. 13, in Foshan City of Guangdong Province.
The driver fled the scene of the accident, leaving the girl to bleed on the sidewalk. Over the next six minutes, more than a dozen people walked by the girl, yet not one individual did anything to help her. The girl was then hit a second time by another van before an elderly trash collector came to her aid and brought the attention of the girl’s mother, according to the video and eyewitnesses.
Doctors said that the girl, who was put on life support after being hospitalized, remains in a deep coma. The girl’s parents, who are migrants living in the city, are now with her. Police said the drivers of both vehicles have been arrested. However, the indifference of the bystanders shown in the video has shocked the public, as Internet forums have boiled with anger, and people are questioning the morality of society.
High moral standards were once triumphed as national pride in China where individuals known for selflessly helping others were adored by the public. But in recent years, the perception of a decline of morals has become a hot topic as profit and materialism are recognized to be affecting society’s values.
On Sept. 2. an 88-year-old man in central China collapsed, his face striking the pavement. Yet, no one came to his aid, and he ended up choking to death on the blood from his nose. Some have linked the absence of good models to a previous case in which a man trying to help an elderly woman who fell was accused of harming her.
A strong chorus of opinion on the Internet says laws should exempt（免除）models from responsibility, yet laws themselves cannot solve society’s morality dilemma.
Cao Lin, a China Youth Daily commentator, said in a signed article published on Monday that the worry of responsibility should not be an excuse for not helping, and this case exposes the decline of humanity in Chinese society.
小題1:What happened to the two-year-old girl?

A．Nobody helped her after she was struck by two different vans.

B．She died immediately after she was hit a second time.

C．An old trash collector saved her and attracted her mother’s attention.

D．Journalists from TVS captured her story by using a camera.

小題2:From the passage, what would happen if someone helped others selflessly in the past?

A．The public would feel proud of him/ her and showed love and respect for him/ her.

B．He/she would be awarded by the government.

C．He/she would be condemned by the public.

D．He/she would have to worry about legal responsibility.

小題3:In recent years, society’s values are believed to be affected by________.

A．people’s awareness

B．the indifference of bystanders

C．profit and materialism

D．the morals of society

小題4:According to Cao Lin, what is the fundamental reason for not helping the girl?

A．The worry of responsibility.

B．Lack of laws that exempt role models from responsibility.

C．The fear of being accused of harming her.

D．The decline of humanity in society.

小題5:Where is the article probably taken from?

A．A news report.	B．A fashion magazine.
C．A science fiction.	D．An education column.

The iPhone, the iPad: each of Apple’s products sounds cool and has become a fad(一時的風尚). Apple has cleverly taken advantage of the power of the letter “i” –-- and many other brands are following suit. The BBC’s iPlayer --- which allows Web users to watch TV programs on the Internet ---used the title in 2008. A lovely bear --- popular in the US and UK --- that plays music and video is called “iTeddy”. A slimmed-down version(簡裝本) of London’s Independent newspaper was started last week under the name “i”.
In general, single-letter prefixes(前綴) have been popular since the 1990s, when terms such as e-mail and e-commerce(電子商務) first came into use.
Most “i” products are targeted at （針對）young people and considering the major readers of Independent’s“ i”, it’s no surprise that they’ve selected this fashionable name.
But it’s hard to see what’s so special about the letter “i”. Why not use “a”, “b”, or “c” instead? According to Tony Thorne, head of the Language Center at King’s College, London, “i” works because its meaning has become ambiguous. When Apple uses “i”, no one knows whether it means Internet, information, individual or interactive, Thorne told BBC Magazines. “Even when Apple created the iPod, it seems it didn’t have one clear definition（定義）,” he says.
“However, thanks to Apple, the term is now connected with portability (輕便) .”adds Thorne.
Clearly the letter “i” also agrees with the idea that the Western World is centered on the individual. Each person believes they have their own needs, and we love personalized products for this reason.
Along with “Google” and “blog”, readers of BBC Magazines voted “i” as one of the top 20 words that have come to define the last decade(十年).
But as history shows, people grow tired of fads. From the 1900s to 1990s, products with “2000” in their names became fashionable as the year was connected with all things advanced and modern. However, as we entered the new century, the fashion disappeared.
小題1:People use iPlayer to __________.

A．listen to music	B．make a call
C．watch TV programs online	D．read newspapers

小題2:We can infer that the Independent’s “i” is designed for _________.

A．young readers

B．old readers

C．fashionable women

D．engineers

小題3:The underlined word “ambiguous” means “__________”.

A．popular

B．uncertain

C．clear

D．unique

小題4: Nowadays, the “i” term often reminds people of the products which are __________.

A．portable

B．environmentally friendly

C．a(chǎn)dvanced

D．recyclable

小題5:The writer suggests that __________.

A．“i” products are often of high quality

B．iTeddy is alive bear

C．the letter “b” replaces letter “i” to name the products

D．the popularity of “i” products may not last long